Ada's first salon haircut!

Ada's hair had finally gone from bald to longish, her curls getting trapped in her collar and her bangs poking her in the eyes. She'll let me put barrettes, headbands, ponytails, and pigtails in but she only keeps them there for about five minutes before she says, "I don't want this."

I didn't do such a hot job on her bangs last time I did them. See?

So it was time for a trip to the stylist. Brittany, my hairstylist, and I had talked about it a while back and I knew she was game. Last night Ada and I watched a few YouTube videos of girls getting their haircut and we talked about how it would feel. Ada seemed pretty excited! When she woke up this morning, she said, "Ready to get a haircut? Let's go!"

We had to kill a few hours.

Then it was time, we went over a little early and toured the salon, checking out all the ladies getting their coif on. We tested out the shampoo bowl, looked at the hair getting swept up, and the general joy and magazines of a salon. All the ladies were cooing over her adorableness. Ada had chosen her gold tutu and a striped shirt for her experience. It does get noticed.

She let Brittany shampoo her at the shampoo sinks and then followed her back up to the chair. Once situated, she happily sat there letting Brittany work while she had a few lollipops. When Brittany told her to look down and hold still, Ada had no trouble doing it. She was a champ!

It's a really cute little bob and she likes it!

Potty Time

We're struggling with potty training. It seems like all the other little kids are making headway and Ada isn't and it is making both of us feel a bit put out. Ada is very aware that diapers are for babies, but she's not really connected the feeling with needing to tinkle with, you know, herself and what's going on.

We've been watching potty shows, reading potty books, talking about it, demonstrations abound, and we have tried to be cool about it. She'll just have to connect it herself.

For a bit, she was demanding diapers because "she was a baby' but now she tells us "she's a big girl and wears pull-ups." Thank goodness she's ready to equate herself with a big girl.

This horrible book called Princess Potty is, of course, the book that has inspired her. It's stupid. The princess rides a pony to her royal potty. It's seriously the worst book ever. So of course it worked -- sort of.

Ada will now go, often willingly, to hang out in her own princess potty. We bought some new pink accessories and special soap and she demands "piracy" when she goes in. We haven't had any successful potty usage, just sitting, but after a month of her refusing to even go near the potty and having major meltdowns, I'll take it.

Here's a very video invading her piracy(!) because, well, she's adorable. She reads us Big Girl Panties (a favorite of mine when Jeffrey reads it because it's just so mortifying for adult men to read about panties) and Princess Potty. Check out the bunny slippers!

It's Pumpkin Time!

It's Pumpkin Time is a book Ada and I have been reading at bedtime about some kids that plant a pumpkin patch. This was in hopes of getting her excited about pumpkins. It worked!

This morning we set out to the Freeman Farms pumpkin patch in Chino Valley. It is the same place we went last year. We met our friend Joy, mom of Ada's school buddy Julian. We also caught up with another of Ada's classmate, Katie, and her family.

The patch is set up so that you pay an entrance fee and then you can run around all day experiencing all of their entertainments. Everything is covered except the price of the pumpkins and snacks. Overall, it is a very relaxed experience and the kids can do what they enjoy ad nauseum and have plenty of room to explore.

This year, the kids did some dancing (Joy and I helped them out), enjoyed the animals in the petting zoo, rode a train, the carousel (a million times), watched ducks, and in general had a lovely time running around, sipping lemonade, and enjoying the farm.

We also picked out pumpkins from the patch. Last year the vines were still alive but our early cold snap damaged them so most of the pumpkins were detached from the vines ... but the experience was still fun!

Families from the Phoenix area often come up out of the heat to enjoy our milder temperatures and the pumpkin patch was a perfect place it seems. You could tell the difference between the locals and the day-trippers, as Jeffrey says, you can tell them apart because the Phoenicians all have husbands with Affliction-shirts and the wives are all blond and looked pissed off to be there with a kid.

[Train video goes here, but it is taking eons to upload to youtube ... so I'll put it here later.]

Ada loves this miniature horse and wants a pony. I told her she could have one when she was six.

Listening to the rules ... because parents weren't allowed. (Even though I'm totally within the weight limit. Dammit. This brings back memories of one Jeep PowerWheel.)

Boomer is not a pony.

So, not as interesting.

Tractor riding.

Contra Dancing ... or something like it near someone dressed in a lot of tulle.

That's Baby Katie from school holding my hand and Julian holding my other one. Ada is jumping the gun on the circling maneuver.

Love her moves here!

Chicken dance.

Freestyling?

Hey, get back here and do the clapping bit!

Still chicken dancing... 

Ducks!

Lemonade!

Cool man on a carousel.

Train happiness.

Julian's camera smile is ridiculous, too.

Carousel joy! Again!

Into the patch!

Parties, Kites, and Bikes

On Saturday, Ada attended her friend Sophie's 3rd Birthday Party at the local zoo. Everyone seemed to have a good time. Ada wore her tutu for the festivities and her beloved purple boots. Photos are at the bottom.

Today we finally took the kite and the tricycle to the little park up the street. It was very windy so we thought we would give kite flying a try. Minor repairs are now needed...

At first she was hiding in the trees because she was nervous about the kite.

After a bit, she came over and gave it a try. 

Go kite, go!

The expert?

It's flying!

"My turn, daddy!"

One of the wheels was flat, but she kept having us give her pushes while she yelled,
WHEEEEEE!!!!!!"

Party garb.

Ada and some new friends getting ready for cupcakes.