Place PAUSE button here!

I love this age!  6-9 months is a sweet spot.  Now that Liam is there, time needs to slow down a bit so I can enjoy him.  He is interactive, but not too mobile yet.  He is still a cuddle bug, but also loves to wrestle with his sister.  He is starting to express himself using words (more like sounds), but doesn't know how to say "no" yet.

6 months pictures by Erin

 Little man, I couldn't imagine a world without you.  You have made us complete and are loved more and more each day, hour, minute and second.

His first school picture!

Stats:

Weight: 17lbs (50%)

Height: 27in (50%)

Head: 17 in (75%)

Conclusion: Little man with a big head (brains as I like to say).

Physical: Sitting with no support, starting the army craw (creeps), attempting the normal crawl, zero teeth, and rolls all over the place.
Social: "Mr. Personality" or "The flirt" as his teachers at daycare like to call him.  He says "dadadad", "bababa" and growls (just like Uncle D). He could laugh all day watching sister.
New things: Liam is starting to eat solids.  LOVES food like his mama and gets mad if it doesn't come fast enough.  Starting to sleep through the night.  Occasionally wakes really early morning, but has skipped that the last couple nights (fingers crossed).

A lot of treat

I am not sure who was more excited for Halloween this year, Amelia or me.   Holidays have gotten so much more fun with Amelia getting older and starting to "get it".  Halloween was no exception.   

She waited for weeks to be able to wear her costume (wore it the whole weekend).

We practiced multiple times knocking on doors and saying "trick or treat".  

We ended our nights leading to the 31st singing " Trick or treat, smell my feet,...".

The night didn't leave either of us down!

Please meet Cinderella and Thor the Viking Prince.

Our Halloween crew: Ellis, Amelia, Liam, Cole and Taylor.   It was so refreshing to be with friends and go door to door with little kids and families everywhere.  Very old school, especially the dads monitoring while drinking beers.

Leavenworth 11'

A tradition has started and it is one I don't plan on missing.  It involves beer, friends, family and little run.  I am talking about the Leavenworth Oktoberfest Marathon.   What a better way to spend the weekend...doing the marathon as a relay around the beautiful Cascades and then ending the night drinking beer and dancing the polka with hundreds of others!

Our team came in 4th place this year.  We all did AWESOME with great times!

This year we did a little Klamping at the KOA.  Instead of tents, we went for a lodge.  Camping with kids doesn't sound awesome to me in October.   With the lodge, it also gave us the room to have Derek and Kaitlin join, as well as our last minute guests, my parents (we had an extra bunk bed because Amelia had to stay home due to her being sick) who stayed with Liam so us "kids" could go out and celebrate the season.

My dad has always claimed viking ancestry.  The hat was a must and made us very popular around Leavenworth.  We got stopped a couple times with people wanting to get pictures taking with the little viking.

Before dusk, babies are welcome.  After dusk, babies are discouraged.

Lil Pumpkins

I miss the lazy days of summer, but there is something about this time of year that makes me feel warm inside.  The color of leaves changing, the smell of a fire in the fireplace, apples, football and lil pumpkins all make for a great fall weekend.  Best of all, it was shared with friends, young and old.

I feel blessed to live in the Northwest with the seasons that we get.  I feel more blessed when the sun is shining during them.

Bob's Farm in Snohomish

An annual tradition has started. This year the amount of lil pumpkins has doubled.

Young and old, big and small.

Stats

So this post is late.  Weeks late.

I have two kids.

I am back to work full time.

My nights consist of dinner, baths, bed and sometimes a workout if I am lucky.

I have excuses.  Lots of them.

But, better late then never...


Amelia: 2.5 years over the summer.  30 lbs.  Up to my waist.  Nice head with blond hair. She LOVES princess, horses, steak and lounging in her PJs watching TV.  Currently reading any Disney book on Cinderella.

Liam: 5 months. 16 lbs. About as long as my arm. Bald with a little peach fuzz. He LOVES being in the family mix, his Johnny Jumper, eating people and being held. Currently reading eating any book he gets his hands onto.



Wade: 30s. Changes everyday lbs. Tall. Nice hair, curls when long. He LOVES Ron Paul, steak, and watching Breaking Bad and Sons of Anarchy with his wife. Currently ready on his iPad.

Karli: 30s. Don't go there lbs. Up to Wade's shoulders. Needs to find a new hairstyle and get away from always putting it in a ponytail. She LOVES chocolate, her family/friends and laying in bed watching TV when the house is quiet. Currently reading "How to Raise a Strong Willed Child".



I gave it a Tri!

I swam .50 mile.  Hating every second of it.



I biked 13 miles. It was great once I learned how to do the gears half way through.

I ran 3 miles. 
All was worth it to get back into gear after having a baby 5 months ago.

 

Thank you Kyle (with his team) for getting me signed up for my first triathlon.

Happy New Year

I know this post is a couple weeks late.  But being back to work full time and having two kids, makes for long days and never enough  time.

I have said it before and I am saying it again, "Labor Day weekend is my New Years".  It is the end of one year and the start of another that Tuesday with new schedules and routines.   I couldn't think of any better way to celebrate it but at Sandpiper Beach Resort in Pacific Beach, WA.  My family has been doing so for 35 years!!

This year was one for the books.  Not only was it Liam's first visit, but the weather couldn't have been more perfect.  With no phones, computers or TV it gives us all the opportunity to relax and to enjoy each other.

There was lots of playing, eating and snuggling in the sand.

Family walks on the beach.

Wade competed once again in the annual shake toss contest. And once again, he came in third (out of about 30 guys).

We enjoyed the Labor Day parade and Amelia got lots of yummy treats.

Bonfires on the beach. Falling asleep on the beach.

And best of all...having the time to read a book and play in the sun.