…it is so easy to be a Mom to these two girls. I think God realizes that you have to have some really, really, good days sprinkled in with the bad ones, otherwise nobody would ever have more than one child!

But we have had a really lovely – very busy – but lovely week. Pretty much a 180 from last week. Although J. did come home one night this week and asked if our courtyard was part of a crime scene.

I was tempted to make so many wise-cracks, but it kind of makes me hyperventilate to think of anything related to that – so I will not go there. Em just wanted to make “snow angels” in the courtyard – don’t argue with the logic of an (almost!) five-year old. So she drew Addie, and I helped Addie draw her. Can you tell which is which?

We took our friends Michelle and Emma Louise to the zoo. It is always a treat to meander through the zoo and take in all of the sights and sounds of the animals. And it was perfect timing, not crowded at all, and the girls were able to run around and check out what they wanted to see. They found this koala bear asleep in the tree…

…checked out the new Gorilla Reserve (so very cool!)…

…and Addie had her own little animal encounter.

This meerkat was fascinated with Addie! He was right in front of us and every time she would say something or move, he would just stare at her.

She was delighted, of course. He looks a little like a real kitty, so he was “ok” in her book.

And then, there is a park that is about halfway between Em’s school and our house and we have been anxiously awaiting its’ unveiling. They have totally redone the playground and every time we go past it, one of the girls will pipe up with a “Hey, Mama – it looks like the park is almost done!”

So yesterday, after we dropped Em at school, we were driving past it and Addie says the line on cue. And I realized that there were kids on the playground. So she and I did a little “test drive” of all of the new playground equipment.

Addie thought it was cool that she got to go to the park first, but when I suggested we go pick up Em from school and tell her we have a surprise for her and bring her back, she was over the moon with that idea! She could hardly contain herself as we waited for 4 o’clock.

She marched into Emma’s class and gleefully told Emma, “We have a surprise, and I’m not telling you! Come on we have to go!”

So we went to the park. Again. But, man, it is a totally fun park! Very different and fun toys to play with and on. The girls had a blast and Addie told me, “I love this park, Mama. It is my favorite!” Of course, she says that about a lot of parks, but I think it might be Mama’s favorite.

Em was climbing all over the jungle gym thing-y, and was pretty high up, too. I’m still not used to her being so agile, courageous, and able to get so high up, so quickly. Did I mention that she looked like she was so high up? I told her to be careful and she said,

E: “You want to see how I got up here, Mama?”
M: “Sure. How?”
E: “I just put my leg here and then did this…”
(And she hiked her leg up and scrambled up to the top.)
E: “Hey, I think I got the hang of it, Mama! (Then she laughs as if she has just told the funniest joke!) Hang of it! Like I’m hanging! Do you get it, Mom?”

I got it. Funny monkey.