Matthew

Since Emma got her own post a few weeks ago, I wanted to do one just for Matthew too. And since he just turned 6 months I thought this was a very fitting time to do it.

I have been reflecting a lot lately as I watch him. It is SO hard to believe he is already 6 months old. His first six months went a lot faster than I remember Emma's going. It's hard to believe that 6 really short months ago, he was this little.

And that all of a sudden he is this big

He had his 6 month checkup last week and was 15 pounds and 24 3/4 inches. Like Emma, he inherited our short genes. The doctor said he looks great and is right where he should be developmentally. He has been sitting since about 4 1/2 months, but has no interest in rolling or crawling. He wants so badly to be able to stand and is always trying to pull up into a standing position. He also discovered how much he can do with his voice. He has been babbling for several months but recently has started screeching and screaming and making all sorts of other fun, loud noises. He also says dada a lot...pretty much all day.

Matthew loves watching people, but especially Emma. He gets the biggest kick out of her and is usually content to watch her every move. She can really get him laughing. I love it. It's a good thing he loves her so much because she thinks it's pretty funny to hit and push him. I'm hoping it's just a phase...

Matthew is such a little sponge. He gets so distracted and it's almost impossible to get him to eat or sleep. He doesn't want to miss a thing. We've tried feeding him baby foods and he'll tolerate them, but he really prefers to eat what we're eating...I don't blame him. We also think he is teething, at least I'm hoping that is what all the screaming is about. :)

We love our little buddy and are so grateful to have him in our lives.

Another Day at the Beach

We were needing to get out and get some fresh air yesterday and, once again, the weather was perfect, so we headed to the beach. Jon wanted to see Baker Beach, where Esther and I went on Monday and we both wanted to see nearby China Beach. We went to China Beach first. All the sand was really wet and it was tiny and rocky, but we had it mostly to ourselves and the view was great. We had brought a picnic lunch and had all of our food sitting out. Jon had gone to explore, Emma ran after him, and I ran after her. Meanwhile, the seagulls came and took most of our lunch. Nice...Anyway, here are some pictures.

China Beach

After China Beach we went up the road to Baker Beach. I like this beach better. The sand is drier and it's a little warmer there. Emma even wore her swimsuit. I love California weather!

We saw a whale (or dolphin) so Jon and Emma went to get a better look at it and explore the beach while I got Matthew to sleep. They are so cute together.

Emma is such a little beach bum. All day she kept asking if we could go to another beach.

Matthew took a nice long nap. He slept almost the whole time we were there.

After the beach it was bathtime

Trying to climb up Dad's leg

Emma has a slight, okay MAJOR obsession with Thomas the Train. He goes pretty much everywhere with her. Jon calls this picture train track to heaven.

I love days like this, when there is no rush to be anywhere or do anything. We get to just enjoy being with each other and it feels like it can't get any better than it is in that moment.

Crazy 8's Tag

RULES1. Post rules on your Blog
2. Answer the six "8" items
3. Let each person know they have been tagged by leaving them a comment

8 FAVORITE SHOWS
We don't have cable so I don't really have any favorites now. When we did have tv I liked most of the HGTV shows, American Idol, and Biggest Loser.

8 THINGS I DID YESTERDAY
1. Went to the beach with my family and loved it
2.Woke up way too early with the kids
3. Cleaned out the car...it was way overdue for a good cleaning
4. Babysat for a family in our ward who we do a babysitting swap with
5. Planned out 2 weeks worth of meals...now I just need to follow through
6. Read Thomas the Train to Emma at least 20 times
7. Checked blogs and email
8. Got an awesome deal on diapers...72 for $3.50. They were on sale, there was a rebate, and I had a coupon. Sweet!

8 THINGS I LOOK FORWARD TO
1. Matthew sleeping 12 hours straight...or even 7 or 8
2. Emma being potty-trained, though I don't look forward to the actual training
3. Jon's 4 day weekend this week
4. Jon's pay raise in a couple months
5. Christmas and having Jon home for 9 days
6. Our family vacation to San Diego in February/March
7. Having friends over tomorrow
8. Going on a walk after dinner tonight

8 FAVORITE RESTAURANTS- I don't know that I can come up with 8 off the top of my head. I really just like a good home cooked meal.
1.Cheesecake Factory
2. Red Robin
3. Celia's
4. Olive Garden

8 THINGS ON MY WISH LIST
1. A new camera (Emma dropped ours last week and it only kind of works)
2. A family picture where everyone looks good
3. A cute picture of just the kids
4. A house with a real yard and off street parking
5. A good night's sleep
6. Clothes that I feel good in
7. Endless energy
8. Lose weight

I tag anyone who wants to do this. Really, it's kinda fun.

Life Experiences

I've seen this on several blogs on thought it was fun.

For you to do: copy and paste this to your blog and bold the ones that you HAVE done.

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band-I played in the orchestra in junior high
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo-just to the kids
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon-a small one at girls camp
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise-just around the San Fran bay
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie-just small homemade ones
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous

92. Joined a book club

93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee

I think I need to get out more...

Esther's Visit- Lots and Lots of Pictures

My sister, Esther, came to visit last week. She brought her daughter Hannah who is 3 months old. It was fun to finally meet her. We had a great visit and the weather was absolutely perfect the whole time they were here. We took advantage of that and stayed busy seeing a ton of stuff. So, in no particular order, here are a TON of pictures.

Matthew and Hannah in the bath

These two were so cute together. Matthew would sit by her and talk and talk and she just stared at him like he was crazy.

Here he is putting a bracelet on her foot.

Emma LOVED Baby Hannah and was always asking where she was.

We went to Dreamworks and had lunch with Jon on Friday. This is a little display from Madagascar 2 of a penguin with a welder. I just thought the picture was cute.

Friday we also went to a play group at an indoor gym...kind of like a gymboree type thing. They have all sorts of miniature gymnastics equipment and a huge castle with ball pits and slides. It was SO cool. Unfortunately the camera batteries died at the beginning.

The next several pictures are from Saturday. We went to Point Reyes. It is a national seashore north of San Francisco. It was a little bit of a drive but it was beautiful. Again, the weather was perfect and we really enjoyed the day.

How cute is this kid???

We hiked down to this light house. It was quite a hike but the views were gorgeous.

Getting ready to walk down. The sign said there are 308 steps down...the equivalent of a 30 story building. That's a lot of stairs! I wish you could see Matthew's face better in this picture. Getting ready to go back up.

Hiking back up. Emma decided she wanted to walk up, but that didn't last too long. Jon was the lucky one who got to carry her. Thanks Jon!

Just a pretty view of the ocean

This was actually right after we got to Point Reyes. We walked around the information center/museum and then had a little picnic. Matthew was really getting into my peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
There was a group of really short tree stumps that Emma had a blast playing in.

This tree was a hit too. She thought it was the coolest thing ever.
Another fun, cool tree.

Matthew enjoyed his ride

Just in case you've wondered if it's possible to fit 2 babies in a carseat...they look a lot more uncomfortable in this picture than they did at the time. :)

Our attempt at getting a family snapshot.

Monday, Esther and I took the kids to Baker Beach in San Francisco. I had never been, but a friend told me about it. It was such a great beach and had some amazing views. Before we went I looked up directions on google map but typed Bakers Beach instead of Baker Beach. We about died when we saw the directions. It had me drive to the coast, kayak across the Pacific Ocean to Hawaii, cross the island, kayak across the Pacific Ocean to Japan, travel across Japan (at this point the directions were in Japanese), and then kayak across the Pacific Ocean to Bakers Beach in Australia. Total distance: 14,389 miles. Total travel time: 55 days 9 hours. Do I need to bring my own kayak???

We found the beach and it's really not that far. I am excited to be able to go back again. Here are some pictures from our day at the beach.

Esther made a little seat in the sand for Hannah

Isn't this view so pretty?

Emma was braving the water and fell in, so we took her wet clothes off. I love that it is warm enough in November to run around in nothing but a diaper.
This was one happy kid. He loved all the sand. I love how the wind is blowing his fluffy hair straight up. It cracks me up.

After looking at this for a couple hours, we decided we needed to go walk across it, since neither of us have done it. (I made it halfway when Emma was a baby). We headed over and enjoyed a nice little walk and some more perfect weather. We didn't have enough quarters for the parking meter to give us enough time to walk the whole bridge, so once again, I made it about halfway.
In addition to all of this, we were able to get in some shopping, bow and bracelet making, and lots of visiting. Thanks Esther for coming to visit. We had a great time!