Hot July - complete with Hamster!

Summer is here in full force!  In typical Seattle fashion, July  = the true start of summer, and OH BOY was it hot.  Global warming in full evidence and this wussy Seattleite nearly melted into a puddle.  The kids have loved it, though, as time out from school + warm weather has meant camps for Lily (science, circus and a brief flirtation with boating), field trips and lots of wallowing in dirt for Matteo, and neighborhood playdates pretty much every night.  Of course Lily has had some help beating the heat...she now goes to bed every night either spooning an ice pack or resting one on her feet.  Smart kid.

The month started with a memorable 4th.  For the first time in my adult life I actually bought fireworks....and wound up with a hamster as a bonus.  After promising Lily we would get some sparklers, I took the kids to a stand up in Lynnwood the morning of the 4th.  It wasn't open yet, so we went to the strip mall down the block to kill some time.  Of course the only thing open in the strip mall was...PetCo.  There we found what may have been the cutest guinea pig I'd ever seen.  Lily of course wanted it immediately and I have to admit I was swayed.  We agreed to discuss with Daddy and headed back to the stand.  Now open, the stand had a dizzying array that made me feel panicked - I asked a kind woman to please help me fill my bag with things that wouldn't leave me fingerless and she obliged while I pulled item after item from Matteo's wee fingers.  Well-stocked, we headed out.

Once home we told Chris about the guinea pig and we headed back to PetCo so he could check one out for himself.  He wasn't impressed and by then I'd quickly researched guinea pig care and realized we were not equipped for guinea pig care.  However there was a Chinese Dwarf Hamster in the pet adoption section that was both cute and in need...and just like that we came home with Filbert.  So far he's been an easy and entertaining pet, but we quickly learned we have to keep his cage locked or a certain pet owner will forget to close it.  Fortunately it only happened once and Chris found him quickly (thankfully still alive and more than ready to return to captivity) in the toy bin.

The night of the 4th we participated for the first time in the block fireworks.  Scott went all out, bringing back a truck load from Boom Town.  The show went on and on....so long in fact that Matteo looked at me about 30 minutes in and said "No more fireworks - I want go home" and that was that.  I knew the poor kid was fried as his new favorite saying at bedtime is "5 minutes!" complete with a wee hand showing 5 fingers....for him to ask to go home knowing bedtime awaits is a rarity indeed.

This month also had its quirks and milestones.  For Matteo he upped the ante on bedtime quirks with this new teeth brushing shtick.  He will now only allow them to be brushed when he's in bed, and while he will still resist having them cleaned, he will enthusiastically point to where you should be brushing on either side.  For Lily she's suddenly growing up too fast for me, going from leaping up for hugs, to now standing on the ground.  Thankfully she still holds my hand, but never around kids her age and typically only in places where she isn't 100% sure of herself.  Taller, she will now stand next to me, one arm casually draped over my shoulders, leaning against me.  It melts my heart and makes me feel incredibly special that this sweet girl has chosen to me.  Matteo continues on his quest to be the dirtiest kid around...so much so that one night gravel came out of his hair at bath time.  And Miss Lily finally got to ride in a SlugBug - and a convertible one at that! - when the VW dealership gave us one as a loaner.   

 

And of course with quirks come quotes:

Matteo at the park, upset I made him share the communal sand trucks: You go to store and buy ambulance and then I will be happy. 
A compelling argument....but no.

Me: Lily, would you like a banana?
Lily: Ok, but make sure it doesn't taste like a rotten coconut! (??)

Me to Lily: Do I give you not enough, too many, or just the right amount if hugs and kisses? 
Lily: Jusssssst the right amount!
(phew!!)

Matteo, seeing my suitcase the morning I left for ComicCon: You going on airplane today!  Get ready for takeoff!  It goes down the runway and flies!

At the end of the month we took a quick trip down to Seaside to meet up with the Fell family, who were there for Dana's family reunion.  We'd never been and fell totally in love with Cannon Beach.  There was an anchovy die-off in Seaside which considerably diminished its charms, but we still had fun feeding the seals at the aquarium, riding one of those bike-buggy things around town and stocking up on Salt Water Taffy, but playing by Haystack rock was definitely the highlight. Lily of course found new friends to play with and got a round of freeze tag going with the life guard's sons - poor boys couldn't come close to catching our speedy girl.  We hit horrible traffic both down and back...so bad that it will be awhile till we make that trek again...but Cannon Beach is in our future.  So much left to see and do!
A few cuteness moments from the trip:

Matteo driving over the Astoria bridge: Wheeeee!  That was awesome!

Me to Matteo: You're silly
Matteo: I'm not silly, I'm funny!
Lily, totally deadpan: Honestly, that's my job

Me: Matteo, do you like the beach?
Matteo: I dooooooo...it's AWESOME!
(I think I maybe say that word to much and it's rubbed off on him?)

Me: Bedtime!
Matteo: I don't want bedtime!  I want to hang out!
(made much cuter by his squeaky voice)

Don't worry, dude - we'll hang out plenty in August.

Lily at Circus Camp - is she a natural or what?!