Just Some Fun Photos

Working at the Car Wash

I love my cereal!

If only he slept like this at night...

Baking graham crackers... their future wives will thank me!

Visiting Oma

Painting with water

Cousins

This weekend went by really fast! On Saturday morning, Alex and I drove to Detroit for a short visit with Maran and Allie. Maran hadn't met Alex yet and I hadn't met Allie. It was great to see them. Alex enjoyed meeting his cousin. They had fun playing on the mat and spent some time on their tummies. While we were in Detroit, Phil and Will went to the Farmer's Market and Java Gym. We were invited to a pool party at Phil's former boss's house. Phil and Will went at about 4pm and Alex and I joined them once we got home. Will played in the pool for a bit and had fun running around their yard. He also had Paul and Beth wrapped around his little finger - they kept giving him crackers with cheese and diet coke. After a while, he wanted to get out of his wet suit. But then an hour later he really wanted to get back in the pool. Which he did... fully dressed.


On Sunday, we did a lot of stuff around the house. We did a lot of watering, cleaning, etc. We also took apart our small shed and built a frame/platform for our new/larger shed. Will spent a lot of time playing outside: riding his bike, watering the grass, playing with chalk, etc.


Update on Alex: he has completely regressed as a sleeper. For the past 4 nights, he has been getting up multiple times and won't put himself back to sleep. He is almost 6 months and 15 lbs so he should be sleeping 8 hours. A few weeks ago, we called the pediatrician because he kept waking up at 1am. They said to let him go until 2am (roughly a 6 hour stretch) and see if we could "reset" his sleeping and then start increasing the length he sleeps at night. Well, it appears it backfired. He slept one night from 8:30 - 5am but then had 4 bad nights in a row. I don't know if it is teething (but his gums don't look swollen), an ear infection (but still naps well and doesn't show other symptoms), growth spurt (maybe?) or the fact that he is very mobile in crib and gets himself into some predicaments (see below). Hopefully it corrects itself soon...

Meeting Aunt Maran

Meeting Allie for the first time

Sweet (very) little Allie

Alex showing off during tummy time

Big Boy Stroller - he loves it!

Taking another quick dip at "Mr. PTs" - you can't tell but he is in up to his waist.

"You'll have a great story to tell... and I do"

I took Will (and Alex) to see Jeff Kagen and Page perform at a branch of the GR Public Library. Jeff Kagen's "Songs from the Trail" have been a staple in our house...and car for the past 2 years. He first did a show in Grand Rapids at Reed's Lake when Will was only 4 months old. I bought a CD (since I graduated from high school with him) and we have been listening ever since. We've added 2 additional CDs and Will can now sing along to most of the songs.

He was very excited when I told him Jeff and Paige were coming to town. All week he's been asking if they were taking 2 planes from Colorado or just one and if they were in Grand Rapids yet. The morning of the show, he kept asking when we were going to leave because he didn't want to miss it.

Jeff saw us in the audience during sound check and came over to say hi which Will thought was super cool. He got an autograph and a high five which he tells everyone about.

First ripe tomato of the season

Watching Jeff Kagen and Paige - The Bobcat Walk

Will and Alex got an autographed CD - and a High Five!

Will singing another Jeff Kagen song at Home:

Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day! We had a nice Father's Day weekend.  On Friday night, we followed tradition and went to Ramona's Table.  We ran into the Rectors and the Harts and had a nice time chatting with them.  Will has made friends with the owners and they let him carry his own food to the table and joke around with him which he really likes.  On Saturday morning, we went to the Farmer's Market and then walked up to Gaslight for the Clothesline Art Fair.  We didn't make any purchases but stopped at the lake so Will could throw some rocks in the water.  We stayed in and grilled Saturday night (with fresh meat, cheese, and bread from the Farmer's Market).  On Sunday morning, we went out to breakfast and walked around downtown before it started to rain.  We were going to take Will to Java Gym but they were closed for Father's Day so we went to the mall for him to run around a bit.  Then we made a quick stop at Lowe's before heading home for the night. 

Will and Alex really seem to like each other.  Whenever Will is in the room, Alex has his eyes on him.  Will likes to dance around and be silly to get Alex to laugh. 

We've been having fun with water balloons lately - although, it takes much longer to fill them up than it takes for Will to throw them on the ground. Even Alex enjoys watching Will play with them. He giggles if he gets splashed  when they pop. 

Funny Face

Excitment on our walk to town

Happy Father's Day!

Birthday Party!

Singing Happy Birthday

Yummy Toes!

  .

 

Alex's 4 Month Photos

Here are a few of Alex's 4 month photos.

Cincinnati - Part 3

On Sunday, we were lucky and got to go to Jeff's parents' house to swim. Will spent most of his time on the steps filling/pouring buckets and using the water guns. He finally got adventurous and went for a ride on one of the rafts around the pool. Alex (sporting a pink UV top) dipped his toes in the water and immediately started to cry. It was a little too chilly for him. He sat on a raft for a bit and then hung out in the Bumbo near the pool. Then Phil (who also thought the water was too cold) walked him around while the rest of us played. We had lunch at the pool and then went home for naps. Will again refused to nap so we went for a walk around the neighborhood. We all met at Skyline for dinner (a tradition) and then went back to Mimi and GBob's for Mimi's birthday treats. The kids were sad to say goodbye but are already looking forward to our trip next summer.

The trip home on Monday was uneventful. Both kids were pretty worn out. Alex slept a good portion of the trip and Will tried out the DVD player in the minivan for the first time. When we were about 20 minuts from home, he whimpered and said, "Mom, I just can't sit in this carseat anymore. I need to get out!" I was right there with him...

Too cold!

Water fight

GBob and Abbey

Looking pretty sporty

Going for a ride

Nice 'do

Towel picnic

Ready for his first trip to Skyline

Yum!

Cincinnati - Part 2

On Saturday morning, we met up with the Smiths at the playground for a while. The big kids had fun chasing each other around and Alex had fun watching. Then we went back home for lunch and the kids had a squirt gun fight in the backyard. Then the Smith's went home for naps/rest and Alex took a nap. Will decided he'd rather play and managed to get himself soaked in the backyard.

At 3pm, we took the "big kids" downtown to see the Tigers vs. Reds game. Grann, Mimi, and GBob volunteered to stay home with Alex and Lyla. We got to the ballpark with a little time to spare. The kids did a good job sitting in their seats (food helped) through the 5th inning. Then we went down to the kids' area and let them play and run the bases. We left the park in the 8th inning. It was a lot of fun to see the stadium.

Hanging out with Uncle Jeff at the Playground

GBob and his crew

Trying out big brother's car seat

On a mission

Cooling off

At the ballpark

Abbey and Owen

Great shot!

Running the bases

Cooling off at the game