Easter Eve

Today’s swimming class had a substitute for Ms. Brittany. Though we really enjoy class with her, the substitute (I didn't catch her name) was wonderful! She got the students really involved in using swimming skills, moving their arms more, and being more active in the water. Normally, we spend a lot of time practicing on our own - and that's fine, but it was fun to have a different teacher's point of view and have new activities to try.

After swimming, we rushed home to clean ourselves up a bit and then headed out to a local bank to visit the Easter Bunny again.  Shawn recognized that this one looked different from the one we saw in the mall the other day, but we reasoned that the real Easter Bunny was much too busy getting ready for tomorrow, so these were just his friends helping him.  Once he got his picture taken, Shawn asked this rabbit if the Easter Bunny was going to come to everyone's house, because if so, he had a lot of work to do! Before heading home, the bankers offered Shawn a bag of popcorn - and a kiddie savings account. (Who can turn down free popcorn?!)

When Raj got home from work, the three of us got busy decorating Easter eggs. I had some hollowed out eggs saved from last year that we never got around to decorating. So, we decorated those as well as a handful of hard-boiled eggs that I had already prepared.

Shawn had fun dipping the eggs into the different colors of dye. It seemed like the dye took too long to get the color that he liked, so he got impatient. He did like playing with the little sticks that maneuvered the eggs in the bowls, but he had the most fun peeling stickers and piling them on in multi-layers. He also colored on some with crayons. I think he had the most fun adding stickers to them though.

Raj and I worked on the hollowed eggs from last year. We added some really neat designs and had a lot of fun coming up with new and creative ways to make patterns and designs on our eggs. We made a hollowed egg for Abby using her favorite colors - pink and purple. Shawn dyed it, Raj added the lettering, and I added the details. I can’t wait to give it to her. I also made a hollowed egg for Shawn – a blue egg, with his name and the year written in crayon, and silver stars and moons. I’m glad we have a few that we can save year after year.

Afterwards, we went to IKEA to look at some furniture for Raj’s office. He’s thinking about doing a little remodeling and renovating to give it a very comfortable, family feel. We didn't buy anything today, but when we got to the bakery / grocery area, we just couldn't resist a package of cinnamon buns and butterscotch filled chocolate eggs. (Shawn picked the eggs and I picked the cinnamon buns – Raj just couldn’t turn us down!) I think we all left happy.


Finally, we stopped at Gaylord's Indian restaurant to sample a few dishes that we plan to order for Shawn’s Mundin. Though we weren't very hungry when we got there, we still enjoyed the night out for dinner. When the bill came, Shawn was very excited that the waiter gave him the pen - he loves to "pay" for our dinner! (I wonder how long that will last...)


Jennifer sent me a text message today saying that she's on her way to Oma’s house with Jonathan and Elise. This is the first part of their trip before riding an Amtrak train to Chicago. I was able to borrow clothes for both kids so they can pack lightly on their trip. We also picked up diapers for Elise and Shawn was very proud to carry them around the store and then to the car, in honor of her.

I can't wait for them to get here!

Extra! Extra! at Gymboree, the Farmers' Market, and of Summer Days

We took advantage of two Bonus classes at Gymboree today.We started with Level 5 Play and Learn.(I prefer Level 6, but this fit our schedule and a Level 6 didn’t this week.)The theme was ‘caterpillars and butterflies.’After looking at pictures of them, the kids crawled all over a ‘tree’ structure and ate its ‘leaves.’They also made a cocoon (crawled inside the fabric tunnel) before emerging as a butterfly with brightly colored scarf-wings.  

Emerging from the tunnel cocoon.

Another butterfly hatching from the cocoon.

Then the toddler butterflies ‘flew’ off of a foam block and landed on a squishy mattress.

Flapping her pink butterfly wings - and wearing the perfect shirt for it!

They also got to find finger-puppet butterflies that were hiding all over the main room. It was a lot of fun and we even got to play with our friend Andrew and his mom, Stacy, who used to be in our Family Music class. Even though I got her to join Mothers & More, it’s still fun to run into her at Gymboree.

When Level 5 was over, we got to hang out for an extra few minutes before the next got started.  I saw Meghan, a harpist friend from U of I, and her 18 month old!  It turns out that she recently moved to Lombard, the town where Shawn’s second birthday party was, and now she’s enrolled this Gymboree.  Small world!

When her class was ready to begin, I ushered Shawn and Abby outside to the car for snack time.  I contemplated finding a park during our Gymboree break, but they had actually worked up a sweat from running and playing so hard in class and the transition time!  Besides, I was a little nervous about how easy it would be to tear them away from a new park, to bring them to music class.  So, we relaxed in the car with the doors and windows open, listening to music, snacking, and coloring some wipe-off boards.

Ms. Wendy led the music class today.  (I think she’ll be doing it on a semi-permanent basis now).  It was a country and folk song theme, but I've forgotten them already, so I'll have to get the names of all the songs next week.  Ms. Wendy read She’ll Be Coming Round the Mountain by Philemon Sturges and Ashley Wolff.  At one point, Abby did a ‘fall of faith’ (that’s the best way I can describe her act of plopping into my lap without looking, much like those trust-building exercises).  Normally, she falls into my lap backwards, so we’re both facing the same way, but today, she came at me face first.  Actually, teeth first.  She bumped her front teeth right on the bridge of my nose.  At first, I was worried that she hurt herself too, but she didn’t seem to notice that anything was any different from her past ‘catch me – ready or not!’ moments.  Meanwhile, I’ve got a bright red mark in the middle of my face now!  Note to self – catch sooner!  The final song of the day was a song about falling leaves that I found online and shared with Wendy:

Guess What's Falling From the Trees?
(To the tune of "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star")

Guess what’s falling from the trees?

Slowly, slowly come the leaves!

Red and orange and green and brown,

Twirling, swirling to the ground!

Guess what’s falling from the trees?

Slowly, slowly come the leaves!

©Ashley K. Alaimo

It was a good day to go to the Schaumburg Farmers’ Market.  I found the parmesan bread that Raj liked so much and when I bought it, the vendor gave me three free muffins.  I stopped by an apple vendor to buy a gallon of apple cider and we each sampled free apple cider donuts, we said hi to the Olive Man and he gave Shawn a free pack of black olives, even though I offered to pay for them!  AND, when we got our habitual crepe (strawberry and Nutella this time), Shawn and I were filmed for a promotional video!  (They were interested in Abby, too, but I didn’t want to give permission for something like that without talking to Shelley first.)  I had no idea what to say, but I stumbled through some blabber, hoping they’ll be able to use a second or two of it to help promote their business.  On the way home, Abby informed me, "I'm sticky.  I need a bath at my house," and I promised to let her parents know!

Weather Underground claimed that today reached 84°F and, after sitting outside for our break between Gymboree classes and perusing the Schaumburg Farmers’ Market, I believe it!  However, it’s hard to believe that we had a 30° swing in temperatures today!  Mother Nature just can’t make up her mind about what season we’re having!

When Raj came home, he and Shawn put up Halloween decorations in the front yard and in living room.  I took the opportunity to Skype with Oma, Jennifer, Jonathan, and Elise.  (I'll fully admit to a twinge of jealousy that they all get to see each other this weekend without the aid of video-conferencing, but I guess I should be happy that we at least have that!)

'Hel-talk-oos' in 'Ooo-neee-nee'

During breakfast, we watched airplanes coming in to land at O’Hare. Even though this happens virtually 24-7, they thought it was pretty fun to announce, “Another airplane!” when they saw a new one in the distance.  Abby kept asking for a “hel-talk-oo” (or as Shawn would say, “het-top-ter” or as I would say, “helicopter”), but we were much too late to catch the traffic copters in the air. 

After breakfast, Shawn and Abby held hands and ran around the living room saying, “Whooo wooo! Choo choo train!”  They were giggling and beaming the whole time.  These two are something else!  Later, they helped me put up Spring and Easter decorations.  We stuck window clings on the front window and mirror, poured plastic eggs into various vases and containers around the house, and hung some miniature decorations of bunnies, birds, and Easter eggs from the dining room chandelier.  They had fun checking out the new décor.

It’s deceivingly pretty outside today: crystal blue sky, hardly any clouds, bright sunshine, little/no wind – but 25 F.  It’s a bit chilly for a walk to the park today.  Rats! Looking forward to the days when we can play outside without going numb - though I’m not a big fan of heat stroke either!

This evening, just to see what would happen, I told Shawn that we live in Chicago, Illinois.  Now, we’re practicing, “Where do you live?” “Ooo-neee-nee”  If he’s ever faced with telling someone where he lives, he’ll definitely need a translator!  Too bad we don’t live somewhere easy like… Hawaii!

When I was putting Shawn down to sleep for the night, he pointed to the freckles on my cheeks.  I told him, “Those are Momma’s freckles.”  He gently tapped them a few times, then leaned in and kissed them on both cheeks!  He made the pucker sound and all!  I couldn’t help it - I almost teared up.  My sweet little man.