Juliet is 20 months

Yesterday my baby turned 20 months old. Twenty months. Seems so close to two, and so far away from one. Her babyhood seems like a distant memory. Bittersweet for sure.

This baby gurla is hardly a baby, which I say each and every month. She talks, she runs, she has stubborn little opinions, and she doesn't want to share her favorite possessions with her brother.

She is amazing.

Each month I love this girl more and more, but this month seems extra special because, now, for the first time ever I'm getting some one on one time with Juliet when James is at school. Letting her choose what she'd like to do, and set the pace is a huge change for both of us. When James is around it seems that he always sets the pace. I love going at a toddler pace again, since preschoolers run everywhere.

Her likes and dislikes are so funny, so her. Let's jump right in:

LIKES -

• Bath time with her brother. She loves getting her face wet (something James still hates) and will pour bucket after bucket of water over her head.
• Her baby dolls. She tucks them in, gives them their bottles, and pats their backs.
• Diggers. James of course still loves construction vehicles, and the love has worn off a bit on Juliet. They love spotting "digger digger digger!" when we take drives.
• Worms. We found a few on the sidewalks when it was rainy, and now she's always on the hunt for them. If they happen to be dead, all the better. She collects them and puts them in her baby stroller to push around.
• "Ah-hom" which are acorns. She collects them daily and spends time sorting them into different buckets in the back yard.
• Lovie. James has always adored his lovies, and Juliet is following suit. She asks for lovie whenever she's sad, sleepy or upset. She says "luubie"
• When Daddy gets home from work. She runs and squeals and jumps into his arms.
• Fruit fruit fruit. Her favorite being grapes and berries. She could live off fruit.
• Chairs, little and big. She loves to climb into chairs and just sit. Whenever we have playdates she'd rather sit in her own chair next to me than play on the floor.

DISLIKES -

• Anything green. Green beans? Yuck. Avocado? Pew. Kiwis and honeydew? I don't think she realizes they are fruit, because her stubbornness won't let her get past the fact that they are green.
• James taking things from her. I'd hate that too.
• Poopy bums. She's been telling me for awhile now when she needs a diaper change.
• Hair in her face. She hated having her bangs in her eyes, so I'd clip them back the moment she woke up. Then I realized that she was made for bangs, and her new little haircut makes her much happier.
• Brushing her teeth. She cries and screams and acts like its torture.

She is silly and stubborn and perfect.

And she is such a good mommy. Look at that face.

Finally, from 1 month until now:




















Goodness her bangs make her look more "girl" and less "baby".

Apple Orchard

As I mentioned in the last post, we went to an amazing little apple orchard on Saturday morning. This tiny little secret orchard is located right in Millcreek, and you'd have to be looking for it to find it!

I've been wanting to visit this orchard ever since my friend Michelle blogged about it here (go look, she's amazing!), and if you'd like to go yourself, call them for their address and appt. at (801) 484-8468. They are the nicest people ever.

The apples are plentiful (lots of types!) and easily picked from the ground. No need to bring a ladder, just a really big bucket.

I was so excited to get photos in such a magical place, but my almost four year old was givin' me attitude. I snapped the photo anyway and I secretly adore it. He asked later "why am I so grumpy in that picture?"

She, on the other hand, is full of smiles.

They don't charge you for the apples you eat on site, which is awesome, because we ate a lot.

Even though there were plenty of low hanging apples James could not resist the ladder sitting in the middle of a well tended line of fruit trees.

My favorite photo of the day. Love.

Galas were our top choice.

There are also pears, grapes and so much more. We mostly stuck to apples but rounded off the morning with pumpkins. They charge $0.10 a pound, which is an amazing deal, so we looked for big ones.

He was willing to smile for me now at least!

This is a real pumpkin patch, where the vines are still attached to the pumpkins, not a patch where they are already pre-picked. James thought it was pretty amazing to lop off his own pumpkin of his choosing.

We found a perfectly round heavy one for Juliet, even with the best little twisty stem. Weight was 23 lbs, so only $2.30! AMAZING!

Once home we decorated the front porch and gorged ourselves on apples.

October light is gold

Today pretty much was perfection. I could relive today again and again and again and never tire of it. We woke up to blue skies after a week of cold and gray. We dressed and went to a majestic apple orchard where the photos almost took themselves. The kiddos were being darling, and the photos are some of my favorite to date. But you'll have to wait on the orchard photos, because this afternoon we hit up one of our favorite spots to enjoy the autumn leaves.

Neff's Canyon Meadow is not new to us. We've taken photo after photo there and even some of my favorite headers to date were taken in this amazing meadow. But my very favorite time of year to visit Neff's Canyon is early October. The light is golden. The leaves are some of the most stunning I've ever seen. And the views of nearby Mt. Olympus seriously take my breath away.

Here are a couple of my favorite Neff's Canyon posts, if you have a minute. Links three and four are my favorites. One, two, three, four.

Although the leaves were nowhere as awesome as last year (best leaves I have EVER seen were last year's), the smiles and happy kiddos made up for it.

One of their favorite games the entire time was throwing leaves on their heads.

We found lots of little pockets of golden light and bribed with candy (again) to get shots we loved. For this one I wanted James to hold Juliet's hand. He said "I know! What if I hug her?!"

"Cheese!"

Looking so grown. Like he's nearly eight, not four.

This sweater I got on mega end of year clearance last year and has been eagerly awaiting it's debut.

I love this series. Throwing leaves is the BEST!

Hahaha! It totally is so fun!

Until one lands on your head, and then you're over it.

I used to make sure that E and I appeared in most headers, but now I feel like I prefer all the focus on the kiddos. Our family of four of course is half the adults, but the kids are the cutest. That being said, I couldn't resist taking a photo of my main squeezes (all three).

 Happy autumn.

PS - I know it was a good photo shoot when I can't narrow down my top favorite photos for my header, and end up just including them all.

PPS - I cut Juliet bangs this evening. Eeep!

Today I bribed them with candy

I bribed them with candy today. And it was worth it. Inadvertently I dressed them in coordinating outfits. It was bound to happen, I love both of them in red, and blue and white stripes pepper all of our closets.

So once I realized they matched I promised them both a single tic tac if they posed for a couple of pictures, because I pay out big time. ;)

The single tic tac price was tiny compared to the prize I got in return. I love them. They love me, and they adore each other.

I got greedy and even asked for a kiss (they do kiss each other unprompted from time to time). I'm so glad I asked and they obliged. I love their body language. Juliet leaning in, her head tipped back. James half heartedly hugging her and pecking her on the nose.

Outfit details:

James -
Red skinny jeans - H&M
Sweater - Next
Shoes - Keens

Juliet -
Onsie - Carter's
Nautical top - Gymboree
Leggings - Next
Red Shoes - See Kai Run (I am so upset, they are my favorite shoes of hers, and somehow her foot grew about a half inch in the last month after not growing at all all summer, they will be packed away before even Christmas rolls around!)

Quiet and gray mountains

Every year we try to make it up to my family's cabin in late September. Every year we hope for three things: warm air, blue skies and above all, gold leaves.

A couple years we got it. The year I was pregnant with James was one of the most glorious cabin trips I can remember, and the year before that was jaw-freaking-dropping. (And one more just because I love this post).

Last year we were able to get photos for my autumn header and it was just stunning. This year we never took off our coats.

This year was so beautiful in its own way. It was so quiet, so peaceful. Felt like the beginning of winter for sure, when the world goes to sleep and waits for spring. The air was cold, there was snow on the ground, the sky stayed overcast, and the leaves were... green?

Even without the quintessential cabin autumn must haves, we still had a lovely day exploring the forests we love so much and playing with our family.

Not many gold leaves were spotted, but I was able to nap in the van next to my snuggle bunny and James helped winterize the cabin, which he thought was pretty much the greatest thing ever. (Emptying the porta-potty? AMAZING in his mind! Gahhhh. So nasty).

Juliet looked like a mini flashback in James's hand-me-down coat, hat and boots. I kept looking at her and smiling, seeing her big brother at the same age. (Here is a photo of James dressed the same).

James, understandably, sometimes gets sick of me pointing the camera in his direction.

First thing we did when we got to the cabin was to take a walk to "our meadow" and were happy to see that  all the snow had melted off where there was more sun.

Seeing these two hike together makes my heart happy. Many many more years to enjoy this beautiful sight.

She must adore Grandma Debbie, she saved her best smiles for her.

Unless I asked for a smile, then she tipped her head so far back I could hardly see her face. Goof.

'Xplorin. Lots of green leaves. Very few gold.

More amazing natural smiles for Grandma. Both my kids seriously adore her.

Telling Grandma about preschool seemed to be just the trick to get the big smiles from this boy.

Back at the cabin Juliet spotted something she loves, but usually isn't allowed. Soda. Oh she was happy. Love her little pinky. Such a fancy soda drinker.

Soon the sky grew darker and drearier, so we retreated inside to start dinner (no worries that it was only 4:00 pm) while the kids snuggled on the couch in front of the fire and watched a movie on the iPad. Our cabin has no running water, no electricity, and no heat. So this is such a perfect example of old technology and new together.

See ya next summer cabin! Already counting down the days.