Summer 2013

Yes, I've been a slacker. I've also discovered how I have very honest friends and family who have not hesitated to share with me how much of a slacker they think I am  shared their concern for my lack of posts these past few months. Thanks for the pep talks, folks. 

Yes, it has been a busy summer, and, here is the world's longest blog post to illustrate it. Being pregnant with a very busy one-year-old may also have something to do with my "slacking".

I like to think that I've just been living in the moment all summer, thankyouverymuch.  

Here we go, Summer 2013, narrated by yours truly.

We started off the summer on a high note with Margot's visit to Children's where she saw 7 docs in one day. Phew. All had great news to share and expressed no concerns. We already knew she was a champ, but it was a relief to hear knowledgable, experienced professionals agree. Hooray Margot!

You know I have to throw in a flower pic somewhere in this blog post. So here it is, right off the bat.  Our hydrangeas were beautiful this year. They started out pink and over the past 4 years have turned purple.  Beauties!

The beginning of the summer included some scrambling on my part to make sure Margot had some fun toddler equipment in the backyard. From friends and neighbors (whose kids have outgrown these things) I was able to pull together a little house, a mini toddler gym, this slide, and her lovely police car, (as you've seen in previous posts). We have a balance bike waiting in the garage for her little legs to grow just a bit longer.

At the end of June, I flew up to Boston to visit my sister and her now 3 kiddos! We had a blast. Here are Braxton and Ava in the front yard.

 Here's Naomi and I, awkwardly figuring out the lap thing.

And my gorgeous sis with the wind blowing her hair back so glamorously! She's pretty smitten with this little munchkin, as is everyone who meets Naomi.

When I got back from Boston, Margot and I needed some time to catch up together. I took her to the park, and as usual, she showed me the ropes as I followed her lead. She's a pro, and here, she's just taking a break from her busy-ness.

For the 4th of July weekend, we headed to a tiny town called Deltaville on the Chesapeake Bay where our good friends, Amy and Eric, have a house. It was an incredible weekend.

 Here's Margot practicing her moves on dry land. With how much she loves the water, I have no doubt paddle boarding, and many other water sports, will be in this girl's future, someday.

We had quite a group in Deltaville this year...I think there were 12 of us, plus 3 dogs and 1 kiddo. Here are Karin, Luke, Tucker, and me.

Tucker and me.

 Jenny, Amy, me, Karin, and Erika

The day after we got back from Deltaville, my sister and her kids arrived from Boston. We had so much fun while they were here. Almost everyday was a new adventure, and the days we stayed home were fun (and necessary) too. 

Here we are being "that" family at the Air and Space museum. I love how I'm taller than Sarah (she's actually 4 inches taller than me) and Braxton (who's 6) is almost as tall as his mom. Funny.

Since I took off of work (yes, I still work in the summer) I got to have the most fun with Sarah and the kids while they were here. Tucker got in a little bonding time with his new niece, though. 

We took the kids to the Children's museum at the National Harbor and Margot had so much fun. Here she is, squeezing Tucker's head. There's a lot of love right here.

 After my sister and her kids left, Margot had our own fun at the pool. She couldn't get enough of the water and watching the older kids swim and play. I was happy to have a place to cool off...

And pizza...what can I say, but we ate a lot of it this summer! 

A new spot called Pete's New Haven Style pizza moved into the 'hood and we've been almost every week since it opened. So. Yummy! 

We had dinner at our friends Ty and Liz's house and I snapped this pic of these 4 nudists enjoying their dinner. Margot insisted on including her teddy in the dinner conversation.

We also got to see the Nats play in July. It was so hot, we had to finish watching the game from a restaurant inside the stadium. It didn't quite feel right, but it was necessary.

My favorite dish of the summer included a chimmichurri recipe that Tucker's mom Judy recommended to me. I used it on tilapia to make fish tacos.  

De-lish!

Margot and her buddy Hazel spent a lot of time together this summer. These two are about 6 months apart, and they're two peas in a pod.

For Hazel's 2nd birthday, Margot got dressed up and brought her a fancy balloon.

The next weekend, after a visit to our friends Rob, April, and Addy's house on the Hill, we strolled around Eastern Market while Margot snoozed. This was the worst of the summer heat, and it didn't last long. By the following week, the temps were down in the 70s, as if it was fall.

Remember that garden I planted with my students last spring?? Well even if this monumental event slipped your mind, I will show off anyway. 

Here are the fruits and vegetables from the garden we planted at school. Not sure why my students weren't just ecstatic about coming to school to pick up vegetables over the summer. So odd..? I gave these to the staff and took some home, too.

At the beginning of August, we went to Lake Anna with some friends. It was quiet and peaceful and the water was HOT. Not warm, HOT. Like taking a bath. If you'd like to learn why, check this out.

Amy and Margot, comparing kicks

 The crew, fishing in the afternoon.

Tucker with his catch o' the day.

Margot and Amy

Liz, having a J. Crew moment. Can you believe she had a baby about a minute (or 11 weeks) ago?

And then there's me, large and in charge, with what appears to be a magnetic belly. 

(I'm holding Liz's little guy Zachary, and Margot wiggled her way in there too...)

Margot and Emma, politely pretending like no one made them hold hands for a photo op:)

Last family vacation with only one in tow!

Did I mention our pizza consumption this summer? This was from our"date" which also included a romantic appointment at the doc for a sono of #2. We know how to have fun.

And then, without a doubt, my most indulgent weekend of the summer: my yearly trip with my girls from SLU. This year, we were in Annapolis (thanks to the largesse of my belly and my impending due date) and we had a blast. 

Jen, me, Kara

Andi and Kelley

Andi and Jen

Our crew of 9, sans Myndi this year since she was busy at home with baby Finn. She was missed!

On the Woodwind sailboat cruise in the Annapolis Harbor.

Dr. Banagan, one of our fearless leaders and planners this year! 

Sara, me, Sarah, and Caitlin

Jen, Stokie (or "Nicole" as she's known to others, such as her parents and husband) and Andi

I miss these girls already.

Last weekend, we caught up with some of our favorites, Lock and Holly, who indulged us in some good food and (after a bit to drink) some music. Lock has an extraordinary talent for playing the piano and Margot was enthralled. It made me think that sooner than later, I'd like to find a place for my grandmother's piano in our house. This of course, would require a move to larger house....someday!

And lastly, we got to celebrate the upcoming arrival of another baby: Baby Le, due just a few weeks after our little guy. Here are the parents to be, Rachelle and Winston. Margot's giving Winston her best  lesson on "Wiggly One Year Olds, 2013 Edition." He survived.

Amy was one of the amazing hostesses. Everything,  from food, to decor, to activities, to company was perfect.

  

With all the fun trips behind us, we can't help but start to plan for what's ahead. 

On that note, here's Margot, preparing to sell her little brother. 

The shirt says: "Brother for Sale: $1.00 or best offer". Yep, this cracks me up every time.

 We bought Margot a doll which we've so cleverly named "baby brother."  Genius.

We've also established "Margot Month" where we're trying to give her lots of extra attention so that when this interloper disrupts her life in a few weeks, she's feeling loved and connected to mom and dad.

We went to the Montgomery County fair last weekend and Margot loved informing the animals of the sounds they make. Here, she's instructing the sheep to say "BAAA". Thanks, Margot.

 With school beginning, my belly burgeoning, and my patience wearing thin (sorry Tucker) this post is ending close to the place where this entire blog began: nesting.  That post was almost two years ago.

I did some baking (and cleaning and organizing) yesterday and am feeling more and more ready to meet this little person.  

There might also be a little something to the daily comments and looks of shock and awe that I receive from co-workers that I'm actually able to transport myself to work everyday. Yes, I'm ready.  

The waiting game begins. As always, more to come....