The Beach!

Jonette kidnapped me today and we spent a fantastic afternoon at the beach at Sandy Point.

 The weather was nice, overcast but sometimes sunny, not hot. The girls surprised us by insisting on getting their swimsuits on and swimming! Naomi, Greta and Alice were a cute little trio of craziness today.

My kids love the beach, and it was so fun to hang out with Jonette. 

It was the perfect way to spend the day.

This photo was taken by a budding photographer, 5 year old Alice!

Oh, that face!

Buried Alive!!!

James' Photo Shoot

Yesterday I took James and Naomi to get some pictures taken. The last time I took James to a photo place was last summer. Oops.
He was all smiles until I stepped to the side to let the gal take the pictures. He was a total stinker! The random props were toys that kept him mildly happy. Seriously, a weird, long legged frog?
Naomi was very cooperative, bless her. The finished products were cropped differently and ended up looking pretty good. I'm glad I got it done, but it will be a while until the next round.

It's so hot

We live in an apartment complex where the heat and ac are on one big system that has to be "switched over" at the change of the seasons for use.

It was in the 50's early last week. So our heaters are still on.

It was 90 on Saturday, and yesterday and today and tomorrow.

We live on the ground floor and I don't really feel comfortable about leaving all the windows open all night. Like the kids room. And a busy road makes it really noisy in the early mornings.

We did leave the windows open last night in our room and opened the door to the kids room to help air flow.

We had some fans going too, that helped.

We were pretty comfortable in our room and the kids were warmer but ok.

Then 3:22 this morning a little bird decided it was time to start singing. 

Right outside my window.

I was SO annoyed. I tried to ignore it for about 15 minutes but It was killing me.

I shut that window regretfully.

This morning I opened up all the windows when we were all up- before 7.

By 9 a.m. it was over 70 and rising quickly.

Currently it's 10 a.m. and 81 degrees.

I googled "how to stay cool without air conditioning"

some of the tips are good, like placing ice in front of a fan as an make shift AC. We're doing that one now.

Wear as little as possible, get wet- Naomi is already wet, drink cold water and eat cold food.

We're going to go buy some popsicles later.

Frozen GoGurts for now

***UPDATE***

The AC was turned on last night! Hooray!

We are all nicely chilled.

Naomi

-dumped out most of a box of raisin bran just to eat the raisins.
-somehow manages to get her pants off and a dress on everyday, no matter what we start out in.
-colored on the windows
-cleaned up the windows with wipes:)
-Says "oh my goodness!"
-squirted a gogurt all over the tv
-asks to watch Super Why
-learned how to unlock the deadbolt on our door
-used ice cream as pretend "sun screen"
-locked me out when I took out the garbage
-looooooves gum
-knows most of the alphabet letters
-sings her abc's and counts to 10!
-says" I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to!"
-has hot pink toenail

What have you been up to?

Sheesh, I didn't realize it had been so long since I'd posted anything.

Ok, actually I did realize. I just have been busy having fun. And reading in my spare time instead of blogging. 

For a book club I attend I recently read The Age of Innocence. It was just my style. I also just read another wonderful book called The Guernsey Literary and the Potato Peel Pie Society. I loved that one. Now I'm reading The Toss of  a Lemon. It's been pretty interesting so far.

I put Naomi's hair in two pigtails today with darling, bouncy little ringlets on each side. It isadorable. She's adorable. Today at least. And yesterday. She asked, authoritatively, of me and Zach at dinner last night, "Do you have your own money and your own ticket?!" 

I laughed and answered in the affirmative. I had no idea what she was talking about.

We had a fun and very low-key Easter. Naomi thoroughly enjoyed dying eggs and eating jelly beans. James had Cheerios's in his eggs this year. He didn't know the difference and was thrilled when they spilled out all over him.

I taught Zach how to blow out eggs. I just use a pin and poke holes at each end and then blow! Zach was at first impressed, and then showed me up, of course. It seems that's the trend with us. Skiing, (just kidding, I know you already knew how), water skiing, wake boarding (ok, that one too), any recipe of mine. I suppose I still am the household authority on sewing, glitter, blogging. 

DC is just gorgeous this time of year. The cherry blossoms are gone but there are many other flowering trees still just hitting their peak.

And the tulips are amazing. I love tulips.

We have been outside a lot as it's been warming up. James is more sure on his feet and doesn't eat grass and wood chips from the playground too much anymore, things are looking up!

Today we went to the zoo with Cassie and the kids. We lazily made our way through part of the animals as Naomi and Abby zigzagged all over the place. It's so warm this weekend and the zoo was packed with school kids and tourists. It's a strangely satisfying feeling to be a "local" here. I love knowing my way around and not looking like a visitor. You know, with sneakers, ball caps, back packs and cameras around the neck. Maybe a fanny pack and a map too.

That sounds snobby. I guess I am sometimes!

As soon as James wakes up from his nap today I'm going to take the kids outside to blow some bubbles. For Naomi's birthday, 2+ months ago, she got a big bubble bucket, the no-spill kind. We've been waiting for the perfect weather to use it, and it has finally arrived!

Today's a good day, my kids are being sweet and the dishes and laundry are done. Does that make anyone's day like it does mine? 

Happy Spring!

Cherry Blossoms of Course

Yesterday we took a chance on the weather and went downtown to see the Cherry Blossoms. We were in luck, the rain stayed away and it was kind of warm. The wind was crazy sometimes though. It was too windy to rent paddle boats. Too bad because I really wanted to take a ride, I think Naomi would have loved it too.
Naomi splashed through the puddles as much as we would let her. We tried to keep the innocent bystanders dry....
It was a great day to go down, the crowds were thinner compared to the weekends and the rain earlier yesterday morning had scared people away. We took our "jogging" stroller (one of these days I'm going to use it like it was intended!). It was a champ over the muddy grass. James loved almost every second of it, even missing his afternoon nap.
These trees are just so beautiful! DC is fantastic this time of year, I'm really mourning our upcoming move.
By the time we were heading home we had exhausted our snack supply and mom and dad's energy too. We stopped to get hot dog on the corner. They are always so good when you're really hungry.

It's always interesting and tiring to do these kind of outings with the kids. We survived it and overall had a really fun time. I love being able to see so many great things all the time.

Over at the Jefferson Memorial there is live music during the festival. Naomi and James had a grand time dancing.

James

My little baby is getting so big!

He was 30 inches tall and 23 lbs 8 oz

That puts him in about the 60th + percentiles for each.

He's such a momma's boy:) And he's just a little sweetheart!

Dancing Queen

My little Naomi has some sweet moves...

My kind of Romance

Z picked these $5 beauties from a street vendor at Union Station.
They smell SO nice.

DC Temple

Sometimes Sunday afternoons are like this:

Naomi's Ballet Recital

Naomi's last day of Dance class was Saturday. The dance recital was so darling, and so funny! Those tiny girls were so cute, it was really fun to watch them perform.

Practically Perfect in Every Way

The first day of Spring is finally here and I had a wonderful, awesome, very good day.
Zach helped make it so. He was home all day bailing me out of my neglected house work, being here so I could take just Naomi to the library and read her stories she picked off the shelves, taking time to smell the flowers, literally. Then Zach made lunch for everyone, changed stinky diapers and played with Naomi and James. Later while James napped, Zach was home again and I took Naomi to her best friends birthday party.
It was a lovely day.
Then I suggested we go out to eat. Something we don't do with the kids very often. So off we went, it was delicious food at Pollo Rico. Then Zach making my evening lovlier still, bathed the kids and read them bedtime stories. I need a few things at the store and while there found my favorite type of Mango! Champagne, they are so delightful. Then I spent the rest of the evening baking and decorating cupcakes.
What a nice way to start the season.

Naomi reading, looking ever so sweet. I love tutu's.

Party Girls

Cute huh?

Magniolia Blossoms!
Welcome Spring


These flowers just make my heart happy, they are so beautiful.


Sweet Baby James playing peek-a-boo with me. He is my sunshine.

Puerto Rico

Where to begin-

We had a wonderful little vacation, just the four of us. We flew down South to San Juan early Monday morning and arrived early afternoon. By the time we had our rental car, moved our bags to the condo and settled in, it was getting dark and we were all hungry. Chili's was across the street and we decided to make it James's Birthday Dinner, a day early. We let him eat the chocolate cake and ice cream with his hands:) Naomi was almost beside herself with anticipation of going to the beach (!!!) Having to wait all the way until the next morning just about did her in.

The condo/apartment we rented was good, inexpensive and could use a little work, but did the job just great. The kids were wonderful and adjusted to their new temporary sleeping arrangements better than we did. I missed my many, many pillows.

We spent three straight days playing on the beach, eating sand and salt water, smelling like sunscreen and laughing at the kids.

James loved the beach, the sand and the water. He only tasted the sand a few times, you would think once would be enough. Naomi warmed up to getting in the ocean quickly and was bowled over a few times by the waves. She was a good sport about that and went back for more.

Naps were hit and miss, James actually fell asleep in my arms one afternoon while I was standing out in the water. Naomi took several very late naps that made bed time very late as well.

James would crawl all over the beach, chasing the waves, Naomi, and the beach ball. We gave the kids showers when we got home each night, it's amazing how much sand can stick to a baby!

Naomi was in heaven at the beach. This girl loves it there. I found myself trying to figure out how we could move to live by the ocean. She was that happy:)

On Thursday we drove over to the El Yunque rain forest. It's a national forest in Puerto Rico. The roads there are crazy. Even with our GPS we were lost a few times, they just have an excess of roads and shortage of signs. Once we got there we drove to a few waterfalls and a look out tower. Naomi and Zach hiked up to a waterfall pool that you can swim in. James was asleep in the car at that point. It was so beautiful. It was cloudy and rainy at the end of our trip. I guess that would be why it's called a rain forest. After that we drove up to Luquillo beach, we had been at Isla Verde beach the two days before, where we were staying. It was a little less crowded and it was a very beautiful beach.

I loved the water and sand there, it was absolutly perfect. Really, the water was so nice and the sand was soft and fine.

The second day there, Jame's FIRST birthday, we drove over to Old San Juan for a while. We spent the evening strolling around there. Naomi found a souvineer pet turtle rock that she was in love with, so we got it:) We ate ice cream and let Naomi get a bit soaked in the water fountain. Then we decided to go to Bodies the exhibition . It's been in several cities that we've been in over the past year so we decided it was time to check it out. It was really amazing and gross and cool. These are actual, real human bodies that have been preserved and then displayed to showcase certain things, like blood vessles, the heart, the lungs, nervous system, digestive track, cross sections of the body at various points, people with cancers, atheletes in action. It was crazy. Naomi thought it was mildly interesting and a little bit "icky" I found it facinating and wished we could have spent more time there. There were a few newborn and preterm babies as well as fetuses at various stages. Some had major physical problems, like a full term baby with spina bifida. That room was much more difficult to view. Anyway, that was a really interesting little excursion on our trip. 

Happy Birthday James! James successfully turned one year old and has magically developed a new defiant, fit-throwing attitude to match the age. It was inevitable. He is one cute little baby. We could just eat him up, he's so cuddly and loveable. He's walking more each day and is SO very proud of himslef. He attemped walking on the beach but the slight incline/decline was difficlut to master. Crawling seemed to suit him better on this trip.

After having such a nice time at the beach and the kids being such good sports, it was a reality check to travel home. We missed our 6:10 a.m. flight. That was lame on our part. We rebooked for an 8:50 and connected through Atlanta and got in to BWI late afternoon. After being awake and "traveling" with the kids for 12 straight hours, I was very ready to be done. I just wanted to remember our fun in the ocean instead. I decided that in my perfect life, one day, we will have a non-stop flight to wherever it is we are vacationing and then have a condo/whatever that we own. All outfitted with the stuff we like and use, just ready and waiting for us. That would be ideal.  Someday...

We loved Puerto Rico and very much would like to go back. There is so much more to see and besides that, the weather and ocean were lovely. I'm sure we'll make our way back there soon.

Happy Birthday James!

For ME?

Slippery stuff, that ice cream!

That was good, how about some more?

Dinner at Chili's

Ice Cream in Old San Juan

Naomi and her attraction to water

Posing, so sweet:)

Naomi, Zach and James (Happy Birthday!) in Old San Juan, the cruise ships were fun to see there

Bubble on the balcony

Playing Ms. Pac-man, waiting for our later flight.

Crazy Naomi

Our happy 1 year old! (see those two bottom teeth, finally!)

Hanging on Daddy

Building sand castles

Luquillo Beach lifeguard house, the underneath became our shelter when it started sprinkling later.

SO excited to be here!

1,2,3

Two peas in a pod

Luqillo Beach

Napping on the go, after the rain forest, before the beach

Zach and Naomi at Juan Diego Falls

Cheese! She's getting good at that smile:)

Taking a dip in Jaun Diego Falls

What kind of fruit do you think? Papaya maybe?

The trees were awesome

Once we were at the top of the tower it started raining!

Those mountains are so beautiful

Yokahu Tower

It was a "Castle" to Naomi

La Coca Falls

El Yuque Rain Forest

Exhausted on our bed with all her special things. See the tiny little sand colored turtle?

He fell asleep in my arms in the water. This nap lasted for about 1 1/2 hours!

Naomi was "Kung Foo Fighting..."

Excited for lunch!

Isn't that water gorgeous!

Splash!

One year and one day old.

Naomi, James and their new friend Ashley

I think James is half buried in the sand at this point!

Blowing bubbles on the beach

contemplating the waves