Summertime Fun 6.27.06

Grandma T ~ this posts for you! Hope it brightens your day! We're thinking of you and sending our love.

He Sits!

Owen officially views the world from a new angle these days, sitting without support for minutes at a time. In fact, he can now support himself up to five minutes, using his arms to balance each time he feels a topple coming on!

Another fun fact about Owen at 5 months is that he's learned to squeal in delight and he loves to stick his tongue out and make motor-boat noises!

The first pic above reminds me of the quote I hear most: "That is the happiest, most social baby I have ever met!"

She'll Be Such a Good Big Sister! 6.24.06

Splish Splash 6.24.06

Great Shot

Kevin and Owen 5.13.06

Meet Taylor Jane - 6.25.06

Saturday night I received the most wonderful call ~ Chrissy and Tracey invited me to witness the birth of Taylor Jane!! I was so excited, I drove to the hospital on the edge of my seat (which probably had Jacqui and Owen on the edge of theirs!). We arrived just in time (safe and sound!), and another surprise awaited me ~ I got to cut the cord!! Literally within minutes, Taylor Jane joined us. She must have been on the edge of her seat with excitment, too, because she was out in five (easy!?!) pushes! Chrissy was amazing! And so is Taylor Jane. I just love her! 6 pounds, 14 ounce beauty. It was one of the most awe inspiring and memorable moments of my life ~ I will never forget it. (Thank you, Chrissy and Tracey!!)

Eyeglass Update

Collin had his "second opinion" eye appointment last Thursday, and we were very pleased with the diagnosis. Already, the use of his glasses has improved Collin's eyesight ~ albeit very slightly. When he first got his glasses, Collin's eyesight was ranked an "8" (0 being best, 1 being not perfect, 2 being slightly worse, etc.). On Thursday, he receiving a ranking of "7"! The Dr. said if he continues to wear the glasses, his eyes could strenthen and improve to even a "3" or "4" and that he may be a candidate for corrective surgery by his early teen years. What great news!!

First Swim

Owen took his first dip in a pool 6.17.06. It was quite chilly, so we ran to the hottub within moments!

But yesterday we introduced him again ~ this time in a sun-warmed kid's pool in the backyard ~ and he had a blast! He was kicking and splashing and smiling from ear to ear. Then Kevin and Collin jumped in and started spashing and wrestling in the foot-deep waters. They were having so much fun! We're going to have a great summer!

Sharing the Good Times

At our weekend getaway in Portland, we met up with 30+ relatives in the Carmody/Marshall family for a meal at McMinimens. I don't know how we did it since it takes us months to plan a Christmas gathering, but (I think!) everyone who had come to town was able to make it! What a great time! 6.17.06

Zoo Adventure - Father's Day 6.18.06

We travelled to Portland, Oregon June 16-18 and spent Father's Day at the Oregon Zoo with the Whites, Aitkins, and Theresa Reas. If you haven't been to the Oregon Zoo, it is definitely worth the trip! Collin was (again) especially fascinated by the Elephants, Giraffes, and Monkeys, although his favorite part of this trip may have been meeting the goats in the Petting Zoo up close and personal! We enjoyed our time there very much!!

Hot Fun in the Sun - 6.6.06

Hard at Work

Outtide? Raaaake? Granpa? Collin spent an afternoon doing yardwork with Grandpa a few weeks ago and reportedly had a ball! (Actually, I saw that he did because Grandma took five or six videos!) Collin raked leaves for over 45 minutes while Grandpa trimmed the hedge bordering his front drive. Collin was still hard at work moving the piles of leaves when Kevin and I returned from our afternoon out. 6.10.06

Yucky Bugs

Owen had his first real battle with the bug this past week and was diagnosed with Bronchiolitis (sp?), which is the infant version of Bronchitis, apparently. Lucky for him, he was what's deemed by our Pediatrian a "happy weezer" ~ smiling and giggling through the check-up despite coughing fits, runny nose, and constant congestion. He ran a mild fever for two days as well, but he's on par again now. Phew! Baby Cyrus is 7 days overdue, and we can't have any sick babies around when he/she decides to grace us with his/her presence! *Owen weighed in at 17 pounds, 4 ounces Tuesday 6.20.06.

Pics: (1) Telling Me a Story 6.7.06 (2) Sitting with Mickey Mouse at Grandma Yanasaks 6.10.06 (3) Making Me Laugh 6.6.06

It's Almost TOO Much Fun! 6.15.06

A Day with All the Monkeys - Mother's Day 2006

Learning in Leaps and Bounds

The past few weeks have been so much fun with the boys! First, Collin has started singing ~ recognizable songs! One morning about two weeks ago, I had both boys perched on my bed, and I asked Collin if he would "watch his brother" while I brushed my teeth (of course, I was two feet away and could see them the whole time). Collin sat up real proud, scooted closer to Owen, took Owen's hand and said "Yeah." Then he stared at him. So I said, "Why don't you sing Owen a song?" And the next thing I heard was a beautiful toddler melody that sounded extremely similar to "The Itsy Bitsy Spider." It was so precious! Then Collin started doing the hand movements, and I realized that I'd "named that tune" correctly! He was singing! The very next day on the way home from his school, I heard him singing in the backseat. A close listen revealed that he was singing his ADCs (and that is not a typo)! Also, he is a big fan of Johnny cash music. We have the "Walk the Line" soundtrack in the Jeep, and he bops his head everytime it is played. He especially loves to sing along ("Down, down, down") to "Ring of Fire." : )

Along those same lines, Collin is adding about 5 new words (and a few signs) a day. When he learns words he loves, we hear them nonstop. Luckily for us, "dump" is no longer in the Top 5; the word was often accompanied by the act of dumping "something" ~ usually something wet and/or sticky ~ onto the ground. His current favorite words all have a theme: airplane, choo choo, truck, Jeep. Also associated is the word "roll," as in "Let's roll!" which is what Collin now says (and Daddy used to say) each morning when they head off to Collin's school. To make it even more hilarious, Collin rolls his arms like one would for rolling the dough in Patty-Cake or demonstrating the rolling of the Wheels on the Bus each time he says it. Speaking and signing is a big hit with him right now.

Another of his new facinations is fish. Grandma and Grandpa Yanasak have a stocked pond in their backyard oasis, and during our last visit, Collin took every opportunity to go see the fish (which he says with authority, moving his right hand forward in a weaving fashion - the sign for fish). He loved to toss the pellets into the water and watch the fish swim to the top for their meal. He also now points out every fish in every book, cup, tank -- you name it.


But fish are not the only creature now discovered! Our second trip to the zoo this past weekend was extremely productive. Collin, who now says Lion, Zebra, Melman (giraffe's name), and zoo, has been naming the animals ("Liiiiiion" and "Zeeb") and and asking for "More Zoo" nonstop. We even search for Animal Planet so he can catch "more" glimpses of "live animals."

And if you give a boy a trip to the zoo, he'll ask for a cousin to take with him. (Have any of you read If you Give a Mouse a Cookie?) We were in Oregon this past weekend with lots of family, including Brian, Shana and Emma White, and whenever she wasn't near, Collin would ask for "Emma?" For example: Time for a nap? "Emma?" "You'll see her when you wake up." Pause. Then in a sing-song happy voice of pure joy: "Emma! Emma! Emma!" And off to dreamland he'd go. Then he'd wake up, run to the hotel room door, grab for the handle, and say, "Emma?" He didn't want a moment of the visit to pass by without her! It was great fun ~ perhaps we'll be visiting Emma in Boise sooner than we'd ever thought!

Owen too has been developing in "leaps and bounds" ~ well, almost. He hasn't literally "leapt" yet, but that's probably not far off. He "found" his feet on Saturday evening, and I was so excited for him that I squealed in delight and grabbed for a camera. *Thanks, Shana!


He also is now sitting with support! A spectacular advantage! Owen can watch and learn from a whole new perspective, and he loves it!



Pic Dates: (1) 6.10.06 (2) 6.17.06 (3) 6.15.06