I got to give big candy bars to about 15 kids (Mommy could not believe how many actually tried to take more than one full-size bar!), and I even had a little taste of a KitKat. Yummy!
This is the closest Greta will come to anything scary today. At 18 months, she's still too young, according to her parents, to trick or treat. And she'll be taking a bath when the dozen or so neighborhood kids knock on the door tonight (only to find a bowl of full-sized candy bars with an honor code note attached). But two weekends ago she couldn't resist this gummy eyeball, swiped from a candy dish at Chris & Erin's house.
Sunday was a gorgeous fall day here in your nation's capital. I had a soccer game in the mid-afternoon, so we spent our morning at home and then set out for a playground in Old Town. After exhausting the slides, the swings, and failing to fly a kite with the success we enjoyed in New Hampshire, we strolled a few blocks to King Street. The city of Alexandria closes off two blocks on the weekends, giving kids an instant asphalt open space. Smart-thinking Mommy brought along a vial of bubbles, and thanks to the prevailing wind currents, Greta had a great time chasing them down the street. They stayed low most of the trip, and took at least 20 seconds to pop. As she chased, Greta would narrate the journey with appropriate, "Oh, oh, oh!" exclamations and periodic factual declarations of, "Bubbles!"
Greta had a fabulous time at the zoo with Grandma Vickie. Because of our limited time (post nap and lunch), we skipped the small mammal house she enjoyed so much last visit, and instead checked out the reptile house, where every other patron could hear Greta's "turtle, Turtle, TURTLE!" chant. The panda bears were quite the entertainers, scooting in the tree, ambling around the leaves, and playing with a card board box.
And Greta remained a HUGE fan of the giraffe, who was quite enamored of her as well. He was a mere five feet away sizing her up!
Positive: Our expensive, custom-cut rug is exposed and can be better appreciated. Negatives: The ring of toys and containers for toys that line the entire room; the -- gasp! -- Cinderella/Snow White/Belle kid's table, that is, yes, purple and pink; the bookshelf you can't see (off the left corner of the image) stuffed with such conversational classics as "The Eensy-Weensy Spider," "Eyes, Nose, Fingers, and Toes," "The Very Lazy Ladybug," and "Who Took the Cookie from the Cookie Jar?"Thus, "Nona" is here and Greta is loving every minute of her visit. From daily trips to the playground, where the slides and tunnel are current favorites, to a nice (but windy!) outing to Cox's Farm, Grandma Vickie and Greta have giggled their days away. Add in some long walks to feed the ducks, hide-and-seek around the house, and cooking lessons (yummy apple crisp and banana muffins), and there is no doubt as to why Greta has slept soundly through the nights!
I am on leave this afternoon and tomorrow, and look forward to some girlie time. A trip to the National Zoo is on this afternoon's agenda once Little Miss G wakes up from her nap, and we might have another playdate with Sadie and Imogen tomorrow. I'll post a link to a slideshow of us at play later...having problems uploading pictures to Blogger right now!
I'm in NYC for a couple days, so this will be my last post until Wednesday. Greta's Grandma Vickie is visiting, so Carey will have to post some pictures tomorrow. I think they may go to the zoo and see the panda's new habitat. For now, here's Greta on Saturday drinking from a public water fountain. She loves all things water, even the germy things.
Pennsylvania, as you can see, but sooo close!
Show Greta a fish, and this is what she does. Say "fish lips," and this is what she does. Mommy taught her.
Interestingly, she doesn't say, "Quack." We play a call and response game about animal sounds and she doesn't respond to, "What does a duck say?" Cow, horse, sheep, cat, lion, bird, rooster, but not duck. I bet that won't last.
Last week it was the car, yesterday it was the bicycle. A clean drivetrain is a bike rider's best friend. No squeaks, no chain skips and smooth shifting. For weeks, Greta has been curious about the grimy, black toothbrushes in the garage. Today, she learned what Daddy already knows: They're perfect for reaching the gunk that accumulates on derailleur pulleys and between chain links.
Like anatomy students or coroners in training, Carey & Greta like to identify each other's body parts. Say "nose," the girl points to her nose. Say "Mommy's nose," and she sticks her finger up Mommy's nose. Say "eyes," and get ready to have yours poked out. Say "tongue" and she sticks hers out.
Last but not least, enjoying the "fruit" of her labor:
She's only been here in Portsmouth, N.H., for a little more than a day, but Greta is already best friends with Riley & Miles, the pug pets of our friends Aaron & Amy.
