A few more photos

(My blog is now a photo dump with long captions, and sometimes a story.)

I missed this photo in my initial sort of her 2 year old photo shoot.  I kind of love it.  Tying those balloons to a carabiner and hooking it to her pants kept the balloons in my shots at the right heights and never flying away when she let go.  One of my more genius (non-pinterest) ideas ;)

 My girl in the kitchen.  She loves carrying her stool all around the house with us all day.  My biggest, most involved helper.  

 A few weeks ago we went with our friend Brenda up to the Vanderbilt mansion about an hour north of the city.  This was the smallest of their estates and we sure learned a lot on the tour.  I thought I might be done with tours when I stopped living with my dad, but now I live with Scott who loves them equally as much.

 These two... she is always happier when Dada is around.

 It looks like T isn't the only one he likes to throw around.  There was more than one moment when I really thought I was going over.  Scott mostly has control but he has been known to loose his footing in the past.  Like the time he walked backward off the doc at Utah lake, wearing is clothes and all his gear.  

 Brenda gifting Tatum her birthday presents.  This gift commenced her love of purses, and for the next month, she carried around not one but three purses, insisting on holding them and filling them from sun up to sun down. 

When Bryan was here he asked what it feels like to "Just barely miss a bus."  Well about three minutes later, he got to experience it himself-- we waited about 40 minutes in the hot HOT sun never knowing when if/when the bus would show.  And when it finally did, there were 2 more of the same bus directly behind it.  Bah.

 At the end of June we said goodbye to our dear friends the Hendersons.  Tatum and June were just becoming the best of baby friends.  

 $1 Pizza. 

 Regardless of the fact that my right eve is a little quasimodo-ish, I really love our expressions in this one.

 Our little Columbia girl.  I pretty desperately want some Columbia school spirit gear for her.  

 BUT, we thanks to Uncle Bry we do have some BYU swag!  Here we are at the 911 Memorial.

 Georgia's Frozen party was a big hit for all the littles.  Pin the nose on Olaf and crowns for all?  Win.

 Ah, I die.  

 I'd say adventure playground is our fave.  Totally shady no matter how sunny it is, perfect age-appropriate water play, cool sand pit, fun playground and a giant fountain.  Plus it's close to Trader Joes and has a beautiful city backdrop.  I could go here twice a week.  And I pretty much do.

 At Target the other day I went down an isle to quickly grab something and I come back to find 3 new items in my cart, all balancing on each other.  This girl, she's always up to something.  She escapes from her seatbelt so fast.  

The ride home from this target trip was a nightmare to say the least.  As you know, buses are super unpredictable, so when I saw my bus approaching, I ran for it, 4 bags + 120" curtain rod, stroller, baby and purse in tow.  The bus pulled over and I was scrambling big time to get Tatum out, my bags in hand, fold the stroller, while keeping my metro card accessible to pay, and balancing the curtain rod on my shoulder.  Oh, and preventing my (wild) two year old from running into the street, or toward a scary drugged man (we were in the Bronx after all...) So yeah, not the ideal situation.  Luckily some saintly woman held T's hand and led her up the stairs onto the bus, but then she just started roaming while I had dropped one Target bag which led to losing two more while attempting to pick up the first.  Bah!  I finally got on, paid with a bent card and struggled over to an empty seat, making room for my stroller and leaving my goods near the front of the bus in a little storage compartment.  That stuff could have been stolen in a snap.  Luckily it wasn't, and luckily I had lots of snacks for a hungry girl who only likes to stand in public transportation and stares at people who look different than her.  Worst ride ever.

And then we went to the MET and suddenly NYC life was appealing again.

 The rooftop is only open select hours in the summer.  

 This is a different night from the story before, but you get the idea.  Being a mom in the city isn't always a cake walk.