Waiting for a baby is pretty easy, so we did our best to fully engage in summer fun. By April I was feeling melancholy about the changes lying ahead. I am a first-born and, predictably, I projected (and continue to do so) my animosity and sadness about the arrival of my little brother onto Bear. I wanted her to know that she wasn't being replaced, that we wouldn't be able to send the baby back (I was convinced for over two years that my parents were just being unreasonable about not returning Woody, and at any point, they were going to send him back so things could return to normal.)
As a result, I made a more deliberate point of having fun with Berit, even if my belly was getting in the way or there were things to do, like clean the house in the event we were burglarized. All of that could wait. Time with my first-born daughter could not, it is fleeting.
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| Exhausted after surveying the June flood damage |
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| Enjoying the pool with Yukon |
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| Hauling baskets before our wedding party |
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| Being cute... |
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| ...comes naturally |
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| Enjoying the wagon from Uncle Woody (converted from her sled) |
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| Hanging out with Aunt Ksenija (outside a wine shop) |
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| Sun goddess and potty training extraordinaire |
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| Exhausted after a morning at the St. Louis County Fair watching horses (go Jeff Anderson!) |
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| Being silly in the basement (on one of those hot July nights) before bed |
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| Hanging out with Eero and Hiver |
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| H-eee and Bear: thick as thieves? |
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| On the way to school |
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| Mimicry was big this summer; an afternoon sun break for food and PBS |
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| Watching Olympic divers... |
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| I should have guessed. |
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| Making Berit's toddler bed |
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| Overseeing construction |
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| Upholstering complete! |
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| Final product gets approved |
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| No seriously, ma, I can walk all three dogs. |
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| Driving Double Great Uncle Rich's RV (why not?) |
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| Taking the wheel at the fire hall |
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| The helmet is a little big, but it will work |
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| I could get used to a steering wheel this big |
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| This girl is in heaven! |
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| Enjoying a fresh block of cheese at the Coop |
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| Meeting chickens at Ann and Pam's |
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| Checking on her new fowl friends |
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| Darn cute. Waiting for momma to take her to school. |
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| Checking out Chester Creek with friend Greta |
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| Taking a stroll in the woods |
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| I thought this is what you meant when you said "get in your seat" |
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| For much of the summer, she sported this orange knit hat which was a hand-me-down from the Boyle girls, quite possibly knit by Dr. Goltz (momma's doc). After seeing Eero in a lovely orange knit hat in May, Bear had to follow suit as soon as we returned home and she could get to her orange hat. |
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| Happy girl |
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| This was a common scene in our backyard |
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| Running from the boys at an evening concert in the park |
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| Hiding in the reeds during the concert |
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| Greta entertains Berit |
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| Berit tries to make Greta laugh by flashing belly buttons |
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| Berit meets a baby kitten at Great Aunt Diane's, with cousin Maya |
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| Meeting her first piglet at the Hemling farm |
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| She wasn't sure |
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| But these adult pigs were really intriguing! |
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| Great Uncle Bill graciously gave up the Gator; little cousin Billy gives direction |
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| Now this is cool!! |
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| Exploring the playground at Gigi's |
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| Eating a forbidden treat (it was 95! look at the sweat) and watching kids at the pool |
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| From a rainy afternoon at Ann and Pam's |
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| Sleepy Bear saying goodbye to Gigi |
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| Meeting Grandpa Doug at the playground |
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| Working out at the fire hall |
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| Greta has a trampoline! |
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| Wolfie became a favorite this summer |
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| Wolfie needs to swing too |
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| And slide! |
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| Berit has gotten so tall from all that milk drinking |
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| Cousin Aitan arrives! (With Uncle Woody and Aunt Rachael) |
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| Berit checks out Papa's shed construction |
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| This appears to resemble a diving platform |
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| John Deere hat, firefighter Curious George tshirt = happy girl |
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| Grandpa Larry gives Bear a turn at the tractor wheel |
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| Berit shows Oscar the horse how to fly |
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| Greta explains equestrian matters to Berit |
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| "See, that's my horse, Oscar" |
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| Styling at the horse stables |
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| No seriously momma, I am ready for bed now (in PJs post-bath) |
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| A ponytail! |
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| You have to wear your baseball hat up high when you have a pony in. |
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| Berit and Aunt Krista at the cabin, trying to get baby Sprout to come |
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| Helping papa fix the refrigerator (he needed to wear safety glasses) |
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| Sometimes you have to fix things yourself |
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| One last waterslide |
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| I'm not stuck in here; this is where I want to be |
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| Flying with Greta |
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| Eat your pizza! |
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proper bike wear |
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| Candy! Watching her first parade |
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| Motorcycles, a fire truck...this is awesome! |
