Trial and error

Unfortunately these shiny little beetles devastated one of our most beautiful rose bushes while we were wedding hopping. They ate the ENTIRE bush. I was so sad. We are also having trouble with several of our salvias which look like they have been torched. Strangely, several others (same kind) right next to the dead ones are going wild. Who knows! We'll have to try again next summer.

We've also discovered that Kate loves blueberries and shredded cheese! She has been eating so well the past few weeks and actually ate an entire yogurt for me today! She is also starting to do some signs back to us. We have been trying "more", "milk" and "all done". Two times in a row, she has done "all done when she was finished eating. It is so cute to see her learn.

I still need to do her 10 month photo-hopefully today or tomorrow. She is so wiggly now that I can't do it alone-I need Loren to put her on the couch and entertain her long enough for me to back up and take the photo.

She is doing so well learning to walk. She is excellent at standing on her own and can walk about 6-8 feet alone. She tries so hard...stands up, walks, falls, gets up, walks, falls...over and over. She is never discouraged. What a good attitude! I hope she will carry that persistence and positivity her whole life.

Weddings Galore

We've had a whirlwind past few weeks with weddings in Florida and Colorado. We still have more to go with one in CA at the end of August.

Kate is becoming a pro at traveling on airplanes while I am becoming exhausted!

The Everyday...

We had a discussion in our small group the other day about how challenges make life more exciting and worthwhile. While I obviously fill my life with many challenges, I think the everyday is important, too. Things that maybe aren't as exciting, but are necessary and sometimes comforting--little things that make me happy...clean diapers, cheerios and peas and cheese, neighbor kids playing in the living room. Just the everyday things...

Silly

Hi Kate!

Let's see those teeth!

Silly Mommy!

Kate is standing alone longer and longer and will take a few quick steps before falling! She loves waving and clapping and has learned how to make noises by saying "ahhhhh!" and covering and uncovering her mouth.

Happy Baby!

Tooth!

Kate got her first tooth last weekend! It is still just the very tip, but definitely a tooth!

She also got her first stomach virus this weekend and was very kind and shared it with me. We went to our first playgroup on Friday morning, and all the kids who had been there got sick. Poor Loren's first Father's Day was spent taking care of two sick girls. He did manage to avoid the bug, though.

9 months

It has been hot hot hot here in NC the past few weeks. Loren has really wanted to do without the a/c, so we've been trying to all bear it, but it was too much the past few nights. Kate woke up with beads of sweat all down her back so we caved. Speaking of sleeping, the past 4 nights Kate has only been up 2x each night! Woohoo!

For Loren's birthday, we went to Jordan Lake and spent the afternoon in the water and playing on the beach. Loren did some windsurfing and I tried, but didn't have much luck!

Kate's latest accomplishment is clapping. She is so close to standing on her own, but I don't think she realizes that she could yet. She was a subject for a hearing study where they trained her to look at some dancing toys whenever she heard a certain sound. It was so cute to see her learn!