Swimming lessons!

Papa and Una

sitting up in the boppy...

She loves a cool breeze :)

There's a lot of this going on lately...

She loves those wind chimes

Una lately...

Papa's day and Tripp's b day

Pears

Sneezy

Apparently you can use a mirror for your itchy face...

Peaches

Panther creek falls

All I can say is that this falls brought tears to my eyes, so beautiful, Una was transfixed.

Tom, outstanding in the field



The creek that feeds the falls





The falls

Una's frst camping trip

This weekend Aimee, Jason, Tom and I carted our offspring out into the Oregon wild to see what we could see. It was a dry run of sorts as we will be camping almost every weekend this summer with these guys and we wanted to get all of the kinks out. All of the websites that I checked said go somewhere close, and don't go for long. We went an hour away for one night. It was the funnest camping trip we have had in a long time, and the worst nights sleep ever! Viva Parenthood!

Una decided to sleep in on the morning we left...wake up Punky!!







First Tent Nap



Soooo sleepy







Olive :)



It was like 75, keepin' the girl hydrated









Too much snow to explore



No explanation needed

Grandma Osborne visit

We made our way out to McMansion country to see Tom's grandma and Una's great grandma along with some aunts and Uncles. Very good to meet some new people and to see some others after about 10 years. See you in another 10! Hopefully sooner :)

Una is 6 months old today!!

It's official, she's a grown up. Eating home made peach cubes and wearing her Hugh Hefner bath robe, I can't wait to see what's next. Happy half a year Una!

The girls

First sink bath, very slippery

Funny to me

MMMMM avacado

Mornings

This Memorial day weekend we went to the beach with some very good friends who have a daughter, Olive, she is very close to Una's age. It was a blast, we went walking on the beach, introduced Olive to her first sand, and watched Una take in the ebb and flow of the ocean for her very first time. We ate big meals, took naps, played solitaire, and drank beer. Funny how the beach with it's quiet waves and soft sand bring on reflection. During these joyful days I reflected on the heartache and pain that we endured to bring Una into the world, the grieving and hope, the sleepless nights and hormone injections, the happy days that intermittently poked their heads out of the gloom. Looking at Olive and Una together I couldn't help but imagine what life would be like if we had never been successful, if Una hadn't chosen us to be her parents in this life. Would I have been able to endure watching our dear friends experience the joy that a child brings knowing I would never feel that?, would I be able to get out of the house at all after experiencing that kind of grief and loss?. I have thought it through and I can't say to be honest, my joy was born again with Una, it now constantly accompanies Tom and I like an old friend that we haven't seen in a while. I don't think I will ever stop reflecting on what it took us to get here, but every morning that I wake up and look at my joy in a onesie, it brings me a little closer to who I was before.