Little GIRLS!

We had a busy weekend. On Saturday I had to attend a memorial service for a former professor at the law school (really, I assigned myself the story for the spring edition of the magazine) and our friend Constance was gracious enough to come with us and watch Rachel for two hours. They spent the afternoon at a magical place called the Gilbert Museum and Discovery Center, which has a monster play structure that Drew would have so gotten into. I can't wait for all of us to go there when it's warm one summer weekend.

Afterward we stopped at a sushi place in Tualatin and Constance and I had the semblance of a conversation while Rachel really was remarkably well-behaved and patient. The sushi was on a conveyor belt, and the only thing Rachel would eat was a plate of canteloupe and oranges. The waitress commented on how adorable she was, and asked Rachel for a hug -- which she cheerfully gave -- and then I suggested a kiss, which she gave also. The waitress, Julie, was really touched.

Then we got home and I got so busy that I only had time to read a bit before going to sleep.

On Sunday our playdate cancelled on us but it was a beautiful day so we ended up heading to Laurelhurst Park, where we hadn't been in a while. I can't even describe how gorgeous the weather was, how lovely the trees looked, and how much fun Rachel had -- and how energetic I felt, probably because I'm exercising a lot these days and really trying to cut down on starches and sweets -- so we ended up going down the slide THREE TIMES while holding hands. Rachel also climbed the skinny ladder all by herself. I was so impressed!

But then the rain came, fast and hard, and I was just able to get her home in time for nap before our friends Suzanne, Steve and their 2 1/2-year-old daughter Lila came over. And that turned out to be the best part of the weekend! She and Rachel ran around the house, shrieking with laughter, and then they discovered the egg chair (thank you again Linda for bequeathing it to us) and it was so cute when Rachel said, "sit next to me, Lila!" and then Steve pulled the cover over them and they twirled around and laughed and laughed. Lila says the same things Rachel does in the exact same way -- "dew" for "do," and other cute toddler-isms -- and Lila is also a huggy little girl. As they were getting ready to leave, Lila spontaneously came up to me with a very serious expression on her little face and gave me a hug, and then a kiss! It was so sweet! And then she and Rachel hugged and kissed each other!

Suzanne told me later that on the way home, when she asked Lila if she'd had fun with Rachel, Lila said, "I like Rachel! She's my sister!" High praise, Suzanne said, since she has never referred to anyone else that way.

As I put Rachel to sleep, she said, "I like Suzanne and Steve." Then she added, "Lila my FAVORITE!"