Colorado: the first 24 hours.

 First afternoon in town -- we were all crazy tired and it was seriously hot, but we made a stop at "Rocket Ship Park" (aka Scott Carpenter) for a little bit of fun before checking into the hotel. Lorelei seemed unimpressed.

Why are they smiling like this, you ask? Breakfast at the Southside Walnut Cafe, of course.

 Outdoor adventures! Lorelei and I did a lot of exploring together while Jason/Daddy was at his conference. Apparently inspired by the mountains, Lorelei decided she wanted to climb everything in sight, safe or not. Here she is in the shadow of the foothills with her first attempt at bouldering (pun definitely intended).

Playing in the fountain on Pearl Street -- Lorelei was too nervous to actually go into the water part, but she seemed to enjoy standing and pointing at all of the other kids. Another little boy was enamored with her (and our entourage -- see below) and kept coming up to say hello and give us hugs.

Lorelei and I were lucky enough to get to spend the afternoon with Hannah and Lena, aka The Lorelei Fan Club. (I think they have t-shirts.) We paraded up and down Pearl Street together and they were awesome with her -- playing with the big rocks in front of Peppercorn, pushing her stroller that was too short for me (thanks, Lena), and putting up with her tired/cranky ways. Afterwards, Lorelei and I had dinner together at BJ's Brewery -- pretty proud that we both made it through that one relatively unscathed. Thank goodness for interesting foot traffic and an attentive waitress! Before we left, two drunk girls told Lorelei she had the most beautiful eyes and that she should "always remember that." Documenting it here for posterity!

where has the summer gone?

It's been a whirlwind of a summer! LOTS of Colorado photos to update you with -- but here are a few gems from some fun times we had before our trip:

dinner with some friends -- Jason handling three kids at once while the other adults hung out ;) 

visit from a Peak to Peak friend, Heather, on her way to the east coast! Lorelei was particularly excited that she brought her cat, Mephisto, along for the ride.

In front of the courthouse in Geneva -- we managed a fun weekend morning there for brunch and the farmer's market but only got pictures in this rather lackluster location. Oh well. (By the way, that's not a real tattoo I'm sporting, in case you were wondering or worried.)

Lorelei exhibiting her newfound passion for climbing -- more on this later!

Watching the horse and carriage go by -- we need one of these in DeKalb!

my daughter, the ham.

Lorelei was enjoying piling clothes on her head this morning, and once I put a pair of pants on her head like a hat and put her in front of the mirror, she couldn't get enough of herself.

...we all scream for ice cream!

We took Lorelei out for her second ice cream shop visit to Grandma Sara's favorite place!

inside, outside.

Hanging out with Grandma Sara inside:

(trying on shoes together!)

 Playing with Grandma Sara outside:

(the elephant slide is a brand-new [to us] garage sale find. Thanks, Grandma Sara!)

park day with Grandma Sara

Grandma Sara came to visit! We went to the park for some fun in the sun. First up: riding on the pelican! 

Grandma Sara helped me to climb up the steps and walk all around -- and then showed me how to climb through a tunnel!

Going down the slide -- whee!

Daddy and Grandma Sara pushed me on the swings while Mama took some pictures.

 And just as we were leaving, I met some fun new friends who were there for a picnic lunch! Josh, the 2 1/2 year old, was my favorite and I spent a lot of time grabbing him to say hello.

14 months old.

Today I am 14 months old!

I am starting to get pretty good at walking. I will take 8-10 steps on my own -- sometimes more if I'm holding onto a toy for security. I still mostly get around by crawling, but I'm well on my way to being a true toddler!

And just like a toddler, I am getting pretty insistent on having my way -- especially when it comes to reading my favorite books over and over and over again!

I've had a great appetite lately -- mom thinks I'm about to have a growth spurt. Everyone says I seem very tall for my age when they meet me, and I tower over other kids who are my same age. Maybe basketball or volleyball are in my future? I certainly like to be active -- especially jumping onto pillows, stretching on my yoga mat, dancing to my favorite songs, and bouncing on the bed.

When I'm eating, I like to have certain things in front of me if they're on the table -- the mustard with the girl on the label and the milk with the cow on it, for example. Mama says she used to do the same thing!

I am starting to talk a lot more. I babble all the time, still make all my animal noises, and I also say "dada" when asked, "mama" even when not asked, and "ca-ca" when I see a car driving by. Sometimes I say other things that sound like words, too, but my parents are a lot less willing to believe they are real words than my grandmas are! I am learning how to communicate in other ways, too -- I sign "please" all the time (what a polite baby I am!) and stick out my tongue to mean "bath."

Just like my mama, I love to try on shoes -- mine, yours, any that I can find.

I love to laugh. I have little inside jokes with my parents and my friends and I like to do them over and over again to make them giggle -- like making moose antlers when someone says "moose on the loose" and making funny faces. If I hear other people laughing, it's pretty likely that I'll join right in even if I don't get what's so funny!

I am so happy most of the time. I give hugs even when I'm not asked and I love to snuggle up with my parents, my grandmas, and other people I know and love. I also give a great smile when I'm asked -- see the evidence below!