Another day with Uncle David (August 29)

David was able to drive down to Okotoks with Millie to meet up with us on our last day in Alberta. We just met at Big Rock Elementary School (because in Alberta it's normal to use the school playground equipment outside of school hours (unlike out here where they lock up the school playgrounds and put threatening signs up on the fences about trespassing)). School hadn't yet started for the kids when we were up there, so the school grounds were empty and available.

It was fun for the little girls to play together again. It sure was hard to catch a picture of them together, though! They're both such busy little climbers that it was hard to catch both their faces in the same frame—up, down, around and around! I'll post this picture of Millie and Phoebe together since there aren't any identifying characteristics in this picture, but this is how most pictures turned out, with one girl facing the camera and the other not:

Before they arrived, we had the school grounds pretty much to ourselves. There was a boy shooting hoops and another riding a bicycle around the blacktop. And then a grandmother-granddaughter duo came to the park as well. But other than that we were free to explore all on our own. 

I took some pictures of Miriam and Zoë helping Phoebe go down this long slide. It was so long and zippy that it was even fun for me to go down! Poor Phoebe felt it was a little too long and zippy for her tastes!

Let's zoom in on that priceless little face of hers:

She's always been a little wary of high speed altitude changes (such as...walking down the stairs when she was a tiny infant or swinging when she was a bigger baby and now long and zippy slides), but she's a lot braver than she used to be. She ran up and did this slide a couple of times before deciding that it was enough (and she likes to be pushed high in swings now). Here's a picture of her from last year pulling the very same face when she felt the swing was moving too fast:

Look at how much hair she's grown between last year and now!

Anyway...

David and Millie arrived and we had a fun time playing with them!

I've mostly got pictures just with David and my parents to share today, though. 

Zoë had fun acting as photographer, taking pictures of everyone, while Miriam was kept busy chasing Millie around the playground. Millie sure was fond of Miriam! Here's a picture Zoë took of my mom and I chatting. I'm pretty sure I was hollering at Phoebe to stop doing something she shouldn't be doing at this very moment:

Zoë also took a few selfies of herself and a little portrait of everyone present:

Bumpa:

Uncle David:

Phoebe:

Me:

Miriam:

Naanii:

There were little yellow caterpillars all over the place, which Phoebe found fascinating:

She loves to hold bugs, but isn't always very gentle, and caterpillars are particularly delicate (as far as insects go), so Phoebe ended up squishing a few, but she enjoyed herself (and it was good practice on how to be gentle):

Zoë and Miriam also took some group pictures for us. It was nice to not be behind the camera for once!