The past week

A few photos of our summer as it speeds by. I have been trying to make the most of every sunny day- swimming, ice cream, staying up late playing with friends- but I still have anxiety that it is all going so fast.

July 3: We went to Sesame Place with our friends.  The boys went down a water slide by themselves- I offered to join them and they said no thanks!

Asher

Benjamin (in the pink tube)

Meeting Bert and Ernie. Asher Ran up to Bert and held his hands- it was very sweet

 July 4: It was rainy almost all day long, but I dragged everyone out for fireworks. Papa Nick treated the monkeys to ice cream. It ended up not raining, and we all had fun. Mostly. Charlotte cried at first and said she was scared, but then calmed down and lay with me to watch while I covered her ears. I enjoyed the longest snuggle we've had since she was a newborn.

Ice cream with our friends

Apparently my camera doesn't work at night

Charlotte sharing yet another ice cream with her school friend

 On July 5, my friend Amanda came down from New York for the day. We had a great day- spent the morning just the two of us and went for a jog and iced coffee (which I dropped all over the floor of Starbucks, I am such a klutz!), and then she played with the boys in the afternoon while Charlotte napped and I made dinner.  After dinner she was back on the train to New York. The visit was too short, but very sweet.

I worked Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, and Thursday night Eric and I went with my parents and aunt and uncle to see/hear them record the NPR show Wait Wait Don't Tell Me. In the middle was a huge thunderstorm with torrential rain so loud I couldn't hear the show!

Friday morning the boys had camp and I took Charlotte to the zoo.

Zenda the lion is 24- the equivalent of 130 in human years. She's in great shape.

Friday night we went to dinner at Jane and Ed's house and went swimming- and Asher said, "Watch me!" and started swimming across the pool!  Then he got to the wall, turned around, and swam back! Just like that! I was SO proud. Then, Benjamin said, "Watch me!" and started swimming as well!  He's not as strong as Asher just yet, and is a little more nervous, but seems comfortable swimming underwater, too.  I am so proud, and so happy. Plus relieved- I know they can get to the side of a pool now if they were to fall in. Whew.

Saturday- more swimming. We went to the pool at the JCC for a picnic lunch.  Princess Charlotte ate only hummus and Comte cheese.

Pretzels and hummus for a fancy lady

 My parents then took us for an ice cream treat in the city- the Big Gay Ice Cream shop. Very yummy ice cream!

Rainbows! Unicorns! Ice cream! A preschooler's and a gay man's dream come true!

Today I went for a run, and while I was out, Eric converted Charlotte's crib to a toddler bed. Of course I am not ready, and I'm not sure she is, either- even though she can climb out of a crib just fine, she couldn't settle down for a nap in her new bed. She is very proud of herself and her "big girl" bed. 

Then we had a birthday party at a nearby park for a friend of the boys'. The kids all had a great time and Charlotte had her face painted like a kitty cat. She was adorable. 

The kids had pizza and cake at the party, and then came home and Charlotte had an entire second lunch! We had my friend from graduate school over for lunch and had a fairly calm afternoon.  Now we are packing up for our annual summer trip to Maine- so many more pictures to come.