Perhaps you recall a while back when Sylvan discovered the face paint pencils and Steve drew a cat face on her. She freaked out and made us take it off. Then she insisted that he draw it again, and then take it off again. She found those pencils again and remembered the kitty face that daddy drew. She asked for another kitty face. We asked her several times if she was sure she wanted it. She insisted that she did. Steve drew a more simple design this time, just in case. She liked it, but she wanted Daddy to have a kitty face too. Daddy drew a kitty face on himself and one on Mommy too. We all sat there acting like cats, meowing and crawling around. It was pretty funny. But she seems to be over her fear and maybe now we can have some fun with the face paint pencils. Sylvan’s fascination with shoes continues. She put my red flippy dress shoes on this week.
She also LOVES to ride in Steve’s truck. I finally gave in and have let him drive her to and from daycare. You can see some pictures here of her getting in her seat in the back and listening to Steve rev the engine while she yells “Daddy’s Monster!” It’s very funny. She is clearly disappointed on the days that I drive her.
Now that we haven’t had rain in a while, she is suddenly interested in wearing her ladybug boots. You can see her here modeling them on the patio on a hot day.
Some friends here threw a big welcome home party for Steve last weekend. It was quite the affair, complete with a big guest list, great food and drinks, two eleven year old babysitters and a moon bounce and other activities for the many kids. They also took up a collection for the memorial funds of the three soldiers from Steve’s unit who did not make it back from Iraq. Liz, the hostess, also arranged with a friend of hers who works in John McCain’s office to get a letter (which she then framed) from McCain welcoming Steve home. It is quite the letter – we both cried when we read it. It was a terrific welcome home and a great way to reconnect with all of our friends in the area. There are plenty of pictures of Sylvan in the moon bounce with the two babysitters, who were very responsible and very attentive to her. They did face painting, cookie decorating, and lots of JUMPING. Sylvan was so happy in the moon bounce that she wouldn’t even come out for cake!
