Of course, a soda still costs $4

For those who know Andy, it will come as no surprise that we're making the most of our season passes to Six Flags. (The more often we go, the less it costs. Pretty soon, they'll owe us money!).

Actually, the suggestion for today's outing came from Lily, for whom the cost-per-trip savings are quite irrelevant.

Lily ready to head out. I'm not sure if she's a sheriff or a cowgirl.

Amalia kissing the water. No fear.

You can't tell from this picture, but she's loudly announcing every step.

Lily with her best friend of the day, Bria (they met on the train ride and followed each other to the trucks).

Lily's favorite ride.

Not Amalia's favorite ride. (While she looks peaceful here, her position is actually part of her attempts to dismount mid-ride.)

The ball house. Unbeknownst to Amalia, a crate full of balls looms above her.

Amalia rubbing elbows with the big kids. (Yes, that's Lily and Bria together again. The separation was a tearful one.)

Amalia erectus

Would you, could you in a box?

BO!

Escape artist

Testing the perimeter. Just like the T-Rex in Jurassic Park.

You can't tell me that this wasn't premeditated. Especially since she's the one who pushed Lily's chair out from under the table in the first place.

Lily's birthday wish list

Just sharing because I found it amusing. Please do not consider this a request for donations.

1. Shiny, silver shoes with bows.
2. Matching clothes with Amalia.
3. Stuffed animal turtle (dark green, with no music buttons).

After we wrote down the list tonight, Lily asked if she could sleep with it so that we don't forget the items. (As a side note, Lily has become very concerned of late with her parents' memories. When we delay something or indicate we might do it later, her standard retort is, "But what if you forget?")

Taking turns

We went to our friends' house on Saturday for an impromptu pool party. Lily helped Amalia in her quest to walk by having her act as a rickshaw driver.



To be fair, Lily did her share of the rickshaw driving...

Lilyisms

1)
This past weekend, I was explaining to Lily that the 4th of July was a holiday because it's America's birthday. She said, "Oh, and are the fireworks like the country's birthday candles?"

2)
While Lily was getting ready for bed recently, she rattled off several lines (from several characters) from a movie she'd seen quite a while ago (Madagascar, I believe).

Me: "Lily, you know, you have such a good memory, we should have you memorize important stuff, like the names of U.S. Presidents or the names of the planets."

Lily: "Or princesses!"

Indeed.

And "BO!" to you, too

Amalia's current favorite word is, "bo!"--usually stated with much emphasis. We're sure she has something specific in mind when she says it, but we're less clear on what that something is. Here she's saying it after having spaghetti.


I think Lily's just trying not to spit out her Cheerios while laughing.


Completely unrelated, we got these Big Sister/Little Sister shirts so we could tell the girls apart. At the rate Amalia's growing, we may have switch pretty soon.

The Ohio River Valley

More photos from last weekend at the family reunion in OH/WV (courtesy of my mother):

Amalia tormented a few lorikeets at the Good Zoo at Oglebay (Wheeling, WV). I desperately tried to steer her away from bird poop puddles. (I can't wait until she goes upright.)

My aunt and mother disagreed with me when I said goats were nice -- in response to Lily's question. Perhaps they thought I would have been traumatized from my childhood experience of having a goat eat the name tag right off of my shirt.

Again trying to keep Amalia from tormenting the animals. I think she thought she could climb on it like she does to our dog Blue.

The baby pool at Wheeling Park (family reunion location). Amalia was fearless; Lily, a little less so.

Lily's lucky ladybug landing.

See-sawing sisters.

Cousins -- to some degree removed.

Skipping stones into the Ohio River (Shadyside, OH).

Amalia going down the big slide with Laura.