Daily Alma Fix

One of my favorite times of day is when I get an email sent to me from Laura's phone. No message just an attached photo of the daily adventure. The above picture is an example of when Laura taught Alma how to splash in the water on rainy days. It is a little gesture that makes being away from home easier. Laura's value of family and commitment to connecting me to all of Alma's daily experiences and joys is something that I love and can not acknowledge enough.

Pig Tail

While we love Alma's super short baby hair, we are also beyond excited for it to grow longer so that we can put it in pig tails.  Here's our first attempt.  Mullet pride!

Target

Alma poking around the jewelry section of Target.  She seems to like the sound of the necklaces as they clink together.

Owl (and Bunny!) Shirt

Our mama-toddler friend duo of Samantha and Elias gave Alma this shirt for her birthday.  I couldn't love it more.

Happy Easter!

Alma's Friend

We live around the corner from a little boy who is exactly one month older than Alma.  It is so nice to have a friend (for both of us!) so close.  Sadly, we just learned that they will be moving to Pittsburgh in the coming months due to a job transfer.  Bummer. 

The Big Three-Two

On the 12th, I turned 32. As a child, 32 was BY FAR my favorite number. I remember fantasizing about turning 32. I expected that by that time I would have a wonderful husband (check), house of our own (check), an interesting career (check), a cat and a dog (check) and a few children in high school (happily I missed the mark on this one -- 32 is much younger than I was imagining as a child).

Because Joshua had to work the night of my birthday, we shifted the celebration a bit.  I spend the night before celebrating with a delicious cake -- chocolate cake with orange cream cheese icing, which tasted like a chocolate orange.

The next morning, we went to Bada Bingg in Allentown for breakfast.  They had boots in cement to play on the mob-theme of the restaurant. 

Then Alma and I went out to Carlisle to hang out with my parents for a few days.  This cake was chocolate with marshmallow icing -- my go-to for birthday cakes. Yum!

 

Nana, Alma and I went for a great bike ride along the rail trail.   Even though she has a very serious riding face, Alma loved spotting the birds, farm dogs and squirrels as we rode. 

House Work

When I thought of how my life would be as a stay-at-home parent, I imagined quiet time with Alma in which I could craft or write long letters to friends. Ends up that those activities are a little too quiet for us and I usually opt for larger projects on the house. 

While we still make time for reading, outdoor time (we planted the garden last weekend!) and baking, I've also been making time for house projects that I find enjoyable.  Our weeks go from replacing all of the switches, outlets and cover plates in the house to ripping up all of the carpet in the master bedroom to converting an office into a walk-in closet.  The busier I am working on these projects the happier Alma seems to be playing on her own. 

It is amazing to see how much she learns watching me.  Obviously I'm not letting her rewire anything, but she gets the idea of how to use a screwdriver, hammer and sandpaper, spends a fair amount of time sorting through screws and all of the colorful wall anchors, and at times likes to sit on my lap to watch me hammer out the 18 million staples they used to keep the carpet pad in place. 

However, even with all of this housework experience, she still thinks that the little do-hickey that opens cans of paint is the same thing I use in the morning to curl my eyelashes!

Gym Time

Recently, I started taking a stroller workout class at a local gymnastics school.  Before our workout begins, the kiddos get to play in the toddler gym.  It is so fun to watch them just on the trampoline, walk on the balance beam and try out all of the equipment.  Alma's favorite is the slide.

Up the Stairs

Marathon Relay

The first weekend in April I ran the Garden Spot Marathon Relay in New Holland, Pennsylvania with some wonderful Franklin and Marshal College alums, including my best friend Kate.

 Highlights of the weekend included night before the race spaghetti pizza carb loading.

And hanging out with Kate's wonderful parents who hosted us in their Lancaster house.  Here they are in the middle of an impromptu dance party. 

Freckles

Seems as if I'm going through blogging spurts these days and I've been in a lull the past few weeks.  We have been busy with exciting activities and I'll be sharing photos soon. 

In the meantime, evidence of freckles!  Don't worry Nana and Grandma, I've purchased a better sunhat and am still using lots of sunscreen.

16 Months

Cannot find the time to write more than these two simple notes on our little darling to commemorate her 16 months of life:
* Finding word similarities (pear bear - growls at breakfast fruit), (belly)button, peas cheese -signs cheese at the veg)

* Alma did the sign Toilet after having a movement, all on her own. How can I feel this proud? 

Cat!

The library

 Alma and I spend two mornings a week at the local public library -- an hour for story time and an hour for toddler play group.  We couldn't love it more.

[Our image reflected in the large windows of the library]

Rugby

Joshua started playing with the Lehigh Valley Rugby Club, the Hooligans, a few weeks ago.  Alma and I are already becoming champs of the sideline, clocking in our second match this afternoon.

Today I noticed very small freckles on the tops of her cheeks.  It made me think, "Get ready for a lifetime of sun and sports, kiddo."

Daily Walks

 When we are out for a walk around the block, if I mention that when we get home we will have a snack, (if hungry) Alma will immediately sit down in the middle of the sidewalk and wait for a snack to be handed to her.

She is also very keen on visiting other people's homes, especially if they have barking dogs or flags.