Our Fantastic 4th!

Family***Friends***Fireworks***Food***Fun***

Those 5 words basically sum up our 4th of july!

Oh... and maybe also...

bacon hot dogs

motorized scooter cooler

tequila shots

sparkler bombs

beer pong

badmitten

Forest Gump quotes

and more tequila shots!

Happy Birthday, Steve!

Thanks for always having the best birthday party ever!

Something Sweet

Caitlyn is so totally sweet.

This morning after our breakfast, I began cleaning the kitchen. Ashton was already down for one of his many naps in his room. Caitlyn started walking upstairs and I was near finished with the kitchen cleaning so I just let her go. Just a few moments later I tiptoed upstairs to see what kind of trouble she got into. I searched in all the rooms and I couldn't find her. I had already made my bed this morning and I noticed the pillows were a little outta place so I went to straighten them and there she was asleep underneath the covers at the top of my bed... so sleepy and sweet.

I then went back downstairs to finish gathering the clean laundry to be brought upstairs and heard Ashton cry so I rushed back upstairs only to find Caitlyn IN Ashton's crib trying to calm him down (by rubbing his head)... so sensitive and sweet.

It took me a while to calm Ashton down and while I was trying to do so Caitlyn began taking all of the clean, folded laundry and putting them into mine and Ashley's drawers... I now have Ashtons sleepers in my drawers and my socks are in Ashley's T'shirt drawer... so helpful and sweet.

During all of this, Dziadzia called and wanted to talk to Caitlyn... I listenend to her talk her baby language for a full five minutes or so on the phone... so social and sweet.

Seriously... Caitlyn is the sweetest little girl I have ever known...

I love her!

First Curl Cut!

Before... ...During......After!

Thanks to our longtime friend, Leslie...

(Ash has known her since kindergarten)

Caitlyn's curls look absolutely adorable!

Congratulations, JON!!!

Last night we all drove up to support our brother, Jon as he graduated from the

Snohomish County Fire and Rescue Recruit Class.

We are so proud of you Jon...

We love you tons...

and keep working hard!

Two New Things...

... for my BIG GIRL!!!

1.) A BIG GIRL BED.

We've transitioned her crib into a day bed seeing as she was climbing out of her crib with ease. She absolutely loved it. She stayed in it the entire night... and slept in today til 1030am.

2.) SWIM LESSONS!

We started last night at the Aquatic Center and Caitlyn was by far the best little swimmer there! She kicked and paddled, blew bubbles in the water and even sang a song! It sure was neat watching her swim and learn in the water with her Daddy!

Daddy's Day

Happy Father's Day, Ashley!!!

You are an amazing Father to Caitlyn and Ashton...

and a great Partner in Parenthood to me.

We love you tons!

Dad... I hope you have a wonderfully relaxing day...

you deserve it being the 'working man' you are!

Thanks for being one of my best friends and a great Dad

I love you!

Steve, Dad, and Ashley

Best Dads on Earth!
Happy Fathers' Day to all the Dads out there...
including Grandpa in Wisconsin & Dziadzia in heaven.

Another Going Away

Our dearest friend, Alicia Dawn has ventured to Cali with her boyfriend for work... We went out a few Saturdays ago to say good bye. We have known and absolutely loved Alicia for at least 15 years now where she has been Ksavera's BFF... my workout partner and very good friend... the person to have at any party... karaoke queen... and like a sister to all of us!

Alicia and Joey... you two better keep in touch!

xoxoxoxoxo

She promised me she'd keep up a blog while she was away, so we could follow along with this next chapter in her life... so here's her site...Alicia's Blog.

2 Months

Seriously?!?!

I feel like I JUST posted about his 1st month!

My maternity leave comes to an end in a week and I feel like time has flown by (except for those really hard days when I just held the kids watching the clock waiting for Dad to get home). It's absolutely amazing how fast Ashton is growing... and he is still so sweet and easy... eats and sleeps... and gets the occasional upset stomach and cries for just a little. He still loves to be bundled in blankets and almost every time I rub his hair he falls asleep. He is slowly beginning to have a voice, Ashley and I both love listening to him 'ooh' and 'ah'. We love him dearly... Happy 2 months!

Mr. & Mrs. Baker

Congratulations to a lovely couple!

We wish you only the best...

and we'll keep praying for your family!

Evolution of a SMILE

I can't help but smiling everytime I look at him!

22 Months

Oh my sweet sweet baby girl is getting closer and closer to age 2... and I truly cannot believe it! She has transitioned so well from being the only child to being the extremely helpful big sister. Since Ashton has arrived she has gotten 4 of her molar teeth, 2 of them came in the 1st week he was born. We thought she was simply acting out because he was here... but after 2 appointments to the doctors worried about her screaming tantrums in the night, he assured us that it was her teeth and informed us that she'd be getting a whole bunch very fast... and she did. She is definitely back to her sweet self again.

Things Caitlyn Loves:

Jumping (she's like a little pony... galloping everywhere she goes).

watering the plants and flowers outside.

water in general.

helping change Ashton's diaper.

giving him the pacifier and telling him to 'sh' when he's crying.

to tell mom and dad to 'sh' when Ashton is sleeping.

to count to three (in her own baby language) and then jump up and land on her bum.

cereal for breakfast and drinking all the milk out of the bowl.

to visit gram & Pap's and Babcia & Dziadzia's house.

the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.

the Hot Dog dance.

actually any dancing.

giving kisses (especially eskimo and butterfly ones).

the park...especially the swing.

having Dziadzia paint her finger and toenails.

kicking a ball.

using the adult toilet and her new pull-ups.

the darn pacifier.

her baby dolls... I think she has even tried to nurse one :)

my candy drawer (which has since been moved and restocked with healthy treats).

She can sign 24 words
(milk, pop, water, mom, dad, work, hi & bye, cold, more, up, airplane, bird, squirrell, elephant, monkey, fish, hungry, please, tired, sh or quiet, dog, motorcycle, I love you, and beautiful).

She can speak 15 words.
(Ash, Mom, Dad, hot, ow, uh-oh, no, off, P.U. hi, hello, Ashton, bubbles, go, what's that, and Vicki heard her say Clifford when they were watching Clifford the Big Red Dog).

I'm sure there are a ton of more things that she loves at 22 months, but this a pretty good list!

One of my absolute favorite things about her right now is that she has gotten so affectionate. She loves to run up to me wrap her right arm around my neck and kiss me on the cheek (even when I don't ask), then her hand slides down my neck onto my back where she'll either pat or rub... it's melts my heart everytime!

Happy 22 Months of life!

Addendum...

to my previous post... After I finished that last post, I went and checked on Caitlyn. She managed to get back in her crib all by herself with her pants and diaper off. I simply smiled and told her that I was going to the bathroom and then I would come back and get her out. Instead... as I was on the toilet... Caitlyn came rounding the corner... she sat on her toilet, tinkled, and then we both washed her our hands. I put a fresh diaper on her and put her back in the crib and went downstairs to call my mom to tell her this very funny story. Afterwards, I came back upstairs and found Caitlyn outside her crib again pounding on the door with her diaper off and her pants on inside out. Seriously... she never ceases to amaze me! I will now give up on nap time for today.

I Knew This Time Would Come

That is... for Caitlyn to be able to successfully climb out of her crib. As I type this post, I can hear her little voice talking and trying to open her bedroom door. She started displaying signs of nap time about about an hour and a half ago which is when we attempted our first nap. We did our usual nap time routine, she went down quietly and I went downstairs to continue dusting. As I came into our front room I thought I heard some one knocking upstairs. I slowly and quietly tip toed up the stairs only to see the shadow of her tiny feet under her bedroom door... I opened the door and there she stood standing outside her crib smiling from ear to ear with pride. She then pointed to the crib and then the floor explaining to me how she climbed out. I restarted her music and gave her her blanket and tried again... only this time I left the door cracked so I could watch through the reflection of her mirror to see exactly how she was getting out. She was quiet at first (probably waiting to make sure I was gone), she then stood up, kicked one leg over, then the other... her toes curling around the outside edges of the mattress, she then hung by the rails until her feet touched the ground... and that's that... my baby girl has found a way to circumvent nap time. I then let her come back downstairs and we ate a snack. She started to look a little sleepy so we tried again, and now, here I am typing away as I listen to her play (now quietly) not in her crib where I left her, but on the floor next to the door.

As this is just the beginning of a new found freedom for her... I'm sure it will also be an exciting challenge for Ash and I. Any and all advice on how to get her safely to sleep would be much appreciated.

PS... Happy anniversary to my Mom and Dad!

Jefferson Park

I have found an amazing park in North Tacoma! Caitlyn and I have played there twice now since the weather here has been amazing and hot. Our first time we went with Cocia Hana and just yesterday we went with Avery, Jackson, and Tiffany. If you have children... this place has got to be on your list of places to visit this summer (even if you don't have children... it might be a great place to cool off)!

Tiffan'y blog has some great picture too... check it out...

www.tiffandkory.blogspot.com

Baptism Day

Sunday, Ashton was baptized at First Lutheran Church in Tacoma. Our family joined us in church and afterwards at a local park for refreshments and fun games. We thank everyone for the gifts and for celebrating this very special day with us. We had an absolute fabulous time at the park with all of the family.