matching tracksuits

While much of the country still seems to be under snow and ice, we've had a warm spell. Spring comes early in South Carolina, with temperatures already in the mid-60s. It's likely to cool back down, but for now, we're enjoying the warmth.

Such a change from the last group of pictures from this time of year. L requires a larger and larger arc on the swing to provide the same satisfaction. "Higher" she can now ask, and I wonder how much longer we can even use this swing. Certainly this will be the swing's last spring.

And yet there are plans for the replacement, and a tree house in the same area. "In a few years," K says, but those few years will melt faster than the single snowfall we experienced here (in January of '07).

The little girl, evident in this picture, will quickly replace the lingering lines of baby, and before we know it, she'll be talking about having a tree house.

Nana and Papa came over, ostensibly to visit the family, but everyone knows who the main attraction is.

First, Papa had to help L with her puzzle. The Girl can't quite manage the puzzle by herself, but with some help, she can put it together in a few minutes. Then it's always the same: "Try again!"

Next, bubble time, and here's where the fun really began. As is often the case, Nana and Papa came bearing a gift: a new Tinker Bell jacket, with a flashing lights the illuminate Tink's pixie dust when pressed. We hung it in the closet so L could get to it, and every so often, she would run over and give Tink a press. Papa decided to play a little trick on the Girl. Every time she activated the lights, Papa blew some bubbles from the small buble maker.

L almost caught him in the act a few times.

Tricking her, though, is getting more and more difficult. And talking about her while she's there is impossible: she understands just about everything now, and a quiet "Should we take her for a bath now?" can elicit loud protests: "No baff! No!"

About a year ago, when Dziadek was visiting, we went to the aquarium. The "we" consisted only of Dziadek and me, as the Girl was sick and K was exhausted.

Yesterday, we tried it again.

"Big fish! Big fish!" the Girl chanted the whole day, excited from the moment she woke up.

The drive to Atlanta was excruciating for the Girl. "Big fish! Big fish!" The time spent in Ikea was torturous -- "Big fish! Big fish!" -- until we got to the children's area. Heading out to the car was accompanied by -- well, you can probably guess.

Finally, we got to Big Fish Land:

She was initially a little nervous about the whole prospect. It was MLK Day weekend, and the crowd was stifling. Add to it the intensity of the experience and the general darkness in all the exhibits, and it's easy to see how a little girl might be a bit nervous at first.

She found her bearings soon enough, though, and was soon found everything fascinating, especially the crocs:

For some time, L was more interested in the stairs than anything else, much to the probable irritation of a number of people.

The trip home was filled with excited stories about whom we saw. "I L fish, i Mama fish, i Tata fish!"

When we got home and set up L's new easel, one might guess what she wanted to draw.

But that guess would be wrong.

More images at our Flickr Georgia Aquarium set.