Tummy time with Pudd

Will is getting so big and very fun. He had his first playdate today with a little girl who is one. He enjoys watching other kids so much. It has almost been one year since I found out William exsisted. (July 7th 2007) Amazing how life can change in one year! We love him more than anything and love finally being a family.

What does a Johnny Jump Up taste like?

For some reason Pudd loves to suck on the edge of his Johnny Jump Up. He peeks out like a little prairie dog and sucks away. Very cute. We went around yesterday and sought out a stroller and a pack n play for Will since soon he will out grow his infant seat, and then I won't be able to use the stroller frame thing. I need a pack n play, because at the end of July our dear friends Dave and Laura are coming up from Florida with their 3 kiddos. I will also need it if I do daycare again. Anyway long story short I ended up with a great stroller for 15 bucks and a pack n play for 20 that is in great shape. Plus the guy who sold me the pnp was moving and getting rid of tons of stuff and gave me a Perego stroller that retails for 369 bucks for free!!! I washed it up and I am planning on reselling it at the consignment shop, because I can't stand the Perego strollers. No cup holder for mom....What's that all about?! Plus, it has a basket, but it's hard to get in to. He also gave me a Ikea table and chair set(for kids) and a brand new infant toy set. I am like that when I move, I get rid of all kinds of junk. Today I worked on the house and scrapbooked. Jason was kind enough to let me have a few hours to spend scrapbooking. I got 4 pages done and a few more planned, plus I actually updated Pudd's baby book. All in all a good day. On a sadder note, Samantha, a wonderful girl from highschool, just lost her father to cancer. Jason and I can't imagine losing our parents anytime soon and I am sure she and her family can use our prayers. I will never forget when Grandma died and I went to the store to get some breakfast after coming back from the nursing home, and I felt like the whole world should have stopped and realized that she was gone. I felt like "How can you be making lattes? Don't you know Lenore Thorne just died!?" It was so awful, but slowly, life moves again. I am very sad though that I can't see her reaction to Pudd. She sees him from Heaven, but I can't enjoy it.

I figured out something to do with all the great cards and messages I got when Will was born. I cut out just the greeting and put it on this page. Some of the cards that were really long I just stuck in his baby book, but this worked well for the short ones.

It's getting messy around here....

Pudd has been going through tons of formula and nursing lots so the time has come for cereal. He seemed to enjoy it after a few bites.

More Pictures from our last days....

We are doing fine at home, Pudd went to the Dr for his little cold and is now over 16 pounds! He is rolling over frequently now, but still seems shocked by it. I took him for his portraits and they turned out very sweet! I will get them in 2 weeks. All is well here, still looking for the right job, I may just do childcare again, it simplifies things. That way Jason won't have to work around me. And Pudd will have someone to play with. That's a good thing. I will post the last few pics from our trip.

The Best Cousins Ever!

Little Mommy feeds the baby...
So Much Love on one baby!

Pirate Sophie
Connor post Aquarium Adventure
Laura sang all the way home!

Uncle Jason enjoyed his day with the kids.
Laura was making Will laugh so loud at the Aquarium, it was SO cute!
Connor was showing us how long the bird's beak was....

Molly's Graduation

Friday night Molly's department, The Henry M Jackson School of International Study, had their own special commencement ceremony. It was very nice, and much more personal than the big one on Saturday. Molly looked great and the Professor commented that her thesis was "very impressive". Good Job Moll! We went out to dinner after at the Ram, a microbrew that Molly liked. The next day we met up with Aunt Tricia and Uncle Tim and went to the BIG grad at Husky Stadium. We figured there must have been about 5,000 people graduating that day. Quincy Jones was the speaker and he was very entertaining. It's not often you hear a 75 year old use the term "Pimp Slap"! After the graduation Molly had to go to a wedding reception, so Jason and I went out with Patty and Ryan. We went to Ivar's Acres of Clams. It was excellent as always.

A trip to the beach, Washington style....

Pudd enjoys his first outing to the beach...by staying warm and dry in the car.
The Olympics were visible despite the clouds.

Aunt Julie attempts to get Will hooked on her drug of choice....

Julie came out Wednesday and we took Will to the beach. However, it was far too windy and cold for him to even leave the car. So we took some pictures of him in the car!

More Pictures

Sophie and her cool 80's hair- very "Flock of Seagulls"
Grandpa and Pudd
Will looks very interested in Sophie's popsicle....

Saturday we hung out at home and Sunday evening I went in to Everett with Will for dinner with the Simmons family. We went to Red Robin and Will met Uncle Ryan and Aunt Cari for the first time. He also got to see Grandpa!

Molly comes home..... Sophie turns one!

Molly and Pudd
Cookie is jealous that her mother is holding someone else....
Pudd doing his Gomer Pyle impression "Shazam!"

Molly came home on Thursday and saw William for the first time since he was 3 weeks old. She was very impressed with his size. He really loved Molly, she made him laugh and smile all the time. She is really good at soothing him as well. We stayed around the house that day and rested after our travels. Friday Molly and I headed in to Everett to see Patrick and Family. Sophie's birthday was planned for that evening so we came over early to visit and help keep the kids occupied. Molly read them lots of stories and we all enjoyed spending time together. Soon it was the afternoon and guests started arriving. We had a good time, but Will tired early and we went home about 7pm.

Sophie enjoys an Italian Facial

Grandma with the two youngest...

Aunt Molly reads the ENTIRE Mike Mulligan Treasury! Thanks Molly!

Uncle Patrick gets to know his little buddy...

Connor Loves his cousin!
Happy Birthday Sophie!

Homeward Bound.....

He was only fussy on the ground!

Pudd and I started very early on the 4th. We got to Baltimore at 5 am and went through security, which was very tricky on your own. He slept basically the whole time, occasionally waking to eat or poop. I changed 4 messy diapers on the ride out. It must have been the change of altitude! We got a row to ourselves on the way from Milwaukee to Seattle so that was great to have room to move more. We arrived at 10:30 in Seattle and Mom was there to meet us. She was amazed at how big he had gotten! We got the bags and hopped in the car to go see Jason's Mom and have lunch. Jeanie was very happy to see the baby and proclaimed that he was beautiful! (Can't argue with that!) We went to lunch at Applebee's and I got to open many outfits that Grandma Jeanie had purchased for Will. They were all very cute, and he looks great in them. We then left and went to the consignment shop in Everett for a baby tub for mom's house, then stopped at Bridget's to pick up a bouncer and see the kiddos. Connor and Sophie were awake, Laura was sleeping. Connor LOVED this baby! He is so sweet with him, and talks to him so nicely. It was very nice to see them bonding already. Sophie didn't seem too interested, but she showed no hard feelings either. We only stayed a little while and then we stopped at Julie's apartment so she could see Pudd. She had made him many cute things including some great bibs and some embroidered blocks. Finally, after a very long day we went home to my Mom's on Camano Island. Cookie, the 13 year old cat, was very interested in the baby, which surprised us. She was also very concerned when he cried, which was very cute. Will wanted to sleep by 7pm, so he turned in early and was ready for the day to start at 3am the next morning......Uggh!

Taking Will Home....

We are leaving at 4:30am to go home to Washington. It will be William's first plane trip. I think it will go well. My mom will meet us at the airport and then we will see Grandma Simmons for lunch, and my sister Julie later in the afternoon. I will post very rarely for the next 2 weeks as my mom has dial up and good luck uploading photos with that! I will have a complete photo montage at the end of the trip I am sure!

Out to Lunch with Cousins....

Getting ready to eat!
Gabriela deciding on what to eat....
Will observing all the action. He looks thrilled!

At the park, doing his Uncle Patrick impression in his cool sunglasses.
Alessandra loves the slide, though it was getting very hot!

Gabriela "enjoying" her baby food. Yuck!

Today we met up with Solon and Family for lunch and playtime. Will was thrilled to see the girls and they are always happy to see him. We had lunch at our 50's diner here in the Kentlands. They have the best burgers around. Gabriela is really walking now, and Alessandra is in that 3 year old constant singing phase. Very cute. She makes everything into a song. I loved when Meg did that. Will is in a good mood today and enjoyed seeing the kids play near him. I am spending the rest of the day packing for the trip. I want to be all ready by Tuesday so Wednesday morning I can move in a zombie like manner to the car at 4:30am. Yikes!