This and That

We start with some photos from a recent harvesting session.

It is so much fun having a garden! At least, this part is fun... Our tomatoes are yummy and the zucchini are good, too. Hopefully we'll soon be harvesting fruit from our tree out front.

These pictures remind me to post an update on our potty-training progress. Cora's been using the potty occasionally for months now, but after the fire, it kind of went by the wayside. The only working bathroom in our house is through our master bedroom, and that's quite a trek from the playroom, where Cora spends much of her time. When we'd ask her if she'd like to try, she would say no, sometimes quite emphatically. (Unless she was already in bed for the night - we had several nights with her demanding to use the toilet after she was in bed, just so she could get up.)

But, then she got a red rash on her bum, on a Friday night, so on Saturday (just over a week ago) we let her go bare-bummed around the house. We put her potty out in the living room, on the tile floor, and reminded her often to use it. She did great, and used it lots of times.

That evening, we were out in the backyard, grilling zucchini and eating just-picked tomatoes with our dinner. Cora ate lots of tomatoes. And, we pretty much watched her bare bum turn bright red again. Poor kid. We've been telling her for months that when she uses the potty regularly, she can eat more tomatoes, oranges and strawberries, figuring that the rash they brought on had to do with wearing diapers. Now, it appears she just has an allergy to those acidic fruits she loves.

Still, the upside is that the rash gave us a reason to bring the potty back out, and she is happy to use it during the day when we are at home. We still put her in diapers for naps and bedtime, and when we're out of the house. So, we'll see! I'd love to think we're on our way to putting away the diapers before too long.

A few stories:
First, the difference between boys and girls - and no, not that difference. When Harvey came over, Stace was reading Harvey's bedtime books to both kids, one on either side of him. The book was about trucks, and we were impressed with Harvey's ability to name all these different types of trucks. He ran over to get his dump truck, and spent the rest of the reading time driving it up and down Stace's arm and head, while making the appropriate (loud) noise. Stace started laughing, and noted how this was how boys are different from girls, as Cora was sitting quietly on his other side.
Too true: on the other side of the equation, more than once lately, Cora has come up to me with a sad face. When I ask what's wrong, she simply says mournfully, "I'm just not really happy right now." And if I pursue the issue further, that's the only answer I get. Training for wifehood, I hear some of you saying.

Also, Cora is growing more aware of the boy/girl thing. She will say to me, "You're a girl. Cora's a girl. Daddy is a boy. Harvey is a boy."

Though she loves Harvey, I think Cora's favorite boy is still Thomas. Thomas the Tank Engine, that is.
Nanny and Pop sent Cora some Thomas DVDs. She was asking to watch it one night, but was turned down since it was too close to bedtime. So, she got on her little phone and started chatting. "Hello? Hello, Thomas? Yes? OK. Bye." She turned to us - "Thomas said I can watch choo choo train."

A day or so later, Cora was in her high chair, head down, hands together, talking softly.
"Are you talking to God?" I asked her.
"No, Minnie Mouse."
But of course!
She then looked down again and said, "Dear God, thank you for Thomas, and James, and Gordon, and Percy."
The girl has her priorities!
(Those are all engines in the series.)

Over the weekend, Stace made great progress on the bathroom, and we were rewarded with a fun Saturday night out at our first Dodger game of the year. The Boys in Blue continue to have the best record in all of baseball, and it was fun to finally root for them in person.

And on Sunday, Cora and I got to watch Melanie's role in the local Shakespeare in the Park. It was an enjoyable evening, as it's always fun for me to cheer for my sister on stage.