Some stuff we've done

I always think I'll update more during the summer but then I don't because I'm busy doing stuff. I take pictures of the stuff, of course, when I can, but then I don't have the energy to post them at the end of the day. So... a long past-due update on going-on Chez YarnHacker.

Dessa and I have been going to weekly swim lessons. No pictures of that, since I'm in the pool with her during the lessons and 1) my camera is not waterproof and 2) Dessa is generally trying to drown me in her excitement. She's progressing nicely, though, and seems to gain a new skill each week. She can climb out of the side of the pool by herself now, hold her breath for 3 seconds underwater, and jump into the pool and "swim" a couple of feet to me. We need to work on not laughing when we go underwater (or at least Dessa needs to work on this) as I think she has swallowed half the pool by now. But she likes it.

We also took advantage of the city summer sessions and did a morning Mommy and Me playschool thing for 4 weeks. Dessa liked that a lot too, though 3 hours was a long time for everyone. She did a lot of fun activities and got to play with a lot of other kids, so it was a good experience. Just like every kid, she loved playground time, and made some good progress on her climbing skills.

We've been to the park a number of times on our own, too. She's getting more and more adventurous on the slides.

In keeping with the physical education theme, we're trying to teach her how to ride her trike, though it's not progressing too well. She's figured out the best way to get around, you see. Being pushed.


When she's left to her own devices, she just sort of sits there...


Dessa and Auntie Nancy and I took in the Alameda County Fair a few weeks ago, taking advantage of $2 Tuesday. It's the first time I'd been to the fair in years and Dessa's first visit. It's definitely not going to be the last, as she loved it. She happily sat and took in all the sights, from the waterfall set up in the gardening exhibit to the animal competitions. Here she is up close and personal with a pig.


Checking out the aviary section of the fair:


There was a section of the fairgrounds set up by the 4H with all kinds of activities for little kids. Dessa enjoyed the cow milking exhibit:


We also have a membership to the Oakland Zoo this year and have gone up there several times. Last week was the first time that Dave joined us and Dessa had a ball with Daddy. As usual, her favorite place is the petting zoo. One of the volunteers sat with her and taught her just how to brush the goats:


There's a great area for climbing and this year she's just adventurous enough to get a kick out of it all:


As part of our membership we have a book of ride tickets so we headed towards the merry-go-round. Dess is very cautious about rides and prefers the bench to the animals on the merry-go-round so we were surprised when she asked to go on the kiddie car ride. We told her she had to go alone and that she couldn't stand up during the ride if she didn't like it. She insisted so we gave it a go.

She loved it.


Taking a fast turn:


I put together a little montage of her at the zoo:


All in all a fantastic time at the zoo!

Posted by GoddessKristin on 07/30/09 at 01:36 PM [link] [No Comments - Be the first!]