Summer magic & one year plus some

The months are flying! I've been reminiscing a lot on how far we've come this past year. From the work we've put into our fixer-upper home (which is an entirely different set of posts in itself) and watching our baby grow it has really been something.

Rory is so fun right now. She's got the best sense of humor and loves making people laugh. And she laughs easily, which she comes by naturally.

She crawls EVERYwhere, sometimes in the downward dog position because she still prefers using her feet over using her knees. She can stand for long periods of time and took her first step on the 4th of July, but doesn't regularly walk without a finger or couch to hold on to. She does crawl up the stairs like a champ, and is getting pretty good at going down as well. Her favorite thing to do is crawl over to the bottom of the stairs and laugh and squeal preemptively because she knows I'll come get her any second.

She finally decided that she likes the water! So our favorite thing to do right now is go to the gym the moment she wakes up from her morning nap, then spend an hour or so at the rec center pool after I'm done. She stands waist high in the kiddie pool water and happily splashes and watches the other kids. It's so so magical.

She eats more than I do, and that's not a joke. Some days I run out of ideas of things to feed her. Anybody else have this issue? We've mostly weaned. I still nurse her once every couple of days if she will nurse, though I know that can't go on forever as I'm sure I eventually won't have anything left to give. Thank heavens for Boo the vacuum cleaner who eats all her crumbs off the floor as self-feeding is a beautiful, messy thing. Rory has also been known to feed Boo on purpose from her chair the little rascal.

Puppy and baby become more and more mutually obsessed as the days go by. Rory easily gives Boo ten kisses in the space of 5 minutes and giggles at her so hard that she gives herself hiccups at least once a day. Boo is done with the bulk of her shedding for summer, but even still the constant vacuuming is worth it for how much these two love each other.

Our neighbor has the most magical apricot tree in her backyard. It's so full of apricots that she and I had to go out and brace the limbs to keep them from breaking, as several of the others already had. She has no family here and is so sweet to let us play on the lawn and steal an apricot here and there. (she sent me home with 3 full bags last week) Speaking of lawns, we are finally going to have a yard! We've been doing everything ourselves, so it's been quite the process. But we are almost there! My friend said I will just roll around in it I'll be so happy, and I quite agree. Anyways, I knew the moment I saw those limbs full of apricots that I needed to get a picture or two of Rory there. So I did, and Rory picked an apricot right off the tree and ate it mid-photo. Sometimes there's magic in our backyards. Really.

I did include a crying picture to bring us all back to reality. Homegirl is breaking 4 of her top teeth at the same time right now. So much drool, so many chewed fingers, and a good bit of fussing depending on the day.

My hometown is magical: pt 1

When my parents were out in February to visit, it ended up a family tragedy occurred and our time was needed elsewhere for most of their time here. However, they hadn't had enough of Rory (how is it that one becomes chopped liver upon having introduced a child to the world?) and my parents were dying to see her again.

I was planning on coming out for my little sister's high school graduation in June, but that just wasn't going to do. So they made us an offer we couldn't refuse (by "we" I mean "me" because Jay had to work Thursday and Friday, but that's another story...) and Rory and I put a four day trip to California on the calendar. We have been so excited for weeks! I mean the ranch, the food, the flowers, the family, the streams! (hallelujah, the water! ponds! frogs! fish!)And oh my, Coarsegold was really showing off this Easter. Green and flowers and happiness as far as the eye can see and the heart can feel. My hometown is magical. I bet I said,  "it's SO pretty!" a hundred times. And the adventures! The adventures!

And on to that other story, Jay surprised us all and drove all the way to California to be with Rory and I for the weekend! That guy... he keeps me on my toes and I sure love him. It was such a happy weekend, and it made it complete to be there with my favorite person in the world.

*plus, free (and willing) babysitting. All day every day. 

iPhone friday

The nature of always having my cell phone on me is that some of my favorite pictures and memories end up on my cell phone camera roll! So I'm taking a leaf from my sister's book and posting them here to cap off the week. 

[1] the neighborhood gang is back at it. We had six kids come over to play with Boo and ended up coming in and staying over for a couple of hours. The scooter gang were our first friends in the neighborhood and seriously, they're the best. 

[2,3,4] Grandma Betsy was in town to visit last week and we were lucky enough to spend a day at Grandma Glennda's house with her and some of the cousins. Rory is constantly being fed from 4 different directions while we play with said cousins. That and having her head rubbed and cheeks pinched. They love her, and aside from when it all turns to smothering, the love is mutual.

[5] Maybe my current favorite family picture of the three of us. 

[6] Rory is teething (as mentioned here before) and when we were on FaceTime with my sister, Rory broke into spontaneous pain-crying and Winnie's corresponding concerned face was amazing. 

[7] Our bedtime ritual these days is rocking my world. All three of us pile into Rory's tiny bedroom to read Harry Potter and hang out together for a good solid 30 minutes. It's my favorite part of the day.

[8] On Saturdays sometimes if we get stir crazy, we go for a little jog to the park. She zones out while we're in motion and full belly laughs while I do burpees or any kind of jumping exercise. I guess this mama doesn't look quite as she'd prefer doing her workout.... ha! oh well. 

[9] this outfit was affectionately coined the "green baby power suit" and was lovingly assembled by our favorite guy before church on Sunday since I wasn't ready on time. 

[10] This was our life through the teething ordeal or whatever it is we were dealing with. Lack of sleep, tears, and lots of cuddling.