Settling In

No surprises around here...we've been busy!  I feel a little guilty at the fun MP2 and I are having while MP is studying and working, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel - just a few more weeks and this too will pass.  MPs have been having some quality time on Saturday mornings, allowing me to get out sans-Max and get errands accomplished so so so much more quickly.  I don't have photos of their excursions, but I know they are having a great time.  MP2 needs a bath every Saturday before naptime.

We started a summer Parents' Day Out program this past week.  It's at a Spanish immersion preschool at a church in our neighborhood.  Max seems to like it, and I think it's going to be good for him to have some time with classmates and teachers and away from me.  I'll be doing a little bit of work on a school board race in Nashville this summer, so the timing worked out perfectly.  

We joined an organized Mom's group in our neighborhood, and we've enjoyed going on several outings with that group.  It is nice to meet other moms of kids close in age to Max and since the group is arranged by neighborhood, everyone we meet lives pretty close by.  I look forward to getting to know other moms better as the summer goes on.

Here we are at Bicentennial Mall, where we hang out from time to time.  MP2 is still not super into playground equipment, but he is into running around like a crazy baby and into trains...there are lots of sidewalks and a train track at this great state park in the shadow of the Capitol.  It doesn't hurt that it's right next to the Farmers' Market and we've gotten to meet MP for lunch over there once already, as it's close to his office.

Here we are picking blackberries at a farm about 45 minutes outside of Nashville.  MP2 did great figuring out to only pick the dark "black-blueberries" (as he calls them) and not the red ones.  We had a great time with the Mom's group at the farm and lunch afterwards

  

 I couldn't pick blackberries fast enough - it's a wonder we made it home with any!

 Even though the train/tractor wasn't running on this weekday, the kids had fun climbing all over it.

 They even had some chickens (and other unidentified birds), goats, pigs, etc that we could look at.  Of course MP2 wanted to pet all of them!

A couple of weeks ago, our dear CoMO buds who lived across the street happened to be passing through Nashville.  It was so fun to see the boys reunited.  MP2 remembers Ethan, and now that he's talking more and more it was like he understood Ethan and his parents were here for a visit.  Ethan, Jeff, Max and I checked out the Adventure Science Center while Leslie and Matt were working on Monday - it was a lot of fun.  There was so much to see and do, that most of my photos came out like this one - in a blur of running boys.

 Following in Grandpa's footsteps perhaps???

Another Mom group activity (though we never actually ended up meeting up with the other Moms on this excursion) was to this cool exhibit at Cheekwood Botanical Gardens.  We had fun walking around the gardens and checking out the treehouses.

 And running away from me.

 This was the coolest one, at least I thought so, it was the fish from the Rainbow Fish books and was made entirely out of old CDs.  I knew there was something that could be done with all of those old things we never listen to anymore!

 Here MP2 and I are beside a "water falling down"

 My big boy!  What happened to that baby I used to have???

Last week found us at Cumberland Park to play in the spray fountains and have a picnic lunch, with Nana

...overlooking the skyline

Finally!!!  We got the swing hung up!  Thanks, papa for the help...and the internet for the knot tying tutorial!

Wrapping up with a few random things....

The float that will not be worn in the water, but must share toys, foods, drinks, etc at home.  

 I constantly find hidden treasures in between my pillows when I go to bed at night.

 It's very important to arrange the cars in very neat and orderly rows, and not one car may be moved out of place, lest a very upset MP2 be on your hands.  (Apparently, putting away the laundry is not nearly as important)

Here's MP2 with "Yellow", his paci/lovie.  He just can't quit her.  He knows that Yellow has to stay in his room - a rule we made early on.  Too bad it's backfired on us now! Pre-move we never really played in his room in favor of the playroom on the first floor.  Nowadays, he plays in his room all the time, and he will go in there specifically so he can get a Yellow fix, playing for a few minutes before coming back out to his toys in other parts of the house.  Not sure when/how we're going to be able to break this!