Camping

We took a little camping trip this past weekend. The Washington and Jefferson National Forest is only about an hour and a half away, and has quite a few nice campgrounds. The one we chose was the closest to us called Elizabeth Furnace, named for the pig iron furnace site that it is built on. For Bill's birthday we got a new tent which was really nice, big enough for us and then some. It has a curtain down the middle so we could put Aubrey's pack n play on one side and we slept on the other. Aubrey did great--this was her first camping trip! It was a little cold--only 47 at night, but I bundled her up so much she could hardly move which was funny but it worked, she slept very well. The rest of the time she relished walking around the campground, riding in the backpack, eating tons of food, and getting filthy dirty. We went on a couple short hikes, we didn't really want to try one of our usual 4-6 milers with a 25+ pound baby on Bill's back.

Oh no! A bear in our campground!

Breakfast with the bear.

The fire tower we hiked to and climbed. Dexter refused to go up it and the height made Bill very nervous. It was metal with holes in so you could see all the way to the ground. That didn't make it seem very stable.

There were great views from the top.

Aubrey in the backpack.

Hanging out in the camp site.

Enjoying the view of the water.

Charlotte's Birthday Bash

We attended Aubrey's friend Charlotte's birthday party yesterday. We had a lot of fun eating yummy food and to die for cake and watching the kids play. Charlotte was being so brave and walking a good 10 feet at a time and Aubrey was obsessed with playing with the balloons.

My two favorite people getting ready to party

Modeling new trouser jeans.

Gathering around C to watch her devour a cupcake.

Balloons!

Partiers

Imitating Mommy putting on sunglasses

We've been pretty busy lately. Labor Day weekend came and went really quickly. Saturday was our last time at the pool for the season--Aubrey will be so sad not to go swimming a couple times a week now. She would get so excited when she saw the water and never wanted to get out! Monday we went to Richmond to visit our friends who recently moved down there at their new place. Their new neighborhood is very nice, lots of great shopping. We miss them already though. :(

Bill's birthday was on Tuesday. He had a stressful day at work, but then when he came home I greeted him with a yummy chocolate cake and the news that I had arranged for a babysitter and we were going out to dinner! We went to Ruth's Chris Steak House, they were having a two dine for a set price type deal. It still ended up being more than we ever spend on eating out, but we figured that Bill only has one 30th birthday and he did get some money for it from Gramma and his parents so we splurged. It was very good food and great service. You don't realize how bad the service is in lower price restaurants until you go to one where they obviously have had training. I also realized that this month Bill and I will have known each other for ten years! What? Are we really getting that old?

Our little baby is getting so big now, we really can't call her a baby anymore. It makes me wistful and kind of sad, but very proud at the same time. She is learning so much every day--yesterday she learned how to go all the way down the flights of stairs backwards and also back up while turning her push toy around so she doesn't get stuck in the corner anymore. She is very into imitation now, all my sounds and gestures get repeated. Yesterday evening before bed was the last time that I have nursed her--I think I am having a harder time weaning than she is at this point. She went to sleep for the night without being nursed for the first time in her life tonight and I am the one who is sad.

Charlotte and Aubrey playing in C's new house

A showing C what color she should paint the walls from a paint chip.

Aubrey and her farm animals

Featured here are the duck, sheep, and horse.