Kauai {in pictures}

We had an amazing vacation with Martin's family and are now back to Colorado with its dry hot air filled with wildfire smoke.  We are dreaming of the cool sea breeze and turquoise waters filled with sea turtles with nothing to do but put your feet in the sand and stare at the white wispy clouds moving quickly across the sky.  

I had such a hard time sorting through the hundreds of pictures I took. Sorry in advance for the picture overload :) 

We spent our time on the north part of the island in Princeville- where the beaches are pristine and very quiet. You are surrounded by tropical rainforest on one side and blue waters on the other. Everdeen loved the ocean...and the sand. We told her the last time she had heard the ocean was at her Auntie Kate's wedding and she was still in my belly.  She seemed to have remembered it well :)    

It was a little hard to relax with an almost eleven month old on the go every second of every day.  But we loved showing her the beautiful surroundings.  After a day or two we had a new routine in place. Every morning we brought Everdeen into the giant king sized bed and snoozed a little longer until the roosters woke us up again. We ate breakfast on our porch that overlooked the ocean and in the afternoon we opened the windows so Everdeen could hear the waves as she took her nap.  I don't think it could have gotten much better than that! 

 

It had been almost four years since we had been on the island for our honeymoon.  It was fun going to the same beaches and sights a little more grown-up and with a baby in tow. 

eleven months

Wow...Everdeen you are eleven months old today!! This month it seemed like you were turning into a little lady, except when you crawl around the apartment growling :) It's amazing to watch you as you are learning so many new things.  You love to have us walk you around, but you don't want to try it with just one hand yet.  You won't walk until we are holding both of your hands and you'll wait and wave your arm impatiently at us until we hold on :)  And just last week you got three new teeth! Now you're really starting to look like a little lady! 

I know I say it every month, but we are so blessed. I feel a little bit sad this month like we're saying goodbye to your babyhood and saying hello to you being a toddler. I know time can't stand still, but we are cherishing these moments more than ever.

Sunday Update

Today was a very lazy Sunday...Everdeen and I stayed in our pajamas all day long.  Not intentionally, but I never felt the urge to actually get dressed today.  We spent all day playing... pulling all of her clothes out of her baskets and putting them back, chasing each other around the empty apartment (you should hear the squealing laugh this gets out of her!), and snuggling during the late afternoon thunderstorm.  

Lately, we've been so preoccupied with getting ready for our big move and getting things settled with our new home. I look at my little girl and she is always playing so nicely by herself when I need her to the most. That's when the biggest wave of guilt hits.  She's so tiny and such a good baby...we are so so lucky.  When I'm on the phone for what seems like the hundredth time with our realtor or making more phone calls to transfer our life up north there she sits so quietly playing.  

Today, I wanted to do nothing but play and that's exactly what we did.  We laughed, played, read stories, and listened to music all day long. 

This evening, while we were eating dinner, we listened to some of my favorite Frank Sinatra songs.  Everdeen was literally tapping her fingers against the high chair tray.  She's been clapping and moving to the music so much lately, it cracks us up.  She is growing so fast...only one more month until her first birthday!

{we sold our table and chairs so the exercise ball it is!}

It will be a wonderful celebration...a celebration of one year of precious life, a move, a new home, new jobs.  I know that everything we're doing right now is for her and it will all be worth it in just a few short weeks.  

{25/52}

"a portrait of my daughter, once a week, every week, in 2013."

Everdeen Kate: I love waking up with you in the morning.  Your sleepy little eyes and tousled hair.  You love to snuggle with us for just a while longer until we absolutely must get up for the day. 

   

 Linking up with Jodi :)