On Juggling, Splashing, and Dora's Eyeballs

7/21/10 - Our first non-concerty Concert in the Park. I wasn't sure whether Z would be interested in the juggler (Roberto the Magnificent) since she had sat blankly through all the music concerts for kids we'd gone to so far, rousing only to order ME to stop dancing/singing/groovin'. Well. No worries. She LOVED it! She reacted, clapped, even got up and danced whenever he turned on music to go with his act.

I already posted our fun lunch in The Times Between, and after we ate, we went on the little seasonal carousel that is set up each summer as a fundraiser. We rode it THREE TIMES. Little Z insisted upon riding the exact same horse each time. Between our rides, we bought a bracelet that Z just HAD to have from the little table of crafts some Girl Scouts had made to add to the fundraiser. As we were leaving, she saw some 'Abby' wands and started fussing that she wanted one, but I had already spent more than I had wanted to on the rides and bracelets. I tried telling her we could make a wand when we got home. I have ribbon, glitter, glue and gems, and we could use paper and a straw for the rest! (Sandwich the straw between 2 star-shaped pieces of paper or foam with glue on them. Voila!) Apparently though, she was so darn cute, the Girl Scout who had made them chased after us to give Z one anyway.

After the carousel, we splashed at the spray park area. Z kept wanting to take her wand in with her, but it was just a painted dowel and foam star with glitter, ribbons and gems glued on, and I knew it wouldn't hold up. Sure enough, most of the gems had fallen off by the time we got to the car, and I had made sure she left it with the stroller whenever she went to the water!

This was our first outing in her new I-Play swimsuit. I got blue, rather than pink, in case I have a boy next time, to increase the reusability, since this suit cost more than I'd normally spend on clothing. But I wanted the sun-protection, and all the suits I find in my price range with UPF are stupid bikinis, or sleeveless tops with bikini bottoms. So really only her chest and back are protected. (I not only object to the all-but-nonexistent sun coverage of kiddie bikinis, but also the look of a chubby-bellied toddler, or even a little tweenie-bopper in an adult-styled suit.) While the boys all get nice sleeves and shorts! So I got a 2T, in the hopes that she could wear it again next summer. She likes the turtle design on it, I like that I only have to sunscreen half of her arms and legs (plus some face and neck, since the hat often comes off.) So what? She looks like a boy. I'll live. (The UPF hat was a super deal at Target on clearance. It was only $1.50! Only the blue color available though.) At least her swim shoes are purple!

The ice cream truck exploited the captive Concert in the Park audience and parked by the spray area, playing his dastardly music. I had no choice but to give in, once my MOMS friend let HER kids get some! Little Z chose a Dora popsicle. I particularly enjoyed the imagery of Z plucking Dora's (gumball) eye out! Omnomnom!