State Fair

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Hi Sidra

We went to the state fair two nights ago and had an interesting time. There were some animals and some carnival rides involved. But perhaps the most entertaining to we parents was the visit to the Lunchables booth. You had the chance to try a few activities there and you declined to wait in line to visit the school cool bus or climb the pyramid. However, you decided to step on the stage and put on this show for us.



Afterward, you said "I'm glad you got video of that. I bet Mike can't match those moves. That day at the lake house I was taking it easy on him. Anyone can roll on a couch but let's see him get in front of a lunchables bus with tights on and pick up a hula hoop." I don't know, but it sounds like you threw down a gauntlet there. If there is a duel, I'll root for you.

Love, Aba

Vacation 4

hi sidra,

after returning from maine there was a beach day and and a couple of fountain days in Boston. Your sister and I stayed home from the beach deciding that there wasn't much for a crawler to get out of the beach. By all accounts you used your beach time to the fullest extent. You played in the sand, played in the water, even tried a boogie board and didn't stop until you got in the car to come home where you conked out in another nap.

At the frog pond, you had two sessions in the water and one each in the playground and the carousel. You did a ride on the swan boats to rest, then posed for pictures with the make way for ducklings statues.

On another day we went to the Greenway to see the big hammock. Along the way we shopped at the Croc store, had lunch at Quincy Market and played in yet another fountain. You ended up getting sprayed in the face at pretty close range and didn't like it too much. We forgot about it by having a cart wheel somersault session on the grass.

So I think we've detailed most of the vacation activities. We all agreed that it was a really great vacation and we're excited to go back again another summer.

Love, Aba

Vacation 3

Hi Sidra,

After a couple of days in Brookline we headed to Long Lake in Maine as guests of your uncle David's family. We stayed right on the lake with the Thompsens, Tante Debbie and later uncle Ben. As it turns out you said that this was your favorite part of the vacation. In our conversation it was a little tough to suss out what exactly was your favorite thing. You seemed settled on the general term, 'the lake.' We tried to ask you if it was the swimming, the tubing, the kayaking, the jumping off the dock or the trampoline. You liked all those things (although you were sure that the kayaking wasn't at the top of the list) but curiously left Dance Party off the list-sorry Mike and Sara!
You were a great lake guest, pouring all your energy into each activity. We stayed for about 5 days and at least twice you were collapsed into a nap by mid afternoon. Once you slept about 2 hours on a bony deck chair.
You also got along quite well with your cousin Grace and your new friend Mike who agreed to play dolls with you. He did also engage you in a dance party. You worked him pretty hard and he had to draw Sara into the contest so he could rest a little.
Your mom got a chance to show off for you on our last day at the lake. Uncle David showed up pretty early because of the calm water to offer her a chance at water skiing. She took the chance to show you she could get up on one ski and made it look pretty easy.


The hard part was getting the video while holding Shira.

Love, Aba

Vacation 2

Hi Sidra,

Our first day in Boston was sort of a recovery day. We just hung out in Brookline and visited with our hosts. It was a long trip and there just wasn't any energy for getting out to do something that day.

On our second day we went into Boston and visited the Children's Museum. It is about 10 times better than the one in Portland. There is a lot more things to do and they are better quality activities, too. You got to do a climbing wall, the bubble room, some gravity games and the video shows you doing something in the Kid Power area. You are cranking the cycle to make the sign move up above you. You did a lot of other stuff but I missed a lot of it because I was hanging out with Shira in the infant area.




We were still just getting warmed up in the fun department. Next, what you said was your favorite part of the vacation.

Love, Aba

Vacation 1

Hi Sidra,
we just got back from a great vacation in the Northeast. There are lot's of things to tell about so I will do a few posts to recount the fun we had. First, I am just reporting that you were excited to wear your new Red Sox dress today. You actually would have worn it yesterday but we talked you out of wearing it for our long trip home. When your uncle Ben and I picked it out we thought it might fit you better next summer but it looks like you'll be wearing it well during the final months of the 2010 season. By the way, it nearly took force to get you to wear the cap with it for the picture. While it isn't an actual Red Sox hat it does match the outfit and you look very cute with it.

This morning I questioned you about your favorite part of the vacation. In the next post I'll write about what you said.

Love, Aba

More Summer Stuff

Hi Sidra,

Here I thought that during the summer I would be able to write a new blog post every week. Well, with both of you wanting attention it's hard to sit down to any quiet task for more than a minute or two. Many's the email that took 5 attempts to complete.

Here's some photos of your work on your dry erase easel. These are actually about a month and a half old. The way you draw yourself is a little different now. I took these pictures because it was the first time I'd seen you draw yourself. I thought it would be fun to compare them to later drawings. In the one that shows the whole family I drew the other people and you drew yourself. The one which has only you in the picture you did without any advice from me. In the one with the family you asked me about or I suggested some embellishments.

In the fourth photo I am hoping that our adult readers can suggest a caption without any background. I find the picture quite amusing and I think it would be interesting to see what others can say about what is happening there.

In the video, you and I are on the tilt a whirl ride at Oaks Park. I held the camera facing you while we rode. I have to explain that while it seems like you were pretty edgy about being on the ride that footage is only of the first 20 seconds or so when the operator was just warming us up. It was lucky that I chose to shut off and stow the camera right when I did because the operator tripled the speed just then. We both got off the ride wobbly from all the spinning. That was the most intense ride we went on. One other one that got you a little worked up was the balloon ride which took us up pretty high and spun, but not like the tilt a whirl.

We're getting ready to visit our Massachusetts family. You are pretty fired up about the trip. We are a little worried about how two little girls will handle a cross country plane ride. I'm sure there will be a lot to tell about the trip.










Love, Aba