The new bike

This weekend Mia got her first bike and she is really enjoying it. The first thing she wanted to do when she got up Saturday morning was to take it for a ride in the hallways of our building. We also took it to a park for picnic in the evening.


Mia also took her new bike to the Oktoberfest at the preschool

At the Zoo

On a Sunday morning with wonderful fall weather we headed to the zoo again. One of the first stops was the kid's farm with all the animals Mia likes. But then she was a bit scared of the two cows who were kind of big and rather posed with a card board "moo moo' later.

Thee was also a great rain forest exhibit called Amazonia. In a aquarium Mia could see fish and turtles. There were also colorful frogs and many bugs. With a microscope Mia could take a closer look.
Of course she also enjoyed the elephants and other animals

Potluck

Every few weeks we meet with other parents from our building for a potluck dinner. In the summer we meet at the pool but when the pool season our get together is in the common room next to the lobby.
The common room has a big TV which can keep the children entertained when needed.

The adults were more interested in the food and the wine

Mia and Jacob were the youngest

Children's Museum Richmond

On an unusually cold and rainy weekend we escaped south to Richmond. After spending Saturday afternoon in a nature park we checked out the children's museum downtown on Sunday. It was really a fun place for Mia with lots of things to see and to play with.

She really enjoyed the little grocery store where the cash register made a "beep" sound when scanning a new item. Sometimes she had return an item to the shelf though:

There was also a little TV studio where she could read the evening news with papa.

A new colleague needed some help:

Mia also drove the ambulance:

For teh creative side of her there was a small theater for some dancing and some puppets

Preschool

For a week now Mia has been attending a preschool nearby. Her "Happy Apples" class meets three time a week for three hours and she seems to be enjoying it.

When mama picks her up she is showing her the puzzles and other toys and would even play a bit longer

Her teacher even managed to get a hug from her

Reston Zoo

After getting soaked by tropical storm Lee for three days we had a sunny and warm weekend. On one trip we checked out a small private zoo in Reston a 30 minute drive away.
It started with a little safari where Mia could see a zebra, a Llama and may other animals from close up:

She had to check out the rhinoceros as well

There was also a small lake with a paddle boat ride

After the ride Mia was busy feeding the ducks


And since it was quite hot a Popsicle was part of the program as well

Boston

We all had fun on our three day trip to Boston. Mia not only checked out many new playgrounds - like this one just behind the hotel - but also got to see a lot of new things.

Chinatown with its restaurants and bakeries was only two blocks from the hotel and Boston commons, a great old park, only a ten minute walk away. Here Mia could study the art work at the frog pond.
We also went on a ride with the swan boat and Mia could feed some ducks after wards.

It was also a good place for a little race with mama:

The walkway on the Charles river needed some clean up:

We also checked out some historic sites like the USS Constitution


Mia didn't like the sailor's hat from the souvenir shop:

After all the sight seeing it was time for a pizza in the North End. We had to wait in line for 15 minutes first..

..and also wait a bit inside but it as worth it.

After wards we sampled some cookies from a Italian bakery in the park where the elevated freeway used to be
In the evening we all relaxed in out hotel suite

The next day we were off to Harvard. After a snack on Harvard square and a tour of the college we also spend time on a nice playground