Josie Dong Dong and Mommy:Last Week of Fun

Hi Everyone,

Last week was my last week before returning to work part time and it was packed full of fun times for Mommy and Josie Dong Dong.

We had our weekly swim class and actually, these pictures are from the week before when UhEL was able to go with us and take some shots. As you can see, Josie really does love the water.

"Get ready Mommy! Here I come!"

"I like playing the swimming Choo-choo train!"

"Look at all those balls!"

"I'm going to catch one!"

Our week was packed with more fun than usual and the extra activity threw Josie off of her usual nap routine. She sometimes gets too wired to take a proper nap in the afternoon and we never know which personality we will end up with.

On this particular day, we ended up with several Josie Dong Dong personalities all in a very short period of time before she finally did crash. The first picture below shows Josie in what we call her "angry eagle bird" face.

"Are YOU talking to ME?"

"I love you! I do! I really LOVE ALL of YOU!"


"Why are these cushions on the couch!
I DON'T WANT THEM ON THE COUCH!"
"Yea, that's right. These cushions belong down here."
"Do you wanna make something of it?"


"Oh, this is soooo much fun! I just LOVE EVERYTHING!"

Later in the week we met some of my friends from Graduate school at a beach in Newport RI. It was great to see everyone and the kids (and adults) all had an awesome time.

Here is the whole crew including Jonathan, Andrada's husband, who spent some time surfing at the other end of the beach.

"Mommy look! I have a special beach purse!"
"Isn't it FAB?!"

"I think Ela has her eye on my beach purse. I better go this way."

"What ARE our Mommy's doing over there?"

"Why do they keep laughing at us?"

Josie Dong Dong and Ela strolling the beach-- Josie still has her beach purse in hand.

Next Josie decided she would try to venture out a little further into the surf by following mommy's friends, Kathryn and Giselle.

"Enough of the beach purse. It is time to work on my body surfing skills."

Around noon everyone had enough of the sun and we all headed to the beach pavilion for some rides on the carousel and some yummy lunch.

Josie Dong Dong had her first ride on the carousel and was very interested in the mechanism that made her and her horse go up and down.

After lunch, Andrada's daughter Ela, and Kathryn's son, Max asked to go on a water slide that was set-up near the pavilion. This turned into a bit of an event because Ela, who is nearly 3, wanted to go, but was scared to go alone and wanted her dad to go with her. Jonathan went with her a couple times, but then he got scared because the wall would cave in a little bit as he ascended to the top of the wave. The slide is mostly for kids-- NOT Daddies!

Max looked a true Ultra Man sliding down the big slide and . . .

Ela was flying through the air on her turn down.

Wim had a special party to go to for the wife of friend on Friday, so Josie Dong Dong and I enjoyed a special "Mommy and Josie Dong Dong" night. Since this was my last Friday-night before returning to work, I made it count.

"ACK! It's another one of those Monster bugs and it is ON MY HIGHCHAIR!"

The final product for Mommy's 'Last Supper' was quite the delectable sight.

Josie Dong Dong is working on using her fork and spoon-- ALL BY HERSELF! Depending on what we are eating, she gets to try it out.

"MMmmmmm, This is yummy!"

"Mommy why are we having such a fancy dinner?"

"You are going back to work?"

"Mommy work?"

"What the heck is that?"
"I don't like the sound of it!"