when the starship comes to town

Monday started with an Amaya adventure. The kids all have Eos lip balms and Amaya has an extra one in her room for bedtime. There are times I leave it in her crib with her and, when she’s done, she caps it and tosses it out of her crib. We’ve done that routine a ton of times. Well Sunday night she had a different plan and, instead of using it quickly, she decided to use it all up by rubbing it in her hair. What a greasy, greasy mess! The pictures don’t do it justice.

Monday was a gorgeous day so Megan took the kids to a park to meet up with Anna, Ben & Sam and a 2nd set of twins. The gang was Sammy, Sam, Ben, Ben, Amaya, Maya and Steven. Wild!

Monday was Ashley’s first day with us for afternoons. She’s training with Megan to start and then will be on her own. Steven was the first one to warm up to her – our little extrovert.

By Tuesday, though, she had a fan in Sammy.

Wednesday was another nice afternoon and our first day of the summer outside in bathing suits! Yay!! We’re ready for hot summer fun!

Most of the time SSA send me off to the workplace with a hug and kiss but, sometimes, they need a little more from me before I go. When Sammy asked me to stay and play with him for a few minutes, saying “yes” was a no-brainer.

With warm weather here, we stepped up our water play game and got this cool inflatable splash center for SSA. Thursday wasn’t nice enough to use it outside but the kids were so excited that Megan and Ashley got it ready for them to check out indoors. I can’t wait until there’s a chance to hook up the hose!

Friday night is the best night because I know it means two days together as a family. <3

One again, we all went to Suburban Showplace for Motor City Comic Con! I can’t believe the event is right around the corner from us. So lucky!

Steven and Sammy wore their Star Wars shirts and I wore my Star Trek sweater. There was a long line to get inside and the kids got to see a ton of people in costumes. Sammy unzipped his sweatshirt and pulled it to the side so everyone could see his “wookie costume”. It was adorable.

Jason pulling, Steven, Sammy and Nana in the wagon.

This year’s Star Trek cast member was LeVar Burton! We were lucky to have Nana with us not only to child-wrangle but to take these photos for us. (Yes, I’m holding Steven and Amaya. It was the path of least resistance and I wanted somewhat compliant kids while we were getting our autograph.)

LeVar was awesome. He made a point to ask who was Steven and who was Sammy. When we mentioned taking pictures Amaya said that she didn’t want to look at anyone. LeVar looked her in the eye and said, “Amaya, you don’t have to look at anyone.” It was really, really cute.

By the time we were ready for our photo it was getting difficult for me to hold both kids. LeVar immediately went to take Steven for me. It was incredibly thoughtful but not at all part of Steven’s game plan and he immediately burst into tears. He cried the entire time we were taking our photos throughout which LeVar apologized over and over again. Definitely a memory maker!

One more autograph for Steven, Sammy and Amaya! Now the have LeVar Buron, Gates McFadden, Brent Spiner and Terry Farrell.

Amaya decided that she could pull her brothers in the wagon. Big kid. It turns out she could as long as she had a traffic coordinator to help her avoid backing into crowds of people.

After two hours the kids were D-O-N-E. Nana very generously agreed to take them home for lunch and naps so Jason and I could get in a little more time. She didn’t even back down when everyone burst into tears upon hearing Jason and I weren’t going with them. (Of course SSA were totally fine by the time they got to the car. But it’s still hard for me to send them off when they’re so upset to leave.)

Mommy & Daddy time!

Nana had quite time with Steven, Sammy and Amaya this morning.

And crazy time together!

Daddy and Sammy played piano together.

Then Nana, the kids and I went shopping for sandals. Anyone surprised to hear that Amaya wanted pink?

Steven has sandals that fit but, as a part of this trip, he inherited the sneakers that Sammy had been wearing. I think he likes wearing “Sammy’s sneakers”.

Brunch a Deadwood!

This wackadoodle dipped her strawberries in ketchup. Sammy followed suit by dipping his strawberries in mustard.

Beans dipped in a ketchup/mustard combo. Weirdos.

We had a quiet afternoon. The highlight was probably when Nana took Steven and Amaya next door to see our neighbor’s RV.

Steven this week!

Wrapped up in packing paper.

Steven has been struggling at bath time lately so it made me so, so happy to see him in the bath with this smile on his face.

He’s a magnatile machine!

Searching for socks.

Strummin’

Sammy this week!

Loves his Princess Cat.

Saying cheese with BOTH fingers up his nose.

This kid.

He can put away kiwi after kiwi.

Friday morning, Sammy woke up eaaaaaarly, crying for me. And he wasn’t going back to bed. We snuggled together for an hour before he helped me get read for work. Love, love, love this early morning smile on my Samsicle.