Rain, Rain, G O A W A Y!!!

So, in the past month and a half, I'd say it's rained here at least 30 days out of 40, or something like that. I like rain, but c'mon, someone else's parade probably needs some moisture about now, right??! Yes, the rain has put a damper on any of our outings of late, hence the lack of bloggingness from me. (and yes, bloggingness is a new word, I expect it will catch on really soon).
Friday afternoon Sam and I got caught in the rain on the way home from the grocery store. I promise, we went into the store and the sky was blue; we came out ten minutes later and it was all black and foreboding, with raindrops that would fill a tablespoon, no problem. Resourceful me, I put Sam's raincover on the stroller, then I whipped out one of the little baggies from our fresh produce, and put it on my head. I walked home like that, and believe it or not, no one even looked me like "you look like an idiot." No one. Picture for proof that I did indeed look like an idiot (but a dry idiot, alas!), despite the obliviousness of strangers...
In the lack of outings, Sam has been trying to be innovative in playing around the house. She has decided she likes bringing me pairs of shoes to try on -- it gives her a chance to learn "matching", and to destroy my shoe box. (I don't have a picture of that activity, but I'll get one soon and post it when I do.) She also loves her funnel... It's a hat, a horn, a bucket, all in one. In this shot below, she plays with it as she eats breakfast.

Sam has also gotten really excited about brushing her teeth lately. We brush after bath time, which is one of the only ways to get her out of the tub. We just got her a new pink Barbie toothbrush, a big event! Here she walks around with one of the funny little toothbrushes they give us on British Airways for our international flights.
Piano time is a several-times-a-day event right now. Sam's getting quite good at pushing the "rhythm" button that starts the disco beat, then she sits on the bench, bopping her head and shoulders. Aren't her piggy tails cute in this one below? Her first all-the-hair pigtails. They were a little crooked, but pretty cute, I think!
Reading is another favorite thing we do these days. Sam FINALLY brings me books and patiently looks at the pictures and waits to turn the pages (instead of racing through it, turning it over and putting it in her mouth.) She still occasionally tries to ingest her books, but not as often as before. Brian has called her a "libravore" (for those who don't speak Spanish, libra is the word for "book" -- like carnivore).

That's all for now, folks! We'll be coming home to Idaho by this coming weekend... yay!! May the rain not follow us there, we hope!!