Denim Bubble Shorts

I think these win for my favorite garment sewn so far.  I used this super-easy tutorial at Create and Delegate, and had them ready to wear in about an hour and a half.  I forced Natasha to wear them to playgroup yesterday over a pair of tights. I love them and will be making many more pairs.  This pair was made out of some old jeans and some fabric scraps.  Jeremy spotted my wandering eye and declared his jeans off-limits.  He points out that I have more pairs than he does - which is true - but this girl needs at least three different sizes in her closet at all times (alas, at the moment I barely fit into the largest ones ... yes, I am still working out regularly).

Aren't they cute?

Tots Around Town Tuesdays: Dior Exhibit

Today we took the trolley to the Pushkin Museum to see an exhibit of Dior gowns.

We made quite a sight - three disheveled and sweaty mommas, two (myself included) with babies strapped to their chests, and three toddlers.  Also, it was so hot.  It even smelled like a sauna.  We guessed those conditions were necessary for the gown preservation, but it was pretty uncomfortable.

We also got special attention from the apron-clad babushki monitoring each room.  They followed close behind us to make sure our kids didn't smudge the glass or try to tug the dresses.  Pictures were not allowed, and, as we were already under close surveillance, I didn't try to sneak any.  It's really too bad because it was an absolutely gorgeous exhibit.  I found this one on the net - you can take a look at the rest here.

Natasha was completely transfixed.  Kid has good taste.

Afterwards, we got some cream puffs at Beard Papa's.

We worked them off by walking the 1.5-2 miles or so home.  I think this was my favorite Tots Around Town Tuesday outing so far.

Tots Around Town Tuesdays: Victory Park and Great Patriotic War museum

Today we hopped on the trolley with E and A and headed to Victory Park.  The forecast had promised no rain until the afternoon, but a few minutes after we disembarked, it started to drizzle.  This was an improvement over the last time we went to Victory Park (in early January, when the windchill was somewhere around 7 degrees F).  But even the fountains and tulips can't conceal that this park, dedicated to the Soviet victory in the Great Patriotic War (known to you and me as WWII), is really ugly.

We headed into the museum.  There was some kerfluffle over whether or not we could enter with strollers.  After a 15-minute wait in the lobby, during which one of the security guards went to discuss our dilemma with the museum administrator, they let us through.  We were given special access to the elevator and strict instructions to let the exhibit monitors (a cadre of fierce old women) know that our strollers were allowed at the permission of the museum administrator.

I hadn't even known that it was there, but I'm so glad we went, because it was an excellent museum, if jarringly and unapologetically Soviet.

 And, bonus, the girls were pretty well behaved, even despite getting a little wet because their mama forgot to pack the rain cover.

Tots Around Town Tuesdays: Novodevichy Convent

It seems we are not meant to actually make it into the convent. Last Tuesday, E and I pushed our strollers up to the bus stop to catch the 64 bus to the convent, only to find that the bus only runs once an hour, and we had just missed the last one. So we walked to a nearby playground instead.

This week, we got to the stop on time, and had a nice ride to the convent.


We walked up to the gate, only to be told by a flat-hatted policeman that the morning service was over and the convent was closed for Tuesday cleaning.



Luckily, there is a nice pond and playground right next to Novodevichy, so we spent the morning there instead.



Then we played on the "Make Way for Ducklings" sculpture by the pond. I remember this book from my childhood - it's about a family of ducklings who live in the Boston Public Garden lagoon, and the original sculpture is displayed in the garden. In 1991, Barbara Bush gave this copy to Raisa Gorbachev.

Natasha went down the row, kissing all the ducks.

Tots Around Town on the Trolley to the (New) Tretyakov

Now that the weather is warmer, we are joining our friend A and his mama in their explorations of the city. Yesterday was our first "Tots Around Town" adventure. We took the trolley to the New Tretyakov Gallery near Gorky Park. The art there is most 19th and 20th century, and to be honest, not really my thing. But it was nearly empty, had a stroller ramp AND an elevator, and nice wide rooms perfect for toddler exploration. So off we went.

This is Z and A on the trolley. N is in the jump seat behind Z.

Exploring the gallery.

Natasha decided that this painting was best contemplated while lying on the floor.

We spent about an hour and a half checking out the exhibits, and then walked back outside to wait for the trolley.

Mama and Natasha happy on the trolley.

It inevitably broke down, and we ended up walking the remaining mile back home. But it was a nice sunny day (have I mentioned it's finally spring??), about 45 degrees, and we enjoyed the walk.