A Swing and a Slide

More from St.Patty's Day. We played in the back yard for a while, too. Julia wasn't thrilled with the swing. She mostly whined and reached for me to take her out, but she liked to watch Kristen swing high next to her. So she'd look at me and whine, then look over at Kristen and smile, then look at me and whine, etc. What a goofball.

The slide, on the other hand, she loved. I would think that would have been scarier than the swing, but what do I know? Maybe she's a thrill-seeker, uh oh!

Remember, you can click on these to enlarge them and see the anticipation on her face as Kristen starts to pull her down.

Ready...

Set...

Go!

She would laugh the whole way down, skidding sideways, one foot stuck, or whatever, didn't matter.

Julia's most favorite thing in the back yard? You guessed it, rocks! Little pea gravel to be exact. She would get a whole handful of rocks, carry them around, throw them down the slide, get some more, on and on.
Thought process... Hmmm...I really think I'd like to play with that ball, but then I might have to let go of some of these rocks. It sure is a fun looking ball, but no, these rocks are too valuable and new and exciting to part with. Besides, they're covered in...

DIRT! And I love dirt!

It's okay because Mommy says, "God made dirt and dirt don't hurt!"

Good news... the slide is considerably cleaner!

Peep! (translation: Beep Beep!)

On St.Patty's Day last week, Kristen was on spring break so she watched Julia at her house while I was at work. When I got there to pick her up, we took out somes toys that were still in my trunk from the day before when I had picked them up from my Aunt Kathy. She was cleaning out her basement and she gave us some awesome toys that her grandchildren have outgrown. (Thanks Kathy!) Julia's favorite? The car of course! She hasn't quite figured out how to move forward in it, but she can back up and spin in circles really fast, and it's fun to watch her get in and out, open and close the door, and beep the horn! When she tries to say "Beep Beep", out comes "Peep"!

An Itch

I have an itch. An itch I can't scratch. It's that most dangerous sort of itch...an itch to have a newborn again.

You will not believe what I did this afternoon. I held a five pound baby girl, only a few hours old. Seriously. I'm still a little high from the experience, I must confess. There is nothing more precious to behold in this life, I'm convinced. The only natural way for me to feel, with a rambunctious toddler at home that is far beyond her newborn days...anxious to have another, of course! If only it were that easy, Jess!

Congratulations Brandon and Missy! She is absolutely gorgeous, and I wouldn't lie! Per Brandon's request, I will not post any pictures yet, but I'm not sure I would have anyway, they don't do her any justice. She's much more beautiful that any candids I got! I'm also going to refrain from sharing her name until they've decided on a spelling, because I don't want to spread the wrong info...but I must say, I love it. Cute, creative name and I can't wait to share it with the world. (Or at least, my small world of readers out there!) You're on the edge of your seats, I know!

Now, about this baby itch...what must I do to scratch it? Hmmm...

Back and Forth

These were taken when we had those first few warm days at the beginning of the month. Julia was so funny. I opened the sliding door to the deck and she walked up to it with her hands out in front of her, leaned forward, and fell right outside. I don't think she knew it opened! She stands there every day, looking out the glass into the yard. I didn't even think that she'd try to lean on it like that and fall, poor kid! Anywho, once we got out there, it was as if I had just freed a caged animal. She'd "run" from one side of the deck to the other, back and forth, back and forth. We took a few toys out, so she'd push (or pull) her shopping cart, back and forth. She'd throw her ball and chase after it, back and forth. She'd sit in her little chair for three whole seconds, then get up to go bark at the neighbor dogs, back and forth. She'd find a tiny leaf or twig and have to take it to the railing and throw it in the grass, back and forth. It made me tired just watching her!

An ever so brief moment of rest.

(Probably only because she fell and had to get back up again!)

Oh! A leaf! Let me just return this to it's rightful place in the yard! (At least we won't ever have to sweep the deck!)

After playing on the deck, we took a walk as a family, thinking she would sleep in her comfy stroller since it was nap time. Thought wrong. Apparantly napping in the stroller was only cool last year. Little miss toddler Julia is beyond that now I guess. Therefore, the trip "forth" on the bike trail was fine and dandy. The trip back, on the other hand, was quite miserable. Oh, well. Live and learn.