Rachel in the kitchen

Rachel is quite a good helper in the kitchen. She has progressed from just identifying whether we've got culkeeculkeeculkee or doh to peeling onions (Kind of odd, but she loves it! She'll spend over 5 minutes standing by the trash can, peeling the dry skin off an onion before I cut it. I do have to watch and catch her as soon as she's done peeling, lest she take a big bite!) and garlic and, now, to cooking tomatoes! I was cooking some tomatoes for a sauce the other day, and Rachel wanted to help. I set her up at her "stove" with a small pan, a spoon, and a few chunks of tomato. Look what a good job she did...

What a good job of eating all the tomatoes, I mean!

In other news, it was brought to my attention that some people have had trouble posting comments to our blog. I think we've corrected the problem, so if you feel moved to comment, have at it, folks!

Oh, and of course I should include a fashion update. Rachel received a box of fun summer clothes in the mail (from Grand-Merr--thanks!) on Wednesday and couldn't even wait until the next morning (let alone a warm day) to put some of them on, right over her other clothes. I think I've said it before, but it bears repeating--this child has class. Note again the hand-socks (which aren't pink but do have dots), as well as the coy looking-down-like-a-supermodel pose. I think French runways may be in in her future--whether as a pilot (planes seem the obvious next step in her city bus--school bus--commuter train trajectory) or as a model has yet to be determined.

The BPC make their debut!

At last! At last! The day has arrived when all of the BPC's stars are aligned! Mean Mommy agreed that Rachel could wear them, mainly because (getting nicer) Mother Nature agreed to let the sun shine on us, and the BPC magically emerged from their mysterious hibernation! (Amazing how condition #1 and condition #3 occurred in sequence like that.) Rachel is living her dream, folks. But, knowing Rachel as you do, you will understand that the outfit was not completed until the socks were carefully selected. The white socks that Mom foolishly chose and put on Rachel's feet (I thought the BPC-joy might override our usual sock thing. Silly me.) were unceremoniously stripped off and replaced with not two, but four pink socks--with dots!--that Rachel fished out of the hamper. This child doesn't just have style, she has class. High class. Do observe for yourselves. And do enjoy.

And just a quick observation of how Rachel's independence and insistence on doing things her own way do not end once she's dressed:

This sort of thing happens all day long. I love her independence and curiosity and want to foster them. (Do note, though, that rule-follower Mom did provide a more conventional vessel and utensil, both of which are sitting ignored.) I'm constantly working out where the line should be--what is exploring, and what is obstinately pouring out your milk? And this is just the beginning, I'm sure!

Rachel's "Helmo"

This weekend, David and I went to fetch a few items from our storage containers in Melrose Park--things we hadn't thought we'd need when we packed them up "for a few weeks" back in February. Things like bike helmets, garden tools, and Rachel's bike trailer. And yet here we are in May, needing these things. So now we have them.

Today was gorgeous. The kind of spring day that you dream about. The kind that, when it falls on a weekend, is pure bliss. So we were especially glad to have the bike gear. Rachel "discovered" her helmet this morning and fell in love. (It's pink, after all.) She wore it all over the house, and I was afraid of the explaining we'd have to do at church, but we did manage to get it off her before we left. She alternates between calling it a "Hehhhhh" and an "Elmo." Somehow, we understand her. So after her nap, we helmeted her up and buckled her into the trailer, and away we went. And she liked it! Rachel liked it! Last summer, she despised the thing. This summer, she climbed in by herself. Ah, yes. Summer on two wheels, here we come!

Here's our little cyclist. Does the helmet not make her just too adorable for words? Thanks to Nana for the apples--a great treat for on-the-go!