The hills are alive, with the sound of Brennan. Ah la la la

We are about to begin our 4th and final week here.  All in all, it has been a super fun assignment.  No huge issues besides the child not sleeping 40% of the time, but I suppose I would have a hard time sleeping too if I were stuck in a dark closet.  Brennan really is having a fun time here and I actually love being able to focus all of my attention on her for a straight month; we've had some fun bonding time and I've really enjoyed seeing her explore and play!  

I think the combination of all kinds of places to explore, sticks & rocks to play with, and having 500 strangers around to be her best friend has made this place Brennan's paradise.  She LOVES it here. 

This is the view from our back porch.  Not too shabby.  You will notice: the continental divide (beautiful) and the blob (scary).

 I love this picture for 2 reasons: 1) this is how she walks, with chest out and arms up and 2) she is carrying food.  the girl LOVES her food.

 When b is super overjoyed with something, she will throw herself onto the ground and roll around in sheer delight

How much do you love those teeth!? 

 This picture had to make the post.  Notice her nose crinkle.  This is one of the main things I love about my daughter right now.  If she thinks something is hilarious or is just really excited to smile (especially when that smile is directed at someone) she not only smiles, it becomes a whole-face smile and she wrinkles up her nose.  How cute is that.

Another main thing I adore about her: she is becoming a cuddler.  Notice her snuggling my hand.  She will walk up for a hug and then run away.  Or she will grab a book and bring it over, turn around, and back up into my lap to read it.  Or, if I pick her up, she will lay her head on my shoulder and sometimes even wrap her arms around me for a hug.  Pure sweetness.  I think I can already tell Physical Touch is a love language of this one.  

Seriously.  Just look at the cuteness.  The teeth, the cheeks, the smile.  Love her. 

Fun at the park!

 Lane had a few hours off yesterday afternoon, so we took advantage of the opportunity to get out of camp and head into Winter Park.  We discovered a really fun children's park which provided ample entertainment.  It is so much fun that Brennan is now at an age where she can really play and discover.  We had such a great time!

We sent her down this slide all by herself for the first time and she loved it.  She kept trying to climb back up to do it all over again.

She is a climber

Come on girl, ride that horsey! 

Adventures at Crooked Creek

also could be known as Daddy Daughter Day from all of the pics of the two of them.

Today was gorgeous weather and Lane had some time during the afternoon that allowed us to wander and explore.

Can I just say that I absolutely adore my daughter?  As in, ADORE.  It's fun seeing glimpses of her little personality now and guessing how that will continue to play out.

For example:
She is SOCIAL.  She LOVES people... any person.  She walks into a room going 'hiiiiii.'  'hiiiii'.  (imagine how the kids say hi to Brennan on facetime and that is how she has learned to say hi... hiiiii Brennan, hiiiii Brennan).  She is smiley, friendly, loves to laugh and make new friends, goes to new people easily, and tries SO hard to keep up with the big kids here.

She is STUBBORN.  She knows what she wants and is a feisty little thing and we have seen that streak in her since the early days.  She has started blowing raspberries at me if she doesn't get her way.

She is a TOUGH little chick.  She really loves to be adventurous, explore, get roughed up, then doesn't complain a bit when blood comes.  She fell on the cement sidewalk today when just wearing a onesie and got a decent case of scraped up knee, but didn't make a peep just jumped up and kept playing.  Later, a rock dropped on her toe and she kind of looked at me with wide eyes and I tried to pick her up but she brushed me away to keep playing.  It wasn't until later that I noticed the dried blood streaking across her gashed toes that I realized it was a legitimate injury.  She falls, she bonks her head, she bangs into things, and it doesn't even bother her.  She is way too into exploring and climbing to let a little ouchie make her whine.  I love it.  

This girl goes CRAZY over balls.  If she sees one, it's over; any plans you had now include and are limited to anything having to do with the ball.  

Why is this girl so happy?  Because her daddy just walked out the door.  SHE LOVES HER DADDY.  Oh my word, if I could count the number of times a day she says Dada.  The number of times she says momma?  2

It took us probably 20 minutes to make it up this sidewalk so that she could chase that ball.

This place was her paradise.  Volleyballs and basketballs galore!  Ball!  Ball!  Ball!

Chasing after a volleyball even though she just had one in her hand

Must.  Have.  That.  Ball.

Carrying around a basketball even though it was half her size

Just look at that grin.  She is that spitting image of her daddy.

This was probably time number 56 that they crossed this bridge

She was so excited to discover a little cave just her size

That rock definitely went to dinner with us.  It was just not worth the battle to pry it from her hands.  The raspberries were epic.

And there's pictures of our day!

Home Tour

This is our home.  Pretend that you are walking through it with me.  

Looking left from the front door

Further into that living room

Kitchen

Love of my life, my turquoise hutch

Whoever finds Brennan first wins a lollipop

Looking right from the front door into our dining room

Cutest little 14 month old I know

The top floor tour will be held in approximately 20 months when I finally finish those rooms

Snapshots of Mimi & Papa's

Finally, finally I have a baby who is old enough to play in and make memories in the same spaces that all of my memories have been made.  While Lane was off at YL Camp, Brennan and I took a trip down to Monument to get some cousin and grandparent time and it was a GREAT week!  

  

It was so fun watching Brennan discover the playroom for the first time.  When we first got in there, she did a few laps getting her bearings and every now and then would catch my eye as if to say Is all of this for ME?  

Some of the pictures are not the best quality because 

#1 the girl was moving at warp speeds playing with all the toys she could in a limited amount of time and 

#2 my camera is terrible.  If my husband is reading this, this is my shameless plug for a new camera at some point in our marriage.  Please.  

We spent Wednesday at the pool and with the cousins.  This was Brennan's first experience with the pool and it was super cute watching her explore and discover how fun it is!  

Tentatively checking out the pool...

Slowly making her way closer to the water as Makena comes over to assist her

I made it to the water, just not sure if I want to go in yet!

The cousins were very eager and willing to help Brennan in the pool.  

Back at Mimi & Papa's, we did lots of fun activities:

Lots and lots of swinging~

Lots of playing on the back deck

B had just discovered what she thought was the discovery of the century and carried it all around the back deck with such sounds of glee, I wish the picture captured the babbling and laughter going on right now

And what did she find?  A pine needle.  Such fun to be had at Mimi & Papa's!  What a great week! 

the babe.

In the absence of me posting pictures of the new house, I will at least post pictures of my baby.  

This is cute- she NEVER sits to drink her milk, she will nurse it and nurse it as she takes a walking tour around the house with her beverage of choice.  

The other day I couldn't find Brennan- I began to look in all of the usual spots: sorting through my makeup drawer, playing with her baby monitor, trying to eat Sophie's food... no on all counts.  So I turned the corner into our living room to find this: 

I had this table out because I've been painting it and Brennan conveniently discovered a fantastic hiding place.  She was very delighted with herself.

Just tell me what you notice about these next two pictures.  

Look at it.  Hah!  Look at that beautiful belly!