Zoe, as I’ve blogged in the past, is at the age where she tends to take things literally. I was reminded of this at the airport last week, when Zoe heard me comment on the outfit of a nearby women. “Look, Q, that woman has my dress on,” I said. Zoe quickly looked up and asked in a concerned voice, “Did she go into our house and take it?” I fought back a smile as I assured you that, no, the woman hadn’t stolen my dress.

-M

A few recent pictures captured some of Avery’s facial expressions. (Might she be going for Zoolander’s Blue Steel in the third picture?) There’s not one of her crying, but luckily she doesn’t do too much of that!

-M

I haven’t had the summer off in years, but last week certainly felt like a (mini) summer break – especially after spending so much time frolicking in the sun with Zoe and Avery. I was a bit sad about heading back to work after 10 fun days with the girls (just like I was after spring break), but our excitement over the start of Zoe’s summer camp made the good-byes easier. The camp’s theme is science (and, evidently, birds), and Zoe is in the blue-jay class; I couldn’t help but smile when she told us all the kids “flew off” together this morning.

-M

Last summer, not long after Avery was born, Q and his dad took Zoe to the Giants County Fair. This year the fair was a few weeks earlier – which meant Gil got to come along with us today. The weather was gorgeous, and we got there so early that we practically had the fairgrounds to ourselves; it was a fun way to spend a Sunday morning!

-M

By the end of June, the girls will have spent time with both sets of grandparents, as well as their aunt and both uncles. Their Month of Family continued on Friday, when Uncle Gil flew in for the weekend. Here are a few early pics.

-M

Also on our Madison itinerary: splashing around in the (baby) swimming pool, and just hanging out. Here’s another batch of photos.

-M

Avery isn’t turning one until later this month, but my parents threw her a celebratory picnic when we were all together on Monday. I’m sure the highlight for Avery was her first taste of cake (angel food) and frosting (white); Zoe, meanwhile, loved running around with Cousin Tanner and playing at the park’s “Splashpad.” (It was a fun time – can’t wait to go back next summer!)

-M

Animals were the theme of our first days in Madison, with visits to Cows on the Concourse (an annual downtown event) and the zoo. Here are some pictures – plus a video of Zoe and her dad mooing. (When in Rome, right?)

-M

-M

Our trip to Madison was fun and busy – and we flew back to San Francisco this afternoon. Zoe said tonight she was excited to be home, but she was also thinking of Grandma and Grandpa and Aunt Sandy. (“I’m going to miss you,” she told my mom last night. And then, pointing to my dad, she added, “And him.”) We have lots of fun pictures from our time there; for now, here are a few family ones.

-M

The blog has been quiet the last few days because we’ve been busy running around in Madison. Our trip on Friday went pretty well – though the girls barely slept, they were fairly good-natured on our flights. (And Avery made up for her lack of nap by taking a 3.5-hour one the next day!)

We took Zoe to Cows on the Concourse on Sat., and both girls hit the Henry Vilas Zoo yesterday; today we’re having a birthday picnic in honor of Avery. More soon!

-M

We’re heading to Madison today. Despite her wish, Zoe won’t be able to make a snowman – but there should be plenty of other fun stuff for her and Avery to do. Pictures soon!

-M

A few recent stories that made me smile:

-Last Friday, I told Zoe I had to do a few things before her kung-fu class. We were walking down the street after stopping at the drugstore and dry cleaner’s when Zoe suddenly slowed down. “Where’s Erin’s house?” she asked me with a confused look. “Erin – who’s Erin?” I asked her. “You said we were going to Erin’s,” said Zoe, and it hit me that she misheard “do some errands” for “go to Erin’s.”

-After spending the day in the sun last Sunday, Zoe relaxed by watching the movie Tinker Bell. During a scene in which the main character’s face turns bright red from anger, Zoe commented, “Her face is really red. She didn’t put on sunblock!”

-We were shopping recently when Zoe had to go to the bathroom. I took her hand and walked her through the store, and I slowed down when I spotted a rounder of cute baby clothes. “No, Mommy,” Zoe said to me as she saw me eye the outfits. “We’re not looking at clothes right now, we’re going to the potty!” (Wow, I thought with a laugh, my daughter is scolding me for shopping!)

Before Avery takes off and walks on her own, I wanted to capture some video of how she gets around. The first one shows her taking some steps with her dad (and saying her signature “hi-yah” at the 7-second mark) and the second shows how fast she can zip around – and follow her sister! – these days.

-M

Zoe, as mentioned before, recently started taking kung-fu – and we’ve taken Avery to each of her classes. After hearing plenty of hi-yahs at class, Avery took a fondness to the word and now says it all the time. It’s cute, yes, but less so when she blurts it out at inopportune times – like at the hotel, at 4:30 the other morning. (She couldn’t sleep, and when we put her in bed with us she kept crawling up to me and Q, saying it loudly.)

Here’s a parenting tip: Don’t expose your almost-one-year-old to martial arts if you don’t want hi-yah to be one of her first words!

Zoe has been taking swim classes for the past several months, and she was excited to use her new-found skills in the pool this past weekend. She spent quite a bit of time in the water, and Q and I noticed a difference in confidence from one day to the next: she stuck to her Twizzler floatie (thanks, G&G) on Sunday but was jumping in the water on her own by the next morning. Check her out below.

-M

Sunday:

Monday: