A PSA from the Gong Girls (Mostly Fiona)

Hello everyone. Fiona has some important messages to share with you.
First, she would like you to know where her baseball loyalty lies:
Next, she would like to emphasize the importance of bicycle safety.
Campbell, who continues her quest to become enormous through an endless cycle of eating and sleeping, and who has apparently developed an alarming tendency for red-eye in photos, also has a thought to share:
"You can't choose your big sister. Bummer."

(How's that for creating coherence out of random photos?!)

Pickin'

Those of you who've been following this blog for over a year (if you exist) may recall that last year we took Fiona apple picking at Gabriel Farm in the lovely Sonoma County town of Graton. It was so much fun that we're hoping to make it a family tradition. And so it was that we headed back to Gabriel Farm this past Sunday. Things were a bit different this time around.

Fiona can now help out by carrying the apple box (which, moments after this picture was taken, she pronounced "too heavy" and handed off to Erick).

She can now actually pick apples.
AND, perhaps most fun of all, she can actually EAT apples. And eat them she did. In the sun....

in the shade...

back at home.

She also helped "pick" blackberries, until I wised up as to why the blackberries always seemed to stay at the same level in the box.

If you're wondering why Campbell is absent from this experience, it's because she WAS absent in terms of consciousness:

But lest you think that Campbell spends all her time passed out, here is a picture of her actually awake and alert. It does happen.

Fiona's Shiner

At almost 22 months, Fiona is shaping up to be a tough, independent gal. Her favorite saying lately is: "I'm do it!" (Often followed by screams of frustration when, in fact, she can't do it). A couple of her recent antics:

This week, while my back was turned for, oh, 30 seconds, Fiona decided to pull a Thelma and Louise and drive her toy car off of our front porch. A visual for those who haven't seen the movie:

She banged her forehead, which then slowly drained into her eyelid, producing her first (and probably not her last) black eye. She seems strangely proud of it. I, on the other hand, have been getting some nasty looks when I take her around town!

Fiona also pulled a fast one on her dad by convincing him that she wanted to "help" hold the baguette in the car on their way home from the grocery store. Here's what it looked like when they got home:

Campbell, on the other hand, has been shaping up into a happy, laid-back baby. She's going to have to be!

Birthday Fun!

Last week, Fiona had the honor of celebrating her friend Constance's 2nd birthday. Applying the wise adage that one should invite as many friends to a birthday party as the years one is turning, Constance's mother had invited Fiona and Cammi, who, at almost 3, was the big girl of the group.

The girls got right down to business with banana bread cakes in the backyard.
Fiona REALLY got down to business. She didn't even wait until "Happy Birthday" had been sung. We have a ways to go on etiquette.
The whole party was wonderful fun, complete with finger painting, bubbles, and multiple opportunities to watch Constance and Cammi use the "big girl potty" (we have a ways to go with potty training, too!). But the highlight, by far, was dressing up.

Especially the high-heeled shoes. I can't think of anything much more nerve-wracking or charming than watching these 3 girls clip-clop around on the brick patio in their plastic high heels.

Inspired by the party, this morning Fiona wedged her foot into a plastic thermos cap, which she proclaimed a "highway shoe." Sigh. They grow up so fast!

Fraternizing & Unionizing

This past weekend, the Gong Girls (along with their parents & grandparents) attended the annual International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers picnic at beautiful Stern Grove in San Francisco.

Their Granddaddy belongs to the IBEW, and this is the second year that we've attended. Last year, Fiona wasn't yet mobile, so she wasn't able to partake in all of the festivities. This was a year of exciting firsts for her.

First Sno Cone.

First Cotton Candy.

First bouncy house.

First face painting.
As for Campbell, her participation was a bit more...laid back. But no doubt next year she'll be bouncing right alongside big sister.
Fiona and Campbell continue to get along exceptionally well. Fiona has explained to Campbell all the ins and outs of her playgym.
And here is a picture of them in the first of what I'm sure will be many matching outfits, this one courtesy of Nana.
Happy September!

Strange Bedfellows

In a couple of months, once she's able to sleep through the night (let's HOPE that's in a couple of months!), Campbell will be moving into Fiona's room. In other words, our two girls will be sharing a room for the forseeable future. For now, however, they're enjoying keeping each other company during our bedtime story/prayer/song time. From the look of things, it won't be a very difficult transition when they do become roommates. (Note Fiona's new "big girl bed," i.e. a twin mattress on the floor. Also note that she likes to sleep like a pack rat, surrounded by all the books & stuffed animals she owns).
And, just for fun, here's Fiona out for a stroll in her tutu.

Campbell & Fiona: The First 2 Weeks

Campbell is 13 days old today; it's amazing how these first weeks have flown. Of course, Campbell and Fiona have had very different experiences. Based on the theory (yet to be proven in reality!) that Campbell's arrival must be a traumatic time for her, Fiona spent 13 days being massively spoiled by both sets of her adoring grandparents. Some highlights (note how traumatized Fiona looks):

Riding the Steam Train in Tilden Park with Nana and Boom.

Modeling her first raincoat.
Bothering Campbell.

Improper use of a tutu.

Proper use of a tutu.

Bothering Campbell.
Horse sculpture.

Brownie bite.

Bothering Campbell.

Merry-go-round at Tilden Park.

Homemade ice cream for Campbell's 1-week birthday.

Bothering Campbell.

And here is how Campbell spent her first 2 weeks of life:
Except when she was eating or screaming, that is!

It's actually been delightful to see the girls begin to interact. We're particularly amused at how enormous Fiona -- to whom the word "enormous" is almost never applied -- appears next to Campbell. In true big sister fashion, she seems to believe that she is responsible for Campbell's
care and nurture, and that without her to keep us in line, Mama and Dadoo would muck things up horribly. In other words, she's bossing us around: "Mama, hold Campbell!" "Mama, milk!" Campbell had better rest up now, because no doubt she'll soon be the next target of Fiona's bossiness!