Block party

Melissa is on retreat this weekend so Tani and I are on our own.  Today we had a big day in Philadelphia.  We went to synagogue at Germantown Jewish Centre.  We spent about ten minutes in services, an hour on the playground, and 30 minutes at kiddush.  It was nice to see old friends in Mt. Airy.  It had rained the previous week and there was a big puddle on the playground.  Luckily, I remembered to bring Tani's boots.  Unfortunately, the puddle was so big that after Tani jumped in the puddle the water splashed up into his boots and all over his pants.  Fortunately, Melissa reminded me to bring a change of clothing.  We then headed to W. Philly to see cousin Jen, her husband Joel, and their eight week old baby Jonah.  They were staying with friends on St. Marks Square street which was having a block party.  So we arrive ~2 pm and there are tricycles, super soakers, and other fun toys scattered about the street and on people's porches (the street has row houses with front porches on both sides).  There's also a kiddie pool set up and Tani want to go get wet again.  Fortunately I have a swim suit and swim diapers - I thought we were going to go swimming yesterday and didn't take the swim bag out of the trunk.  Unfortunately I didn't think I had his water shoes, so I took off his sneakers and sent him barefoot into the street.  He happily walked up the block and played in the pool, with the super soakers and jumped around as others sprayed hoses.  He also got to ride on a peddle bulldozer and play with a garbage truck on someone else's porch.  I had also brought his tricycle which I had put on the side of the street.  Tani got very upset when he saw other kids riding it.  I explained how we were all sharing and that he was having fun playing with other kids' toys.  That explanation did not seem to help much.  I had a nice visit with Jen and Joel and got to see baby Jonah, who seems to be studying everything, taking it all in - he seems very content and happy.  At some point I needed to change Tani's diaper and after looking at the bottom of the stroller for wipes noticed that I had his water shoes after all.  So I changed his diaper, put back on his bathing suit and now water shoes, and we wandered up the block looking for water balloons.  But more festivities were about to occur.  First was a pinata breaking activity.  Kids gathered round and took turns whacking the pinata with a baseball bat until tons of candy fell out.  Fortunately, Tani was so busy playing with his water shoes he didn't pay attention.   After this was a donut eating contest.  Parents string up about 30 donuts on a line and the kids each try to eat a donut without using their hands.  Whoever finishes the donut first is the winner.  Tani has shown no interest in donuts up until now but the kids were having so much fun he went to investigate.  He touched a donut and licked his fingers and noticed they were sweet.  So he decided to enter the contest but did use his hands to devour the donut.  Joel has a picture of this.  I stayed a bit later than I should have as Tani was clearly getting tired.  I gathered things up and Joel helped me and Tani get to the car.  I was on the Schulykill expressway at the Montgomery Ave exit when I realized I had forgotten his sneakers.  Ughh.  Jen found them and I'll ask her to mail them back.  So I went to the Lehigh Valley mall once we got to Allentown and now Tani has some sandals for summer.