Lazy summer days at the gardens

Now that summer has arrived we've been spending lots of time at the Public Gardens. It's the perfect lazy place to hang out. Lots of ducks, swans, pigeons, a goose... Olan really isn't picky as long as they move around and eat the rice puffs we throw their way. It hadn't occurred to me that he would find a pigeon every bit as thrilling as a swan, doesn't he know that they're just "common"? He loves to roll around on the grass and sneakily try to jam as much of it in his mouth as he can before I catch him. He's started pulling himself up on me, chairs, anything taller than him really. We had a friend over yesterday morning who has a 18 month old and a 3ish year old and it was hilarious to watch Olan study the 18 month old... it looked like he was trying so hard to decipher how she managed to control her body when he was having such a hard time! We all headed to the Gardens at the end of their visit and since my friend needed to move her car I offered to start walking to the gardens with the kids and she could park and then catch up. She has one of those crazy chariot double running stroller things and I had Olan in the Beco (carrier). So off I went pushing her two with Olan on my chest. Oh the looks I got! This one woman actually approached me and said "Oh my, haven't you got your hands full!"... I was so tempted to just go along with it and my mom thinks that I should have rolled my eyes and said "I know, my husband just won't leave me alone!" but I admitted that the two in the stroller weren't mine at which point she exlaimed "Oh good!". Too funny.

After our morning fun we quickly changed into cooler clothes and headed out for Olan's first Alfresco dining experience with my mom. He had a grand old time since their high chairs were little portable ones that strapped onto real chairs so that he could be pulled right up to the table like a big person. I fed him little melon bites from my salad... spinach salad with crispy pancetta, melon and goat cheese. Soooo yummy. Mom's curried chicken penne was also incredible. It was just so lovely to finally have hot summer weather. We could have spent the rest of the day on the patio I think.

When we got home, tired little melon belly crashed out for a bit, and I caught up with Alyson and got all excited about our upcoming trip. Then we went out and met Adam after work, did a little grocery shop and watched a movie with dinner, Blood Diamond. It's another beautiful day here, so I imagine we'll be heading out after Olan's morning nap and then yoga this afternoon.

Here are some pictures from the last couple of days and a link to Alyson's blog, which I keep meaning to post!

Olan and Adam, hanging out on the grass

Olan perfecting the "scrunchy face"

The many face of rice puff eating, or as Gran calls them, maggots!

Airplane rides with Aunty Mer

Airplane Rider

Playing celebrity with Aunty Mer

Alfresco Olan