It's been a fun and eventful month for us, with a strikingly successful weeklong vacation and the culmination of Madeline's first year of preschool.
For the vacation, we went camping in the woods of western North Carolina for five days before spending another couple days exploring Winston-Salem. Madeline had a great time and was a good sport as we faced chilly temperatures, sleeping in tents, hiking in the mountains and avoiding rainstorms. She's old enough to be a participant in the family vacation, rather than the baby that we pack up and take with us. During the trip she even crossed another state off her highest-point list when we crested N.C.'s highest peak - Mt. Mitchell (she scaled Virginia's Mt. Rogers in 2009).
The camping was much better this time than previous times we've had her in the forest. She loved hiking (most of the time), enjoyed playing around the campsite and even went to bed in the tent with very little trouble. The best part was taking her to see waterfalls. Sometimes we would need to hike through a half-mile or more of bland scenery, and she would become recalcitrant. But when the forest suddenly revealed a crashing waterfall, she was filled with awe and happiness. It was fun to watch that transformation and sit back as she explored the rocks and roots of the trail.
Otherwise, my little girl continues to grow and grow, adding a solid 3/4-inch to her height in the past couple months. She finished up her first year of preschool and will be attending a few 2-week sessions of summer camp over the next three months. We wanted her to remain familiar with the preschool environment, which she has really enjoyed this year. She's made several friends in her class and is looking forward to the summer sessions.
Here are some pictures from the month:
On our vacation, the campsite was right next to a river, where Madeline enjoyed tossing rocks into the water.
During the trip, Madeline got more and more confident about climbing and exploring, and loved checking out the waterfalls.
Madeline was a bit grumpy on the summit of Mt. Mitchell (the highest point in the eastern U.S.). Despite that, Madeline was still the highest person in the eastern U.S. for a couple seconds - with a little assist from Lacey.
The mornings in the N.C. woods were brisk, but Madeline warmed up with oatmeal and hot chocolate (and lots of layers).
Madeline found a new love - rolling down a grassy hill outside the Folk Art Center near Asheville.
Madeline made the almost mile-long ascent up the steep trail to the overlook of Linville Falls all by herself. She was happy to be hiking, and I was very proud. We took this hike on my birthday, and I couldn't have asked for much more than to be out there, hiking with Lacey and Madeline.
Madeline discovered some natural anomaly near our campsite and found it very humorous.
During a stop in Old Salem (in Winston-Salem), Madeline burned off some extra energy by running back and forth to the pole in the distance several times while Lacey and I lounged in the grass.
Back at home, Madeline collected wild strawberries in the back yard.
Madeline surprised me a bit with the rapidity with which she assembled her new 18-piece Dora puzzle, without any help at all.
We continue to spend as much time as possible outside, although it got pretty warm and humid this month.
Madeline flips through her preschool yearbook to find pictures of herself and her friends.
On her last day of preschool, Madeline brought home tons of artwork and a special book given to her from her teachers.
Madeline enjoyed a family cookout at Aunt Amy's house on Memorial Day.
Madeline joined me at Robious Landing Park as we scoped out the site of my upcoming triathlon. Here she gives me an enthusiastic, two-handed wave.
