This is Finn happy at the park. Note the lack of other children. Other children at the park make Finn unhappy. He can tolerate one or two other kids running around, and he may even tentatively wave at one, but if it's a full park, Finn's butt will not leave the stroller.He's not totally anti-social, though. He likes us. He really likes Rosemary now. He has given our neighbor's daughter a smile once or twice, and Dylan has successfully coaxed him into giving her a candy.

Her name, the neighbour, is ALAIN. SHE IS 4 AND A HALF. DON'T FORGET THE HALF. OH! SHE GOT A NEW HAIRCUT. IT LOOKS LIKE A MUSHROOM. OH! THERE'S HER LITTLE FRIEND. WHAT'S HIS NAME AGAIN? FINN? WELL, HI FINN. HAVE A KISS. OH! THIS IS HER BIKE. IT'S PINK. OH! DO YOU WANT TO WATCH HER BE A FIRE TRUCK? On and on it goes. She's cute. Finn is just so bewildered by her and her constant chatter, he's immobilized, watching, wondering when she will leave. I like her, though. She is one HAPPY GIRL.

And, by the way, she does manage to give Finn a kiss once in a while.
Girls like you, Finn. I guess it's a curse you will have to learn to live with.

This is a video of Rosemary's first real giggle session. Finn is trying to get her. I am whisking her out of his reach, and she is laughing at him.

Oh man, now she's encouraging him. These two.

The Leites go to a picnic! Saturday was the NavCanada Annual Family Picnic. Expecting something from an episode of the Simpsons, I was pleasantly surprised. It was like a fun fair except without the crowds, the googly-eyed people, the noise, and everything was free. We ate a lot: caramel corn, cotton candy, hamburgers, hot dogs, chocolate chip cookies, lemonade.

It was a big day for a two-year-old. Finn rode a pony, went down a gigantic inflatable slide, raced cars with Dylan, entered a bouncy castle -- boy, he hated that -- and filled his tummy with sugary goodness.



Nummy, nummy.







Speaking of great, this is my new love, the double stroller.

Finn had his turtle.
Rosemary has her space monster.

Finn has figured out shopping. Last night, we went to the local Quickie Mart to buy some ant killer. Stupid ants. Anyway, after selecting our insecticide, we wandered over to the toy section. In quick order, Finn found an Elmo book and sat on a bench to look at it. After a while, we told Finn it was time to go. I thought there might be some sadness at having to leave this new-found Elmo book in the store and was ready for some tears. Instead, he calmly got up, put his Elmo book in the cart, and gestured to be put in the cart and to go. Add book to cart, and book will be paid for and brought home. Really, how can you argue with that kind of logic?

Another summer, another Harry Potter movie! I don't get out to the movies much, but I do want to see this one. I like the books. I've read them all, a couple of times. I find them entertaining, satisfying, and most important, really easy to read. I reread the entire series during both babies early days -- those dark, no-sleep, "Oh my God, I thought this kind of sleep deprivation kills people, but somehow, I am still alive. Or am I" days. The seven books were great because even at my worst, I still needed something to read, and Harry Potter really doesn't require much in the area of concentration. I

The movies, on the other hand, I have not enjoyed so much. I've tried watching all of them, and I either get bored halfway through, or I fall asleep. I am still hopeful when a new movie -- yet another movie -- in the series comes out, and the Half-Blood Prince is no different. I don't have high hopes, and I don't expect to enjoy it nearly as much I enjoyed reading this laugh-out loud funny review of it: http://www.calgaryherald.com/entertainment/movie-guide/Review+Harry+Potter+Half+Blood+Prince+injects+love+into+magic/1789585/story.html

I didn't post on our wedding anniversary, July 22nd, mostly because I was too tired from travelling by myself with Finn and Rosemary. Aye carumba. I think I am still tired. It actually wasn't all bad. Rose slept the whole time and Finn watched shows. In any case, I am finally getting around to organizing our wedding pictures.
I know! I know! I haven't printed a single picture, framed any shots, or made an album. We've been married for three years: three years, three moves, two cities, two children, and the loss of one damn-fine cat. How on earth have we crammed so much living into so short a time? It boggles my mind, and I've lived it.
All I know is there is no one on earth I would rather have done and lived through it all with than Dylan.

We are settling back into our routines and back into our lives in Ottawa, although we miss what we have left behind.
We are grateful to have seen our families and friends, though. That alone has made for a wonderful summer, albeit a tiring one.

Rose is growing and changing so fast. Even though this picture is only a few weeks old, it's out of date already. She's getting plumper and impossibly cuter. She has started to laugh. A lot. She is a delightful baby. This morning she was giggling in her sleep. Finn, not just dreams, is funny too. She was fussing and crying, and Finn came over and let her play with his hair. She was running her hands in and pulling on his hair and laughing about it. Finn was entertained too. Wow! They played together, and no one lost an eye.

My brain is still on vacation, or maybe it is finally on vacation. In lieu of anything interesting to say, here are some cute pictures from our trip, and really, this blog is all about the cute picts anyway.