weekend update, part 1

our weekend was a busy one. so busy that ... here on wednesday ... it has been decided that it must be split into two parts to facilitate actually conveying it to our dear readers.

on saturday morning, jack, mommy and daddy headed out to the hospital where the baby will be born (and incidentally where jack was born as well). we had a "sibling's tour" of the hospital -- which included seeing a baby in the nursery and checking out a post-partum room like the one mommy will be in -- followed by some baby care activities.

after leaving the maternity floor, we headed past the cafeteria (where jack declared he would buy a cookie to bring to mommy when she is in the hospital) into a little room all stocked with baby dolls.

first the kids practiced swaddling and holding the babies. jack played the loving big brother with aplomb:

he also diapered the baby like a pro:

and even got her snugly back into her jammies:

he and baby also enjoyed a snack -- that juice box (a rare treat) was gone in about 5.2 seconds flat:

and jack colored a picture to welcome our new baby:

finally, the kids all listened to a reading of "i'm a big sister" (there were 4 girls and 2 boys), which jack knows from our own readings of "i'm a big brother." he is very fond of quoting what babies can not eat ... "babies can't eat pizza or apples or ice cream." to which jack adds, "or hot chocolate, or warm chocolate, or chips ..." and this morning's addition "... or pancakes!"

as we headed home, an off-handed comment daddy made when we first arrived about jack needing a haircut bloomed into a full blown obsession for jack. he told us, "i need to go to the barber shop to make my hair not so crazy."

who were we to argue with that? so, while daddy headed to the hardware store to begin the project of painting the baby's nursery, mommy and jack headed up to the plaza and the barber shop for a trim (and several lollipops):

we arrived home to find daddy in the thick of taping, sanding and beginning to paint the trim. jack loves to help with painting projects. so mommy sagely lured him away the only way she knew how ... with a trip for lunch at mcdonalds!!

jack was thrilled to have a happy meal at "hot donald's" as it's known in our house

after a nap (for both jack and mommy), we took a shopping trip to allow daddy more unfettered painting time and jack took the container store by storm with his charm. oh yeah, and his shrieking when mommy took away the roll of wrapping paper he was using as a sword.

a time-out in the container store, a return home, dinner, and bed all followed in short order.

after all, we had to gear up for sunday ...