Ah, summer

My kids call this playing “hosing.” I rarely let them do it but Andy was off yesterday and gave them the green light. (Yeah, as long as you’re still around to pick up the pieces, Mr. Daddy.)

(Alternate Title: Brothers.)

You Capture: Get Outside!

play

I woke up yesterday morning to the kids quietly playing with the dollhouse. I took this photo half asleep. (I thought there’d be kids in it but they had gone to check something outside.)

It made smile because of the car crashed over in the master bedroom. What’s that all about? And, notice the dining buffet up in the nursery.

Kids.

Ooh, I also have another favorite playtime photo from this week, of Adelaide getting into my jewelry. It’s wasn’t the best lit time of day and turned out a bit grainy but, you get the picture.

(She was chanting her “I’m the princess” song she made up.)

And lastly, Madeline babydollwearing, also from yesterday:

Such a good mommy.

You Capture: Play

black & white (okay, mostly gray)

You Capture: Black & White.

We went on a date.

Andy worked a special lunch yesterday, so the kids and I grabbed lunch at Central Park and then we went to play.

(Obviously I need to have her fold the laundry at home.)

(She already likes to “help” with the dishes.  It’s a mess.)

It was a good day.

Birthday, part 2

May 6

This morning Andy and I took the little girls to their well checks and then to Panera for a treat. (And lunch.) Adelaide chose a pumpkin muffin. I’m pretty sure it was the powdered sugar on top.

When Drew got home we played in the front yard.

With a plastic hammer.

And a stick.

Being silly.

And singing.

Rode her tricycle.

And ate chocolate chips out of a cup with a spoon.

The end.

First Piggies

Tried yesterday, just for fun.

Even good things must come to an end

I’m back home, sitting again at my dining room table, thinking about our last two days of vacation.  (And trying not to be weepy.)

Saturday was overcast and rained a bit on and off all day, so we took the kids to the cove instead of to the beach.  They ended up jumping in the bay, IN THEIR CLOTHES.  (I knew it was coming the minute they rolled their pants up and pretended to wade in with just their feet.)

We probably should have just saved ourselves the trouble and gone, in suits, straight to the beach.  I had to go back to the house for a stack of towels and they all had to get an extra bath.  And, obviously, there was lots of extra dirty laundry.  But, they LOVED it.  (And I get Fun Mom of the Year.)

Once the kids were down for a nap, Andy and I realized we hadn’t had any lunch.  We left for an early dinner (to make up for my birthday dinner; when all else fails, go to Chili’s).  When we got back the kids were awake and had been fed, so we loaded everyone up and went out for gelato.  It was a perfect last-night outing.

We took the kids back to the beach for an hour in the morning before we had to check out of the house.  I brought my camera and got few last shots of the beach, some with the kids riding their boards.  As you can see, the waves were still really choppy from the weekend storms.

Practicing her ice skating landings (except that she’s 3 and has no idea what ice skating even is):

Notice the band-aids.  She fell on the way to the beach and suffered quite a bit of sidewalk sand-rash.  Poor girl.

Andy going out for his last run:

SUCH a great trip.  But glad to be home.  (I think.)

Firty

I didn’t post earlier today because I was too busy turning 30.  When I tucked Adelaide in tonight, she asked “you twenty-nine, Mama?”  And I said no… then she said “you got cakes and now you’re firty??”  It just struck my funny bone and I died laughing.  (I love age 3.)

My mom made us cheesy eggs for breakfast, and we all sat out on the screened porch and there were even presents!  My kids sang to me (Adelaide has sung to me several times today, all different versions of ‘Happy Birthday’), and then a little later Andy and I went outlet shopping.  (Speaking my love language.)  We also grabbed lunch at a little cafe.  It was gooooood.  Pesto!

The afternoon was spent here with a teary Arianna, while my mom took the other three back to the beach, “buggie” boards in tow.  I took a nap.

Andy and I hit up another localish restaurant for dinner and it was… an experience.  Won’t say that we’ll ever go back!  But it was good for a story or two, and the food wasn’t, um, horrible.  (Ha.)  We thought about going out to a movie after cake (carrot) but we were both a little too tired and opted instead for snuggle time on the couch with the kids and The Sound of Music.  It was a great day.

Yesterday and today we’ve had perfect weather and no clouds.  (Sorry to bore you with more beach pictures.)

Her own personal baby pool:

Proof that I got in the water:

We just can’t get over how clear the water is!

Oh, and Madeline found another crab.

I stepped on a crab

Last night we took the kids to walk the beach after dark. We had flashlights and Drew wore Andy’s hat with his green head-lamp-thingy attached to the front. (So funny.)

Andy and the kids ran up ahead and I was walking with my mom (with my baby in the sling) and stepped on something. Turned around to see a crab skitter off and tried not to freak. (I was very glad it hadn’t chomped my foot.) The kids got to see another one, only it was about half the size of the one I stepped on. (Still shuddering.)

My favorite shots of the day:

(And if you think that was a lot, each one probably represents 5-10 others. Sheesh.)

The minimum

It’s been a rough week and I’m so behind. Dealing with a growth-spurting baby all night means I [we] try to just survive each day.

I did turn my camera on yesterday while the big kids were sleeping and/or having room time. So that’s what you get today.

(All SOOC.)

Dear Rain, we’ve had enough of you, thanks.

It rained all weekend but today is sunny. That makes me HAPPY. And my mom is here for the week and she’s currently vacuuming out my van. (The woman does not stop!) We’ve got some fun things planned and Adelaide’s birthday is on Friday.

In honor of the sunshine (fleeting though it might be), I’m going to post these photos from last Friday when we spent the entire day outside. (None from the picnic-lunch-park-date with friends though, sadly.)

I asked her what she was doing and she said “working.”

Don’t you jump with your ‘lankie???!  I love her flying hair.

Looking at ants.  (And freaking out just a little.)

I just realized looking at that picture, those are daffodil leaves.  Stinker.

In case you needed pear pants in your life today

(I may be heavy on the photo posting for a little while. Our wireless card is half broken and I have to hold it in with one hand to stay connected. You try typing like that!)

But for now

Yesterday was the kind of day I’m pretty sure I could live in Spring forever. We spent three hours with friends at the park. The kids climbed trees and looked at picked flowers. (I put off tagging clothes for consignment and other house-ly chores.)

It’s supposed to rain again this week, but for now, it’s wonderful.

(And, as always, we enjoyed pudgy, pink-cheeked babies.)

Cheeky

She fits in here

The bedhead continues.

This n’ that

So last night the aforementioned Sarah, Jenny, and I had ourselves a girls’ (and babies) night and had dinner at one of our favorite spots. (I’ll restrain myself from going on and on about friendship; suffice it to say, friendships: you need them.)

I also realized something about me last night through our stream of conversation, but I’ll have to think about it more and blog the discovery later.

For now, I wanted to share these photos I took last Sunday. I put them on my facebook but I thought it’d be fun to also put them here.

Arianna in the first one cracks. me. up.  (”Hey, guys?”)

Sister love

I somehow pinched a nerve in my neck and spent yesterday gritting my teeth trying to make it through the day.  So I’ve really got nothing for today except this photo I took sometime last week.

Madeline wanted to hold Arianna and as soon as they were all snuggled, the baby fell right asleep.

Precious.