Month: July 2007

We went to the annual hot air balloon festival where Austen enjoyed watching all the shapely balloons filling up and taking off.

Video of various balloons getting ready for take off.

It was very muddy conditions because of the earlier rain and really hot but we still managed to have a good time. There were rides, games, jumpy castles and pony rides. Austen enjoyed many of them but didn’t like the pony ride too much today.

Austen also found a friend to run around and play with.

They also hugged for a long time.

Look at all those balloons!

Peanut balloon:

Birthday cake balloon:

Bumble Bee ballons:

Doggie balloon:

At the end of the day, Austen enjoyed some ice cream!

Austen had a blast at her friend Riley’s 2nd birthday party. She dressed up as a punk rock girl, even though she had her sparkly red shoes on. She played with her friends and got to make her own little cupcake, which she then enjoyed eating.

Mama was a bit anxious. We filled the Acura with three toddler seats, three toddlers, three moms and two strollers. But the ride went fine, all the kids enjoying the Baby Einstein DVD.

Wow, Austen rode all the rides, including the swing ride and the super-fast alpine ride. She smiled and was agreeable to being pushed in her stroller and she even shared her snack crackers and craisens with the other kids.

Boat video:

Plane video:

Swing video:

Train video:

Austen invited several of her friends over for a summer party. All the toddlers enjoyed playing with the water toys and some went into the pool (although the water was a little chilly).

Austen ate some BBQ chicken wings with Dada and tested out the water table toy before anyone else arrived.

Puzzles are fun when playing alone but they’re even more fun with a group.

Splash fest with Dean.

Singing the alphabet song.

Singing the itsy bitsy spider song.

The parents also played some games. It was the Mamas vs. the Dadas. The all-Mama team, composed of Lucinda, Daljit and Kelly won.

Austen and Mama enjoy going to the local Metuchen pool. It’s a fun activity and they can stay cool splashing in the water. Sometimes, Austen’s friends join in on the fun. Austen splashes in the kiddie pool, plays with other kids’ toys, hangs out in the playhouses and sometimes eats some food.

Playing with Aaron, while showing off their shades to each other.

When she happens to come upon older boys, she sometimes follows them around and tries to befriend them. If they’re not too much older, they usually enjoy her company. Here, Austen and some older boy stolled around the kiddie pool holding hands and then ran off chasing squirels and playing by the covered fence.

I had the best day at the pool today. Perfect weather: not too hot or too cold. Us kids ran around (in and out of the water), played, kissed, held hands, and shared our snacks. “Please” and “Thank you” were heard numerous times, as well as my playmates names, to whom I love saying “Hi!” and “Buh Bye!”

Thanks to Dean, baby Theo, Aaron, Nicolas and Catherine for playing with me.

At around six, Dada showed up and played with Aaron and me for a while until Mama, Dada and I headed over to dinner at Cafe Paris. There I enjoyed the bread and chocolate milk while Mama and Dada ate fish and buckwheat gallette.

Love,
Austen

After being told “I love you” everyday by Mama and Dada, today Austen said “I wuv you” back to both Mama and Dada.

Austen can now sing the entire ABC songs, getting all the letters right.

Austen had fun playing with her friends at Ryan’s backyard pool party. Austen splashed the water, played with the sand and ran around, although she didn’t actually go into the pool, even though it was such a hot day.