Elizabeth managed to pick the hottest weekend imaginable in DC (temps in the 90's and muggy). Somehow she hasn't melted, which is no easy feat for a Californian more accustomed to 60 degrees year round (the high in SF today is 57 degrees!). Sausalito summer nights are nothing compared to DC's. We're worried this may be the last time she visits us.
On Saturday we met Elizabeth at Eastern Market on Capital Hill. It's a big outdoor market that's operated since 1873. It has all sorts of stuff to buy: farmers' goods, fresh and exotic meats (crabs, chickens, frog legs, duck livers, etc...), antiques, flowers, belly dancer supplies (luckily Katie didn't see that tent), and pretty much anything else you can think of. Carla from Top Chef was there giving a cooking demonstration.
We ate crab cakes (Elizabeth and Nancy), barbecque (me), and a hamburger for Katie ("with lettuce, tomato, and meat"). Then we strolled around the market and tried to talk Katie out of wanting some flowers (we didn't succeed). We parted ways for a bit but met back up for the rehearsal of the National Memorial Day concert in front of the Capital building. The rehearsal generally gives you the same show but its less crowded, or at least that's what we thought. We arrived about 15 minutes late and had trouble finding a good viewing spot on the grass. We finally settled down in the back but spent most of the time watching it on the big jumbotron. I was really excited that the great blues guitarist BB King was performing but we were treated to a stand-in instead. I guess when you are 85 years old you don't need to rehearse. The stand-in was there so they could adjust the lighting but he was an old skinny white guy. Maybe they thought that's the way BB appears if he's lit too brightly?
It was a beautiful night for the concert, which featured a mix of upbeat patriotic songs and depressing monologues. Letters from soldiers were read by people who appeared to be celebrities, but we had no idea who they were. Nancy was proud that her fashion critique was fixed in the real show (one celebrity looked to be topless on the jumbotron because you couldn't see her strapless dress but the next night she had straps on her dress).
The soldiers' stories prompted lots of questions from our curious Katie. Why do we have soldiers? Why did they die? Why are they being honored? What does honored mean? Her curiosity can be exhausting!
On Sunday we had brunch with Elizabeth and Aunt Sue and Theo at Whitlow's in Arlington. We sat outside in the shade but it was still muggy and uncomfortable. Poor Elizabeth must think she'll never get out of this heat.
Sunday afternoon we got a new inflatable pool for Katie. The inflatable turtle pool that Grandma and Papa kindly gave her has survived some bad storms and branches falling on it but it couldn't survive Katie's rapid growth. The new pool has a small slide and a waterfall but its design seems to confound Nancy. It has dinosaurs playing on a beach with palm trees.
Today we watched DC's Memorial Day parade on tv (lame yes, but it was really hot outside) and Katie splashed in her pool. For some reason Peter decided to see how long he could go without napping, which only made him cranky. At one point, out of nowhere, Katie said "What's all the fuss about new babies? They just cry, drool, and eat. What's all the fuss?" We have no idea where that came from and have never heard her use the word "fuss" before. But we're sort of cautiously chuckling about it... for now.
Monday night Nancy and Katie joined Elizabeth, Sue, and Theo for a nice dinner at Founding Farmers on Pennsylvania Avenue. It's owned by a collective of family farmers who grow and raise their own ingredients for the restaurant.
More photos are here.
Katie gets ready to deal with Peter.
Katie's self portrait. It looks like a cross between Dr. Seuss and Pippi Longstocking.
Katie reads a book to her babies and to her neighborhood friend Tessa while Cameron (Tessa's brother) runs around.
Wheeeee!
Katie and Nancy do baby yoga with their babies.
The first outdoor movie of the year at Del Ray. We saw "Despicable Me".
Our first outdoor dinner of the year with my playoff beard.
The boys after a yummy dinner.
Katie's school had caterpillars in each classroom and then released them when they became butterflies.
Katie cuddles with her brother.
Peter in the exersaucer for the first time. He loves it!
Katie with her cousin Elizabeth at Eastern Market.
Katie holding a box of cupcakes at the Memorial Day concert.
Peter at the Memorial Day concert.
Theo in the seersucker outfit with Aunt Sue at brunch.
Peter stats to meltdown while Theo tries to placate him with a plastic cup lid.
The motley crew.
Cousin Elizabeth kindly gave Katie and Peter some nice books about San Francisco. The rose on the wrapping paper doubles as a tote bag!
Katie fills up her new pool.
And then splashes around with the dinosaurs and palm trees.
Peter dipped his toes in but didn't seem to like it... yet.
Splash!
Katie with the flowers she bought at Eastern Market.
And with the flower/tote bag.
Hanging out on Memorial Day.
