Jamila has had many adventures in the last 2 months....

I will be 11 months in ten days and I am growing and learning all sorts of new things. I can now crawl and pull myself up with the help of furniture and people. I love taking my parents for a walk to show them the really interesting things out in the world.

Today we went to Pensacola Beach to try going into the Gulf of Mexico but it was too dangerous to play in it. The Hilton Hotel though had the community reggae concert next to the pool so Jamila had her first pool experience. As you will see this pool is great for the children since it has water squirting out. This is Jamila investigating the first high squirts.Daddy helped Jamila to the circle of squirts and this is what happened next...
I decided to run around and step on the squirting water to see how it felt.

Then I decided to sit down on the squirting water and figure out how it was coming out of the ground.

I really like sitting in the water and splashing too but it always seems to get into my eyes. But I keep splashing anyways... :)

Like I said before, sometimes I have to take the parents around to show them the best stuff.

And here we are putting our feet in the Gulf of Mexico but nothing else since the flag warning was for dangerous surf. Some of those waves were too big for me just standing on the edge.

Dominic decided to make chicken wings for the weekend and though messy they turned out excellente!!!

The daily routine of washing the bottles.

African Sing-A-Long....our monthly gathering of fun and interesting conversation.

Dominic, Martin and Lal drumming, cow belling and singing.

Auntie Diane was having fun with me but she likes to hide.

Adalia preparing herself for the singing and dancing. Devin and Carmel practicing their drumming.

A morning at Navy Point...just down the road from our house.

Samantha is taking her mom (Auntie Kelly) around to see the interesting things along the shore.

I decided to sit down in the water and sand to have a more fun time during our visit.

Carmel's 5 th Birthday....

Devin is helping Carmel read her card.

Charlie set a precedence in blowing up those long skinny balloons and I think he was the only person who could blow them up. So all the children kept asking him to blow them up and make shapes.

Carmel getting some Birthday CAKE!!

My Northwest trip...

This is my trip to see my Grandpa Bill and Grandma Nancy and all the other aunts, uncles, cousins and friends. I had lots of fun meeting new people and seeing the scenery.

We had a lovely walk through the park behind Bell Square....

We sat down for awhile and watched the children and parents play and later

we saw some ducks who were just as curious about me. They probably thought I had some food for them.

Here is Uncle Greg, mommy's brother. He visited me many times and he was lots of fun to play with.

I met Great Grandpa Harry and Great Grandma Barbara from the Bush side of the family.

Here I am with Auntie Katy, mommy's sister. :)

Our trip to Oregon....on the way we stopped at Evergreen in Olympia, WA, where I graduated from in 1999.

This is the Library and the graduation takes place outside in the plaza.

Evergreen has not changed-this picture is very typical- only the faces. I stopped to see a professor, Tom Womeldorff, and we were lucky enough to find him even though he was in the middle of a faculty retreat. He is now a dean or something like that.

In Portland, we visited Auntie Mara one of mommy's old friends from New Mexico and her children who are now my friends Soren (big grin) and Rainier (being held).

We also stayed with mommy's other long time friend Auntie Layla from way back in Colorado and her daughter Isabella and we had lots of fun as you can see.

We had a lovely dinner at an Indian restaurant with more friends David, Prema and Jonah and of course with Grandpa Bill, Auntie Layla and Isabella.

I am trying to play peek-a-boo with this blanket but it doesn't work.

We then went to visit Cousin Ruben in Rockaway Beach along the Oregon Coast. I had a lovely time with him too. We went to the beach just about 50 feet out his door.

A beautiful sunset our first night with Cousin Ruben.

I decided to sit down and play in the sand while the grownups looked at the scenery. And taste a little too.

The wind was making my eyes water but I still wanted to stay outside.

More beautiful pictures of the Oregon Coast.

We went to the creamery in Tilamook where they make the cheese and other dairy products and I had fun there looking at all the people.

Back in Bellevue....it was a beautiful and clear day just days before we left. Actually most of the time was clear.

Me with Grandpa Bill and Grandma Nancy. I love practicing standing.

I spent some time with Auntie Rochelle and Cousin Brielle too.

And my mommy's good friend, Auntie Malaika!!!

Bye Washington!! We had such a lovely trip.