JULY 2013

July was loaded full with birthdays and travel!  Starting off with the birthday of our country, to Zoë's birthday... the first part was filled with plenty of outdoor time and cooling off in the pool.  We rounded off the month with a trip to Switzerland to visit some of my family that I hadn't seen in 10 years.  Now that story could take several blog posts to get through.... I'm still working on getting photos together, which I'll post soon.  In short, since I've been back I've been wanting nothing more than to go straight back, pining for the mountains and fresh air.  But let's get through Zoë's birthday first.

Zoë turned 3 this July, and the sun shone brightly on her special day.... making the pool a much needed break from the heat, while also helping her to shine especially brightly in her new princess outfit.  Nonna sent her this beautiful princess outfit, complete with crown and wand... and hoop under the dress

 This new outfit had us laughing out loud, but also had me somewhat panicked at how grown up she will be... so quickly!  Really, I couldn't get over the little silver high heels tufted with blue feathery boa material... add the matching earrings, purse, and bracelets to that skirt and heels!? too much...

Upholding the tradition of birthday breakfast at Kristin's Diner, where there's 100 different types of pancakes.  It was Zoë's turn to wear a birthday hat and order her pancake choice.  We didn't get much of a chance to take pictures of her birthday pancake, she ate it too quickly!

The birthday princess chowing down

 

time for a dip in the pool

 it's never a pool party without the water taxi, it's been a big hit this summer.  I'm surprised the thing hasn't popped yet!

 Zoë, trying to wrap her head around the fact that she got this amazing princess/cinderella birthday cake... she was in awe

 Amazingly enough, we managed to get at least one decent family photo during the party.  That's more than we can say for Vince's party this summer.... I still haven't found anyone who has photos of his 5th birthday! 

 Before I had children, I always thought I'd just have a bunch of boys for some reason.  I felt like I'd know what to do for boys, would somehow be more comfortable mothering them, and be able to relate to them easier.  Not really sure where that came from, but maybe it stemmed from school.  Growing up I felt that I got along with boys easier, while girls tended to be 'clicky' and could generally be harder to get along with.  I always imagined that if I ever had a little girl, I wouldn't know what do with her.  Then, Zoë came along.  And that all went out the window.  My little girl.  I started day dreaming about one day when we could go get our manicures and pedicures together.  I started dressing her up like my little doll (well.. I did that with the boys too, but being able to use dresses makes it TONS more fun).  She's my little girl, and WOW... I would have never known what I was missing if I only had boys.  Granted, I would have been fine and happy if I only had boys, but a space was made for this little girl... and she fills it perfectly.  (just don't ask me how I feel about her during the hours of 5-8pm NIGHTLY).

In her short time of being 3, she has grown more independent, and sometimes fiercely defiant, than I could have ever imagined in such a tiny human!  I'll give you a few teaser pictures of Zoë in Switzerland a few weeks ago, demonstrating her mighty powers of persuasion.  Hopefully it will help get me motivated to organize the photos and recollect our Switzerland trip, which is already feeling like it was months ago!

Zoë getting personal Alp Horn training from my cousin Erika.  Convinced she was actually blowing enough air to make music out the horn, she walked around like a little proud peacock afterwards.... little did she know Christophe was in back blowing his Alp Horn at the same time

 Zoë insisted on getting a picture with the cows we saw while walking one day.  She wouldn't leave this spot till I took a photo

 She had my cousin Andri wrapped around her little finger!  She knows who to flirt with already....

 Insisting that we keep climbing, all the way to the top of the Parsenn, to see the best views, and "sit on that bench"

 

More on Switzerland soon!  Hopefully not a year from now.  Off to bed I go.