Tennis Love

We've really focused on getting Quinn into team-or-group related activities this year. Earlier this spring we enrolled her in a dance class and over the summer, into... wait for it... TENNIS LESSONS! But let me explain - Tiny Tots tennis lessons are more of a glorified daycare scene - trying to get 4 3-year-olds to pay attention for 30 minutes is no small task! But Quinn has really enjoyed it and Kirch is now even doing one-on-one lessons with her on his own time. Now, we are not overbearing parents who are trying to raise the next Steffie Graf - quite the opposite, in fact. Kirch has found that he is enjoying spending time with her on court, and he is continuing lessons with her as long as she is interested in playing on court.

Here are pictures from her 1st official lesson with Coach Chris - whom she absolutely adores, by the way!

The Great Falls Excursion

This morning, at 0 Dark Thirty, Quinn and I joined Kirch and Mike down at Great Falls for a long hike and adventure. It was a beautiful morning. There was basically no one there. My kind of outing. That's the benefit of getting there at 7am.

Quinn and I got some mother-daughter time for a half hour or so before we caught up with Kirch and Mike (who had gotten there even earlier, so Mike could have the upcoming sunrise for his photography project, of which Kirch is the subject). Once we all met, we continued our journey together. We watched Kirch fish, let Mike take additional pictures (of which I'm looking forward to seeing a few, ahem-ahem), saw helicopters, turtles, fish and a fawn - all while the sun crept higher and higher into the sky, warming the weather considerably by the time we finished our walk. All told, Quinn was a trooper, walking about 2 miles in 3 hours (give or take a few rides in the arms of the adults). She loves the outdoors, and is always looking for her next adventure!

Who Knew Rockville Town Square Could Be So Much Fun?

Quinn and I spent 4 hours in the center of Rockville Town Square last weekend. What a blast! I packed us some PBJ's, chips, carrots and juice boxes, and Quinn and I played in the water fountain most of the morning! We played tag in the courtyard, and she climbed on the rocks, showing off her amazing biceps and balancing abilities.

I'm going to water the plants next...

Here I come!

It was the perfect summer day. And the best part was, it never got overly crowded there! That was amazing to me, because it seems to me this would be a great getaway for families for minimal to no cost at all. And it was so much fun! I mean, to create this fountain and actually call it an interactive fountain - who could ask for more? I'll lay money (that I saved by going there) that the Germantown Water Park was twice as busy for twice the price!

I can spell the letters out, Mommy!

...and look at my strong muscles!

What a Difference a Year Makes...

Quinn on the motorcycle ride last year at the Algonac Pickeral Tournament...

Quinn on the same ride this year!!!

My little girl isn't scared anymore (which scares me now)!!!

I Went to Michigan and All I Got Was This Lousy Swollen Eye...

My poor kid!

You should see the other guy!

On the last night of our annual Fourth of July trip to Michigan, Quinn got bit by some nasty mosquitoes! Yep, that's all they were. Mosquitoes. You can't tell, but her left hand is as swollen as her eye was! She looked like she'd been through a war!

Quinn always has a more severe reaction to mosquito bites than normal. Nothing to be terribly concerned about, but enough to feel bad for her. Well, this was the worst reaction ever. When she woke up Tuesday morning as we were packing to leave for the airport, I noticed her eye and her hand. We figured it would just go down on it's own as the day went on, and we were right... until halfway through the day, on the plane we noticed she was rubbing eye more than she had been all day. We got her home, gave her some Benadryl and put her to bed. Well, she woke up Wednesday morning and the poor kid couldn't even open her eye it was so swollen! The picture I took up top there? It didn't hold a candle to the following morning's puffiness! So I ended up taking her to the doctor just to make sure everything was ok. And it was - Dr. Potter didn't even prescribe any medication, just told us to keep her on the Benadryl regimen until the swelling went away. So I brought her to daycare and by the time I picked her up that afternoon, she looked SO much more like herself! By Thursday she was back to normal.

Oh, by the way, the rest of the trip was great! But I'll save that for another post.

Time with Daddy

Kirch has had the great pleasure of Quinn's company for the past few Sundays. Of course, we all spent Father's Day together, starting out at the Silver Diner in the Kentlands for breakfast. We then went to "the Wall" which Quinn has dubbed the Kentlands Town Square, and then over to another area with a pavilion in it. It was a good day. I got Kirch Crocs for his gift and Quinn picked out (by herself) a fishing lure and a bobber (which she called a robber until i corrected her).

This past Sunday, we started out together at Rio and walked around the lake, played in the playground and shopped in Dick's Sporting Goods. After some time there, we headed to Wendy's for lunch (yep, we feed her fast food here and there) and I wasn't quite up to par, so Kirch took Quinn back to the Wall and the Pavilion while I went home to get some rest. Father - daughter quality time is so much fun, as you can tell in the pictures!!!

Dancing Quinn (Queen)

See how I made a pun?

This spring we enrolled Quinn in a Creative Dance class through the Gaithersburg Community Center. It was a 7 week class (that I have incidentally enrolled her for again, starting next weekend) that took her about 4 weeks to get comfortable enough to actually participate in! This is a class that parents can't participate in, so we wait outside the door, looking in from time to time. Week 1 went bad - she took one step into the room and cried her eyes out, running back for the door. This went on for about 3 more weeks, each time, a little more time spent in the class, and less time running back to my arms making sure I was still on the other side of that door waiting for her! By Week 5 another little girl named Maho came up to her, took her by the hand and BAM! That was that - Quinn never looked back! She absolutely loves the class now!

Well, on Week 7, the last class, the parents were allowed to come in and watch the show. Man, was it CUTE!!! I managed to get a few precious shots of my kiddo in one of her many leotards, having a ball with Miss Myia!

Circle Time - Before the dancing starts...

Lookit that BELLY!!!

Sweetness in motion...

Fun with hula hoops!