Happy Spring!

Saturday was beautiful here - 70 degrees and sunny. We had a picnic with friends at the park and after nap went back to enjoy some more fun. Its amazing how much Ally and her friends have changed since the fall. They are all so big, and now are the 3rd level of kids at the park. It was pretty neat to watch all the stuff Ally could do this year that last year she was afraid of or needed help at. The swings are still favorite, and her pumping skills are a bit rusty, but pumping a swing is like riding a bike - it will come back!

These stepping stools are a challenge. Her first time back on them she got a bit stuck

and asked for help

But the next time she figured out she could climb up the short one

And crawl

up each one to the top

She was so proud of herself - she beamed

One of the cutest things for me was that there a a little girl there - probably almost 2 and she kept watching Ally. (the way all kids watch kids bigger than them) Ally as you know loves to swing on bars, and she likes to hang from the bar above the slide before sliding down. Of course she kept doing this, and after a while the little girl did it to. She was so thrilled to accomplish a new skill and her dad was so cute clapping for her and encouraging her. Ally had no idea what happened, but she taught some one by example. I was the one beaming then.

After climbing it was some time for ball playing.

Ally is getting so big!

After the park Ally and I went to the mall - I've been craving a mall trip, and Ally is always game for a trip to the "big mall". I'm not sure if I've commented on this or not, but Ally has some purple shoes she absolutely loves. They are not the shoes in this post - but in just about every other picture of her she is wearing them. She insists on wearing them to school everyday and Becky and I basically have to beg and bribe to get her to wear anything but her purple shoes. Her feet got bigger a few months ago and we went and bought the same exact shoes in a bigger size. When we did that she saw the same shoe in "big girl size" and for a few months now she's been talking about how when she gets big she can wear the "big purple shoes". So we went and looked at them at the mall, and had Ally's feet measured - she still wears a toddler 7 so not big enough for the bigger ones - maybe in a few months. If you need kids shoes, we highly recommend Clarks for kids great shoes, and very knowledgeable sales people.