Autumn is for Orchards: Part 1

Last month, I got to hang out with some of my dear friends at an orchard which met us all in the middle.

We don't see each other often, so it was glorious to be together. 

Mandy brought her sweet babe, Caleb, whom Adeline was fascinated with. She wanted to touch him and kept saying "hi" and laughing. And in typical Addie fashion, she thought his stroller was a jungle-gym. 

Here, Jess and Rachel do some synchronized apple picking, to make some delicious treats, no doubt. 

Mandy's mom, Kay, is always our group photographer when we are together. Thanks, Kay!

After the orchard, we headed to a pumpkin patch/ petting zoo. Rachel taught Addie that goats are gross.

And Jess and Addie admired the large and awkward statues.

Caleb couldn't be a part of our picture this time since he was in a milk-coma by the time we got to the patch.

This picture is for my mom. It's a pink tractor! And read the writing under my feet. "Sweet and Sassy."

Addie was running around the field yelling, "Go, go, go!" I think we need to teach her how to relax, but I admire her energy.

She really enjoyed the big pumpkins, but we found the littlest of them all to take home. (It's the one in her hand.) It is proudly displayed on my desk at work.

Speaking of little pumpkins: how cute is this guy??? Caleb woke up for a photo-op. He is such a delightful baby. We heard hardly a pip from him all day. We were just treated to smiles.

Thanks for stopping by. More orchard pictures to come later from Maria's traditional Birthday/Orchard day!

Little Prima Ballerina

If Adeline is awake.....

....she's wearing her tutu. 

And don't try to tell her she can't!

Addie Antics

This kid....she's got personality. Here's what she's been up to, as of late. 

*Being animated.*

She can't help but move her body at the slightest sound of music or any rhythm.

She practically flings herself to the ground with her interpretive dancing.

She's mastered the art of peek-a-boo by looking AROUND the blanket. 

Yeah Mom, I know you're back there. 

She points at EVERYTHING and asks, "Wassat? Wassat? Wassat?" with a whisper of a lisp.

*Wanting her way.*

She is bored with her baby board books. She only wants the "real" paper books which are located on a shelf too high for her. She points and whines until we bring them down. I am trying to instill the importance of "please" by using sign language, but she thinks a very sad cry will suffice.

In the picture below, she wanted all of her available stuffed animals on the floor and blanket with her. She gestured to me until I helped her in this task. Then she sighed and laid among them, quite content.

*Loving Water.*

She screams with delight at the sight of water. Gerrit is in Texas at the moment, so I have had to take showers with the door open in the mornings. She likes to peek in, get her face wet, grab a toy from the living room, and throw it in at me. Repeat that 10 times and we have a morning routine. While I get the tub full of water for her bath she has also thrown in 2 books and 1 pair of fuzzy bunny slippers.

*Missing Dada*

She has walked around the apartment looking for him everyday. She was shocked to find my grandma sleeping in his spot in the bedroom the other morning. She makes sure to point him out in pictures around the house, "Da....dada. Dada."

*Being my sidekick*

I can't do anything without Addie on my heels. She wants in on the action. She wants to be in the shower, to get her hair blow-dried, to check email, to eat what I eat (even if her dinner is the same OR more exciting). If I'm very lucky, I might get one kiss a day from my non-snuggly daughter. I must soak those in! 

Adeline is a treat. Sassy, serious, smart and spunky. That's our Addie Rose.

Living the Dream

When summer began, I had big dreams of using my free Mondays and Fridays to take Adeline on beach and park outings. The ridiculously hot weather this season dashed all those high hopes. 

But finally, the day came when the weather, the timing, and a friend all lined up to make one fabulous beach day. (And when you have a small child: day = 3 hours max.)

Addie finally got to wear her adorable beach cover-up given to her before-birth by the lovely Lindsay O. I've been looking forward to her wearing this for over a year! It was precious.

My pal, Rachel, was the best beach buddy a girl could ask for. She kept Addie in snacks; so naturally, Rach was Adeline's favorite lap.

Tiny life-jackets are the cutest...

...until the neck flap causes your child's face to go IN the water and she is unintentionally baptized. 

But alas, she was a trooper. And had some more snacks in the shade!

We took a little trolley ride back to the car. As you can see, Addie was a bit tired. She was asleep before we left the parking lot. We came home, dumped the sand out of our suits, took baths, and slept hard that night.

Beach dream, fulfilled! 

L.O.V.E.

Last week, my dear friend Jess married her main squeeze, James. As her friends, we've all schemed and dreamed of this day for as long as we've known her. I couldn't be happier for her that she met this wonderful Liberian man with the "big arms" and snatched him up for life. 

Five of my beautiful, bosom buddies were there. That was a rare treat for my soul. We are so seldom together nowadays. Mandy came sans-husband and child from Wisconsin; and Amy bushwhacked her way through the Boundary Waters to be there. She even shaved! I'm so proud.

Our other lady-love is Brittany, who as you may know, is in Ukraine working for Jesus. She was with us in spirit in every happy tear and hug. How we miss her so.

Gerrit was my very handsome and understanding date for the evening. 

I was gabbing and giggling with these two all night. Amy and Mandy were my college roomies and I couldn't love them more. 

Congrats to J and J. Happy Marriage to you both. 

Seven, I love you much. My heart was full that night.

Addie's "Me-Time"

Recently, my sister Carey and her husband Greg handed down a children's set of table and chairs to Adeline. Their kids have outgrown it and Addie is just loving it. Thank you to them! She points and gestures at me and the table until I help her onto a chair. 

Sometimes she has a spot of tea while she sits.

Then she reads for quite a while. She points to the pictures like we do when we read with her. Then she starts "talking" in a reading voice as she turns the pages. 

Uh-oh. She's on to me!

 Gotta go!

Bedtime?

I think not. There wasn't a tired bone in this child's body after Gerrit laid her in the crib. 

Hearing her yells turn from happy to mad, I went into the room. She was doing acrobatics and had thrown out her pacifiers and bunny (for space, I presume). We let her out of her "cage" for a few minutes to get the wiggles out. 

She's sleeping peacefully now. Hallelujah. Sometimes, bedtimes are meant to be broken. Roll with it.