Guest Blogger: Fun Times with M + M

Guest Blogger Cousin Jenni is back again. I’ve had an adventurous several days with Maya and her parents. Maggie and I arrived on Friday, April 10. We flew to San Jose from Kansas City (via Denver). We arrived around lunchtime, and Rebecca and Maya greeted us with a delicious lunch (hot dogs for Mags, burritos for me). Then, we spent the afternoon hanging out with Aunt Sandi and the star attraction, Maya, who dazzled us with her skills in the Gymini.
Saturday morning we headed over to Lafayette to see Tom, Sandi and Susy. After lunch at Chow (where Maggie managed to smear a large mirror with buttery pasta fingerprints), we left both baby girls in the capable care of Tom, Sandi and Susy and headed out to the mall for a critical See’s Candy run. After dropping more cash on chocolate than is probably healthy, we headed home, where both babies were snoozing away. We were told (but cannot verify) that Maya enjoyed a ride in her bouncy seat while we were out.
As soon as Maggie and Maya had woken up from their naps, the gang headed out to Tilden Park in Oakland. Rebecca and I remember visiting and riding the train when we were about ten. Our first stop was the merry-go-round. Maggie rode the giraffe. Maya, in the Baby Bjorn on Mama’s tummy, rode the rocking chair (which Mama declared “surprisingly comfy!“). Mustafa was the photographer. Sandi rode a pony. And Tom apparently rode a junior pony. The merry-go-round was a little swifter than we remembered (and only a little bit nauseating), but loads of fun.
Then it was off to the steam train. All aboard, called the engineer, and we were off! The seats were not exactly padded but the sunshine made the ride worthwhile. The view from the train of the entire bay area was spectacular. Both girls loved the train ride. Well, one slept for most of it, and the other sucked her thumb for the duration, but really - they LOVED it.
We had to hurry home to meet my friends from Kansas City who are recent Bay Area transplants and thoughtfully ventured out to Fremont for the evening. Leslie and Tarun were brave enough to go out to dinner with Maya, Maggie and the Gang. We dined at La Pinata and stuffed ourselves with chips, guacamole and loads of yumminess. Maggie enjoyed throwing fruit snacks on the floor and climbing out of her chair to pick them up. Maya enjoyed yelling. Note to the parents: don’t try to take kiddos out for Mexican after 8 P.M.
Sunday morning, Rebecca and I had a mission: matching outfits for the girls. A stop at Carter’s fulfilled our dream – pink sundresses with flowers for pockets. A 2T for Maggie and a 6-month for Maya. Then, after a quick lunch, and approximately 2 hours of loading the car, we were off to visit the girls’ great-grandmother Eilleen……