Baby Tracks

We enjoyed a lazy Saturday morning, but by that afternoon we were ready to get out of the house. The Irishman and I opted for a trip to Caitlin's favorite place.



As soon as we put her down in the sand she was off. She kept sticking her tongue out and shrieking as the crawled all over the beach. Her destination of choice?



In the waves of course! The water was a bit rough due to all the storms out there so we tried to stay just at the water's edge. Someone had other plans...

Caitlin learned this weekend that the ocean is nature's neti pot. Her face was constantly splashed and dipped in the water. It seems the Irishman and I were more bothered by that than the baby!



(This one is a video...if you get this e-mailed to you come visit the blog to see the clip!)

We were laughing at her tracks in the sand. If you look close you can see the path she took as she crawled down the beach in search of seaweed. Her own little baby tracks!

And again with the sand...that girl really will eat anything!

Saturday Slides

Saturday morning I got the bright idea that we would walk to the park as a family when Caitlin woke up from her morning nap. I told the Irishman that we could swing and slide with Caitlin. It was a wonderful idea...

I forgot that we live in Florida and it is August. We walked out of the house and I suggested maybe we should drive to the park. The Irishman loves taking the baby on walks...and strangely loves the insane heat...so we walked on.

By the time we got there we were melting and had each almost finished our water bottles. (Caitlin included) That was when we saw this:

It is a lovely playground, but not the most baby friendly. Not a swing in sight. Those blue slides? You could bake a baby egg on those things after they've spent all morning in the sun.

We posed at the bottom of the big slides for a few pictures. We gone to an awful lot of trouble to just sit at the bottom of the slide. I looked up and got brave.

Caitlin didn't mind at all! We started on the smaller of the two and got wonderful smiles from the little one.  She was happy to come along for the ride and loved that she had Daddy there to catch us snap the pictures!

(And no, she did not go on herself...bottom left is a posed picture!)

Someday soon I am sure these slides will be a regular destination!

 

After our adventures we spent some time hanging out and enjoying the shade...

before heading back home to the air conditioning! 

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Hosted by Krystyn at Really, Are You Serious?

Beary Sweet

I think Mommy found a new favorite spot to take my picture. She starts with the green quilt. She told me that GGB made it for me before I was even born. Mommy and my great-grandma went all over town looking for just the right fabric.

Then there is the bear. He belonged to Great-Grandma Jo. Mommy is very sad that I never got to meet her, but she LOVES that I am such good friends with her bear!

See that heart quilt? Grandma Laura made it for me. It usually lives in my crib, but Mommy pulled it out for these pictures.

After all these pictures I needed a break so I took a few books of the shelf. Mommy didn't get to pick the titles - I did it all by myself. She said I have good taste!

It was time for a nap so I picked Goodnight Moon. Mommy wasn't taking the hint.

I am really starting to notice my baby dolls. The faces are just like mine!

The dress I am wearing is one that Grandma Laura wore as a baby. She must have been one well-dressed little girl. Maybe that is where I get it from...

Mommy may have found a new favorite photo spot, but I don't mind.

It is a beary sweet place to be!

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Hosted by Cecily and Lolli

Look Ma! No Hands!

It lasted for between five and ten seconds...



just long enough for a picture!

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Auntie June sent the Irishman the socks. (See Caitlin's left hand...) One says, "I found you Bert!" and the other says, "I found you Ernie!" Caitlin LOVES her puppets and was instantly drawn to the socks. Better yet? When we went carseat shopping a few weeks ago we went past a wall of Sesame Street puppets. The Irishman was THRILLED when Caitlin cried out and reached for the puppets. She may not watch TV yet, but the Irishman has trained her already she loves her Sesame Street!

Eat More Chicken

While the Irishman does enjoy all things beef related, he does not discriminate when it comes to other members the protein group. As we've start to feed Caitlin more table food, my husband was itching to start her on MEAT. Not just the stuff from the jar, but something REAL.

Sunday night we had chicken pasta.

He finally got his wish.

BEFORE:



AFTER:

 

I think she enjoyed it!

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For more Wordful Wednesday:

Life's a Beach

 

Beary Best Friends

Hello up there!



Do you want to hear a secret?

You tell the best jokes!

Did you do that or was it me?

Let's go! I'll take Lambie, Mommy can take the bear.

On second thought, I'll take the camera!

Mommy and Me?

Beary best friends!

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Hosted by Krystyn at Really, Are You Serious?

Sunday Stroll

"An early-morning walk is a blessing for the whole day."
- Henry David Thoreau
 


One of the things I really wanted to do this summer was go for a walk along the beach before Sunday Mass. The Irishman knew that last Sunday was already spoken for, so he suggested we take our Sunday stroll the week before. (If you followed all that you know these pictures are two weeks old by now...)

We've given up on the idea of Caitlin napping through Mass, but she has been very well behaved. We take her religious board books with us and set up a few quiet toys. The ushers have been very kind and often come up after Mass to compliment Caitlin and praise her for being so quiet.

I love dressing Caitlin up each Sunday for Mass anyway, but these dresses make it even more fun!

She's a blessing!

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Oil Change + Diaper Change? No Problem

While the Irishman was at home recovering the day after his adventure, I was trying to figure out how to get a badly needed oil change. The tires were in dire need of air. I hate taking the car at the best of time and adding a baby to the mix wasn't helping.



At about this time I got an e-mail from Shannon inviting us to join them at a local mall with a couple of her friends and their little ones. She said the play station was between Sears and Dillards. I am sure if you were standing near me you'd have seen the light bulb...

Caitlin had an 11:15 doctor appointment. There would not be time for a nap at home so we headed out. She dozed in the car on the way to the mall. I dropped the car off at Sears for an oil change and took Caitlin into the mall to play and visit.



In about an hour the car was ready to pick up and we headed to her nine month check up.

Now THAT'S how to do an oil change with the baby in tow!

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This post has been saved and waiting for about a week now, but the Irishman's medical situation is still not resolved. Morgan has been back at work and trying to ignore things, but he broke down and went to the doctor yesterday. The "small stone" is actually 5 mm and hasn't passed yet. He is not in pain any more, but it is making things uncomfortable. The doctor was really good though and gave him some medication to help. As it turns out the doctor has a trip to Ireland planned for next year so he was thrilled to meet the Irishman.

A Great, Grand Visit

A couple of weeks ago, my grandparents had some visitors. Two of their great-grandchildren from the other coast of Florida came to stay for a long weekend. (My cousin, his wife, and my aunt came too - be we all know how it goes when there are grandchildren involved...)

Can't remember if I explained the GGB thing or not. Growing up my grandparents were GB and GB. Now to the little ones they are GGB...Great Grandma Betty and Great Grandpa Boo.

 We stopped by GGBs' house a couple of times to play and to splash around in the kiddie pool.



Caitlin crawled up and down GGB's halls. Her older cousins enjoyed following "the little baby" around. Sophia stopped for a story from her Grandma Emmy and Caitlin decided to listen as well.



Sophia is about six month older than Caitlin. They played together well! Here they are "sharing" a cup of ice. I love the cheesy camera face.

With all four great-grandkids in the same place we decided to attempt a picture for GGB. Four at once is no easy task!

It was fun to see Sophie, Mike, Caitlin, and Aiden all together again. (And to see Emily, Charles, and Christina, too!)

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Hosted by Cecily and Lolli