How could you not love it?

Cbeebies (the BBC children's TV channel) has a new program called In the Night Garden. Anna and Elsa both love it. I have never seen either of them react so positively, instantaneously. The first time they saw the program, they were hooked. And, frankly, so was I. It is wonderful. How could you not love a program where the character's names are: Igglepiggle, Upsy Daisy, Makka Pakka, the Tombliboos, the Pontipines, the Ninky Nonk, the Pinky Ponk and the Haahoos. The Sunday Observer magazine did an interesting article about the program (you can read it here). Turns out the people behind this program are the same people who did the Teletubbies. But, the Night Garden is infinitely better.

Thoughts . . .

Am I ever going to manage to get to bed before midnight? Or 11 pm? Every day I wake up wishing that I could sleep for another hour or two. As I drag myself out of bed, I tell myself that I am going to go to bed early. And what happens? I don't know. I feel like I get sucked into some black hole and suddenly it is 11:45 pm. Ok, tomorrow, I'm going to go to bed early, I swear.

Anna has taken to calling Elsa "sister" instead of calling her by her name. Makes for funny-sounding conversations. "Come on sister! Give me back the doll!"

Elsa has decided that it is her job to shush Anna when she is having a melt-down. When Anna goes into tantrum mode, Elsa says to her (complete with an outstretched index finger): "Quiet! Quiet!" I had to bite my lips really hard not to laugh the first time she did this. Now, she even tells babies to be quiet when we're out shopping. Yikes!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Turkey Day to those of you in the US!

Elsa's on the mend, and I managed to get the report done.

Fever, Deadline & Pimples

Ugh. It is almost 1 am, and I'm sitting in bed with my laptop. Lying next to me is a small furnace, formerly known as Elsa. Poor thing has had some terrible bug since Sunday night that has involved a pretty high fever that has been difficult to control. She has needed a lot of snuggling and cuddling over the last two days, and rightly so. However, that has not been conducive to writing a report to the foundation that gave the grant that pays for my job! This mid-term report for our two year grant is basically due now. Yikes. I've been working on it all day, but at the moment I am having serious writer's block.

One thing I've learned over the last two days. No sleep and stress is an excellent way to ensure that I get at least three huge pimples on my face. Lovely.

20 Months

Elsa turned 20 months on the 12th. It is difficult to get photos of her these days because as soon as she sees the camera, she starts running toward it at full speed saying "CHEEEEESE". Here are some pictures taken yesterday and today.

Elsa is also saying all sorts of new words every day. She always wants to know "what happen?" and tells you to be "very careful". Today she tried to sing happy birthday and managed "happy to you". She really cracks us up.

Terrace Gardens

The Terrace Gardens are one of my favorite places in Richmond, and the girls love it there too. Here are some pictures of them taken at the gardens last week. They were loving running down the gardens' steep hills.