Two Years Old

Wow! Another big milestone for Liv!

With Jeff's travel schedule and our friends' busy lives we had a hard time pulling together a single birthday celebration... so, we had several!

We have a two-year dr's appointment next week. Liv will get her last round of vaccinations and boosters until kindergarten and will get her physical and cognative development measured, I suppose. I'll share her height and weight stats with you then.

As for my two year observations, forgive me if I'm not terribly thoughtful or insightful... She is the light of my days and my biggest challenge! Liv continues to learn about her world, her place in it, and how things work at an incredible pace. She has become a very good talker - though there is still a certain amount of Liv speak that needs translating! :) for example, she doesn't say any begining "s" sounds. She plays well with other children - though I'm afraid she's becomming a bit "bossy." (I would love any thoughts on abating that particular toddler tendency!) there's more... but I have to run!

Cheers and Happy Birthday to my little Liv.

Hand to Mouth

Little Luna has discovered her hands! Well, at least the left one.

(We'll see if she still favors it later on. -- THAT would be surprising!)

She's been working on her muscle coordination this week and getting her extremeties to do what she wants them to. It's an awesome development! She has a long way to go to be sure... but she's even started sitting back and turning her head from one side to the other when I carry her on my shoulder. Cool!

Swings

I've posted plenty of pictures of Liv in the swings (the first ones here).  Kids love 'em. Liv loves 'em. It's the first thing she wants to do at the park. Today it was perfectly clear WHY she loves the swings so much...

of course, because she's FLYING... (she always asks to go higher)

and because of the tricks she can do when flying,

but also, especially in Liv's case, shecan watch everyone else and what they are doing while swinging!

Little Luna doesn't get to have quite the same fun, but she does seem to like the ceiling fan.

Goo - Goo

Maybe its just me - but this just melts me!!

(sorry the camera angle is weird, I was trying to shoot over my own shoulder...)

Adventure to Alameda Beach

We got our act together (barely) and got out of the house for a trip to the beach.  We gathered all our gear (OMG! toys, extra clothes, diapers, snacks, bottles, sippy cups, sunblock, hats, towels, camera, holy crapload of stuff!) and hit the road...  it was totally worth it!!

Liv was so excited to use her pink shovel again - she must have asked me about it 6 times on the way there!

Luna's first day at the beach. However, she is still in that vampire stage where she can't abide direct sunlight...

choosing the very best rocks to throw into the bay...

going back for more

i think she likes it!

see what i'm saying about the acne? and that's like 1000% improved - yikes!

mom & Liv at the beach, again!

(are those my boobs?... really?!)

made a new friend, and shared toys; and she shared her kite, too!

AND 

we were serenaded by this nice man practicing his sax

who played "happy birthday" upon request...

what a day!

ps/ our thoughts and love to cousin Lynn & family, who had a house fire last night.

Picnic!

Beautiful weather here. We decided to have a little picnic. 

We packed a lunch and went for a little hike up the hill behind the house.

A Few New Pictures

sorry it's been so long since the last post... all is well here!

We are adjusting well to being a bigger family.

I'm finding it an interesting exercise to find the new priority balance in competing claims fo rmy attention. Some days I do feel like I have my hands full, especially when Jeff is working away from home. But there is no surprise there -- and I am overwhelmed only by the sheer joy and gratitude I feel every single day!

Camila Luna is suffering from some wicked baby acne this week - don't expect to see many pictures. haha...

She spends some time on her belly everyday and let's me know when she's had enough!!

Liv continues to amaze me everyday, she's asserting her independence more, which is a occasionally a challenge for me - but so far we're managing. Here she is reading a letter from Gramma Mayberry.

Happy Baby...

Liv and I found some rubber stamps at the dollar store, and a book about fingerprint stamping at the library. Definitely this week's favorite craft!

We're planning a "Turning Two" birthday celebration for next weekend. If you're available -- we'd love to have you come over for cupcakes!