Fun-filled Saturday

After subjecting Madeline (and ourselves) to a full(ish) day of daycare yesterday, it was imperative that today be fun-filled. Madeline got into the spirit early ...

... though she did pause for a time to consider the state of Providence's water supply.

Around farmers market time, Madeline seemed sleepy but wouldn't nap, so we loaded her up and went on our way. Every day she's a little more observant and a little more expressive, even when she's sleepy.

Madeline slept for most of the walk and the market, but she woke up when we couldn't help but get her an adorable new hat, which presents either a whale pattern or a patchwork-plaid pattern depending on which side's out. She, still looking sleepy, sported the whale-pattern side as we waited in line at the incomparable Hewtin's Dogs Mobile for lunch.

The Dogs Mobile was especially necessary because at lunch there yesterday with colleagues* I observed others order barbecue chicken sandwiches that appeared near perfection, thanks both to the Dogs Mobile's chef and to Pat's Pastured, the farming operation whose chickens went into the sandwiches and which also provides Summer and me almost all of the meat we cook. So, anyway, today Summer and I each ordered one of these sandwiches. We waited ...

... and when we got them, we picked a shady spot in Lippitt Park and savored their sandwichy goodness. They were so tasty that even Madeline seemed to perk up, though she didn't get any!

In our little shady spot, Madeline would squat (with my assistance) and pull up handfuls of grass then stand and admire her little green treasures. And when her hat fell off, she had something just as exciting to pick up -- and then to chew.

As we continued to lounge in the shade, Heiða and Alexander found us and joined in our leisure for a bit. But soon enough we all had to go home.

Home was pretty hot, so Madeline ditched her dress and cavorted in only a diaper. This made her happy.

Perhaps Madeline's unclothed condition also contributed to a later development -- the almost-crawl. She seemed exceptionally determined this afternoon to finally figure out crawling. So she grunted and pushed up her chest and stuck her butt in the air and moved her legs, accomplishing little other than frustrating herself -- though she clearly appreciated our positive feedback, too, going from squeals to smiles as we praised her efforts -- because she couldn't coordinate her movements. Eventually, she did coordinate her movements(!) and got her chest and belly and butt all off the ground, ready to move -- except that she's just not quite strong enough to sustain the position yet. So instead of crawling she face-planted and wailed.

She's not giving up, though, and frankly her intense enthusiasm for developing motor skills induces as much terror as pride in us. Baby gates, here we come!

* The Dogs Mobile parks near my work on weekdays and near the farmers market on weekends. I am lucky.