Riley's 7 month birthday in Edinburgh

So much traveling, so much excitement, I just have not been able to keep up. I know I do not need to describe everyday of our trip to Scotland, but their were some moments & pictures I just want to share. So bare with me.

Thursday, September 20th

Riley turned 7 months today! She amazes me more & more with everyday. Here are just a few new tidbits about her:

• She now eats: peaches, apples, bananas, sweet potatoes, squash, carrots & she just started eating mangoes! (She probably eats healthier than her parents.) She tried peas, but did not like them too much.
• Her hand eye coordination is developing so well. She is working on the pincer grasp & has started eating finger foods (little puffs we call "num nums").
• She has started staring at her hands a lot. It is neat to watch her discover them & what they can do.
• On this trip she stuck her tongue out all the time. I do not know if it was the cold air, or just her new game, but it is cute.
• Boy does she laugh. Our second night in Scotland, she woke up about 1 or 2 in the morning (still adjusting to the time change). I went ahead & took a shower. I was combing my hair afterwards & she just cracked up. Her laughter is the best sound in the whole world! She literally was cracking up...not just a chuckle, but a full on laugh fest. It was awesome!
• She has already traveled so much. She has been to the Colorado River, Big Sur, Hearst Castle, & now Scotland. She even has a passport! She actually thrives when we are traveling. There is so much to do & to look at. We are certainly going to have our hands full with her as she grows.

We spent Riley's 7 month birthday on a day trip to Edinburgh. God blessed us with great weather again. It only started to rain on our way back to the train. Jason was our tour guide as we toured the beautiful historic city. When we got out of the train station, Jason pointed at both sides of the train station was Edinburgh, but one was considered the older, historic city & the other, the modern, new Edinburgh.

We knew we wanted to see the castle, so we headed to the historic part of Edinburgh, and to the Royal Mile. That is the street connecting the castle to the palace. Before reaching the castle, we stopped by Starbucks for some coffee (yes, there is a Starbucks on historic roads too). However, Aaron wanted a light snack instead. I don't think there are such things in Scotland.

We saw Edinburgh Castle, which is just beautiful. They still had some bleachers set up in the courtyard out front from the famous Tattoo which is performed there at the end of summer. Jason, Megan, my mom & my dad have all seen it and say it is absolutely amazing. It would have been nice to see it, but hey, I am not complaining.

We also asked Jason to show us where he proposed to Megan in Princess Park. It was neat hearing about the whole experience & actually being able to see where it happened. It was a wonderful day. It made me feel so honored to be able to share these experiences with my family. This whole trip is creating memories that I will cherish forever.