Miles' Beach

Soda Springs early season (especially this year) has super raging water coming down the river. We found a special spot on the stream where the river over flowed it's banks and created a wonderful little pool for us to play in. Miles loved throwing rocks for Gwynnie and tromping up and down the stream. It's funny to think that next time we go up to Soda Springs, Miles beach will be all dried up, but there will be other pools in the river to find and explore.

Soda Springs Photo Op!

Here are a couple of pics from our last night up in Soda Springs with Daddo and Beebles. We dressed up the kids and tried to get a great picture of the 2 of them - it's amazing how wiggly they are!

She Eats!

In the last week, we introduced Amelia to solids! Apparently she has been WOLFING away milk at daycare and I can't keep up producing enough milk for her to drink. She has also been super interested in reaching for our food and drink - and she's over 5 months - so we started her with cereal last week!

Like any first attempt at food, she ended up wearing most of it, but she went after the spoon like a crazy woman. Since then, we've been sending her off to daycare with cereal and I have been starting to be able to pump enough to keep up.

Last night, we couldn't resist and introduced her to sweet potatoes. Unlike my experience with Miles and white potatoes, I learned my lesson and started with "orange vegetables". Good times!!!




And yes, we clearly don't enforce the "no shirt, no shoes, no service" clause...

Roommates

Amelia officially moved out of our room and in with Miles when we got back from Soda Springs. Things are going ok - and I am optimistic for the future - but its not without its short term drawbacks.

On the fun side, the two of them are starting to enjoy one another's company. The last 2 nights we have put Miles down at 7, nursed Amelia t 7 and put her in the room before 7:30. Miles was up when I put Amelia down and about 30 minutes later, the giggling started. Amelia figured out how to pull down the bumper and look out at Miles. Miles just thought that was the funniest thing and started to perform for her, which she thought was the funniest thing ever. The two of them laughed at each other for more than 30 minutes. Tim had to finally go in and quiet them down.

Looking back, I was worried about having a second child and the impact that it would have on the child I had known for 2 years. After Amelia was born, I haven't thought twice, and now that they are forging their relationship, I can't believe how happy I am that we have given each of them a gift of a sibling.

...and I think i will always love to watch my babies sleep...

"C" is for cookies...

It's been wonderful watching Miles put language together, but he still doesn't have it all down. Take, for example, the hard C...

I say "Cocoa in my cup like Cody, please"

Miles says "Cocoa in my pup like Tody, please"

LOVE IT!!!

Life with 2 Kids

Life has gotten hectic. It is amazing how much juggling we do between trying to do things like cook dinner, get out of the house & play with our children. Then add on top the need to juggle between the 2 of them... but I wouldn't have it any other way.

Clever Boy

Here are a couple of stories from Soda Springs. Seems like Miles is just getting smarter and smarter...

Miles wanted a cookie (one of Beebles' favorite Circus Animal cookies - pink & white icing and sprinkle covered animal crackers), so I asked him which color he wanted. "PINK!" We went over the the cupboard and I put my hand in the bag of cookies and pulled one out.
"Is this a pink cookie?"
"NO WHITE!" (He says everything with tremendous enthusiasm.)
So I reached in and pulled another cookie out. "Is this a pink cookie?"
"YES!" I gave him the cookie, popped the white one in my mouth, and off Miles went proud of his little cookie. He more played with it than ate it for a bit. Tim saw him and said "Miles, is that your cookie?"
"YES!"
"Where's my cookie?"
Miles looked at Tim, looked at his cookie, looked at Tim, looked at his cookie.... "IN MOMMY'S MOUTH!" We were all floured.

Here is another food story. Miles woke up from his nap and wanted a snack. I started asking him what he wanted and he kept saying no to everything I offered. Together we walked back towards the snack cupboard which has 2 stacked lazy-susans in it. I tried to manipulate the spinning of the lazy-Susan to keep towards healthy snacks (and away from Circus Animals) and the following occurred...
"Yogurt raisins"
"NO"
"Dried strawberries"
"NO"
"Whole wheat crackers"
"NO"
"Hmm.... what do you want Miles?"
"TURN MORE - TURN MORE"
I was caught - it's amazing to think that my boy is starting to out-clever me!

Soda Off-Springs

(Full disclosure, Tim came up with that title.)

I feel like Soda Springs has been such a gift to me in my life, that I can hardly wait to share it with my children. I love that we have pretty easy access to my favorite place in the world, and that I can share my experiences with them.

There is amazing joy in dirty feet, rocks in rivers, tickly grass in the meadows, and time spent as a family.

A boy, his air guitar and his cousin's back pack on a walk through "town"

Miles and Tim went for Soda Water one day up in Soda Springs. I just love this little video as Miles looks so much like a little boy, distracted by stones to walk on, curious about noises he hears, and playing his ever-present air guitar.

What a little joy he is.

Squishy Face

...just funny to me...

Music Night with the Fishes

While we were up in Soda Springs, 2 of my first cousins were up there with their families/significant others. The super-fun part is that that side of the family, the Fishes, are wonderfully musical. We had an evening we allowed Miles to stay up late and listen to Allen and Randy jam on the guitar and mandolin. Randy's girlfriend is also a professional flute player, and we had more cousins playing the spoons. Allen was kind enough to allow our little pajama-monkey-hat-clad 2 year old play along on an extra mandolin. What a wonderful evening!

Squeaks

Amelia hasn't found her consonants yet, but she sure has her voice. She is a delightful little lady and it is a joy to hang out with her. I loved the 4 days we had together alone up in the mountains

Cocktail hour...

Life isn't overly stressful up in Soda Springs and we found ourselves greatly entertained by the small things. The amazing part is that Miles doesn't seem to worse for the wear on this one....

Long Hair

To keep the hair out of her eyes, we sometimes put her hair up in a top-knot... not sure if she could be any cuter... seriously...

Ticklish

One morning, Amelia let on that she had a tickle spot on her back... fun for all!

Here comes the choo-choo train

Miles has long been in love with trains. Up in Soda Springs, where no actual trains were available, Miles invented his own game of lining up chairs sequentially and turned them into a "train" where I then recite a nursery rhyme.

One of the most amazing gifts of Soda Springs has been watching Miles' imagination just blossom. We've seen it emerge lately as he has played with his kitchen and cooking, but up there without TV and the readily available entertainment of other kids at daycare, Miles was forced to come up with his own games. He had no problem doing it. Cars had voices and adventures. Animals were created, and trains were made from chairs.

Walkabout

I took Miles out for a mid-morning walkabout while Lina attended to Amelia's morning routine (feed, burp, feed, change, nap).

It was cold enough to wear a winter hat, three layers and bright enough to need sunglasses. We now try to get him wearing sunglasses anytime he's out in the bright sun. He has sensitive eyes and if we don't protect them they get red and water terribly.

Note: the hat he is wearing WAS my favorite hat, until Lina (my sweet wife who I adore) washed and dried it. It shrank massively. Now we hope its Miles' favorite hat.

Someone queue a Quentin Tarantino soundtrack.

We sumitted a granite peak and celebrated...

and threw rocks (notice the rock just above and behind Miles hand).

Mommy Miles and the Meadow

Early Sunday morning of our first day in Soda Springs this year, Miles and Mommy sat looking out over the meadow. It was a beautiful June morning, cool but not cold. The sun was just up and with coffee in hand and full bellies they sat soaking in the view. I sat soaking up the moment.

Oh no...where was Mia?

Dualing Bloggers!!!

So Tim and I decided that since we haven't blogged in the better part of a month, we were going to take our (rockin'!) Saturday night and devote it to publishing our lives.

While this is a good thing to do, likely we will have things out of order, discombobulated, and (potentially) confusing.

Sorriboutit!!

:)

3 Days -> 3 Weeks!!!

So it has been AGES since we blogged. Here's what happened...

On June 19th, we decided to head up to Soda Springs to open for the weekend. Towards the end of the weekend, we figured out that Tim had internet access so he could "work" a bit and we decided to stay a week! (So fun.)

Towards the end of that week, Tim and I started talking about heading home. We needed to go home as we had to take care of the house: mail was stacking up, a Zappos box was on the landing, and the house was a mess. But Tim asked the question, "Do you need to go?" And the obvious answer was "no". So Tim and Miles headed down the hill where Tim did 4 intense working days at the office, Miles went to daycare, and I stayed up in the mountains with little Miss thing. It was far more emotional for me than I expected it to be to watch them drive away 2/3rds of my family was driving away!!

The boys then came up for the July 4th weekend (yay!) and we stayed up there until I had to return to work. Dado and Beebles came out on the 6th and we had a great week with them. Looming over my head was the whole work thing, but I kept it at the back on my mind and enjoyed my last days on maternity leave.

We came home last Sunday, sent Amelia off to daycare on Monday. I had "Lina Day" on Monday where I got my hair cut, bought some new clothes, had a glass of wine with Tim at lunch, and napped! On Tuesday, I headed into the office!!!

The week has been really emotional, but very good. I have been sad being away from my Little Bug, but it has been great to start to use my brain again.