making emre's dreams come true

(with a broom & mop.)

brought home a broom & mop set this week

which led to hours of entertainment

and perma-grin for emre

this is MY mop!

nothin' like cleaning those floors - with both hands

in this month's issue of our 'growing child' newsletter (thanks again, linda price!) it says that our 17 month-old (and that's what emre is!  17 months! today!) likes to do the following:

• play with water.

• wave bye-bye.

• carry and move things.

• be chased.

and that is no joke - emre loves all of those things (though waving bye bye and playing with water have been going on for quite some time - and they've left out some, like pointing & saying 'abi,' which means big brother - to any man or boy he sees in the park).  incredible how consistent the developmental stages/timing are with most things.  last night he found a paper shopping bag and proceeded to fill it with things - first his ball, then some wooden fruit, and carry it around the house.  so often i watch him do these random things & wonder why, only to later find it's actually a milestone for him.

in addition to his development, emre gets goofier by the day... 

he insisted on putting on his sandals.  what. a. nut.

enjoying his morning pre-breakfast snack

asking for more, despite the mouthful

otherwise, we're keeping busy.  i attended a french baking class at my french friend cecille's house.  it was lovely, and so so delicious.  can't wait to try my hand at some of the recipes she shared with us, like crepes!

tarte fine aux pommes

cecile, in front of her perfect madeleines (served with her own homemade jams, of course)

ben's dad came for dinner one night & hung around for bedtime.  emre is finally enjoying being read a story or two before bed (in other words he's sitting still & not trying to tear out all of the pages) - so dede read him one of his turkish books.

reading a bedtime story with dede

we continue to take our nightly walk after dinner, usually ending in the park across the street where emre can run loose.  it's especially nice in the summer heat to get out of our hot apartment until emre's bath time, and it's a favorite time of day for all three of us, i think.  at a time when i'm not terribly happy about being in turkey (due to protests, friends moving away, dust & heat, no back yard, etc.), it's these little daily reminders that this is a special time in our life - one i know i'll look back on one day wish we could return to - that keep a smile on my face.

watching the sprinklers with daddy