The Children's Discovery Museum

Last Thursday I decided to take Mina to the Children's Discovery Museum. Well I had actually told her we would go see The Princess & the Frog not realizing it didn't come out until 12/11. Opps! We had the best time there! We got there right as they were opening. The first thing we did, after using the potty of course, was check out the Wells Fargo stage coach.
Mina thought it was a blast to play peek-a-boo in. She spent almost 10 minutes climbing around in it and peeking out the windows at me. But eventually she noticed the intersection behind me and wanted to go push the cross walk button. So we headed deeper into the museum and discovered the Secrets of the Circle exhibit. They had a really cool Vietnamese round boat, that Mina had a great time climbing in, and a bucket on a pulley that Mina thought was the neatest thing she'd seen so far. She put some plastic food in the bucket, hoisted it up to the top of the rope then pulled it back down. She probably did it 6 or 7 times before I made her give the kids waiting a turn. She was totally entranced with the human skeleton. I tried to explain that that's what her bones look like inside her. I'm not sure that she got it. But she dutifully repeated femur, skull, fibula, radius, ulna and ribs. Then I tickled her ribs which made her giggle.

I think her favorite part of the museum was the water area. We spent over a half of an hour putting balls into pipes the shot them into a whirlpool, and into another pipe that stacked them up on top of a geyser. The geyser erupting.

After a quick bathroom break and snack. Mina got her face painted. She asked me to do a fish.
She thought it was "Aww. So cute."

This thing was right next to the bathrooms. It a giant sphere of mirrors. Mina was really cute. She said,"Look mommy! It's Mina! Mina again! Anudder Mina. Lots a Minas!"

We checked out the firetruck and Mina got to dress up like a fire fighter.

And "use" a hose.

Then since there were lots of bigger kids we headed up stairs to the 4 & under area. Mina climbed though a tunnel, rode a dragon, played house, dressed up as a snunk and hid in a giant tree, played with sand, made some stamp art, painted, found another mirror thing, watched the little carousel and just ran around like a crazy little girl.

Sneaky skunk Mina

After a quick lunch. Mina wanted to go back to the water area and then we went down to the bubble place.

The simulated rain

Watching it rain

On our way out Mina checked out the ambulance and played in the stage coach one more time
Caetlin had a good time too. She hung out in the Moby and slept most of the time. Mina did not want to leave even though she was super tired and rubbing her eyes. So I promised her we could stop in the gift shop on our way out. And of course she wanted everything in there.

Not wanting to leave the CDM

On the way home

After a much needed nap Mina excitedly told Daddy all about the fun stuff she did and asked if Daddy would come with us next time. Aww. So we are planning another trip after Christmas so Daddy can go too.

Playground and cookie fun

This morning we all got up really early. Like at 6:30am early. Normally we don't get out of bed until 8am. But Caetlin woke up to eat and I still needed to pump afterward and the pump woke her up again. Then Mina got up and decided it was playtime and she wanted a movie on. Blah.
We made the best of it though. We did some yoga stretches and had breakfast. Maria bought a ton of strawberries yesterday and shared with us. So we had fresh strawberries, hot tea and cereal for me and peanut butter bread for Mina. Then we picked up the living room and Mina watched Little Einsteins Race for Space while I went through some clothes our neighbor gave us for Caetlin. Then we took a shower and headed out to the playground. Caetlin decided it was a much better idea to nap in the stroller than play tag with Mina and me.Mina was really funny. We played hide and seek. So I'd count and then look for her. I'd say,"Is Mina under the slide?" And she yell back,"No!" It was hilarious. I'm not sure she understands how to play. So we ran around and swung for a while but it was pretty cold we had to go back for sweatshirts, hats and gloves. Even all bundled up it was chilly.So we came back inside to have a snack and some hot tea. Then Mina started watching The Little Mermaid. And I figured it was a good time to make some cookies. I've had this craving for rocky road cookies for a few days now. Of course Mina had to come and see what I was doing and she declared she wanted ginger cookies. So we made ginger cookies instead of rocky road. But next time I'm getting my way. Mina was a wonderful helper. She helped measure the brown sugar, counted the scoops of flour, added the cinnamon, ginger and cloves all by herself. And then she helped mix it all up. And the best part was watching her little face light up. She was so proud of herself. And the cookies turned out really yummy. I had to eat some because they wouldn't all fit in the container. Darn.

Both the girls took a good nap. Of course Caetlin has been asleep all day. I swear she's going to be an inch taller tomorrow. We are waiting for Tim to get home now. He should be here any minute and then we have to figure out if we are heading to Gilroy or staying home tonight.Isn't she so cute in her little hat and gloves? She should be in a catalog. I'd buy anything she was wearing.

She likes to swing higher than the trees
The slide was wet at the bottom so she was walking over the wet spot
Mina loves to climb the "monkey ladder"

November

Mina loves Caetlin

Arts and crafts reindeer bell

Big beautiful smile

Niners fans

So not much has been going on this month. Caet is growing fast and smiling a lot. Mina is discovering she can be very independent or very clingy and needy. It depends on the day. Mina and I have been doing lots of fun arts and crafts lately. She also loves baking with me. She usually takes a 10 minute recipe and turns it into a 30 minute recipe. Mostly cause I spend an extra 15 minutes cleaning up her huge mess but we have lots of fun anyways.

Halloween

So I'm finally updating. Time just runs away from me sometimes.

We had a fantastic Halloween. It was Paige's b-day so we went to her party. Mina and Paige had such a good time running around together. Becky and Elise planned a bunch of Halloween inspired games like, the mummy wrap and pumpkin decorating. They also had a three legged race. Mina and Tim raced together. Tim is such a cheater he was carrying Mina, which I suppose is better than dragging her. Elise made the fancy birthday cake I'd ever seen. It was a pink princess castle. Very neat. Mina was enamored with it. After Paige's party we went to Greg and Maria's so Mina could take a nap. While the girls were sleeping we played Scrabble. Then we went trick-or-treating around my aunt's neighborhood.Getting into trouble together

Mummy Mina
Sneaking cake
Polar Bear CaetlinMy little Mina Mouse