Part III

While we were waiting for our food at the highly recommended Shake Shack, Simone said, "Mom, wook! You gotta' get a picture of 'dis!" Keep in mind, all of this happened before our root beer came.

All Simone wants out of life now is to go back to DC.

Part II

Some pictures of us at The Mall:

 Simone appreciating some art, getting out some wiggles that built up while she watched a video installation about parkour.

Simone went crazy over this butterfly exhibit.

Guess which Mormon is more righteous? Guess which one is more promiscuous?

Spotting some bush babies.

Longer story with this one: Inés likes to growl. We call her "growler." It might be because she has rabies. See, a few days before we took this trip, we moved some furniture in her room, and found a dead bat. I got a good look at it once I got it into the sunlight (right before lying it to rest in the garbage can), and it wasn't too creepy. There are some bats out there with monster faces. But with its furry face, ours was as much like a mouse with wings as you could hope. I took advantage of this exhibit to see if I could identify our bat's species. I didn't quite get to the bottom of it.

This is a Neanderthal funeral. My theory is that the museum uses the exposed breast to make science interesting.

Inés isn't much of a pedal pusher yet.

Amorette and Simone had to take a pickle kabob break.

DC Trip, Part I of III

I had the chance to present a paper at a conference in D.C. this May. Since it's so close to Pittsburgh, and since we don't get nearly enough family trips, we all went. I presented the first day, and it went well. But as soon as my panel was over, I ditched the rest of what was a huge multi-day conference and went into vacation mode. Our trip also coincided with a brief return of our good friends Josh, Jill and kids, who were dropping into D.C. as part of Josh's long-term work assignment in Zimbabwe. Unfortunately we didn't get any pictures with them, but rest assured that the reunion was a lot of fun.

Simone loves to be on anything that moves. Trains, subways, trolleys, buses, Dad, Mom, you name it. Where were we going in this pictures? Who cares? The ride was the event, as far as she was concerned.

The hotel had a pool, so we worked on our strokes, and our lounging technique.

This was Inés' first time in a body of water bigger than a uterus or a tub. Something in the water latched onto her.

We also got to catch up with our other good friends, Brook, Linwood and their baby, who is probably our smallest pal at the moment. This picture captures the essence of the feelings of all our reunions with friends on this trip, well, except that Inés was the only one who was naked while hugging a friend and saying, "I've missed you!"

Here we are after enjoying some pupusas. It looks like Inés ate them all. Actually, she makes pupusas...guess how? 

International Children's Festival

I look forward to the Children's Festival every year. The event is held just outside the Cathedral of Learning and there is an array of activities and performances for kiddos (although I enjoy them just as much as Simone). Here's some of the action:

 Tripping out in the inflatable luminarium which was originally built in Nottingham. It's half the size of a football field and rises to 3 stories high. The structure is inspired by natural geometry and Islamic architecture.

  

 Simone was initially frightened when we entered the "castle" until her buddies, Alice & Harrison showed her the ropes.

 Just taking it all in. 

DJ Simone spinning some records with paint with the Roving Art Cart.

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 This kiddo had a great time. She's going for an international look:)

 Another highlight of the festival--the petting zoo. Some were baby animals, others miniature and pygmy... or perhaps they were all baby pygmy animals? All that matters was that they're cute. Simone did pretty well on her own feeding the animals until some sheep were surrounding her and chasing her around. Then she was simultaneously thrilled and laughing and also kind of freaking out. 

This year there was also a baby zebra, alpaca and a camel. Pittsburgh is occasionally bucolic. 

  Carousel rides. 

 Sim & Alice with their Katarina masks. 

Sim's origami butterfly. 

We were fortunate to have the theater to ourselves briefly for the Children's Film Festival. We had missed this part last year and made sure to catch it this time around. The animated shorts were a lot of fun. I'll post some of them soon.

The Call of the Open Road

The Ellsworth family just got some new wheels, thanks to aunt Jamie, uncle Loren and cousin Woody. The coupe's features include baby car seats, eating trays, a pull-out picnic table, and a picnic basket complete with food and drinks.

 Simone was ecstatic opening her gift. 

 "Diamond in the back, sunroof top

Diggin' the scene

With a gangsta' lean

Whoo-ooh-ooh" 

 The Ellsworths enjoying a leisurely picnic.

Installing the food trays.

Omelette

New family favorite.

Butterfly Release Party

Aunt Nayna got Simone a butterfly kit (along with butterfly tattoos and a butterfly story book) for her birthday. Needless to say, the present was a hit. Caterpillars (Sim called them "squirmadines") were mailed to our home and Simone has spent the last month watching them eat and eventually form their chrysalis. We had told Simone that after the caterpillars turn into butterflies, we would set them free. Simone wasn't exactly thrilled about letting her pals go, so we decided to have a butterfly farewell party to send them off and avoid an epic meltdown. Sim's friends came, some sporting butterfly wings. Some parting haikus were shared, some tears were shed, and some ice-cream sandwiches and popsicles eased the pain.

Pals checking out the butterflies.

Getting ready to set them free. Simone was sad to see her butterfly buddies to go.

Alice and Parker with the last butterfly. The last one out was very timid and not quite ready to take off.

This one must have been the most attached to Simone.