One Year

It seems like a very long time ago that I was in the hospital holding this teeny, purple, brand new baby, but I can hardly believe that Blake is now a year old.

We threw a fun party for Blake's first birthday on Saturday (post to follow). Sunday was his actual birthday & we went on a fall outing with Auntie Boo & Grandma Jo to Sky Nursery. He went on a similar outing to Swanson's Nursery last fall when he was just nine days old. See for yourself the difference a year can make.  :)

My little baby is getting so big. Today at his one-year well check he weighed in at 22.5 lbs & 31 inches tall. He's walking & babbling & pointing & exploring.

It is so exciting to watch his personality & skills grow & develop. He discovers new things every day & is constantly adjusting & learning.

Some of my favorites...

His kisses -- gentle head butts.
His skunk stripe mohawk.
The way he points at things & says "ooh".
The excited giggle when he wants something (food, milk snack, favorite book).
His cute little mouth -- it was one of my favorite things about him when he was first born. He has my family's full lower lip.
Wrestling together on our bed after his bath.
 Stuffing his cheeks full of fruit till he looks like a little squirrel -- if he had his way he would eat only meat & fruit.
Baby belly laughs.
His love of music -- he asks for music with our own made up sign & then dances happily.
The way he kicks his feet when you pick him up.
His solemn face when he's outside, taking everything in.
When he puts a bandana over his head to play peek-a-boo.
Tired snuggles. 

Blake is so friendly & outgoing, eager to interact with people, especially those he hasn't met (you've never seen a bigger flirt in the grocery store). He's also pensive at times, processing his surroundings, especially when outdoors. He has extremely good hearing & is very sensitive to sudden, loud noises (he used to cry when Levi sneezed). Dogs are a huge favorite & he makes the doggy sign a dozen times a day -- when he sees our neighbor's dog, when he sees a dog in a book, when he thinks something looks like a dog, & even when there's no dog in sight & he's just thinking about them. It won't be a surprise if that's his first word.

And like every mother, I'm so excited for the boy he is becoming but so wistful for the baby that he is outgrowing.

Happy First Birthday, Blakey!
We love you so.

 More photos from his birthday outing.

Blakey & Calvin have a special relationship.

 

Walking

While Blake took his very first steps a couple weeks ago, much of his walking has been us standing him up & providing lots of encouragement to take a few small steps forward & fall into the arms of the other parent/grandma. Now, we can officially declare that he is walking. Yesterday afternoon he was playing in the living room & I stopped by birthday party preparations to watch him. He had figured out how to go from sitting to standing -- he would stand, take a few steps, fall, stand again, fall, stand again, repeat. Within an hour, he had it down & is now standing & toddling off, completely on his own. And perhaps more exciting (or frightening?), he will now choose often to walk, rather than crawl. Our little boy is getting so big!

37/52

"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2013."

Pumpkin

Don't want to leave you hanging while I'm trying to catch up on posts, so here's a fun one. 

 

36/52

"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2013."

35/52

"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2013."

Vacation Part II - Chelan

Chelan was the second half of our 11 day vacation in August. This is now the third summer that the Western boys & their families gather together. It varies who can make it year to year & this was our first time at Robin's (Chris' wonderful new wife) family cabin right on Lake Chelan. It was great to be right on the lake! This year we had 5 families with a total of 10 adults & 6 kids.

We were in or around the water all day, every day!

Definitely the cutest kids on the lake.

We had one really bad night when these came through...

But fortunately Chris & Robin were equipped with a dozen different coffees for us to try, with Robin choosing the coffee for her family's new hotel in Leavenworth. Much hilarity over the taste tests ensued, but we like to think we helped pick the best coffee.

Amidst it all, we got some time to relax too -- sitting on the porch in the evenings, watching the sunset, telling stories & laughing. The ladies even went wine tasting at a winery just up the road. We had a lovely afternoon sitting in the sunshine, sipping wine & visiting. I really enjoyed this time we had to connect as friends, without our husbands or kids.

We're already looking forward to next summer's weekend with this fantastic crew!

Vacation Part I - Bend

Seven days in Bend, Oregon.

Spectacular scenery & awesome bike rides.

Blake's first time at Phil's Trailhead!

 Cameron mountain biked for the first time -- he did so great!

Relaxing, playing, eating, hiking with wonderful friends.

Bend Brew Fest & lots of local breweries.
Levi completed the Bend Trail of Ales -- visiting 10 breweries.
Favorites: Crux & Good Times.

Good times.

We're back!

The bags are unpacked, bikes & gear all back in the garage, & most of the laundry is done. We were gone for 11 days -- a week in Bend & 4 days on the shores of Lake Chelan. I just read an article about traveling with kids. "With little kids, you take trips, not vacations." While I totally understand that now, I think we did pretty well -- we each got in good mountain biking, time with friends, & even perhaps a little relaxing (after Blake was in bed). Of course, it only gets more chaotic from here, as the little man gets older.

This week back has been busy, catching up & my work steadily getting busier with the high season in this biz quickly approaching. Every week brings reoccurring realizations of how hard it is to work full time, raise a child, keep a household, & squeeze in time to maintain/nurture myself & my relationships. And I have a flexible work schedule & a wonderful grandma-nanny who comes to my house! Suffice to say, there are breakdown moments, & each one brings new respect & awe (& disbelief) for my friends, family & the millions of other women (& their families) who struggle every day to get everything done & still retain their sanity.

In the chaos, let's not forget to reach out & support one another. I am so incredibly thankful for the people in my life who support me with early morning runs & afternoon bike rides, coffee chats & dinner dates, babysitting & play dates, kitchen cleaning & garden maintenance, quick visits & bouldering sessions, & so many other ways.

And especially for my husband, who gets to live with me & my breakdowns, & constantly provides support & solutions, even when I think I don't want them.