Meet Adeline Marner!

Elijah's new cousin, Adeline Marner, was born yesterday, July 28, 2009. Addy weighed 8 lbs, 10.5 oz. and was 20 inches long! She is beautiful and we cannot wait to meet her!

Camping with the Taushers at Belfair State Park

We were able to get away again for another camping trip this past weekend and it was great! We went Thursday night and camped alone and the Taushers (Mike, Karen, Franklin and Levi) joined us Friday night. It was much quieter than the last camping trip. Since we went on a week night, there were very few people, other than the RV campers. They just love to visit and chat, especially when you have a cute baby for them to gush all over! We literally got about 10 visits. Most of the time they were bringing us stuff, like fire wood, tarps, flowers and even a gift for Elijah!

Here Aaron is setting up our tent! And, check
out our cool blanket! We just got it for day
trips and camping after seeing a friend with
one. It is waterpfroof and really made a huge
difference for Elijah to have a place to play
and crawl around.

Elijah and I really enjoyed the strong man contest!

Elijah was fascinated with the mattress pump.

My handsome men!

"Well, if I can't eat the mattress pump,
maybe today is the day they'll let
me get a taste of that thing they flash
at me all the time!"

"Finally, Mommy will let me have something!"
This is our tent and it very easily fit Elijah's
pack-n-play, our mattress and our bags! Yippee!

Elijah and Mommy after a very long day working to get here!

This is one of the RV campers who makes dolls
so she brought several of them over on a few
different occasions. Elijah got quite a kick out of
them based on his excited breathing! She
also brought Elijah a sweet night light toy.

Our first morning! Elijah slept pretty well.
We came equipped with a radio to play
static to help him sleep and we needed
it Friday when the sites next to us filled
up with a huge group.

Right behind us is a hiking trail and
not to far behind that is a stream
that we hiked down to the Hood Canal.

One of the things I love about
Washington is its big, beautiful trees!

"Ohhh, here is my chance..the flashing thing is within reach!"

Time to investigate the campground!

This is the creek we played in quite a bit! It was super cold!

He couldn't resist!

I suppose this grass is flattened by water
at high tide, but I am not sure. I am carrying
my shoes because the silt snatched my flip flop
and broke it. I thought I was going to be stuck too.

Hood Canal

Playing in the cold creek.

Elijah was pretty determined to sit down and play
with the pebbles and rocks. I am not sure it was
quite what he bargained for though! Thankfully, it
was a hot day.

The Hood Canal

Tuckered out after refusing his morning nap!

Daddy can fix it!

Dinner wasn't too bad if I do say so myself!

As soon as the Taushers arrived, Franklin went
straight for Elijah! He's a baby lover! Here is my
sweet, sweet friend Karen!

Elijah and I watched people searching for clams
and learned all about it! I wish I would have
gotten a picture to show you. Franklin loved
helping them find clams and Levi used all his
time to hunt for oyster shells that he had to
leave there in the end. He was pretty bummed,
but we had a throwing contest with them instead!

Levi, Karen, and Franklin being silly! We left
the husbands to clean up after breakfast...what
great guys! I think it was the kid-free post
cleaning naps that motivated them though!

Just a pretty shot and a quiet finish
to our walk back to our campsite.

Elijah's sporting his Longhorn Rookie 1/2
shirt proudly! He pulls up on anything
he can find now.

Adios until the next post!

The Fourth of July

We celebrated the Fourth of July with our friends, the Murrays: Ian and Lisa, and their son Aidan. We went to one of my all time favorite places in Seattle! We had a picnic at Green Lake and then watched the kids play in the wading pool. We had a lot of fun! Afterward, we got some yummy ice-cream from Ben and Jerry's. Elijah had a few bites of mine, but then went happily back to his cheerios. Enjoy the photos of the day!

Elijah and Daddy!

The picnic!

I wanted to make sure everybody actually knew I
was here so I had to take my own picture.

He wasn't too convinced at first.

Daddy spinning Elijah in the water...Elijah had a blast!

Elijah was chasing a ball here. I couldn't believe
how much he crawled around on the cement.
I think he is pretty tough.

The fam!

A little girl watched Elijah crawling around the wading
pool chasing an inflatable horse he'd had his eye on
for quite a while. He was movin', but he didn't get to it
before the owner retrieved it so the sweet little girl
handed him her fish tube. Here he is just chillin'! Cute stuff!

Two of Elijah's favorite people:
Aidan and his daddy, Ian.

Check out those wrinkly toes!

We missed all the spring flowers because we kept
forgetting the camera, but the summer flowers are
almost as good in Seattle. Well, not really.

Mommy and Elijah!

I think Elijah made the connection between these
ducks and his ducks from the bathtub, but who
knows! Regardless, he enjoyed seeing them.

I think Elijah likes Green Lake more than the zoo because
he is an avid dog watcher. As dogs walk by, Elijah will
almost fall out of his stroller trying to watch them as long
as possible. Don't worry; he is buckled in! The cool part
is that people often notice us talking to him about their dog
so they will stop and let Elijah watch a bit longer, or even
let him pet the dog. I am a bit more cautious though because
a dog tried to attack us one day. Fortunately, the lady had
a firm hold of his leash.

A long day!

The Cheese Smack!

I am not sure what is going on here, but Elijah sure seems to be enjoying his cheese! I got a kick out of it and you may too so here's the video!

Elijah's Dedication

We will be dedicating Elijah to the Lord on Sunday, August 16th at United Evangelical Free Church! Come to Seattle for a visit if you like! We'd love to have you here.

Shocked to Find More Teeth!

Elijah can be quite a little clam once he has decided he doesn't like what he is eating or when he decides getting his teeth brushed isn't going his way. We use one of those baby tooth brushes that fit on your finger and Elijah loves to chew on it along with my finger. I know he is teething and it feels good so it doesn't bother me too much unless he either gets me with his teeth or if he just keeps on chewing, never letting me actually brush his teeth.

If I get persistent in my attempt to actually brush his teeth when he occasionally goes on a chewing marathon he clamps his mouth shut and turns his head every which way to avoid my finger. I feel like I am playing offense in some sport! He doesn't just go side to side. He'll even put his head back to the point of being almost upside down. He thought leaning back almost upside down was pretty funny and when he saw how close he was to the shower curtain he opened his mouth and started babbling. Just then I caught a glimpse of both of his upper front two teeth! I was so surprised. I had no idea.

One looks like it just came in yesterday. He started crying big crocodile tears yesterday, which is very unusual for him, but especially since it was during circumstances I didn't expect. The other looks like it cut through about a week or so ago. Our sweet boy is growing up and he has 4 teeth now.

Elijah's First Haircut!

On Wednesday mornings I go to Moms'
Group at our church. Typically, we meet in one
of three groups discussing either a Bible
study or a parenting book that we are reading.
They provide childcare so we are actually able
to have uninterrupted conversation with
little distraction! In the summer though,
we meet at local parks.

Elijah is enjoying being pushed in the swing.

"Higher, Mommy, higher!"

Elijah got to sit in a rocket for his first haircut! He really
liked his hairstylist, Nicole. She was great and amazingly
good considering Elijah was his usual wiggly self!

Nicole kept Elijah supplied with toys during his entire haircut.

I wanted her to save all the hair she cut off, but
because his hair is so fine, most of it seemed
to blow away the second she snipped. He got a nice
little first haircut certificate with some of it though. :)

We stopped by Woodland Park on the way home
from Elijah's haircut because it was snack time
and he started having a meltdown in the car.

He had so much fun riding this bouncy
motorcycle he was even hollering!

Check out this video of Elijah riding in the sidecar
of this motorcycle! He was not happy with me when
I picked him up. He has been communicating his
will quite effectively lately. It makes me a bit nervous.
The day these photos were taken he even arched his
back in protest when I took something away
from him and tried to put him in the car seat.

Elijah is pulling up using the gate now and is
quite proud of himself! He likes to stand there
and reach for the dishwasher as I load dishes in.