So Long For Now

This will be my last post for almost 2 weeks, since I will be without internet access for awhile, so I thought I would just share some more pictures of Julianna from Memorial Day. After the parade, she and I went over to my parents and got to play outside and have dinner with them. Julianna loved that she can now climb up their little playhouse/slide.

Up close & personal

Why do kids insist on going up the slide?
Hanging out

Still trying to get up the slide

Finally! Using the stairs! Look out Ian!

Stairs are over-rated I guess.

Fore! Look out for her swing!

I believe she had just found a bug...ick! But she looks so sweet.

I'll write again once I have internet. Until then, have a great week(s).

Holy Crap, I'm 30!

So, today is my 30th birthday. I'm not depressed or feeling old. I mean why should I feel any older than I did yesterday when I was still 29? I have a friend that instead of turning 30 she claimed she was turning 20-10. I am OK with saying 30. But there are a few things, memories actually, that make me feel old.

When you're a kid you perceive your parents as old. It's just the way things are. You are a kid. Your parents are old. And because of his idea that parents always seem old to their kids, I am haunted by some memories that make me feel old.

When my dad turned 30, my mom threw him a big party. She went all out. Bonfire. Balloons. Games. Yes, she went big & it was all a surprise. My favorite part, was that the guest could play the games and win tickets. What were the tickets for you may ask. They got one water balloon for each ticket they earned. And then, later in the party, my dad had to stand in front of a chalk line silhouette and everyone got to throw their balloons at him. It was a blast.

Yes, I remember when my dad turned 30 and I thought he was old. How do I remember this so vividly? Because I was 8. Eight. I was old enough to know my dad was old. To understand that 30 was old. Here's one even better...when my mom was 30, I was 10.

Those memories are what make me feel old. That I remember my parents turning 30 and thinking they were SO OLD. Of course, now I realize they weren't. Thirty isn't any different than 29+1. So, Happy 30th Birthday to me!

Picture Monday-Memorial Day 2009

Julianna attended her second Memorial Day parade in my hometown today...only this year she wasn't wearing sound blocking earmuffs to keep out the loud sirens.

I'm ready, where's the parade?

She was so quiet most of the time, and just sat on our blanket.
We sat at my friend Jenny's parents' house.

There were LOTS of firetrucks, but none were yellow.

I remember marching in this parade, spinning my flag (but the uniforms back then were much better! Haha!)

Jenny & her fiance Brian

Julianna loved the horses.

She couldn't take her eyes off them.

Check out the loot (combined from everyone of course)!

She didn't try to eat a single piece! I saved a sucker or two for her though.

Mommy Meet-Up

My friend Mallory and I have been working on starting a mom's group. She had asked if anyone was interested a few weeks back and I answered a definite YES...but first I needed to clarify what type of group she meant. Was it a "bring the kiddos to play together" thing or a "ditch the kids and drink wine" thing? I was up for both. She meant the first, but we decided to add the second. :0)

Yesterday was our first event, we went walking in the park and then played for a bit after. We had a pretty good turnout, 6 moms & 7 kids. The kids had a lot of fun and so did we. Here are a few pics of the event (minus pictures of any kids not related to me-I want to respect the moms' privacy)

Some of the moms pushing their strollers.

Ian got tired so he climbed in with Ellie
Ellie

Ian

Julianna

We didn't have the only babies in the park-baby ducks...

...and baby geese

All that walking wiped Ellie out

Corn on the Cob

Last night Julianna got her first taste of corn on the cob. She loved it and was very good at eating it! I can't wait for her to get some of the good sweet corn later this summer! (and someday I will post a good video-one not from my cell)

Surprising Effects of Not Being Allowed to Buy Beer

Today, Joe and a friend of ours were going to tile the bathroom floor in our new house. Unfortunately, since we aren't living there yet, we don't have much to offer guests other than dusty bottles of air temperature water. So Joe asked me to run and get some beer for him and our friend. Not a problem.

I jumped in the car and headed to the gas station down the street. I went in, picked up a six pack of our friend's preferred beer, and proceeded to the cash register. That is where the following conversation occurred.

Chick behind the counter: Can I see your ID?

Me: Oh crap, I forgot it!

Chick: I'm sorry then you can't get the beer.

Me (in my head): Are you freaking kidding?!?!

Me (out loud): Seriously? I have to put the beer back?

Chick: Yeah.

Me (in my head): Hey stupid girl, just sell me the beer!

Me (out loud): I'm going to be 30 next week, can't I just get the beer?

Chick: Sorry, I don't think you look 30, so I can't sell it to you.

Me (in my head): I freaking love this girl...she rocks!

Me (out loud):Oh...ok, I'll go put the beer back.

It's amazing how quickly some chick who won't sell you beer without your ID can make your day.

Picture Monday

Thanks to some fabulous weather this past Friday, we were able to head out to our camper, and have the first campfire of the season. Julianna also got to play in our yard there(we don't have one at our apartment-but have a great one once we move to our new house).

Standing up...sloooowly

Taking a step
Falling over

It's much easier to walk when Daddy helps me!

Still not too sure of the grass

Think I can shove this whole bun in my mouth at once???

I can't believe I ate the whole thing!

Bless Us, Oh Lord

Julianna has started the very cute act of folding her hands at dinner. You may think, "Oh how cute, she's saying a meal time prayer".
But remember folks, this is Julianna, everything she does she has a reason for. And if you look closely, you will notice the folding of her hands is for squishing applesauce(as in this case) or whatever mooshy food she's eating into every crevice on her hands possible.

Generally, it makes some killer noises in the process of squishing and she laughs her head off(like in the first picture). She is going to make quite a catch for a special guy someday.

Who Needs Toys?

The other day Julianna had the most fun playing with a napkin from Wendy's. Seriously, she played with it forever (like 20 minutes, but to a kid that's forever!). She carried it around, she waved it in the air, eventually she tried to eat it, but she ignored all her toys while playing with it.
Then, Monday the trend of playing with non-toys continued. First, I found her on the couch like this (ignore her outfit, she had already been changed twice due to insufficient diapers, so I wasn't about to put anything else nice on her).

What's that she playing with? Oh yeah, it's totally her sock. See barefoot below.

I left her to play with her sock and came back a little bit later to find her playing with these.

They are shirts for our March for Babies team (some of our team couldn't make it at the last minute). She played with these for quite awhile.Then, after dinner, I cleaned her up, unbuckled her and went to pick her up, but she refused. Instead she sat in her seat for 15 minutes just playing with the buckles.

It was thrilling to her. To try to hook the buckle, to look at all its parts, and to just be sitting in her seat like a 'big girl' (aka no tray).

Not once all day did she play with any of her toys. She instead played with random objects(she's also partial to our whisk). Whatever makes her happy!

Picture Monday: Part 2 (March for Babies)

We walked in our second March for Babies this past Saturday. We had a lot of fun and are very thankful to everyone who sponsored our team.

And we're off!

There were a lot of walkers.
NICU friends!

Ellie wasn't quite into the excitement of the day.

Of course, Julianna wanted some of my pizza!

Jeremy was much happier with this year's t-shirt choice.

The walk wore Julianna out. Here she is at the beginning.

This is about half way through.

And this is where she was by the end of the walk.

Our fam.

Not sure what was funny, but I told you we had fun.

So proud of Ian, he walked most of the way.