The drama girls

Sydney, Lyla and Gabrielle (left to right) have been together in daycare and junior kindergarten since September 2011. At first, Lyla and Sydney were essentially joined at the hip, with Gabrielle wanting in but feeling third wheel-ish. Then Sydney and Lyla suffered some kind of breakdown in their friendship (as 4 year olds are wont to do) and Gabrielle managed to gain a foothold. Now, it seems like the three of them are able to play together, sometimes in twos, sometimes all three, but the drama, at least for now, has settled (as evidenced by them all sitting together on the school bus on a recent field trip to the National Gallery. Sure, Lyla called Sydney stinky at some point, but that's what best friends do).

Whew! We never knew it would start this early.

Go Baggies!

Father and son pose in their West Bromwich Albion kit before it gets too small. Yes, I mean Isaac's not Daddy's. (Although that's not beyond the realm of comprehension these days!)

Facing fears

Gabrielle and Isaac are both quite fearful of dogs, and always have been. Gabrielle is generally not as bad as Isaac about it - she puts on a brave face in any event. Isaac's terror (and I don't use that word lightly) comes from a place deep, deep within, and is without any rational basis. No, he's never been mauled by a dog, which is what I get asked as he cowers in fear when a little white poodle sniffs at his ankle. Even he is conflicted by his fear, because he seems to have an interest in dogs - it's just the reality that overwhelms him.

All of which is by way of introduction to the photo below. Here they are with Erin and Shaun's new puppy, Dylan, an hour after they arrived at our place one day to babysit. The next day, Isaac reporting enjoying "Dyly." And Gabrielle? "A little scared."

Sigh.

Westfest

Walk on a car-free street, get our faces painted, and eat junk food under a brutally hot sun. And that's Westfest.