Teepee hands

I just love Adeline's determination as she crosses the irragation pipe while on her way to her teepee!

During this past weekend's trip to Greybull, Grandpa John traced and painted Addie's hands on the door of her teepee. The green hands were from July of last year.

Fully equipped

Truly her favorite things right now: toy camera, non-functioning cell phone, pacifier, sunglasses and a clippy. And like good parents...we had them on hand for her immunizations today.

What does the Grizzly Bear say?

Adeline gets a close look at a Grizzly Bear during a summer visit to the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center in Great Falls.

Starting the chore list early

Vacuuming with mama.

It's about time for an update

I got an email a couple days ago from my Aunt Sandy. The subject line said "Addie's blog" and all the message said was "It's about time for an update." No I love you or hi, how you doing? Straight and to the point Aunt Sandy. But she is SO RIGHT. It IS about time for some activity on this blog.

Don't get me wrong, there has been a lot of activity in the Life of Addie. I just have been so busy with shooting and EDITING client photos that I feel guilty every time I edit photos of Adeline. But I am now catching up and beautiful bright photos of my beautiful bright girl will be posted soon!

For now, here are some updates in the Life of Addie:

-- She is 20-months-old

-- She is no longer below the curve in weight, she is on the charts now! Weighing in at 21.5 pounds (ha!)

-- She sleeps (sometimes) in a toddler bed

-- She has moved up a shoe size

-- She peed in the potty

-- She has 11 teeth

-- She still loves loves music time with dad

-- She now has a habit of reaching over while I'm reading my Bible, shutting it and saying AMEN.

Excellent Saturday morning

Something is wrong here says Addie

... I have a carrot and Caderyn has a cake pop ...

What we brought home from today's Farmer's Market.

Adeline and I had a lovely walk with Sarah and Caderyn from our neighborhood to downtown this morning. At the market we picked up produce, meat, flowers and of course cake pops for everyone!

A short walk from there led us to the Summer Kid's Fest in the Great Northern ampitheatre. Music, booths, balloon animals and a scavenger hunt. Topped with a light lunch at the Vanilla Bean and a walk home.

I love Helena. So many fun things to do -- all within walking distance.

Plus it's always nice to share a quiet morning with a close friend and even more so when our families have been traveling and camping most of August.

Hello, August

I can't believe we are already into the 10th day of August! This summer has flown by. We have been so busy there hasn't been anytime to post -- or edit photos.

Clients come first and Addie pics next.

So stay tuned...photographs of lions, lakes and laughter coming soon.

Parenting tips

Parenting tips: How to easily trim your toddler's nails. I don't know about your kids but Adeline does not like having her nails trimmed. When she was a baby I would just cut them when I rocked her to sleep. But since she is putting herself to sleep more and more I'm loosing opportunities.

So I came up with this with a little help from Jason Scott.

Jason visited Addie last summer and during his visit he entertained her with this jovial, "Boom" {in a loud BOOOOOM voice and with great a facial expression to go along}

Bringing us to this summer a couple weeks ago, I was desperate to trim her overgrown, needs to be taken care of now toenails. And in an attempt of making the process fun, I said "Boom!" after each nail I cut. Well now she LOVES it.

It makes the process easy for both of us and when she sees the clippers she says, "Boom mama, boom."

Thanks Jason.

Stampede Parade

Adeline enjoyed today's parade downtown. Looking a little stylish...she wore her dad's old baby shoes and her cowgirl hat from last summer.

The parade kicked off fair week...it was short but there was candy!

Inspector Adeline keeps a close eye on Eli and Sarah.

Mama Drama

Mama drama...part 10: Potty training gone wrong. This afternoon when I thought it was about time for Adeline's usual bowel movement {and after some audible signals from the little one} we headed for the bathroom. After no results in her potty I got distracted by the forgotten swim bag in the bathtub. As I was busy hanging swim suits and hats Addie slipped out of the bathroom. I then forgot she didn't have a diaper on...you see we've been wearing so many dresses and jumpers in this heat and they cover her little behind. About 15 minuets later JD remarked from the other room, "Addie's feet are wet, I think she just peed in the house." So on the hunt we went looking for wet spots in the house. Although I already knew where we would find it...her new favorite place in the house, my night stand. I have a two-level night stand and the lower level is the perfect height for her to climb up, sit and look at my photos, touch lamp and books. And indeed there we found were she had peed. How lovely Addie.

Swim team here she comes

I've been doing some photography work this summer for the Helena Lions Swim Team and it has been a real joy to get connected with a great group of kids and parents. Swimmer mom Sheila Martin came over yesterday to help me sort out prints, label and mail a ton of swimming photos. AND she brought over babysitters, her two kids Evan and Emma -- who were super helpers. AND AND they brought Addie her very own Helena swim team shirt! yay! It will be fun to watch Addie grow into this shirt and hopefully she'll be wearing it on the deck of swim meet when she's of age to compete. Of course only if she wants to swim not because her former swimmer parents want her to!

New experiences

Today was a big day for Adeline Grace. She experienced so many new things, good and bad. It began with wearing a life jacket for the first time at swimming lessons. She did not like it. She is a petite girl and the jacket looked enormous on her. But after floating and kicking around in the jacket, she went down the slide into the pool for the first time. She even enjoyed it when going underwater at the end!

Her afternoon went sour when she knocked her forehead {worst visible injury yet} on the corner of the ottoman resulting in bruising and scraping. Said injury was the result of her running around the living room, naked, in pure excitment after playing in her deck pool -- this girl loves the water.

Our evening was capped with an exciting experience.As I was rocking my sweet child before bed she said to me, "go potty?" then "Addie go poop." I thought it was just a ploy to get out of going to bed. But after three more "Addie go pottys." We went into the bathroom. {Sidenote, we've had a potty chair in the bathroom for a while as a stool and we've talked about potty training but nothing has ever came of it} I take her diaper off and sit her on her bright green potty chair. She sits. She jabbers about the potty and the toilet paper. Sits some more. Then she stands up and relieves herself!! We were both surprised by the wet puddle infront of her. And I was so proud of her. Missed the target but was on the right path.

Baby float

Back deck pool. Just floatin' around and coolin' off.

Lisa Kunkel Photography hires employee

Today at our house was take your daughter to work day. (Although really as a work-at-home mom, most days are like that!) But today I made Adeline a special desk next to mine in our spare bedroom/office. We recently scored her a small desk/vanity at a second hand store and it was the perfect size. We outfited it with our old mac keyboard, a monitor made out of blocks, her camera and her toy phone...so she could answer all the work calls. "Lisa Kunkel Photography this is Adeline how can I help you? giggle giggle, hiiiii."

She LOVED it. My photo editing productivity went down but we sure had fun playing.

I would type, then Addie would type. We would take pictures and then spin around on the office chair.

The following is what I typed earlier today while playing and imagining the conversation we were having....between each line break is when she would furiously move her fingers over her keyboard striking the keys.

flaksdjfl;asdkjf9difj

Lisa is my mom

and I love Adeline too says momma

Addie is typing sitting to my left.

it is sooooo cute:!!!!!! :)

this is fun says momma.

Are you having fun my little one?

Yes mama! I get to type just like you!

let's type your name.

A, d, d, i, e. Yay! good job

Now I must go edit photos says momma

Dorky, I know but we had a good time.

It is such a joy to be able to spend this time with my daughter at home -- while working at the same time. But then I had many many swim team photographs to edit, so after her visit to the "office" Addie and her daddy spent the afternoon together.

Footnote: We are in the works of re-designing my office space!! Yay! We are getting rid of the spare bed and dedicating the whole space to photography and crafts. Maybe even a new desk...hoping garage sales are good this weekend. And Sorry out of town guests...you'll just have to sleep on the couch or in JD's man cave in the basement.

In the garden with Grandma