Mmm. That's good foot.

Taking off her socks is one of V's favorite hobbies, and these socks are particularly hard to remove, so she's taken the brilliant step of trying to gnaw them off. These action shots were taken on the way to Park Rapids. I hope she can find use for them when she applies to join the circus, as either an acrobat or a freak. Either way, clearly this is evidence that my child is not merely gifted, but extraordinary and fully deserving of a place in history, or at least full time position with Barnum and Bailey.

Have I mentioned how surprised I was when she was born physically normal? I was certain we'd at least get a tail, or some scaly skins. But no, all my devotion to circus sideshows not withstanding, we were given this smiley, laid back, cheerful blue eyed girl. We should've named her Marilyn, like on the Munsters. She will probably bring dates home in fifteen years who expect normal, well-adjusted parents who will run screaming from our Lily and Herman-esqueness. With any luck, I'll have time to show the above photos, in our defense.

We went to the big city this weekend, my daughter and I. Fabulous people there in the big city; it makes me more lonesome, in the end, and I hate that. And there's never enough time to see everyone and do everything we want to, and I never get more than 5 hours sleep a night while we're there. But otherwise we had a spectacular time. City Friends: we're coming back, the weekend of Thanksgiving. I know many of you will be busy, but hopefully that will cull the herd, so we can concentrate on some of you folks we never get to concentrate on.

In the meantime, don't try that foot trick at home. You could poke an eye out.

Ladybug, ladybug, fly away home...

Because Ladybugs aren't scary, I kept insisting V was an asian beetle, but most everyone ignored me. One colleague thought she should be an asian ninja beetle, and offered to make her a tinfoil throwing star, but we were busy and couldn't wait around. All in all, it was an adorable Halloween, even if (or perhaps because) I worked until 7:15, ran home to take these pictures, and then went to my poetry workshop group at 8.

I do feel somewhat bad that I didn't make her costume, but then I remembered that I work full time, and I felt better. On the plus side, though, I bought this last year after Halloween, as is my way, and I think it's so cute, she may just wear it as a mid-weight jacket until she outgrows it. It makes me smile to see her little antennae and the wings on her back. Is that weird, to let your kid wear her halloween costume all year long?

Do you love the John Deere tractor and the Homer slipper in these photos? I am all about the staging and the ambiance. I bar no expense for you, gentle readers!

To celebrate that Blogger is letting me post pictures again, here's another, just to keep you alert. I know it's kinda dark and slightly blurry, but it's the cutest one of me in the bunch, and lord knows it's all about my own cuteness. Light and clarity be damned!