Cherry Blossom Festival

We had a great time at the Cherry Blossom Festival for kids at the National Building Museum.  Oddly enough, we have never visited that particular museum in the all the years we lived here.  There were so many kids and babies and kids and babies!  The entire set-up was free which is always nice.  They had very pleasant kidless-twenty-somethings at all the tables volunteering their time to gladly assist the little ones with their crafts.  We made Japanese kites, boats,  and clay statues.  Daddy even bought one of those large chocolate chip cookies to feed four and indeed it did!  We ran into some friends and continued the afternoon with some live music on the museum's lawn before heading back to the metro.  M. felt so special riding the train  and she verbally expressed this many times on the trip for all to hear.  Luckily, those around us were adoring people and not the snarly morning rush crowd.  I appreciate the solitary-no-talk morning crowd weekdays at 6am, but preferred the compassionate weekend crowd for this commute.  I. couldn't quite decide if she liked the train or not.  She was fairly quiet which I'll take over crying any day, but nowhere near M's excitement level.  Maybe she will enjoy it better next weekend when we will venture out to see those magical cherry blossoms around the Tidal Basin of the Jefferson Memorial.  Until then, I hope to enjoy the blossoms blooming around our new home.

My Daughter the Astronaut

We went to the museum for story time.  The book was on kite flying.  There were so many kids there and the girls loved it.  At the end of the story time we were given the opportunity to make our own kites.  My girls ran around the museum with their homemade kites with much joy and laughter.  We explored the astronauts and the saw the exhibit with the man walking on the moon.  It was an adventure for all.  Both girls behaved so well.  On the way home we sang "Let's Go Fly a Kite".  During I's nap M. and I hung pictures and as I finished up she "walked on the moon".  Every since that day at the museum she has been obsessed with walking on the moon.  I picked up some "moon" books at our neighborhood library and each day since she has been learning more about the moon and how to walk on it.  We might just have a little astronaut on our hands.

My First Born Turns Three

We had a lovely time with both sets of grandparents here to celebrate M. turning three.  We actually started celebrating the weekend before when Great Aunt visited.  The theme was Fish/Swim.  We kicked it off the morning of her third birthday by having a live Beta fish greet her for breakfast.  She loves her new pet and has been feeding it every night before going to bed.She was able to attend her first "kids only" story time at the library since she turned "3".  She wore a homemade button that said "Today is my Third Birthday" so everyone would know she was a rookie and be kind to her...it worked.  She loved all of the unexpected birthday greetings from other moms and the staff.  She enjoyed the Ocean Exhibit at the Natural History Smithsonian Museum with both sets of grand parents and daddy.  We got pedicures in Old Town before swimming at the boutique hotel my parents stayed at.   She got a new bike and camera which she enjoyed after her party on Saturday.  I think she is getting the idea now that Birthday means cake and ice cream and she is lovin' it!  We celebrated with an orange frosted fish shaped cake.  Having a three year old feels a lot different than a two year old.  She seems so much older.  It has been fun watching her grow and we look forward to another year with our little girl.