Summer: Sun., 8/26

Both girls slept late today--Greta till 8:30, Lucia till 9--and after showers and breakfast we headed out to do some shoe shopping. There was an immediate issue with trying to drive out to the stores: Andrew had switched the carseats from harness mode to high-back booster mode, and something had gone awry, and the belts couldn't be fastened around the kids. So I had to take out the carseats (something I've never done) and lug them to the mudroom porch (they are insanely heavy), cursing the seats the whole time. I'm so done with carseats. I'm ordering latching booster seats this week and we are officially retiring these things. 

Anyway, after all that, we made it to route 10 and went to DSW and Nordstrom Rack. Both girls needed sneakers, and they wanted to get "fun" shoes as well. They both found sneakers, Greta got a pair of black booties, and Lucia got gold high-top Converse. I also got two pairs of fall shoes for myself. It was a successful trip. The girls had fun. 

The rest of the day was spent as usual: playing games (Quirkle and Uno), reading (more Bland Sisters), and playing with AG dolls. Lucia announced she wants only AG stuff for Christmas this year. I hope that's still true in four months, I really do. My fear is that she'll start school and BAM! Kit and Luciana and all the longed-for dolls and accessories will be forgotten. There is so little time that she's going to still want toys. I've already warned Andrew that I'm not holding back this year. All too soon it'll be clothes, electronic devices, and cash. She want's a giant doll ice-cream truck? SHE'LL GET A GIANT DOLL ICE CREAM TRUCK. *sob*

I made an actual dinner tonight. Maple dijon chicken legs, rice pilaf, baked zucchini. Greta declared the zucchini the best thing ever. I'm trying to rally some long-dormant enthusiasm for cooking once the school year starts and printed some recipes from the NY Times tonight.

Bedtime took over an hour tonight. I got started early so they could do what they wanted, which involved a lot of doll dressing, doll teeth brushing, and etc etc. Later, as I was watching TV downstairs, I heard a giant crash and ran upstairs--Greta had fallen out of bed. She was crying, but really still asleep, and I resettled her and she never really woke up.