Garage Sale Season

Summer brings with it all sorts of warm weather fun... but one of my favorites is garage sale season!  I have been finding some great things for Amita at various different sales, all of which have been huge hits with her!

She continues to eat and grow, but her two favorite things are strawberries and cheese.  I guess she gets one from each of us!  She has expanded her vocabulary a little to include hi, eye, uh-oh, and hiyah (like Miss Piggy!).  Every once in a while, we get an up or an all done, so she's making great progress.  She can say mama and dada, but chooses not to most of the time.  I'm sure she will when she decides she's ready (as with everything else!!).  She is continuing her cautious exploration and has not yet gotten brave enough to let go and start walking, but her balance is great and she moves so fast when I hold her hands that it's hard to keep up.  We're looking forward to lots of summer fun this year... here's a look at some of our first activities.

Speaking of garage sale season, here's a heap of clothing that I was able to pick up for her.  We are completely set with 2T size stuff after this haul!!

Amita testing out her garage sale pool.  I'm not sure that we have the next Michael Phelps on our hands...

We recently brought a kitchen up from the basement and put it on our screen porch. It is hands down Amita's favorite new thing!  She absolutely loves playing with it.

Trying out a ball pit that I picked up from a neighbor's sale.  She has really enjoyed it... the only disadvantage is that we keep losing real estate on the porch!  Fortunately, we can still fit a few chairs out there for relaxing after she goes to bed!

Amita copying daddy.  They were leaning back and relaxing on a lazy Saturday morning.

Getting out and enjoying the sunshine with mama...

... but mama doesn't hold a candle to the fun you can have with daddy!

Just because Amita isn't walking on her own doesn't mean she can't find her fair share of trouble.  Here she is rearranging our dining room by pushing all the chairs around.

Two shovels and so far away from the sandbox!  What's a girl to do??

Enjoying a hilarious pair of glasses with daddy.

Making a mess at breakfast.  Who knew you could scatter pancakes like that??

Hungry Hungry Hippo

Amita is hitting a growth spurt and has been eating all sorts of things this past week.  She has been using her sign language for "more" a whole lot.  So we keep giving her more and more things to try and enjoy.  It's also strawberry season, and she can't get enough of those delicious red berries.  Good thing the u-pick farm is nearby!  I may need to go again this weekend!!

Here's Amita trying pizza for the first time.  She actually ended up finishing the better part of those two slices on the plate.  She really loved it!

Here's Amita enjoying a bite of her first cookie ever.  She asked for more, but that request wasn't granted.

The Greatest Spectacle in Racing

This was Amita's second Indy 500.  Last year, she had just started teething (and stopped sleeping!) and the weekend wasn't very pleasant.  This year, we had a fun girls weekend while Aaron and Jeff headed to Indianapolis.  Amita has been trying all sorts of new foods like watermelon, corn, and her hands down favorite: fresh cheese curds!  She gobbles those things up like it's going out of style.  She definitely takes after her father.

She has been learning more objects and is super proud to show off all that she knows... as long as we don't ask her to do it!  For some reason, she clams up the second we ask her to do something... she likes her independence.  And speaking of independence, she has learned that she can go down the slide on her own without help if she goes head first.  So we are no longer required to help her in any way with that.  She sure is amazing!

Here she is modeling a retro t-shirt that belonged to Aaron (many years ago!).

Showing off all her teeth and her Dan Wheldon tribute sunglasses that Daddy brought home from the 500.

Here's Amita on one of the really hot days we experienced this month.  The sun hat was very necessary.

Eating a snack and wondering why mama is bugging her with a camera!

Wearing shorts and flip flops and enjoying more summer weather.

Trying on daddy's slippers... they're just a wee bit too big!

At the top of the slide...

And at the bottom of the slide.  Imagine these two photos over and over and over again.  She really loves it!

Trying out her sandbox.  I was worried she wouldn't like being dirty, but she loved playing in it.  She was sad when play time was over!

Mother's Day

I know what you're thinking... but just because we have multiple forms of technology with which to post to the blog does not mean we have any additional time to post!!  The last few weeks have been busier than usual, so here's what's new.  For Mother's Day, we went for hike with Amita and then played in the park before enjoying a delicious ice cream treat from Dairy Queen (believe it or not, Amita turned it down!).  We had much to celebrate this year - in addition to our very active toddler, we are also expecting another child in November!

In Amita news, she has gotten 2 of her 4 molars and we are on a small break from teething now.  It's a relief after the past few weeks!  She has been learning many new things and is so proud to show them off... just usually not when mom or dad ask her to!

Here is Amita emphatically shaking her finger at me.  She really loves the "no more little monkeys jumping on the bed" finger wagging part of the song!

Using her new ukelele from Grandpa and Grandma Morehouse who were able to squeeze in a quick visit last week.  A rock star is born!  Or whatever you call a professional ukelele player...

Playing at the park.  Sticks are so much more fun than any toys we have at home!

Trying out her new outdoor chair.  Not the way I would use it, but to each their own, I guess!

Playing with her two best friends.

Bringing the hammer to Azrael.  Weird that the cats don't stay put too long when she comes to play...

Ain't Technology Grand?

I am trying to update the blog for the first time from my phone. Apparently, you no longer need a device as archaic as a computer to publish content to the web. I feel like these smartphones are going to catch on one day...

Amita and I had a fun day today. We took her walker outside, played with farm animals on the ottoman, drank out of a sippy cup like a big girl, danced to Lionel Richie, and practiced body parts (she's really good at eye and nose so far).

Earth Day

This past weekend, we were able to participate in a river cleanup that some friends of ours organize (shout out to the Browns and their hard work pulling together the biggest cleanup in the state!).  Last year, our feisty newborn did not allow us to head to the river, but this year, we took our calm toddler in her brand new hiking backpack so we could do our part.  It was a gorgeous, sunny day and we all enjoyed being outside.

Amita also took a day trip to Madison on Sunday to visit more friends.  She did great for the trip, got to play with two older friends and even managed to take a nap in a strange place!  And in the midst of all that excitement, she also had her first molar pop through!  Finally!!!  Only 3 more of those to go...

Here's Daddy and Amita basking in the sun after our river cleanup was over.

Testing out the new hiking backpack.  Amita wasn't too sure of it at first!

Playing with sidewalk chalk.  She really likes to pound it on the ground.  Not so good for the chalk!

Playing with the new shades in our living room.  She was "hiding" behind them!

Everyone making a Daddy pile!

Pretending to drink from a play cup.  Now we just have to get her to do that with a real sippy cup!!

Easter

Last year, Amita celebrated Easter by wearing a vintage outfit that used to belong to me.  This year, she wore a vintage sweater that belonged to Aaron.  She was a hit at church, as usual!  Amita also had her 15-month checkup with the doctor this week.  She is keeping it long and lean by growing 2 inches in the past three months, but gaining less than 2 pounds.  The doctor said she looks healthy and has no concerns with how she's developing.

And now, some photos from our week!

Here's Amita eating her first Easter dinner.  In true Bubb fashion, she loved the ham, but wouldn't eat the veggies!

Here's the whole family for Easter.  Amazingly, we got one where we were all looking at the camera!

Amita petting her best friends.  Baxter is much more tolerant than Azrael with her unconventional petting style.

Amita wearing a new "hat".  Once she got this basket on, she didn't want to take it off!

Massaging Baxter's tummy.  The cats like it much better when she's not slapping them on the face!

Reading a book to mama - she was "talking" the whole time.

Thanks to some wonderful friends, we had hostas to plant this weekend.  We got them in on Saturday night before the rain started.  Our yard is officially coming together!