Outfits and Bikes

In a happy turn of events, both girls were in love with their outfits upon getting dressed this morning (despite the fact that Madeleine was wearing neither her polka dotted dress NOR her chickie shirt and spandex shorts.)  Julia felt that she was a stunning doppelganger to Hermione Granger in the outfit she had chosen

JULIA: Mom?  So, I think I really look just like Hermione in this outfit, because, like, every time I look in the mirror or I turn and, like, see my REFLECTION in something, I feel like I'm seeing Hermione when she's in her outfit like this and her PONYTAIL.


Madeleine got the chance to wear a new-to-her dress that was handed down from a friend of mine.  She was totally enamored with herself in this lovely frock, and has already started asking if it will be clean for her to wear again tomorrow:

I suspect a new favorite outfit is on the brink of being born.

Now, you may notice that the girls are dressed as if they live in separate, independent climates.  The weather has been so schizophrenic around here lately that I don't blame them for not knowing whether to choose summery outfits or to layer up.  As Madeleine put it, on our walk home from school in the heat two days ago, "But Mama?  Why does the weather keep changing its MIND??"

(Madeleine is big into anthropomorphizing nearly everything lately.  Especially when she's frustrated; she likes to take it as a personal affront.  "I can't get my door open!  Mama, my door doesn't LOVE ME!"  "Mama!  My seat belt is not LISTENING!"  "Mama!  My pasta is not staying on my fork.  It's not COOPERATING!")

At any rate, the weather was quite warm today, though Julia wasn't willing to change into anything cooler, because there was NO WAY she was going to give up her opportunity to be mistaken for Hermione Granger. 

This afternoon, we took the kids to a nearby school to ride bikes on the blacktop and play on the playground, and Julia insisted she wasn't too warm in her sweater.  She did work up a sweat, however, giving it her all on her bike.  She even learned to get started all by herself today, without us holding the bike steady or giving her a beginning push.  She sailed around the blacktop on her bike, completely in control and confident in her abilities, which is a huge change from a few weeks back when we first tried out the no-training-wheels thing.  Perhaps a little TOO confident, Julia concluded her bike riding by biking SMACK into the post of the basketball hoop at the edge of the blacktop, but luckily, no harm was done to either bike or rider.

Madeleine spent a fair amount of time riding around as well, though she became distracted by the many treasures she discovered from around the school field.  She collected not only a tether AND wiffle ball, but also a long piece of rope and a decorative ribbon.  Things got REALLY wild and crazy when she began weaving the ribbon in and out of the holes of the wiffle ball.  It was like Madeleine had hit the jackpot, she was so excited over her finds.

MADELEINE: Wow!  I'm finding so many AMAZING things for my FANTASTIC collection!

At one point, I was instructed to follow, on foot, Madeleine as she rode her bike around the blacktop.  Madeleine instructed me, in a British accent, to carry the wiffle and tetherballs as I walked along behind her, because we needed to bring them to Professor Lupin.  Then I think she kind of forgot about me as she got involved talking aloud to herself and her imaginary friends in her faux English accent, so I eventually was able to escape and return the balls to the field.  She checked up on me shortly before we headed home, running over to see if I had carried out my task.

MADELEINE: Mommy?  So, Mama.  Did you bring the balls to...to...to...to...to the person I was TELLING where to bring them?
ME: Yes, I did.
MADELEINE: Okay.  (about to run off, then turning back to me) And what did he SAY?
ME: Uh, he said I could just leave them right here for other kids to play with.
MADELEINE: Okay!  (running off)

Phew.  I was able to pass off my utter lack of interest in carrying the balls around all afternoon as following Professor Lupin's orders.  Off the hook on that one!

At any rate, the girls have been thoroughly enjoying their new bikes, and I can't complain too much about the weather changing his mind and getting warm again, so long as it gives us some good outdoor time over the weekend!