Tea House

Laines and I went to Pink Bicycle Tea Room for a much-needed mommy-daughter date.

We got to pick out some sweet tea party hats to wear.Lainey's hat was so big on her that the brim hit the table (and all the glass dishes on it) every time she looked down.  I finally suggested she remove it because I was afraid that she'd break something.

Lainey's favorite part of the whole experience seemed to be dropping sugar in her "tea" (a.k.a. lemonade).  I cut her off at three or four cubes per glass so she ended up drinking a lot (and not eating much).

Food-wise Lainey liked the strawberries and the peanut butter sandwich the best (I had to slap that last one together for her by disassembling two PB&J's because the girl will not eat jelly or even honey on her sandwiches).

I enjoyed time with just Lainey and I learned something new about her.  Her favorite animals are "kitties and butterflies."  I have subsequently learned that she thinks cats are girls and dogs are boys.  Hmmm.  (Next pic by Lainey)

Week 9 was wonderful week, lotsa fun.  I finally finished off my Olympic experience (as in I watched the closing ceremonies late Sunday night).  Also, Drew told us who won (as in whose country placed highest).  Lizzie had picked China (U.S. was off limits because we rooted for them as a family) and she was absolutely thrilled to come in first place.  Other fun:

We attended dollar night at the Potomac Nationals (baseball farm team).  We met friends there so the kids really enjoyed themselves (though Drew was frustrated that Lizzie was paying more attention to her friend's smart phone than the game).  I arrived first so the whole group enjoyed my idiocy when it came to seating.  The $1 tickets were for the grandstand.  I figured that meant the bleachers (or everything other than "box seats") so I saved seats just left of home plate (turns out we were supposed to be in the outfield).

We turned in our library reading program coupons to get free donuts (note to any locals the coupons are for glazed donuts only, I didn't realize that until after the kids had picked fancy sprinkled-covered ones).

Lizzie and Lainey went to a half day camp at a local bounce house (and Ellie cried and cried because she couldn't go in).  Afterwards Lainey and I had a mommy-daughter date at a local tea house.  More pics of that later, but speaking of Lainey, we're trudging onward with the toilet training, but it's been unpleasant.  This last week she pooped her pants four three days in a row and peed the bed every night.  Finally we had to down-grade her to pull-ups at night because I just can't handle both soiled clothing and linens right now.

We tried out the play areas in a couple local malls (first time for most of the family at these particular play places so it was very exciting).  The first one was Virginia-themed.

The second play area was green-themed.  Technically, Liz was too big to play in these areas, but Lainey pretty much wouldn't play without Liz.  She'd either constantly come over and ask if Liz would play with her or she'd sit sadly by the sidelines with us (Ellie seemed content on her own).  Much to the delight of Liz and Laines I eventually gave in and they embarked on some sort of imaginary adventure.

One Saturday I helped throw a Ready-to-Pop-themed baby shower.  I was really happy with how it turned out.  I was also happy with the recipes I tried especially for the occasion:  rainbow popcorn and homemade pop tarts (though I cheated and used store-bought pie crusts). More shower pics later.

 After the shower, my family enjoyed the leftover Pop Rocks.

I thought Ellie would have a hard time with the candy, but she LOVED it, as in couldn't-get-enough-of-it-licking-her-fingers-and-the-bag-kind-of-love.

Lainey was more excited about the noise her Pop Rocks made than the way they felt in her mouth.

Week 8/Last Week

Liz spent most of the week in Drama Camp (9-3, it felt like she was back in school).  Still, she had time to go swimming, have a playdate, and accompany me on a marathon babysitting gig (okay, it was just 6 hours).  Her camp culminated with a Friday night performance about praising God (it was run by a Baptist church).  Liz was super excited that she had lines and she did really well with them.  She only forgot a line once.  I was worried that she would start crying and run off the stage, but she didn't do either (though it looked like she wanted to for a minute).  Afterwards Liz said she would have run off crying if I hadn't told her before the show that she absolutely could not do that (thank goodness). 

Lainey had some highs and lows with toilet training this week.  She was so excited that she finally got to go to childcare at Ikea (because as she says, "I'm in training").  Still, there were lots of accidents and lots of frustration on my part.  Wednesday morning after using the toilet she begged to wear a diaper again, but I wouldn't relent.  Thursday night she announced that she was going to sleep in panties.  We wanted to be supportive so we let her, but she's peed the bed every night since.  I think I've hit my limit and I'll need to find a way to transition her back to at least pull-ups at night without dampening her enthusiasm.

Last Saturday Drew's family headed to the Nielson family reunion.  This is our first year not going and we were sad to miss it, but just couldn't work.  Throughout the week preceding it we prepared a slideshow of our little family to show on movie night (home movie/slideshow night is new this year).  We also filmed some of our talents so we could participate in the talent show.  Liz wanted to do a silly skit with me, but we also filmed her playing the piano while Lainey danced to the music.  The Nielson reunion trips happen every two years so the last time Drew's family saw my kids Ellie was two months old and they won't see her again until she's four.  Nana, you can check out the videos here.

While Liz was in camp I tried to do some fun stuff with the little girls.  We played at Barnes & Nobel and Chuck E Cheese, we painted (Lainey painted paper, Ellie painted the table and her body), we went to Lainey's gymnastics class, we attended a Justin Roberts kiddie rock concert at Wolf Trap.  We really enjoyed ourselves and I kind of like that we had a week with no water parks for a change.

Ellie spent most of the time at the OUTDOOR concert cleaning off the bottom of her shoes and feet with a wet wipe.  She wipe off her shoe, stand up, then examine her shoe and get upset all over again that she saw dirt on it.

"Hold me Mama!"

This week Andrew and I enjoyed seeing Mike Birbiglia at the DC improv.  So, so funny.  I also worked on my upcoming projects: PTA, 4th grade fundraiser, baby shower, the girls birthdays (as soon as I scheduled and paid for Lainey's party at the soft playroom she announced that she wanted to have it at home instead), beach trip, and Activity Girls day camp.  One day I shredded a mountain of papers--filled my entire recycling bin.  Ellie peered into the can and managed to drop a tiny toy in amongst the shreds.  When I was off cleaning up some other mess she tossed half the shredded paper onto the kitchen floor in search of her darn toy.  She found the toy, but lost her binki in the process which was a huge problem at bedtime.  Ahh, children.

Just pulled off my phone

WEEK 7

Week 7 was fun, but I'm starting to feel a little sad that summer is winding down.  It goes so fast!

We were busy.  Alaina started a four-week gymnastics course, we watched the Maney kids while their parents were galavanting around NYC, and my older two girls enjoyed an afternoon of camp at My Gym.

Alaina really improved in toilet training this week (she says, "I'm in training"--love it!).  On Tuesday she peed in her pants five times and pooped once, not counting the many times she went on the toilet when I put her on it.  She didn't ask to use the potty, let alone tell me when she had an accident.  Then, first thing Wednesday morning she got on the toilet all by herself (and marched in to our room naked, carrying her jammies, announcing to Drew that she needed panties).  That was pretty much the turning point and she's done fabulous since then (but I'll always have that lovely memory of her peeing on the floor at the post office).

We visited Green Spring Gardens with some friends.  The park itself was quite nice, but we went on a horribly hot day.  I think it's more of a spring and fall venue (like almost all other outdoor spaces are to me).

We went to a couple water parks: Atlantis and Pirates Cove.  It was only my second time at Atlantis and it probably only be a yearly visit for me--if that.  They are so strict!  No toys, even in the baby pool and the little ones have to wear life jackets if they can't touch the bottom of the pool.  I really don't like that I can't hold my baby when I'm standing in the deep end unless she's wearing a bulky, uncomfortable (for both of us) life jacket.  That said, the kids really like the water features and it wasn't as crowded as Pirates Cove and Great Waves.  Speaking of, we also enjoyed our visit to Pirates Cove--what's not to love about free dinner?--but the kids are starting to tire of it.  Too bad for them that we still have three more visits left to use up all our groupons/certifikids/living social vouchers. 

We attended several library programs this week.  First, was a puppet show for the little girls (afterwards Liz said it was "so, so long," but I saw her smiling during the show). Next we learned a seated hula (check at Alaina's impressive skills below).  Finally, Liz went to a live reptile show (and her sisters cried because they weren't old enough to participate). 

On Saturday I took the kids to the Corcoran.  I just had to take advantage of the free summer Saturdays (though I'm not even sure what the admission price usually is).  I enjoyed viewing the art and the girls enjoyed making their own masterpieces while there.  Also on Saturday, Liz and I took advantage of the tax-free weekend to do some school shopping.  The outlet mall was crazy crowded, but we had a lot of fun.