KAKI'S SLIDE

MINI LOBSTER SEASON

Cleaning lobster

DADDY, I WANT A PONY...

Chris, Joey and I were scouting for lobster on Tuesday when we came across a dolphin. (Sorry, didn't have camera, no pic.) Joey watched it come up for air, sporadically, for a few minutes.

After it left Joey turned and asked me:

"I want for Santa Claus to bring me a dolphin for Christmas."

Some little girls ask for ponies.

Mine asks for a dolphin.

KAKI'S LITTLE FISHIES

Swimming at Kaki's and Papa Rick's house.

JR BOAT CAPTAIN

• Joey is officially in charge of reminding me to put the dive flag up when Uncle Chris jumps in the water. (Seriously. I forget, and she doesn't.)
• She operates the radio. (Turns it on, adjusts volume, skips or rewinds songs)
• She throws the rope to Uncle Chris when he's gonna drag and even pulls it in when he lets go to investigate a spot so Mommy doesn't run over the rope with the propeller.
• She puts Uncle Chris's stuff away when he throws it to her when he's getting out.
• She takes drink requests and fetches from the cooler.

I would have brought her with for Mini Season just because she is worth 6 more lobster.
But now she is actually helpful too!

PLANKING

Planking is stupid.

Get a life.

SOCKS AND SHOES

Look Mommy, I can put my socks and shoes on ALL BY MYSELF!

"SO 3 KIDS WALK INTO A BAR..."

What do you do in Key West, with 3 children, before 11 AM in the morning?

Hit Fat Tuesdays of course!

We sure were a sight walking down Duval street, 3 adults and 3 kids all slurping on Fat Tuesday coozies.

(Relax, The kids had virgin drinks.)

MOWING THE YARD

I just love getting the grass cut Jjjjuussttt before the rain starts.

What I don't love is having to wear pants and long sleeves (because of the mosquitoes), in the middle of the day (because that is when the baby naps), in the middle of the summer to cut the grass.

And now I can't even jump in the pool because of the thunder storm.

1ST SLEEPOVER

Joey hosted her first sleepover a week or so ago. Maddie came and stayed with us. (The month with Emma & Luke here doesn't count because Aunti Becca was here too. The parent has to be gone for it to count as a sleep over.)

They are watching Cinderella, while laying on princess pillows, inside the princess castle fort.

That is Daddy's doing, believe it or not. Right down to the Sleeping Beauty shirt Joey is wearing.

JONAFEE

Joey: (cradling her baby doll) The baby wants to go to sleep. (2 seconds later) Oh, the baby waked up!"

Mommy: Joey, what is the baby doll's name?"

Joey: (pauses) "Jonafee!"

Mommy: (longer pause) "Okay... (points to other baby doll) What is the other baby's name?"

Joey: "Pollyannpip"

Anybody need some imagination? Cause' we got some to spare at this house!

I GOT SCHOOLED

Joey & I were in Hallmark. Joey had on a Sleeping Beauty shirt, princess sandals, and had just convinced me to buy her a figurine of Cinderella dancing with her prince.

We were at the checkout counter when we heard a song play from the Christmas ornament wall. I knew the tune was familiar, but hadn't quite placed it yet when Joey exclaimed: "Mickey Mouse!"

Joey recognized the background tune to the CLOCK CLEANERS short featuring Mickey, Donald & Goofy. (Hallmark has it available as a Christmas ornament this year and if you turn the crank, it plays the song.)

I got schooled.

In Disney.

By a 2 year old.

I couldn't be more proud!

DUPEY MONSTER

I was chased around the bedroom this morning by a dupey monster.

You know how parents and grandparents think it's wonderful to pinch baby's chicken fat (fatty upper thighs) and dupeys (butt)?

My child thinks it great to get Mommy's dupey.

Try getting dressed with that.

Try saying no in a straight face.

You will fail.

FLYING

BED BOUNCING

HONKY DONKEY

As everyone knows, Joey is a huge Stones fan.

(As she bloody well should be, being raised by us and all.)

But she calls things by the names that only 2 years old can come up with.

"Honky Tonk Woman" for example, is "Honky Donkey."

Exercising with Daddy

Joey uses the rocking Elmo so she can do sit-ups with Daddy.

A GOOD DAY

The Monday after everyone else left from the BYOK weekend, Becca & I took our kids down to Anne's Beach.

At low tide, it is simply perfect.

Shallow going out forever. You could walk to the channel markers and probably not be up to your knees. They are over a football field away from the beach.

Perfect for the babies to go out exploring in the water that never go past their knees with no waves or current. Just shells, hermit crabs, horse shoe crabs... How patient are you? That is the only thing limiting what you can see. Just sit down and watch what crosses the square foot of ocean in front of you.

We had lunch at LAZY DAYS after that and then went back so everyone could nap (Mom's included).

Perfect Keys Kids Day!

CANDY-LOP

CANDY-LOP : We bought Joey a skewer of gummy fish candy on a stick. I called it a candy lolly-pop.

She turned it into CANDY LOP.

BYOK WEEKEND

Bring Your Own Kid

That was the theme.

The kids had a great time, and the adults too.

Spear fishing, snorkeling, tubing, wave running, floating, playing cards... A typical Craven Keys weekend.

CRABS

ANNE'S BEACH

HANDSOME LIKE JACOB

I was admiring my husband, dressed only in a pair of shorts.

Mommy: "Joey, isn't Daddy handsome?"

Joey: "Daddy, you're handsome like Jacob!"

Yes, she means Jacob from Twilight.

Yes, I have let her watch it with me.

Yes, my 2 year old daughter is already team Jacob.

ADULT SUPERVISION

Buried under that mound of children is an adult.

And that, friends, is the face of a direct hit.

Music show

RADIO WARS

Joey and I had an disagreement in the car yesterday over what music to listen to.

Joey: "Mommy, I want to listen to FIXIN' TO DIE."

Mommy: "No, we just listened to it twice, we are going to listen to the next song now."

(Aint' no Sunshine When She's Gone starts playing)

Joey: "No Mommy, I don't want Sunshine, I want FIXIN' TO DIE."

I was struck by the thought that probably no mother and 2 year old have ever had this conversation before.

My child is an expert at all things Disney and classic rock & blues music.

She recognizes most any STONES song.

When a song has a particularly good guitar rift or solo, she'll ask if it is CLAPTON.

She LOVES songs that feature the harmonica. (It's her favorite instrument. Perhaps because she knows how to play it.)

Don't get me wrong, booty music has it's place and is fun to dance to.

But I'm glad she has a taste for fine music.

RUB A DUB DUB

Toddler Dinner Party

PINK FLAMINGO

I don't know what she was doing.

I was trying to take a picture of the pretty french braid Aunti Becca did.