Did you want to talk about condiments?

We are at the point in our ketchup bottle where it has to be stored upside down in order for any ketchup to actually emerge from the bottle.  You would think I'd lived through the Great Depression the way I like to get every last drop out.  Ben is into a stage right now, where he is into condiments.  Ellie went through a similar stage, when ketchup and mustard were considered actual food groups (I took her to the Mustard Museum she loved it so much at the time.  The Museum was a mistake--bringing a 4-year-old into a place filled with bottles.  Not fun, no matter how much you adore the condiment.)  Ben has expanded his condiment loves to--peanut butter (he proudly helps me clean it out at the end of the jar), jelly, honey, big lakes of syrup, and of course ketchup.

Before bath time yesterday, Ben reached into his pocket and pulled out a ketchup packet he had obtained from school.  He explained that he knew we were almost out of the condiment and so had taken matters into his own hands (or pockets).  I reassured him that we did in fact have another bottle in the pantry, so he could leave the ones at school.

Lotta has been sickly this week--throwing up and a runny nose.  She keeps bringing me her shoes.  Not sure what she is trying to tell me.

Lotta is into practicing her balance these days.  She likes to do this by stepping on items that are not normally considered items that should be stepped on.  For example, yesterday she turned the abacus on its side and stood on all the beads.  This morning she took a toy piano given to us by Esther (when Ellie fell in love with it at her house, isn't that just like Esther?) and tried stepping on it, balancing by keeping a firm grip on my hand.

[caption id="attachment_4236" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="ellie at 9 months"][/caption]

So many times recently I find myself pondering how much Ellie would have loved Lotta right now.  She would have loved helping Lotta discover which part is her foot or head or nose.  She would have loved Lotta's babbles and pointing  (just as much as she would have despised Lotta going through her books and dolls).  Even though I have this tremendous gift of Lotta here right now, sleeping upstairs as I type (she tends to rip the keys out of the keyboard if she is awake), still I miss desperately those days of playing office with my cudorable (cute adorable) first born.  Today is 9 months since she left.