Splash Pad

Violet has a baby playgroup that she belongs to. It is a bunch of people that she used to go to the New Mom's Group with. We haven't really gone much over the summer because Wind has been around for us to hang out with instead. :)
But they were going out to Blue Lake on the Columbia River a few weeks ago and Wind was busy, so we decided to join them.
We all met at the Splash Pad, which is a water feature thingy for kids to run through, sit in, and get sprayed by. Violet was not a big fan of being sprayed by water, but WAS a big fan (as always) of hanging out with the babies.

Violet & her friends, the OTHER Violet and Avery

Lyzz (the OTHER Violet's mom) and I think they look kind of similar anyway with their white skin and rolls, but they happen to have the same hat that day too, so it was way to cute to not take pictures and videos of it. 

The twins... :)

Standing...

She can stand all alone. She needs to lean, but she can do it for quite awhile without tipping over... one handed too!

Violet, Meet Caspar - July 26th

Libby gave birth to Caspar Jason Goetz on July 24th. We were at The Annual and as soon as we came back we went to visit them in the hospital.
Jason and Libby were glowing and gushing over their new baby and rightly so. He is a tiny little gem. :)

Libby & Caspar

 The happy new family

Violet kickin' it on Libby's hospital bed

Violet meets her new friend Caspar

Violet's Baby Friends

Every Monday after swimming Violet and I go out to lunch with Nicole & Gemma, and Stacey & Tyler. The babies love to hang out even if they are tired and grumpy. They always seem to be able to rally in order to hang out with their friends.

Gemma trying to steal Violet's pickle. There is always a show down over pickles when we go out to lunch since they both LOVE them!

Tyler :)

Gemma :)

Happy babies
Tyler, Violet, & Gemma.

Clapping!

Violet started clapping two days ago... I got a video of it yesterday morning.


She is very proud.

1st Camping Trip, Part 2 - July 23rd - 25th

Continued from Part 1...
We arrived at South Umpqua Falls before 2pm after driving most of the day on gravel roads to get there (the back way). Most of the Christiansons were already there, as well as George and many others. They saved us a spot right near them. Grandma J got there about a half hour later.
Violet's very FIRST ANNUAL! Yay Annual! It was the first of many and Violet had a really great time. She got to hang out with some people she already knew and MANY people who she had never met.

Meeting Mina and Alita...

Hanging out with Grandma J, Olga, and Alita... Violet thought Alita was a lot cooler then Alita thought Violet was. :)

She took a dishpan bath with her Grandma...

and Grandpa while Zig kept watch...

Parents and babes photo op...

\
Violet and her new friend Orion, playing tug-o-war. This was after she pulled his hair and almost made him cry. He got over it fast (a good quality in a man). 

She met Daniel and took his glasses off and pulled his beard...

And even hung out a little bit with her uncle Enoch.

8 months old!

 Baby Violet is 8 months old today.
She is getting really close to being able to crawl.I am also pretty sure she is getting her top teeth right now.
AND she can stand up by herself (while leaning on things by herself).
She changes everyday, but her warm spirit, beautiful smile, and fun sense of humor remain the same. She amazes me and I can't imagine loving her more.
She is the light of my life.
I love you, Violet. :)

1st Camping Trip, Part 1 - July 21st - 23rd

Part 1 - will contain our camping from Portland to just north of Umpqua Falls.
Part 2 will be the Annual at Umpqua Falls... coming up next.
Baby Violet went on her very first camping trip at the end of July. I was a little nervous about it. I KNEW she'd love being outside and hanging out with her grandparents, but I wasn't sure how good her napping and sleeping at night would be. She did fine though... in fact she slept really well in the tent between Wind and I. We bought a new tent for the trip because our old tent was a 2 man tent that Wind, Zig-Zag, and I all slept in. It was tight quarters. All of of fit with room to spare in the new tent!

 

Plus the tent was delicious!

 

This was our camp set-up. It was nice going with her Grandparents because they brought their teardrop trailer and we didn't need to bring our camping ccookware or stove!

Violet's play area... 1st time we ever used the pack and play.

The first night we stayed near at Clear Lake at Cold Creek Campground. It was beautiful, had a really nice hiking trail around the lake, and we got a great campsite. It was a HUGE pull through with several nice flat  spots to put our tent.

The second night we stayed at what Grandpa called "One of the best campsites of his life".  I am pretty sure it was called Camper's Flat. It was right next the the middle fork of the Willamette River. The only problem he said was that "the river was too loud!" :) It was amazingly beautiful and the site we got was away from the other 4 sites, so it was pretty private. Zig-Zag, Oscar, Wind and I went swimming in a little spot right up a trail from our site.

The third day we drove down about 65 miles of gravel roads in order to get to our final destination of Umpqua Falls. Violet slept for hours while the car was moving, which worked out perfectly.

Night 3 and beyond are to be continued in Part 2- The Annual coming up next. :)

Swimming class - July 19th

Grandma came with us to swim class today, so I finally have some pictures and videos of Violet in the pool!

 

 

 

Oscar - July 18th

Oscar decided to give Violet his ball for the first time.

 

He thought "maybe she will throw it for me... she seems to think I am really cool."

 

"Ummmm... excuse me" he thought. "That is really weird, I am not sure what to do.. a person has never done that to my ball before. I hope if I just wait and stare at her she will eventually throw it."

Steve Miller Band Concert - July 15th

July 15th Violet attended her 2nd concert! We went with Grandma and Grandpa to McMenamin's Edgefield for the show. It was pretty hot when we got there and we had to walk a REALLY LONG WAY to get to the end of the line, but it moved quickly once it started moving.
The show was fun. Good music, beer, wine, pretty good food, and SUPER AWESOME company.

 

Violet and I danced...

 

she sat and listened to the music with her Grandma...

and danced and cuddled the night away with her Grandpa.

Baby doll - July 11th

Violet met her first baby doll while hanging out in the park. The doll is Ania's, who REALLY likes the doll, so good thing she didn't see Violet playing with it.

Trek in the Park - July 10th

July 10th Wind, Violet, and I met Jenny, Dylan, and Eloise in NoPo for Trek in the Park.  A local theater group acts out an episode from the Classic Star Trek for FREE in the park. It was really fun.


Watching the play...


Jenny holding both babies at once...

Violet had her first French Kiss!

Eloise clapped a lot. Dylan was quite proud that she likes Star Trek as much as he does... even though he isn't quite as enthusiastic about it.