One, two, three

For it's one, two, three strikes, you're out,
At the old ball game.

Did you know that the words to "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" were written in 1908? And scratched down while riding the subway? And that there are actual versus to this song (more than one!) and that the part we all know in our head is just the chorus?

Anyway, we were so fortune to get box seats from a friend this past week. The weather was in the 70s, the home team won, and we enjoyed peanuts, popcorn, sunshine, a baby in a Seattle Mariners onsie, a family date night, and we even made it on the big screen during the game. Fun times!

Pregame...



Family snapshot...


Watching the game...

I deserve

What is it that I so deserve you ask?



Really?






I so deserve a dramatic child!

Guess who

Guess who is crawling?!?! After a couple of weeks of "downward dog" and lots of rocking on his hands and knees, Ryan is crawling! Yay! I have lots of new photos to post and will get them up soon. Things have been pretty busy around here but I will MAKE the time this weekend to offer out some new baby eye candy :) Happy Thursday!

Eight Months

Happy 8 months sweet boy! ♥



What are you up to these days?

• Your hands are busy! You can bang, poke, twist, squeeze, grab, shake, pull, drop, point, scratch, wave, make a fist, and eat with your "pincher" fingers. Oh, and you also use those little pinchers to find any little lint, pine needles, or other choking hazards that we haven't vacuumed up!

• You are getting into the crawling position but not crawling just yet. You can push yourself backwards and pull yourself forwards (creeping) on your tummy and are getting frustrated. You are ready to be on the go! At this age, your dad (Rob) was walking! We are so glad you aren't there yet. You are fearless and we're pretty sure walking + fearless would make for a rough combination.

• You are standing more on your own and are able to walk around your "learning table" while holding on to it. You also like to walk holding our fingers.

• You drink from a straw, cup, and sippy cup.



• You are eating lots of new veggies and fruits and eat better than mom and dad do! Almost everything you eat is organic and lots of it is homemade. Your favorites are kiwi, sweet potatoes, pear, and puffs. You are still nursing too haven't tried anything other than breast milk and water to drink.

• You are still loving your jumper and are about to outgrow it! We may have to see if they make one for babes over 25 pounds as you're creeping up on that weight limit!

• You love music and respond by smiling and/or singing when we sing to you. When we play music you move to the music. You still haven't watched any t.v. (Baby Einstein etc...) and we are hoping to wait until you are a bit older before you get hooked on that...I wish we could put it off forever! But if we can get to 18-24 months that would be great!

• You have seven teeth...four on top, three on bottom.

• Bath time is one of your favorite activities.

• You have a great sense of humor, a contagious laugh, intense emotions, the most adorable face when you fuss, and you now make little fists when you get frustrated.

• You have become very attached to soft and snuggly things. Your bear makes you smile and you love pulling your blankie around you when you sleep.



Although these last eight months have flown by, we are so looking forward to your ninth month and the new adventures that are just around the corner for you.

♥ We love you! ♥

♥ Mother's Day ♥

A most sincere "Happy Mother's Day" to all of the remarkable women in my life. For me, being a mother is the most rewarding adventure I have ever been blessed with. What a gift, joy, and sisterhood...motherhood.


Taken in November on my 30th Birthday
Ryan was 10 weeks old

Much love,
Brooke

S

Spoon



Stroller



Shrimp





Serious



Smiles

Head, shoulders, knees, and toes and toes and toes

In full bloom

First and foremost, Happy Birthday Brent! It's my big brother's 34th Birthday today. I know this will be a great year ahead for him and we are all so thankful he is back in the Northwest. We will have a some candles for him to blow out this weekend when we celebrate him, my Grandma (who turns 88 on Tuesday), as well Mother's Day.

Brent and Rob at our wedding reception in 2006
__________________________________________________


Ryan's tree is in full bloom!
As shared in an earlier post:

'Cherokee Brave' Dogwood Tree

My parents picked out a tree when my brother, Brent, was born and planted it in his honor. Three and a half years later, when I came along, they planted one for me as well.

Rob and I have now continued the tradition. My parents joined us and we selected an incredible dogwood tree. It has the most beautiful shape and it will have deep pink flowers with a white center. It is currently about 6-7 feet tall and will get about 15' tall by 10' wide. Now Rob and Grandpa just have to dig the hole...


Well, the hole was dug a few weeks back and now "Ryan's Tree" is gorgeous!

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall Floor

Introducing...

Valerie! We are SO thankful and blessed to have her in our lives.

And here is a photo from a couple of weeks ago when we had amazing weather. My dad and I packed a picnic dinner and enjoying fish tacos at the beach. Kai went swimming. Ryan had homemade sweet potatoes, saw, heard, and felt a train for the first time, and got lots of vitamin D.

I ♥ Faces - hats

After checking Heather's blog today I'm finally entering my first I ♥ Faces photo. I ♥ Faces is a photography blog with a new theme each week. This week it's "hats" and you can submit one photo in the "adult" category and one photo in the "kids" category. Not sure I have one for adult...but here is my submission of Ryan for the "kids" category.

Check out the creativity at I ♥ Faces and judge for yourself! And please, comments/critiques on my entry are welcomed!

Stand Proud!

Ryan is so proud that he can stand on his own (with the help of his "learning table" that is). He has let go and can stand for several seconds before starting to fall, but he can stand at his table for several minutes and is pretty pleased with himself. I would be too I suppose!

Here is a video of him...I couldn't figure out how to change the orientation so that it could be viewed the other direction. Sorry!




Ryan and Dada