exploratory expedition

We just got back from spending several days near our soon-to-be hometown, taking care of some work business for Tim and looking for a place to live.  We camped at a nearby state park, both because we like camping and to save money.  It was our first multi-day camping trip with Esther, and I think we will be doing more of them!  She did have a lot of trouble sleeping the first night (a typical issue when she is out of her routine and in an unfamiliar place), but otherwise she did amazingly well.  The part of the campground we were in was like a big meadow surrounded by trees.  The campsites were on both sides of the little road that ran around the edge of the meadow, with the middle of the meadow being left empty and available for playing.  We were in the inner loop of campsites, so in a mostly grassy area with a couple of trees for shade.  There were lots of other families with kids there, and Esther promptly made friends with everyone close enough to talk to. I think she is really gifted with people.  One brother and sister duo that she approached didn't seem to know quite what to make of her, and at first kind of ignored her, but she kept talking to them as if they were old friends, and within ten minutes or so, they were.  She is hard to resist!  :-)  She also made up with the family across the street, who had four active children a little older than she is.  We had brought her scooter and they had brought theirs, and they had a great time scooting up and down the campground road together.  A little to my surprise, no-one out of everybody we talked to (and thanks to Esther's friendliness, we talked to a lot of people!), made any comment on her being adopted, or asked where she was from, or asked if I was her mother (I get that question from time to time here, and a friend of mine whose daughter is biracial has also said that she sometimes gets taken for her daughter's nanny).  Several people did remark on how Esther reminded them of their own child or grandchild, and we got several compliments on how well she scoots.  So I left feeling pretty good about our new home.

Meanwhile, Esther continues to crack me up with the things she says.  Often she is trying to be funny (she is developing quite the sense of humor!), but here are a few serious comments just from this last trip that made me laugh.

(At a rest stop, where there were a lot of flies in the bathroom):  Those flies should find their own habitat!  In a tree!

(A conversation with another little girl who came over to greet Esther carrying a roasted marshmallow--Esther's pronunciation is still not entirely clear):
Esther: Marshmallow!
Caden:  Do you know what this is?
Esther:  You'd better eat it before it falls.
Caden (indignantly):  It is not a dust ball!

(At the snack bar in the lodge, where we went in desperation after our dinner preparations were rained on and rendered inedible):
I want a hot dog!  And a honey bun!

(While we were looking at a rental townhouse, Esther asked me if there was a playground there.  I said no, but she must not have been convinced, because this was her reply):
We can investigate, if you wish.

(Marching up to a fellow camper, whom she had not previously talked to):
Hi!  I've never been to London before.  Maybe we could go to your house and then we could go to London together.  (As he walked away, he commented, "I can tell you're going to have a lot of fun.")

(Looking at the hairs on her arm):
I have chinny-chin-chins on my arm.