Goodbye Summer

Fall is officially here.  But our last two weeks of summer boasted hot temperatures, which meant lots of pool parties, popsicles, watermelon, and wearing sun dresses to church. The girls were pretty bummed when Dadda deflated the pool to put it back into the garage and when we ran out of Otter Pops.

Thank you Gramma & Grampa for our new swimsuits!

McKinley loves to swim underwater.  And she's so excited for her third round of swim lessons in Oct.

Here she's doing "starfish," aka floating on her back.

Sophie helps Piper do "starfish."

Momma's Birthday

Dadda planned a lovely morning to celebrate my birthday. After nursing Tessa, I woke up the girls, quickly got them dressed, and we piled into the swagger wagon to have breakfast at a hip restaurant in SE Portland called The Jam.  The inside walls were painted sea foam green, and the decor was a mix of artsy and industrial.  Plus, there was a separate play area for kids right next to our table. I loved it!  Unfortunately my dish was a bit underwhelming, but my mango mimosa was the bomb.  After breakfast we drove to Sandy to pick up a hutch top I had found on Craigslist. When we got home, Sophie snapped a family picture of us.  The evening was business as usual, as I had to go to Champoeg park for cross country practice and Dadda had to ride bikes at a football game.  But the girls and I scarfed a pizza from Papa Murphy's for dinner, and then we ate treats we picked out from Rose's Bakery.  I even got some birthday love all the way from Japan & Alaska.  Overall, it was a great day to turn thirty-six!

Piper decided she didn't want to look at the camera and would rather pout. 

Thanks Sophie, for taking a picture of our family!

Thank you Leyton & Ellis for my beautiful pony picture, and thanks Grandma B. for my Alaska mug!

My budding fashionista.

After dinner we played outside for a bit.

Grandma B. also sent to the girls matching, sailor girl, tank tops.  Thanks Gramms!

Nine months with Tessa

I know, I know. Nine months?  What happened to month six, seven & eight? I feel really bad that I haven't posted anything specifically about Tessa's growth and development.  But, I did manage to take some pictures each month.  So, before I share the latest and the greatest about little Miss Tess, here are some photos from the last three months.

6 months old:

7 months old (modeling her home made blanket from Ahmma and Momma's first pair of baby shoes):

8 months old (wearing 3 of Momma's baby outfits):

Tessa had her nine-month well check at the end of August. As for her stats, she weighed 17 lbs, 1 oz (30%) and measured 29" long (92%).  She nurses five times a day, and in order for her to get a full feeding I have to sequester us in my upstairs bedroom because she gets so distracted by what her sisters are saying and doing. Along with nursing, she eats a jar of baby food and some finger foods after each breakfast and lunch feeding.  For dinner she sits at the table with the family and eats whatever we're eating before I nurse her.  She still takes two naps during the day and sleeps 10-11 hours each night. Her hair is slowly filling in, but still no teeth.  She crawls, occasionally claps, and is learning how to wave.  I predict she'll be walking before her first birthday because she loves to pull up to the standing position and let go.  I'll share more about her personality and Tess-isms when she's ten months old, so in about a week.