free range...

...in their bedroom today.

Two big kids.

Lots of jumping around.

And snuggling with one blankie.

And holding the other.

And giggling together (and trying to hit Zeph in the face while giggling). Until it was time to go to sleep.

It wasn't pretty after the lights went out, but I imagine they'll get the hang of it.......someday.

"Dark Hartford"

We have a kind of nighttime routine going here lately. The small guys take a bath, brush teeth and read a book and then do a little of what Lincoln calls "dark dancing." The lights go out in O & Z's room and the star turtle nightlight comes on and John or I stream a song on our phones while everyone spins and twirls to the beat. Zeph is especially fond of this ritual. She's a bit of a groover. Orson mostly tries to infuriate us by repeatedly turning the nightlight off so that everyone starts bumping into each other.  Linc usually dances for a bit and then announces that he'd like the babies to go to bed. But today he left the room for a full minute and then re-appeared in the doorway in full costume.

He's a good guy, he assured me. Even though he felt he looked like a bad guy. And after all the grooving and twirling was finished, and his sister and brother were tucked in, he explained to me the entire backstory of this bad-looking good guy.  The character was loosely based on this, apparently:

But he added his own twist:  "My name is Dark Hartford, Mama," he said, "The goodest marksman that has ever been known." 

play

Zephyr and play-doh. ( It's a "nake.")

stripes on the couch