Stamp Heads

Totally normal afternoon for us Rowes, heading off to the Starbucks with the kids looking like this:

The stamped faces are a result of a game Julia made up today, which, in her words, is "like Scrabble that you play on your computer, Mama."  Using her play Cinderella cell phone, she and Madeleine pressed certain buttons, and any time the cell phone's electronic music started up, whoever had pressed that button was the winner.  The rewards were stamps on various parts of their faces. 

Luckily, the Starbucks was just one stop en route to our town's Memorial Park, where we attended a parade and rally for Olympic gymnast Aly Raisman.  So perhaps red circles all over the kids' faces could have been interpreted as some sort of celebratory face paint.  You know, stamps shaped like medals, colored red to be patriotic.  (The other possibility is that people thought my kids suffered from some sort of contagious skin disease, since from far away the stamps looked more like big red welts, but hey, what's wrong with a little facial decoration at such a festive event?)

Ironically, despite the fact that there was a dj playing loud, thumping dance music, neither girl wanted to get wild and crazy and boogie down.  I don't quite understand how it's possible that my children didn't want to dance.  Need I remind anyone of their be-sequined dance party last weekend in CT??  These are the kids who went out in public sporting huge red stamps on their faces, but they were somehow too shy to dance to the musical entertainment.  Go figure. 

While Julia was at least willing to participate in the cheering and applause for Aly Raisman, Madeleine found herself too "shy" to dare make a peep.

ANNOUNCER: Can I hear everyone make some NOISE?
ETHAN: Can you make some noise?
MADELEINE: No.  I *can't.*

Okay, then.

At least Madeleine wasn't too shy to make some noise at home, seeing as she spent time today performing some original works at the piano.  Using one of Julia's piano books for inspiration, she sang a variety of songs, with unique lyrics like "It's berry berry bad when your frog is hopping on the balance," and "the cow is excited to get into the farm!"  Here, a little taste of her performance:



Bravo, Madeleine!!