'Got Mom'

Mark got this picture of Esme sleeping sweetly on my chest as we watched a movie the other night. He said 'Got Mom, everything is right with the world, snooze now...'

Hawk Moth

I saw something that was similar to a bumblebee, but had a large body with the streamlined shape of a hummingbird. Mark got a picture of one just like it in the garden.

It is a Hawk Moth. The 'hummingbird moth' is also of the same family.

Bounty

Esme and me at the lake

We call this Esme's 'muppet grin.'

These are pictures Mark took when he and I and Esme
went down to the lake with our dogs.


Sitting on the hill


Watching the dogs run by

There are pictures of the dogs too, but they are mostly blurs ;) Lots of other pictures of Hazel being small amidst tall stands of grass.

Note: I went to the doctor today for that hard mass on the side of my foot. It has been expanding for the past few years, and has begun to really hurt. I thought it was just a deformity from when I broke my foot, until it began to change in shape and size. Dr. says it is a 'ganglion cyst' where there is a 'gel-like fluid' collecting in a joint deep in the ankle. It causes swelling and pressure between the tendons and veins. It might drain by itself, or continue to expand in which case there is a minor surgery to correct it.

Box Turtle and 'HypnoToadJr.'

Pictures Mark took with his new camera lens.


This box turtle was laying eggs in our front yard.


This tiny peeper frog was about the size of a quarter.

Esme and Hazel Chew Fight

Mark has been taking some wonderful pictures with the new camera :)
Here Esme and Hazel appear as if they are about to have a chewing fight with each other.

Book: 'Kittens are Like That'

This is a 1976 picture book we picked up at the flea market. Esme loves it. She made lots and lots of noise at one of the pages where a fuzzy kitten gets dried off in a towel. Here is a picture of that kitten getting wet! Of all the cats in this book it looks the most like our Pogo, complete with the orange eyes.



All the pictures are wonderful. There are also plenty of cats to count on several pages. It is obvious on every page that the artist really knew and studied cats. Attitudes all cat owners will recognize show through in eyes, ears and body posture. All the fuzzy kittens would make any baby excited about reading this book with Mommy or Daddy.

Scraps

Playing with making toys from scraps on my table.

Esme has a tooth!

We felt a sharp little tooth in Esme's lower gum last night. It isn't easy to see yet, but goes 'clink' against a cup as well.

Custom orders

Working on things for the custom soft toy shop

Esme goes Mobile

a happy momentary stand

Oh wow... Esme has become so mobile in the past few weeks it's scary and exhilirating all at once. This morning I woke up from our nap on the floor and she had made it out of the 'pen' and was sitting on the dog couch next to Bunny having a wonderful time. She had no idea why I was so worried about it all. But after all that... I'm letting her crawl around the house more today when I'm watching her. (and we put a heavy box in front of the gap she got out through)

And she stood up by herself, for one wobbly moment, which I happened to capture on film!

Mark got a new camera, because I always have the old one on my settings and with the card in my computer etc... It'll be good for us both to have one. Mark takes great pictures and it is fun to watch him focus and play with his new toy. Right now he is going through some awesome shots in his browser of Esme, dogs and other things about the house.

The puppy and Esme are getting along well. We named the little one 'Hazel.'

I have custom toy orders waiting to be done... aliens and rabbits and dolls. Not as much time lately that I have free and want to work on sewing. Most of the time I am off work is spent with Esme at home or getting things done in town we were putting off. I've been sending my Mom in Minnesota more pictures of Esme because she can't talk on the phone well. She doesn't write back but she calls for a few minutes to say 'I got pictures' and I can hear how happy she is. We've been thinking a little bit about planning a trip up there for a few days this fall.

What we got at the flea market Tuesday

Fuzzy critter, not yet named

already learning to dodge grabs
Mark picked up this tiny puppy at the flea market while Esme and I were looking for some toys. I guess this is a fuzzy, mobile batteries-not-necessary toy for Esme, hmm? They are already getting along quite well with Esme making loud happy noises and following the puppy around the room (and vice-versa). The puppy thinks Esme is three siblings rolled into one to chase and play with.

This makes ten again. Or maybe 9.25?