Iris Grace has arrived at her 10th month of life! Everyday we not only marvel at her steady development, growth & ability to explore the world around her, but our own strength to juggle the many balls we constantly have twirling in the air, her being the most important and most wonderful! In this last month, IG took her first plane ride to visit the Holden family in Texas. She was a rockstar on the flight! Happily entertained by pulling the window shade up and down, she was a total jetsetter and if it was any indication of her future travel skills then we should be going to far away lands… SOON!
We had a lovely visit in TX . Iris FINALLY met her 1st cousins (3 of the 4)Kelsey(turned 18 the day we arrived), Tori (13) and Max(12). Not present was Josh (21) who is a marine stationed in Hawaii. Iris played with “Lucky,” who is Gramma & Grandpa Holden’s cute pooch as well as got lots of love from her doting Aunts & Uncles . She also had her first encounter with the newest family member “Quincy” the horse and got to meet some special friends of Wally's from high school & college. It was so very special to have them all meet her.
Upon our return home, Miss Soleil returned from her doggie vacation at her awesome petsitters house and we all spent a nice 4thof July weekend at home. We did our annual celebrations in Alameda on the 4thand Iris was decked to the nines in her festive attire. In spite of still slipping into size "6 months," she is GROWING! She loves tasting new veggie foods and is starting to pick up food to feed herself (she actually prefers it!) Some foods she likes to pick up (and they DO actually get into her mouth)are: tofu, blueberries and organic puffs (the earth crunchy version of cheerios). While she is developmentally going through the "throwing most things to the floor" stage, she hasn't tossed any food (YET!)
Wally took a quick 2 day jaunt to Hawaii for work a few weeks ago (yes I was jealous!) and we had some 4am fun when the Alameda police stopped by to let me know that Wally's 19 year old Honda was once again broken into! I mention it because naturally it was my first time alone for two nights with IG from start to finish and OF COURSE the doorbell rings at 4am! It was all fine and really had the car been stolen (again!), I am not sure I would have cared!
Iris has hung out a few times this month with her little buddy Ethan (just about 12 months) and her very special "boy next door, " Matthew ( 4 yr)! We have enjoyed bbq's with our dear neighbors on Sundays complete with firepit for warmth on our foggy East bay evenings! Now we do have a smattering of "warm" days too and therefore HAD to get IG her first lil pool and YES in looks like a bumble bee! she kinda digs it:)
This month she even attended her first bridal shower too! She also goes on the swings at the park with our nanny, Maria, and apparently really likes it!
I had a very busy teaching month so Iris spent some extra time with Maria but was a real trooper!
Iris came to Luna with me yesterday to watch our teen dance camp performance and she was quite entranced watching the dancers leap , turn, skip, shake and whirl on by her. I LOVED watching her watch them and take in a new experience that I am so close to.
I am going to be reworking a duet that I choreographed 2 years ago and performing it for a special event for 9/11. I look forward to wearing my "dancer/choreographer hat" while knowing that I am a momma to such an amazing little lady!
And as always you can see photos on her site here
