playdates galore

It's only 2:15pm, and we've already been to TWO playdates! I'd like to thank Melissa & Gwen and Lora & Liam...and all the other mamas & babies that were involved in wearing our little rascal out :)

No better way to start the morning than by having some play time with Mia's sweet Auntie M and her favorite cousin Gwen (ok, Gwen is her only cousin, but if there were oodles more, Gwen would still be the favorite). It was a group playdate, so mama Esther and her little Noa got to play, too. Mia thinks that Gwen has the most fabulous toys and books. Amongst her favorites is the Baby Einstein book with all the mirrors and all the toys that gave Mia the opportunity to turn into marvelous hats.
Auntie M enthusiastically played with a duck puppet...quacks and all...for the girls. Noa laughed so hard, she literally ROTFL! Melissa was also keenly aware how important hats are to Mia, and happily wore a groovy orange hat (bowl) for Mia's enjoyment. I always love sitting back, watching the little ones play and chat with other moms. It's such a welcome break from the busy life of raising a toddler.

After the Merry Melissa playdate, we dashed over to Lora & Liam's for an semi-impromptu playdate. Lora's mother is in town, and Lora wanted her to meet some of Liams pals...and their mamas :) The Gymboree bubbles were unleashed on the frenzied crowd of toddlers. Lora actually resembled the Pied Piper...with toddlers, not rats, silly! I hadn't seen Lora, Heather, Keitha, Hayley, Gabrielle and Eva in what seemed like months. I really do have a delightful circle of friends, and it's lovely when we get to see each other. Mia was so comfy. She'd get lost in playing for a while, then look up, search for me, point and say 'Mama'. Like she has dibs on me or something...which she does. The cutest thing was when Samuel and Liam both wanted the ball popper, and proceeded to squabble over it, amidst the fuss Kanai stept between them and took off with the ball popper before the boys knew what hit 'em. Priceless.