Guess What We've Been Up To?

Throwing rocks in the stream

Saying "Hi" to our favorite puppy

Playing in the sandbox

Taking a bath with shaving cream 

Painting the yard with chalk paint

Swimming

 

And biking.

Notice something about all these photos?  Somebody isn't wearing diapers... We have all new big-kid underwear!

THE cutest baby bum

We aren't out of the woods yet, but she's got it down.  Congratulations MiniM.E.!

The Baby Ducks are Out!

I think I'm much more excited than MiniM.E. about the appearance of ducklings at Congress Park, but she likes to go and play in the fountain and ride the sidewalk curb like a pony and seems generally happy while walking through the park, so I don't feel too bad indulging in my duckling-addiction.

Yay! Baby Ducks!! Aren't they cute??!?!?

In actuality, MiniM.E. isn't really into the baby ducks at all.  They don't eat cheerios and they're really skittish.  So this is what she's been up to at Congress Park instead.

jumping on the curb....

sitting on the curb... 

and sticking her head in the fountain.  (Who thought this fountain in a park was a good idea?  Obviously not a parent with a young child!)

In other news, it was a rainy couple days at the end of last week and then a rainy weekend.  Here's what we did inside:

indoor train at the Aviation Mall 

painting.  everything.  

Fortunately the weather cleared up for a Memorial Day BBQ on Monday.

MiniM.E. as the welcoming committee

examining the lawn

don't even ask

minutes later the bowl was tipped over and she was on the floor

all the babies loved the beer bottles.  who needs toys??

We've been to the Spa State Park a lot recently because I'm trying to run again in an effort to walk without jiggling everywhere.  MiniM.E. isn't really a fan of the jogging stroller, but I've been adding in activities at the park she really likes.

walking to the playground

playing in the spring

more spring 

watching the geyser

In the photos above with MiniM.E. playing in the spring (which, if you didn't know, produces fantastic water which you can bottle for FREE!) she seems content to wash her hands and a few rocks, wonderfully listening to her mother's request to be careful and not step IN the running water.

Then today this happened.

And we had to walk back to the car in just a diaper.  Note to self: bring a change of clothes.

The Biggest Snowstorm In 50 Years and Painting

Friday was supposed to be the biggest snowstorm in 50 years.  I wasn't impressed.  We got 6 or so inches.  In all fairness, we had zero snow to start, but it wasn't quite what I was expecting.  Still, it was nice for it to be white again and MiniM.E. had a chance to play out in the snow.

She's still afraid to walk in the snow, but she actually took a few steps!

We rode around in the sled a bit, but her favorite thing to do outside is to swing, even in the middle of the winter.

We did manage to make use of the snow sledding with our friends on Sunday

Other than the disappointing snowstorm, MiniM.E. has started making artwork.  About time!! I've been waiting for her to be old enough for this for about 15 months...

We started with crayons.  We tried finger painting, but failed.  We found success in poster paints on finger paint paper.  I thought we could use the poster paints like finger paints, but somebody doesn't like to get messy.

Seriously, there could be tiny fleck of paint on her finger and she drops whatever she's doing and insists that "finger dirty" and she "need koshkosh (washcloth)".

So we found some fun painting implements- spoons!

Now we've graduated to painting with spoons AND a silicone basting brush.  Who knows what we'll find to paint with next time!

She's making some decent progress!

And just for good measure, a naked baby photo!