Week 18: Bug Hunting and Manners

Caterpillar stalker

Week 18 brought with it a special weekend visit from our other third. We packed in no less than 48 hours of family cuddle time, pizza-eating, and exploration. There seemed to be just enough time for everything, but not enough time to say goodbye again. And thus, we have what seems to be the theme of my life :)

New for Week 18 was a visit to the Overland Park Arboretum and Botanical Gardens! It was wonderful, and we highly recommend this as an activity for anyone! Singles, couples, families with small kiddos - You will all have fun here. We have explored a number of arboretums and botanical gardens across the Country, and what I loved about this place were all of the intricate, little alcove and specialty gardens within the nooks and crannies of the main, theme gardens - A lot of privacy :) They have a weekly birdwatcher's group here, too, as well as a children's garden and a train garden (in progress)! This place is picnic-friendly (in the picnic pavilion), and most of the little trails are only a mile or so long.

Henry loved the big pond and the turtles as well as bug hunting along the pathways and butterfly-chasing. He is such a good little hiker now and (most of the time) a good minder. For short outings, we don't even need the stroller anymore. He's good for at least a mile :) It is amazing how much he has grown up in the last 2 months (since the last time we went exploring with Daddy)! He was so proud to show Ted what a big boy he was. 

Other newness for Week 18:

• We've been working on manners lately (and watching where we are walking in relation to others). In particular, saying, "excuse me" when barreling through or over someone, now that Henry is not really in a stroller anymore. This week was the first time I heard him say, "scuse me". It was very cute :)

• Snow in May. Only in Kansas, people.