Summer Backyard Fun!

Trial Run

We babysat for our neighbor's 8 month old this morning for an hour. It was a good trial run to see if we could handle a toddler and a baby. It went well - but it still took both me and Keith to keep them both safe and entertained. I know now I could handle it myself, it would just mean that everyone would not get what they wanted when they wanted it, but at least I know we all would survive! Zoe was a great "helper" - she loved all over little Tripp and tried her best to help him with whatever she thought he needed help with (well, at least until she was bored and ran out of the room- which is where the second adult came in handy!). I think we still need a few more practice runs, but I know we will be fine...after all, most people in the world have at least two kids and live to tell the tale!

Healthy Snacks

Zoe loves eating tomatoes! Her favorites are when her Daddy gets one from his garden and lets her eat it whole like an apple! She just chows down! And that's not her only veggie of choice. The other day she opened the fridge with me and saw the broccoli. She took it out, said "broccoli", and tried to take a bite. (I didn't even know she knew that word!) I cooked it for her and she ate it all up. Now these are the kind of snacks any Mom could get behind!
Zoe had her first popsicle this summer over her friend Tully's house. She loved it! When I went to the store to get her some, even the ones labeled "pure fruit" had all of these additives, colors, and preservatives - yuck! So to make healthy ones I buy organic fruit juice (on sale of course - that stuff is expensive!) and make popsicles out of it the old fashioned way with freezer molds. She loves it just as much and I don't feel bad about giving her crap!

Zoe's Beauty Regimen

Zoe loves putting on her chapstick just like her Daddy. He started putting the old school Chapstick brand chapstick on her early on and I didn't like all the chemicals in it so I got him a more natural kind (Burt's Bees) and she just loves it. She tries to lick it every time, too!

Zoe would watch Gramma put on lotion and one day Gramma put some on Zoe. Now she is addicted! She even came up with her own sign language for it where she rubs her arm as a request for lotion application - so smart!:).

Baby's First Protest

Last week my healthcare provider decided to drop the midwife service I was using (and had used through our preganancy with Zoe). I was very upset because there is something very special about having a midwife instead of just the traditional "in and out" doctor of most OB practices. There are a million reasons to prefer a midwife - lower infant mortality rates, lower C-section rates, support throughout the labor, support after the birth, etc etc... There is just no substitute. So needless to say I, along with the rest of the pregnant community in my town, have been expressing my discontent through letter writing, news making,and protesting at the local hospital and OB offices. We were holding signs for a while, but now have resorted to a more attention grabbing effort - painting our message on our bellies! This is a really big deal for our family - and yes it is a family issue, not just a woman issue. Since there are no other options in our town this is a very important issue that MUST be changed! So my unborn baby had her first glimpse of standing up for what we believe in and I hope it is something that sticks with her throughout her life! One of these days I am going to bring Zoe too!

Zoe loves her Magazines

Zoe has always enjoyed "reading" books, but lately has gotten interested in magazines. She loves to look for pictures of kids in ads and photo shoots and once she finds them, she keeps wanting us to go back to the same pages every time asking for "kkksss, kkksss, kkkssss" (thats how she says "kids"). She also likes to point out things she knows in all of the pictures as well. She is especially keen on granola bar advertisements lately!:) I wonder if this is the beginning of a future tabloid obsession??!!

"C'mon Momma!"

Yesterday Zoe totally melted my heart. She got this new baby stroller and was walking her dolly around the house and I was following her. I sat down on my bed and she started to leave the room. She paused for a second, looking expectantly at me to follow her. Being 6 months pregnant and very tired, I didn't get up right away. She stopped, looked me right in the eye and said, "C'mon, Momma" (with a very cute little hand gesture). She has never put two words together like that before! I was so stunned, but so swept away by her cuteness! I didn't know whether to laugh or cry...but I sure did get up fast and followed her around the house as long as she wanted!:)

Texas Visit

Zoe and I flew to Texas to see her Poppy and Gramma Joyce. It had been over a year since we saw them last so it was GREAT to be with them! Zoe took to them right away - and spent most of her time asking for "Pappa" (which she says distinctively different than she does when she refers to her Papa John).

Even though Zoe and I were both sick, and not our usual sun-shiny selves the whole time, we had a great time. We got military tours, went shopping, out to eat, to playgrounds, and just spent some quality time with the Texas grandparents! Zoe was really able to get in some great bonding time with Poppy and it was great to watch! There is just something so amazing about seeing your parent interact with your own child, it makes me so happy! We will miss them till our next visit, but thank goodness for Skype and the internet in the mean time!