obstacles

Today was a great day! We chilled this morning and watched cartoons and read books and then after Charlotte's nap we went to an a-ma-zing park. It's called Lake Benson Park and it's only 3 minutes from our house......I've seen the signs for it since we moved here, but never really paid much attention to them. Obviously, it's at a lake, but there is a great covered playground with tons to do, a few shelters with fireplaces for the winter, many walking/hiking trails, and of course the beautiful lake. I was planning on bringing my camera but at the last minute decided against it so that I could get around on the play equipment better (my SLR is a great camera but a little cumbersome on ladders and slides) I totally wish that I had taken it along. This park is breath taking!! We will be going back there many many more times.....and next time I WILL bring my camera! The girls played and then we walked down to the lake and threw rocks and pine cones into the water. Another little girl and her mom showed up and said mom allowed the girl to take her shoes off and wade in the water. Well, there was no way I was going to get out of allowing Maddie to do the same unless I wanted a huge tantrum. (it was right before lunch time....low blood sugar and all lol) So, I took Maddie's shoes off and her and the little girl played around in the water. I took Charlotte out of the stroller and helped her stand in the water too. All was going well, but then Maddie went out a little too far for my taste (knee deep) and then sat down in the water. Charlotte then flung out of my grasp and landed on her butt in the water too. So, we ended up leaving the lake with a mini tantrum anyway, and two wet kids who got stripped down to their diapers for the car ride home. Fun. But it was pretty fun! :) Next time I will go prepared with a towel and some type of waterproof clothing.....do they make waterproof clothing for toddlers?

After the girls got up from their afternoon naps we headed out to the park in our neighborhood and played around for a while. We left when I started getting mosquito bites. I hate those things!! There seriously isn't any purpose for them to be alive other than to drink my blood. Can't we figure out a way to wipe them off the planet?? This evening the girl's were having SO much fun playing together. It's fun to watch their relationship grow, and the closer Charlotte gets to walking the more I see Maddie taking an interest in hanging out with her. It's like she finally sees that Charlotte is a kid and a built in playmate! It was a bit awkward though with the two of them under the rug in front of my stove, right at my feet while I was trying to cook dinner. Apparently that particular rug was needed to keep them warm because they were so cold. Never mind all the other rugs, or blankets, or pillows, or throws we have around the house.....they needed the one directly under me! lol So funny. After they were sufficiently warmed, Maddie decided that Tyson was sick and needed a doctor (doctor is her favorite pretend game right now) so she put the rug on him and proceeded to "doctor" him with a bag of coffee. Poor Tyson! But he is a good sport, and they all seemed to have fun.

Here's hoping that tomorrow is as good a day as today. Probably not for Dan though since he is now sick with the cold we are all getting over. Poor Dan.

P.S. I've started letting Maddie pick out her own clothes when she gets dressed and I try really hard not to edit her choices. So, you may be seeing some interesting ensembles in the future. This is the reason why she is wearing a flowery top with a striped skirt.....at least the color pallets match-ish. But hey, maybe it will spark her creativity for fashion and she will be a famous designer when she grows up.

Being a doctor is very serious work

(thus the serious face lol)