Doing Work and Family Visits

Things have been going well for the Brown Family. I think we are finally settling after out return from Cheerio and we are beginning the work on our house again. I spent a good part of this last weekend pulling up peel and stick tile and old linoleum to reveal the wood floors in our hallway. I am looking forward to a little quality time behind a floor sander this coming weekend to begin to wrap up the floor phase of the project.

Adaline has not seemed to notice the work going on, but maybe one day she will enjoy the new floor under her feet as she begins to crawl and walk. She is still loving rolling over and even sleeps on her stomach every night. She does only roll to one side, but she has got that side on lock. I am hoping soon that she will realize that it is also possible to roll from front to back.



My Mom visited from Texas about a week ago and it was really nice for her and Adaline to spend some time together. We have found traveling with an infant to be quite a bit of work, but always welcome visitors to our house. We spent most of the weekend relaxing, but did manage to get in some pretty good walks in the nice neighborhood near our house. The visit was over too quickly, but I am sure it will not be too long before Grandmom visits again.

surf and sand at Atlantis Lodge

For Labor Day weekend we took Adaline to the beach for the first time. We went to Atlantic Beach, and stayed on the ocean at Atlantis Lodge with some family. It was a good trip and Adaline enjoyed her introduction to the ocean and new family members.



Mostly we hung out under the beach umbrellas and watched all the people, pets, and kites on the beach. This seemed satisfying enough for her, and we enjoyed the relaxation.



We did get to take her down to the water for a little bit so that she could feel the sand and waves under her feet. The water was a bit too cold to go in much more than that, with her at least. A little hat is pretty nice for keeping the sun off sensitive skin. Of course, we all wore plenty of sunscreen so nobody got burned. Lucky for us Nana and Pops were there as well and took a turn hanging out with Adaline under the umbrellas, so Shane and I did get to go for a bit of a swim.



Shane even got a chance to get in a little kayak time in the ocean.


Nana, Pops, and Trixie with Adaline


The second day we had several more clouds and a few showers, so the weather was not as good for lying in the sun. However, we especially enjoyed the chance to do a little walking up and down the beach on this day. Shane used the baby bjorn carrier to let Adaline get in on the fun too. I had used it many times this summer at camp, but it was his first time really using the carrier. I think it made him feel a little weird, but my back was happy to have a little break. Adaline doesn't have a preference as long as she can look around and see everything going on! It was a nice time for the family to get away from work for an extended weekend, and although we are back into the swing of things again now, we look forward to going back in years to come.

We're Home!

above: with Nana!
Well, we are all finally back home in High Point and does it ever feel nice to take a bit of a break! Cheri is back with the third graders, but we do already miss camp, and looking back at a few of the pictures from the summer already makes me a little nostalgic for the experience we were able to have together with Adaline at Cheerio. Cheri and Adaline spent a coupe of weeks with her mom and Jeff while I was still at camp and we are so grateful for their hospitality and help while I was still away.



It was really hard to be so far away from the girls and to know that every day I was missing moments that I would not be able to get back.



As you can probably tell Adaline is beginning to enjoy tummy time much more and is really beginning to enjoy playing with toys. She really seems to be getting stronger every day.



above: trying carrots for the first time...and helping mom with dinner!
The biggest news of course is that she has learned to roll over and she loves it! She will roll over, play on her tummy, and then when she gets frustrated I will roll her back over and of course she rolls right back onto her stomach. She also is recognizing and reaching for objects, which is pretty fun. Her favorite toy is still her zebra horse. We are still working on new foods (fruits and veggies) every day and I am pleased to say that she does not seem to have gotten any of my pickiness and generally likes everything. I am looking forward to getting resettled this week at home and readjusting to life in the big city.

1/2 of a year gone by!

Friday was Adaline's 6 month birthday...and her last day at camp for this summer. To celebrate her turning 6 months, Shane and I painted her hands and feet in green paint and got prints. It was pretty messy, but we figure we will continue to do this at least each 6 months (and maybe just her hands after awhile). It was fun though, and it will be nice to see the growth. Adaline had her 6 month round of shots this week as well, and while at the doctor, weighed in at just over 15 pounds. What a difference 6 months really makes. It is hard to believe how much she has grown and learned over such a short time. Shane and I are proud parents.



Mommy and Adaline on a night off.



Adaline tuckered out from playing with her toys.



Also, Adaline and I left camp on Friday, a bit earlier than expected. However, an illness was getting around camp and we just wanted to take precautions to keep Adaline healthy. So, we are back in High Point, and Shane will join us this weekend and be back for good at the end of next week. Adaline seems to miss all her camp friends, but will soon be around some new friends. I start back at Northwood on Thursday, which is fast approaching. I do not yet know how I will handle not being able to spend my days with Adaline, but at least it is only until 3 in the afternoon!

We are well into the co-ed season at Camp Cheerio, and have been having lots of fun. Adaline is growing and learning every day, and we are experiencing new things all the time! We have made our first visit to the pool, one day when the water temperature was up. Adaline seemed to like splashing around a bit and did not cry until we got out (just like bath time). Now we are waiting for the water temperature to go back up so we can try it again. The picture above is of her in her little suit and robe!



Adaline is also moving right along with the spoon feedings. She is having a little rice cereal each night with her last bottle, and will soon be moving along to baby food vegetables (in a few weeks). More food is making it into her mouth, and this is good!



Enjoying an evening program of camper performances in the gym.



A view of the riding ring as the sun goes down



We have had quite a bit of rain around camp, and have been able to keep Adaline dry under the rain cover of her stroller. She rides around all nice and cozy, while mom gets wet....Notice the white fog of the cloud we are in behind me.



During the middle of the 2 week co-ed session we had a concert at camp. David Spencer performed with his band, and the kids seemed to enjoy it a lot. Adaline did also, at least until she fell asleep. The above and below pictures are from the concert.





Adaline in her bumbo chair...she loves to sit where she can see around. When we place her somewhere not quite sitting up, she does something similar to crunches to try to sit up. This was during a visit by my mom (Nana), playing together!



Fast asleep with Daddy on the couch, catching a snooze while he can.



Another game of "Thrive". Adaline cheering on the red team and holding a flag helped us win again in this game from 1 C (the 1st co-ed session). However, we were not as lucky last week, as the blue team had a 2nd win for the summer in 2C. Oh well, you can't win them all...as long as you have fun playing!



We hope all is well with everyone out there! Goodnight!

Another Red Team Victory and New Food

So, Girls camp came to an end last week, and we have moved into Co-ed this week. It is a different feel with the boys in camp...a bit more rowdy. Our last girl session finished strong with another red team win in "Thrive." So far, every time Adaline sports her "Red Team" outfit, the red team puts a mark in the win column! The blue team won when Shane and I took Adaline out of camp one evening, when she had her last doctor's appointment. We will see if this trend holds true for Co-ed.



In other news, Adaline had her first taste of something new! Rice cereal. Notice, I said something new, not something good. She didn't seem to enjoy it much, but it could have been the spoon she didn't like. As you can see from the picture, most of it ended up out of her mouth. We will try again before bath time on each bath night until she figures it out. It could take a lot of messes, but she will get there!

We also have made a few purchases in the last few weeks. One thing we needed for up here was a stroller to move around on these hills. So, you can see our new "jogging" stroller in these pictures. Adaline does not seem to mind the ride, and usually finds it pleasant for sleeping. The other purchase was a late (very late) birthday or early (very early) Christmas gift for Shane. He got a banjo. He has been playing around and learning some notes, and I am sure a song is not too far off. We will try to get some pictures up soon of that.



Adaline on opening day this week.


This final picture is a view from the dining hall this evening as the sun was setting. You can see the skeet range in the bottom of the picture. It is a great place to look out at the mountains!

Fun Times at Camp

So, Adaline has gotten over her little cold and is back to a good night's sleep. However, a small snooze for mommy is still necessary every once in a while. Adaline and I were able to sneak in a quick one in the office the other day between camp duties.



In other news, we had a great day on the 4th of July. We had many visitors to camp, including Ryan and Jennifer (Shane's brother and his wife). Also, my aunt Marge and uncle Tom drove up from Raleigh with my cousin Tera and her two beautiful little girls who were visiting from Maui. Unfortunately John and Marcus did not make it this time, but perhaps a trip out to Maui will be in our future. Also, I am lacking a picture with my side of the family. How sad! Cheerio went all out as usual for the event complete with BBQ dinner, camper skits, a patriotic performance/story, and of course a fabulous fireworks show that Shane helped set off. Surprisingly, Adaline seemed to really enjoy it. She sat still for the whole firework display and just stared at them. I guess all the noise in the dining hall had really prepared her well. At least this year we did not end up in a cloud, and scared for our lives (if you experienced last year's event).




We are about to go into Co-ed beginning this weekend, so we are sadly coming to an end with girl's camp and preparing for the arrival of the boys. I will be sad to see all of my girls camp CITs (counselors-in-training) leave, but excited for the new batch joining us. I am sure Shane is excited about new energy coming into camp too!



Adaline enjoying a campfire down by the lake.



Our little "Baby Cake"...Thanks Jessee and Anita for this outfit! Jessee-Can't wait to see you 5C!