And other lies my sister told me.

Siblings, be wary.

I promise, random picks. This one reinforces our efforts at a bilingual household. And reminds me that I might confuse you royally if I bring in sign language. Though you can probably take to three languages now no problem; hell, you’ll now HTML by the time you’re 3.

AMIGO: n. 1. a friend 2. a native of a Spanish-speaking country who is friendly toward Americans.

Of course, America is now a Spanish-speaking country more or less, or it should be. Si se puede!

Somehow, before you have child all you know, or all I knew, was The Very Hungry Caterpillar. A very good book, but only scratching the surface of the brilliance of Carle’s illustrations. Our current favorite: Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? See also: The Foolish Tortoise, and The Mixed-Up Chameleon.

Wonder why the caterpillar gets all the fame?

Yesterday was May 1, or May Day, also International Workers’ Day, so it’s good to know what work is all about. Could also have been WORK, which has 52 variants, 33 as a noun, the first one of which is:

exertion or effort directed to produce or accomplish something; labor; toil.

And on the first page for the 12th letter of the alphabet comes LABOR (conveniently just a column east of “labia”):

n. 1. productive activity especially for the sake of economic gain. 2. the body of persons engaged in such activity, esp. those working for wages. 3. This body of persons considered as a class (distinguished from management and capital). 4. work, especially of a hard or fatiguing kind; toil. 5. a job or task to be done. 6. the pangs and efforts of childbirth; travail…9. to strive as toward a goal; work hard. 10. to act, behave, or function at a disadvantage. 11. to be in travail or childbirth. 12. to roll or pitch heavily, as a ship. 13. to develop in excessive detail; elaborate. 14. to burden or tire.

Not to labor the point, but these definitions generally trend progressive in descending order.

Most people don’t know EXACTLY when their kid is conceived, but when you spend thousands of dollars to make it happen one thing you have to show for it is timing. The twins were puzzled one year ago today. Something to celebrate.

First royal wedding for the babes!

They are hereby ordained the Duke and Duchess of Belvedere (St.) Conferred with the queen.

Queen who? Asked my brother. Queen Elizabeth, of course.

Seems a better way to put it given that these “twins” are NOTHING alike. Their looks, their cries, their wants, their attitudes, their likes, their dislikes, their moods, everything is completely different. They are just both my kids and I happened to have them at the same time.

[Easter Run]

Finding the beauty in each step.

Never mind that we blanket you in it (thanks to your tia Sally who sewed you several variations) every chance we get—when it’s cold nothing better to hold the warmth against your skin, but flannel takes up a bit of real estate in the dictionary, who knew?: flannel, flannel board, flannel cake (no, not funnel cake, flannel cake: griddlecake, pancake), flannelet, flannelleaf, flannely, flannel mouth. Who knew?

Same page as FLAMINGO, which of course gets a drawing, as does FLANGE.

FLANNEL: n. 1. a warm, soft, napped fabric of wool or cotton or blends of wool and cotton, wool and rayon, or of cotton warp with wool filling.2. an outer garment, esp. trousers, made of flannel.

Great fabric for sheets and blankets, esp. during the cold days/months wherever you shall live. Not as stylish in shirt or trousers form unless the 90s come back with a vengeance.

[I Would Die For You]

Darling if you want me to.