Sunshine, water, and pictures galore

Today Lydia was supposed to go to preschool, but I was so tired last night I did not read the preschool email properly and got mixed up about the location. By the time I contacted the host mom, preschool was almost done. Lydia was heartbroken not to see her friends, but the good news was this: Dan and Preethi were in town for one extra day! Also, Kristin and her girls were still here until almost noon, so Lydia still got to see lots of friends today.

So fun!
So much fun to look forward to.
I like the perfectly right angle Dan and Kina make.
I like the perfectly right angle Dan and Kina make.

When we got home, we played a little inside and then moved our play date outside. A brilliant transition! It was gloriously beautiful today–even warm enough for Lydia and Nat to play in the water. Can you believe we just had snow recently, and now it’s warm enough for the kids to play in the water outside? I’m not complaining, though.

We literally took over a hundred pictures, and it was incredibly difficult to pick which ones to include in the blog. I have about forty pictures in my WordPress media library ready to insert into this post, so we’ll see how good I am at narrowing down these gems.

Lydia and Nat playing in the water. They got soaked.
Lydia and Nat playing in the water. They got soaked.
It was an exercise in collaboration and turn-taking. That is kind of like calculus for toddlers.
It was an exercise in collaboration and turn-taking. That is kind of like calculus for toddlers.
See how wet Lydia is?
Lydia’s pants got so wet that they started falling off.
Nat was excited to help the thirsty grass get a drink!
Nat was excited to help the thirsty grass get a drink!
In the meantime, Kina was delighted at something!
In the meantime, Kina was delighted at something.
See?
See?
And Mary found the water bottle top to play with.
And Mary found the water bottle top to play with.
Until Dan helped her find something better to do.
Until Dan helped her find something better to do.
So cute.
So cute.

 

They had fun.
They had fun.
Here I am bribing Kina to like me with bread. But actually, Kina doesn't need bribes--she likes everyone!
Here I am bribing Kina to like me with bread. But actually, Kina doesn’t need bribes–she likes everyone!

 

She likes her mommy best, though.
She likes her mommy best, though.
For so many good reasons!
For so many good reasons!
For example...mommy kisses.
For example…mommy kisses.
which she probably likes this much!
which she probably likes this much!
Here we are again.
My children and me in the sunshine.
Speaking of hero shots...
I had some great photos of Nat with a kid shovel. I couldn’t decide which ones to include, but this one is fun.
But he looks so good in this one, too.
But he looks so good in this one, too.
Finally, one last shot of this beautiful little girl. Preethi did not cut her hair--it just grew into this perfect little pixie cut.
Finally, one last shot of this beautiful little girl. Preethi did not cut her hair–it just grew into this perfect little pixie cut. If you can’t even stand the thought of this being the last shot of Kina, you will, like me, have to follow Preethi’s blog in order to get your fix.

We will miss the Harbucks so much, but we feel really blessed to have been able to spend the time we did with them while they were in town.

After the play date, I put the girls and myself down for afternoon naps. Well, what really happened is first I had some cake. Abe made fun of me because during our phone conversation after the play date I kept trying to end by saying, “Well, you must be busy so I guess I’ll let you go.” He kept telling me that he actually had some time to chat and wanted more details about the play date (he was jealous I got to spend more time with the amazing Harbucks and he didn’t), but finally I just came out and told him I had to get off the phone because I NEEDED to eat the last piece of cake, and I just could not focus on anything else until that happened.

After my cake, I lay in bed and slept for an entire hour. It was so blissful that at one point, I thought I heard someone breaking into the house, and I didn’t even care. They can break in, I thought. As long as I can keep lying here, I don’t care if anyone steals all of our stuff. But, thankfully, the noises I heard were probably just house creaks, and when I finally got out of bed, everyone and everything was safe. Phew.

Post nap I fed the girls, talked on the phone with my beloved mom and grandma, played with Mary (Lydia was watching the iPad), vacuumed (one-handed, holding Mary) the entire downstairs and basement, roasted squash, and practiced the piano (I have to play at a nursing home tomorrow).

I sent Abe out to do some errands, and when he gets home, I hope to have accomplished 1) this blog post, 2) cleaning the kitchen 3) folding one of the four loads of clean laundry currently hanging out in my bedroom.