Friday, September 16, 2011

Chelan


After being gone from our baby for a week while we were at Teen Camp, we were so anxious and excited to see our little man! What better way to spend the next week, then at Lake Chelan, relaxing with family?!?

We had such a fun week! My parents rented a house on Lake Chelan. It is actually is a home that my Aunt's family owns. We used to go there as a big family with all my cousins when we were little, so being there again brought back many fun memories!

My brother Adam, and Willow were in town, so they were also at the house for a couple days before flying home to Denver. Bamie also come for those few days that Adam and Willow were there! We spent those days just cherishing the short time we did get to spend together! Having the whole family together was great! I loved every minute of it...I only wish it could have lasted longer...or that I could have convinced them to move back to Washington...


The rest of the week was just Matt, I, baby, and my parents. We had such a fun and relaxing time swimming, boating, wake boarding, eating too much food, golfing, fishing, playing games, putting together puzzles, shopping, and playing with baby!

Here's some highlights of our trip:

We finally got to use the boat this summer!

Even though it had been a long time since Adam had wake boarded, it came back to him so naturally!


 My husband tends to naturally be good at just about anything he sets out to do. I like to tease him, because I can claim two things that I am better then him at: driving a stick shift, and wake boarding! (He says he just needs time. I tell him it's wishful thinking..!)

We were too cheap to rent a paddle board. Here is Matt's attempt at a Dave Ramsey style paddle board...it didn't work so well!
 We played putt putt golf twice. Dad lost the first time to Matt, and was determined it wasn't going to happen again. Loser had to buy everyone ice cream at the LakeShore Drive-In...Yum!! Dad lost again....Thanks for the ice cream though! The competition was between Dad and Matt...I wasn't really considered competition...better start practicing for next year...

Mom played with baby while we golfed!

 Matthew wasn't too fond of his life jacket. It looked like a straight jacket on him. He did like bouncing on the boat though...it seemed to just put him to sleep!

 Nothing warms my heart more then seeing these two together...L.O.V.E.  I.T.


 That's a serious beard Matt has going on...

Matt and Dad fished off of the dock...
...only Dad caught a fish!

What a hunk. Enough Said.






Our week at Lake Chelan was a BLAST! Matthew can't wait to go back next year! Thanks mom and dad for such a great week! We love you guys so much!



Six months

Matthew Jay you are six months old!!

What are you up to these days??

Mommy and Daddy spent a WHOLE WEEK away from you! We spent the week in Mazama, Wa at Teen Camp, and you spent the week at Grammy and Grandpa's house! It was very hard to say goodbye, but I knew that you were in the best hands, and would have a blast with Grammy and Grandpa. From what Grammy tells me you were such a happy baby all week long! I had enough milk pumped and stored to last the week, and just continued to pump the week we were gone at camp. Mom and Dad, we cannot tell you how thankful we are that you would dedicate a whole week of your summer to taking care of our baby. He is incredibly blessed to have a Grammy and Grandpa like you two!
We spent a week over in Chelan! (Post coming!)

Uncle Adam and Aunt Willow visited again!!


You went to your first wedding. Daddy's cousin Warren got married in a beautiful outdoor wedding!
You are sleeping in your own room now! You were sleeping great in our room, even all night most of the time, but we noticed that little noises and movement were causing you to stir and wake up. As much as I loved having you close by, I knew that it was probably beyond time to put you upstairs in your own room.
So at five months and one day, we did our normal bedtime routine, and mommy and daddy put you to bed in your own big boy crib! I started to walk out of your room, and began to cry! (I never thought I was much like my mom in that regard until I had a baby!) Since then, you have been sleeping great all by yourself in your crib! The first few nights, you woke up once or twice during the night, but we let you fuss, and within 10-15 minutes, you put yourself back to sleep without your binkie! You wake up around 6:00-6:30 and nurse, and then go back to sleep for an hour or so before you are ready to be up for the day! We are so happy with how you are sleeping through the night, and are really loving having our room back!

Most days you are a very good napper. You take a 1.5-2 hour morning and afternoon nap. You will take another 30 minute nap sometime in the early afternoon. You usually take another 30 minute evening nap, but have been starting, at times, to give that one up. That means by 8:00 we have a very tired baby on our hands, who is ready for a bath, and getting all snuggled up for bed.


We still swaddle you! Sometimes during nap time you go to sleep unbundled. Most of the time you don't sleep as well or as long if you are unbundled. You are getting so big and strong, that by morning you have wriggled your way out of the bundle and are rolling all over your crib!

You usually wake up so happy, just cooing in your crib! Those are the BEST sounds!

You are starting to be on the move! A couple of weeks ago, you learned how to get up on your hands and knees, ready to crawl! You can't crawl yet, but you rock back and forth, and then when you try to move and reach for something, you plop down onto your stomach.

I am learning that you are quite a determined little boy though! Since you can't get to your toys by crawling, about a week after you learned to get into the crawling position, you learned how to do something like a half army crawl. You don't pull yourself with both arms, but you scoot yourself forward with your left forearm, reach for your toy with your right arm, and push with your legs. I'm amazed to how much distance you can cover doing that if you really want to get somewhere!

As soon as you figure out how to move your arms and legs together, we are going to be entering a whole new stage of parenting! I have a feeling you are going to be one active boy!

You still absolutely LOVE tummy time! One of your very favorite activities is just to be on the ground, rolling over and playing on your stomach. Lately, you have been planking onto your hands and toes! I think you've been watching Daddy do too many push-ups!

You met your Great-Grandma Stevens for the first time! She loved you!


You are almost sitting up! Sometimes you will sit by yourself for 30 seconds or so, but then topple over!

You love to eat! We have had so much fun trying new baby foods with you! Right now you are eating rice cereal, sweet potatoes, bananas, pears, applesauce, green beans and avocado. Your favorites are avocado, pears and applesauce! You eat solid food about twice a day, and nurse the rest of the time, usually about every 4 hours.

Your favorite song right now is Skidamarink. Daddy also thinks he is pretty funny and will sing The National Anthem to you in a really low, loud voice. Your eyes grow so big. I can't tell if you are scared or mesmerized!

You LOVE Lexi. She tolerates you at times, but for the most part, she does her best to avoid you! You still haven't learned the difference between grabbing and petting!

We went hiking at Wallace Falls. You had your first tumble at Wallace Falls...yikes! (post coming soon!)

We had the best summer together as a family! Both Mommy and Daddy were home all summer long! The week after you were born, Daddy started baseball and was really busy for the first few months of your life. This summer, he got to spend every minute with you and loved it! You absolutely adore your Daddy and I love to see your face light up when you see him. You love it when he blows zerberts on your belly, but sometimes his beard can be a bit scratchy when he kisses your neck. Daddy is the bundle king and can swaddle you up nice and tight. He is so hands on, even when it comes to poopy diapers (Mommy is so thankful for this!) He loves the Lord and wants to teach you all about Jesus...and baseball!

As they say, all good things must come to an end. After a summer full of adventures, both mommy and daddy had to go back to work. I was privileged to have 6 months of being home with my baby, but going back to work was the last thing I really wanted to do. I am so thankful for the job that the Lord has blessed me with, however! I love being a nurse and taking care of others. I am working 2 nights a week. One night I work from 7pm-7am, and the next night I work from 11pm-7am. That means Daddy is "Mr. Mom"! So far work has gone great, and I feel like I am hardly missing out on anything since I'm gone while you sleep! Now I just have to figure out when to get my rest!

Matthew, this summer was packed full of making memories and loving on you!
We love you SO much and couldn't have wished for a sweeter baby!

Alki Beach

This summer was obviously a little bit of a let down...in regards to the weather!
So when the sun was shining, we headed off to the beach!
 I love, love, love having Matt home in the summer. This summer was extra special because I was home on maternity leave all summer as well. We treasured every moment and had a blast with our new little family!

Here's some pictures from our day at the beach...


 Mmmmm....Spud's fish and chips...D.E.L.I.C.I.O.U.S.

Okay, how adorable is this?? Our baby who never sleeps unless he is bundled, falls fast asleep with Daddy!

It had been such a long time since we had seen our beautiful blue Washington skies!


 Love. Them.


 The higher you throw him, the more the laughs! This kid loves motion and movement!



The Park

We are so fortunate to live just a short walk away from Willis Tucker Park! We love our trips to the park!


Can you tell this boy ABSOLUTELY LOVES the swings??

 Lexi was getting jealous by all the attention Matthew was getting, so Daddy took her on a swing...!

We tried playing on the horse....but all Matthew wanted to do was eat it, so it didn't last for long...

Can't even begin to describe how much I love my little man...

Ended the afternoon by watching Daddy shoot some hoops!

I love spending time with my family, and days at the park make it even more special!