THE LAST WEEKEND OF AUGUST...

...was so lovely! We spent the day together Saturday, uninterrupted by work, and most of the day Sunday hanging out with your dad! He had to work all day Saturday on a shoot, so we had some quality mommy-Maeve time! We met grandma at NCMA (my favorite museum in the triangle) and took one of the museum's guided tours. I've been going to the museum since I was a little girl, but never took a guided tour. I was reluctant at first, only because I thought you might get bored or fussy, but with grandma's encouragement we took the tour. And it was great. Half of it took place outside, so you were in your element (you love the outdoors). And you loved people watching while we toured the West Building.

You didn't really get into the art until we went into the older East Building where you, truly, listened intently to our guide talk about Rabble, a sculpture made of mechanized butterflies hanging from the ceiling. You were so into it.

After the tour we walked around a bit more, worked up an appetite, and had lunch at Iris, the museum restaurant. Grandma and I took turns feeding you from your bottle and sharing bites of a savory cheesecake with smoked salmon. It turned out to be such a great day!

When we got up Sunday morning your dad had already left for his shoot so we listened to Christmas music (our favorite) in bed and sang songs before your bath and breakfast. Your dad got home around lunchtime so the three of us walked to Weaver Street where we met up with grams and grandpa and listened to some live music. Afterwards we walked to the toy store where you picked out a new rattle!

The rest of our day was pretty mellow. I made a peach cobbler with the peaches you picked out at the farmers' market last week and your dad made a big batch of spaghetti. We swung by uncle Taylor and Aunt Gina's house and you got to see Isla and Louis for a bit. They gave you a half birthday present, which was so sweet! We're looking forward to spending more time with them this week!

Back at home we served you sweet potato for dinner. You made a yuck! face but kept eating. And kept eating. And kept eating. We think sweet potato is your favorite food so far! We are so proud of you. Oh, and your enthusiasm earned you a second bath for the day! Both you and I somehow ended up with sweet potato in our hair so it was completely necessary.

Summer is winding down, Maeve, and it feels bittersweet. There's so much to look forward to this fall (your first Thanksgiving and Halloween, long walks in the brisk air!) but sometimes I just wish I could freeze time. It's all going so fast. I will never forget your first summer. My very favorite summer so far!

ps: Below are some photos I took at a wonderful exhibit at the museum last spring. Local florists created works inspired by pieces in the museum's collection. You were so young that you stayed home with daddy during that exhibit, but I wanted to share some photos with you...

FRONT PORCH SWINGING WITH GRAMS AND GRANDPA

This afternoon I had a last minute meeting with a new university client, and when grams heard about it, she offered to babysit you so you didn't have to sit through it! Walking up to grams and grandpa's house to get you after my meeting I heard the guitar. And sure enough, there you were, listening to grandpa play the guitar on their front porch. So very sweet!

In other news, this week you have become more vocal than ever. You have this new noise that you make to get our attention or when you're excited. It's almost like a growl. It's so funny. You're also continuing to eat solid foods. On the menu this week: more butternut squash, fresh avocado and sweet potatoes! Speaking of food, there's a popup farmers market downtown for the next few weeks and you and I went yesterday. It's great because it's practically in our backyard. They didn't have a ton of produce that you could eat yet, but I got some peaches and poblano peppers for your dad and I. I'm contemplating making a cobbler this weekend, and of course, some new dishes for my best girl (that'd be you)! xoxo

BEACH TRIP AUGUST 2015

Last weekend was your first big beach trip! We took you to the beach on Mother's Day, but you were so tiny, there was a tropical storm, and Lilly had heart problems so we're counting this one as the first one. A redo of sorts! :) The big weekend started on Friday. I took you to your six month checkup where you weighed in at a whopping 16.2 lbs! And your charts were amazing! For weight you jumped from 23 %tile at 4 months to 53 %tile! For length you jumped from 8 %tile at 4 months to 34 %tile! And most amazingly, your head circumference jumped from 0.25 %tile to 18.51 %tile (yep you read that right, folks)! These numbers might not mean much to some but since you were born nearly 2 months premature they are HUGE to us! We are so happy!

After the appointment, Grandpa met us and gave you some new toys for your road trip! And when your dad got home he packed up as much as we could possibly fit into the Prius and the three of us (+ Lilly and Louis) hit the road. When we got to the beach we unpacked and walked down to the ocean's edge. It was dusk and bugs were out, so we didn't stay very long. The next morning we got up early and went to Beaufort. We bought some fresh shrimp and bread at the farmers' market (they didn't have a ton of produce, surprisingly), and then strolled through historic downtown. We walked out on the docks at the marina and you saw little fish swimming about near all the docked sailboats. It was so lovely.

Back at grandma and grandpa's place we put on your bathing suit and floppy hat and headed to the beach, then to the pool. Each time we took you to the beach you fell asleep in my arms on the walk there. It was cute. Mainly because our place was beachfront, and not a long walk at all. On Saturday you were not a fan of the beach or the pool. You screamed each time your feet touched any water, ha!

That night we went to Idle Hour Biergarten. Yep, baby in a beer garden :). We ate fried oysters, pickles, and sandwiches. It was fun but you got a little fussy so we took turns walking you around outside the garden. Me while daddy finished his dinner and daddy while I finished mine.

Sunday was a bit of a turning point for you and the ocean. You warmed up to it. You sat on mine and daddy's legs and the waves lapped over our/your feet. You didn't hate it!

You slept through the entire (3.5 hour!) drive back home. And Sunday night your dad made the most amazing shrimp fajitas. Beach trip redo was a success! Thanks grandma and grandpa for generously loaning us your beach house for the weekend!

DANSBY SUMMER BUCKET LIST

Last spring your dad and I created a "Dansby Summer Bucket List" that we keep posted on the side of the refrigerator. It's not too crazy (we knew there were limits to what we could include with an infant) but here is our progress so far...

Go to the Balloon Fest on Memorial Day - check! You slept through the entire thing. :)

See at least one outdoor movie at NCMA - check! We saw Star Trek and dear friends Jess and Andrew even came! You had a great time! It wasn't too hot, too loud or too crowded. No bugs. Jess doted on you the whole time. And I'm so proud your first movie was a SciFi one! :)

Beach trip - check! More on that soon! Above is the view from grandma and grandpa's balcony. You loved being out there and feeling the breeze on your face!

Go to a Paperhand Puppet Intervention performance - check! We go every year but having you with us this year was so special. And it turned out to be a family affair. Grams and grandpa, aunt Gina and uncle Taylor and Isla and Louis were there, too! As was Uncle Wade (down from New York), Gina's parents from Little Rock, and uncles Ed and Gideon (who even rocked you to sleep at the end of the performance). The show was amazing, but the best part was probably the walk home, though, believe it or not! You giggled and smiled and cooed the whole way home and your dad and I couldn't get enough!

Get a rug for you / start decorating your nursery - check(-ish)! We bought you this fun Moroccan rug and grandma and I are talking about a nursery feature wall. I wasn't ready for you to sleep all alone in your own big girl room until you turned six months. And, well, you turned six months, so the plan is to finish up your nursery in the next couple of weeks!

Sign you up for swim lessons - working on it! Last week your grandma and I took you to sign up for swim lessons but they don't have lessons on the night we requested, so we just have to tweak our schedules for this. WE ARE SO EXCITED FOR YOU TO LEARN TO SWIM!

And a few other items on our list that we haven't checked off yet...

• Take a weekend trip to Charleston or Savannah - we are probably not going to make this one happen (maybe we'll go this winter), but we are planning a NYC trip to visit uncle Wade in September and you and I are going to Atlanta to visit cousins in October! Yay!
• Pick berries
• Host a cookout

I think those last two are very doable! Checking off items on our bucket list has been so fun and made the season (your first summer) special! I plan on making a bucket list for every season and CAN'T WAIT until you can add some items to them!

BABY'S FIRST COLD

A few weeks ago you got your first cold :( and it broke my heart. I took you to the pediatrician who informed us that you had a minor upper respiratory infection that we should just ride out. So we got out almost every toy you own (and I might have bought you some more) and hunkered down (between mommy and daddy cuddles and snuggles). You are fine now, of course, but I had to share this sweet photo of you and your toys mid-cold. So sweet, my little girl!

FIRST TIME EATING SOLIDS

A couple of weeks ago you ate solids for the the first time! We took you to the farmers' market in Carrboro where we told you about food, where it comes from, and let you pick out a squash for dinner that night. You were a natural! You loved it! I can't say I'm surprised, though! Since you were brand new, I would calm you if you were fussy by opening the refrigerator and showing you what was inside (oh, the things you do to calm a screaming baby-ha). And you love watching us cook, especially your dad, who lets you smell all the ingredients he uses before he uses them!

SPECIAL TIME WITH GRANDMA AND GRANDPA

Last week, when your dad was in DC, you and I got to spend some extra special time with grandma and grandpa. Grandma, who has started keeping you on Tuesdays, had an art opening in downtown Raleigh. There was beautiful art (congrats, grandma!), good food and wine, and live music. Yet you were still the center of attention! :) You loved the music and being carried around by grandma and grandpa!

Later that night we had a slumber party at grandma and grandpa's house! Lilly and Louis even came! I love that you get to spend so much time with your grandparents! They adore you. And you them. Grandma is always coming up with the best activities for you and you and grandpa are very much kindred spirits!

YOUR BIRTH STORY

Not long after you were born I started writing your birth story. Maybe because I was afraid I would forget the details. Or because it was such an overwhelming, life-altering experience that I felt compelled to. Or because you're just so special that I wanted to share your story with the world. Anyway, it took me nearly six months to finish writing it. It's here, and it still blows my mind each time I read it.

KIDZU WILL WEAR A BABY GIRL OUT

Grams and grandpa have a Kidzu Children's Museum membership and we go about once a week. One trip in particular wore you out something awful. And nope you didn't arrive topless (or in this outfit, actually). Ha! This was just too funny not to share. Thanks grams and grandpa for letting us use your membership!

THE FACE YOU MAKE WHEN YOU JUST WAKE UP...

...kills me it's so cute. I love you, baby girl.

YOUR DAD

Oh Maeve, you have the best dad. He was in DC on business last week and we missed him so. Before I met him I wasn't sure if I wanted to have babies. Not long after we started dating I felt something I had never felt before: this urge to have a baby. Of course it would be years before we would seriously discuss it, but the urge was always there. It was like my heart knew all along. About him and you and us. And of course he is as amazing a father as I knew he would be. We are very lucky girls to be his!