Birthdays and Other Bashes

Today we celebrated cousin Bowdoin's third birthday with a brunch extravaganza. Lily looked on with a green eye as he opened truck after truck after truck...

A playground day with good friends led to an inner tube lounge, as they sometimes do.

Slowing to a Gallop

Here are some bits and pieces of our last couple of weeks... I have been fairly camera-less in general since I struggle so hard to remember the important things to pack into the car on our errand/adventure runs (shoes, hats, wallet, child, etc), so less has been more on the visual reminding-front.

We staged a boat shot aboard the Sea Queen in order to get a picture of Andy for a publication that he'll be in next spring. The Sea Princess has been covered for the year, so we had to make due with switching our sea royalty allegiance for a day. Lily helped, as always, with her drawers-a-droppin', as always.

Granddad and Tita have recently acquired a new puppy, and Lily tested out his doghouse before he arrived. Made from bits and scraps from his yard and project discard piles, some of the wood is in its fourth reincarnation as a Dali-worthy dog shed. Lily licked every window to make sure it was acceptable. I was quick to remind 'hard-ass' Granddad that there's really no need for a doghouse since the sweet little puppy will be curled up in his bed every night, but they went through the motions anyway.

The bugs on Halloween.

A Vanishing Act..and then a reappearance

Ablaze

We had a romping bonfire this past weekend, and burned the last remnant of our home's previous owners- a collapsed wood shed. It had been marring the fringes of our lawn for years, yet hadn't been high enough on the priority list to make the effort to hack it up into heave-able, burnable pieces. After having enough wood splitting for one day, Andy pulled out the Sawlzall (sp?) and climbed up onto its rotten roof to get the job done. Once sawed up, an impromptu fire led to friends joining us for hot buttered rum and a cathartic burn. Lily helped where she could, and played everywhere else.

Rolling Along

The misconception for my annual planning of life is that fall is the time to relax and reflect on what a fun summer it's been. Every year I set it up this way in my mind, and every year I am pleasantly reminded otherwise. In actual fact, fall for us is for the bustling activities that we've been waiting for, not the season of chaotic work and plan-making that constitutes summer in a tourist-driven-everyone-make-your-money-while-you-can destination. The continued work seems like less work now, thanks to the crisp days that pull us outdoors and the cozy fires that draw us back in. It's hard to find a place that you don't want to be when you're in Maine in the fall. The past few weeks we've found ourselves in Boothbay enjoying its quiet, on playgrounds enjoying the slides, on water's edge feeding ducks and feasting and celebrating with wonderful friends. Lucky Lily, lucky Lily's family.

To Two Is To...

Lily's day, part 2. A birthday of bonfire gatherings- one at home with family and another with our mom's group to celebrate the three other birthdays shared this week (one even on the same day). It was a beautiful day, just as it was two years ago, and this time we spent it romping on a nice walk with friends, human and hound.

Though I forgot to do it last year here, this causeway in Southwest may be our new annual growth marker photo spot. Lines are good.

The pinata that wouldn't break (without a little help from Daddy):

Andy seems to think this is a bad picture, but I think it so perfectly displays her sugar high that it's hilarious- I think she floated in and out of that chair.

Rolling some cookies for party #2:

..to go along with the cupcakes.

Serious Elmo-eating concentration.

Happy Birthday Bird!

When asked how old she is today she has proudly stated "Two!" and I've welled up every time. I can't believe that two years have passed with her in our lives, only because I can barely remember life before she came. When gathering with friends and their children there are certainly glimpses into the past, thinking how our partying styles have so drastically changed (another juice box or string cheese, anyone?), but I really can't even wrap my head around a memory without her. Nor should I- the changes are so intense now the best way to process it all is to be right in thick of the moment; a hard task for me for sure, but one I'm trying my best to master so I don't blink and have it all pass me by.

Our little Lilybug speaks in sentences, knows what she wants in the most specific way, is on the appetizer course of good manners, is working on reason (ha!) and says "I love you" in a way that stops our hearts. Two. Who knew that 'two' was the new 'newborn'? I love that girl to the littlest pieces of pieces. Happy Birthday Bird!