A week back in Maryland

 One side benefit of Jon's not being employed at the moment was that our trip to Maryland could be a full week long. We could really relax, fit in a variety of activities and travel home in a leisurely fashion. As a result, we returned home energized and strangely relaxed for having just been on a vacation. :-)

(On a side note, I'd like to announce that Jon's recently gotten a job in the technical services department of the library. For what remains of the summer, he will be employed! Whohoo).

Anyway, the trip included such doings as a trip to the insanely huge Annapolis mall, a night out with my Aunt Eileen and an afternoon and evening at their lovely home, a visit to the Smithsonian Natural History and Air and Space Museums, an outing to the National Zoo, a shopping foray Ikea, and on Saturday, two soul friends were allowed by fate and by the goodwill of their husbands to celebrate being shining, fantastic, 30 year old women:

 Marijke and I had amazing conversation and excellent refreshments in her Baltimore neighborhood, where we made observations, resolutions, confessions, plans, confidences, and congratulations. It is so much easier to turn 30 in company!

We have relatively few pictures from our week, possibly because we were doing so much relaxing. However, here are some moments from the National Zoo outing:

 This video, by the way, documents the first time any of us have seen the orangutans use the "O Line" which is ONLY open between 11 and 11:30 am.

Adele models her new hat.

Miles loves that the goats had their own playground.

Please observe as Miles introduces his plastic lion to the actual lions.

 Miles had to pose right here as a comparison point. Here he is, almost exactly one year ago, on the same spot.
 Hasn't he transformed?

 Miles also had to show the plastic zebra its larger cousins:

Miles and his new friends. He was trying to teach them his Bears song, here at the sloth bear exhibit.

We all admired this longsuffering mother gorilla.

 On Tuesday, we went out to College Park to Ikea, for supplies we can't get elsewhere. Ikea is a location that I genuinely miss from our old home. What you have to do is, you have to time it just right, so that you stay just long enough to be inspired to rethink your entire furniture and organization concept at home, but not long enough so you become disillusioned and filled with despair at ever being strong, wealthy, creative, or Swedish enough to do it. We stayed just long enough.

(Okay, actually, it was probably a little too long).

 Long enough for the children to enjoy the cafe play area, though!

 And for Miles to be sufficiently inspired to eat him some Swedish CARROTS! He NEVER eats carrots! Thank you, Ikea. :-)

I forgot to mention it on the list above but on our last afternoon, Grandma and Grandpa did some back-to-back babysitting for us. They took Miles to the mall to ride his beloved train:

 He thinks it is an exciting, rebellious rogue train because it does not run on a track.

That day definitely made some precious memories for Miles and his grandparents.

That evening, Grandma and Grandpa valiantly put Adele and Miles to bed for us. Very few people have done this, and we relished the opportunity to go out without kids and before we were too exhausted to enjoy ourselves. We went to downtown Annapolis at sunset for some treats and ice cream.

I wish I had taken this picture. But it looked about like this.

Jon and I realized we don't remember when we saw our last sunset. We're always putting kids to bed the whole time. It was a precious end to a very precious week.

The Rainy Indoors

I love a rainy day. It feels like permission to slack off.

Miles had a hankering to have his face painted, so we made some paint, with cornstarch, milk, water and food coloring. And from there, things just got silly:

Miles did his own beard. And in case you are wondering, that's an orange sidewalk on his forehead. We are so ready for a savage war. If Adele wasn't sleeping we'd totally have whooped and gotten out the water pistols.

Miles turns 3.

I know, I can't believe it either.

This year, for the first time, Miles was aware of what a birthday is and what happens at a birthday party. He was able to answer in a sophisticated fashion in the last month or so, if anyone asked his age, "I'm two. But I going to be three. On July 8th."


On his birthday eve, we let him open two presents: books, from his Aunt and Uncle in Oregon, and a harmonica! from Aunty Leah (Eeyaya) and family.

He's a huge enthusiast already.

 .
On his birthday morning, we let him open the rest of his presents from family.

 From Grandpa Jim: some totally hot shoes, a sun hat...

 And from his parents and Grandpa together, the "Jesus Loves Me Book" he'd been asking for.

 Grandpa and Grandma Grunert got him this awesome backpack because, as many of you know... my baby starts preschool in the fall. Which is totally inconceivable and yet, somehow, is happening.

Not shown here.... sundry other gifts including a big bad o' train parts from Mum and Papa, LOTS of crayons (yay!!), a spirograph (remember those?), books... I know there are more. He's a lucky kid.

Later that day.... partytime!
We were so fortunate as to be able to reserve Miles' favorite place in Blacksburg: Price House Nature Center.


The theme was caterpillars, butterflies... and other crawling things.

 Miles and I had spent three forevers making favors. All because I had it in my head that he should help to make the favors at his own party. I think it was probably a valuable lesson to him, and we'll discover years from now that it helped make him a better, more considerate boy (right?).

 Seriously, though, we had a blast. It's funny, but once you glue googly eyes on something, it suddenly seems to acquire a soul and a personality. Miles spoke to each one and I had to come up with a specific voice for each caterpillar and butterfly snack bag or We Couldn't Move On.

 CAKE! Kroger wins again.

 A couple of Miles' little friends from church came and the volunteer gave us an introduction to the Price House reptiles!

 We learned more about and were allowed to pet the red eared slider turtles.

Parenthetical: Adele wants to walk real bad.

 We also got to buddy up with the snakes! I pet that critter. Yeah, I'm proud.

 Oh, yeah, and all the kids pet it sooner and more enthusiastically than I did. Whatever. They haven't seen as many nature films as I have.

 Adele valiantly stayed awake through the whole thing (Why...?).

The bear got into the party spirit, too.

 By my definition, a kid is no longer a baby when it becomes hard to find footed pajamas in their size. And I have not yet had any difficulty finding footed pajamas in 3T.

 Which is fortunate. Because I am not yet ready to relinquish his babyhood.

What does a 3-year-old wish for? Cake? If so, they are wiser than we.

Awesome tractor, Hannah and Baden!

Happy Birthday, Miles FJ!