Three Cheers for the Public Library

I just have to take a moment to praise the amazing institution that is the public library. Public libraries have to be one of the greatest resources that exist for parents of young children. Ours offers various storytimes, music classes, crafts, summer programs, and books and music to check out, as well as parent resource books and interactive materials. Plus a great place to hang out and interact with other kids while playing with blocks, trains, or the puppet theater. And it's all FREE and available to everyone. Our children's librarians are amazing and clearly love their work.

I don't know how much time people spend appreciating what a great resource this is, but they should! We love it. Support your library! :)

Here is Atticus doing "storytime." He holds up the books the way the librarians do and reads them out loud. (He also walks up to random kids at the library like this and insists on "reading" to them.)



The book he is reading is "Bailey Goes Camping," ordered from the Weekly Reader Book Club in 1987. We just got it out two days ago and it immediately displaced "The Cat in the Hat" to take the top spot on the Doodlebug Favorite Book of the Moment list. He has it memorized already.



Inspiring us to build the tent below.



I told Atticus we could build a tent like Bailey's, which was initially met with enthusiasm. However, when I pulled out the sheet I got a scornful look and a "Mom, that's not a tent. That's a blanket." Once we got it together, though, he was delighted (and so was the Ladybug).

*****

I have to add: The Doodle did some watercolor paintings of dinosaurs this afternoon. After they dried, he had them lying in a stack on the floor. I picked them up and said, "Wow, let's hang these on the refrigerator."

Atticus: "No! That's important stuff. Not to hang on the refrigerator. Important stuff, about songs."

He turns to them, furrows his brow, and mutters to himself, "Now let's see what these say..."

Outdoor Adventures

Just a few pictures from playing outside today. We took advantage of the nice-for-January weather and got out of the house for a little while this afternoon.

Frances is now at the age where she does NOT want to stand still and have her picture taken. She thought it was a fun game to run away from me every time she saw the camera.



I did catch her checking out a bug.



The Doodle found a feather. He actually did have a much bigger one he wanted me to take a picture of, but it blew away. Luckily, we found this one.



I should mention that this is the outfit Franny-bug picked out for herself this morning, jacket included.



Atticus found some dirt to play in, and he is excited about it:



Besides that, we haven't been doing much. The library programs started back up this week, and Atticus was thrilled to see all the librarians again. (Have I mentioned that he knows all the children's librarians by name?)

Also, Nana and Papa got us PAINT for Christmas. We broke it out a few days ago. Here is our little artiste at work:



We didn't get any good pictures of the Doodle painting, but he loved it as well. That's all for now...

P.S. Our sweet little Franny has already figured out exactly how to drive her big brother crazy, and does it with devious glee.