It's definitely summer

Ouch. I am sore. We worked and played hard this weekend. Events full of stuff we'd never have done as a pre-Anna couple.

As a form of coaxing a sleepy-head to bed Thurs night, I told her she and daddy could go get donuts when she woke up. Surprisingly, it was her first question upon (EARLY) wake-up Friday morn. Lest she forget! Started the day out with crap for breakfast ;) Actually, that's pretty much how our entire 3-day weekend went: junk food. Is it bad she wants popsicles for dinner? (And no, we don't oblige. Cotton candy has much more fiber).

Friday morning we took a trip to the Children's museum of Houston. Croweded, hell yes. Air conditioned, hell yes. So 1 for 2. Anna had fun as usual and this was Paul's first trip. We made it back in time for her 1:00 nap, which she had decided to skip at school all last week. They said she wasn't cranky or noisy or anything. Just laid on her mat not sleeping, but obviously tired. Our goal this weekend was to get her little body clock back on nap track. We had success all weekend so hopefully she'll nap as well at school this week.

Friday afternoon was the neighborhood pool. At one point Anna jumped in and went completely under water (gasp!) and came up giggling, saying she saw bubbles and went "blub-blub-blub!" Ha, yes, baby. That's what it looks like when you jump in: lots of bubbles! :) She's doing great in the pool, and has eased up so much that she will just float on her belly by herself with the arm floaties on. That's my big girl!

Saturday morning she hung out in the small pool Paul filled for her in the back yard, in true July 4th spirit. He got her some new toys to keep her busy in the pool and she played while I got some work done inside and Paul got some work done on his shed outside.

Saturday afternoon we went to the zoo for the last hour it was open. We were supposed to meet TJ and family but they were running late. And I thought for some darned reason the zoo was free that day. But turns out it wasn't. So we went ahead and paid $26 to get into the gates to see elephants and giraffes and pay double for concession dinner. Monkeys were nowhere to be found. Frankly, it was the end of a hot day and they weren't getting paid holiday overtime to perform for us so there wasn't much to see. But it wasn't bad. Anna got pizza and cotton candy for dinner so I think she sees it as a success.

After the zoo kicked us out, we walked over to the Miller Outdoor theater for the Houston Symphony and fireworks on the lawn. We met up with TJ (Ommom) and the family and Spacemonkey. TJ brought wine and shared their goodies as usual with this little family whose goodies only consisted of juice, turkey sandwiches, and cheetos. TJ knows how to pack a yummy bag for these kinds of things. But I should give myself props for even packing an ice chest of my own, which is a first for me :) I'm usually COMPLETELY thoughtless about these things.

It was crowded and hot but by the time we all settled in and the sun went down, there was plenty of breathing room, a breeze, and the music was great! Anna liked it for the most part and then started getting sleepy...around 9:30 she started showing serious sleepy eyes but she's a fighter, and eats to stay awake, so she held on till the fireworks at 10:30pm! It kicked off with a series of cannon shots which she LOVED and wanted "more, more!" And she was non-stop chatter and giggles throughout the entire fireworks show: "fireworks go boom! Boom! They're blue and white! Look! That's pretty! WOA! Boom!" Now I see why people brave the crowds and heat just to get out to these events: with the intent to watch the family's (hopefully) fun reaction. We usually stay at home and go to bed early on the 4th. Paul and I were more tickled with watching her watch the fireworks. We finally got home a little after midnight, and mercifully she slept in till 9:30 the next morn. I joined her on that sleep-in but Paul got up early to work on the shed! I don't know where he gets his energy.

Incidentally, Anna-Marie's very first July 4th celebration in 2007 erupted with explosions of her own: soy milk and poop. Yes, in 2007 when she was just a few months old, our weekend was about cleaning up vomit and other GI virus-related fun. Last year we were at my dad's in New Orleans and she was an early sleeper back then. So this was her third July 4th, but the first time she's seen July 4th fireworks.

Sunday was more backyard pool play (this time add the sprinklers) and in the evening, TJ and family came over for grilling and more pool play :) It was HOT but better when the sun set. It's always so fun and neat to have people over for dinner. It makes the house come alive and we just haven't done it as much as we used to. Time. Time. Time. Paul made some really great ribs and TJ brought over some yummy cupcakes and watermelon. And I supplied my own wine coolers. Score me another point because I usually mooch that off my friends too :) They know I like them but never even think to pick them up for myself.

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Quick stories:

Thursday night I put her popsicle into the freezer since she forgot about it and it was getting close to bedtime. Once we got into bed, she looked around: hey, "where'd my popsicle go?" I told her she ate it. She asked again. I told her again. She didn't believe me. She asked again. I reminded her it's all gone. She seemed content with that but her brain knew something was off there. It's happening: it's going to be harder and harder to get stuff by her.

Saturday I ran her over for a quick doc's visit to check out some seriously nasty mosquito bites on her leg to be sure it wasn't an infection. I reminded her the doc always gives her stickers after her visit. As we were leaving the doc's office, I buckled her into the seat. There's that look again: "mommy, where's the stickers?" Huh? "I need a sticker, mommy". Out of the car, back inside. Not because she was whining for it or anything. But because I'd promised her. And yes, you veteran parents, I am seeing a trend and I am learning a lesson from it :) But I do know beter than to ever promise anything I can't deliver on and I do know not to tell her we're going to do something if there's a slight chance we don't end up doing it.

Later she put one of those stickers on my shirt and left the other in the truck. The lost their stickiness so I threw them away during her nap. Upon wake-up she asked me for them. I told her they were still in the truck. She let it go. Whew.

This is a Lego skill I didn't know Paul had.

My new favorite Anna video:

Spinklers with Daddy: