Passed Out

It’s a hot day in Houston and girls who are always on the go grab a few winks where ever and when ever they can.

Drumming with Dad

Lillian went to see her cousins Miranda and Nathan in a student production of the musical “Oliver!” this afternoon. It was her first theatrical experience.

When the cast began to sing the opening number, she turned to her grandmother with delight. “Yia-yia,” she said, “They’re singing!” A little later, she stood in her seat, pointed at the singer on the stage and said, “That’s Miranda!” (She did not recognize Nathan, playing the artful dodger, due to his large top hat and cockney accent.)

When she got home, she needed to make music of her own, so had her dad and Yia-Yia accompany her while she played the drums.

“Lillian is Missing”

In Lillian-speak when something or someone is not where she expects, she will tell you that the person or thing is missing.

This morning at her apartment, she decided to climb into the cabinets and shut the door behind her. After a few minutes, probably disappointed in the lack of response, she opened the door and announced: “Lillian is missing!”

Contemplating Turkish Delight with Uncle Paul

It’s just past mid summer in Houston, so that means Lillian’s Uncle Paul, Aunt Nina and cousin Samuli Graves are visiting from their home in Kerava, Finland. (Mid summer is supposed to be the most delightful time of year in Finland, so of course that is when they visit south Texas, whose mid summer reputation is not so positive).

One of the things they like to do while they are here is to visit the Phoenicia Market, with its vast selection of foods from the near and middle easts, and (more to the point for Nina, a scholar of South Slavic languages) from the Balkans.

Among the delicacies they picked up there was a box of Turkish Delight. In the picture above, Lillian and her uncle Paul discuss the finer points of lemon-flavored Turkish Delight. Shortly afterwards, Lillian dipped the remains in her pool and announced that the candy was now wet. She thought this was very funny. So did her uncle Paul.

Lillian, Her Cousin Evelyn and A Musical Globe

A week or two ago, Josh and Lillian’s cousin Evelyn Tully dropped by. She writes: “I had a great visit with Josh and Lillian. She enjoyed the lighted musical globe I took to her. (She liked the pink gift bag almost as much. She immediately said, ‘Pink bag — a party!’)”

The photo shows Lillian doing musical map study with Evelyn, her cousin from Illinois.

Waking the Dryads

Today at the park, Lillian picked up a stick and walked around the park, carefully tapping on each tree. I suspect she was trying to get the tree nymphs to wake up and come out to play.

Girl of Summer

How to Play With Legos

Here is the Lillian-approved method for playing with Legos:
1. Get out pink box full of Legos
2. Take to middle of room
3. Remove top
4. Dump Legos on floor
5. Put Lego box on head as hat
6. March around room
7. Sing
8. Let Lego box hat fall over eyes
9. Trip over pile of Legos you left on floor
10. Repeat

Sand and Water

The Houston summer is in full swing, heat and humidity, but it doesn’t slow Lilz down much. She likes the swings in the park even more, since she creates her own breeze as she glides through the air. And, when it’s really hot, she, lacking much in the way of inhibitions, just strips until she is comfortable and runs her feet through the cool sand in her sandbox. And, of course, her aunt Michelle and uncle David have a pool, which she is taking care of while they are off visiting relatives. She’s become a very proficient dog-paddler in her swim vest, and climbs in and out of the pool like a pro. “I’m paddling,” she says as she zips across the pool, “Hurry, Yia-Yia, hurry!” She likes to sing, too, as she swims, but hasn’t learned any pirate songs … yet.

Walking in the Park

On the last day of May, Lillian and I went for a walk at the Houston Arboretum and Nature Center in Memorial Park. Lillian’s theory of walking has two parts: 1) run, stopping when there is something interesting to look at like a bug or a stick or a flower; 2) get grandpa to carry her when she’s done running.