August highlights: gymnastics shows, Geigerpalooza, Victoria's baptism

we may be almost through September already, but so many wonderful things happened in August that I can't skip the recap! 

1) Gymnastics shows. the girls' gym shows always fall on the first week of August, and I appreciate the separation from the typical end-of-season craziness in May or June. gymnastics is the one activity the girls do throughout the summer. both girls worked so hard this past year! I knew this partially because in June, they both received recommendation cards to move up to the next level this fall, but I hadn't actually seen much of what they were working on because I spend the class time downstairs with Elizabeth (and now Victoria) in the stroller, and the gym is on the upper level. so it was even more impressive to see the results of their training! apart from the skills they have learned, what I value even more is the supportive environment at their gym. they offer recreational classes only, so there's no pressure to join a competitive team. the gym motto ("we build strong kids") is a much appreciated foil to the cultural pressures to look a certain way or be a certain size, messages I know my girls hear and see despite my best efforts. 

Cecilia completed the kindergarten level and is leapfrogging ahead to Level 2!

after many weeks of struggling with her bounder (similar to a front handspring with both feet together at the beginning), Greta finally got it and thus met the requirements to move up from Level 3/4 to Level 5/6. she absolutely loves her coach, Ms. Ashley, who worked patiently with her even -- especially! -- on the nights she wanted to quit. 

2) Geigerpalooza. it's become tradition for all five of my siblings (plus spouses and significant others) to reconvene at my parents' house in Washington state every August. this year with Victoria arriving in early July, they all came to Pittsburgh instead (with the exception of poor Krista who was completely wiped out by mono, and Genesis who had to work). Auntie Kris drove out from Boston, too. the week was loud and crazy, with so many sweet moments and memories sprinkled throughout. it's particularly fun to watch my nephew interact with his cousins! 

this was as close as we got to a full group picture (missing Kelli, Milo, Auntie Kris, Nick, Elizabeth, and Brooke)

celebrating Kira's birthday!

...and a belated celebration for Milo's first birthday (this is the aftermath of his first cupcake!)

mini golf while babywearing! 

John scored a hole in one on the 18th hole, earning us a free game!

playing the Banana Split game

the cleanup crew extraordinare

cousin love!

somewhere there is a picture of Dad pushing me and my siblings in a wheelbarrow 30+ years ago...

backyard shenanigans

Dad set up a blind whiskey tasting. almost all of us actually preferred the cheaper Bulleit bourbon to the Elijah Craig

John helped Cece rig up the high hat balanced in the Solo stove for an afternoon concert

so much emotion. this trombone belonged to my Grampa Wayne, who passed away in 2019, and now is passed down to John (who plays the French horn). this was the first time John played it, and he taught Greta and Cecilia how to play too.

3) Victoria's baptism. the baptism and party afterwards were planned on practically a moment's notice as we worked around busy schedules. when we sent out the information on Tuesday for a Friday 6 pm baptism, I was fully prepared for no one to come except ourselves, Victoria's godparents (Nick's cousin and his wife), and Father Aron (our dear friend who married us, is Greta's godfather, and baptized Elizabeth), and it would have been special and beautiful as it was. what I did not expect was that so many families and friends would attend, some traveling from two hours away, some local but fighting rush hour traffic right after work, and some coming with all of their children dressed in Sunday best right at dinner time. I was overwhelmed with emotion as Father Aron pronounced the prayers and blessings over Victoria, entrusting her soul to God.

hanging out in the parking lot before the service started

somewhat skeptical of the evening's activities

Victoria, Cecilia, and Greta with their godparents (missing Greta's godmother and Elizabeth's godparents)

Joe and Sabrina drove out early to help clean and set up the house

all of my girls in their baptism gown (I bought it from Amazon for Greta, but we can pretend it's an heirloom). 

after the baptism, we came back home to find even more friends ready to celebrate with us. the next few hours were a whirlwind of replenishing food and cutlery (at the end of the night, I resorted to using actual silverware as I misplaced my extra box of plastic forks -- of course, I found it the next morning in the kitchen cupboard where I'd stashed it "so I wouldn't forget where it was"), kids running in and out as they played in the yard, drinks and gifts and general merriment highlighted by a Disney tune singalong around the piano, then finally settling down for the night with Joe and Sabrina in the guest room and the Chapman-Burkes in the living room on an air mattress. I always over-buy food when we host events and was appalled to run completely out of macaroni and cheese and fruit salad (the biggest hits with the under-8 crowd) and almost out of meatballs, sandwiches, fried chicken and shrimp cocktail. despite that hiccup, it was such a wonderful evening and we are so very grateful for the love and community that surrounds us!

okay, so the grocery store cake could have been decorated a little more beautifully, but it tasted delicious!

our beloved neighbor, who babysits the girls frequently, snuggled Victoria almost the entire night!