Fun Times

A couple afternoons ago it was beautiful out. I took Greta to meet some old friends and their babies from a mom and baby group I used to be in. It was fun to see how much all the "babies" didn't look like babies anymore! We used to be able to just sit on a blanket with our babies and chat with each other...but this time we had to chase our (nearly) toddlers around while trying to keep up our conversations.
I think Greta had a fun time on this outing. There were many children to be around, interesting structures to climb on and lots of balls at the park. Greta was quick to spot balls that other children had brought...we did bring 2 of our own, but of course the other balls were more appealing! :-)
Jelly-faced Greta! This is what happens when Matthew stays home with her while I'm at work :-) I guess the other day she even smeared the peanut butter from her sandwich all in her hair and he had to give her a bath after lunch! (she HATES baths, so this was quite a traumatic end to lunch and transition to nap...)
Speaking of mealtimes...we are beginning to notice she has developed quite a system of dropping food onto the floor that she doesn't want to eat. Any food that "offends" her is immediately brushed or dropped onto the floor until her tray is completely clear of it! This is no longer an experiment in cause and effect: she knows what will happen. We will need to gradually discourage her from this behavior, I suppose! The little stinker!
And speaking of stinkers...she has gotten used to us laughing whenever she belches or passes gas in any way. So now, when she does it, she laughs as well! (I suppose we'll need to eventually discourage this too?...but it's too cute!)
Someone else's ball again!
Papa took this picture of her today when they visited our neighborhood park. I guess lots of "little old ladies" came up and told Matthew how cute his daughter is :-)

Interesting find!
She loves the little pebbles at this park, and often distributes them along the wooden beam.

Greta has so much fun at the park! Matthew told me that today after he got her ready for the outing he said "Ok, let's go to the park" and she went right to our door and started banging on it--all ready to leave!
Poor Matthew is usually the only man at the park when he brings Greta there in the mornings. I guess none of the mothers or nannies there talk to him!
Another morning this week Matthew took Greta downtown to the art museum. It turned out to be not so fun, though. By the time they got there she was tired and hungry. So the visit was short. It was all about the journey, I guess! Here she is on the Canada Line (subway).
Waiting for the Canada Line!
On the bus!
Looking through her book of photos.

Today I taught Greta "So Big!!!" (My mom will be proud--she used to do this with my sister and I!) Greta got it pretty quickly. When I showed Matthew for the first time he just chuckled and said "Oh that's TOO CUTE!" We tried to capture it on video...

New Dresses

Greta got many new things for her first birthday, some of which were very cute clothes! Today I did a photo shoot of her in the new dress from Great Grandma Hope and Great Grandpa Harry. I know I'm biased, but she looks like a little porcelain doll here!
Here she is next to her tent with baby doll...who she still carries around often and hugs and pats a lot (more than she hugs and pats her own parents!!) Greta is really into playing in her tent. We'll have to get some pictures of her in there. She loves to read books and play with her plastic Easter eggs in the privacy of her cozy tent! We put lots of pillows and soft things in there too, which makes it fun for her to roll around or relax in.
And of course there's a matching clip and cute sweater to go along with the dress (Great Grandma Hope wouldn't forget such important aspects of an outfit!)
Getting messy with her alphabet cards from Great Grandpa Ronnie! She loves to dump these out and look through them. Do you see that pile of pillows behind her? One of her new favorite things to do is stack pillows and plunge into them. If I lay on top of any of her pillows when she's doing this, she shakes her head and whines at me (is she becoming a little bit bossy?!)...she's on a mission and she doesn't need me in her way!
Going down the slide at our neighborhood park. We go here just about every day--and now that the weather is improving so do many other people! It's fun to run into the same neighbors and watch all the children have a good time together. Greta really looks up to the "big kids" she sees at the park--but mostly she spends time wandering around, playing with the gravel, and climbing onto things.
At church last Sunday. This is her new dress from Aunt Jenny--with coordinating headband! (this outfit also came with sunglasses, which are ADORABLE on her, but she can't quite see the point of them yet...except for taking off and chewing on, of course)

Greta is all about Papa lately! She says "Papa" so much with such a giddy look on her face...I think she equates "Papa" with FUN :-)

Get this headband off!!! (it was SO HARD to get a picture of her with the headband on--Jenny, I tried my best!)
And it's off!! That's better!

Out and About

Here we are out by the tulips near our house yesterday. The park we live by is really close, so Greta and I just walked there together in the afternoon. She loves to stop and sit down on the sidewalk, and she also loves to turn around and go in the opposite direction of where I want us to go!
Walking walking walking! Do you see her new shoes? Her first Keds (it doesn't seem like long ago that I had a pair like that...)
Look at that shadow!
Such a little sweetie!
Lately she has gotten a little bit more into whining...but I'd have to say it's pretty cute (only a mother would say that, right?) And she pouts her lips out to accompany the whines for extra effect :-)
Over the weekend we went down to Seattle for Melissa and Kristen's double baby shower (Matthew's sister and her husband are expecting twin girls in May!!) One night we stayed with my good friend Natalie and her husband Ben at their cute little house in Greenwood. Natalie took Greta and I down to the library nearby, and then we spent a bunch of time out in their backyard. Greta did a little digging in the dirt--but was mostly very observant and contemplative. It was fun to spend so much time outside.
We also stayed with our friends Curtis and Julia, and their daughter Lillian. They have a big backyard with lots of nice trees. Greta enjoyed examining the tree trunks and chestnuts--she only tried to put a chestnut in her mouth once! Mostly she liked sliding the empty shells onto the tips of her fingers.
Looking rather dainty.


Lunchtime with Lillian! These two had a great time together. Now that Greta can walk so well, she can keep up with Lillian a little better. Lillian was very generous with her toys, and the girls had fun walking around the house together. A couple times Lillian even collected Greta's doll and thoughtfully handed it to Greta! So sweet :-)
Recently Greta has learned a way to communicate with us that she wants a story read. When we put down a book we have recently finished, and she liked it, she hands it right back to us! The other night she had Matthew read her Bless Me about 6 times in a row! And she was totally into the book each time (see the above photo for evidence...) Now she does that with a book called Where Is Baby's Beach Ball from her Great Aunt Jerene and Great Uncle Steve--at the end, when the baby finds the beach ball, Greta is SO happy!

Here is a video of Greta out walking to the park. (I can't believe I filmed it sideways again! Sorry about that...and sorry for the long lapse between posts...life is different now that I'm "back at work")

Happy Birthday Greta!

Today, Easter Sunday, our little Greta Bess turned 1 year old!
We had quite the busy birthday weekend (that is an understatement!!!) Greta seemed to enjoy every minute of it.
On a walk at the beach after a lovely birthday brunch with Grandpa Mac, Grandma Linda, Aunt Jenny and Uncle Dalton.
She found a special treasure at the beach, as usual. Of course, she really likes to take her time walking around--picking things up and examining what she sees. She and Papa stayed back and went at their own pace for a bit--it was so sweet to see him waiting so patiently with her and giving her the time and space to explore as she pleased.


Sword fighting with Uncle Dalton!
Too bad you can't see Grandma Mac's face in this photo very well...but it was fun to walk along with Greta like this: 3 generations together :-) Later my sister and I swung her around in the middle--she really liked that!
Our waitress heard it was Greta's birthday (and that it had been Matthew's birthday recently too), so she brought us special desserts. The whole restaurant sang to Greta! Here she is finally deciding to try out the ice cream...with her fingers. She ended up shoveling a bunch of it into her mouth, and then quickly signalled to me that she was FINISHED! I think she finally realized she had had plenty to eat! She ate so much at the restaurant.
Not as into the ice cream eaten from a spoon...
Yay!!!
A note about this bonnet...Nanny Kathy made it for Greta awhile back. It's still a bit big for her, but I thought it would be a great Easter bonnet. It's beautiful! We bought the Easter dress at an antique store in Bellingham, Washington.
This is her tea set from Grandpa Paul. She especially loves the yellow spoons that came with it...but it looks like she enjoys the teapot as well!
Having a tea party with baby :-)
After church--and to think last year at Easter she was only a week old and it was our first outing together as a family!
We had TONS of people at our house for her birthday party yesterday!!! Here she is opening a gift from Grandpa Mac and Grandma Linda: my old doll bed! My Grandma Mom (as I called her...my mom's mom who passed 10 years ago...) made this for me when I was little. Now Greta has a bed for her baby doll!
The child in the plaid, and the girl in the photo, are 2 of the the 3 children I used to nanny: Jett and Declan. They are some of Greta's first friends--as she used to come with me when I tutored the girl over the last 7 months or so. I don't work with them anymore--and Greta was so happy to see them! They were happy to see her too. Max--the 4 year old boy--made a card for Greta that said "I love you."
Downing the cake!!!
A little taste...
A tiny taste...
What do I do with this?
Greta loved on me SO MUCH after we all sang to her! All these people were taking photos and I think she was doing a little extra special behavior for the paparazzi...but I LOVED it!!!
Ready for cake! Papa made a yummy apple cake with lemon cream cheese frosting.
Happy Birthday Dear Greta!
Our house was the fullest we've EVER HAD IT the whole time we've been married. It was so fun to have so many children over. They had a blast playing with all of Greta's toys!
Aunt Jenny and Greta...pre-party. She's not too sure about that head-band...
Matthew getting things ready...
Nanny Kathy painted this rocking chair for Greta (Nana Judy has one for her too at her house, and my dad has my old one waiting for her at his house!!! I guess we need to have a couple more children...?)
I think Greta feels very grown up and special in this chair :-)
Mom and Shayne came early yesterday to look after Greta while I did some work and Matthew prepped for the party. They took her to the park and out for a muffin...she had tons of fun with them! I always see grandparents with their little ones at our park down the street, so it was special to know my mom and Shayne got to have that bonding time with Greta.