Cleaning

One of Addison and Jackson's new favorite things is to stand on the kitchen step stool and "clean". I'll ask what they want to do after breakfast, and the answer is cleaning. They love standing on that stool (not sure how both of them fit?!) and splashing in the warm, sudsy water. This is promising!

High Heels

Addison loves to put on Daddy's shoes and clomp around. She's gotten pretty good at walking with big old shoes on her little feet. Lately, she's wanted Mommy's shoes too--which half of the time are flip flops or tennis shoes, and the other half of the time are heels or wedges (cute ones, if I don't say so myself). Anyway, Addison demanded that she wear Mommy's shoes this evening--she looks like such a big girl, walking around in big girl shoes. Oh baby girl, you're growing up so quickly!

Ice Cream Cone Party

This past week might have been one of the longest work weeks ever. I hardly got to see Addison and Jackson Wednesday and Thursday, only for a few minutes in the morning and a few minutes at night. So lame.

While I was driving into work early Wednesday morning, I heard a news story about a little boy named Ryan. He's about the same age and Addison and Jackson, and has Down's Syndrome and a congenital heart condition--the doctors don't think he has much time left on this earth. When asked what people could do for them, Ryan's mom said there really wasn't anything they needed--but that people should go home and make a memory with their kids. She recommended, for dinner one night instead of the usual fare, putting a banana split in front of your kids and watching their faces.

Of course, I had tears running down my cheeks as I was driving to work, listening to this story. So, on my way home from the longest work week ever Friday afternoon, I stopped and bought some ice cream and ice cream cones, and we had an ice cream cone party yesterday. Just look at these two--they are so precious and adorable. We clearly had a fantastic time eating ice cream cones.

PUH-LAY!!

We love to play outside--especially when Aunt Liv comes over to play with us.

And we love being thrown in the air UP HIGH!!

Make a Cake

The kids love to play in the kitchen (and I love having them in the kitchen with me)--and for the last couple of days Addison has announced that she wants to make a cake. "Make a cake," over and over again. So, this morning when I told her that Daddy was coming home this afternoon, she said "make Daddy cake"--and so we did.

PS I promise I comb my kids' hair...it just doesn't look like it very often. Poor Jackson--in this humidity, both of us have crazy, out-of-control curls!

Peaches

With Daniel traveling again this weekend, the babies and I have gotten into the habit of walking to Eastern Market first thing in the morning (it's nice to get out of the house, Spud gets a walk, and it's been too hot to do it much later than that anyway). Vendors are setting up and people are milling about--and the fruit stands are set up with chunks of fresh fruits and vegetables set out to tempt people into making purchases. We bought a couple of peaches and a cantaloupe, and the babies helped themselves to a couple of slices of fresh peach. They thoroughly enjoyed one of the delights of summer: eating fresh peaches, allowing peach juice to freely drip down your chin (and down your arms, and all over your shirt and the stroller straps). Delicious!!

Swimming with Aunt Livie!

Daniel is in LA this weekend to spend a day with his mom and sister and to see the L.A. Kings play in a Stanley Cup Finals game with his dad (Happy Anniversary!)--so the babies and I were super excited when Olivia invited us to join her, Janet, Jessica, and Merrilee for an afternoon at the pool. I warned her that if she wanted to lay by the pool and relax while getting some sun, she should promptly uninvite us--but she convinced me that she was happy to spend the afternoon chasing after two toddlers, so we were in. We had a great day--it was so much fun to spend time with girlfriends, while playing with Addison and Jackson, who had a ball. They loved running around the pool area, kicking a big beach ball that they found, and playing with someone else's toy cars--we also had fun splashing in the pool and eating snacks poolside (pretzel goldfish--who knew they were so delicious?!). Thank you Olivia and crew for inviting us to join you, and for making sure we all had a great time!