We didn't even bother with the ice cream, but the mud pies were fun. The volunteer scooped some really excellent mud into a pie mold and flipped it onto a plate where she'd written their names. Then we were directed to a table full of flowers and ferns and leaves to stick into the mud.
Lillian enjoyed plugging hers into the pie or dropping them on the ground, saying "uh-oh" until someone picked them up. She stayed at that table for almost half an hour. Naomi was dead set against anyone sticking any flowers into her perfectly unadulterated pile of mud. We managed to stab a few in there while she wasn't looking. She made great attempts, though, at earnestly sniffing flowers. The thistly one we picked out was a bit of a surprise.
While Lillian was hard at work sorting and dropping flowers, Naomi was racing around the rest of the Children's Garden. She ran smack into some poor man near the front entrance (part of a very nice couple with whom Lillian tried to go home later on). She spent a long time sticking her head through the rails on this bridge in an effort to ferret out the rubber-band sounds of a bullfrog William had showed her earlier. She was really intently searching for the source of this sound and looked back at me several times, her face seeming to ask, "You hear it too, right? Let's get him!"
In all, today was a really great day. Excepting the girls' kindergarten-style slappy fight in the race car cart at the grocery store. They thought it was hysterical, but I was mortified. We've been working on the whole 'no hitting' thing quite a bit, even instituting our first time-outs. Haven't worked out how to do that when outnumbered in public. But, to redeem themselves, they were both giggly and crazy after dinner, dancing and diving onto pillows and our laps, choosing books to read and snuggling with Arnold the stuffed pig. I just love when they are silly and affectionate all at the same time.
Please pardon me while I go and weep and pull all the batteries out of the clocks.
3 comments:
Good luck on the daycare transition. It is hard, but gets better once you see them having fun and learning great new things while there.
In the alternative, a winning lottery ticket wouldn't be bad, either.
Melinda, you're such a wonderful writer. Every post tugs at my heartstrings because I can feel the love you have for your girls and William, and because I remember those days with my own children.
Just like Sarah said, it is hard to see them go through each transition (I've got Amelia going to kindergarten and Dylan to high school), but it the things they will learn and see and do will amaze you. I think one of the things that amazed me most is when Amelia saw a friend at the grocery store and wanted to stop and talk. When she started developing her own little social life outside of the family, it amazed me.
What a beautiful picture of Naomi! Pat
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