Has had a lovely Q week, and reflecting in the thaw, as the ice melts and the drops drip drip drip off everything outside, before the latest ice storm schedule to hit us arrives later today.

Last week we had lots of play, mostly at home.  I stayed home and worked from home Wednesday to spend the time with her too, got my online connection to the work network up and running again, and churned out two motions and two orders while also playing with Q and helping her with her crayons and paint brushes on the table next to me in the living room.  A productive work and daughter day on the couch!  Then she got to play at Grandma's thursday and friday, and again yesterday (monday).  Mom reported that Claire, her cousin, my niece, and her were running up and down the hallway playing and copying each other, and had a fantastic day. 

Saturday Quinn and I went to Heinz Hall to see the Laurie Berkner Band, to mixed reviews.  Daddy isn't so much into the artist as much as he is into seeing Q enjoy an artist she likes.  I say mixed reviews because I honestly thing she has enjoyed daddy's shows more.  She really enjoyed being in the lovely hall, and seeing all the other kids dancing and lighting up.  But having the show at 2pm might not be the best time.  I heard a few other kids crying and grumbling around midway through the show.  It had me thinking, this is the time when most kids are either napping, or just waking up from naps.  So I assume most parents did as I did, and kept their kids awake rather than deal with waking them up for showtime, which also would not have been good.

About 4 or 5 songs in, Q started to get a little ornery.  We went with my cousin Lisa and her little girl Autumn, which Q just loved, but Q decided, after they had already been competing for a couple little toys I brought, that she was going to up the ante and climb over into Autumns chair.  Now, Autumn hadn't been using her chair, but it was ON after that! :)  Finally I just had to take Q off the chair because she started using her feet, and I didn't want her kicking Autumn.  That set in motion the fuss-fuss.  So, rather than sit there with her raging it and flailing on my lap, I took her out in the hall.  She calmed down, and I explained to her she can't act like that in there, that "we are here for YOU, this is YOUR show" but if you're going to fuss, we have to leave.  She calmed down, and really cheered up getting to run around the lovely mezzanine and lobby area, and of course the beautiful water fountain sculpture was a hit not only for the water, but the half naked mermaids holding their breasts, which Q also found fascinating.  Then Lisa and Autumn came out to use the bathroom as Autumn appeared done.  Then as they were in the bathroom, one of the songs Q knew started playing so of course we have to run back into the theatre to see that song.

I think that was part of the problem.  Of the 13 or 14 song set, Quinn only knew about 4 or 5 songs, mostly the ones that get played on "Move to the Music" on Nick Jr.  Had she known all the songs, I think she would have been a bit more smitten by the whole show.

Much to daddy's enjoyment though, as soon as the song she knew was over, she was ready to hit the lobby again.  So after finding Lisa and Autumn, and letting the kids run around a bit more, we were blessed with being able to scram out of there before the mad rush of other kids and parents, and beat the minivan/SUV rush out of the parking garage.  From the door of Heinz Hall to out of the garage and going through the Fort Pitt Tunnels in maybe 5 minutes.  Daddy like.

Q of course was asleep by about the time I pulled out of the garage.  I checked us into the hotel, which found us getting upgraded to a jacuzzi suite because they were out of king beds in other rooms, and I think Q has pretty much softened up all the staff as often as we stay there.  So she woke up an hour or so after check in, and we went to Chuck-e-Cheese for about an hour, to burn some tokens left over from a few weeks back.  She actually tired of that quickly too because it was so busy, and again daddy like... we wandered next door and had some great Chinese (Classic Chinese Cuisine), hunan chicken extra spicy for daddy, and chicken fried rice for Q.  She loves it and ate all of her chicken, and a good bit of rice. 

Then back to the hotel, and the jacuzzi tub was so big she didn't want to go to the pool.  She was waterlogged about an hour later when she finally tired of the tub and wanted to go to bed.  Daddy got to watch Pitt beat Rutgers on the tube while playing with Q in the tub.  She's so funny with her tub baby and little pets in the tub, play acting with all of them, lining them up along the tub, putting them all to bed, then bathing them, etc. 

The next morning it was more tub action, so daddy got to relax a little while longer while packing and getting ready for the day.  Lisa and Autumn bailed on a possible zoo trip as she had an early dinner with friends planned, and I had been thinking about the National Aviary anyway, because Q hasn't been to the Aviary since she was a lot smaller.

The Aviary turned out to be a great idea.  We made it just in time to enjoy the Penguins for a little bit, then enjoy a free flight show in the new theater, then feeding the Loris... I was so proud of Q, two landed right on her arm and she just giggled, didn't freak, and they ate all the nectar from her arm.  Last time I had to hold her in one arm and the nectar and birds on the other.  This time she was all about it... In the rain forest room she held up a slimy sardine, first dropping it, but I gave it back to her and up in the air it went, and 2 seconds later a bird has swooped it out of her hand.  She's such a gamer...

She was also really interested in the vet annex with the sick and rehabilitating birds.  I called it the animal hospital, and she wanted to know what was wrong with all the birds, what they were, etc.

The Aviary now has a cafe/bistro too, with very decent food.  I had the chicken salad on berry wheat.  The bread was good, with mixed greens, onion, and tomato, and the salad itself had cranberries, celery, and good quality chicken.  The brocolli and cheese soup tasted home made, whether it was or not.  Q said she wanted pizza, and the waitress balked for a second saying they were gone, then quickly changed her mind and said no, you know what, I'll make more.  I think it's Q's cuteness that gets them.  So we half watched her make a few new pizzas in the back.  The ingredients might have been packaged or pre-made, but they assemble it all there.  We watched her spread the sauce on the crust, then sprinkle the cheese and put on the toppings.  Good fresh brewed tea and a selection of juices as well.

We hit the road around 3:45 and Quinn slept all the way to Morgantown, at which point we stopped by Dave's and Q and Zoe played for about an hour and a half.  Fun times... Dave and I played with them a little too, zhu zhu pets, balls, lights, etc.  The girls had some watermelon, or Q wore some watermelon, then it was time to mosey on.

Then Kenyan Cafe for dinner.  Q again had chicken stew with rice and again ate most of the chicken and a good bit of her rice.  Daddy again had the goat stew, my favorite Kenyan Cafe dish, though the goat was a bit too chewy and not as tender as usual, and Dennis admitted it wasn't as good as the meat he usually gets.

We stayed at my mom's in Morgantown so I could just leave her in the morning and hit the office, as my brother was getting off work at 3pm and could bring her home to Fairmont.  Then last night we just played Littlest Pets for an hour or so, then she helped me make mac and cheese for dinner, and some cut fruit, fresh blueberries and strawberries and grapes, her frozen sweet corn she loves, and a slice of turkey.  Daddy had leftovers from Chinese that needed to be eaten. 

Then a nice long bath with crayola coloring, and we read Rufferela, and pretty much both fell asleep. 

I was supposed to have a hearing in Romney today, and was going to drop her at my mom's on the way, but it got cancelled as I started out due to ice over that way I was told, so I had lunch with Q in Fairmont waiting for my brother to get home, as he was just getting off work after starting at 2am, and he's watching Q while I put in some office hours.  She goes to her mom tonight, but I'll have her back next Tuesday, and I get her again for Valentines weekend and day!  Yay! :)

Q is the best valentine I could wish for at this point in my life.

Daddy gets to clean, rest up for the next full week of Q and daddy.  Daddy time this weekend will include another show, Yo La Tengo @ Mr. Smalls Theater in Pittsburgh, hopefully with a beautiful woman I haven't seen in many years, and we can catch up and enjoy some music!

Til next time.