Where to start......9 months, 10 months......and so much more

Summer has been awesome, full and tiring.  I  cannot say how many times a week I say, " there are not enough hours in the day."  We have packed our summer and taken advantage of so many things yet I find myself regretting not making enough of our summer favorite meals, regretting not having enough BBQs; but truthfully it is not because we have not taken advantage of summer, it is because we have lived this summer with two young children to the absolute fullest.  Our days are no longer full of Saturday night BBQs, spending time making dinner with friends and enjoying a nice bottle of wine or beer.  Instead our days are enjoying activities that we love with our kids and running to the grocery store late night to prepare ourselves for the week.  A different type of fun.

In July we had our first annual Charnelton, Nye, Olech, Simpson Camping trip and it was great.  The kids swam, canoed with the dads/Uncles, we hiked, occupied crazy kids with learning how an old water pump works- teaching them how to pump water, hiking, smores and good ole' just playing in the dirt.  Relaxing - NO - fun- YES.

Rowan was 4 days short of  9 months here.  She started rolling and crawling during this time time.

Wesley and Rowan loving the water and mad that we would not let them get in further since we had a long drive home following this.

Shortly after camping we flew to Seattle for a wedding.  We realized even more than we already know- how much we miss our friends.  Every day was FULL- sun up to sun down of friends.  Laughing, talking and truly just understanding and taking care of each other.  The time was priceless and just what we had been longing for.  Lillian has come a long way with her traveling skills.  She was a true champ. The girls only napped in the car, went to bed late and woke early; by the end we were all in trouble but the she did a great job on the flight.  She loved playing with Rosie and doing whatever Rosie did.

Oh Puget Sound, Point Defiance we have missed you so.  You made us feel right at home with rainy mist all day long, on our only day with Mike and AD.

Lillian has grown so much this summer.  She is writing her name, spelling her name counting to 40, playing more independently and slowly doing away with naps.  She continues to be smart, happy, precocious, a leader and very detail oriented. 

All Rowan wanted to do through the month of August was stand.  She wanted to walk, hold onto furniture and walk holding your hand.  If I am in the kitchen she thinks she needs to be eating - even if she just ate - she LOVES the experience of food.  She will take a bite of something and if she does not like it she throws it across the room. She is just starting to really find her voice.....mama, dada, baba, ahhhh done.  It is a work in progress. She continues to be an introvert, needing obvious quiet time away from anyone but mommy.  She continues to stand back and watch and not really care what anyone but Lily and mommy are doing.  She casts a watchful and introspective eye on all- nothing is missed.

The wedding in WA was amazing.  Brian and Tiffany were so beautiful, the ceremony was perfect, the grounds were PNW at its best.

We took the ferry from Bremerton to Seattle.  It made me feel alive.  I could not stand to be in the cabin I HAD to be on the deck taking in the view and the oncoming city.  We spent the day with the Torseth and Gregory Family.

The girls play together all of the time.  Lillian really is such a great big sister.  She shares, she teaches, she guides, she loves.  Rowan just follows Lily around, she wants to be right with her, playing with the same toys.  No one can make Row laugh like Lillian can.

We visited Grandma Vivian and of course Lily had to see her bed and all of her jewelry.  Who doesn't need  5 bracelets on?

We saw Thomas with our neighbors~!  We road Thomas and spent most of the day doing Thomas activities.  They had so much fun they did not want to finish there ice cream because they were afraid Thomas was going to leave without them.  Mid-way through the day Lily asked about every 3-5 minutes if it was time to ride Thomas.

Top to bottom - Mitchell -4, Ryland -2, Lillian- 3.

A happy 10 month old baby.  At this point crawling stairs, cruising furniture like a champ, talking more and more and eating all of the time.  She is loosing her baby chub and that is a little sad.  Rowan has 6 teeth and 2 more coming in right now.  Her hair has filled out in the last month and she is more and more beautiful everyday.  

Playing were Lillian in the tent, a dream come true.

We took our first true Burley trip Labor Day weekend.  We only biked 5 miles but boy did it feel good to get out.  The girls did great but they were done at 5 miles so our dreams of 30 in a month are spoiled for sure.

Our little food explorer.  She LOVES food, all textures, shapes, sizes, flavors.  She is looking more like her sister yet she actually looks a tad bit like her mom.  This weekend we were in Chicago with all of Colin's family and Aunt Diane said, "we have the same head shape" oh sooooo true.  Yes she is clearly Colin's baby girl.

Chicago for another wedding.  The girls woke at 6 am so we were able to make it to the park before EVERYONE else.   It was a great trip and made me realize how much I miss the city.  It was so good to be with family.

My big girl starts preschool tomorrow.  So big, smart and full of life.  My wish for  her at this wishing well was that she will always hold the world in her hands feeling in charge of the world, instead of vis versa.  She is strong, beautiful, smart and full of everything needed to make this place a better world.  May the world be kind and loving and take her on a journey that will only help her grow in the kindest of ways.  We love you Lilybean, you will always be our little Bean, taking the world in YOUR reigns.
(Ironically her wish at this wishing well ("like the Genie") was wishing for cookies. I guess she is my daughter after all.