Playgrounds

Just some playground moments from the past two days. Yesterday we stopped by Savage Park after Jillian's school (please note, SHE picked out her clothes yesterday...).




Today we headed up to the McKeldin Area of Patapsco State Park. It was a bit windy, but otherwise nice. We pretty much had the place to ourselves, too!

Through the Years

Halloween 2008 - Left to Right: Jocelyn, Jillian, Cadence, Leora, Amedeo, Jack.

Halloween 2009 - Left to Right: Amedeo, Brooks, Cadence, Colin, Jack, Jillian, Jocelyn.

Halloween 2010 - Left to Right: Jocelyn, baby Henry's costume (he was napping), Jack, baby Jessica, Jillian, Amedeo, Brooks.

After baby Henry woke up, we snapped some pictures of he and Jessica with their costumes. And without!

Who Doesn't Love...

Contest closed.

Updated: Congratulations to comment #3 (generated by random.org), Doreen, who won the giveaway!!!

Free Stuff?!?

I know I do! Which is why I jumped on the chance to try some new Fiber One products for free. Oh yeah, and I got a $25 Safeway (or Dominick’s, Tom Thumb, Randalls, Vons, and Genuardi’s) gift card, too, courtesy of Fiber One and Safeway!

Here's a bit of information about the new products that Fiber One has introduced:

* Fiber One Honey Clusters have a brand new flake! Every one-cup serving is full of tasty honey clusters, antioxidant vitamins A and E, and 13 grams of fiber.

* Fiber One Raisin Bran Clusters now contain crispier, lightly sweetened whole grain flakes. With plump, juicy raisins and crunchy clusters it packs 11 grams of fiber and antioxidant vitamins A and E into every serving.

* With rich chocolate chips and a new and improved taste, Fiber One Oats & Chocolate chewy bars are a good source of calcium and contain 9 grams of fiber in each bar.

I picked up a box of the Honey Clusters and a box of the Oats & Chocolate chewy bars. I have a feeling the Honey Clusters will be a great go-to in the car breakfast as well as anytime snack, and the Oats & Chocolate chewy bars are really tasty!

I picked a time that Safeway was having some sales and totally had an inexpensive trip. I got:
1 box Fiber One Honey Clusters (with free VIP coupon from Fiber One)
1 box Fiber One Oats & Chocolate chewy bars (with free VIP coupon from Fiber One)
4 fridge packs of diet coke (Safeway Buy 2, Get 2 Free sale)
Miscellaneous pantry staples: beans, beef stock, bbq sauce, etc.
2 bottles of wine (I took a trip to the closest Safeway with a wine department)
1 bottle of Dreft (with free Pampers Rewards coupon I earned)

And I spent just over $10. Now THAT'S a deal!

Thanks to MyBlogSpark, Fiber One, and Safeway, I'm giving away two free Fiber One VIP coupons and $25 Safeway gift card to one of my readers. Leave a comment and tell me if you've ever tried Fiber One products, and which one of the new products sounds good to you, and that's your entry to win! Giveaway closes Tuesday night (11/2/2010) at 8pm EDT). Good luck!

*Disclosure: The Safeway gift card, VIP coupons, information and giveaway were all given to me from Fiber One through MyBlogSpark.*

Big Girl

Somewhere along the way my "baby" turned into a big girl. Jillian started a five week preschool program today and did just great! It runs two days each week, for two hours each day. Not too long, but enough to free up some errand-running time or walking time for me!

And on top of that, I think she's potty trained! She's still going to wear her training pants until next week, but she has only had one accident out in public, none at home for the past two weeks, and pees and poops on the potty totally unprompted! She still wears a diaper for nap time and bedtime, but we're well on our way to being diaper-free! (I totally had a proud moment today when dropping her off and the teacher was very surprised that she was trained. Apparently only two other children in the program are potty trained!)

Down at the Farm

We braved the 'crowds' today and visited Clark's Elioak Farm. There were plenty of field trips, but despite not having the run of the place, we had a nice time. We met up with Brenna and Amedeo, Emily2 and Jack, and Emily1 and Brooks.

Jilly found the mouse slide...

while Jack and Amedeo played on the train.

Then Jillian did some hanging around.

Jilly got to take a pony ride.

Brenna showed Jillian and Amedeo how to feed the goats.

Having a seat.

We got to see Brooks for a little while, too! Loved his overalls - just perfect for the farm!

Jilly checked out the well...

then was joined by Jack. Because Jack & Jill went up the hill to...

Jilly's first hay ride!



Jillian crashing a fall portrait of brothers Jack & Henry.

And Jack & Jilly having a moment in the train at the end of our visit.

And a big thanks to Emily2 for taking a couple pictures of me with Jilly and Jessie in the pumpkin patch in our fall colors!!!


And just because this post was pretty Jillian-focused, here's a slightly blurry picture of Jessie playing and smiling this weekend...

Swan Lake

My mom recently picked up a "Swan Lake" ballet video for Jillian, a la Bella Dancerella. I'd never heard of her, but it's an instructional, fun ballet DVD for kids. Jilly freaked out for it. I've been thinking about signing her up for a dance class once she turns three, but this totally seals the deal. Dance class for Jilly!

Here are the stills...

And here's the video...

Fall Colors

This morning we took a walk at Centennial Park hoping to enjoy the fall colors. And I hoped to get some exercise, since I've been cleared from my six week appointment!

I probably should have picked a less hilly venue for my first official "get some exercise" outing, but alas, I did not...

It was lovely!




Jillian wanted to play on the playground. I didn't want to walk up to the big playground, so we went down to a smaller one at one of the pavilions. It worked out well. We had some privacy to change Jillian's pants (first away from home accident) and for me to nurse Jessica, and Jilly had the run of the place.

Jillian's been a climber for some time, so I shouldn't be surprised, but she climbed this big spiral thing all by herself. Geesh!

Needless to say, Jillian was not excited about leaving.

Especially since I let Jessica have a turn in the stroller on the way back to the car.

This would have been a cute posed picture if Jilly would have cooperated just a little. Darn two year old!

And now begins the search for the double stroller. At Avalon last week, I put Jessica's car seat directly in the stroller, letting Jilly walk. Jilly wanted to ride in the stroller. Today I had Jilly in the stroller for most of the walk, and Jessie wrapped in the Moby wrap. Jessie wanted no part of the wrap today and just wouldn't settle in. What's with these independent minded kids?!?

A Good Day

Today was a good day. What constitutes a good day around here, you ask? I'll tell you...

1. We had a successful play date at Storyville. By successful I mean the baby didn't shriek the whole time and Jillian displayed minimal "attitude" and had no potty accidents.

2. Jillian made poop in the potty again!

3. Naps were taken by all three of us.

4. I did multiple loads of laundry, folded some of it, ran a dishwasher load, and put the clean dishes away.

5. Jilly and I both consumed three meals. I cooked dinner last night so it was ready to re-heat for us tonight.

6. Both children got bathed.

7. I straightened up the living room before bed time.

8. Both girls were in bed before 9:30pm. Not asleep mind you, but in bed.

9. I remembered to take the recyclables out.

10. I have wine.

I barely remember what defined a "good day" before having kids, but I'm sure the list looked nothing like this one. Now if only every day could be like this!

Cop Out

Today we visited Storyville at the Woodlawn Library. We had previously trekked to the Rosedale Branch Storyville before this closer location had opened and enjoyed it, remember? This trip proved to be just as enjoyable. We met up with my sister-in-law Linda, and her daughter Mariah (Jilly's, at this point, favorite cousin). The girls could have stayed there all day! As it was, we got there around 10am and only stayed until noon-ish. Another trip will definitely be in order. Especially since it's FREE. Anyhow, I took a bunch of pictures, but am going with the cop-out collage because I don't feel like doing a bunch of editing. So there. Enjoy!

More Randomness

Just some stuff that's been going on around here...

Jillian is potty training well. She has had her first poop on the potty (much awaited) and goes on short outings wearing her big girl underpants instead of a diaper. She even went to church and Sunday school yesterday diaperless!

Jessica is sleeping longer, like five to six hours in her first stretch of sleep. Bummer that she spends an hour or two shrieking in the evening before bedtime, but I guess it tires her out.

I *heart* wine. I totally missed beer while I was pregnant, but I'm on a wine kick right now. Even went to the Trader Joe's in DC yesterday to stock up. And isn't this THE coolest re-usable bag you've ever seen?


Anyhow, baby's awake, so I guess that's all for now. Toodles!

J1 & J2

Jillian at 4-1/2 weeks:

Jessica at almost 6 weeks:

When Jessie fell asleep this morning and I laid her down, it occurred to me that I had a picture of Jilly wearing the same outfit napping in the same position. Of course I had to take a picture. Jessica is definitely a bigger baby at this point than Jillian was (and it's no wonder as much as she eats!). She weighed in at 8 lbs., 10 ozs. this past Tuesday at her 'one month' appointment and measured 21-1/2 inches long!

Back in the Great Outdoors

Today the weather has been cool and sunny; my definition of a perfect day for a walk at the park. I technically haven't been cleared for "exercise" yet since it hasn't been six weeks since Jessica was born, but I put Jessie in the stroller and let Jillian walk today, figuring Jilly's pace is much slower than my walking pace. Which it was...GRRR.

Our favorite stroller-friendly section of trail has been re-paved and re-opened. Hooray!

Jillian actually posing for a picture in front of the "wa-wee" (water). Too bad about the sun behind me.

One of Jillian's less slow moments.

Jillian loves exploring.


I thought this leaf was pretty cool looking.

We found some rocks. Don't know how that binkie got in the picture. I told Jillian that the park was a binkie-free zone and got to keep it in my pocket for most of the walk. Of course, the binkie-free comment prompted Jillian to insist that we go home. Nice.

One of Jillian's slower walking moments. If there's something Jessica loves more than eating, it's being in motion. Seriously, this is what happened every time we stopped or slowed down too much.

Saw this mushroom (actually a group of mushrooms) and thought it was pretty gross. Looks like something had been eating it...

The girls were looking at something here...just not me.

Jillian got at snack of her own at Lost Lake while I fed Jessie before heading home.

I can't wait for the fall colors to really hit; this is totally my favorite time of the year. Jillian will be starting the HoCo Rec & Parks pre-school program the week after next for two days each week in the morning, so by then I'll be able to actually walk and get some exercise. Can't.Wait.