A Long Time Coming......

Baby Giggles...

2012-01-27T10:14:00.000-08:00

In the Garden...

2012-01-27T10:13:00.000-08:00

It's fun to see the Garden being played with again. Charlie loves it just as much as Will did, and even tries to exit over the wall the same way!

Peek A Boo 2.0!

2012-01-27T10:10:00.000-08:00

William 9 months

Charlie 9 months

Charlie...

2012-01-23T09:49:00.000-08:00

I love that tongue!

I am so in love with this little man. Even though I may never get a full nights sleep again, he is so, so worth it!

9 Month Stats...

2012-01-23T08:33:00.000-08:00

Charlie had his well baby exam this morning and he is growing like a weed. It is funny to compare him to Will though because he is so much smaller.
Will: 24lbs 10oz, 29.75 inches.
Charlie: 19lbs 3oz, 28.5 inches with a 46.6cm head circumfrence.
It's no wonder I feel like he is so little!
Everything was on track developmentally, and he showed Dr Rahman some of his latest tricks. We talked about getting an allergy consult, and Dr Rahman thinks we should see one soon. I am supposed to start increasing the variety of food he gets, but that is easier said than done when he can't have wheat, corn, soy, or dairy!
He ended up with 2 shots today and a hemoglobin test, so that wasn't too bad. Now I just have to keep him comfortable for the next couple days and watch out for his sore little legs! William was so, so good at the Dr's office so we stopped off at Krispy Kreme on the way home for a congratulatory doughnut. So yummy!

A Little Bit of Snow...

2012-01-21T17:10:00.000-08:00

Nine Months In, Nine Months Out...

2012-01-21T12:46:00.000-08:00

Charlie is 9 months old today! I can hardly believe it. As a birthday present we got a nice dusting of crunchy, icy snow. Charlie has never been in snow before so he was very intrigued by it. We have his well baby appt Monday, so I won't have his stats till then. He is developing by leaps and bounds these days. He is trying more and more to talk, he can say "Mama" very clearly now. He is starting to wave "ByeBye" and "Hi" and is basically is happiest following Will around the house. He loves to climb the stairs as fast as possible, and spends most of the time standing, and has been caught a few times freestanding. He loves to play the drums on any flat surface and loves to jump up and down over and over. He loves his touch and feel books, and even knows where to touch on each page. His favorite song is the Chugginton Theme song, and when William sings the ABC's. We are slowly progressing on foods, but between his allergies and his lack of teeth, it is making it kinda tricky. He adores Rice Krispies and gets very excited when he sees the box. He is still a terrible sleeper and is still a frequent puker, but he is so darn cute! He loves his Mama, and loves to snuggle up with anyone who will hold him. I love the sense of completeness he has brought to our house. I am so glad we were granted the chance to do it all over again!

Daily Dose...

2012-01-17T13:54:00.000-08:00

Charlie has discovered the joys of the kitchen cabinets...

Charlie was caught climbing into the dishwasher!

Who Me?

Thanks Grandma Jeanie and Grandpa...

2012-01-13T16:31:00.000-08:00

Charlie received this Little People Zoo in the mail today from Grandma Jeanie and Grandpa. William and Charlie were both occupied all afternoon with this thing! Thanks so much Grandma and Grandpa!

Stand Up for Yourself...

2012-01-10T18:27:00.000-08:00

I frequently find Charlie in the bathroom, it's his favorite "fishing hole" if the lid is up!

His howling face...

Charlie loves this table just like Will did...

Charlie is rarely on the floor these days. He insists on standing up as much as possible. He seems to be insulted if you sit him on the floor and even wants to get dressed standing up! He is balancing better and better now and we have even caught him free standing a couple of times. Crazy! I am pretty certain he will be walking before he gets teeth!

Cooking Up Some Fun...

2012-01-10T18:21:00.000-08:00

William has been asking to make cupcakes all week, ever since Uncle Richard's birthday. We finally found the time to do it today and he was thrilled!

I let him dye the frosting whatever color he wanted to, and he picked red, which ended up dying his hands a healthy shade of pink. Needless to say I didn't let him frost all the cupcakes this way!

Howler...

2012-01-03T12:23:00.000-08:00

Charlie has been making this strange, wolf-like noise these days. It's such a odd sound I figured I should capture it for posterity!

Strasburg Railroad...

2011-12-31T02:51:00.000-08:00

William testing the brake on the back of the caboose..

This steam engine was coming to couple on to our train, it was a little daunting watching it come up so close!

Inside view of our railcar, it was from 1915 and lovely...

Molly and Richard...

Grandma and Pudd...

William would have been happy if we had let him ride this Thomas over and over all day...

Instead, we put him to work shoveling "coal" into the tender!

Richard gave William a boost so he could play with the controls in the big engine...

Out in the yard, Will got to climb up into this HUGE engine!

It was hard to get him to come back out! Here he is calling "All Aboard!"

Will buckled in for safety in the old caboose...

Molly and Will on the end of the dining car...

Friday we took off to Strasburg, PA to the Pennsylvania Rail Road Museum and Strasburg Railway. It was a lot of fun and Will got a big kick out it. We got to go on a 45 minute train ride pulled by a real steam engine! The museum had tons of fun stuff for the kids and so many big, old engines and rail cars. Most of them you could only look in the windows though, so that was kinda dissapointing. Daddy and Charlie stayed home to work but the rest of us had a great time and it was nice for Will to get some one on one, (or four on one) attention....

Christmas Morning 2011...

2011-12-25T11:33:00.000-08:00

Coming down to see what Santa left...

Santa left "Lotso's Garbage Truck" from Toy Story 3 for William, he was so happy!

Santa left Charlie a walker and he spent much of the morning trying it out...

Checking out his other Santa loot...

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Eve 2011...

2011-12-25T11:29:00.000-08:00

Uncle Ryan and Aunt Cari gave Will his beloved "Ham Plane" from Toy Story 3...He was in "Hog Heaven"! ( ;

Uncle Richard gave Charlie a fantastic Paddington Bear, and Charlie loved it!

Aunt Molly brought back tons of Fireman Sam stuff so Will had to be dragged away to open more presents...

Family Photo 2011

Molly and Richard 2011

We had a great Christmas Eve this year. So many goodies to eat and lots of presents to open! Since this was Charlie's first Christmas I was impressed with how much of it he understood, but in true kid fashion he caught on pretty quickly to the idea of new toys! We ate, unwrapped and then headed to church for the candlelight service. Will hadn't been to church for about a year(since I work on Sundays) so I reminded him of how the church is God's house and when we go in we need to have quiet voices and be calm and not run or jump around. I also reminded him that Santa was watching him and tonight was the big night so he needed to be really good. We went up the steps to the church and he seemed pretty nervous about what this was going to be. We entered the hall and he sees the lady greeter standing there. She was a nice, 40-ish African lady. He walked up to her nicely and said "Merry Christmas God!" We all busted out laughing and just about died! He was so sweetly serious, and she thought he was so adorable. Thankfully she took it as a big compliment. We thought it was kind of nice that he had no pre-concieved notion of what God must look like. I will never forget that moment! After that both boys sat very nicely through the service and Will got to hold his first candle. We returned home after that and finished a little more present opening and then finally hit the sack, after reading "Twas the Night Before Christmas" of course!

National Christmas Tree 2011...

2011-12-25T11:25:00.000-08:00

Will and Charlie visited Santa again in his workshop...

The previous tree was blown down this year from strong winds, so they planted this new little tree....little meaning 26 feet, but it did seem small!

Merry Christmas!

Charlie at 8 months...

2011-12-25T11:22:00.000-08:00

Charlie turned 8 months old on the 21st. I missed writing about it due to all the current craziness in our house, but he got lots of attention around here. He is developing at lightening speed these days, and though he STILL has NO TEETH(!!!) he is almost walking. He cruises about the house and refuses to stay on the floor resulting in many, many head bonks when he falls. I still consider a helmet, but he is getting better and better about catching himself correctly. He is still a terrible sleeper, but he is normally pretty happy so that sort of balances it out. He is loving having Grandma here and so do we since she takes him every morning so we can get 3 hours of solid sleep from 5 to 8. He is progressing along with food and has added plums, green beans, peaches, and pumpkin to his menu. He is still loves his binky an awful lot and I can't bear to take it away. We tried taking him off his reflux meds this past month, but it was a disaster so he is now back on. Hopefully by a year he can start trying dairy again and we hope he can manage to tolerate it. Hurray for having a baby at Christmas again!

The Piano Man...

2011-12-20T19:01:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas Baby!!

2011-12-17T14:31:00.000-08:00

Tubby Time!

2011-12-14T16:17:00.000-08:00

Charlie has graduated from the bath seat and is freestylin' in the tub now!

He loves all the freedom!

All clean!

Krispy Baby...

2011-12-08T18:18:00.000-08:00

A handful of rice krispies keeps a baby occupied for a long time!

Happy Birthday Aunt Molly!!!!

2011-12-08T18:13:00.000-08:00

My Gym...

2011-12-07T21:10:00.000-08:00

I got this amazing deal on Living Social back in October for My Gym, which is normally out of our price range, but it included a month of classes, a month of free plays, and a family membership all for 49 bucks. I figured once the weather turned nasty I would use it to let Will burn off some steam. Today was his first class, and he really liked it. Charlie enjoyed climbing all over and chasing balls across the big space too. I am so glad we will have this activity for the month of December, it will help keep us sane during all this dreary weather!

Oh Christmas Tree!

2011-12-03T17:52:00.000-08:00

Will ran right up to Santa and was THRILLED to give him a hug and tell him his Christmas wish!

Charlie was in his usual place in the ERGO...

Will enjoyed carrying the saw...a little too much!

Looking for the perfect tree...

Charlie supervised the cutting...

WATCH OUT DAD! You almost got me!

Let's take it home!

And now to decorate....

Make Way for Ducklings...Part 2!!

2011-12-01T16:25:00.000-08:00

The traditional ride on Mrs Mallard...

Will enjoyed seeing the lineup of all the little ducklings...

Charlie gets to know Jack...

Will was thrilled to see the real thing swimming around...

He was certain this was Mr and Mrs Mallard!

Goodbye Dear Boston! We will be back as soon as we can...hopefully minus the illness!

Finishing Up in Boston...

2011-12-01T15:19:00.000-08:00

Poor Charlie has had a terrible virus, and spent much of Wednesday in the ER... Fevers, cough, vomiting, and sweating like crazy. I can't wait to get him home!

We had to head back to Hull today to retrieve my cell phone, so that also required another stop at the beach...

Even 30 minutes at the shore does wonders for my sense of well being...

William celebrated by making "Sandballs" to throw...

Here he is getting ready to throw...

And the pitch!

Mommy keeps poor Charlie warm and toasty in the Ergo...

Will collected more rocks to bring home...

William intentionally put this large rock on his legs so he could yell for help just like in his favorite episode of "Fireman Sam"

Boston Children's Museum...

2011-11-29T19:18:00.000-08:00

The boys on the bank of the actual spot where the Boston Tea Party took place!

William on the bridge over the spot...

In the museum 3 story climber...I hate these things, if the kid gets freaked out, there is no good way to get them down again! Baltimore has one too, except it has many, many entrances and exits so it makes this one look good!

Will loves all these golf ball based mechanical doohickeys..

Charlie enjoyed getting to know that elusive "baby in the mirror"...

These are real musical chairs: When you sit in one a different kind of music is heard overhead!

Every kid loves to play with real tools! I wonder how long it takes for the kids to saw one of these down....

Will was so happy to have some safety goggles!

We found, what may be the world's best bathroom for little boys...It's a large display of various animals poo! Wow! Will was thrilled!

They have cranes to move things around on, which Will spent a lot of time doing...very carefully!

They had 2 Bobcats to drive!

Charlie got to test out his driving skills in a jeep...

We spent more time in the golf ball room, and Charlie practiced his pulling up..

Will loved making the electricity to run lights and a motorized contraption above his head...You can see how proud he is of himself!

The always thrilling rope climber...

We made 2 trips into the baby room for Charlie...he loved it, and I loved the calm in this area...the rest of the place is a little nuts!

Hi Mom!

More standing!

We had a great day and 2 tired boys after a full day at the Children's Museum! We were worn out, but it was time well spent! Boston has one of the best Children's Museums I have ever seen, and it is also one of the less expensive!

Mommy turns 33...

2011-11-29T19:02:00.000-08:00

Will found many, many treasures on the beach...

Charlie tasted many, many treasures on the beach...

After the beach we went up to the hills to a large fort dating from the War of 1812, it was long abandoned and was in pretty awful shape, but still lots of fun to climb around on....

And the view was INCREDIBLE!

We topped it all off with a trip to the Lobster Pound for some lobster rolls and a fun show for William...

Since we are here in Boston over my birthday week I decided that I would take full advantage of the 63 degree temp and hit the beach for my big day. We had a fun time at the beach and aside from the stress of losing my cell phone while there, I found it very relaxing to be at the shore. I hope I find it as relaxing when I drive there again tomorrow or the next day to get the cell phone! My birthday was topped off with 2 lobster meals, and a great cone from Ben and Jerry's, and William singing me "Happy Birthday!"

Charlie's First Thanksgiving...

2011-11-29T18:54:00.000-08:00

Charlie had a nice first Thanksgiving. He enjoyed sweet potatoes and apples, while the rest of us chowed down on all the other goodies. Cousin Alicia came to visit and really seemed thrilled by Charlie. While I was at work Friday, they went into DC and saw the Christmas train display at the National Botanical Garden. After seeing some of the pictures, I can't wait to go see it for myself!

This years themes were "Animal Homes" and "Presidential Homes"...

Climb Every Mountain...

2011-11-24T04:46:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I came in to check on Charlie from the kitchen and I found him like this! Yikes! He was so proud of himself though and I think he would have tried to climb the whole thing if we would have let him. We are still trying to figure out a baby gate that will work in this spot, the round newel post makes it complicated...

7 Down, 989* To Go....

2011-11-21T11:54:00.000-08:00

*the 989 months estimate is based upon the current male life expectancy of 83 years.

7 months have passed since Charlie came into our lives. They have gone so fast! He is changing these days at lightening speed! In the last 3 weeks he has perfected crawling, and seems to be practicing for some baby Olympic speed crawling trials, he has pulled up to a stand, and is now determined to be in no other position if he can help it. Two nights ago he was crying like crazy in his room after I put him to bed, so I rushed in and he was standing at the end of his crib, holding on for dear life, because, as much as he has mastered standing, he hasn't figured out how to get back down. Poor guy. He is eating the same repertoire he had last month, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, pears, and apples. He has reacted to carrots, so I am holding off on adding anymore until we see the GI specialist tomorrow. We are still struggling to get him to eat more during the day so he doesn't need to eat during the night. He is still a terrible sleeper, waking at least twice every night. Jason and I are still suffering from sleep deprivation, and honestly we aren't sure what to do at this point. I know it has to change soon though, because he is slowly driving us insane. Aside from that small issue, we are so happy we have him. He is so cute, still loves to cuddle, and now follows us around the house like a puppy. He loves to go outside, loves the swings, and adores going down the slide. I am looking forward to having another first Christmas, and seeing him tear all the paper (and eat some), and we are heading up to Boston this week for another conference, so he will get to see all the fun stuff it has to offer. I am dreading the long drive up there, but it will be worth it! Happy 7 months Charlie!

Charlie On the Move...

2011-11-17T11:22:00.000-08:00

He has risen, he has risen indeed...

2011-11-17T11:18:00.000-08:00

Charlie is on the move and now seems to be working on vertical movement as well as horizontal! This afternoon he crawled over to the toy bin, grabbed the side and hoisted himself right up. He wasn't too sure what to do once he got up there, so I helped him back safely to the floor. William and I were so proud of him!

The Darkest Hour is Just Before Dawn...

2011-11-15T09:54:00.000-08:00

Last night Charlie suddenly developed his first high fever. He was very fussy all day and wouldn't let me put him down. William and Charlie have a bad cold, but Charlie woke up last night about 10pm with a raging 103.6 temp. I hate fevers, but when they reach that level, they scare me terribly. After all, my next door neighbor is deaf only because of a high fever in infancy. I know what can happen, and I always fear a febrile seizure. I have been with 2 children during them and I don't ever want to do it again. I kept Charlie in bed with us, gave him cold pedialyte and ibuprofen, and prayed. He slept next to me all night with his hot, sweaty little body pressed up against me. Even his feet were burning up. He slept hard and only woke once, even though I was taking his temp often during the night. I barely slept, but much to my relief, the fever seems to be going down on it's own now. He is still super crabby, but I will gladly deal with that compared to the fear I was living through last night!

A Walk in the Woods...

2011-11-10T13:16:00.000-08:00

Nothing is as fun as holding a nice fat worm...

Will was pointing up at a bat house in the trees...

Ready to jump!

We are still enjoying every moment of fall. I have been taking the boys out as much as I can. There aren't many pictures of Charlie on these trips since he spends the time strapped to my back. Will loves doing all the same things I did as a kid, turning over large rocks and logs to see what is moving around down there. It is fascinating! I am so glad there are so many nice trails close to us. I know it helps us all to get out of the house, and all too soon we will be spending way too much time trapped inside these four walls!

First Friends...

2011-11-10T13:05:00.000-08:00

Lincoln is catching up fast! Look how chubby he is! Love it.

Both babies were giggling and smiling at eachother. I have a feeling these two will be buddies for a long time!
Will and Maya have always had a love/hate relationship, but these two are so much more layed back and not nearly as feisty! Thank goodness...

Preschool Picture...

2011-11-07T19:23:00.000-08:00

I scanned this off of the paper proof, so it's a little grainy, but you can see Will's first school picture turned out great!

Catch Up...

2011-11-07T18:31:00.000-08:00

I made 18 containers of Pears and 18 containers of Sweet Potatoes in less than 2 hours!

Charlie was thrilled...

Daddy took the boys to the park over the weekend...Will met a dog there that was less than friendly and has been telling everyone the dog bit him. It didn't.

Love. The. Hair.

A face full of concentration while waiting to go down the slide...

George Washington Pooped Here...

2011-11-03T19:23:00.000-07:00

This one's for you Molly! Will enjoyed a visit with "Martha Washington"...

Charlie hanging out after a diaper change on the porch of the house...As I was changing him I thought "Martha and George would be SO offended right now!" Ooops!

I call this Charlie's "Elvis face"...

William gets up close and personal with this ram...

Mommy and the Boys...

William climbing the granite blocks at the FDR memorial...

Charlie practiced crawling on the steps of the Jefferson Memorial...

We also stopped off at the new Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, it was great!
This quote really spoke to me...

The carving was huge, and honestly this picture doesn't do it justice...

Hiking...

2011-11-02T14:38:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Aunt Julie came to visit, so in the afternoon we went to Great Falls...

Aunt Julie and Pudd making friends...

We found Charlie this natural baby seat...

Mama and Charlie...

Will found a "cave"!

The Great Falls on the Potomac...

Today we decided to hike some more, so we went to Cunningham Falls State Park...

Will wanted to have his picture taken on this stump...

Will loved all the rocks to crawl on...

He went really high, often too high for Mommy's liking...

The falls...

Charlie developing a taste for nature...

Yum!

Halloween 2011...

2011-10-31T18:28:00.000-07:00

Iron Man shows his tough muscles!

My Iron Man and my Penguin...

Sweet Little Man!

Crawling across the bridge...

Iron Man is coming to the rescue!

Charlie's pumpkin was a kitty!

Will was more interested in this scarecrow than the candy the house was offering...

I think Will's favorite part of the whole night was scoring these glow in the dark vampire teeth!

We had a great Halloween with lots of sugar, lots of fun, and lots of friends. It started with more pumpkin carving, a community party, playground, and then trick or treating. It ended with sticky hands and vampire teeth. A perfect Halloween! Charlie was very interested in all the people dressed up, and he didn't seem to mind being dressed up like a penguin. He seemed to have a great first Halloween. Now to thin out the candy tonight and hide it so I can limit how much Will can eat in the coming days....

Halloween Train...

2011-10-28T18:29:00.000-07:00

We rode the Halloween train today, this area has 2, one is scary and this one is for the younger set, and is an "I Spy" theme...

The "I SPY" train runs at night also, so they have these flashlights hooked onto the seats so your kid can search for the items. Or, shine the light in Mom's eyes...

William was excited to find the objects!

He was studying the card intently...

If you can't "spy" these items, you shouldn't be allowed to drive home!

Charlie was staying snug in his car seat. It was only about 45 degrees!

William serenaded us with his "microphone" on the second half of the ride...

Sunbeams...

2011-10-28T18:21:00.000-07:00

Charlie noticed the sunbeams this morning and was FASCINATED!

"Mom, have you seen this?"

"I just can't quite get a hold of it!"

"Hey William, come see this!"

"It's crazy!"

Playground Fun!

2011-10-25T16:55:00.000-07:00

We are loving the crisp Autumn evenings! I love this time of year better than any other!

Pumpkin Carving...

2011-10-23T16:48:00.000-07:00

Will was all excited to start cleaning out the guts...

then he actually touched it, and decided to let Mom do it...

Ewww!

Mommy doesn't mind it a bit!

Will decides on a design with help from Mom....

Thankfully I had some pumpkin saws that were kid safe, or at least safer...

The finished product!

Jack o Lanterns are so amazing!

Happy Halloween!

Six Months with Charlie...

2011-10-21T17:29:00.000-07:00

Tearing up the table paper at the Dr's office...

Check out this crawling action!

Charlie has been in the outside world for a whole 6 months today. He went to the Dr today and is now 17lbs. 1oz, 26.3in tall, and his head is 43.5cm around. I think the head measurement was off last time, or maybe this time because it only changed 0.3 of a centimeter. In 2 months. I don't think that's possible. I wish they would let me do the measurements, especially since I actually know what I am doing. According to these he has gained 1 lb 10 oz , and grew 1.5inches in the last 2 months. Pretty good. Things continue to improve with the reflux, it's still not perfect, but it's pretty close. He loves being down on the floor now for most of the day, but spends many late afternoon hours in the Ergo. He actually gets excited when he sees me putting it on. I find I can get a lot more done during his fussy period if I just wear him. He is sleeping somewhat better, but still wakes at least once. We are trying hard to get him on a schedule/routine because I think he does better with some sense of what is coming next. He is amazingly mobile now, and is working so hard on actual crawling motions, he has all the right moves, but can't get the order down quite yet. He manages to get far though by squirming and pushing with his feet to shove himself forward. He still rolls well from tummy to back and has almost mastered back to tummy. His favorite things these days, other than Will, are his giraffe, his crinkle book, and his musical flowers. He recognizes his name and you can ask him where William is and he looks toward him. It's so sweet to see how much he loves him. We have had a wild 6 months, but I am so happy that God decided to send Charlie to us. I can't imagine our family without him!

Baby Mum Mums...

2011-10-19T19:13:00.000-07:00

Charlie has been so interested in eating our food, and Jason and I have been feeling very guilty, but with all the allergies we have been afraid to give him anything. I found these Mum Mums that are basically just rice flour and potato starch, with no dairy and no soy. He loved them and ate them like a champ. It was so nice to find something we can actually let him have, now lets just hope that he doesn't have a rash in the morning...

Toy Room Makeover...

2011-10-19T19:08:00.000-07:00

Before. Toy Overload!

Empty Closet: Full of Potential...

After Tidy Up! (In the time it took me to get the camera, Will took out a bunch of toys...)

Target Shelves, only $44 bucks!

It is so lovely to have such an organized space!

The Rest of Our Atlanta Trip....

2011-10-17T13:15:00.000-07:00

Will wanted me to take a picture of him and his new legos...

Will was NOT excited to wear the kilt, even for just a picture...

The Engine that took Will and I around the mountain...

Pumpkins!

Sheep Dog's hearding the sheep. It was really neat! The dogs lay down until they hear their particular whistle.

The band during the Parade of Tartans...

Uncle Kerry and the crew bringing in the Armstrong Coat of Arms...

Will got the chance to bang this drum! He was really pounding!

Charlie and Grandma Jeanie hanging out in the Patron's tent...

Will discovered Kerry's sgian dubh (pronounced SKEEN DEW)!

Be careful with that William!

After borrowing Uncle Kerry's hat, Will wanted to put it back on, backwards...

Charlie's turn with the hat!

Cute!

Uncle Kerry fills in for a teething ring!

We are back home and are very, very tired. We had a ball and I am so happy that the kids got to see the family and experience their Scottish heritage.

Civil War Memorial or The Confederate Mt Rushmore...

2011-10-15T19:46:00.000-07:00

This is the Confederacy's version of Mt Rushmore. It is over 30 acres total and took over 50 years to complete. It features Jefferson Davis, Robert E Lee, and Stonewall Jackson.

Thankfully they had this tram to take you to the top of the largest outcropping of granite in North America...

William loved being on top of the world!

Charlie didn't appreciate the wind...

The views were amazing. You could even see the skyline of Atlanta in the distance. (not in this picture though)

We waited for Daddy to get the car when Will got too tired to walk anymore and Jason got tired of carrying him...Tomorrow we ride the train all the way around the mountain and then more Scottish Festival!

Highland Games: Day 1...

2011-10-15T19:27:00.000-07:00

Irn Bru is a Scottish Soda, sort of like a barely carbonated orange Hi-C...

I finally tried Scotch Eggs and I LOVED them! It's an ancient breakfast sandwich! What's not to like? Eggs, sausage and bread crumbs all mashed together!

Our small clan outside the Armstrong tent...

Atlanta Update...

2011-10-14T19:57:00.000-07:00

Charlie is still working on mastering crawling...

Uncle Kerry and Charlie. I think they have very similar eyes....

We are having a very good time visiting here in Atlanta. Tomorrow is the start of the actual Scottish Festival, and we are looking forward to it. Today the men went to a Scotch tasting and came back well oiled, and then Kerry and Happy went to a formal affair in the evening. It was so fun seeing them get all dressed up in the whole garb. This weekend is supposed to be great weather, and we are really excited to see the festival. The internet at the hotel is pretty cruddy, so I will be posting more pictures from home....

Two Jolly Scotsmen...

2011-10-14T19:28:00.000-07:00

Uncle Kerry and Happy in full dress for the Patron's Reception at the hotel....
I love seeing them all dressed up!

Come On Get Happy....

2011-10-12T20:09:00.000-07:00

Will was very excited to see Grandpa Happy. He ran right up and gave him a big hug!

Charlie isn't as quick to warm up to people, so he decided it was better to give the guy the once over...

Will keeps attacking Happy at random moments. He adores him, and I hope Happy can survive all this love!

Pumpkin Time!

2011-10-10T14:59:00.000-07:00

Charlie rode in the Ergo the whole time...I LOVE this thing. You may look goofy while wearing it, but it doesn't stress my back at all!

Will loved the hayride out to the field...

Will is off to find the perfect pumpkin!

Charlie was our quality control guy...

Feeding the goats just never seems to get old for William...

Today was the best day that we have had for a long time. Jason had the day off since it was Columbus Day, and we had a fantastic day just hanging out with all 4 of us. We decided to go get the Halloween pumpkins since they tend to get picked over fast, and though it was really, really hot, we still had a good time. I do wish it had been cool and fall like though. It sort of killed the Halloween vibe when it's 80 degrees and you are sweating. Will is very excited to carve these pumpkins and I have a feeling we will be carving a little earlier than normal this year.

Neighborhood Octoberfest...

2011-10-09T18:44:00.000-07:00

William enjoyed his bavarian pretzel in many different ways...

Will in the tunnel maze...

Charlie discovers grass!

In the evening the Solon, Andrea, and the girls came over. We had a nice evening playing, eating, and chatting. Charlie loved all the attention, and Will was worn out!

My Little GERDling...

2011-10-04T18:02:00.000-07:00

Charlie is working hard on his tool bench...

I went to Children's to pick up some formula from the drug rep for Abbott, and I met this Mom who has a son who is very similar to Charlie. We started talking about medications and she said that her son was on the same medicine the Dr had wanted us to start, but we hadn't started yet. We have been afraid to start the medication because of side effects, but she said that it has been a wonder drug for them. I decided to try it and already we are seeing a huge difference. Typically, Charlie hasn't been able to drink more than a few ounces at a time and often by 5pm he will have only had 10 ounces or so. Not good. This medicine is supposed to speed up his gastric motility. Today he has had 5 ounces every 3 hours all day! This is huge! He really seems hungry! I really, really hope that this continues and it helps my little boy feel better.

Moments...

2011-10-04T17:51:00.000-07:00

Time is passing all too quickly. I know these two boys are little now, but I can see them growing and changing every day and I am trying to soak in every moment. As tough as life can be right now, I also realize that all too soon my boys will be men and I will have a quiet, clean house again, but miss these days terribly. There is nothing better in this whole world than raising your kids. I am so glad that Jason and I have been able to arrange it so I could stay home all week. I just can't imagine missing out on this...I would rather be in debt forever than return to work full time again!

Will and Charlie...

2011-09-30T16:10:00.000-07:00

Finally Fall...

2011-09-30T16:06:00.000-07:00

A haggard looking Mommy and Charlie...

Will preparing to fly...

Charlie lovin' the swing...

Will playing black widow spider...I was his prey! Yikes!

Preparing to pounce from his web, like a jumping spider...

Charlie has figured out how to grab the canopy of the car seat and move it back and forth! So clever!

My baby is much happier these days with all the changes...I love seeing him smile!

The temps are FINALLY cooling down, again. We spent 3 hours at the park today enjoying the cooler weather and are really, really hoping that we are done with 80's and 90's till next year. We got Will's haircut today too, as you can see in the pictures, and he also got new shoes today. Poor Charlie didn't get anything fun today, but it wasn't from lack of looking. I saved all the great toys from William, so I just didn't see anything wonderful that we didn't already have. We ate dinner on the deck, which was lovely and only suffered 2 mosquito bites! A busy weekend is upon us so I am glad I was able to spend lots of fun time with my boys today, since I will be missing them so much over the next 2...

Why I Hate Electronics...

2011-09-28T18:04:00.000-07:00

Solon had his I Phone with him when he came over this weekend. Within minutes of seeing it and watching it work William was obsessed with it. Alessandra already is. I hate seeing kids hooked on a screen. I realize that in the years to come my kids may hate me when I say no to all these gadgets and video games, but I hate to see them staring at a screen when they could be reading, having fun outside, or doing something fun like cooking or art. I want them to develop a love for living an ACTUAL life, not a virtual one. We have one TV, one computer, and a flip phone. I love that our evenings are spent together playing, reading, and going on walks. I hope when they grow older, my kids will understand why I was so adamant about keeping these flashing lights out of the house...and I hope they don't end up eternally obsessed with the damn things because I kept them away from it!

Hi Charlie!

2011-09-28T17:53:00.000-07:00

Apple Pickin' Time!

2011-09-24T18:01:00.000-07:00

Hey! Leave some room for the apples!

William picked this beauty first...he finally has learned to pick off the tree and not off the ground.

Gabriela was clearly thrilled to be picking apples!

Three crazy cousins!

Four Crazy Cousins!

Feeding the sheep...

Alessandra was more cautious while feeding the animals...

Enjoying our harvest!

Charlie is always so intrigued by the big kids...

Training Charlie for next year...

Today, Uncle Solon came over with the girls and we loaded up after I got home from work and headed off to the orchard. It was lots of fun, and the girls really enjoyed it. They had never been apple picking before and Gabriela was kinda disappointed when she found out we wouldn't be climbing ladders. We explained that they keep the trees trained low so ladders aren't really needed. I wore Charlie in the Ergo and the kids had a ball being hauled around in the wheel barrow. We got a lot of apples and cider to enjoy, and when we got home I whipped up a quick apple pie which turned out pretty great. Tree to pie in less than 4 hours! It was great to get out and enjoy the fall, even if it was still close to 80!

Charlie x 5 Months...

2011-09-20T18:05:00.000-07:00

Time flies when you're having fun! Tomorrow Charlie is 5 months. He is trying really hard to sit, is working really hard at perfecting rolling over from his back to his tummy, and is moving backwards really well. I leave the room and come back to find him in a totally different area than where I left him. He is still not sleeping great these days, but between his first cold, his teeth and the reflux, who can blame him? His favorite toys are his squeaky giraffe, and his mirror and his biggest entertainment source: William. He still loves his binky with a passion, and can even pop it back in on his own sometimes. He seems to be developing so fast these days, I can't wait to see what he is doing in a month! For the record he was 16lbs 6oz today and 24.5 inches long.

A New Plan...

2011-09-20T17:56:00.000-07:00

Dr B came up with a new plan for Charlie today.
1. Change Formula to Elecare, which is a amino acid based formula (not milk or soy based at all) to help heal his gut and stop the allergic reaction.
2. Thicken all feedings with rice cereal
3. No solid foods for 2 more months until we see him again
4. Keep feedings small and frequent
5. Increase gastric motility with medicine to see if that helps the reflux as well.
6. Stay on both Prevacid and Zantac for now with Mylanta as needed.

The formula is an even more expensive one, and you can't even buy it over the counter! I now have to start the whole process over with the insurance company, but this time it should be easier, since they already know he has the condition. Poor Charlie. I hope all these changes will help him. The Dr did seem to think though that he will improve over time with age, as his gut matures. I am just very happy that no surgery is needed!

Visual Proof...

2011-09-19T09:39:00.000-07:00

This is the view of Charlie actually drinking the barium contrast. You can see the nipple in his mouth and the contrast going down his esophagus into his stomach. Neat!

When his tummy was full and it was starting to empty through into the pyloric sphincter, they stop feeding him and watch what happens. This is the view of what shouldn't be happening. The top of the stomach doesn't shut properly and all that contrast is just filling his esophagus again, all the way back up to his mouth. Yikes! No wonder he is in pain so often, and I have to go through so many outfits and burp cloths!

NOT YET CHARLIE!!!

2011-09-18T15:56:00.000-07:00

READY...

SET....

GO!!!

Family Day...

2011-09-18T15:55:00.000-07:00

My Fertility Clinic hosts a picnic every year for families to bring their babies back and see the staff and Dr's who helped them. This year they had this man: Oops the Clown making balloon animals.

William wanted a balloon hat, but was really more interested in his hand pump...Oops was nice enough to let him blow up a balloon with it.

He did a great job, with a little help from Daddy.

At the end of it all, William decided he didn't want to wear the hat, so our buddy Jack wore it for him...

Kelsey and Charlie hung out together and played mini golf...

It was great seeing some of my former patients and seeing the babies that we helped create. Whenever I meet someone who has a problem with fertility treatment, I would love to take them to one of these functions and show them all the families that we create and all the love that is created along with it. I love what I do!

Crisp Fall Days...

2011-09-18T15:48:00.000-07:00

Daddy and the boys got out and enjoyed the chilly fall weather on Saturday. They stopped to play at the park and then continued on to lunch at Panera. Will ate a whole bagel plus a whole serving of mac n cheese. I guess he is entering another growth spurt. Charlie loves the swings these days and it is so surreal to see Charlie in the same swings that William was in as a little baby too. It's almost like stepping back in time. I can't wait till we are out of debt and I can spend the weekends with these guys! These pictures show how much I miss...

Fall is Coming!

2011-09-16T09:02:00.000-07:00

Enjoying some outdoor jumping time!

I think these eyes MIGHT just stay blue...

Nothing says pure bliss like swinging half naked when it's 50 degrees outside!

The next week is supposed to be lovely. 40's and 50's at night and high 60's and low 70's during the day. Lovely! Bring on the fall! Whoohoo!

Charlie Update...

2011-09-15T17:42:00.000-07:00

Charlie is fascinated by the blinking lights on his baby MP3 player...

working toward the french fries...for a kid who can't actually crawl he gets around an amazing amount!

French fries have how many calories??

Charlie is still growing like a weed and getting closer and closer to getting his belly up off the ground. It is so scary that he may be mobile soon. The baby gates will have to come out again and all the cords will have to be secured again. Cabinet locks, and all that fun. He is finally sleeping better again, but teething has been affecting that somewhat. He seems to be getting the two center bottom teeth together, you can just see the little corners poking through. His reflux is still bad and he still has episodes of pain daily, so next week he is having a barium swallow(shows if there is reflux and how bad it is.) and he is seeing the GI specialists at Children's after that. He seems to be reacting to most of the solids we have tried so I think we will be stopping those until after 6 months, maybe even 9. I guess it's pretty common with babies that have MSPI(milk,soy protein intolerance). The Alimentum is working well though. I just wish it weren't so expensive. I am so happy that insurance is covering 75% but our copays are still very steep. Charlie is still on the Prevacid, and taking Zantac in the evening as well. All in all he is WAY better than he was before the meds and the formula change, but it's still hard to see him in pain and see him gagging and coughing throughout the day. I hope that the GI docs can help him. Other than that he seems pretty happy with life. He sleeps well at naptime, loves to watch out the windows and ADORES watching his brother do crazy things. He laughs and laughs when Will jumps onto the couch landing directly in front of him. Almost getting squashed is SO funny apparently. He is very cuddly and adorable and loves to be held and carried. He is really getting excited to read books these days and loves to pat the pictures and chew the corners. We are trying to get him included in the bedtime routine more and more, but he usually needs to go to bed after one story. He loves his pacifiers, which is a surprise because Will never really liked one. The Dr's say it helps keep the stomach acid down so I am letting him have it. We are so happy to have this little man in our family. It seems like we have always had him now. How did we ever live without him?

Yet ANOTHER Farm Trip...

2011-09-15T17:16:00.000-07:00

Will was immediately befriended by the farm dog, Rose...

William was immediately trying to befriend the cat...it wasn't reciprocated, but it was tolerated.

The cows were stopping by for a drink on their way into the milking parlor...William was watching out for the splash from this...

This cow was drinking right from the stream, and splashing us with every lick!

Piglets!

The calves were curious to see if William had milk in his shoes...

Will stayed in this tractor for 20 minutes, then I was finally able to drag him away...

Will quickly gave up trying to feed the calves when he realized how heavy those 2 liter bottles are and how much the babies butt into the bottles...I fed a total of 7, including one that was born yesterday!

Charlie was content to stay cozy and semi dry in his car seat while we did our farm chores!

Johnny Jump Up Part 2....

2011-09-11T18:09:00.000-07:00

William eating the Johnny Jump Up in July of 2008...

Charlie eating the Johnny Jump Up today...

Leaving the Nest...

2011-09-08T09:09:00.000-07:00

William's First Day of Preschool!!!

2011-09-08T09:06:00.000-07:00

Ready to go!

Will was thrilled this morning to finally go to Big Boy School. He and Daddy went to the first day together and Daddy said he was so happy the whole time. I think he is going to have a hard time adjusting to the routines: circle time, waiting in line, asking permission, taking turns and sharing. But I am sure he will catch on pretty quickly, or he will be spending a lot of time in the uncooperative chair. The teacher asked him to share a toy with another boy and he said "But I don't like sharing." she laughed and told him he has to do it anyway. One of the teachers is much more firm and I think she will handle him well. There are 3 other boys and 5 girls in his class, and 2 teachers so I am loving the ratio. I can't wait to see how he reacts next week when Charlie and I drop him off and leave.....

First Friends...

2011-09-07T19:49:00.000-07:00

Charlie and Lincoln are about 2 and 1/2 months apart...

It's amazing to see how much of a difference that makes!

Charlie looks concerned by Lincoln's flailing limbs...

Baby In the Mirror...

2011-09-07T19:46:00.000-07:00

Like many babies before him, Charlie loves the "Baby in the Mirror"...

DC with Daddy...

2011-09-04T18:02:00.000-07:00

Will studies a T-Rex Toe Fossil...

Checking out the fossils up close...

Charlie was exploring too!

Will and Charlie contemplate modern art together...

Will takes it all in...

I think it just blew Charlie's mind!

Will joins Charlie in the stoller on the mall...

Will loves the book "The Glorious Flight" about the first man to fly across the English Channel. This was one of the planes created by Louis Bleriot. Will was thrilled!

Charlie's first ride on the Carousel at the Mall...

Will's 50th ride on the Carousel at the Mall...(just kidding!)

Always thrilling!

Cooling off at the Sculpture Park Fountains...

Ready to call it a day!

Sweet Potatoes...

2011-09-04T17:51:00.000-07:00

Apparently, sweet potatoes are a hit!

William 3.5...

2011-09-01T09:35:00.000-07:00

In just a few days my beautiful boy will be three and a half. Amazing. He is at such an interesting and fun age right now. He is very passionate about his likes and dislikes and seems to be obsessed with a different hero each week. He is currently hooked on Diego, and he is featured in many, many hours of play. He has picked up quite a bit of Spanish from him. He counts, uno, dos, tres, guapo, cinco, seis...etc. I love that he says guapo, which means "handsome". So cute. I haven't forced him to change it yet. He still adores reading, and knows all his letters and most of the sounds they make. He is trying to sound out words in books if he is in the mood. He has a few more fears than he used to, he isn't crazy about the dark, and still hates loud noises. He is a master negotiator, and is the most social thing I have ever seen. He tries to talk to anyone, and most conversations go like this: "Hello!" "What your name is?" person answers, and asks what his name is, he says "I'm William(sometimes adding Olen Simmons) " then he says "-- what are you doing here?" This is his patent conversation starter. Most people are very sweet to him and carry on a conversation with him. He has invited people back to our house on multiple occasions and even back to our hotel room in Maine. He asks many questions, "Why are you brown? Why are you in that chair with wheels? Why do you have that brace on your hand? Does that boy belong to you?" All kinds of mildly embarrassing questions. He still adores Charlie and looks out for his well being frequently. He will ask where he is, or will try and entertain him if he is fussy. Today he said "Charlie's crying. I think he's freaking out!" He is still very physical, and needs lots of opportunities to move, and we try our best to allow for that. He just isn't good at sitting, but occasionally will surprise us. He is very excited to go to preschool and he will be starting next week! His teacher is very nice, I sat in on her class when I went to see the school. I am glad he will have this chance to play with other kids and have some structured time, hopefully this will make the transition to Kindergarten easier for him. It's just 2 days a week for 3 hours, so it won't be too tough on him. I just hope he keeps his pants on....

Soak Up the Sun...

2011-08-31T10:23:00.000-07:00

The Park has this fantastic sand pit, and even tools to play with!

Will entertains Charlie at the picnic table...

Then he ran off, leaving Charlie feeling quite jilted!

So, Charlie turned to Mommy for entertainment...

while occasionally watching William from a distance...

I love close up shots of babies, they have such gorgeous skin!

William gives Mom his fake, picture smile...

Spoon Feeding Begins, or, "How to Use the Same Spoonfull of Cereal 4 Times"

2011-08-31T10:18:00.000-07:00

I was told at the last Dr visit to start Charlie on cereal. I tried it yesterday and I don't think he's quite ready. He still has the tongue thrust thing going on and just kept moving it back out. I will try again in a couple of weeks. I get tired of scraping it off his chin over and over! It won't be long before he is eating it like a pro, but I don't have a problem waiting a little longer.

What Mommy Misses on the Weekends...

2011-08-31T10:11:00.000-07:00

I was home from work early on Sunday due to the hurricane and watched as William went in, got the funny pages, and proceeded to climb up and get himself settled to read his paper. So funny! Jason told me he does it every weekend. I had no idea. Note that the paper is upside down, so I'm not sure how much he's getting out of it, but I love seeing him copy Daddy!

Refuge...

2011-08-28T18:43:00.000-07:00

With Hurricane Irene came no electricity, so after I came home from work we went to Uncle Solon's house and sought refuge. We had a great time and Will ran around and played with the girls and the kids occasionally made pit stops to play with Charlie. We all needed to decompress from the last week. An earthquake and a hurricane are really more than we can handle in less than 5 days!

Bowling With Babies...

2011-08-26T13:07:00.000-07:00

Ready?

Roll!

Will and Tyler both loved watching for the ball to come back...

Charlie observed the entire episode with a sense of dignity...


The scoreboard speaks for itself. Note that the two kids and two of the ladies scored the same!

Park Therapy...

2011-08-23T17:38:00.000-07:00

After the earthquake today Daddy got to come home early so we headed to the same park we went to yesterday to show him what it was like. We had a fantastic time and it was nice relaxing after what was a stressfull afternoon...

Charlie enjoys the swing for the first time...

Bubbles!

Riding in the back of the car at the playground. Will was driving...

Will climbing the rock wall...

Charlie climbing up to meet brother!

4 Month Well Charlie Stats and a Visit to the Park...

2011-08-22T15:48:00.000-07:00

My Little Boy...

The thrill of sliding down head first!

Charlie rides the train!

William rides the train!

A rarely seen family shot...

This litter eating pig scared William to death. It talks and makes oinking sounds which did not appeal to him...

Charlie weighed in at 15lbs 7oz, which is much smaller than William was at this age. (17lbs 7oz.) Height wise he is supposedly 24.8 inches long, but honestly I think she wasn't quite measuring him correctly. This puts him in the 44th% for height, 62nd% for weight, and his head was in the 75th% at 43.2 cm. I think I will remeasure him at home today and see if I get the same length.... Anyway, he had the shots and cried, and I felt very sad, but he perked up again right away and other than a little soreness in his legs he seems to be fine. She said we could start rice cereal daily now and start veggies later this month. We spent the afternoon at the park and had a ball. It was only 83degrees and it felt wonderful!

Charlie at 4 Months!!!

2011-08-21T16:18:00.000-07:00

I can't believe my baby is already 4 months! I wish I could slow it down. I already see all these changes in him that only can lead to one thing: growing up. So depressing. I love Charlie so much, he is so sweet and cuddly! He snuggles so nicely into my chest and thrills when I come into his line of vision. I love having another baby. At 4 months he is rolling from tummy to back, can reach out and grasp things well, he can get things into his mouth pretty well, and is really laughing out loud frequently. He is still enamoured with Will and pays attention any time he hears him nearby. He is still much more serious than William was. He won't smile or laugh at just anybody or anything. He is sleeping better for the most part these days, typically sleeping from 9:30pm to 4, eats, and then goes back to sleep till 7:30 or 8. He takes one really long nap in the morning and another in the afternoon. We are going to be starting solids pretty soon, and I am actually looking forward to it! I think he will get a kick out of sitting at the table with us. We will see what kind of combos I come up with this time! I really enjoyed creating baby food...

Montgomery County Fair or, How to Spend 60 Bucks in Four Hours...

2011-08-17T17:12:00.000-07:00

Last Christmas Will refused to go on a pony ride, so I was shocked when he insisted upon doing it today and hopped right on!

The 4-H kids running it were very nice. I can't wait till Will is old enough to do 4-H!

Will did all the kiddie rides today. Note that he drives on the wrong side like the Brits!

Preparing mentally for his helicopter ride...

Hi Mom!

He's in there!

He won 2 prizes today. A stuffed clown fish and an inflatable baby alien. (Don't ask)

Lookin' tough on his 4 Wheeler...

Revving the engine!

Charlie and Mommy joined Will on the ferris wheel. It was a lot of fun, and Charlie even got held by the carnie while Mommy got in and out!

Will was thrilled, as you can plainly see!

This was our next to last ride, and by the looks of those clouds, we were leaving just in time!

Will's last ride was this rocking tug boat. A great end to a fun day!

A Room For Charlie...

2011-08-16T15:38:00.000-07:00

Charlie seems quite pleased with his new space...

Our good ole' rocking chair, lots of board books, and some stuffed friends...

The dresser and changing station fit nicely...

I think the pictures turned out well. They match his bedding very nicely!


Charlie enjoys his fist in his new digs...

There are just a few more things I need to set up, but for the most part it's done. He slept in his room last night, and I spent much of the night thinking that I heard him but then realizing he was still asleep. We are so close that I don't really want to set up the baby monitor, and with his lungs, it really does seem unnecessary.

Strange "English" on Foreign Clothing...

2011-08-15T20:07:00.000-07:00

Aunt Molly sent Charlie this cute sleeper from France when she was there recently. I figured she would like to see him in it, but I also enjoy pointing out how foreign countries love to put English on clothing to make it seem cool. More often that not, it doesn't make a lot of sense. So, where is your carrot Bunny? Je ne sais pas...

Lake Winnipesaukee...

2011-08-13T07:21:00.000-07:00

It is such a lovely place! I can see why people have been vacationing here for generations. The water is crystal clear, cold, and unspoiled. The setting is fantastic. Mountains, trees, and water. It reminded me so much of home...

Polar Caves...

2011-08-13T07:17:00.000-07:00

Will got to feed deer and ducks, by far his favorite part!

This was part of the cave passage. I would never have been able to fit through there in a million years!

Mommy had a ball sluicing!

This area was formed when glaciers dropped enormous granite rocks which piled up and created caves/nooks and crannies. There were about 6 caves that you could go through. Charlie and Mommy went through one, and decided that was enough. Daddy and Will did all of them. Will had a ball, and Jason was able to handle all those tight, cramped spaces. Ick. I felt suffocated by the lack of fresh air, and the low ceilings and tight spaces. Charlie and I walked on the boardwalk bypasses, and enjoyed the fantastic views of the mountains in the distance. It was a great place for kids and was just the right length for kids under 7 or so. I think an older kid, or adult would have been bored after 45 minutes. After the caves we got to use the sluice and find gems and minerals. That was my favorite part! I found lots of little goodies which Will was very happy to carry around. Treasure!

Squam Lake Science Center...

2011-08-13T07:03:00.000-07:00

The New Hampshire woods are very thick and lush this time of year...

Will compared his paws to the bobcats...

Charlie loved the woods and seemed to adore the bumpy ride along the trails...

This reminds me of Max in "How the Grinch Stole Christmas"..."and he tied a big horn on the top of his head.."

The children's center had these neat tunnels the kids could crawl through and pretend to be a gopher...

All the kids loved this huge spider web...

The nature center was so much fun. The animals were all well taken care of and had nice habitats, but were easy to see. Will had a great time and slept very well that night after all that activity. My favorite part was seeing the black bears up close, they were so cute and chubby! If we return to Holderness next year, we will certainly go back here.

Wierd Stuff in Antique Stores...

2011-08-13T06:54:00.000-07:00

This was in the window of an antique store in Ashland, NH. It reminded me of the one in the movie "Funny Farm". I am not a fan of taxidermy...

The Common Man Inn

2011-08-13T06:52:00.000-07:00

The bed was very comfy, and all the pillow choices were great!

The couch pulls out and that's where Will slept...

The TV is hidden behind the shutters above the fireplace!

The tub was so great! I loved all the jets in this one, especially on my back.

My Mom wanted to know what our hotel room looked like...please ignore all the stuff strewn about!

Kayaking with Daddy...

2011-08-09T13:54:00.000-07:00

Jason and I were both worried about William being out on the water, but in the end he did great! He loved it and came back with all sorts of wild tales. They were both very wet, but had a great time. I am so jealous, and sad that I missed seeing it live, but these pictures turned out great, even if the camera will have to dry out for a few days!