Summer: Visitors – The Mothners

Another fun summer theme was visitors from all over. First came Brittney’s college roommate Jessica. Both kdis adored her and fought over who got to hold her hand and snuggle with her. Pretty happy they both got to sit next to her in a taxi.

At the Guggenheim we saw an awesome James Turrell exhibit where we got to lie on the floor and look up at the ceiling at changing lights, but Julie’s favorite part was walking with Jessica up the rotunda (at the time she couldn’t walk by herself but still wanted to go-go-go).

We took our bio major/marine life expert to the Natural History Museum.

She helped Max build a tin foil boat for an experiment with pennies.

Doing experiments with tin foil boats and pennies at the Natural History Museum

With a better camera you could see a giant blue whale in the background.

With a better camera you could see the giant blue whale in the background

Jessica is a yoga instructor (as well as a doctor and supermom of 2) and Max helped her stretch.

And got lots of snuggle time. He was coming off a week of some of the worst tantrums we’ve ever seen from our usually mellow boy – a combo of being out in the horrible heat and recovering from a bad cold and ear infection that disrupted his sleep we think – and Jessica very patiently soothed him.

The girls also had some fun grown-ups-only time – yoga class on Riverside pier, zumba at the gym, chilling out at the Met, a Broadway show, and lots and lots of catching up.

A week later Ashly came for some fun in NYC before our flight to Utah. We went back to the Natural History Museum and Met, we love those museum (and the air conditioning) and the kids loved having another hand to hold.

Back at the Natural History Museum with another fun visitor - Aunt Ashly

Figuring out how they can all hold hands

Learning about what Jane Austen ate in the Global Food exhibit (Max is glad he didn’t live in her time when ice cream was a rare, expensive treat).

Checking out the ‘Punk: Chaos to Couture’ exhibit at the Met. Max laughed and said ‘That’s so silly’ when they saw clothes made out of garbage bags.

Clothes made out of garbage bags, Max said 'That's so silly'

Learning about interior design (and liking the color scheme).

Julie is pretty happy to hang with her Aunt.

Though sometimes she’ll go back to Mommy, especially if it means she gets to throw coins in a fountain.

Our last visitors came the farthest – Sally and Chihiro, the daughter and wife of one of Mark’s best friends, visited from Hong Kong. Sally is a very talented pianist and give Max an impromptu lesson.

Sally was here for a fashion design camp. We got to see the final fashion show and Brittney’s preteen self was very jealous. Afterward we went to Bryant Park for yet more hand holding.