Summertime and the Livin's Easy

Well, it's been a few months since the last post so I'll try to be brief but so much has happened!  Summer is FINALLY here and we have been a family on the move - from lake time with Grandpa Jim and Grandma Kim, to Tahuya with Great Grandma and Papa, to BBQs and playdates - we LOVE Seattle in the summer!  So many fun things to do and no better company than Addy and Brian to do it with! :)

Not only have we been on the move as a family, but Miss Addy has quickly become a mover and shaker in her own regard.  She started daycare in June and was crawling within a week!  She must have our competitive spirits because I think she saw the other babies crawling and walking and thought, 'I want to do that, too!'  She went from bouncing on all fours to crawling and then started pulling up and creeping along things a few weeks ago.  The best is when she tries to stand up on her own in the middle of the floor - she literally gets in a tripod, headstand position and just hangs out.  Too funny!  She's become much more content to entertain herself now that she can move herself around - something I am extremely grateful for when trying to get something done!  She still loves to walk around holding our fingers though, and especially loves to 'jumpy jump' with us (and ON us).  The cutest thing is when she walks right over to my sandals and stands right on them like she's trying to put them on.  "Look, I'm just like you, Mommy!" :)

9 months old

First time "playing" golf

It's been two months of so many firsts for Addyson that it's hard to keep track!  We took her on her first boatride, on her first golf course, to her first softball game to watch my cousin Jeff, and swimming for the first time, not to mention the new teeth, new foods and new characteristics she develops on a weekly basis.  She now has five teeth (!) and eats pretty much anything but milk and nuts.  I'm sure Brian is happy that she no longer eats baby food because it somewhat forces me to cook every night, therefore cutting down the number of nights that we dine on 5-star cereal...  Addy loves her food, man.  Everyone at daycare tells us what a good eater she is - haha!  It's just so amazing to watch her little personality develop and come out.  As we anticipated, she is a very determined, strong-willed girl who knows what she wants when she wants it!  Just recently we've started seeing tantrums - lord help me when the terrible twos hit not to mention (EEK!) the teenage years!  I've already told my in-laws that she's going to live with them between the ages of 13 and 18...   Other than the attitude, she's also the happiest, funniest and lovable baby on the planet.  Over the last week or so she's decided she only wants her mama, which I initially thought was due to not feeling well but she's quickly proving me wrong now that she's feeling better.  Hey, I'll take it when I can get it!  So many months have passed with no lovies for mommy, only for daddy, so can you blame me for relishing every moment that she is in daddy's arms and reaches for me??  I do get some sick satisfaction out of it. :)  She cracks me up with things she finds to be hilarious, such as spitting water from her sippy cup alllllll over Mima's face or anytime we say 'ouch'.  But the funniest thing is when she sees Lucia sitting at the bottom of the stairs waiting for someone to open the baby gate - Addy will look at her and just squeal with laughter, as if she's saying, 'Haha, you're stuck out there and I'm in here! Nana na na boo boo!" 



First boat ride!



First softball game

 

Chelle's 30th



It's been two months full of the big 3-0 for my friends and I.  First Chelle, then myself and two weeks later, Lynsey...it's official, we are getting old.  Nothing made this more apparent than this past weekend when Chelle and I decided to play volleyball...  Anyway, we all celebrated in great style and had waaaaayyyyy too much fun.  It was dinner and drinks for Chelle's bday, Whirlyball for mine and a winery tour on a party bus for Lynsey's.  Great times with even better friends! 





Lynsey's 30th

 

Tawnia's 30th



Along with birthdays, my brother, Justus, just graduated high school and will be heading to Arizona State in just a month!  Wow, does that make me feel old, or what?  We are so incredibly proud of him and love that we have yet another excuse to visit AZ and see an ASU football game!  Wait, you mean we can't sit in the student section??  No, officer, I have no idea how that flask got in my pants. Yeah, things may be a little different now that we're alumni...



Proud brother and sister :)



The last month has especially been full of weekend adventures.  Just like clockwork, the summer sun showed it's face the day after July 4th and has stuck around ever since.  We headed up to Big Lake for the July 3rd celebration, enjoying time with the family and some great fireworks on the lake.  Definitely a different July 3rd experience than we've had in the past.  I guess having a baby makes it hard to do keg stands and come close to blowing your fingers off with firecrackers... Instead of drinking from the keg, I drank from a water bottle.  Rather than light fireworks, I cursed them everytime a loud boom threatened to wake Addy.  Oh how things change! Haha!

We already knew that Addy loved the outdoors, but we've also discovered that our little girl is definitely going to be a water baby, much to my delight!  She LOVED her first swimming experience, walking right on into the lake up to her chest, cold water and all, and did it with a huge grin.  Can't WAIT to teach her how to waterski and go tubing - SO MUCH FUN!!  No matter where we are, we try to be outside as much as possible.  Trips to the park around the corner are almost a daily occurance before dinnertime.  Blanket laid out in the shade, shoes off, we just sit and enjoy the day.  Ok, well, we sit whenever Addy isn't trying to put handfuls of grass in her mouth.  She's especially lured by the little daisies in the field, going straight for them and plucking them to examine before bringing towards her mouth.  "Icky, icky, icky!", I say while sweeping them from her fingers, which is met with a squeal and giggle.  This girl loves to push the envelope and KNOWS it! :) 

10 months old...

Summer is flying by and we're loving every minute!  It goes by so quickly but we're also looking forward to the fall because Jamaica awaits!  We are all booked and ready to enjoy a much needed vacation in September.  With the thought of being in a bikini looming, I have completely changed my diet, and therefore so has Brian :) , in the hopes of losing the remaining baby weight.  2 weeks in and 3 pounds down, things are looking good!  But boy, I sure do miss chocolate.  The rewards will be well worth it, though, and that first pina colada will taste like manna from heaven!  Can't wait to enjoy the rest of the summer with my two loves and create even more family memories before heading to a getaway with the hubby and our friends. :)