{ Snippets from our Washington coast vacation ~ June }

:: the view from the deck of our rental house ::

:: another view from the deck ::

:: Seabrook, two miles from where we stayed ::

:: "family portrait" ::

:: Mr. and I spent hours reading on the deck...amazing ::

{ #2 }

{ Katie + Morgan's Visit }

Katie and I became friends through blogging. Katie was a "bloggy friend" of my real-life friend Chelle, which is how I came across her blog. We met in real life three years ago at Seabrook {you can read about it here and here}, and I think she may have been the first Aussie I ever met! Since Seabrook, Katie has married her sweetheart Morgan, and this summer they are making their way across the USA on a delicious, once-in-a-lifetime trip visiting friends and family. They spent two nights with us in between a week in Spokane, Washington and a week in Charleston, South Carolina, and we had such a delightful time! Katie and Morgan were so gracious with our cramped accommodations, sleeping on an air mattress that pretty much took up our entire living room floor! I'd never met Morgan, and Mike hadn't met either of them, but we really enjoyed the time we got to spend together. Maybe someday we will be able to visit them in Australia...wouldn't that be sweet!

Their visit was brief, and peppered with the early mornings and long naps of a little girl who loves her sleep. Nevertheless, we got to show them around our neck of the woods, as well as a bit of downtown Seattle.

 

:: at the beach near our house ::

 

 

:: Katie + Morgan ::

 

We did have one very unfortunate incident when we went to a local brew pub/restaurant for dinner: They refused to let K + M order drinks without their passports as additional identification. Apparently Australian drivers' licenses are not enough proof that they are of legal age {which happens to be 18 in Australia, anyway!}.

 

On Sunday the grandparents watched Lainie and we went to downtown Seattle. I took almost no photos {which I could say about nearly everything we've done over the last year. If it's not Lainie being cute, apparently I am unable to muster the strength to get out the camera.}. We had lunch in an open-air Bolivian café in Pike's Place Market, meandered through the market, and visited Anthropologie. Katie and I really love that store...Mike and Morgan hid and amused themselves while we browsed.

 

We rode the Great Wheel on the Seattle waterfront--first time for all of us. The views are breathtaking!

 

:: Looking toward West Seattle ::

 

On Monday, the Aussies toured the Boeing factory while I took Lainie for her one-year checkup and shots. Then we all went to the Flying Heritage Collection, which has some amazing, fully restored WWI and WWII aircraft and tanks. Two different airplanes are the only surviving ones of their specific make known to exist.

 

At this point, my camera battery died. Just imagine lots of laughter; both real and impersonated Aussie accents; and a bittersweet farewell at the airport.

 

Our house still seems so quiet--we had a great time with you two!

{ My 4th of July, by Lainie Rae }

Happy Independence Day, everyone!!

 

Y'all may think yesterday was Independence Day, but today is my Independence Day. One year ago today I was discharged from Children's Hospital!

 

Don't worry, Mama and Dada and I celebrated the 4th of July too. Mama and I took looooong naps in the morning, and then we all went to a nearby street fair. Mama kept apologizing to Daddy about it being "lame," but I don't know what she was talking about. I was keepin' it cool.

 

 

Then we went to our friends' Joe and Angela's house. They had a huge container of ice! Have you ever seen ice before?! It's so much fun to play with! Slippery and really, really cold. I could have played with ice for hours.

 

I also helped Joe and Daddy grill burgers.

 

And I took Daddy on walks. He loves the exercise. I try to keep him guessing as far as what direction we're going and how fast or slow to go. Think I did pretty good.

 

I hope all of you had a wonderful Independence Day {or Days} too!

 

xo,

Lainie Rae

{ One Year Old }

It's an odd transition for a mama, this jump from measuring time--a little person's entire life--in weeks and months to years. For the life of me, I cannot comprehend how it's been a year since Lainie's birth. One year ago today the three of us were still at Children's, struggling with all our might through "she's too sleepy to eat as much as the surgeons want her to," sleeping in 1.5-hour increments, and living in her hospital room. Now she's a chattering, cruising, carb-loving munchkin with eight teeth and a penchant for long naps. A year ago, I could never have imagined today. This life. And I am so, so incredibly thankful that it's ours!

 

I took this photo the day before Lainie's birthday. As you can see, she was hamming it up--probably trying to convince me to let her hold the chalkboard.

 

On Saturday we had a little party. Just immediate family and our friends Katie and Morgan, who were visiting us that weekend all the way from Australia {more on that in my next post}. Eight grownups was the perfect size--both for our tiny home, and for our tiny girl, who is still quite shy in groups and clings to mommy and daddy when other people are around.

 

These ladybug--ahem, Lainie-bug--cupcakes were a pink lemonade cake mix and frosting that I tried to turn red. After using an entire bottle of red food coloring, I settled for hot pink. The spots are mini chocolate chips, and the "head" is melted chocolate. We also had watermelon, a Thai-style bean salad, pink lemonade, and a variety of hot appetizers from Trader Joe's: pastry puffs with feta and caramelized onions, mac and cheese bites, and "pastry pups"-- mini hot dogs in puff pastry buns, sprinkled with cheese.

 

Lainie pretty much inhaled the feta and onion cups and the mac and cheese bites. She also felt that her hair was the perfect place to wipe her hands when they got a little too greasy or crumb-covered.

 

Mike picked up Morgan and Katie from the airport that morning, and they all helped with decorations. Katie and Morgan hung the crepe paper streamers; they looked so festive and cheery! You can't really tell from the photo, but they were red with white polka dots, just like the drink straws and candy cups. Candy cups? Oh yes, we also had malted milk balls and gummy bears!

 

I printed one photo from each month of Lainie's life, newborn through 11 months, and people guessed how old she was in each photo. In a stroke of hostessing genius, I forgot to get a prize, but our guests were troopers and played anyway. I think Mike's mom won, with seven correct guesses out of twelve!

 

The little munchkin got so many gifts. She loved ripping the wrapping paper and tissue, and trying to open the cards.

 

This monkey was a favorite.

 

Very. Serious. Business.

 

A beautiful dress from Grandma Mandy, to wear to Auntie Amaryah's wedding in a few weeks.

 

A koala from Katie and Morgan, all the way from Australia! This little face of hers cracks me up every time--she does it when she knows she's posing. I think she thinks she's smiling. Dearie me!

 

Trying to open the card from Chelle and David.

The cutest bathing suit from Auntie Mar!

 



 

Happy Birthday Girl!

 

A xylophone from mama and daddy. She loved it. I wish you could've seen her face when Mike started playing it and she realized it made music--she made the most astonished "Did you hear that?! Can you believe it?!" face at me and Lawrence. We were dying laughing!

 

She's not so much a fan of cupcakes, especially the sticky frosting. She took very careful, ladylike bites of the bottom if we held it up for her, but she was tried to stay as un-sticky as possible.

 

We love you, Lainie Rae! Happy Happy Birthday!