The first weekend in June is my favorite time to be a Kalamazoo resident. The centerpiece of the weekend is what's affectionately known as "Super Saturday," and it is aptly named, because there is a TON of stuff going on downtown that day: the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts Art Fair in Bronson Park, Greek Fest in the Arcadia Creek Festival Site, Art on the Mall, the Kalamazoo Public Library used book sale, the Farmer's Market and the silliest of all--the Do-Dah parade! This is a parade that goes right through downtown, and it is a "just because" parade--no major holiday, just local businesses and organizations dressing up in wacky costumes, playing music and handing out candy. The kids love it!
As you can imagine, with a toddler in tow, I skipped the fine art fair, and prioritized the parade! Nancy came with us, and we ended up running into Suzanne, her sister-in-law Kathleen, Gavin, Jessie, Lizzie, Evelyn, and even two families whose kiddos go to daycare with Nathan. I love Kalamazoo!
Grandma and Nathan watching as a group of friends from Zeke's dog training class approach.
Gavin scored some play-doh as well as candy as part of his parade loot.
Kathleen, Gavin and Suz. Gavin looks like he's really hot--he was, it was a scorcher by early June standards!
Baby Evelyn. Didn't get a pic with Jessie and Lizzie. Oops. Guess I was busy watching the parade!
Grandma, Nathan, and the aftermath of eating melty chocolate on a hot day.
The highlight of the parade for me was that N sat on my lap the entire time--he was too entranced with the police cars and other entertainment to notice that he was cuddling!
After nap time on Saturday (a three-hour long affair; I guess parades are exhausting!) Nathan and I went out to accomplish productive goal #1 for the weekend: get N some summer sandals and tennis shoes. This kid is growing like a weed! We went to Little Chick Shoe Shop, which is a Kalamazoo institution--all the Kzoo natives I know got their shoes there when they were kids. And these folks are professionals--they are completely unfazed by toddlers rearranging their shoe displays, and quickly and efficiently measure foot size, show you the options, get them fitted and get you out the door. It makes shoe shopping with a 2 1/2 year old almost painless!
Saturday evening my friend Jenn was in town, and she and our mutual friends Patti and Robert and their kiddos Teah and Carter came over for a potluck dinner. The kids had fun playing, and we had fun eating and catching up. I (gasp!) did not take any pictures, so you'll just have to use your imagination to picture us all hanging out, talking and laughing--it was a great night!
On Sunday Nathan and I accomplished productive goal #2 for the weekend: get Nathan a summer haircut. He is blessed with a very thick mop of hair, for which I am sure he will be grateful in middle age, but when you run everywhere you go, it's summer, and you tend to be sweaty all the time anyway, a thick mop of hair just increases the sweatiness factor! So we headed over to Great Clips and N got his summer 'do. Luckily places like Great Clips are a virtual revolving door of little kids getting their hair cut, so the stylist was completely unfazed by the fact that N tried his best to sit really still, but didn't quite succeed.
Here's the handsome man himself--his short hair is so much more practical, but it makes him look so much older!
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