Birthday party!

This morning was our last official seal count of the season.  Grand total: zero.

At home we had more success with things like pancake-eating and baby-tickling.

Madeline refused her normal nap but did not refuse a delicious rice cake snack.

The highlight of the day was attending Lea and Arlo's joint first birthday party!  I'm not sure when Madeline last saw her friends -- maybe way back when -- but hopefully they'll see more of each other soon.  In any event, today they had a good time playing with a box tunnel and tromping around making mischief with several other babies.  And despite having refused her nap, Madeline held it together impressively.

Madeline finally slept in the car after the party, so we drove around while she napped.  When she woke up we stopped at Wayland Square for a pick-me-up and a bookstore visit.  Then it was time to head home.

Toddler

This morning Madeline enjoyed a banana as usual.

This afternoon we had to pick her up early -- before she had even finished her nap! -- to bring her to her first appointment with an allergist.

The allergist said it sounds like she has a peanut allergy, but the test won't be until next week.  In the meantime, she prescribed us EpiPens in case Madeline has a bad reaction to some hidden peanuts or other, unidentified allergens.

Madeline enjoys gnawing on the practice EpiPen while wearing a necktie and being held upside-down.

She also enjoys gnawing on it under more normal circumstances.

Madeline has become very proud of her artwork. One morning recently (this morning? yesterday?) she retrieved the snowman I helped her to color -- daycare homework -- and, beaming, brought it to me while I was still in bed.  Of course a month ago she made her beloved leap frog.  And this afternoon she marched around with a lion she made (March comes in like a lion) and just brought home from daycare.  Her most recent homework assignment was a flower she and I colored together, and Summer tells me that daycare told her that they'll be doing some special Easter artwork.

Madeline's also been helping to pick up her messes.  With prompting, she puts toys in their receptacles and clothes in the hamper.  She's really becoming a toddler instead of a little baby.

Banana?

Banana? Hmm...

No. Hat!

Walking while reading

A blur of activity

This morning while we were getting ready to go, Madeline climbed onto the coffee table and walked across it on her knees.

She does love to climb.

Unsurprisingly, this afternoon was a blurry one ...

... and a happy one, too.

We just played

Not much to say today.  We stayed inside and played (hat!) ...

... but didn't do much of anything to speak of.  We just played.

Yesterday and today: playing outside

Sorry! Last night I went straight from working on a job application to bed to read Moby Dick (I'm almost done!).  Here are the two pictures you would have seen earlier had I remembered to post:

The morning ...

... and the afternoon.

Now on to today.

This morning we played in the yard.

Madeline found lots of interesting things, like this feather!

Inside, she made elephant noises ...




... and she found sunglasses -- or as she calls them, "hat."

Next we went to Colt State Park.

First, Madeline met two very nice huskies whose owner attested to their sweet personalities.  Sure enough, Madeline and I got kisses.

Then we went exploring.

Madeline wanted to climb on the picnic tables and play with sticks.  We obliged.

We also overturned some rocks, and Madeline met a worm and this pillbug.

Then we found a toy styracosaurus!  Madeline looked around to make sure its rightful owner wasn't running over to claim it.

We took the styracosaurus closer to the water where the seagulls were congregating.  A few cracker pieces brought them over for closer inspection.  This one was the meanest; it chased the rest away.

When we refused to give up more cracker pieces and the seagulls disbanded, Madeline went after them.

Then it was time to go.

We stopped for a snack at the Beehive Cafe, where Madeline inspected the ceramic pieces and marbles embedded in the floor outside.

Finally, it was time to don our shades ("hats") and head home.

Madeline enjoying things

Caps for Sale. 

Hat! 

Stick.

Duck & Bunny

This morning Madeline slept in until 8:20 -- about ten minutes before we leave each morning.  So we were a whirlwind for those ten minutes.

Then again this afternoon we arrived at daycare to find Madeline outside playing in the sand.  We scooped her up and, after a brief stop by home, headed to the Duck & Bunny for dinner in their garden.  What better place to bring a baby than a "snuggery"?

On the way, Madeline stopped to admire a smaller garden.

Madeline and her mama munched on fruit (as did I).

And all told we had a nice time.

Warm weather and words

Madeline had another excellent day. She kicked it off by trying to steal the camera.

While she was at daycare, the temperature soared to the high 70s.  She played outside in the sand so much that her shoes were full when we picked her up.

Then we played in the yard a bit.

And after that, we walked to the grocery store.

At dinner I tickled Madeline's gum with a fine-cut carrot.

And after dinner, she gave Summer's head a big hug.

Madeline continues to say "hat" all the time, and (according to Summer -- I have yet to hear it) has added "turtle" to her vocabulary, too.  Here's a list of words Madeline has used correctly at some point or another:

• Anna
• ball
• balloon
• bottle
• bubble
• bye bye
• cat
• daddy
• dinosaur
• eye
• hat
• hi
• kitty
• mama
• no
• Petey
• turtle

I'm sure we're missing some, but there you go.

O's, hat!, and serious reading

O's

Hat!

Serious reading.

Beautiful day - Olga's & Rome Point

Today was as beautiful as advertised!  We did our best to take advantage.  Madeline kicked things off by bonding in a sunny window with her friend Petey.

Surprisingly, Madeline and Petey both seem to derive significant enjoyment from this friendship.

Next up was our first brunch of the year in the Olga's Cup + Saucer garden.

Yesterday I noted that the seals are elsewhere (not at the Save the Bay Center).  We went to see where they actually are -- Rome Point.  A little drive and a hike later and sure enough, there they were, out on the rocks off the point.

They were far away and sedentary enough that Madeline didn't seem to know they were there.  But she was stimulated enough as it was.

The narrow point has a shell-laden beach that transitions into woods, so there's plenty to explore.

And there are trees just waiting to be kissed.

When we'd had our fill of Rome Point, we headed back to the car and then, eventually, home.