Vistors, visitors everywhere

Juni is loving our steady stream of guests. She is making new friends every day and loving all of them. My college/post-college roommate, Erin, came to visit Friday-Tuesday and had a very nice time. We went into San Francisco on Juni's first ferry ride. Erin brought a sticker book that enamored Juniper for hours. She would peel and stick them anywhere she could. One night, we were eating dessert and Juni wanted more and more, so I asked Zach to get out a "safe" cookie for her, and he, not knowing that I normally break a piece off for her, gave her the whole cookie, and Juni loved EVERY last bite of it! :D

Today, Nels was able to take a break from his work trip in San Francisco to come across to our side of the bay. He spent time with us in our apartment just playing and talking as if we all still lived in Nebraska. Yep, he is still my brother. :)

 some from my phone....

and some from Erin's camera and iPad....

Lately....

 Juni loves to have her toy basket pulled out of the corner so she can get at it from all sides and dig everything out, one by one.

 She is hugging and kissing non-stop. Her baby dolls and all her animals are getting lots of lovin'.

 To tell me she is ready for her walk, she will bring me her sweater, and then her socks, and then her shoes, and if I still don't listen, she'll go to the door and point and point and point until we go outside. If I say, "Go," or "Walk," or "Outside," she runs to the door and ready to go!

  She and Juicy are becoming better friends. Now that she can pet Juicy the way Juicy likes, Juicy is more willing to comply, most of the time.

Even though she has her big, giant, over-flowing basket, she still loves that little brown basket in the back she is pulling toys out of.... Juicy's toys! :)

(Zach was making fun of me for me and my scarf..... livin' the life! haha) Really though, Juni is growing up faster than fast, and life feels more "normal" than ever.

Going for a Walk

I used to spend my early afternoons walking Juni here and there and everywhere. I would take her in the Ergo most days and some days the stroller. She loved to look around and wave and see new sights. Well, now my little toddler just wants to get her hands on everything, and being the professional walker that she is, I want to give her fair time to explore. Lately, every afternoon, when she wakes up from her nap we go around the neighborhood and explore she does! She wants to go up steps, into stores, around the cars..... and on and on. Her favorite part is touching every different texture of plant, flower, cement, etc. that she can find. I took the camera along the other day, so you all could take a walk with Juni too! And, as you'll see, she knows when to ask for a helping hand (if the step is too big) and she knows when she is home. My growing girl.

Swim: Ribbon #2

Last Saturday Juniper received her second ribbon! It is a lavender color and she received it for completing the Aqua Babies II section.

They redid the passport/goal book a few weeks ago, so the setup of stages is a little different, but she has 10 goals marked off now!


Aqua Babies I
Independently sit in shallow water
Go under water 3 seconds
Kick legs in front float position
Comfortable moving side to side and getting ears wet
Reach, grab wall, independently hold for 3 seconds

and now...
Aqua Babies II
Use hands on step to support head out of water
Go underwater 5 seconds
Adult initiated swim for 3 seconds
Comfortable back float in 1st position
Submerge and grab wall with help

up next...
Intermediate Aqua Babies!!
Go, Juni, Go!

Vacation Time

Kristina and Sean came to visit us for a week and we all had the best time. We went up to Sonoma and Napa for the first few days. We stayed the first night at a hotel by the beach with a pool and then the second night at a B&B by downtown Napa. Then, stopped at the Jelly Belly Factory on the way home. After coming back to Alameda we went to Crissy Field and the Disney Family Museum in San Francisco, and went up to Tilden Park one afternoon.

Juniper was better than I ever could have expected. She slept well, took naps, ate well in restaurants, and still used the potty like a big girl. Zach and I took turns sitting in the car with her when she needed a little longer nap than the trip in the car. She loved Kristina and Sean and even wanted to go home with them a night or two.

Juni loved the ocean. She would run out into the water without fear. She was wearing a little jean skirt the first day and loved to let the ice cold water crash all the way up over her skirt; she would just dig her feet into the sand and stand strong.

Juni joke of the week....
Kristina: Juni, what does the wave say?
Juni: Hi!!! (while waving) :)

We spent many a minutes singing with Juni to entertain her in the back of the car. After hearing Old McDonald a few times, on the last night of Kristina and Sean's trip, Juni chimed in for the Ee-eye-ee-eye-oh! It was cuter than cute!

And some pictures from Sean's camera too....

and just a few from my phone :) ...