The Cat Days of Summer (ok, I know that's cheesy)

On hot days, Violet makes sure that the cats, her stuffed animals and dolls are getting enough water. She is somewhat oblivious of Simba's ungrateful reaction (notice the teeth baring).

Summertime

What better way than to spend warm June days than in the pool? I just have to make sure that Violet doesn't drink the pool.

Alas, a Morning Baby

I don't know about how you feel in the morning, but I've always loathed it until about noon or when I am on my third cup of coffee. I had no idea that I was getting the happiest morning baby. It's really hard to not catch her enthusiasm, and I may be changing my tune about mornings. This is what I wake up to most days:

Gardening With a Toddler: Mission Barely Possible

Despite Violet's crazy antics in the garden, oh you know, like eating dirt, transplanting flowers, falling in flower beds, we managed to get some gardening done. Most notably, we had the huge pine tree removed from the front of our house. We hate to kill trees, but this one was planted too close to the house and blocking sunlight from shining into the living room.

On The Road Again...

We spent the week visiting friends and family. We went to Madison to visit Emme and Craig, where they fed us well and doted over Violet.







Violet and I started the week with Callie and her daughter Shannon, at her dad's house on a lake. It was fun watching Violet play with the child of my oldest and dearest friend of 26 years.

Foodie

You would have thought I was serving ice cream and brownies for snack. Violet is so into food that she is super happy when I serve almost anything (in this case raisins). She is a great eater with one of her favorite foods being broccoli.

Playdates and Walks

Nikolai resigned to being baby furniture for Helena and Violet.

Violet and her new BFF at the Children's Museum. NB: Owen has a little crush on Violet, and sometimes gives her very eager hugs that make her fall down (: I imagine that she is telling him here to mind her personal space.

Ahh, but Owen is not a quitter...

Tunneling

Owen and my awesome stay-at-home-mom friend, Montse.

Walks in the neighborhood take about five times longer now that Violet insists upon walking most of the way herself. She makes lots of pit stops to pick up bugs, sticks and pull grass.