A Few from the Zoo

for Gina...

It's wonderful to have such a nice zoo close to home. The animals all gave us quite a show...a show-down between the rhinos, wresting and growling leopards, elephants all lined up, zebras herding together, polar bear playing in the heat. Even the petting zoo was extra busy with goats standing in line to get their coats shined up.

It's even more wonderful to have a gaggle of cute cousins to share the sights and sounds with, to hold hands with, climb in giant birds nests with and ride the train with.

Rhinos are HUGE, no?

Seven Happy Months

Just a little late in getting these pictures posted. There were so many sweet shots from our blanket session that it was hard to pick!

Ever is now:

• scooting across the floor - and fast. She pushes herself around with her toes. She loves crawling around the floor 'combing' the carpet with her hands. It looks like she's searching the fibers for any hidden snacks. :)

• eating some solids. Her first official solid food was on the seven month mark...some frozen mango. She's had some banana, some scrambled eggs with zucchini and onion, sweet potato, a bit of a peach, a little of my oatmeal, and some frozen fruit/yogurt popsicle. She still tends to make a disgusted face when she gets something in her mouth...but she keeps at it. It's fun to include her in our mealtimes but definitely more work cleaning up all the bits of things she's wiped off the tray onto the floor.

• teething! She got her first tooth two days after she turned 7 months and the second one cut through yesterday. So far she hasn't bitten me, and it still amazingly calm...but her slightly elevated levels of noise indicate that it does, in fact, hurt. Poor dear. My chin is her favorite teething toy. Poor me. :)

• Figured out how to scream at a level that might cause ear damage. Happy, angry, impatient...she's pulled it out for every occasion.

She's such an incredible light. The gift that having a daughter is has only begun to dawn on me recently. But trust me...lots of thankfulness around her because of this little one.

Happy 7 months Ever bug!

Take a hike

This little happy bug loves being outside, walking, hiking, swinging, sitting. Whatever. and she's finally big enough to really take it all in...even in the big kid backpack carrier.

Watching the works

A few more shots from the 4th.

Ever

again with the cuteness.

Fireworks

We spent the evening of July 4th with some good friends in Baltimore. Upon observation of potential toddler meltdown rumblings we made one of those last minute parental changes of plan and left for home about 30 minutes before the fireworks started.

But we probably should have just stayed. I had shown Owen some videos of firework displays earlier - to acclimate him a little to the sounds/noise and the whole way out of town he was asking us to hear the 'BOooommmms" as we passed a few little neighborhood shots. He was exhausted but still craned his neck to see every little sparkler that we went by.

So Jon course corrected and we parked down near Tide Point - in a very crowed little lot, almost right beneath the launch zone. The fireworks were beautiful and Owen was captivated. Until the very end at least. Not a fan of the rapid fire finale.

I'm amazed that we got out of the city as quickly as we did - all thanks to Jon's awesome navigation skills - and Owen was asleep before we hit the highway. Ever, by the way, fell asleep just after the show started and was out cold for the whole thing.

Food Practice

I've been waiting to start Ever on solids for a bit but that doesn't mean she can't get in some practice!

What to choose, what to choose?

Carrot hunk.

Mushrooms. Of the fuzzy variety.

Future gourmand - finished!

Beach Week

We spent time at the beach with some of my family a bit ago.

It was wonderful. I wanted to stay much longer and hope that we'll get a chance to go back this year. The open sand is the perfect place for running toddlers - Owen ran, ran, ran, ran and SLEPT. Ahhh.

He wanted the cat. Zoe doesn't realize what a lucky kitty she is. If not for these adoring kiddos....DUNDUNDUUUN.

Ever's beach basket. She was very happy to play with a few water toys in this laundry basket. But then again...when is Ever NOT happy?

First ice cream sandwich. Jon took a video.

My favorite picture. Owen in the tide pool.

Thanks for a great time fam!!