18 months!

1 1/2 Years Old!

Miss Edie loving on her baby.
Hamming it up with her own personal hat wearing style.


It's been awhile since I've done a monthly update, and now I'm just days from a new month upon us! The last few months have been marked by movement and chatter. She really got the hang of walking around 15 or 16 months and is now scampering around alllll day long. Lately, she's been working on jumping but so far her feet stay glued to the ground no matter how much her torso wills them otherwise.

And of course there is the talking. Oh, the talking. I can't post a complete vocab list for lack of time, but her latest additions are "hurt" "booboo" "careful" and "sorry" - all words centered around living in a rental house with too much furniture where she bumps her little head too often, and also loves the dogs way too hard, resulting in the need to apologize. The "sorries" don't appear to have really hit home, though, as I've caught her chasing Billy with a book, trying to smack his head with that book, all while chanting "sowee!" Hmm.

Speaking of the dogs, they are the light of Edie's life. She calls Sugar "Good Girl," because that's what we are always saying to Sugar when she puts up with toddler roughness. Edie is getting the hang of tug of war, feeds her dogs far too much off of her high chair, and doubles over with laughter at least once a day from their antics.

Edie has also been struggling with the pain of impermanence. She adores squirrels, trains, and airplanes. But sadly, these things all pass, and these days not without a few Edie tears coupled with frantic signing for "more." She is a sensitive little one. If I lay on the ground, she will usually hunt down one of her security blankets and cover me up - the ultimate sacrifice. And as long as our days can get since the move, Edie more than makes up for it with kisses and hugs. She wraps her dolls and stuffed animals in towels and cradles them in her arms, and kisses babies in her books who are sad or have tummy aches.

Favorite toys include balls of all sizes, though a giant blue one gifted to her by Grandma is #1 right now, cars, shape sorters, nesting cups, and anything you can shove treasures into. She loves books, and endlessly asks you to read to her. Favorite books of the moment is Maisy's Fire Engine, Where is Spot?, and many different picture books.

And that's just the tip of the ice berg of this little wonder!

Flight retrospective

I can't believe it's been 4 weeks since we left Munich. To be honest, I miss it pretty badly. Moving preparations took a lot of energy, so I just poured myself into that and didn't think much about the whole leaving forever part. If we talk, and I pepper a few too many "Well, in Germany..." 's into the conversation, please forgive. Though it was never to be our home, it was an utterly lovely place to live.

After the flight, things were so nutty, between buying 2 cars, finding a house and the subsequent offers - counteroffers - inspections - underwriting, etc. that comes with that, finding our way around, beating the sweltering heat, all in an underwhelming and cluttered furnished rental, that I have only started to feel my feelings, as it were.

Looking at these pictures makes me remember that trip with Edie. She was an incredible trooper. We started off with a 2 hour flight delay, almost missed our connecting flight out of Toronto because of it, and through it all, she only slept about 30 min. But - save for some pitiful wails on the last leg from a little girl who (still) just doesn't know how to sleep on a plane - she was awesome.

Nashville Main Library

Well, we're living in a bit of a limbo these days, living in a furnished rental house for the month while our belongings sail on over. We are hoping to buy a house soon, but don't want to tempt fate by talking too much about that! In the meantime, Will had two weeks off before starting work and so we all took some time to find new family hotspots in Nashville. The Nashville Main Library branch downtown did not disappoint. It is a gorgeous building with a beautiful kids section, complete with kid-sized furniture (which little guys can't get enough of), toys and, of course, mountains of books. The air conditioning can't be overrated, either, with the temp surpassing 90 deg most days and the humidity reaching whatever the point is *just* before air turns into water. Twice a week, a full production puppet show is put on for free for any kids who come and Edie loved it her first time. It is bound to be a weekly destination!

Goodbye for now, Grandma!

After spending a week and a half with us, Grandma headed home yesterday. It's been a busy, busy, busy 10 days. From house hunting, to car shopping, to insurance procurement, and oh-so-many errands. We could not have done it without Grandma! And Edie certainly would not have been so happy if we'd tried to do so. Here they are, reading a last book, taking a last trip down E's new slide, and then a last cuddle.... last ones for this week anyways! Hope to see you soon, Grandma.

Don't they look so much alike in the top photo?! It's that smile. Dad and Great Grandma Simmons have it too.

Dad and Uncle Matt Roll In...

Will and the dogs arrived in Chicago on Wednesday. We had to wait three long days in all, but those three plus Uncle Matt road tripped down to Nashville and pulled in - in their free luxury SUV upgrade rental - on Thursday afternoon. It was a short trip for Uncle Matt, but we all enjoyed his stay very much. He is recovering from a broken clavicle at the moment, so we were extra sad to see him ride off alone the next day. But he promises to return soon, next time with Aunt Lindsey in tow!

We're Here!

Edie and I made it to Nashville and Will and the dogs are on their way as I type. We have been a trio this week, with Grandma Sally here to help (and help, and help some more). How did I get such a great mother in law?! As I told her, she's got lots of Edie QT to make up for from the past 18 months we spent abroad. Here are some pics of the two of them getting started on reducing that deficit.