Mountain Adventure 2013

 

So glad we decided to go again this year to my friend Sarah’s house in the mountains. (See last year’s post about our mountain trip!) Though I dreaded the 6 hour drive, the kids did great and when we got there, they were outside nearly the whole time! It rained a little and we had to stay inside and play but most of the rain came at night after they were asleep, dead tired from playing so hard all day! My friend Elizabeth, from Tennessee, met us there as well, with her two kids. Leah and her oldest daughter Amelia became BFF!

Andrew’s favorite thing in the whole world was throwing rocks in the river. He asked to go at least twice a day! Something must be comforting about the splash in the water.

 

They all enjoyed getting in the river. Well, with the exception of a little baby who found it much too cold (although she didn’t mind putting her hands in)!

 

 

 

Even though she’s about a year and a half older, Leah loved hanging out with Amelia and they are already planning a future sleepover!

However, a certain big girl did not enjoy the slip ‘n slide. Her little brother, however, thought it was a blast! Elizabeth’s husband Dan would shove the kids down the hill so they’d go super fast and Andrew kept going back up again and again.

 

  

And yet again, Miss Priss decided the water was much too cold for her.

 

Continuing our water theme, the 2nd full day we were there, we took a trip to nearby Asheville to try out the Splash Park. Turns out none of the kids were a big fan. The water pressure was high and there were a lot of big kids running around. Leah tolerated it for a little while, but mostly we got this:

 

So instead we checked out a local park. It was a great park and no one was there! So we had a picnic lunch and played until nap time.

  

Abigail didn’t so much like being held by Sarah (although she warmed up to her by the end of our trip!), she loved the swing!

 

We realized we have one kid of each age. So we lined them up, 4-3-2-1-0. Took a lot of tries, but we managed to get one or two where they’re all looking! As long as we go before Andrew’s birthday every year, we’ll be able to do this, and next year Elizabeth will have another on the other side of Abigail!

Back at Sarah’s, the little ones napped while Amelia & Leah got their toenails done. Gotta do something girly even in the wilderness!

Andrew loved Sarah’s dog Stanley. Stanley wasn’t so sure about all these little kids adoring him, but I think he secretly like all the attention.

We spent more time outdoors that evening—sidewalk chalk, a cookout including s’mores, and Andrew even got his haircut!

 

 

The trip home was treacherous because of storms and we made 2 stops, making it almost 7 hours but it was made better by a really nice manager at Chick-Fil-A who walked us to our car with his umbrella in the rain, waiting for the kids to get in and then walking me around to my side. I have even more of a respect for Chick-Fil-A now!

Abigail @ 8 Months

 

Oh how much fun this little girl is becoming! This month she’s learned how to clap her hands (and can often do it on command) and has started to say more sounds (da da da is her favorite, although I am insistent that does not make “da-da” her first word!). She “crawls” everywhere, although she still doesn’t sit without support. She is my constant companion when I’m cooking in the kitchen, or Leah & Andrew’s companion when they’re playing in the playroom. She loves to be right up in their way no matter what they’re doing.

She loves music and usually heads straight for our box of musical instruments when she gets in the playroom. This bottle of rice requires vigorous shaking!

She has mastered the little step down into the playroom from Leah & Andrew’s bedroom. Although going back up isn’t as easy. Usually she’ll whine and scream until someone comes to help her up, even though she can do it.

She has definitely outgrown her bassinet (I’m guessing she’s somewhere around 17 lbs. now, maybe?) and is now taking her naps in her crib, while Andrew has moved to the floor in our room for naptime. She naps very well, usually from about 9-11 in the morning and then again from 2 till 3:30 or 4 in the afternoon. And she almost always sleeps well from 7 or 7:30 at night until 7 or 7:30 in the morning. She still doesn’t really like to be rocked, but prefers just to be put in bed & left alone.

She is so happy the majority of the time! And she is a bundle of energy, kicking her whole body when she gets excited. She’s going through a little separation anxiety, but she’s fine with other people as long as she doesn’t see me.

 

Her eating habits haven’t changed much, although she can now go about 4 hours between nursing. She is much better at the baby food, and will take about 1/2 a jar of stage 2 foods. She’s not really too picky about baby food anymore. She’s not too great with the finger foods yet (although anything on the floor instantly goes in her mouth!) but we’ve been trying a few things. Still no teeth either!

She’s very mischievous. She knew exactly what she was doing when she found Andrew’s cup on the floor and started drinking it!

The monthly photos are, of course, getting harder & harder to take with a wiggly little girl. She was feeling especially sassy after church the day I took these. She’s discovered her hair bows and will pull them off herself now. But she almost has enough for a clippy bow.