Meredith continues to enjoy her summer. Last week she got in on a fancy tea party at our neighbor Stacia's house and visited with some new friends. She likes to help her mom in the kitchen and at the supermarket and recently made her maiden voyage with a grocery cart and a grocery list. We had fun camping this weekend and it is starting to feel like fall. Meredith went fishing with her dad, rode her stick horse, and got to examine (cautiously) a garter snake. She sustained another battle injury on Saturday, which involved a fishing rod handle and a little girl's face (see black eye above).

Delaney is a punkin' and loves to play with, and eat her feet. She continues to be watched closely by our Part C folks, and there remains talk of supplementing her with formula-laced bottles. She is still on the petite side, so we'll see how things go.

We've also been enjoying harvest time in the area, and have been enjoying a lot of fresh vegetables from friends that are fortunate enough to have gardens. We seem to be running low on red meat, so hope the elk gods are looking out for us in the coming months. It's the best time of year in Gunnison....

Time flies in the Diamond house. Jennifer made the trek to Grand Junction last Friday to check in with the GI doctor. Delaney weighed 10 lbs 2 oz, and overall the doctor was pleased with her progress. They did encourage us to supplement her with some formula bottles to give her a little extra boost. We thought we were done with bottles, but what's good for the kiddo is good for us.

Brandon had his section meeting last week in Gunnison, and it was fun to show off Delaney a little to some of the folks that helped us through our ordeal. We still try to maintain a low profile with her, but on those occasions where we do go out, it's fun to show folks how much she's grown.

There's been a few breaks in the weather lately, so the girls have been out to Blue Mesa several times. By this time next year, hopefully Meredith will have a more mobile play partner!

Delaney had a big week, and achieved several developmental milestones. Not only does her interest in toys continue to grow, but she finally discovered her feet and also figured out how to roll from her stomach onto her back. It may not sound like much, but it makes us feel good that she continues to head in the right direction. We went to Grand Junction on Friday for her latest eye exam. Her eyes were in good shape (have to go back in 6 mos), and we were able to visit with some GJ friends and stop by the NICU before we went home. It was nice to see our friends again (and show off Delaney), but also humbling to see anxious parents going in and out. Our hearts go out to them.

Last week Meredith finished up her fourth week of swim lessons, and has made significant progress this summer. She had a good time each night going to the pool, but her parents are ready for a break, and need to get caught up around the house with fall approaching. Brandon's deer survival project continues to keep him busy, and his fawn collars are finally starting to fall off. Picking up the collars was the perfect excuse the get the equines out in the hills this weekend, and Meredith enjoyed her first real ride in the woods. She helped pick up two collars, studied all sorts of mushrooms, and continues to get to know our new family member Sky. Sky is a special old horse that hopefully will give Meredith joy for several more years to come.

As you can see, we had a nice weekend out and about. Meredith got to spend the weekend camping with her friend Justine, which was nice reprieve from just her boring old parents.

Delaney has been doing very well still and we are happy to report that she successfully passed her three month old moose hunting milestone with flying colors....

Another week come and gone; hard to believe it's already August. Delaney had a good week and managed to gain a few ounces. She's up to 9 lbs, 7.5 oz and is in good spirits. We are supposed to call the GI folks tomorrow and discuss her progress. At this point we're not sure whether they are going to ask us to supplement her breast milk, but will follow their orders. She's a happy, healthy baby these days as far as we can tell but if she needs more calories we'll make it happen. She's also developing a strong interest in toys of all shapes and sizes and is getting surprisingly strong. It's a lot of fun watching her learning to play and explore.

Meredith had a fun week as well, despite a funky cold. She enjoyed the annual slip and slide party at the Japuntich's, and made a lot of good progress at her swimming lessons. This week the Hells Angels (yes Hells Angels) came through Gunnison on their way across the country and were everywhere you looked. Gunnison was prepared for the gathering, and several hundred law enforcement personnel from across the state & country came to keep the peace. We had a bunch of LE folks staying in our community including a group of ATF agents. Jennifer helped our thoughtful neighbor Stacia bake them some treats one evening, which were enjoyed by all. Meredith made friends quickly, and she is now a junior ATF agent. She even got to meet one of their explosive sniffing K-9 dogs who put on a demonstration in front of our house. It's been an interesting few days in Gunnison.