The Georges 'Take A Hike'.

Lately Matt and I have been feeling a little cooped up... no longer making it to the gym, our waistlines are starting to reflect that we have a new priority. So last weekend, Matt suggested that we try a short hike. One of the advantages of living in the Pacific Northwest is that there are a multitude of hikes to choose from within a short a distance of our house.

We thought for our first nature adventure, we'd check out St. Edwards' State Park. Julianna rode with Daddy in her carrier sling and we ventured down through the woods until we came to Lake Washington where we decided to rest and enjoy lunch.

Julianna is such a big girl that she was able to sit in the grass on a little blanket we brought for her and eat Cheerios while we enjoyed a Subway sandwich. She even nibbled on a few small pieces of turkey and some honey oat bread. As you can see above, we weren't the only ones who had this idea, but the other families made for good lunchtime entertainment.

Then we were off for the second half of our hike which was a bit more secluded. The cool air, the wind in the trees, the jostling of a slightly rough trail made good conditions for a nap, and Julianna is never one to pass up that kind of opportunity!
This time away from work and homework and his Blackberry seemed to do Daddy good too. He snuck a few kisses atop her sweet head and wrapped his arms around her even though she was secure and snuggly in her pack. And along the way he looked back at me and said, "I love her so much". This new life has brought us so much purpose and meaning and it fills us to the brim.

Mirror Twin

Julianna has been sitting up by herself for quite a while now, and this makes it a lot easier on Mommy who can now put her on the counter and get a few things done while Julianna amuses herself. On this particular morning, Jules was emptying a Kleenex box when she leaned back and bumped her head on the mirror. She turned around and to her surprise, it was another baby who had backed into her so carelessly!

She tried to make nice, giving Baby a little smile.Come'on Baby, no need to fret over who was at fault. Let's be friends.

Maybe Baby would like to play Itsy Bitsy Spider?

Or she might even like to be on the receiving end of a few Eskimo kisses...See what a sweet girl I am, mom?

Yes, Julianna, you bring joy to my heart every single day.

Julianna's Nemesis

It's minuscule.

It moves at a snail's pace.

It wakes her up at 4am.

It's not witty but it certainly is sharp.

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Here's a hint:

A villan usually comes under the cover of darkness, but not this pearly white culprit!

(Like I said, it's minuscule, but Jules will definitely let you know it's there!)

Booo to Tummy Time.

This is what happens when you have only figured out how to scoot backwards.Currently, sitting is the preferred playing position.

Supposed to be Packing

We are supposed to be packing for a trip to Grandma and Grandpa's house in Colorado. I've never been good at packing ahead, and I'm definitely not a "compact packer". And now I have to pack for two!

The second one comes a lot of STUFF (baby monitor, white noise machine, medicine, toys... the list never ends!). We are really looking forward to the trip, but the packing is going to take me all day. Especially since it suddenly seems imperative for me to post to our blog. :)

A friend of ours, Kelly, from Texas, recently sent us a really cute numbers book for Julianna, and since we don't have very many books yet, we were really excited to receive this one! As a thank you, we emailed her a video of Julianna enjoying her new book. And I thought it was just so cute, that I should share it with all of you as well.

Now... back to packing.

Post Swaddle

Breaking the Swaddle

I think laying her down those first few times without the swaddle was probably harder on me than it was on her. Would she still be comfortable? Would she be cold? Would she be able to stay asleep without that security blanket? But the transition didn't seem to bother her much. A quiet, dark room, Mommy patting her back, the addition of a new white noise machine and she settled right down, laying her head on my shoulder and wrapping her tiny little arm around my neck. A smooth transition from my arms to her bed required a little more planning since she was no longer wrapped like a mummy, but after a few days, she relaxed enough to hardly wake as I laid her down.

Now, just before I walk out of her room, I'm able to admire her tiny little body which used to be hidden beneath a blanket. Perfect little hands and feet, tiny fingers and toes, relaxed and peaceful as she exits this world and enters dreamland. My baby is growing up. Not yet a kid, but no longer an infant.