Christmas 2013

Wow, this has been a fun couple of days.  Grandma Colleen and Papa Bud got here Monday evening.  Then, we had Tim and Annie, Mike and Kathleen, Tio and JQ, and Morgan over for Christmas Eve.  Lots of good food and you boys got spoiled with toys.  Then, today, we got up and had a fun breakfast and opened more presents!

Christmas is so much better through your and your brother's eyes!!!!  Thank you!

Drawer Baby

Lately, you've taken to throwing all of the plasticware out of the bottom drawer and sitting/standing in it.  It is pretty darn cute even if we do have to pick the stuff up afterwards!

Mr. Personality

Over the last couple of weeks Tio and I both have commented multiple times on your developing personality!  You smile, you communicate what you want by grunting and pointing and using your eyes, and you are so stinkin' close to walking!  You will take one or two unassisted steps and can stand on your own.  You seem to have responsive communication going for you too.  I asked you where your blankie was the other day and you went and got it!!!!  And, just as I typed this you climbed on top of the table ;)

Aunt "Caffeine's" Birthday

Your brother and I made a birthday cake for Aunt "Caffeine" today.  He got to decorate it by putting little bees on it.  You didn't get to do any of that yet but you had fun and I think you will be a little cook like your brother when you get just a little bit bigger. 

After we had dinner with Aunt K and Uncle Mike, they helped Dylan decorate our Christmas tree.

It Snowed

Yesterday it snowed so today we went out to play in what was left.  Your brother was thrilled; you, on the other hand, were not impressed ;)

Barbeque with Laurie Gordon

Tio, you, your brother, and I all braved the snow and ice to meet Laurie Gordon at a local hotel to have dinner and swim in the pool.  By donating to a local shelter or something like that, Laurie got the upgraded room with a big tub.  After we ate, you and Dylan had a grand ole' time playing in the tub. 

Cupboard Baby

Rockin' the Tie!

Tio dressed you for tonight's Mass of Healing for Trans* Day of Remembrance that we are attending in Portland.  I think you might just be too adorable!

Dinner afterwards at Burgerville!

Dylan Took Our Picture at Lunch Today!

And, it's pretty darn cute!

Growl Games in the Dark!

I get home and Tio tells me:
      "We turned off every light, then screamed as loud as we could, making monster noises. Bailey might need therapy, but the boys will never be afraid of the dark, ever! Lol. This is an in the dark snapshot."

Coast Trip

Your brother, you and I all got to go to the coast for a few days this weekend.  Two of the days were just so beautiful and we got to walk on the beach with Papa Bud.  We borrowed Uncle Bob's baby backpack so you could ride.  You did great the first day.  The second day you were hungry I think so you and I went back to the car so you could eat while Papa Bud and Dylan finished looking at the ocean.

Then, on Saturday, we went up to Grandma Abbie's and Grandpa Keith's and had a big family dinner.  Mandy and Steve and the boys were down, Aunt Nancy and Uncle Ralph were visiting and Bob and Jerene were there so it was kind of like an early Thanksgiving.  It was so nice to be able to visit with everyone and we stayed overnight so we got to have breakfast with most of them and didn't have to go anywhere when you and Dylan were tired after playing hard all afternoon.

It was so very nice to have a long weekend with family!  Thank you for sharing it will me.

Happy Halloween!

What a fun day!  Tio brought you and Dylan to the office so you could have lunch with me and I could show you guys off.

Then, we went trick-or-treating with the Jeffers.  You opened a sucker and ate it all by yourself!!!!

Oregon Gardens

Today you, Dylan, Jawea and I went to the Oregon Gardens.  They had some scarecrows set up around the garden and it was just a good day to get out of the house.  Afterwards, we went to downtown Silverton and had hot chocolate and cookies!

These three photos courtesy of Jawea Mockabee.

Twelve Month Check-up

Today was your twelve month check-up.  You are happy and healthy...well you were happy until they gave you six shots.  I looked back at your brother's twelve month and he only got five shots.  Not sure where the extra one came in :)

Your stats are as follows: 22 lbs 0.5 oz (59th percentile), 30.75 inches long (78 percentile) and a 48 cm head circumference (80th percentile). 

You are standing, walking with furniture for support, clapping (on command so to speak even), eating lots of food and a wide variety of food, and sleeping great most of the time!

Pumpkins!

We went and picked pumpkins tonight.  It was warm and gorgeous.  You were fascinated by Dylan and I throwing so many pumpkins in the back of the car.  Then, we went and saw Marnie and she painted a spider on your brother's cheek.  To top it all off, the three of us shared a combination plate at Dos Hermanos!

Birthday Party Time

We had a very nice low-key birthday party at Aunt K and Uncle Babbitt's house.  Grandma Colleen made the most adorable duck cake complete with cattails.  It was a bit of a potluck with Hawaiian haystacks renamed duck stacks by Annie Potter, cheese, olives, marinated mushrooms, salamai, and an amazing artichoke dip that Marnie made!!!! 

Was kind of hard to keep Dylan away from your toys.  Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, the two of you are going to have to learn to share for a few years until your develop your own interests!

As always, thank you so much for joining all of us on this journey called life.  You are a bright shining light!!!!

Happy First Birthday Thing 2!

I cannot believe what a little man you have become.  You have numerous teeth and you pull yourself up to standing everywhere you go.  You are independent; you would rather sleep by yourself but you still like to wake up at least once in the night to nurse.

You are more subtle with your love than your brother but boy do you love deeply.  Your smile reaches your eyes - and you will learn that is very important in a person!

You love Dylan fiercely even when he's naughty to you and you make everyone laugh.  Your food choices are as wide in variety as your brothers.  Don't think that I'm comparing you though.  You are your own person and I love you that much more for it.  Thank you much for blessing my life with your presence.  I am humbled and grateful!

Today, we went to Red Robin to celebrate for dinner.  You might have done some table-dancing ;)  You kept turning around and flirting with a little girl behind us; she thought you were cute.  Tomorrow, we're having a bigger party and Grandma Colleen will be making you a ducky cake.  Can't wait!

The Chef and the Onion Gobbler

Squash Bars for Breakfast

Bacon!

Tim's Already Working Your Online Dating Presence

Baby Zombies

Our neighbors that have a band did a music video with zombies in it.  They video taped you and your brother for the ending.  I got some of the original footage and you two were cute!

And, boy is your brother strong - pushing your up the entire length of the alley!!! 

Thoughts on Miracles

Neighborhood Potluck and Eames' Birthday Party

You and Tio at Neighborhood Potluck

Photo courtesy of Lori Francia

Labor Day Weekend - 2013

We had a nice weekend.  Didn't set out to do anything special other than I took Friday afternoon off so your brother, you, and I could go to the library and watch the showing of Lady and the Tramp.  I don't remember the last time I saw it.
Saturday we hung around the house in the morning.

Our neighbors were supposed to be shooting a music video at the local lavender farm so we were going to go be zombies.  But, the time got changed and we didn't know that.  So, we checked the place out and then went to the park in Monmouth.

Then, because Dylan was thirsty we stopped at Aunt Christy's and played with their new kitten.  On the way home, we picked up a bunch of extra produce from Minto Island Growers to donate. 

Then, yesterday we went to "Aunt Caffeine's" and "Uncle Abbott's" where you played with plums in a cup of water and rode in the yard cart! 

We finished off the long weekend by going to Minto Brown Park with David, Marnie, and Eames today for a picnic lunch.  Lots of fun and yummy food.

  

I Love You!

Dylan's Birthday Party

You and your brother came into town so we could have a party for Dylan's 3rd birthday at Riverfront Park and the Superbounce!!!

You had fun eating cake and ice cream with Aunt Kathleen but seemed a little disappointed that you were too short for the Superbounce :)