Fun-filled week

Well, I got a little ambitious this week and planned a different outing each day for Lauren and I. The weather here has been sweltering (between 95-over 100 degrees with humidity makes it feel around 107). So, all of the activities I planned (with the exception of one) were indoors with air-conditioning.

On Monday, we went to a mall near our house…specifically because I heard rumors that they had a carousel there. Not only did they have an old-fashioned carousel, but they also had a very cool play area, food court and some fun book and toy stores. She had so much fun riding on the carousel and waving at the people watching, as if she were a parade princess.

Tuesday took us down to South Charlotte near the school she will be attending. I discovered online a local children’s museum and thought we should go check it out. That was one of her favorite places to go back home in Oregon. And, although it was smaller than the one in Portland, it was still a lot of fun. They had different “stations” or areas of play. There was a grocery store where the kids could shop for pretend food and check-out, a castle with princess dress-up clothes and glass slippers, an art station with painting and play-dough, a stage complete with piano and drum set for performances, a pirate ship and a veterinarian office with animals and supplies. We spent over 2 hours there and she loved it. We also got to be a part of their story-time, where they read books and learned songs. We will definitely go back again!

Wednesday morning, we decided to take in a movie. The Regal Cinemas near our house has the free summer film festival, so we went to see Ice Age 2 – it was quite the special treat because she even got popcorn and Skittles!

On Thursday, we joined a mom’s-with-toddlers playgroup from our church. They had planned an outing at Jetton Park, one that we had never been to. I thought it would be a good chance to meet some of the other moms and let her make some new friends. It was the coolest park we have visited since moving here – lots of trails weaving through the forested areas, a huge playground and right by Lake Norman. Other than the heat (it got to be 104 that afternoon), we had a great time!

Friday was Ryan’s chance to take over. I had a dentist appointment that was going to take an hour and a half in the morning, so he took some time off work to hang out with Lauren so I could go. He took her to the local library, which we go to almost every week. They picked out new books to bring home, played on the kids computers and participated in story-time there.

All in all, it was a very full, but exciting week. I’m so glad that we were able to explore some of the neat places around us and try new things. I am taking advantage of these moments with her, because I’m realizing that once she begins school and then when the baby comes, we won’t have as many chances to do these things, just the two of us.