Papillon.

Brigantine.

The way to the beach...Last beach day w/ Yaya, who leaves next week for the left coast!

Priceless.

Carnival.

One of the local fire departments in the neighborhood had a little carnival fundraiser. It was just perfect for Booboo. She was delighted by the bumper cars, with her penchant for bumping w/ her wagon at home, and a bit bummed she's too small still to go., but had fun watching. We took her up on the ferris wheel--very exiting, a bit anxiety provoking, I think she had more fun after the fact, talking about it!

Right before the funnel cake and lemonade pick-me-up.

You can't tell, but we're on the ferris wheel, here! Booboo holding on for dear life!

Choo choo!

A is for Art Museum

One of our last outings w/ Yaya was a trip to the Philadelphia Museum of Art. It is a world-class museum, with many wonderful pieces and artists represented. Booboo has an alphabet book that is from there, so we went through the book and figured out where all the pictures were. (Yaya's idea.) It was fun playing detective and finding all the pictures from the book once we got to the museum. (I highly recommend this as a tactic for visiting big museums w/ toddlers. There's a great ABC book for the Met in NYC, too.)

This is called (I think) Afternoon at Barney's, for obvious reasons.

Detail of the same. I just loved the graceful flow, color, and energy of this painting.

"The true artist helps the world by revealing mystic truths."

D is for Dancer. (And the contemporary teens imitating for a photo op.)

M is for Musicians. (Picasso's, of course.)

T is for Teahouse.

X is for X!

Not in the book, but I'm a sucker for asian goddess/god statues.

Cooling off later at the fountain just below the museum, along the riverside.

A Baby Shower for J.

This is my friend, J. We got to be friends through work. She has the preggo glow, no? She is also a fierce dancer, and we have had some great conversations about the choices, fantasies, and realities we've made for ourselves as trained performing artists. I would be lying if I said that it's not a bittersweet tale, sometimes. But at the end of the day, the kisses from my beautiful girl make it all ok.

The AiPH contingent was well represented at the shower.

Good grub, lovely people, a great greeting to the babe to be. and good thing, too, because she came early, not long after her shower!