Audobon Society

Three cheers for the Audobon Society! A couple of weeks ago we wanted to get out for a Portland Hill Walk, but Anneke woke up too late from her nap. So we drove over to the Wildlife Care Center and got to meet Julio the Great Horned Owl as well as a turkey vulture and other raptors. Anneke was so excited to meet these "cats." (Everything is a cat these days.) Then we went for a nice walk along the surrounding trails. Tallgirl, let's definitely pay this place a visit when you're in town!

Who's your daddy?

I was getting ready to put up some Arkansas photos when I found this recent photo of Anneke...

...and realized I had the exact same photo of her dad. That's cousin/niece Sidney doing his hair.

Baby brain map

Prepare for a blogging explosion as soon as I can upload my photos from our visit to see our Arkansas family. But in the meantime, check out the baby brain map. So fascinating! Lately I've been taken off guard by how much Anneke needs me--I learned all about separation anxiety in Developmental Psychology, but wasn't prepared for the wailing and gnashing of teeth that happens when I walk into or out of the room! Reading this reminded me that this is an important stage in her development and won't last forever--indeed, as my sister pointed out, soon enough she'll be saying "go away, mom." It's hard to find that balance between giving her a chance to settle herself down and swooping her up when she reaches for me.
Ah, and now I feel like I'm wading into the dark waters of Different Parenting Philosphies. Waaay more fraught with controversy than discussing religion or politics if you ask me...oops, now Anneke is waking up. Saved by the bell!

Milemaven

I just found out about milemaven.com. You can search it to find the latest frequent flier promotions, like the one on Northwest where you read about how their mileage plan works and earn 100 pts each for taking five little quizzes. Then you can earn 500 more pts for linking your account to your Delta miles account. Then you have 1000 miles! Which your husband points out = $10. But with grandparents two time zones away, every mile counts!

How are you feeling today?

Smug

Incredulous!

Resigned

Very, very disappointed in you

Before and after

Some birthday party recap:

Presents before Anneke got her hands on them...

...and after

Chocolate cake before...

...and after

Community Pool

The day after Anneke's party we had a quiet family day, including driving over to the community center to check out the new natatorium! This is the expression Anneke had on her face almost the whole time--not unhappy, but studious and not quite sure what to make of the whole scene. There was a lot of noise and splashing going on! But such is the new world of adventures for a one-year-old!