TWENTY-EIGHT

Grammy Kristy gave V this winter hat and jacket. V loved them so much that it took a few hours of coaxing to get her out of them -even though she was sweating the whole time. 

2015 week twenty-eight

We made our annual trip to California for a week to visit family and friends. It was so nice to be outside and not even have to think about mosquitoes! Vera swam every day.

Picking plums from Oma's tree. She then ran around waggling her head singing, "Little Bunny Foo foo hopping through the rosies, ashes, ashes, we bop them on the head!" 

The most intense bubble bath of Vera's life. We didn't even add that much bubble bath, but when you get the jets going on the tub it becomes a bubble palace. V couldn't figure out how to not wipe bubbles in her eyes and mouth so I had to sit there with a wet towel handy to wipe her free.

Matthew as a little kid. I don't often see Matt in Vera's face, but they look like twins in this photo. We might have to recreate this photo in a few years. 

Oma's house is full of magical toys and fun dogs to chase. At one point V ran up to me and looked at me very seriously and said, "I'm not a dog. I'm just a girl!" She also started saying, "That's weird!" or "That's gross!" to different (and sometimes strange) things. "Can't fall in the water! That would be WEIRD!" 

After berry picking on our morning walk. 

Visiting her (middle) namesake family. She had the best time here because a) they had a dog, b) they had a pool, c) she had unfettered access to a teenage boy's shirts that she could pull on and off. 

Visiting uncle Jared in Chico one day for lunch. She would say so many funny things to herself in the car. "I see the mountains in the sun!" "I want to touch the sun! Can't touch the sun, that's GROSS!" "The sea is eating the mountains!" "I love mountains and dirt!" She was a little obsessed with the mountains. She was a little exhausted from all the traveling and fun that she was extra whiney. Luckily for about two days if I told her to, "Hold in your whines" she would cover her mouth with her hand for a short time. But it only worked for a couple days. 

Fighting the dinosaurs with Grandpa Dean. 

The belly can rest on things now. 

Here she is probably saying, "I love airports! I love the airplane! Can't touch the airplane! Have to wait. That would be weird." 

Vera and Oma.

Matt's little brother got married the day after we got home. They let me make their wedding cake as a wedding gift. The layers were slightly off-center but it was tasty! Too bad V spent half the night running around screaming or with a cup of candy in one hand, and the other half on the toilet with diarrhea. Toddlers know how to make weddings calm and fun. :) But she was forgiven because she was the cutest flower girl -even though she didn't throw a single petal until she was completely down the aisle. She then grabbed fistfuls and threw them in my face. :) 

One morning in California we decided to go for a walk around the little lake in my mom's neighborhood. It was probably not even 8am yet, but V had been awake since 530. It was really hard to be annoyed waking up that early when the sun is already completely up and a little sleepy-eyed face rolls over and practically giggles "good morning!" Because my home town is pretty close to the mountains it is still pleasant in the mornings even if the temperature will reach 110 by 2pm. So at 8am and 65 degrees we trotted out the door. Because of the drought many of the fruits and vegetables have been ripening extra early -sadly we missed the mulberries, but I thought maybe we'd find a few first fruits of the blackberries. The lake is maybe a half mile around the perimeter. We barely got a quarter of the way around in over an hour. We found clump after clump of plump black jewels on the thorny vines. We'd take a couple steps and Vera would gasp/scream "Blackberries!" and we'd stop and fill our fists. There is never anything comparable to a fruit that is perfectly ripe in season and sun-warmed. In that moment there is no other fruit that could even tempt you. The California blackberries seem to have an extra sweet matte taste compared to our slightly sour Texas variety. I don't think Vera could imagine a more perfect activity that being outside and being fed blackberries off a vine. Her little berry-stained cheeks were shining from delight (and berry-juice) and she pranced and hopped as much as she walked. It was a perfect morning watching the ducks fish for their breakfasts and smelling the different plants wake up in the sunshine (the fig tree is always one of my favorite summer smells). The two of us were just so happy and calm enjoying summer's wild bounty and being together in the morning stillness.