Question: When do you get a 100-acre theme park practically all to yourself? Answer: When the weather forecast calls for 56 degrees and rain – but you go anyway.

Yesterday the four of us chanced it by going to Great America, open this week for Spring Break. We totally lucked out: Not only did it not rain, but the weather was perfectly pleasant and the lines (since so few people were there) non-existent. We’re now spoiled for next time!

-M

When playing “house” with Avery or her friends, Zoe loves to play the mommy – and I think of her as a bit of a Mother Hen in real life, too. She’s often looking after Avery and sometimes providing us with related tips and/or scoldings. Tonight, for example, Zoe became concerned when I went to wake Avery from a very late nap. “Let her sleep, there’s no reason to wake her!” she told me as she eyed her peaceful-looking sister in bed. I explained that while I hated to wake Avery, too, she needed to eat dinner before going to bed – but Zoe remained skeptical. And when Avery emerged from her bed groggy and unhappy a few minutes later, Zoe told me in her little-mommy tone, “Let her be. She just needs a few minutes.”

-M

On Sunday, the four of us went to the Union Street Spring Celebration, where the girls enjoyed rides, crafts and face-painting. And the timing was perfect, weather-wise: Though rain is in the forecast this whole week, it was in the mid-60s and sunny then!

-M

It’s the girls’ spring break, and I’m spending (most of) the week with them. I worked today, though, and I had to smile when Zoe called my office around 3:30 wondering where I was. “Get packed up – right now!” she told me, saying she wanted me to come home. I told her I would be there soon, to which she replied, “No, you won’t – it takes a long time to get home from Stanford.” I’ll go fast, I told her, and that seemed to please her. “Go as fast as you can,” she said. “Come home by the speed bump and speed home…”

-M

We’re usually with family for Passover, but this year was a bit different. We spent the first night with our friends the Newmans (where, among other activities, Avery kept little Olivia entertained), and last night we prepared our own seder. Q and Zoe spent most of the day getting groceries, cooking and making a Star Wars-themed Hagaddah (my contributions were a squash souffle and set-up), and their work was well worth it. Not only was it was a fun night, but we discovered that Q makes an amazing caramel flan. I feel a dessert tradition coming on!

-M

“Can I read you a book?”

All smiles for the seder:

All smiles for Star Wars:

Avery and I had an appointment yesterday morning, and afterwards I took her to a nearby cafe for a little snack. As she sat across me, happily munching on her lemon poppyseed muffin, it occurred to me that this might have been the first time the two of us had gone to a restaurant (not counting our neighborhood faves Starbucks and Noah’s Bagels) and sat together. She was well-behaved and posed no threat of tantruming/running away (something I’m not sure I could have said even a few months ago), and – as if she somehow knew this – she looked up at me and said out of the blue, “Mama, I’m a big girl!” She then proceeded to cross her legs like mine and flash me a big smile.

Yet another example of how wonderful the no-longer-a-baby phase can be!

-M

I was trying to get an enviromental shot of Zoe for the school yearbook the other day when her sister – not one to miss a photo op – raced over and gave Zoe a big squeeze and me a big smile. The subsequent photos won’t make the yearbook, but I’m happy to have them!

-M

While looking for a snack in our cupboard one afternoon, Zoe asked of its circular feature, “Why do they call it a Lazy Susan? That’s a funny name.” And then, obviously thinking of two people who are close to us: “Why is it named after your friend? And wouldn’t it be funny if it were called Lazy Polly?”

Couldn’t help but laugh at that one.

-M

It’s not always easy to be spontaneous when you have kids, but the other morning – after findings ourselves with nothing to do between swim class and Avery’s nap – we were just that. We took a left instead of a right on our drive home and found ourself smack in the middle of Golden Gate Park, where we ran around a field of flowers, visited the Conservatory of Flowers and even came across a herd of bison. (Bison living in the middle of San Francisco? I’ve lived here for 12 years and had no idea!) It was a fun few hours and a reminder that despite the importance of planning and routine (especially for younger kids), there’s always room for the unscripted.

-M

At lunch yesterday, Avery looked up at me and said out of the blue, “Are you the man, Mommy?” After confirming what she had just said and breaking into laughter I wondered who had taught her that. (It’s not something Q or I say.) And then, remembering where we had gone that morning, I figured it out. Apparently Avery is learning much more than strokes during swim class!

-M

Sunday mornings mean swim classes for us; though I wouldn’t mind being able to lounge in bed versus rush to get to the girls’ (very early) class, our trips across town have been quite worth it. Zoe and Avery love their time there – and Q and I can’t help but marvel over how much improvement Zoe has made in just a few short weeks. Today for the first time she was able to swim, with arm action, from one side of the pool to the other on her own. And it occurred to me that I better post this video (from two swim classes ago) soon, before it becomes old news!

-M