Sometime in the last year or so, a new library opened up near us. Really close -- I'd say a 5 minute drive! I'd been meaning to go to the Greenbridge Library with my girls for awhile, but kept forgetting or feeling not up for it since I knew I would have to get a new library card there since its in a different system than our other one (I know, big roadblock, ha ha). One free morning I finally made good on my plans and actually got us there, soon after the library opened.
The Greenbridge community in White Center was previously public housing that was taken down and totally redone as "mixed income community" featuring green building techniques. There are various types of housing in this very walkable community as well as an elementary school, a community center, the library & a YMCA "learning center", a playground (which I JUST discovered online, and need to go check out!!!), a fabulous coffeshop, and tons more spaces for retail (which have been empty and I hope fill up, soon!).
We parked close to the library and went there first. Its a pretty tiny library, but has a cute well stocked children's section, a fair number of computers, and lots of new, interesting media (CDs and DVDs) that caught my eye. The girls and I had fun choosing a bunch of books for checkout, and the library was not crowded so the librarians had plenty of time to help us (which is appreciated, when I am herding two toddlers who are starting to get bored...).
We dropped off the books in the car and then wandered off to explore. Next to the library and community center is a large, open pavillion that is great for letting the kiddies loose. There were cement benches and walls to climb on, intersting things on the ground, fun structures overhead, and a really cool (and huge!) piece of public art to enjoy.
When we (inevitably) started getting antsy and hungry, we headed over to check out the Dubsea Coffee Shop, which I had heard good things about. What a great coffeehouse! Yummy food, great art, and it even had toys! We didn't check those out this time -- we got an italian soda and cookie to share, and enjoyed them the civilized way, sitting at a table with chairs. I will totally be back, with kids and without -- this place was nice!!!
After that we headed back to the car (slowly!) with Emma hijacking my camera to take a few photos of her own, including this nice grass shot. Thats my girl -- I've always loved the plant closeups, myself!
Yesterday, we hit the Washington State Ferry system with Grandma E and Grandpa T in tow. I've been meaning to do this with the kids for awhile (since the littles have been decent enough on the stairs) but have been a bit hesitant about the whole herding-two-toddlers-and-a-preschooler-on-the-ferry thing. With three on three (adults to kids), this seemed like a perfect time for a test run!
While the Vashon Ferry is literally minutes from our house, I don't think the ride would have been long enough for us to really get out and enjoy it (three carseats = not speedy entrance and exit to the vehicle). The car is still critical to our getting anywhere in a timely fashion with all the kids and gear, too -- no walk ons for us, yet! Bainbridge was the obvious choice -- we could catch it downtown, have a nice length ride, with lots of fun stuff to do on the other side.
We took the 8:45 and made it with a few minutes to spare -- whew! No lines heading that direction on a weekday morning! Once on, we got to explore the very uncrowded ferry -- it was a BIG boat, with several levels and lots of decks and viewing areas close to or totally empty. The rain had stopped, and while there as a bit of a wind, it wasn't too cold. The girls had lots of fun. So much to see: Boats! Birds! Water!
Once on the Island, we headed straight for Waterfront Park. Just a block or two off the main street through town, it has a great playground with lots of fun stuff -- including a VERY tall slide, labeled for ages 5-12. Ha ha! Good luck keeping my two year olds off that!!! Grandma & Grandpa headed off to get some coffee and treats while the girls played.
After a while, we headed down to the waterfront (also part of Waterfront Park). We walked up and down the dock and saw lots of boats, then had a picnic lunch. The girls and Grandma went for a brief beach walk, then we wandered up and over to the giant metal "pirate ship" (which seems to also double as a stage for performances, too.) The girls enjoyed fighting over playing with sticks, picking flowers, and wandering VERY VERY SLOW as we tried to rally the troops back to the car for our last stop before heading home...
Ice cream!!!! Took us awhile to find it, as it was down an alley-like road off the main street through town, but luckily a friendly local helped us out. Mora Iced Creamery was a fabulous splurge to top off the afternoon. The girls shared a "one and a half scoop" of chocolate (they kindly offered to split it between three cones, woo hoo) and it still was a lot for them! I had dulce de leche. YUM! Delia required a clothing change after that, ha ha!
We headed back to the ferry with only minutes to spare before the 12:20, but made it and drove right on with no problems. Whew! The girls were getting tired and a bit opinionated -- definitely ready for their naps. We were home by 1:30 or so, and somehow nobody fell asleep until they were in their beds, woo hoo!
All in all, a very successful adventure! I'm not sure how feasible it would be for me to do it by myself with the three of them, yet -- its hard keeping track of them all getting in and out of the car, up the long flight of steps (though I did see an elevator...) and on the deck of the ferry! But maybe. I really want to check out the Kidmu Children's Museum over there, and would love to take the girls to the Blodel Reserve sometime, too! If I had a plan of attack for the ferry, it think it might work....
How lucky we are to have such a great park just minutes from our house. I know I have posted photos from here before, and will again -- we have such fun every time we go! The last shot is the view from our lunch table -- how can you go wrong with that!
Linking up with my Wordless Wednesday friends at A Lot of Loves and HoboMama, go there for more great photographs.
Man do we love this place! Its part of the Tukwila Community Center here in South Seattle. So far all three times we've gone its been nearly or totally empty!
This post is linked up with my other Wordless Wednesday compatriots at Hobo Mama and A Lot of Loves -- check out more over at their lovely blogs!
A few weeks back, I broke down and took Emma to the salon for a haircut. Holy moly, that hairwas gettingLONG! This was not her first cut, but it was the first time we did something other than trim the bangs, and only the second time ever going to the salon. Part of me definitely was torn about cutting that long, curly-whispy hair -- it was especially impressive in pigtails! -- but it was getting really hard to brush out. And boy, do I hate trimming bangs. I do it, because I am cheap, but I don't always do it well. So nice to sit back and let a professional have at it!
Here's a before pic out on the sidewalk in front of the salon:
This salon is nice, too, as its close to us and VERY kid themed, with funny chairs (Emma's chose the horsey one) and a TV that was showing something on PBS. Emma opted to watch and was soooooo still for the cut. She was all smiles, loved it the whole thing and wasn't nervous at all (unlike her first visit, about a year ago).
Another HUUUUGE pro of this place for me was the oodles of toys for Elsie and Delia to play with during Emma's cut. They barely brushed the surface of all the toys there with what they played with, and had a lot of fun. They did want to sit in one of the big chairs too....
At the end, Emma got a blow dry and the option of something fancy (braids, ponytails, etc) and "fairy dust". She went for just the glitter (can't see it much in this pic, but its there).
Conclusion: Sooooo worth it! In 20 minutes (and for twenty smackers) she got an awesome cut, Elsie and Delia were totally entertained, and I was actually able to relax. We were the only folks in the salon, too! Its too expensive to make a regular habit (especially if E & D eventually need haircuts, yeeps!) but for an occasional treat, this was awesome. Hooray!
Several months ago we signed up for a group tour to a local farm (Kelsey Creek Farm in Bellevue). Its a great little farm -- mostly for educational & recreational purposes I think, and run by parks department. Its only 25 minutes or so from our house! We had our tour last week, and it was lots of fun!
We signed up for a "Babies in the Barnyard" tour with some friends, where we got a guided tour and got to pet and feed some animals. We even got there early (!) so we could do some exploring beforehand -- there is a nice playground and a few trails to walk on.
The tour was for kids 2 years old and up, and it was manageable but took a lot of work to keep Elsie and Delia in the right places and doing the right things! There were rules about staying together, where we could stand at certain times, about putting hands through the fences and gates that they didn't really get -- and containing and corralling the both of them definitely kept me busy!
But it was fun and they did great. We saw a pig eat a banana, fed grass to the cows, and were able to pet a goat, a baby chick and a bunny. We also saw chickens, ducks, sheep and horses. And then got to plant a pumpkin seed in their pumpkin patch at the end.
After the tour, we had a picnic lunch. It was a great outing for my little crew. The public can visit and wander through parts of the farm anytime, so we will be back to check in and say hi to the animals we met, for sure!
Here's one more from the other day at the park. This was really fun. I think we have some future curve-ball throwers and rock-skippers on our hands. I love that this park is only 5 minutes from our house!
Every Friday, a parent group I am a part of meets up at a local park for a "ramble" -- a walk through the woods, with kids. We try to avoid the playgrounds, if there are any, and dive right into the more open, natural spaces. We walk for a bit, and stop a lot. Kids play, explore, run and climb. Parents often get to talk (though more on that, later).
We are really enjoying these walks! We are so lucky to have a ton of great nature-oriented parks super close to us. This is the first time I have been venturing out with Elsie and Delia without the stroller on walks longer than car to door type things. It takes some planning and effort, but its been working really well! They are almost two, and can manage most terrain pretty well (though they still need help with steps!). On paths and trails, they are pretty easy to keep track of, and in a group, other parents can kind of help me out some.
I have to say, though, I have occasional flashes of envy when I see many of the moms chit chatting it up while their kids frolic about. Not just at these walks, but most kid activities and events. So many have just one baby or toddler, or a toddler or preschooler and a baby in a carrier. Ah, it just looks so easy! In any kind of group setting (even in ones like this with great, conscientious and helpful moms), I feel like I am always ON, either containing, corralling, tending to or entertaining my three. I feel like I am generally pretty laid back when it comes to child-tending, but even despite that its a lot of work!
While we wait for others to show up and start the walk, I am figuring out things to keep my toddlers from running into the parking lot. We look at bugs, we walk walls, we do laps. On the hikes, I often am trying to get one to hurry up, while the others run ahead (this is actually not so bad, though -- its easiest when we are moving sometimes). When we stop to play, when others are just hanging around and having fun, I have to start corralling more actively. I am helping one climb a hill or cliff, while trying to keep an eye on the other two how scatter in different directions or whine to do something else. Then I am helping one pee in the woods, while hoping the others don't take off down the path and out of view.
I feel like I am always trying to think and plan ways to get everyone to do what I'd like them to, without making it look or feel like that is what I am doing -- ha!
At the playground, oy vey, they are keeping me on the move now, literally sprinting from one section to another as Elsie and Delia climb and dangle from HIGH equipment made for much bigger kids (they have no fear, and are great at it all, mostly!). Meanwhile, Emma tries something new and panics halfway, wanting to be rescued. Often, I am calling out for one of them, whoever has wandered away and escaped my current view. By necessity, I give my girls a LOT more freedom and space on the playground than some folks do -- yet I am still always moving, lifting and climbing, myself.
Meanwhile, other parents lounge and talk. My day for that will come, right? Someday?
In many respects, I feel lucky that my girls are as easy to manage as they are. My girls are generally not "bolters" (though they are trying it out occasionally!) --which I know strikes fear into the heart of every parent of multiples or closely spaced singletons. They are really social and (at least currently) do great around other people -- making all of this so much easier. On these more organized outings, I often have help from others who keep an eye out for my kids, help them onto the swings, brushing them off if they fall, spotting them on higher climbers and such. And man do I appreciate it! I am always grateful for the offer (or just jumping in) to help, even if I feel like I have things under control, from both friends and strangers. Sometimes, we really are totally fine, but other times I could really use a hand!
On Friday, we walked a LONG way, I'd guess more than a mile, through the woods, up and down some hills and stairs, did the playground, went down to the beach, and then back again. Great fun! But the walk from the beach back to the parking lot was ROUGH -- they were tired & distracted, and while at least not whiny, they were not very focused on moving forward. We had a stressful bathroom stop where E & D thought it was funny to try and run away from me both into gross stalls and out the door, while Emma needed help on the toilet. Nap was approaching, but we were still so far from the car! Nobody was willing to hold my hand, either. I ended up walking forward short stretches by myself, then would sit along the path while they eventually caught up to me. Repeat, repeat, repeat, until we were close enough to the car that they would all walk along with me.
When we finally made it to the car, and I got all three strapped in pretty quick and got in the car to leave. Just then another mama -- who happened to be nursing her baby in the next car over -- called through her open window "I'm so impressed!". Her toddler started repeating it over and over, waving and dancing too, which was really funny. This woman hadn't seen how my last 30 minutes had gone, but being recognized and complimented by a random stranger for doing something not exactly easy was nice, in that moment.
These big colorful chairs are part of a permanent art display outside of one of our local community centers where we go for toddler open gym. Who can deny the fun of climbing, sitting, and playing in giant metal chairs? Not I!
This past Friday we went on a lovely "ramble" at a local park with a bunch of other parents and kids (from our local attachment parenting group). For Seattlites, it was Camp Long, very close to us -- a park without playgrounds, but with tons of stuff to do and see and explore.
It was a kid-paced hike -- we followed the kids whims about where to go and what to do. It was the first time I tried something like this without the stroller for the little ones, and all went smashingly well! We spend a fair bit of time climbing some rocks and boulders, went up and down a ton of steps, ran in the field, had lunch and chatted while the kids played, wandered, and rolled on a grassy hill. Some of our group went faster, some slower, some broke off from the group(s) at various points.
I know a lot of parents with toddler twins avoid things like this, but I found it was actually GREAT because we were so far away from cars and parking lots that they could wander pretty safely. None of my girls are big bolters, though, so that helps. There were defintitely times where I needed to hold hands with both of them (the steps, in and out of the parking area, and near some water) but for the most part it was really quite easy and even a bit relaxing!
After lunch we wandered over to see some ponds, watched ducks and threw sticks and pinecones in the water. That part was nerve-wracking for me -- it was a full time job to keep Elsie and Delia out of the water, ha ha! Luckily, it was time to head home before too long. We had fun, though, and will definitely be back!
Elsie in pink coat/blue sweatshirt, Delia in blue coat/green sweatshirt. Emma in her favorite flower pants!
Lots of Easter fun around here the past few days! These were from Saturday's egg hunt with our multiples club. I LOVE their Easter event each year -- this is our third year attending and every time its been great (even when we were late and missed the main event last time, ha ha). Unlike most public egg hunts, this one is very organized, and there are always PLENTY of eggs, woo hoo!
This year we made it with plenty of time to spare, which was great, though it was pretty chilly out there! No rain, which we were really thankful for. We played at the playground for a bit, then headed over to the hunting grounds. Emma and E & D were in different age groups going at the same time, so we split off and I went with Emma first, then we joined the little ones who were still at it for awhile longer (they are more at the savor one egg at a time stage, heh). We had fun but were ready for the nice warm car once the festivities were over.
Waiting for the start of the hunt, and getting a bit bored & chilly...(Elsie and Delia are a bit confused about what the heck we are doing here, too, ha ha)
Emma finally knew what to do this year and enjoyed it lots.
Still a bit unsure what the fuss is about. Our baskets are full, are we done yet?
Bouncy Houses and Corn Dogs: Could This Be Heaven?
Today the girls and I hit Seattle Center for Whirligig, a festival put on for kids during spring break, thats main focus is LOTS of bouncy houses. Throw in some bands and kids choirs, a show about parrots, and corn dogs and smoothies and we were all pretty happy campers. There was a toddler zone where we spend most of our time (where all the pictures below are from) and then Emma got to do a few of the "big kid" ones while I plied the younger ones with grapes and cookies. It was kinda crazy there, especially by the time we left, but fun!
Today, we tried something new. After our success on the light rail a few weeks ago, I thought we'd try riding the bus downtown (sans double stroller). Its a really short walk from our house to the bus stop, and Lonnie would meet us when we got off the bus. We'd have lunch with Daddy, check out his office, then catch the return bus to go back home for naps.
In case you think this all sounds fun and lovely, think again. I DO NOT recommend doing this, with 3 kids under four (two not quite two). What was I thinking?
Actually, the ride to our destination was pretty manageable, and after that first trip I was all excited about doing it again. On that ride, I kept Elsie in the Beco on my back the whole time, Emma and Delia sat (or stood in front of me), and the novelty of the bus and excitement of the trip (plus loads of snacks) kept them happy and entertained. Everything was under control, happy, angelic kids, etc.
Lunch was great too. They didn't eat much Pakistani food but hey, I did (yum), and we all had fun. The visit to Lonnie's office was nice too. Finally saw the office he's been in for the last year or so! Emma enjoyed the view from the windows and Elsie and Delia enjoyed the yoga balls.
And then. I put Delia on my back this time (we've been taking turns with who goes in the carrier and that usually works okay), and we walked back down a few blocks to catch the bus. Just missed it, so we had a good 15-20 minute wait until the next one. We walked down a few more blocks, to a stop a little further down the line, to fill up some time. No bus. Kids getting restless! Rain starting! No bus! Finally it came, we said goodbye to Lonnie, got on and grabbed seats right in front.
Enter atrociousness. The bus was really jerky (I think it was a sub driver that didn't quite know the route) and I couldn't see out as well because we were seated right behind the driver. I had been wearing Delia for awhile at that point, and was hot and tired of her kicking me, and not able to lean back with her in the carrier. I had to cling to things and brace myself and Elsie every time the bus braked, stopped, or turned, and almost immediately felt really nauseous from the motion.
Things really only got worse. I took Delia out of the carrier to see if that would help me feel better (she was starting to fuss, anyway). It did not. I tried to look out the window, breath deeply, but Delia was getting crazy and refusing to sit in the seat (or on me) and Elsie kept sliding off the seat when it jerked around. She was also looking a little sick.... Emma was talking a mile a minute, as usual, loudly. Right now she is in a phase where she wants me to acknowledge Every! Single! Thing! and it is soooooo annoying! I eventually told her I was sick and couldn't talk anymore. We broke out the Krispie treat we'd grabbed from Lonnie's office, and it was all I could do to not lose my lunch as I simultaneously fed them sticky snacks, while trying to keep us all in our seats (which I was not successful at, I eventually let Delia sit on the floor for a bit).
Ordinarily, I think I might have been able to pull out some kind of parenting tricks out of the old hat but when feeling so sick I just couldn't. I eventually ended up just restraining Delia in my arms as she flopped around and cried and hollered (Elsie was doing some of this too, but not as bad). I was totally That Mom on the bus with the all the crazy kids. OMG. 40 minutes later, we stepped off the bus and I have never been so thankful to be outside, in fresh air, and HOME.
I am still recovering now, hours later. No more bus trips in our near future, at least not further than the library (about a 5 minute ride from our house). Its quite unfortunate that we are totally out of wine right now because I really needed it today!
