Park and Lunch!

We have been LOVING the warmer weather that has finally been visiting Chicago. Was it just me or did this winter just seem to go on forever? Well, now every time a warm sunny day comes along, AJ and I do our best to get out to a park! There is one not too far away that used to seem a lot closer before I had a 30 lb belly, but it is still a favorite. On the particular day that these pictures were taken, I actually drove (gasp!) there, because both my Dr. and Andy had been on me about slowing down and "taking it easy". My friend Erin and her kids Violet and Jack met us there that day and though they are not in any of the pictures, we all had a good time together.

Lately AJ's new ting is wanting to play on the big-kid swings. He likes to swing on them on his belly, which we call belly-flopping,
and sometimes he also like to sit on them like a big kid and swing nice and slow. I know the day will come too soon that he's swinging high up in the air and jumping off like Superman...hopefully not breaking any arms (!), but I try to encourage his growing independence on the playground.


Here is a little video of AJ doing some little belly-flops while trying to still drink from his water bottle. I thought it was kind of funny, but I guess his balance was pretty good!

This particular park has a big sandbox that draws AJ like a plate of cookies. And he likes to share the toys in the sandbox about as much as he'd like to hand over a cookie too.  I look at it as a good opportunity for learning to share, but sometimes it can be tiring. Anyway, AJ is making big strides in playground etiquette, adding phrases like, "May I have that please?" and "Can I have a turn?" to his repertoire. The kids he asks usually say, "NO!" and then there are tears or other similar issues, but at least it's a start. When the tables are turned and another kid asks for what he's playing with, he usually says "NO!" just as loudly though, so don't think the manners are by any means perfect yet! Like I said, opportunities to learn, right? LOL

After playing at the park for a while, I was actually feeling HOT! Erin and I decided it was a good time for lunch, so we walked around the corner to one of my fav local spots, Doc's Juice and Smoothies. They recently reopened in a new storefront and it's a big improvement! The new space is big and open and bright, and now in addition to the smoothies and soups, they have panini and wraps. This makes it a perfect place to go before or after the park to get a snack or have lunch. We had lunch on this day and here is AJ loving his grilled cheese and smoothie.

The other day we went to Doc's again just for a smoothie (and this time I walked, feeling the need to get some exercise!! Sorry Andy). AJ has always noticed other people drinking the green smoothies, and this time he said that was what he wanted. So, I figured "why not?" and got him a small one. He took one big sip and stated, "AJ like green smoothie!". Andy was not coming home until late that night, so I figured the spinach and kale in the smoothie could count toward dinner...dinner then consisted of watching Curious George together on the couch with a bowl of crackers and cut cheese. (fruits + veggies + whole grains + dairy = good job on dinner, AJ! Now time for a bath and off to bed!)