One day of nice weather

So far this week, we have had one day of nice weather. Just one. All the others have been rainy, as has been the case for most of the spring and early summer. It was great that the nice day happened to be Tuesday, during Grandma's visit from NYC. We had such a good time with her.


Sadie tried a blueberry from the fruit cup. It doesn't look like she liked it very much.

These pictures were all taken outside Rosey Jekes cafe in Hanover. I got a couple of great shots of Sadie framed by this wrought iron railing. I think this one is my favorite.

New Friend in New York

I have a new friend! Welcome to Cordelia Saura, born June 23 in New York City. Cordelia is the daughter of Mommy's friend Yuli and her husband Edu. Mommy and Yuli have been friends since second grade! Maybe Cordelia and I will be friends for a long time too.

Daytrip to Waterbury and Stowe

Daddy's Father's Day request was to go on a family daytrip to Waterbury and Stowe and have dinner at the Alchemist brewpub in Waterbury. So that was our activity yesterday. Although it was overcast at home, we were very excited to have beautiful weather once we arrived.

Sadie loved this little house at the Cold Hollow Cider Mill.

She fell asleep in the car driving to dinner and woke up while we were eating. She was pretty confused and grumpy, but she regained her equilibrium enough to have ice cream at Ben and Jerry's.


Sadie says "doo doo" for the word stroller. We have no idea why, since she can pronounce the sounds correctly.

Funny conversation in the car:
Daddy: Sadie, can you say stroller?
Sadie: doo doo
Daddy: No, try to say stroller. Stro (pause) Ler.
Sadie: Doo (pause) doo.
Daddy: stroll
Sadie: doo!
Daddy: stroller
Sadie: (laughing) doo doo!

Dairy Day

A favorite annual event up here is Dairy Day at the Coop. Some scenes from last Saturday...


Look! A baby water buffalo!


Why is this balloon tied on to me?


Daddy, you're so funny looking with a sticker on your mouth!

More Montshire

Sadie and Mommy have been to the Montshire Museum water park a lot recently. We were there Friday and went back yesterday. You can't beat it for toddler fun on a hot day.

At this visit, Sadie was especially interested in this shallow pool where the water bubbles up in little spurts.

It was a fun surprise to run into one of Sadie's best friends, Natalie, at the Montshire with her mommy Amber and her grandma. This photo captures a classic toddler moment. Sadie and Natalie were hugging and kissing each other so sweetly that Amber and I both grabbed our cameras. By the time we had them in hand and snapped the picture, both girls were on to something else. There goes Sadie, heading back to the shallow pool.

I love my Daddy! And Grandpa and Grampy too!

Dear Daddy,
I hope you had a happy Father's Day yesterday. I love you so much! You are my special friend. We always have fun together because you think of games that make me laugh and you make great animal noises. I like to ride on your shoulders and hold your hand. I love it when you pick me up from daycare. It's so funny when you pretend to sleep and I wake you up. I like when you take me for a walk in the backpack or for a ride on my trike. You are the best Daddy in the world and I am lucky to have you!
Love and kisses,
Sadie


Dear Grampy and Grandpa,
A little girl couldn't ask for better grandfathers than you two! You love me so much, so I love you right back. You are the best! I love spending time with you.
Love and kisses,
Sadie

Hot Day, Cool Fun

Finally...a hot summer day! We went to outdoor playgroup and then to the Montshire to cool down with some friends.

Sadie and Nicholas explore a fountain. The mommies are in the background. Left to right, Karin with baby Israel, Maggie, Sarah.

More playing. Left to right, Gabe, Sadie, Lilly, girl in a blue hat who we don't know.


The fun ended when Sadie got some sunscreen in her eye. But Mommy rinsed it out, Sadie felt better and she fell asleep in her stroller as we headed back to the car. Upcoming this weekend: Dairy Day at the coop (free ice cream and other goodies, farm animals, music, etc.) and Father's Day! We'll be in Concord to visit Grampy and beat the heat by going to the pool.

Friends

Sadie greets her friend Isaac at the Lebanon Farmer's Market this evening.

These two are getting to be friends more and more as they get older. Sadie often announces his name when she arrives at daycare, "Keeya, I-gak, Mina!"* So, you know he's important to her.

*Translation, for those who don't speak Sadie, "Aquila, Isaac, Melinda!" Aquila is her daycare provider and Melinda is a toddler a little younger than Sadie.

Save it for a Rainy Day

Grandma and Grandpa got this playhouse for Sadie and we've been saving it for a surprise one day. Yesterday, trapped in the house by even more rain, we decided it was the day. While Sadie was eating her lunch, Daddy set the playhouse up. She was so excited to see it!





We had fun with it all Saturday afternoon and evening. Daddy put it away after bedtime to make another exciting appearance in the future.

Gymnastics!

Daddy came to gymnastics today to take some pictures. We thought it was the last class, but it turns out we get an extra week because we missed a class for Memorial Day, so next week will be the last week. Gymnastics has been a lot of fun! Sadie loved doing all the activities at "nastics". We will sign up again in the fall.

Today's theme was Bugs, which the older group of children enjoyed. Sadie's class, the Baby Bears, had mixed feelings about the many plastic bugs which decorated the gym. Sadie wouldn't swing from the bar, which she usually enjoys, because rubber spiders were dangling from it. Sadie did like the warm up, where the children danced to a song called The Pillbug Dance.

Clapping to the music during the warm up.


Walking on the balance beam.


Jumping on the mini trampoline.


Climbing over an obstacle.


Gathering little plastic bugs and transferring them to a jar.

(Left to right: Josh, Liam, Charlotte and Sadie)

In the foam pit with Mama. The kids run and jump down a long trampoline and jump into the pit with their parents.


We had a great weekend in NYC and got to spend lots of time with Grandma, Grandpa, Aunt Jenny and Grandma Bev as well as a short visit with Auntie Lolly. We'll post some pictures from NY later this week.

One and a Half

Sadie is 18 months old today, so she is now one and a half. Her language development is amazing. It's hard to believe that our little tiny baby, who was just learning to sit up at this time last year, is talking to us. Every day, she says something new or funny. She is combining words now, like "Daddy shoes!", "More cereal!" and "My sandals!".



She likes to name everything she sees and if she says something, she definitely sees it, so we look around and she's always right. A couple of weeks ago we were at the Coop talking to some friends and Sadie kept saying "kitty!" and making her cat noise, which sounds like "reow". We didn't see any cat at the store, so we weren't sure what she was talking about, but she was insistent. Finally, we realized she was looking at a box of kitty litter illustrated with a cat.

She loves to ask for the "ceet!" (receipt) whenever we buy groceries or anything else.



Another recent development is hair. It is no longer true that Sadie is bald. Her hair is still sparse, but she does have some. It's coming in a very light brown/dark blonde, so it's hard to see it in pictures. It curls up in the back. Very cute.

Happy one and a half, Little Sadie! We love you. Love, Mama and Daddy.