Ahhhh Summer!

A couple of weeks ago, Ivy had her first zoo experience! She and her friend Mia enjoyed hanging out together!

Such sweet girls!

On Father's Day weekend, we planned to go to the zoo again with Daddy this time, but we coudn't find parking and decided to go to our own neighborhood park instead. I'm trying to get Ivy into the sand thing.... before we go to Myrtle Beach!

Waving to no one!

She's got an enviable tan already... it's not fair!

We played in her kiddie pool a bit too.

Today, Ivy and I met Kristina and her parents at the zoo, folowed by lunch at Oto's!

For $3.00, you can feed the giraffee.... might try that next time!

There is a baby tiger at the zoo.... one of the cutest creatures I've ever seen! Thank goodness I had the longer lens with me!

Pretty flowers!

Overexposed.... but weren't all of our pictures like this in the 1970's? It has a vintagey look to it! Some call it a mistake- I'm calling it ART!

Fun times with Mema and Grandpa tonight at dinner!

This is how Ivy's sleeping these days... It doesn't look too comfortable to me... but whatever!

Well, the tooth is finally visible over her gums. I don't know why I had the feeling that one morning you just discover a tooth in the child's mouth. This tooth has been working it's way microscopically into view for 2 weeks now. Brian didn't even believe me that it was there. At this rate, she'll be in middle school by the time all of her baby teeth appear!

Ivy's been eating pretty well these days and running around the house with the help of her bug wheelie thing or in the yard with her baby stroller or at the office with her shopping cart. I'm convinced that she could walk if she wanted to, but she is ever cautious.

She is blowing kisses to everyone she sees these days, indiscriminately. She will blow kisses to Grandpa or the guy who carries groceries to the car. Her father and I are hoping that a selection process begins to emerge! Ivy also is pretty into "high fives" and we are working on "tens". Well, I'm tired... so that's all I've got to say about that!

1 year ago today, we got our happy phone call!

So hard to believe that this 13.5 month old baby is the same baby you see below!

She's every bit as sweet today as she was the first moment we saw her darling face! Happy phone call day Ivy!

Summer is Coming!

So we set up the small kiddie pool in the backyard this weekend to properly greet the 97 degree heat! Ivy got to try out 2 of her 4 bathing suits!

I like this one alot- and it's a good thing since we have the next size up too!

In addition to the tiny pool in our backyard, Dianne and I let her play a bit on the top step of my parent's pool on Sunday- she totally enjoyed kicking, splashing and submerging her lower half!

Not at all freaked out by the water-- what a relief!

Ivy kicking back in her high chair to enjoy some pink milk!

Just look at that hair profile!

When Ivy's not hopping in and out of chairs, she's looking for the cats. She just loves to be near them, wave at them, and pet them.

Ivy and Daddy had plenty of bonding time last weekend when I took a 2.5 day photography class. He did an awesome job of taking care of her, as I knew he would. They went to the park, out to lunch, to Home Depot, to Sportsman's Warehouse... etc. I learned a lot of thinks about my camera and about photography in general that will help me take better photos.... hopefully!

Daddy will always pick me up!

A comfy chair and her own library-- what more is needed?

She is learning to use a stool to get into bigger chairs-- seriously, this can kill the better part of an hour....

She loves her musical purse-- espcially the lipstick!

She goes into her room to play with her toys and look at her books-- it is so cute that she likes to be in there. Sometimes she will crawl in there an hide behind the door until I go looking for her-- hide and seek!

So I know that once she is walking- I'll wish she wasn't as mobile-- but I really do look forward to a time when she's not wanting to grub around on every dirty floor that we encounter! We are gearing up for a 2 week trip to the East Cost-- part business trip, part friend and relative visiting- and for Ivy and I- several days at Myrtle Beach! She's never been to the zoo before, but will be going this week for the first time!

Also, on the subject of teeth... there is finally one that has popped up on her bottom gum. When I capture the shy tooth on film, I'll post a picture of it!