Favorite Photo Friday

I'm not really sure this is my favorite photo from this week.  I have ones of her smiling and playing.  Ones of her siblings and a really nice photo of a Bungie at the zoo.  Plus I am so tempted to remove the owie from her nose in photoshop.  

But if photography is about remembering what happened, this photo captured that moment.  The moment that is right after her smiling and looking at me...but losing interest in connecting with me when the camera is in front of my face.  

The day after she scratched her face tripping in the yard.  

The month when she started seeking comfort from Mommy and Daddy for her physical owies...even the little--can't possibly be hurting--owies.

With most kids you worry about how to train them to buck-up, not need Mommy to kiss every tiny booboo, and to one day be able to handle the little things on their own. But while Sweet Pea trusted us almost immediately to provide her with the necessities...MORE MILK coming fairly quickly in her vocabulary...the idea that Mommy and Daddy are here for the little things is taking a little more time.  

So while this scratch looks and feels to Mommy a bit more than a little thing, the fact that she took and wanted comfort and rocking after the fact is the big thing.  One more step on that mountain called Attachment.  Even more important is the bug bite on her arm that hurt 3 weeks ago, and yet every morning and sometimes throughout the day Mommy must kiss.

So as much as I wish I could photoshop her owies well in real life, being allowed to comfort her in one more area of her life is a moment worth treasuring.  So this photo represents that even if it isn't the best photo and I have to forgo using the tools of modern technology.
 

At the Park Again

I must say, those lazy summer days of my childhood never seem quite so lazy now.  If we stay home and do nothing the house turns into the disaster and everyone ends up crying at some point...even me.  But packing up four kids by myself and dragging them and all their gear somewhere seems like so much work...until we get there.  It is always better if we spend at least part of the day out and yesterday was no exception.

And Sweet Pea had a much better time at the park now that she knows some of the other kids we meet there a little better and since her brothers were there to entertain her.

She really likes being upside down.

So Huckleberry helped her.

I stopped this as soon as I took the picture, but SnapDragon didn't mind Sweet Pea dumping rocks on him.  He even let my friend's daughter participate.

 Such a big girl now.  Less than a month from being 2!

 Sunflower was busy running and rolling with her friends.  I didn't get many pictures of her.

Huckleberry finished many chapters while pushing Sweet Pea in the swing.  She didn't mind as long as she kept moving.

 Look...Air!  She is quite good at jumping.

I didn't want to let her run down hill, but who could say no to that joy?

Especially since she couldn't quite figure out how to roll down the hill as others were doing.

 Yes, we can go home for lunch now if you sit right here for a photo.

We have many things planned for July including a trip to the zoo, Mt. Rainier, and to my husband's hometown to visit a childhood friend, but I'd better look at my calendar and fill in those blank days.  I'd much rather deal with lugging water and sunscreen around than crying children who cannot seem to find a single toy in an overflowing house.  So if you don't see us much this month, you can assume we are away from the internet and at the park.  Who wants to meet us there?