Racetrack

We had a very busy weekend. We started it off by going to the Twins game on Thursday. We had seats in the overlook in right field. Great spot - a home run landed just five seats down from me (but it was for the other team). It certainly is a whole different experience going to a game in an outdoor stadium. It was nice. The weather was kind of rainy so I didn't bring my camera to take pictures. On Friday, we met up with Greg's parents and went to Nickelodeon Universe so Meredith could go on some rides and had dinner at Famous Daves. On Saturday, we went to my baby cousins' graduation party (congrats Jeremy and MJ). That night we had tickets for a suite from RBC where Greg works. It was great - we got free parking, free food, free beer, and had great seats to watch the game. They even bring around a dessert cart in the middle of the game. I brought my camera but of course the battery was dead so once again, I have no pictures of the ball park. On Sunday, we went out the Canterbury Park to watch some horse races. Meredith to to go on pony rides, pet animals, and get her face painted.

It was a fun and busy weekend. If you don't count the fact that Meredith has been acting like the spawn of Satan lately. Where did my sweet child go? Who replaced her with this girl I have now? If you see my daugter, please send her my way.


Meredith getting her face painted (she picked out a purple fishy):

Oh, how happy she was when she looked in the mirror. You can't tell by this photo, but she squealed.

Here is a good shot of it.

Soooooo happy!

She got to pet animals!
She impatiently waited for a pony ride.
She got to ride on the biggest one!

Cute sayings

I have no new pictures to post this week but I thought I would share some of the funny/cute things Meredith has been saying lately. She's now at the stage where she says full sentences and some of the things she says are just so random!

Last night, she had to go potty before she went to bed. She went into the bathroom and accidentally turned on the fan. When it came on, she said "that one if for Uncle Chris". Bwaaaaaahahahahahahahaha!

This past weekend we made plans to go to the Mall of America and go on a few rides since it was raining. She was playing with her Lego Duplo zoo set and had the alligator in her hand as we had this conversation:

Mer: I want to to to the mall and ride on the alligator.
Me: You want to go on the alligator ride? I'm not sure if there is an alligator ride, honey.
Mer: Yes, I want to go on the alligator ride and go up and down.
Me: (thinking long and hard this time) I'm not sure which one is the alligator ride.
Mer: I want to push the buttons.
Me: (light goes on in my head) Oh, you want to ride on the elevator? Yes, sweetie, we can ride on the elevator.
Mer: Yes, I want to ride on the alligator and go up and down and push buttons.

Now, she can say elevator properly. I think she was too distracted by the alligator in her hands.

Memorial weekend

We had a wonderful 5-day weekend as a family although Meredith is getting really testy with us and sassy and we are struggling with trying to deal with that. Everything causes a meltdown with her and she never listens. Her favorite word is "no" and I swear she does it just to be a pain in the rear. Bedtime is a 1.5 hour ordeal. Last night it ended with Greg laying in bed with her for over a half hour. Then I heard him yelling and a door slam. I went upstairs and saw him holding on to the door handle so she couldn't get out of her room. At that point I marched into her room and in my most authoritative voice possible, I told her to "get into bed right now". I think she knew she had pushed the limits with me because she immediately stopped crying, got up and went into her bed without even saying a word. I feel like we go through this too many times in a day.

Yesterday on the car ride home, we took her to McDonalds for dinner. We got her the McNuggets Happy Meal and she ate all but one of the McNuggets. I asked her four times if she wanted it and she said no. So Daddy ate it. Well then, she decided she wanted it. So the rest of the car ride home we had to listen to (imagine the whiniest voice you have ever heard) "I want my chicken nugget. I'm still hungry".

Anyway, on Friday we took Meredith to the zoo in the morning. Then we spent the afternoon out at the pool (which she loves).

She was so excited (this is pre-meltdown).

She wanted to see the dolphins first this time. So excited here.
See the dolphin in the background?
I know I post pictures that look exactly like this EVERY year but she just loves those darn goats.

On the way home. Notice how daddy is carrying her? Meltdown.
On Monday, we headed down to Iowa to visit some of Greg's relatives and we got to see Mer's Grandma and Grandpa Carlson that live in Florida.

This picture below is Greg's aunt Shirley. We got to pick a bucket full of juicy ripe straberries from her garden!
And of course, Grandma and Grandpa Carlson.
This picture is SO cute or Mer and Grandma.
Look at this cute face! It's hard to believe she doesn't seem to ever behave herself.
She rode on a vintage tricycle (or tried to at least).