Babies and The Great Outdoors

Ruby is really into her baby dolls lately.  Oma got these two cute dolls for Ruby and Owen during her last visit. We did not have any dolls and every time we were out and they were around (i.e. storytime or a playdate), Ru and OT were fascinated.  Now, Ruby sleeps with one every night and when you pick her up in the morning or after nap, one of the first things out of her mouth (after asking for Owen, of course...her greatest love and concern :) is, "baby?"...meaning she wants you to make sure and get her baby out of the crib for  her to cuddle as she wakes up.  So cute.  Owen is actually pretty into baby as well.  He mostly likes anything his sister has or does, which often results in fights (grabbing, taking, biting, crying- good stuff- ugh!), but sometimes results in really cute moments...like the ones I captured below.

Ruby started asking for baby when we would sit down to eat lunch so I figured, why not?  The more the merrier, right?  She would feed baby and made sure that she got a sip of smoothie too.  Well, Owen thought that lunch guests were a great idea, so the next day he asked (in his own special way- he still doesn't have very many words, but manages to communicate quite well anyway) for our other baby to join.  I mean, no one wants to be a third wheel.  Mom doesn't really count, she is more like our server. Plus, it's not cool to have your mom as your lunch date. ;)

So, here are the four of them enjoying lunch at the Summit Cafe.   We don't always have guests, just some days.  Not sure what motivates the invitation.  Can't wait till we have enough words to find out more of what is really going on in their little minds.

Chip says this picture is freaky.  Maybe it is, but it makes me chuckle.  I like our guests, especially their very appropriate lunch attire- a robe barely tied together and a birthday suit (coincidentally Ruby and Owen's favorite outfit as well- they would eat lunch every day in that outfit if I let them). 

They like to share other things with their babies as well, like books.  I love the really focused look on Owen's face as he reads, "Where's Baby's Bellybutton?".... upside down to his baby.  Priceless. 

And water.  This is them giving their bears water at snack.  

The view of the moon from our porch.  Chip caught this.  Nice one.

Random. Pigtails.

Chip and I have been busy getting the backyard open for business this spring.  We put in a small patch of sod which you can make out in the upper right corner of this picture and I built the sandbox on the left.  Yes, had to dig it into the hillside.  There isn't much flat ground where we live so you have to get creative if you want somewhere for a 17 month old to be able to play.  Chip also put in a sweet swing between trees that I still need to get some photos of.  A few more finishing touches to be done and we will be open for play date bookings, so give us a call if you are in town!

We have also been loving the hiking on the trails just up the hill from us.  Ruby and Owen can hike a lot further than I thought they would on their own.  However, it is slow going.  It reminds me of the "mindful walks" we would do when guiding backpacking trips with the teens where we would concentrate on noticing the  rocks, sticks, and roots around us.  Ruby and Owen just exist in a mindful state all the times.  It is one of the best things about spending the day with them.  They notice, and want to touch, all the super cool things around us that I would probably take for granted at this point.

"Dad, check out this rock I found!" "Rock", is actually one of Owen's words- he loves them.

They love to hold hands on the trail- with each other, or with friends like their buddy Kaya, who sometimes join us.

We even got really motivated one day and decided to see how they nap in the packs these days.  It was shorter than home, but fine for once in a while.  We hiked Grandeur Peak from Millcreek- a six mile en devour with probably 30 pound packs on.  I was a little sore the next day.  

Owen was having a good time...until we made him take the binkie out for a family photo.

That's better. :)  I mean I just got up from a nap- geez, people.

Kess. :)

And finally, a random video just for giggles-

Oh man, this entry got long.  If you are still with me- thanks and I hope you enjoyed! :)