Immunizations

I am not compliant with the recommended immunization schedule.  Gee, go figure.  I do think that the vast majority of the immunizations required are very important, I just don't like the time frame.  Indiana State Law is changing July 1st and we will have to get our immunizations at the physician's office (what's that?) in the future.  Not such a terrible thing, I guess, since our insurance will pay for them, but we will no longer get to get them from Debbie, our "personal" community health nurse. 
So, off we went this morning for our last immunizations from Debbie.  DTaP, IPV and the second MMR for Titus - combined into 2 shots.  He was not at all happy about the prospect of having to go, but did pretty well for a very scared 4 year old.  All he did was cry. 
Isabele got a DTaP, Hib, IPV combo and her first MMR.  She cried, but didn't know what to be afraid of.

Titus was fine - a couple doses of Tylenol and that was the end of that.

Isabele wasn't quite so fine.  Her leg hurt.  I think probably quite a bit.  In order to distract her after she woke up, we went over to my mother's.  Isabele hadn't walked in the 45 minutes she'd been up from her nap - refused to walk.  When she finally decided that playing in the lake would be better than just watching Titus play in the lake, her gait was classic.  Pretty much, she was limping so much that she looked like a Polio victim (great that one of the vaccines given was for polio). 
Her limp continued off and on throughout the rest of the day. 
I'm sure that tomorrow will be a better day.

A very, very tired little girl

 I guess the activities of the day were too much for this little girl.  She went from awake to sound asleep in about 10 seconds.

We had just gotten back from the grocery.  She fell asleep before she could get a spoon for her yogurt.

Foxglove

I'm somewhat of a haphazard gardener.  I really like wildflowers and the wildflower patch look.  I'm also very cheap.  I spread wildflower seeds a couple of years ago and my little patch has been reseeding itself since.  Amusing to me, is the fact that the flowers that I identify change from year to year.  Apparently this foxglove has existed as I did not add any new seeds this year and have no other foxglove in my yard.  I guess that the monster sunflowers of past years covered up this beauty.  While I really like the sunflowers of past years, I am enjoying the variety without the sunflowers.

Fledglings

 Yesterday, 3 of my 4 baby robins graduated to being fledglings.  1 remained in the nest overnight and is standing on the edge of the nest at the moment. 

Pictures of 2 of the fledglings.

"My" Robins

We have lived in this house for going on 4 years.  This is our 3rd summer.  This is our 3rd spring with a momma robin building a nest, laying eggs, and caring for her brood on the narrow ledge at the top of the pillar on our front porch.
The first year I worried that she couldn't build on such a narrow ledge, though she was quite determined, so I tied a green wire basket, like one would use for shower supplies, to the ledge.  She built her nest in the basket.  That year we only watched one brood.  I think she had 3 babies.
The second year, I got a basket from my mother, that she made specifically for a robin.  I nailed it to the porch - you can see the nail in the picture.  Her first brood in 2010 was 4 little robins, who all fledged.  The second brood died.  Not sure why, but I remember there being several dead baby birds around.  It did get unusually hot for a day or two...
2011.  I decided if the silly bird wanted to build a nest on the narrow ledge, then she'd have to figure out how to do it.  And she did!  4 eggs ( I checked with a step stool and a hand mirror).  Now they are feathered and stretching their wings, and making lots of noise when mom or dad come with a worm or 3.  They make me nervous as they get bigger and start stretching their wings.  The nest is small for 4 birds - though momma robin knows better than I do.
I looked it up - and a Robin lives and average of 2 years, with the longest documented lifespan in the wild being 14 years.  Maybe this is the same robin...both the momma and the dad seem much more relaxed with us out on the porch this year.  For that reason, I think it is the same pair.  I was standing on a chair maybe 5 feet away when I took these pictures.  Both the momma and the dad flew in and deposited their worms and flew off while I stood there.

 Quiet babies.  I just came out on the porch and stood on the chair.

 Here's Momma with a worm.  Look at them beg.

 Momma just realized I was there (I think).

 Off she goes to find another worm.

 Here's the dad, looking at me, literally.  He's not so sure about the flash.  Look at the babies beg!

 They are begging and he's trying to figure out the flash.

He's still checking me out.

BMX Track

Tonight was Titus' 3rd time to go to the BMX track in Warsaw - at Hire Park.  He really likes it (no surprise here).  He has done the entire track a handful of times now.  Brian still runs (attempts to at least) behind/with him, though says Titus doesn't need help and no longer uses his brake at all.  Tonight we had to drag him away.  After a morning of walking at the zoo in Ft. Wayne and then no nap in the truck on the way home, and an afternoon of playing with Isabele, he was literally falling asleep on his bike prior to his last ride on the "front part" (the final straight). 
I'm glad he's enjoying riding.  He now builds ramps in the driveway to ride off.  It is amazing to watch him and remember that he's not quite 4 1/2 years old.

Bicycle Anatomy Lesson from a 4 Year Old

Brian and Titus washed their bikes this morning in the driveway.  Brian had ridden the trails a couple times and his bike was pretty muddy.  Titus rode at the BMX track - Hire Park - last night and got his bike muddy too. So, it was time to wash the bikes.  Titus did a good job and was quite proud of how shiny and slippery his bike was.  He told me, "It's even shinier than when the guys made it."  After getting it all clean, he had to test-ride it.  He did a quick lap of the driveway, barefoot and in shorts and a t-shirt.  (At the BMX track, he has to wear jeans and long sleeves, plus his tennis shoes with socks.)  When he came back to report the status of his bike to Brian, he and his bike fell over when he stopped.  He fell off a bit hard, but nothing overly impressive, however, he was crying a bit. 
Brian talked to him and asked him what was wrong. 
He said, "the penis got me". 
Brian asked, "What got you?" 
Titus, "The penis got me."
Brian, "Oh, you hurt your penis when you fell off the bike?"
Titus "No.  The bike's penis got me."
Brian "Where's the bike's penis?"
Titus showed him the front part of the seat.
Brian said, "So the bike is male."
And yes, I know, this will embarrass him in the future.  And a few years after that, he will find it funny.