It's been months since I've posted on here and really I just forget about it, but people keep asking for pics of Elodie, so here we go!

Elodie's cousin Caden came to visit and omg are they cute together.  I can't wait to see how their relationship develops over the years.  They both enjoyed going over to the piano and playing together.  Their combined cuteness is just too much.

 As her mom, it's hard not to gush about Elodie's personality, intelligence, and beauty growing so much with every day. She loves to walk all over the place but she's deliberate and careful in her movements; so far she's not a risk taker that runs around and falls a lot. She also loves to laugh at everything, repeat every word she can, read book after book, and kiss everything she cares about.  The kisses are so good, too. It's like every kiss gives you the feeling you get from your very first kiss and she gives them all day every day. They are addictive.

 Elodie calls all dogs "Ba" (because our dog's are Belle and Bella). We think she thought the goats were dogs :)

^^ This is a pic Jenn took on an early morning hike we did one Saturday. A new favorite.^^

We take E with us to do whatever we are doing. She's usually pretty cool and will eat whatever we eat and just hang out with our friends. Although since she's started walking, she likes to get down and cause trouble.  

 So Elodie turned 1 in December, and if I had to sum up her one-year-old self, I'd say that she's an (almost) always happy baby who loves to read, laugh, kiss, and talk. 

She says mama, dada, ba (belle/bella/dog), book, Lydia (her doll), blue, more, and boob. That's a lot of words for a 14 month old!

Sometimes when it's too quiet and I sneak into the room to check on her, she'll be sitting with a pile of books slowly reading each one. We hope her love of reading stays.

 Oh and we got a lot of snow recently :) It's the most I've ever seen - never thought we'd get more than we did in 2010, but we did! The girls didn't really even try to play in it. They went out once and then said nope and stuck to the dug out paths. We got over 25 inches and had a lot of fun playing in it for days instead of going to work.

 Poor Bella has had a hard transition over the past year. However, she seems to have found a new favorite lounging spot where she collects dropped or THROWN bites of food three times a day. It's a small consolation for her demotion, and let's be honest, she still gets tons of love.

Happy Halloween!

This year was Elodie's first Halloween in a family that loves wearing costumes and carving pumpkins. She was more than happy to do both and there are only pictures of her from today, but she's so cute and I don't remember to take pictures of anything else.  This was the first year in a very long time that I haven't dressed up, but I did make Elodie a costume and I think it turned out great.  She is the happiest, most smiliest, laughing, kissing, baby that I've ever met. So she went as "sunshine and rainbows" for Halloween this year.

In between multiple bouts of pink eye, stomach viruses, and colds, life lately has been a fun beginning of summer with Elodie.  She's pretty easy to keep entertained since she's literally never experienced summer before.  Everything is new and exciting, which makes it new and exciting for us, too.

Eric has a new study site in the works, so we've spent a lot of time working on logistics for it like buying a boat and getting gear ordered.  We also had the "chore" of going down to the Northern Neck to check out the area and the crew housing for when they're in the field.    Can you really call something this nice a field site?

^ ^Eric watching the osprey nest while Elodie naps^^

^^ Out on a friend's boat scouting for dolphins^^

Our friends Kevin and Lo came for a Memorial Day visit.  It was probably one of the most patriotic Memorial Day weekends I've ever had - we went to both the Udvar-Hazy Air and Space Museum and Arlington Cemetery.  Neither of us had ever been to the cemetery even though we drive past it almost every day.  I was most surprised at how big it is, there are so so many graves.

Otherwise, we've been out and about enjoying the weather with friends, and trying to get Elodie used to playing in water.  She's not so sure about it, especially when it's too cold!

 ^^first ride on an electric horse^^

 ^^making out at the splash pad, she's delicious^^

 ^^"Oh, we're all getting in the pool? Ok I'll get in, too"^^

Cara's neighborhood had a block party and thanks to Anthony we have a family picture!

She makes me smile with my heart :)

Something bittersweet about getting married is knowing that with that person was the last time you would fall in love.  You won't get those butterflies, that crazy early infatuation, it's one of the best parts of living and you won't get to experience it again. You're trading it for something more rewarding, but there's still something sad about the thought.

Then life gives you a wonderful surprise! A head-over-heels, stare into each other's eyes, totally absorbed, shout it from the mountain tops love affair that you never saw coming. 

So now I will return to my love, my valentine, with her gifts of slobbery kisses, sweet baby breath, and constant happy smiles.

Happy Valentine's Day!