It’s been so cold lately that I dread taking the girls outside! On days that Mio doesn’t have preschool, she tends to get cabin fever because we stay cooped up indoors. Here are some photos I snapped last Thursday afternoon, when the sunlight poured through the windows despite the wintry temperatures, illuminating Mio’s room where the girls were playing.
Can’t believe this little cutie is going to turn one soon!
Puckering up for the camera! Mirei pulling hairclips out of Mio’s hair.
Mio loves these animal pop-ons from her grandparents in California, and plays with them all the time, even nearly two years later.
Now that Mirei is getting more and more active, she and Mio are also interacting more. While Mio still often seems to regards Mirei as a little bit of a nuisance, it’s sweet when we find that she is not just tolerating/ignoring her and letting her join in activities alongside her and even playing together.
Mio and Mirei playing in Mio’s room. Backyard fun together back on first day of fall
This is from over a month ago, but Mio tickling Mirei with me:
Shopping at Home Depot with Daddy
Sisters napping together Mio playing with Mirei… and Mirei deciding she’s not going to take it anymore. Bathtime together. They both love taking baths! (And it’s so much easier now that we can bathe them together.) Watching a Japanese children’s show (Shimajiro) together Mio likes to crawl into Mirei’s crib and put a blanket over it, creating a little tent within it. Mirei usually hates being put in the crib, but she’s totally fine with staying in it as long as big sister’s in there with her! 🙂
Yesterday, Mio got to go to the Be with Me Playseum in Bethesda with one of her best friends, Kailee! It was our first time there, and while it looks like a pretty small space initially, there are several themed rooms in which children can play and entertain themselves — they can easily spend hours there and never get bored!
Mio and Kailee playing with ice cream cones at the ice cream section of the “grocery store.” Shelves lined with empty boxes and food containers for kids to shop. The produce area, complete with plastic fruits and veggies. Checkout counter with register. The next room was a fire station. Firefighters Mio and Kailee! Mio, I think you’re using that backwards… Entering the “Pet Shop” room I was surprised to see that they actually had real animals in the “pet store”! Mio loved looking at the bunnies. The “Bella Bethesda Salon” room featured dresses and wigs for dress-up. Trying on princess dresses and heels. Mio kept calling herself “Princess Mio!” Here she is playing with a fan.
As much as I have my reservations about the effect of the princess culture on little girls, I do admit it’s pretty stinkin’ adorable to see Mio’s smiles and spins of delight as “Princess Mio.”
A room themed to be “Grandma’s Attic.” Climbing up into the attic. There’s a lot of props and details that go into these rooms! Playing with the instruments on the performance stage. Taking a snack break while listening to Auntie Ju read a story. Mirei looking up at me from my Ergo baby carrier. She was so well-behaved the whole time we were there! Putting toppings on pizzas in the pizza parlor room. Putting their pizzas in the oven…
Mio with her completed pizza! Mio with the “cookies” she cut out of rolled dough.
A circus area where kids could dress up as clowns.
Mio and Kailee had so much fun at the Playseum that they were in great spirits on the drive home, squealing and laughing with each other! It was really sweet to see them playing so well together. Special thanks to Ju for suggesting we go to the Playseum and for driving all of us over!
Mirei was hanging out on the playmat the other day when Mio came over and laid down next to her to play with the dangling toys. I captured some cute photos of the sisters together!
