We love summer!

Pool, Pool, and More Pool!!

We probably go to the pool once a week….twice a week on a good and hot week. We joined the RAC this winter and I am so glad we did. It had really kept me busy~ I am now playing tennis about 3 times a week. Two matches and one practice. I have been enjoying it soo much!! At first I had a great record now it is about 50% wins but that really doesn't matter. What matters is that I am getting out and having some ‘me’ time and lovin it! I am excited for this winter and getting Z more involved in fun classes at the RAC.

Loretta & Anne came up for a fun weekend. We went to the pool and then left the babies sleeping that night with Anil and went out on the town~ had some yummy oatmeal cookies ;)

 

Bath time!

 

 

A Visit From Grandpa

  Tim came to visit for a few hours. We went to MOA. Zahra was staring at some flying things in lego land here. I couldn’t get her to look at the camera to save my life.

I have no idea who the character is below but it was fun to have her first picture with a character. This was Zahra’s first visit to the MOA. I’m not sure why we haven’t gone before this~ we had so much fun!

INext stop the aquarium!

some fun videos of.....you guessed it Zahra!

Zahra loves to play outside. We got her this fun new water table~ which she loves!! She is getting so close to walking I thought a couple times there she was going to walk over to her pool. She stands up all the time not holding onto anything for minutes at a time and has taken a couple baby steps towards me but that doesn't really count. I literally have the video camera where ever we are at in the house because I want to get the first couple steps on video.

We have been doing sigh language with Zahra since she we started feeding her solid food- so right around 5 months. She did her first sign "all done" about 9 1/2 months, "more & milk" about 10 months. This month she's really using her signs more consistent and correctly to communicate during mealtime. Today she did "eat" as we were going to the kitchen to have lunch. When she watches her signing video she will sign "duck, hat & dog" too. Its so much fun to see her communicate and learn~ I know this is just the beginning!!

 "more & milk"

being silly & practicing her "uh oh"

"all done"

11 months old ~~ WOW!

 She is getting more into books and will actually leaf thru them now instead of just trying to eat the pages.                                                      

Z loves to look outside...

and she loves her kitties!

So I was going to do a new post today when I realized I never finished this one...so here is a very short and sweet post with pictures of our darling Zahra.

A Fun 4th of July Weekend!

So we had a good 4th of July Weekend. The 4th is actually one of my most favorite holidays...I think because it is usually hot & sunny! So we started off the weekend with having the Deimels over for a BBQ. It was the perfect evening for it and luckly the bugs weren't too bad. Drew and Zahra are just a couple weeks apart- they had fun hanging out together!  

We shot off a couple fireworks for the girls then did some sparklers. Zahra thought it was pretty cool.

On Sautrday me & Z went to Riverfest in LaCrosse. We met Bekah, Kim, and Owen downtown. Z had her first experience with cheesecurds (she thought they were ok) then we watched pig races last but not least Owen & Zahra rode on the train. We also went to say our goodbyes to the Alameidas who are moving too Arizona next week- we will miss them.

Mississippi in the background. It was a very hot day but the breeze saved us!

 

Happy 4th of July

Aww what a cutie pie!

Had to take a break and suck her fingers & rub her hair.

 Zahra is addicted to her fingers. We have successfully trained her not too suck them while she is in the highchair (took about a week) now we are going to work on appropriate times to suck on her 2 favorite fingers & rub her hair. It maybe cute to you but I'm kinda over it...especially when she is crawling around on a dirty floor and takes a break to suck. Granted I sucked my finger until I was in 3rd grade so I can't criticize too much.

Anil had a good call on Saturday night and got to sleep some so his postcall day he actually felt like doing something- so we went swimming indoors (it rained the entire 4th).  

I joined a tennis league at the RAC this summer. Today was my first game. Yes, I got a skirt. I had too I would have been the only one without so I gave in- it was actually pretty handy stuffing the balls up in the attached underwear. I was so nervous about playing but it went really well. Our first set we won 6-3 then 6-1. I was so happy and had a lot of fun too!!  

I'm a godmother!

 June 27th

 Here is my godson Graedin Miller. I was so honored when my dear friend Misty asked me to be his godmother.

Even though I am not catholic, I thoroughly enjoyed the entire ceremony and the great sermon that the guy in the green robe gave (I never know what to call them). It made me want to baptise Zahra but being I'm not catholic probably doesn't make too much sense. Maybe we can dedicate her...grrrr..we don't have a church here in Rochester that we are really getting into. We really miss Woodland Hills, a church that Anil & I both LOVE.  

I am so ready to get settled somewhere so we can start putting down roots.

LESS THAN A YEAR NOW!!!!!!!!!

Z's hugs are the best thing in the world, they don't last too long but they sure are sweet!

Zahra wanted to play in the holy water

Zahra & Graedin

future "best buds"

We got to meet beautiful, Ava!

So we had a fun weekend in Wisconsin a few weeks back. Kate & Matt were in town and brought their beautiful baby girl, Ava. We spent the night at Becky & Ryan's gorgeous house....ahh someday I will have my very own house.

Hanging out at the Kurisch's house

Shake it girls!!

Back at the Patels...

an end to a fun weekend!

Happy 1st Fathers Day Anil!!

So I have been slacking on keeping up with my blog! This is a couple weeks late but better late then never- right? Anil & I both worked on Fathers Day weekend so we celebrated the next day. Zahra picked out a nice grey shirt and some black gold toed socks. She also made him some special pictures (thanks to the best nanny ever- Amy- that had watched Z for us on Mothers day & Fathers day!)

Her special picture for Dad!

So a little background about the next part of this blog. We have a bird feeder by our window that the cats & Zahra likes to watch. Well there has been a squirrel that has been eating all the birds food which hasn't been making me very happy. I've even opened the screen door to let Tipsy out to scare the thing away with no intention of Tipsy actually hurting the poor thing.

So that same weekend Amy found a little something in Z's pool! I got this picture text while at work....  

Beware a little graphic!! Not for small eyes!!

So the poor little guy drowned in Zahra's pool! I feel bad about the whole situation-its sort of my fault for not emptying Z's pool out after a rain storm that we had.  However, at the same time its kinda a little funny too, in a twisted sick way. So as soon as I saw the picture I texted Amy to just leave it for Anil when he got home- well she had already disposed of the dead animal and scrubbed out Zahra's pool.  The pool was back functioning by that afternoon!

Well it is official! I am going supplemental starting July 21st. What a relief. My plan is to work just as much but just be able to have more say when I work. Like not on Mothers Day, Memorial Day weekend, Fathers Day ect... "A" weekend was not a good weekend to be on this year.

Haha my daughter makes me laugh!

It has been a while since I have posted a video...so these are for my family in Idaho that hasn't seen Zahra in a while. Hopefully we will be getting our webcam working!!!

Zahra has been cracking me up lately. She is just in her own little world and I am seeing her personality come out more and more each day.

My daugher the contortionist. Zahra loves to crawl underthings, thru things, and ontop of things. You will be sitting there with your legs out with the entire living room for her to crawl around in but she will come over to you and crawl over your legs to get to a toy that's nowhere near you.

So Z loves to sit by the patio and watch the birds by our feeder. She will do this for a half hour sometimes when I am making dinner or busy with something. So she was doing just that and I look to see her in the downward dog position (yoga) and she kept doing it over and over again (and is continuing to do it a couple times a day) so I got the video camera out...hmm maybe I should take her to a baby yoga class.

I have a 10 month old!! Picture overload!!!

Our baby girl turned 10 months old this past weekend! I can't believe it!!

She likes to hang out by the stairs...can't climb them yet, thank goodness!

Showing off some of her yoga moves.

She is finally eating the tofu fingers I make for her! Yay! Persistence pays off :)