A Day At The Park

Another post...so soon?! Crazy, huh?

But Audrey and I went to the park on Memorial day and the pictures are burning a hole in my pocket, just needing to be shared. The Instagram folks out there already got a preview, but there's more :)

My poor hubby had to go in to work yesterday (emergencies don't care about holidays) so my girl and I loaded the car and headed off to the park to enjoy some sunshine, a nice stroll, and a picnic lunch, just the two of us. I've been dreaming about days like this for a long time, and you know what? It was just as good as I was envisioning it would be! Perfect weather (it's been hit or miss lately), a giggly girl, and nothing to do but enjoy each other.

First thing on the agenda was a nice walk down this idyllic trail. 

(Okay, I did actually jog most of it, but it just doesn't sound as charming and relaxing if I call it that. And I don't have a fast pace by any means, so it was quite enjoyable.)

Seriously, how beautiful is this trail? 

It's several miles long, and I'm hoping to be a regular visitor these next few months.

I had a pretty pleased partner for this scenic outing. She was babbling away, talking about all the trees and birds, I'm sure.

Crazy thing--she's never once thrown/dropped anything off the stroller. When she's done with something (hat, glasses, snack, drink, toy, you name it) she holds it up in the air waiting patiently for me to grab it. It's so convenient! I didn't even teach her to do that, it's all her. So mature :)

 And we had to stop and pick some flowers, because, like I mentioned last post, she's crazy for flowers right now.

An then this just melts my heart:

Lately, when we're on a family walk, she thrusts her hand out waiting for one of us to hold it. When we take it she grins up at us happily and then watches the world go by with complete contentment. When we walk together around the neighborhood Ryan and I take turns pushing and holding her hand. We both love it so much. Yesterday, when I saw her little hand jut out I couldn't help but find a way to push and hold her hand at the same time. I couldn't disappoint her since Daddy wasn't there. Walking hand in hand with my daughter is something that I never imagined could feel so sweet. Just wait till she's actually doing it on her own two feet...

Then we reached a part of the trail that has this sweet rustic fence lining it. It was a perfect hight for Audrey to use to do a little posing for her picture-crazy mom. I expected her to fuss about touching the rail or standing in a new place (because that's the type of girl she is), but she didn't. She's growing up :)

no tears!

standing so tall

love this cheeky grin :)

She's been all about pinching noses lately. Ours and her own.

so sweet

that's right, I'm a big girl!

precious :)

When we got back to the park we spread our blanket under a tree (not another person in sight) and pulled out a yummy lunch to share. Thankfully she decided that tuna was good again (after boycotting it for two weeks), so that made mama happy. Maybe we need to eat every meal outside just for the sake of distraction. 

The girl is crazy for her pears and loves to take bites from the whole fruit. Then, of course, she plays in the sticky juices running down her chin and dripping onto her feet.

Here she is demonstrating her mad skills with a fork.

take that, blueberry!

And the highlight of the meal... angel food cake!

Her first bite was quite dainty.

Then she decided she wanted more at once.

(Can't you just tell what she's thinking?)

Remember how she told you in yesterday's post that she likes to see how much she can fit in her mouth? Well, I decided to let her try, it's spongey enough... 

So worth it.

See, Mom! I did it!

There's nothing like the feeling of success and the wind in your hair :)

Then it was off to the swings!!

We just got a swing to put up in our back yard. I can't wait for her to try it out. 

I think she'll be thrilled :)

seriously, does life get any better than this?

So much fun is exhausting...

16 Months

pajama time!

Can you believe I'm 16 months old already! Seriously, how's it going so fast?
This was a fun month, mainly because the weather finally got warm, and I got to spend more time outside.
So here's a glimpse of things I'm into lately:

#1 Flowers. Every time I see one, real or a picture, I have to give it a little "sniff, sniff." The flowers I got my mom for Mother's Day were my favorite, though, because they actually smelled good!

#2 My stroller. When I see it I point with excitement and can't wait to get behind it. It might look like I'm actually walking and pushing it in the picture below, but I'm not. I'm just standing. My parents help me walk with it when I want to move because it's still too light to give me much support. But I'm getting better! Especially when I use my wagon walker. 

#3 My doctor kit. I'm very thorough with my check-ups. My favorite is the stethoscope. I know how to put it on and where to listen to your heart. I'll even tell you what it sounds like, "boom, boom."

#4 Rylee and Landon. We've had some fun hang out time this month. I played with them when my parents went on a date one night, and Landon read me my bedtime story. They've come to my house a few times too, and I get to see them at church. It always makes me happy. They're moving to Oregon soon, so I'll miss them a lot.

#5 Shrugging my shoulders. I do it when I want to be really cute. Shoulders up, head tilted, and a cheeky grin and I'll get pretty much whatever I want.

#6 Playing catch. Golf balls, bouncy balls, the big blue exercise ball... you name it. I'll throw/bounce/roll it to you and eagerly await it's return. If you have bad aim, though, and it doesn't end up a reach away from where I'm sitting, be aware that you'll be the one to go retrieve it.

#7 Putting lotion on my legs. My Aquaphor tub is so much fun to stick my fingers into and pull out the goopy, sticky stuff. Since I insist on doing this every time I get oiled my mom has taught me how to rub it on my legs rather than just mushing it around in my fingers. Sometimes I rub it on her legs too, just to share the love.

#8 Sleeping in new positions. Not long ago, if I somehow flipped over to my belly when I was sleeping I would wake up crying and need to be turned back over. But now I love it! (Sometimes.) I finally decided that it's ok to move a little instead of lying all night in the exact position that I was laid down. This means, though, that I've lost my blankets and bumper, but I can deal with that. My favorite position is on my side with my legs out 90 degrees and my giraffe snuggled tightly in my arms.

Okay, the rest of my updates are about food.

-About two weeks ago I decided I wanted to be picky about what I ate. I emphatically threw vegetables and meat off my "yummy food" list. Except for the occasional turkey slice in my pita sandwich. But only if it's slathered in hummus! The veggie thing is driving my mom crazy. She tries to sneak pureed veggies into other things, but I catch her. 

-I also don't like it if you slice up food for me. I want to bite it off the big piece, because that's what big people do. I'm getting better about not shoving the whole thing in my mouth, but sometimes I do it just to see how much will fit. My parents don't like that. You should see how many goldfish crackers I can fit in my mouth at once :)

-Big people also use forks, so I taught myself how to stab my food with my fork. The first food I really did it with were my blueberries. They can be a little rolly, so it was an extra challenge, but I got it!

-I'll eat any bread product you set in front of me. Cheese too. They're my favorites. Bananas, blueberries, and pears keep my mom happy that at least some good vitamins are getting into me.

-I had my first kids meal at Chick-Fil-A the other day. I downed the applesauce pouch, refused the chicken, vomited the milk (Dad told you to not risk it, Mom. Soy milk is my friend, not that other stuff) and ended up eating french fries and ketchup. Not bad in my book, but my parent's were less than thrilled.

-At least if I'm going to torture you during meal times I look cute doing it :)

Joy

Audrey has been filling my life with joy since the moment I knew she was inside of me, but what astounds me is how that joy has grown each day that she has grown. When she was inside of me I would pray for her, and she would do summersaults, and I would get so excited at the thought of laying eyes on her and hearing her cry for the first time. Then that moment came. I cherished those first seconds of studying her brand new, squishy face, and those first cuddles with her tiny body asleep on my chest. Looking back at pictures of those early day and weeks makes my heart swell with the memory of all those new emotions I was feeling. It was priceless. I loved her so much, though I barely knew her.

But now, 15 months later, she gives intense hugs filled with a toddler's trust, love, and happiness. And I can't get enough of it. She laughs all the time and speaks her own crazy language, which she understands perfectly. She knows how to show that she loves us, even though she might not realize that's what she's doing. It just flows out naturally from a heart that is secure. The joy inside of me is the same as in those first days, but also different. It's deeper, because it's built on so much more. And I know it's going to continue deepening with each passing year. Also widening with each new addition to our family. (No, this is not an announcement :) But I hope that announcement isn't too far away. God's in control of that one...) 

In the coming years I'll know my girl even better, and that joy will fill my heart in new ways as I watch her run circles in the yard, sing silly songs, tell stories in a squeaky voice, demonstrate kindness and compassion, and learn about God. I get teary just thinking about it. But I don't want to fast-forward the present to get to those precious moments in the future. The passing of time is a gift. 

So right now I simply want to look back at where we've been and thank God for His undeserved grace towards me that was captured in each of these mother/daughter moments:

Mother's Day 2012 :)

I know that was a lot of pictures of me. But I did it more for my sake than yours, so I'm not really sorry. I am well aware, though, that Mother's Day is not all about me :) 

I would not be where I am without this amazing person supporting me all along the way: 

She is the most incredible mother on top of being the sweetest grandma to Audrey. 

I love you dearly, Mom.

And I have been blessed beyond measure by my mother-in-law :) Watching her goofy grandma antics and seeing her loving and generous heart in action with all of her kids and grandkids makes me feel truly honored to be a part of her family.

And to the women that went before them. Thank you for the legacy you are leaving. Your strong faiths  and faithful prayers have greatly impacted our lives. Thank you for investing so much in your grandkids and now in your great-grandkids. What a gift to have you in our lives.

And to my grandma whose time on earth has ended. I will always be grateful for you and thankful for the precious moments that Audrey got to spend in you lap. 

Well, what better way to end a sappy post than with the sweetest picture I have ever laid eyes on. 

Happy Mother's Day!