Monday, July 30, 2018
Thursday, July 26, 2018
This Morning
Reed just fell asleep for his nap in my arms. I took a few minutes to just rock him, my heart filled to overflowing with how much I love him. TJ and I were just lamenting that he's no longer a baby, but now a little boy.
This little boy still loves to nurse. He still loves to be swaddled for his naps and bedtime. He does the most darling little laugh when he gets his binky or when he gets his blankets: he adores both, and clenches the tags of his blanket in his fist as he falls asleep.
He's into everything. I took a picture of the family room after putting him in his crib: as I clean up one mess he makes another, all day long. He opens and empties drawers, bites and shreds toilet paper rolls, and pushes things down the stairs for the joy of saying "uh oh!"
He bites the couch - over and over and over again - and spits his water down his front until his shirt is soaking wet. He loves stroller rides and reading books (there is nothing quite like watching him sit on the floor and flip through book after book, sometimes silently, sometimes jabbering). He adores airplanes and will look out the window when he hears one and will point in the sky when he spots one (often before I do). This week he surprised me when I asked him, "Where's the moon?" by pointing right to it.
When Reed hears Dad come home he runs (on hands and knees) to see him. He does a funny sideways crawl (sometimes not even watching where he's going) and has taken to pushing his walker and pony across the floor on his knees (often pushing them sideways, with a hand on the front and the back, instead of the way the wheels actually turn).
He's a pretty terrible food eater, but does love frozen corn, craisins, watermelon (that might be his favorite), cornbread, pineapple, sliced almonds, crackers, pancake, blueberries, cucumbers, and milk chocolate chips (but NOT semi-sweet). He only likes bell peppers whole: he grabs and bites them over and over and over, never really eating, but leaving them with teeth marks all over.
He adores feet and loves to bite our toes. He's started "getting us" and screams when he does. He sure likes to be tickled and played with and read to, book after book.
He makes me laugh every single day. I could never have guessed how much I'd love this little boy.
This little boy still loves to nurse. He still loves to be swaddled for his naps and bedtime. He does the most darling little laugh when he gets his binky or when he gets his blankets: he adores both, and clenches the tags of his blanket in his fist as he falls asleep.
He's into everything. I took a picture of the family room after putting him in his crib: as I clean up one mess he makes another, all day long. He opens and empties drawers, bites and shreds toilet paper rolls, and pushes things down the stairs for the joy of saying "uh oh!"
He bites the couch - over and over and over again - and spits his water down his front until his shirt is soaking wet. He loves stroller rides and reading books (there is nothing quite like watching him sit on the floor and flip through book after book, sometimes silently, sometimes jabbering). He adores airplanes and will look out the window when he hears one and will point in the sky when he spots one (often before I do). This week he surprised me when I asked him, "Where's the moon?" by pointing right to it.
When Reed hears Dad come home he runs (on hands and knees) to see him. He does a funny sideways crawl (sometimes not even watching where he's going) and has taken to pushing his walker and pony across the floor on his knees (often pushing them sideways, with a hand on the front and the back, instead of the way the wheels actually turn).
He's a pretty terrible food eater, but does love frozen corn, craisins, watermelon (that might be his favorite), cornbread, pineapple, sliced almonds, crackers, pancake, blueberries, cucumbers, and milk chocolate chips (but NOT semi-sweet). He only likes bell peppers whole: he grabs and bites them over and over and over, never really eating, but leaving them with teeth marks all over.
He adores feet and loves to bite our toes. He's started "getting us" and screams when he does. He sure likes to be tickled and played with and read to, book after book.
He makes me laugh every single day. I could never have guessed how much I'd love this little boy.
Monday, July 23, 2018
Monday, July 16, 2018
Tuesday, July 10, 2018
Baby in a Bow Tie
For his first birthday, one of our neighbors gave Reed his very own bow tie. It's adorable - of course - but he only owned little polos for church, so didn't have a way to wear it! One day as I did a drop at DI I decided to run in and see if they had a white button-up shirt in his size. There was only one white button-up on the little boys' shirt rack and I was delighted to find it was exactly Reed's size.
I had no idea I'd so love seeing this little guy dressed up. I shouldn't be surprised, but could there be a cuter baby? If only my camera settings had been better.
I had no idea I'd so love seeing this little guy dressed up. I shouldn't be surprised, but could there be a cuter baby? If only my camera settings had been better.
Monday, July 9, 2018
Weekly Family Photo #46
These pictures give an idea of how tricky this self-timer weekly picture thing is getting...
Thursday, July 5, 2018
A Hike with My Sisters
We live just twenty or thirty minutes from some truly gorgeous mountains. They surround us and I try to frequently stop and remind myself how darn lucky I am to live here. What a backdrop for daily living!
On one of my many work trips I traveled to Detroit, which I'm sure has many redeeming qualities, but lovely surroundings didn't appear to be one of them. Here, anywhere I look, there are these majestic, stunning mountains. They are massive and ever changing with the seasons: white and blue in the winter, doused in snow from November until April; rich green in the summer, as that snow feeds the trees; orange and red and blazing gold as fall rushes in, leaving the trees once again bare.
There's just something about the mountains. Each time we head up the canyon I wonder, "Why don't we do this more often?" It is peaceful, calm and cool and, combined with no cell reception, it is rejuvenating to get away and disconnect.
Twice last month we went up the canyon for dinner - once with my sister and her family, the other time serendipitously (and oh, so joyfully) running into them and joining them again. We all loved it, including Reed who sat right down in the snow run-off river and played until we made him get out to get warm.
Last weekend I met with five of my sisters to do an afternoon hike. I'll be the first to confess (and remind everyone! ;) that hiking is not my favorite activity, but it was great to be together, chatting as we climbed, stopping to enjoy the scenery, laughing, and connecting.
I'm not sure who deserves the award for the bravest hiker: Holly, who had a c section two months ago, or Mary, who shattered her elbow on a fluke fall a year ago and worries frequently about repeating it. It was good to be there together, working to help each other both up and down.
I am the tallest sister, and standing on this boulder sure accentuates it. :)
One of the funny moments on the hike came when Tiffany was generously trying to get a fleck out of Julie's teeth and was mercilessly teased for it. I love Holly's expressions in the background.
We were hustling down the mountain on our way back, at a point when the path was particularly narrow. Single file, and I was at the back of the bus, while Mary and Tiffany led. Rather suddently, both Mary and Tiffany jumped, turned around, and ran right into the next two sisters. "Rattlesnake!" They said it was about an inch and a half thick and had been crossing the path when it lifted up its rattle (which there's probably a far more technical term for). A little bit of chaos ensued as Mary and Tiffany tried to get BACK and AWAY from the snake, while Julie and Paige wanted to see it! Get a picture! And on a path only wide enough for one there was a bit of commotion.
Julie and Paige led the way forward, Paige curious to see the snake, and Julie with a branch handily broken off a nearby tree to "sweep it away" should it come back. Once the rest of us got the all clear, the six of us jogged along for about sixty seconds, single file, eyes wide open: I'm sure we were a sight to see, and though I don't have a picture, I hope I always remember that mental image.
How I wish all my sisters (and sister in laws) could have come that evening, to soak up the great outdoors. I'm so lucky to have such a great family and I feel extra grateful everyone lives close by.
And now I need to plan a reason to get up to the mountains again this week.
On one of my many work trips I traveled to Detroit, which I'm sure has many redeeming qualities, but lovely surroundings didn't appear to be one of them. Here, anywhere I look, there are these majestic, stunning mountains. They are massive and ever changing with the seasons: white and blue in the winter, doused in snow from November until April; rich green in the summer, as that snow feeds the trees; orange and red and blazing gold as fall rushes in, leaving the trees once again bare.
There's just something about the mountains. Each time we head up the canyon I wonder, "Why don't we do this more often?" It is peaceful, calm and cool and, combined with no cell reception, it is rejuvenating to get away and disconnect.
Twice last month we went up the canyon for dinner - once with my sister and her family, the other time serendipitously (and oh, so joyfully) running into them and joining them again. We all loved it, including Reed who sat right down in the snow run-off river and played until we made him get out to get warm.
Last weekend I met with five of my sisters to do an afternoon hike. I'll be the first to confess (and remind everyone! ;) that hiking is not my favorite activity, but it was great to be together, chatting as we climbed, stopping to enjoy the scenery, laughing, and connecting.
I'm not sure who deserves the award for the bravest hiker: Holly, who had a c section two months ago, or Mary, who shattered her elbow on a fluke fall a year ago and worries frequently about repeating it. It was good to be there together, working to help each other both up and down.
I am the tallest sister, and standing on this boulder sure accentuates it. :)
One of the funny moments on the hike came when Tiffany was generously trying to get a fleck out of Julie's teeth and was mercilessly teased for it. I love Holly's expressions in the background.
We were hustling down the mountain on our way back, at a point when the path was particularly narrow. Single file, and I was at the back of the bus, while Mary and Tiffany led. Rather suddently, both Mary and Tiffany jumped, turned around, and ran right into the next two sisters. "Rattlesnake!" They said it was about an inch and a half thick and had been crossing the path when it lifted up its rattle (which there's probably a far more technical term for). A little bit of chaos ensued as Mary and Tiffany tried to get BACK and AWAY from the snake, while Julie and Paige wanted to see it! Get a picture! And on a path only wide enough for one there was a bit of commotion.
Julie and Paige led the way forward, Paige curious to see the snake, and Julie with a branch handily broken off a nearby tree to "sweep it away" should it come back. Once the rest of us got the all clear, the six of us jogged along for about sixty seconds, single file, eyes wide open: I'm sure we were a sight to see, and though I don't have a picture, I hope I always remember that mental image.
How I wish all my sisters (and sister in laws) could have come that evening, to soak up the great outdoors. I'm so lucky to have such a great family and I feel extra grateful everyone lives close by.
And now I need to plan a reason to get up to the mountains again this week.
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