Labor Day weekend

We decided to take advantage of the long weekend by heading to Philadelphia, a city it seemed we had to visit as long as we lived 3 hours away. We headed there on Saturday morning and went straight to the center of the city to visit the Liberty Bell. In the visitor center A got to write her name with an old quill and ink on a piece of paper cut to be laminated and used as a book mark. She did really well!

On our way to the building where the bell is housed, we walked through the Presidents House. A was more interested than I expected in what it was and why the left just the foundation for us to see.

While David and Z waited in line to enter the bell building, A and I headed over to see a statue nearby. It was in front Independence Hall, which would have been great to visit, but it wasn't going to work out this trip. An important building and as you can see they are doing some restoration work.

A was really intrigued by the crack in the bell. Why is it cracked? Why didn't they fix it and what was the bell for? Can we ring the bell? Can we touch it? You get the idea. It was very interesting to read again what actually happened and, also, about how much of a symbol the bell was and still is for so many.

We walked around a bit after this and ended up at a portrait museum where we saw painting like this of many people influential in the beginnings of the United States. Each painting had a paragraph about who the person was and their major influences. A LOT of portraits, but still very much worth the visit to see some of the stand out names and learn a little more about them.

I loved the old brick, cobblestone and iron of the old city.

In a courtyard near the museum we saw this statue called The Signer and you can see the girls were getting very tired.

It was time to eat and we didn't want to grab something we could get any where so we looked up a locally supplied restaurant near by, picked one, and walked on over. It was delicious and if you are ever in Philly looking for a place to eat we would recommend it! After a lot of driving and walking it was a nice night to sit outside and soak up the sounds of the city enjoying some great food.

We headed back to the van and went to the hotel. We made sure to book a room with a door between the bedroom and everything else. The girls went to bed and David and I still got to hang out and enjoy some locally produced wine we picked up before heading to bed.

The next day we had a relaxed morning before heading the Please Touch Museum, the Philadelphia Children's Museum. It was in an amazing and large old building and there was a ton to do there! A played hard the whole time! Here are a few highlights:

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The hamster wheel - it was hard work to get it moving!

This is the one from the movie "Big"

Z enjoying the baby grand :) I have a great video of this, she was really into it!

We did go find a place to eat before heading out of town - The Blind Goat. It was very good and we had something called Thanksgiving Balls. Turkey and stuffing surrounded by mashed potatoes and fried, served with gravy and cranberry sauce for dipping. Oh my. All the food was delicious. I don't have any photos because it had to be one of the most chaotic visits to a restaurant we have had since children and I just didn't get any. Also, some stragglers from a naked bike ride earlier in the day rode by. You heard me. A didn't see, thank goodness, and most were only close to naked.

Then on the way home we spent the second half driving through an amazing light show of the thunderstorm and torrential downpour, but we made it just fine. It had to be memorable!

We had a great trip and we definitely want to go back soon, 3 hours isn't such a bad drive.

And another thing

Could you leave me a quick comment, just a "HI!" will do, if you see the blog updates? I am just wondering if anyone is still checking this thing. Thanks :)

A most recent first

Z's first have been coming through like a freight train, as in fast. It is so fun to see this sweet, smiley, interactive little girl who lights up at the sight or sound of her big sister. I love it. But I am mourning the quick movement to all those things that make her no longer a newborn. I feel like I was really able to soak up the sweet newborn stage with Z in a way I thought would not happen. Much thanks to my parents and my mother in law for that, I am sure. All together 3 weeks of grandparents in the house after we became a family of 4.

Most recently Z started solid foods, slightly earlier and in a different manner than A. We dove right in at about 5 1/2 months (June 10) with homemade carrots and she took to it amazingly well! Polished off over half of a cube (the size of an ice cube from a tray) on the first sitting and was happy to have it! As she cuts her two bottom front teeth, as well. A captured it for us so forgive the foreground objects in the photo :)

And another of the cuteness in the high chair. I have no idea why she looked so adorable to me sitting up in the high chair!

It's something!

I truly feel a deep, aching sadness at times when I think of how long it has been since I added anything to this blog. That might seem a little overly dramatic or emotional for a blog post, but it's true. As I look back I have so many posts as we were expecting A and we have none of Z. So many posts in the first months of A's life and none of Z. So what? This is really the only place I was documenting anything at that time and now there has been nothing for Z. So this has to change. And I am going to try not to get hung up on the blog not looking the way I want or not being perfectly formatted or the posts not being just right.

I want to share and document Z as I did A. I want to share the sweetness of the sister relationship developing. I want my family to be able to see these wonderful girls over the miles.

Z will be 6 months old soon - it's about time!