And I Am Off...

To run the marathon in DC. I am heading out the door in a few minutes to go catch the bus to light rail - I am really becoming the public transportation gal. There have been a few setbacks for the weekend mainly that Heather [my older sister] has strep throat. She is going to start antibiotics today so we can only hope she is up in time to run the race. They are also calling for wind and rain. I guess it will be just like running here!

I am not bringing my computer so I will report back when I return unless you hear from Pearson in the meantime.

Mae & Whitaker The Science Kids

When I started this post, I thought about this one show we watch over here in Cummings land. Mae watches this show called Sid the Science Kid. It was created by Jim Henson Company and is a sweet show that teaches kids about, you guessed it, science. There is a little girl on the show whose name is Mae. She looks nothing like my daughter since she has purple hair and glasses but it is funny to hear her name in the show. Today's show was about Sid and his friends visiting the science center. It made me realize that I have yet to post photos of our trip on Monday to the Pacific Science Center. 

So a couple of weeks ago I had suggested we hit up the Pacific Science Center. Go figure, the morning I proposed it I thought the weather was going to be pretty mediocre, instead it was beautiful and the last thing I had wanted to do was to be inside.  Since that day, Mae has annoyingly asked everyday to go to the science center. Her wish was granted this past Monday when the weather was absolute crap and we had nothing to do. We also decided to take the bus there.

Note and a small deviation from topic: This is our second bus ride in less then a week. We took the bus last Friday to go to the downtown library to find some Disney princess movies for movie night. (We scored Snow White, which we watched). Mae is a pro on the bus since Grandma C has taken her a bunch but I have yet to venture out with both kids on it. Hence, I decided to bite the bullet the other day and attempt it. While I was sitting with both kids on the bus, a middle age gentleman got on the bus with the bus driver's assistance. He was wearing a bright orange vest and had a button that said, "I am blind and deaf." In that second, I realized that if that man can do this day after day I sure as hell can  ride the bus with both of my kids and not think once about how annoying it is.   

The Pacific Science Center didn't disappoint Mae or me for that matter. First off, unbeknownst to me, the day we went was the 50th Anniversary so it was only $1 for me to get in and $.50 for Mae. Along with a the tons of buttons  that my kids got to push (why do kids love buttons so much?), there was a whole toddler section complete with a water section, music room, and computers, dinosaurs, a planetarium, a butterfly room, bugs, life sized games, and so much more. We didn't explore even half of the place but we were there for over two and half hours being our own little scientists. At one point, we came to a display on the solar system. I was going through the planets with Mae and said, "Here is Earth where we live and here is Pluto." Of course, she instantly responded, "That isn't Pluto Mickey's dog." Perhaps we weren't being little scientists but kids. 

Already a pro at riding the bus. 

One is looking one way, the other is looking the other way. 

The red shoes. 

Despite the rain and cold, we are excited about our adventure. 

We got to the science center a little early so we had to wait for it to open. I miscalculated how long the bus would actually take. 

Science in the making. 

I don't know what it is about buttons but my kids just love pushing them. 

A music room in the toddler section. Whitaker, of course, eating the stick. 

A family that drums together....

This is Whitaker checking out the dinosaurs. No joke this was his face. For reals.  

This is Mae checking out the dinosaurs. She wasn't necessarily scared but it had her on her knees. 

Beefing up on her chess gamed. 

Checkers with cones. 

More games. 

I was certain Whit was going to kill a butterfly. 

They had these laminated cards with pictures of each kind of butterfly. Whitaker carrying it around.   

Mae actually wondering what each butterfly was. I was more concerned that Whitaker was going to kill a butterfly then  what they were. 

Here is Whitaker demonstrating the science of motion.  Let's just say the woman in the stoned wash jeans and teal coat didn't find his demonstration as amusing as maybe his mother would. I am sure if there was a butterfly in is way they wouldn't have had either. He laid on the floor and push the laminated paper along the floor. He thought it was brilliant. 

On the ride home and still in good spirits. 

Checking out the scenery. 

Weekend Update

This weekend was a good mix of seeing friends, spending time with our family, and getting some much needed household cleaning done. We also got family photos taken. For as much time as I wondered what we were all going to wear and the expense of paying for them, I can only hope they come out decently. 

Saturday night Mae and I had a slumber party at Kate and Nora's house. As you can recall, a month or so ago, we attempted to have a slumber party with the girls. This time I decided to partake. I would give the night a C+. Kate would probably give it an F and I don't blame her one bit. I had the fortune of sleeping downstairs and sweet, sweet Kate got woken many times by Mae's nightmares. Furthermore, they also woke Nora up. So although, I got to sleep pretty soundly for the night, neither of the Milad ladies got to enjoy a good night's sleep. Here are photos of the girls being buddies

Mae has really gotten into dressing up. She frequently wears her dragon costume from last Halloween as you can tell from the photos above. She also likes pretending to be a pirate and affectionately refers to herself as Pirate Mae. Pirate Mae came out a few times this weekend. Mae always says, "If you want to be a pirate you got to say ARGHHH!"

And then there is Whitaker who is a complete animal and is an abundance of energy. Along with being constantly on the move and having no concern for his safety or the safety of things, he has taken to jumping off this stool at the end of our bed into a pile of blankets. This was all his doing and thinks it is hysterical. I think it is cause for a broken bone one day. He are some photos of him jumping on the bed and then deciding it would be smart to stand on my bedside table.

A Walk Around the Block

Recently, we have started a new routine in the evening. We go for a walk around the block. This is by no means a novel concept for most families and isn't for us BUT now Whitaker is the one leading the charge on the walk. Whitaker insists on walking and insists on pushing the baby stroller. 

I remember getting the baby stroller (a gift from Grandma C to Mae) right after Whitaker was born. We would attempt to take Mae on walks around the block with it at around 21 months but it always seemed to be a disaster, she would never listen. Whit on the other hand just wants to keep up with Mae and he LISTENS, at least for now. Most importantly, when I tell him to stop he does.  Here are photos from the other day of us taking a walk around the block. Mae choose to bring her shopping cart with her baby. Some days she scoots and takes her car. It all depends on her mood. 

Also did I mention Mae got sparkly red shoes. She has worn them every day since getting them on Monday and she even went to sleep in them tonight. She is obsessed with them.