Outdoor Adventures

A while ago I bought Squeaker that trailer so we could go on bike rides together. Until this weekend we've used it once. She didn't appreciate our one ride on hot day down our bumpy dirt road. So the trailer has lain fallow in our garage through two falls and a spring (I don't count summer, because I don't want to bake her). This weekend we've had two great (if short) rides. She had a blast looking at the trees as we rode around our first capitol.

Seriously she was looking at the trees and was not bored. She was looking for good climbing trees (smooth bark, well spaced limbs). This tidewater forrest had an ample supply for her to examine. I was happy with to have the trees because their absence meant that I was fighting with 20 knot winds.

Yesterday, we got in two trips, a short bike ride and kayaking on a local lake. The ride was on our town's one off road, paved bike path, with a round trip of four miles. We started and finished from that playground, so this time she was mainly concerned with when we could turn around and go back to the playground.

Kayaking with Squeaker was fun too. We saw turtles and a few fish. She listened to me about where to sit and not to stand up. She really wanted to paddle (something like an African Swallow carrying a coconut across the English Channel). We compromised by paddling together for a while.

We finished our day with a little soft serve ice cream. I decided that we would share a cone. That went pretty well at first. She took a bite, and by virtue of my size and having provided the day's locomotion, I would take a larger bite. As we got down to the cone, Squeaker started taking two or three bites. As we moved down the cone, in her sugar haze she stopped handing the cone back to me. Picture if you will my sweet little girl holding the cone with both hands and pulling back with all her might. It was all I could do to pull the cone close enough to me so I could take a bite. It is kind of hard to fight over an ice cream cone without spilling it or breaking it, but we did it.

When we got home, she didn't ask to play before bed and is still sleeping too boot....

Princess Arctic Fox

I am tempted just to let these pictures paint a picture of the weekend, but then you wouldn't hear about the snake Squeaker held or that she's really tough unless it comes to scrapes and hydrogen peroxide. And no, I didn't tell her to put the pelts on her head. She did that purely by instinct.

HAPPY EASTER!

Squeaker is Tough

She might seem like she's not, but Squeaker is a tough little girl. As I was putting her to bed tonight, she rammed her head into a doorknob. She held it together for about a minute, no tears or crying but when Daddy asked if she wanted her boo boo dog, she lost it a little, but story time went on as planned. Hopefully, no bruise will appear in the morning, but if it does, I'll post pictures...

Workin' Girl

Squeaker and I had a nice weekend planting flowers and enjoying spring with Momzie. I think the pictures tell the story pretty well, so I am going to let them do it!

Have a good week.

Squeaker's Playlist

Squeaker and I find ourselves in the car fairly often, so long ago the Daddy person compiled a playlist for us. I put together some silly kid songs, music I listen to, and some songs I think she should know. For a long time I just played the list on random, but this fall I started to order it according to songs she would ask for or would want me to play when the came up. Here's the part of the list that comes up most often. Most of them have a story of some kind, and yes, that is the Amy Winehouse. I think Squeaker likes the bass, and it will go away once I have the sense she's trying to learn the words to anything other than Waltzing Matilda.

So, here's the list:

Waltzing Matilda - The Sun Harbor Men's Chorus
Black Horse & The Cherry Tree (Radio Version) - KT Tunstall
Elvira (Single) - The Oak Ridge Boys
Y.M.C.A. (Single Version) - Village People
Old Dominion - Eddie from Ohio
Thief - Crimson
Bonnie Blue Flag - The Americus Brass Band
VMI Spirit - VMI Regimental Band & Pipes And Drums
Johnny B. Goode (Single) - Chuck Berry
You Know I'm No Good - Amy Winehouse
On The Road Again - Willie Nelson
Man In Black - Johnny Cash
Jailhouse Rock - Elvis Presley
Tell Her About It - Billy Joel
Tractor Tractor - Andrew Peterson And Randall Goodgame
Who's Got the Ball - Andrew Peterson And Randall Goodgame
Piggy Little Toes - Andrew Peterson And Randall Goodgame
The Intermission Song! - Aaaardvarks
Cows - The Seldom Herd
I Like Blue Lemurs - Baby Loves Jazz Band
1234 (Sesame Street) - Feist
Peter and the Wolf Op. 67 - Sir John Gielgud/Academy Of London

Recently she's started to add thing to the list (by asking me to play them again when they have come up in some other context). For example Thief and Bonnie Blue Flag popped up on random and she wanted to hear both again and even asks for Bonnie Blue Flag as "the one without words".

Peter and the Wolf is the most recent addition. She didn't ask for it by name, but she kept pointing out the sound of a flute during songs. I realized she was talking about guitar rifts so I decided it was time for a little guerilla music appreciation training. She recognizes a lot of the songs by the artist. When "Walk the Line" comes on Squeaker says "not Johnny Cash Daddy", but doesn't mind "Man in Black", even though I'm pretty sure she knows that's him too.

Any rate good luck with your Brackets. I tried to get her to pick teams last year, but it didn't work, maybe this year is her year!

Can we go to a Basketball Game...

... where everyone whispers?



Not in March sweetheart. Squeaker and I have been having a fun weekend. The Daddy person is on Spring Break, so we have been hanging out.



Her mustache is from a banana milkshake (8oz milk and one banana pealed and frozen). They are a delicacy Momzie reminded us how to make.



I don't know what to tell you is going on here. She was making beaded bracelets, and I think decided to match the pattern she made on them on her head.

Have a good week and enjoy this taste of spring.

The Squeaker World View

Driving down our muddy (but finally not snowy) road. Brite asked Squeaker if she remembered when they took walks in the stroller. The point being that the mud was too deep. Squeaker went a different way with it:

Squeaker: Yes, that was a long time ago. You were a lot different back then.
Brite: What do you mean?
Squeaker: You wouldn't let me put water on my comb.
Brite: And now I do?
Squeaker: Yes I can.

Squeaker spent and I spent a nice weekend with her Momzie. The Daddy person seems to have created a monster by letting her use the computer. Typing the alphabet and creating patters has worked its way into her activity schedule each week. No book contracts yet, but we here at Squeakerpants.com remain hopeful.



We also got to hang out with one of our special friends this weekend. While a little nervous at first, Squeaker spent the whole ride home asking if we could go back over to their house to play again. She was particularly interested in playing pugil sticks again (maybe I should get her that provisional appointment after all).

Sorry about last week. I was a little tardy getting my room ready for inspection. And yes, my plan to return to Saturday posts seems to have not survived into second semester.