Summer Rain

Today, we finally felt relief from the scorching summer sun.

We've been sprawled out for days so that nothing but the bare minimum touches our sticky skin.  The fans are humming all day long, Everdeen toddles around in just her diaper, and we watch hopefully each afternoon as the skies turn gray and thunder rumbles in the distance.

As the first rain drops fell this afternoon, I grabbed Everdeen and we rushed outside.  I love the smell of rain...it calms me and reminds me that everything is being cleansed and cooled, even if just for a few moments. We sat on our front stoop and laughed and explored.  Everdeen needed the fresh air today.  It's been a long couple of days with a sick little girl who needs her mama every minute of the day. The unpacking will just have to wait.

We've been so busy these past two weeks.  Closing on our first home(!), moving our entire lives an hour north, and trying to unpack and organize with an almost one year old and two rowdy cats :)  But we wouldn't change it for anything.  We are finally home again and are loving even the littlest things...like sitting on our front stoop to watch the rain :)

{28/52}

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

Everdeen Kate: You are loving the big windows in our new house to peek out from. Instead of noisy traffic, sirens, and people shouting into their cell phones down the sidewalk you can now hear sweet summer birds happily chirping :)

   

 Linking up with Jodi :)

{27/52}

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

Everdeen Kate: A five minute walk from our new home and we find ourselves in the prairie nestled up against the foothills...I think you're going to be so happy here!

   

 Linking up with Jodi :)

{26/52}

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

Everdeen Kate: Playing chase with your mama.  I think it's your all time favorite thing to do :)

   

 Linking up with Jodi :)

Climb Every Mountain...

We officially have a climber in our household!  I like to blame all of the packed boxes and our very agile cats that have created this new and profound skill.  Today, I created pillow stairs so Everdeen could independently climb up and down the couch all day long.  She's so brave...always trying new things even if it means her mother has a constant heart attack :)  

It's been almost a year since I started my new role as a mama...and I still have so much to learn. Lately it's been learning how to let Everdeen go and explore so that she can learn about this world all around us. Some days I can let go, but other days...most days, I need my little girl right beside me.  She's much to little to leave the nest and besides I have 18 years until that happens right? :) 

Lately, I've been having the hardest time transitioning Everdeen to eat finger foods. I'm in constant panic that she's going to choke. Life was simple when she only drank milk. Last night I gave her tiny pieces of beef. She took one little piece and made the gaggiest face you ever saw and proceeded to take ten minutes to chew her pea sized bite. It was a face all too familiar one that I had made a million times to my own mother. I found myself wanting to tell her, "It's okay! You don't have to eat that if you don't like it!" But I stopped myself.  That's not what I'm supposed to say to her.  So instead I smiled really big and said "YUMMY!" in an overly loud and happy voice. If she could roll her eyes she probably would have :)    

I want Everdeen to always be brave, to try new things.  I want her to have confidence and believe in herself.  I know that it's my job to help instill these things in her and some days I wonder how to do this when I don't really feel those things.  Maybe it will just have to be something that we learn together.  She's already taught me to be more brave than I ever thought possible...I mean I carried and birthed a baby, I'd say that's pretty brave.