Looking Back: Halloween 2013

The kids in their costumes:

 A close-up of the cutest fleece monkey that ever was (3 1/2 mo old):

Henry's very first "real" trick or treating (It was my job to stay at home and hand out candy. But who could miss the chance to witness this?!):

Looking Back: Pumpkin Farm 2013

I can't even remember the name of this farm, but it's in Payson, UT. We have have to find a substitute for the farm we've been going to for years in Snohomish, WA. This farm will not be it. But it was good and Henry loved it and has talked about it ever since, asking to return to the pumpkin farm to see all the animals. Any pumpkin farm is good enough for some photos, I say. And here are ours:

Checking out the noisy piglets. Henry's leaning into me because they make him a little nervous.

And here's another clue that Henry is nervous - and this one is a Henry classic: the "shoulder raise + eyes closed."

I, on the other hand, took the opportunity to pet the cute (yes, I think they're cute) cows.

In the small pumpkin patch.

We were willing to put June in the dirt in the hopes of a cute picture and instead she gave us this "really?" look.

Hayride.

Our Fall Family!

Home for Christmas

Boy were we excited for our trip home for Christmas! We had only been away from the Seattle area for four months but we were anxious to see family, be with cousins, show off our Baby June, enjoy the holiday, and even see how it felt to be "visitors" in a place we've lived our whole lives.

I pulled off pictures from my phone and it always bothers me a little to post pictures that aren't excellent quality, (I know that's silly) but at the risk of not having the trip documented at all, I decided that, of course, I should post anyway!

First off, our little June. I tell you what, this girl is a charmer. Everyone commented on what a good baby she was. And she was... the trip didn't even mess up the work we had done in sleep training like I was worried it would. She greeted everyone with big smiles and loved all the attention she got.

Of course, being with our cousins was the best thing about being home! Here is June with Elijah. These two are two months apart.

And these best friends/cousins...

 

Henry and I went on a date to buy gifts for Dad and to get Frostys at Wendy's. He requested this date and I shortly realized that by "going on a date with Mom" he really meant he wanted to go wherever Alicia and Xander were at the same time on their date. He kept asking to see them and was bummed to be with just me, so obviously he has some dating skills to learn before he's 16.

Sunday before Christmas in their Christmas outfits.

 

I made these next pictures large hoping to capture the beauty of our Christmas Eve morning in Silverdale. Rob and I took Henry to the park on the beach and remembered what it is about Washington that can never be replaced.

This girl on Christmas Eve day.

No pictures of Christmas Day, these last few are from Dec. 26th which is our traditional day to have a get-together at the Quigley's house where the cousins act out the Nativity. Rehearsal:

Izzy, our cutest angel:

And the Holy Family. This year we had two contenders for Baby Jesus. June got the part, I guess because she's the youngest. And maybe because we weren't sure if the manger could hold Elijah (sorry if you're tired of chubby baby jokes, Elijah).

People have asked what we did on our trip. And the answer we've given is "not much." Just what we wanted to do - hang out with family. The exception to this was when James, Rob, Greyson and Aidan went indoor skydiving for their Christmas gift! It really was awesome to watch and they all said it was awesome to do.

June at 6 Months

What? Six months already? She'll be one before we know it!

Rob and I recently were talking about how June hasn't changed much. Yes, she is very different from that tiny newborn, but since about three months has seemed to look and act the same even though she has, of course, made the normal developments. I feel that finally, this month, that is not the case. Here are some new things about our baby:

She is sitting up! By total surprise to all of us, one day I thought I'd better start helping her learn so that she was more ready to start solid foods. Turns out she didn't need my help - she sat all by herself! I don't totally trust that she won't fall so we don't let her sit without us or pillows all around, but for the most part her balance is awesome and she doesn't need the support.

Instead of reporting, yet again, that she is losing her hair I get to announce it's finally growing back! It's coming slowly and I didn't even realize it at first (Rob's mom made the discovery) but it's looking blonde! I do not know why that excites me so much and I worry that I'm jinxing the blonde just by mentioning it. I guess because she's been so dark haired I'm super curious and excited to see how what blonde June looks like. I loved that Henry was so light at one time and to have another baby with the same blonde... but wearing pigtails - that's such a fun possibility.

June isn't babbling much at all, she's pretty quiet. She's happy and cooing but the only syllables are when she's complaining about being tired or hungry. That's when her sweet, "dadada" is heard.

Can we talk about the outfit she's wearing in her photo? It's a vintage romper I found at a thrift store shortly after we found out we were having a girl. I knew I would be getting a lot of baby girl clothes and so I was going to try to hold off buying clothes but I couldn't not buy this when I saw it! It's a unique peach color and has great vintage details (she's covering up a little mouse applique), but mostly I love that it's something my mom could have put me in when I was a baby in 1979.

Her growth has slowed a bit. She gained only 14 ounces since the last time she was weighed two months ago and the average baby gains a pound a month (she weighs 14 lbs). I had been noticing that she still seems so small and I've loved it! I'm excited about all the ways she's growing up but I've felt blessed that I still get to enjoy cuddling a small baby. But I've been encouraged to let her nurse longer and reduce distractions while nursing. I'm bummed that we're already at the phase of needing to nurse in another room, away from a crowd. Even then, just making eye contact with June while nursing her makes her smile and stop eating.

We've been back from our Christmas trip home to Seattle for a couple weeks now. Everyone there was smitten with our baby girl. She really can't meet anyone without them remarking about how sweet she is and how big and blue her eyes are. We love her!