Evil scary Dora

This weekend should have been a great time for pictures. Friday night, we hosted Redmond's last day of school shindig at our house. Redmond's band played their second gig. I would have loved to have taken some pictures, but Sadie was in prime form that night. Someone would ask me a question, I'd turn to answer, and by the time I turned around, Sadie would have made it halfway to Chapel Hill. When she wasn't running amok, she was rushing the stage. Apparently she hasn't learned the "Chapel Hill Nod" yet, in which you show your wild enthusiasm for the band on stage by appreciatively tilting your head about a millimeter up and then down. If one is really feeling the music, one might tap a foot an inch or two.

Many of our friends were there with their children, and were actually able to sit with said children and enjoy the show. I'd like to come up with all kinds of philosophical platitudes about how refreshing it can be to have a "highly spirited" child and how all that energy will be translated into enthusiasm for life later and blah blah blah so on and so forth, but MAN, I'm tired. How can one child have so much energy? Is it just because I am a "mature" parent? (see entry under euphemism to save face)

Saturday, we took the bug to Jordan Lake, this time with proper equipment, and we all had a nice, long swim. And I forgot the camera. Sunday, we just ran errands, and I won't bore you with pictures of us waiting for our sand and water play table at the Toys 'R Sold with Apathy and Indifference to the Customer. Have I mentioned that 90% of the toys sold now are product placements? One has to really scramble today to find a toilet that doesn't have Dora the Explorer talking to your child's rear end, or a train set that isn't based on Thomas, or a doll that isn't a Backyardigans character. Yes, I am aware that I sound cranky. ;-)

So, I only have a few pictures to present this week.

Redmond, Mom, Sadie and I visited the Fake Panera Bread Restaurant (can't remember the name- Bear Rock something or another) at University Mall in Chapel Hill a couple of weeks ago. When we walked in, we saw scads and scores of pre-schoolers waiting excitedly for.. something. A woman about my mother's age walked around wearing a bright pink wig making balloons into animal shapes. She presented Sadie with a giraffe, which Sadie promptly unrolled into a long sausage with eyeballs. Then, a few minutes later, we realized what the hubbub was all about. The same woman returned wearing the scariest Dora the Explorer costume I've ever seen. I'm assuming she was supposed to be Dora- she marched around with this giant head and a cheap backpack, intoning with a deep voice that only older women who have smoked their entire lives have... "BACKpack.. BACKpack" She scared the living daylights out of Sadie and, well, all of us. Here, see for yourselves...

Dora stalks my daughter.

BACKpack... BACKpack....
That's all I have, folks, for this week. Wait- I do have a couple of stolen pictures... I received an e-mail from Aunt Sylvia and Uncle Mich in Vermont. They reported a rare bird sighting in their front yard. You don't see many birds this large around my area...

This one appears to like the seed and is very well-fed. I did not ask the bear to sign a release form, so hopefully it's okay to post his or her picture...