The first part of our plan was to stop by Katie's favorite eatery---Starbucks---for a mother-daughter breakfast. We haven't done this in a long while, primarily because I am not drinking real coffee anymore (decaf is okay in a pinch) during my pregnancy and also because we've just been trying to cook at home as much as possible. Katie was so excited to return today! It was a lovely morning, and of course we walked there taking the long way for exercise, and as we walked we reminisced about all of the classes we've taken together this year (we used to have Starbucks every Monday before Toddler Time back in the fall). Katie wanted a black cherry parfait and a classic egg and sausage sandwich today, and I just decided I would eat whatever she didn't finish. It worked out to be about right for both of us. I also discovered that caramel frappucinos can be made with decaf coffee (I know, I know, ordering decaf while at Starbucks?? only during pregnancy, believe me) but it was quite the discovery.
Katie plays on the fountain at breakfast. This picture doesn't show it well, but she was actually swinging her legs and singing. She is such a pleasant little heart to be with.
After breakfast, we walked apace to the nearby CVS to stock up on our beauty supplies. Katie is my girly-girl, loving all manner of lotions, lipsticks, accessories, powders, you name it. Miss Girly wanted to pick out some new nailpolish for Ashley's shower this weekend, and I needed some eyeshadow actually. Katie also picked out her very own lipstick just for fun (it was $1.99), and she picked a bright fuschia color that looks pretty on her. She gets to wear it at home if she wants to, and this is her first lipstick. She was deadset on that color and so proud to put it on when we got home. We also picked out a body spray that smells of summer (she LOVES body sprays). One of the really fun things about Katie being my daughter is that we get to be all girly together. Sometimes after bath, she will say "Let's beautify!" I often try to deemphasize makeup a little, even refraining from putting it on when I otherwise would and telling her, "I'm not going to wear make-up today because I am pretty as I am" and "Daddy likes it when I don't wear make-up." Yet I figure that her inclination toward beauty products is also a good opportunity to teach her how, when, and why to use make-up and how to do it properly and for fun. My mom let me experiment with make-up at a young age, too, because I was interested and she taught me how to use it correctly and for what purposes. I think that was one reason I never have gone overboard with it and have good self-esteem even when I am not wearing it.
Walking back home, we decided that we would do a few projects outside before bringing out the wading pool. We filled up our finch feeder sack with nyjer seed, replenished our peanut butter-birdseed pinecones, and cleaned and refilled our hummingbird feeder. We love inviting birds around us, and we wake each morning to birdsong as a result. Birds make everyday more cheerful, I think.
Then we painted some ceramic magnets for our refridgerator. We got them in kits at Target for a really good price, and since one of them was a dog, Katie was in heaven. She painted three and I finished one, and after they dried, she put them all on our fridge. Katie loves our paint projects.
Following this, it was swimsuit and pool time! All in all, we spent about four hours outside today, and about three of those hours were playing in water.
Katie is a happy girl!
A little poolside silliness! I think I may have been about to squirt her...
Katie uses her squirt gun to squirt at me... We love those squirt guns. Another Target find a couple of months ago. Definitely a hit this summer... Miss Girly Girl gets a little tough in this picture. ;-)
Poolside popsicles.Daddy brought some home this past weekend---he chose well, just plain fruit with no added sugar. Katie loves them. We also savored fresh fruit on this sunny day: we recently cut up some whole pineapple and some papaya and some watermelon. I am obsessed with watermelon right now. Eating cold fresh fruit out in the sun with the scent of sunscreen and birds chirping is a moment of perfection.
While we played, we opened the house windows and listened to some music drifting out. We chose old standards today: "K-K-Katy" by Rob Carriker (Katie said, "It's my song!"), "Splish Splash" by Bobby Darin, "The Way You Look Tonight" by Frank Sinatra (this one always reminds me of Katie, and we listened to several of Sinatra's standards today), "Stand by Me" by Ben E. King, "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" (Celine Dion's version, though I love Roberta Flack), and selections by Doris Troy, Doris Day, Etta James, Michael Buble, and others. With the music, the popsicles, the gentleness of the warm day, I really felt like we had stepped into another time altogether.
After lunch and more play, we decided it was time to come inside and make some cookies! We made oatmeal chocolate chip cookies and ate them warm. We only made a half-batch so we don't have too many, but boy were they tasty. Katie loves to help bake cookies.
Now she is napping. I figured I would blog a bit and then maybe look over some of my study materials.
