More, More, More ....

Lilli has burst out of her month long silence with a demanding vocabulary! More and Mum are the two most frequently used and abused words. More, more, more is quickly followed with a crescendoing Mum, Mum, Mum if I haven't speedily reacted to the more request. The problem is deciphering more of what in particular she wants. More beans, more potato, more hand washing, more rocks, more tickles, more 'this little piggy,' more water, more birds, more garbage truck? The last two are particularly difficult to satisfy! She echoes words, such as dirt and dog, and watches our mouths in fascination as we talk to her. At dinner she wanted more, more, more, mumumum saying fffffffiiiisshhhhh. Fish, fish, fish over and over again! Her sign language repertoire is impressive. She's been working on Grandma and Grandpa while looking at the photo of Nana and Grandpa. Of course she signs more, eat and milk like a pro. Outside is a popular new sign. She puts a unique spin on bird and drink. The hands swimming together like a fish sign (for fish) is accompanied with a whole body wiggle! She freely applies the sign for car to any type of vehicle, be it bike, truck, bus or car. However she correctly signs airplanes when we hear them roar overhead. Our neighbour, a speech therapist, reassured me that despite what people say, signing at this age does not delay language, but in fact enhances and encourages language development. In addition it helps to reduce toddlers' frustration at not being able to get their meaning across. However our signing conversations are limited in their scope and sometimes Mummy just doesn't get it despite all of Lilli's frantic hand signaling, arm waving, narrowed read-my-mind eyes and insistent "talking." Or maybe I do get it and Lilli's finger is pointing (and accompanied with a repetitive "dat, dat, dat") to Mummy's much needed mug of hot tea. We're working on the sign for hot! We have, I'm afraid to say (or gesture), the sign for hurt down pat.

Bean Creek Basin

NEAR: Cle Elum

ROUND TRIP: 5 miles

ELEVATION GAIN: 2000 ft

This pretty alpine valley is nestled above the Teanaway River and under the imposing granite wall of Mt Stuart on the east slopes of the Cascades, about 2 hours drive from Seattle. Considering this lengthy journey we decided to camp near the trail head rather than force Lilli to sit in the car for 4 hours and the backpack for 3 hours in a single day. We rushed away from Seattle on Friday afternoon after a very busy day spent cramming the car full of camping gear and arrived a little late at the campsite. But our tardiness didn't matter since Lilli refused to sleep until night fell and the tent grew dark. Once she was peacefully asleep we enjoyed our dinner under a clear sky full of stars. Our woodland silence was shattered with the arrival of noisy young neighbours who startled us with excited chatting about their shotgun. We watched in horror as the gun was unloaded from the car along with a shovel!

Thankfully we lived to the following morning, by which time Lilli was burrowed 2 feet deep under the covers in our bed. Despite the massing grey clouds we set off for Bean Creek Basin. The trail follows Bean Creek's rounded v shaped valley upward, passing dry forest and tired lupines. The sound of the rushing creek and the slow steady rhythm of my steps soon lulled Lilli to sleep. She missed the trees that were snapped like twigs from various avalanches that roared down the steep slopes from the ridge above. At 2 miles the valley widens and stony Earl Peak dominates the skyline. Within another half mile we staggered into a verdant meadow full of purple larkspur, fiery indian paintbrush and creamy buckwheat. Welcome to Bean Creek Basin! Lilli discovered grasshoppers while we enjoyed our delicious salami sandwiches.

That afternoon we treated Lilli. Now it was her turn to have some fun. The Teanaway River, flowing past our campsite, provided all the entertainment we needed. Lilli was in toddler heaven throwing rocks into the river pools and splashing her feet in the cold shallows. Another toddler joined us and soon Lilli and Sylvia become firm friends.

We packed up the following morning after a rather rainy night, said farewell to our friendly fellow campers (excluding the shotgun crew who had thankfully left), and returned to Seattle to prepare for a night out with friends at wonderful Cantinetta.

Summer Time

My mouth is full of delicious summer flavours. I forgot how wonderfully tasty gooseberries are. My face is sticky from licking the spatula after baking and blending these funny furry tart green berries that will be transformed into a creamy fool tonight. I must plant a bush next year. Right now I'm enjoying my salad concocted from last night's BLT leftovers: juicy beef tomatoes, crispy bacon, smooth cool avocado, crunchy carrots, home grown buttery lettuce and a tangy blue cheese vinaigrette. Maybe I'll enjoy a sweet succulent peach for dessert! My taste buds will be bombarded again tonight with an explosion of exotic flavours. Jon is cooking one of our favourite summer dinners: hamburger curry. It doesn't sound appetizing, however the spices and ground beef meld beautifully in this rich creamy curry which is topped with a warm salad of summer squash and fennel. Lilli savoured her simple lunch too. Cubed cheese, cucumber, peanut butter on toast and strawberries we picked from the garden this morning to the roars of the Blue Angels flying overhead. I am glad we are escaping to the mountains this weekend. Seattle can keep their noisy F/A-18 fighter jets. We'll take ourselves and our airplane-fearing daughter to the silence of the Cascades, where hopefully all we'll hear are birds, bubbling creeks and the wind rushing through the pines.

Our summer has been beautiful. The days have been perfectly warm. On hotter afternoons Lilli has cooled down in her giant bobbing inflatable giraffe paddling pool. On cooler mornings we've walked to the park (Lilli now walks most of the way herself) or watered the garden together. This week we started a new music class. Lilli confidently introduced herself to everyone in the group. She breaks the ice with an offering. She becomes frustrated when her proffered doll or instrument is not accepted with an outstretched hand and a smile. She gleefully watched the bigger children running haphazard laps around the room squealing in excitement when they careened past her. Standing in the middle of the race course made this game even more hilarious and exhilarating. Dancing with yellow silk scarves in front of mirrors that endlessly reflected each child was also fun. Lilli marches, spins in circles, bobs and wriggles her bottom and flaps her arms to the melodies. This morning we danced to The Beatles in the living room, shaking loose the sand from our hair that we accumulated yesterday at Golden Gardens beach. Ahh, summer days.