Missing: tooth

This look is cute on a 6-year-old girl. Not so much on a 36-year-old hockey player. 

Lily's first grade teacher is nothing if not prepared. Her equipment supply includes plastic tooth-shaped necklace pendants to keep the precious cargo safe during school and rolls of "I lost a tooth" stickers, which Lily proudly sported when I picked her up today. 

The question remains: What will the tooth fairy leave in exchange for Lily's first lost tooth? 

Green people

Last night Lily told me she was a greeter for one of the "green people" at her school. I had no idea what she was talking about, though we are a very diverse community, so I didn't really question it. This article makes it all come clear. That's her principal, Dr. Cuthbert, in the foreground (in the apropos green jacket).

Doppelgangers

Spring has sprung

The time of year for spur-of-the-moment visits between neighbors and all the fun that entails. 

Guster, strings attached

Last night Andy and I went to see Guster's show at the Lincoln Theatre in D.C. It was unusual in that the show was acoustic and the openers were two comedians (Mat Edgar and Jeff Garlin), which was fun. It was not unusual in that we got to visit with our favorite Guster parents Ross and Cookie and that the show was amazing. 

 Jeff Garlin singing with the guys. 

You might know him from Curb Your Enthusiasm. Or not. 

The boys brought some strings with them on this tour. They were a wonderful addition. Andy took some video to inspire Lily's violin playing. 

The guys had made a pre-tour pact that when anyone requested Window (one of their earlier songs), they would come out into the audience and play it on their laps. 

Along the tour, the guys also requested that fans bring certain items to help decorate the stage. This was one of the fan-donated lamps. 

Another piece of fan awesomeness.

Singing Jesus on the Radio. 

Adam, Luke, Ryan, and Brian. Love them as always. 

And now I'll return you to regularly scheduled mommy blogger programming. 

Wolf pack

We surprised the girls this weekend with a trip to Great Wolf Lodge in Williamsburg, Va. It's basically an indoor waterpark/hotel all tailored for kids to have fun and parents to spend money. It reminded Lily of our concert cruises, but without all the live music. 

Clock tower/animatronic sing-songy thing. Nightly show at 8:00 p.m.

The girls in their PJs waiting for the show. 

Pushing off the paparazzi. 

Storytime around the fireplace, which immediately follows the clock tower show. 

Learning the Great Wolf howl. 

Meeting one of the mascots at breakfast the next morning. 

Amalia becoming chummy with the mascot. 

Waiting for the wolf walk, where we learned about all the stuffed dead animals in the lobby of the lodge. 

The girls' bunk beds were made to look like a camping tent. 

Lily doing the rope walk in the water park.

I was impressed. 

Shots of the waterpark. 

Amalia in the wall of water. 

The wave pool. 

Water lilies. 

Actions speak louder

Every Thursday in Amalia's daycare class is Love Note day. Parents send in a little note that is read by the teachers. (Hi. Hope you're having a good day. Do you have your listening ears on? And so forth.)

Last week when I was dropping Amalia off, she said, "Can you not give me a love note?" Me: "What? Why not?" Her: "Because then I'll get a hug."

I confirmed this with her teachers. Apparently, any kid whose parent does not send in a love note gets a hug from her friends (and possibly the teachers too; not sure).

So tonight Amalia again asked me not to send in a Love Note tomorrow. She would prefer the hugs. It feels a bit odd to intentionally neglect my parental duties, but I guess I'll comply. In the name of love.

***

In other news, Lily is beginning to lose her first tooth, which she is very excited about. We were discussing what the tooth fairy brings these days. Apparently the tooth fairy that visits one of her classmates leaves a chapter book in place of the tooth. Lily is hoping for money--to save up for her iPad (or iPhone--whatever the desired Apple product of the moment is).

Tonight Lily was wiggling her tooth with her tongue when Amalia came over to look. She said, "You know, when you lose a tooth, it makes blood. But it's good blood." Lily agreed, "Yeah, not like when you skin your knee or something."

A day on the farm

On the last day of my parents' Easter visit, they took the girls out for a day in the country (a nearby farm that sets up activities for the various holidays--this time out it was Bunnyland.)

Pony rides.

Note the bunny ears. Hef would approve. 

Old fashioned water pumps. 

Getting lost in the burlap maze. 

Snacktime with Grandpa. 

Tractor races. 

Charlotte's web. 

Face painting. 

Giant slides--that's Grandma and Amalia. 

Hide and seek

The girls had a great Easter. 

First up, the inside-the-house egg hunt (plastic and hard-boiled). 

Next was the hunt for Easter baskets. Lily turned out to be the advance team for Amalia's basket. 

As Lily is aware, the hiding places get harder as you get older. 

Peeps on a stick. How barbaric. 

To wit. 

Easter bunny bunnies, Woody and Petunia. 

Easter dresses at church. 

Amalia did amazingly well during the hour-and-a-half service. 

The chapel was still standing when we left.