Summer Lovin...Had Me a Blast...

For the past week & half I've been enjoying summer!!  Mom & I went to New Jersey during the week to have a beach day with Grammy and my second cousins Ava & Mati.  I had such a blast playing in the ocean, eating/playing in the sand & hanging in my baby pool that Mati filled with ocean water.  After the beach we went to Great Aunt Andi's & swam in the pool before I headed home for a much needed nap time.  While I napped, Mommy was on a conference call with Scholastic for a job interview.  She got the job - YAY!! which means she'll be starting part time late July (thankfully she's found an awesome sitter that has a 10 month old playmate for me).  I'm really proud of my Mommy, but it's definitely going to be an adjustment for the entire Snyder family, as Mommy prepares to exercise her professional brain.  She'll be training school districts on the Read 180 program -- a reading intervention program that Mommy feels really benefits struggling readers.  Here are some photos of my fun day:

We also got to spend some time at Plymouth Country Club pool with Aunt Shana.  We had so much fun swimming in the pool & laughing.  

Mom, Dad & I celebrated the Summer Solstice at the Morris Arboretum's Summer Solstice Salsa Party on July 20th.  I got to stay up past my bedtime enjoying some really tasty cheese, crackers & yummy baby bites.  The salsa band was fabulous -- I got to dance into the sunset with Mommy & Daddy.  

 Shaking my music shaker to help the salsa band out

 Trying to keep my knees off the grass as I crawl

Dancing with Daddy to SALSA!!

On Friday, June 21st I turned 9 months old!! Can you believe how big I am getting -- I can crawl, stand, walk along tables and couches, wave bye-bye, eat finger bites and talk all day to my Mommy & Daddy.  I also very close to using my baby sign language (I understand milk, more, eat, drink, dog & more, but am getting close to signing more, milk & dog).  Check out some photos from Mom's 9 month photo shoot:

After my photo shoot, Mommy and I went to meet Daddy, Grandma Mimi & Grandpa Howard at the Merion Cricket Club for their family BBQ.  I loved seeing all the big kids playing, crawling around on the tennis courts, watching the train rides & eating some yummy dinner.  I got to stay up late 2 nights in a row.  

Last Sunday we went to Grammy & Pop's house for a fun late Father's Day with Pop.  We went down to Asbury Park beach.  It was a beautiful day at the beach & not too crowded.  I refused to nap & Mom got really upset with me -- 2 hours later I finally crashed for a nap in my pop up beach tent only to be woken up 45 minutes later by a looming thunderstorm.  We packed up and headed back to my grandparent's house.  Pop & I had a fun drum session with Dad's Jamaican drums.  Mom, Dad, Grammy, Pop and I met Aunt Shana & Mom's friend Nichole at Pier 9 in Belmar for a quick bite to eat before heading home.  What a fabulous day we had.  Unfortunately, on the way home we hit some many thunderstorms.  I couldn't fall asleep because of all the thunder and lightening -- Mom had to nurse me halfway home to get me to fall asleep.

Banging the drums with my Pop

Hanging with PopNap on the beach

9th Ave Pier

Thunderstorm on the way home

Blast at the beach with my Daddy & Mommy

Check out a photo from our pool playdate with our MontCo county Mama's -- Maddie & I enjoying the day at the pool & sharing our toys.  

On Friday afternoon, Mom, Dad, Toshio, Bolt & I headed to Bloomsbury, PA.  We were spending the night at Inn at Turkey Hill before heading into Rickett's Glen State Park.  After dinner at the Turkey Hill Brewery, we headed to a movie at the drive-in movie theater.  I wasn't really interested in seeing White House Down, so I took an early night's shut eye.  It was very cool to go to a drive-in theater since there aren't very many around.  Mom told me about the one in San Jose, CA that she & Daddy enjoyed going to.  

After the drive-in movie ended we headed back to the inn for a late bedtime.  Once I woke up, I thought we were having a party.  I was very upset that Mom wanted me to go back to bed at midnight.  I whined for 2 hours & Daddy had to drive me around for 1/2 an hour to calm down.  This was the first time that it took me so long to go to bed, but once we all woke up in the morning (albeit tired) we were ready for our 9 mile hike at Rickett's Glen.  We parked near their beach & took the Falls Trail.  21 beautiful waterfalls along our 4 hour hike.  I had the best seat in the house -- hanging on Mom & Dad's backs in the Ergo, while Mom, Dad, Bolt & Tosh lead the way.  The dogs were champs & my parents are rockstars on the trail.  Mommy busted her shin on a slippery boulder -- we stepped off to the side of a narrow trail to let a family by and when we stepped back on the trail Mom slipped on the mossy, wet edge of the boulder and smacked her shin really hard on the boulder.  She told Dad that it hurt worse than her labor contractions so she was sure that it was shattered or broken -- thankfully she was able to walk/hike on it and was left with only some puncture wounds, scrapes and bruising (and thank goodness Daddy was carrying me on his back during the fall).  Check out some shots from our very eventful, relaxing day at Rickett's Glen:  

 

 Mommy's busted shin - OUCH

 Napping along the way

 Awake & enjoying the view

We got back to Philly for dinner and decided to go to our favorite family restaurant in East Falls - In Riva!  I love it there and tonight we sat outside on their patio.  I got to snack on whipped ricotta with roasted shallots and rosemary, spiced chickpeas, ravioli stuffed with pea puree and truffle sauce and a little bit of Mom's Diavlo Pepper Pizza with burrata cheese - DIVINE!! The tables around us were getting a kick out of me asking Mom and Dad for more -- it's like they've never seen a baby nicely asking for more food.  I even got to pet a little puppy that came to visit the restaurant.  His name was Otis and he was so adorable and playful.  Here's me snacking:  

Today we had a very laid back day.  Mommy's shin was really sore and still a bit swollen - somehow it hasn't bruised (Mom's amazed by this since she usually bruises like a peach).  While I napped, Mommy and Daddy moved our raspberry bush into the yard, planted our Wisteria plant against the house and cleaned.  They got all their outdoor chores done before the skys opened up and started pouring rain.  When I woke up, I played with the pups before heading to Grandma and Grandpa Snyder's house.  I got to pick out an awesome wooden train set and some children's books that used to be Daddy's.  We went to dinner with Great Grandma Burrus at the Merion Cricket Club.  I was sure to be on my best behavior.  It was my first time meeting Grandma Burrus.  She was in Philly for the evening before she heads up to Newport, RI for the summer.  Uncle Jon was going to drive her up to Newport tomorrow morning.  I'm glad I got to meet her and play with Grandma Mimi's Westies after dinner.  

The Snyder family is gearing up for a very fun 4th of July week!  I can't wait for BBQ's and firework fun.  Goodnight and stay tuned for my next post.