Third Trimester Swagger // 16 Months

I love watching our precious girl sleeping lately. I just snuck a peak at her peaceful little face before writing this. Her features are so dainty, soft, and full of a childlike innocence. This weekend we shifted things around a bit, namely, we moved her crib out and her twin bed into her room! Her crib seems symbolic of her fleeting babeyhood and her twin bed seems only fitting for the toddler of a little girl that is emerging.  We want to slowly introduce change for her so that things aren't too drastic for when her little brother arrives.

Another more precious memory is the time she gets to spend with her daddy. It seems like every time they are together he teaches her something new. His patience with her and desire to give her both independence and creativity captivates me. He was the one who got her to learn her bed was a place to sleep instead of a toy, showed her how to play basketball, climb up and down the stairs "safely", and go down the big slide by herself this month.

So... this last month.

She had her first hair cut after a fruit snack settled itself into her hair during her nap time. She likes to savor her last fruit snack or really last favorite item of anything and we have found this to be quite challenging at times!

She still enjoys playing in the toilet. She likes to stick her hands in and play.

She loves to try and help put her shirt and shoes on. The girl will sit contently for anywhere from 10-15 minutes on this one. I'm on a shirtless kick lately with her because it can often be easiest with all her waterplaying, but a few times she will have put her shirt on over her head and just have it dangling around her neck like a scarf.

Her favorite book is a doggie book. She loves hearing all the ways a dog can bark.

She has learned the word no. I'm not sure how many times a day I have to scold Kia and one day it just stuck. It comes out more like n-oooooo, heavy on the vowels. It is neat that she can express her will and I will often catch her scolding Kia when she does something she doesn't like.

Likes to color on the mail and help open it. Mail time is a serious event around here. 

We've noticed she continues to react to mosquito bites. They get pretty swollen and puffy just like they do on me.

She enjoys finding her belly button, mine, and Rand's. She also knows where her eyes, nose, and mouth are and is starting to catch on to other things.

She isn't a fan of getting her hair done... she tolerates bows, but despises it when I put her hair up in a pony.

Well often catch her standing behind her table in the living room where she has a more private area to go #2.

She really likes parks. When we are in the front she will often take off down the road wanting to walk to the park where her favorite things to do are go down the slide and eat the pebbles.

The last day of July she took a tumble down our basement stairs. No broken bones or bumps at all, just some tears. Pretty amazing!

Her all time favorite activity is playing with water. She loves buckets and dumping water from one to the other with all sorts of dishes. She can get really focused on this task and it is neat to watch her be so determined.

I enjoyed having her be my helper a few times in the kitchen with cookies and muffins. We got all sorts of messy, but it was good for us both!

Loves being in the kitchen and playing with water. Styling her double shirt look. 

Helping me make some muffins. Getting messy is good for both of us!

Sweet lady. 

Loves her fruit!

How kia enjoys the summer. 

At our good friend Omega's Wedding Fiesta. 

Summer really seems to be flying by for us. I'm savoring these next few months of long walks, trips to the park, flip flops, t-shirts, and swimsuit for clothing. Weekends like this last give me glimpses of the soon arrival of fall and eek, the babe! The month of July was full of summer travels. We enjoyed two pleasant trips to the twin cities for back-to-back weekends of family and fun. We enjoyed seeing my sister and brother in law from Arizona the first weekend. Croquet, a pro soccer game, and some outings for meals were all part of the fun. The following weekend we enjoyed a car-packed sibling ride with Alys, Bryn, and us. We got to see Bryn and his fiance Corrine almost every day. It's so exciting to have a growing family!

Diva Dash 5K. 

The past weekends we have enjoyed getting things in order around the house and spending time with Rand's parents and Kia. What sweet family we have. Ellie, Baby Seay, and I even got to enjoy a 5K together. Were grateful for our evenings and a littler girl who sleeps from 8pm-8am pretty consistently. Rand typically has a project or two he is working on and I ... stay occupied, most of the time. I've been trying out some new yoga stuff, finished seasons 1 and 2 of Orange is the New Black (judge me), watched my first season of the bachelorette and began experiencing withdrawal, reading some Larry Crab or stuff on Labor, and jump starting my nesting instinct through Pintrist. I've also been intrigued by human sexuality and why it is such a hush, hush topic, especially in Christian communities.

This beach ball look accurately describes how I feel as I enter this third trimester. 

The fall will transition us to a new schedule. Rand and I will both be taking a class on campus so our evenings will shift a bit before the baby arrives. I also just started a part-time gig at the local health foods store, Amazing Grains. It's a great change for me and a breath of fresh air to get to interact with the locals in the community and get to learn more about healthy living. It's just been a week, but I am pretty excited about it. The fall will also include intermural basketball and weekly business meetings for Rand, classes at the YMCA and some La Leche League meetings for me, homework, and lots of baby appointments. Were hoping to have some more details about my internship soon too so that we can finalize childcare for the upcoming Spring/Summer semesters of next year. Ellie just ate a bunch of wax candles, so I must scoot. Cheers to the end of summer!

My favorite people. 

Sweet family photos from Corrine.