ava has discovered the fine art of covering up the evidence. about 3 times today she managed to cause carter to cry (usually by trying to comb his hair), and each time it went something like this:

"ok, so. we are going to go like this...and thiiisss...and..."

"WAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH"

"ok.ok.ok.ok. it's ok. ok. shhhhhhhh. ok.ok..."

"WAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH...MAMAMAAAAAAAAAAA"

"ok.ok.ok..shhhhhhh"

"what's going on?"

"carter's upset."

"i see that. why?"

"i don't know."

"perhaps it is because you were trying to comb his hair with a nail brush?"

"um, maybe, yeah, i guess so. sorry carter."

and he stops crying, she hugs him, and back into the couch and blanket fort they go.

they both had a painting-fest today. i finally gave up and just handed them jars of paint, and let them do whatever they wanted -- carter was in his highchair -- and they came up with some interesting ideas of how to make a 2 dimensional medium conform to a 3 dimensional vision. pretty impressive, until it all started sliding off the paper.

the bathtub water was incredible. i had to keep draining it until it ran clear. then they were allowed to get out.

we have started some chapter books with ava--stuart little, winnie the pooh, wind in the willows (waaay too difficult) and so on. they are really good for bedtime when the lights are low and i am nursing carter and dealing with a picture book is so cumbersome. we have done winnie the pooh for about 7 months now, but only each little vignette. now she is much better with carrying through with the plot. the turning point was "my father's dragon," a long-ish book that can be read in one or two sittings. it now makes her feel grown up to read the big-girl books, so she is more inclined to ask for them. but she still loves and needs the picture books, sincec she has them memorized, and she clearly gets a big boost from 'reading' along with me.