Turning into a big boy

Garrett is a Momma's boy for sure. He loves getting snuggles and must be held when going to sleep. It's not often we can lay him down in bed and not have him realize we are sneaking away. His baby radar operates 24/7. He loves when I nibble on his neck and giggles that precious baby laugh.


He is turning into such a big boy. Here are some of his more recent pictures. His friend Jenna was born a week before him (although he was due first). She has severe hearing loss and is learning sign language and at 1 year the insurance will cover her hearing implant. I've been doing signs with Garrett though probably not nearly as many as Jenna knows. He can tell her "milk" and "change". She can tell him "Step off dude, this is my Binky".

Just a few days ago I was making dinner and he was watching me in the high chair. I don't know how exactly it happened, but both clips on his restraint came undone and when I turned around he looked at me smiling and leaned forward right out of the chair. It all happened in slow motion and he had his first fall. He hit his brow on the leg of the rolling chair so it looks as if he's perpetually worried. Michael kept ice on it so the bruising was minimal. I'm keeping antibiotic ointment on it to keep it from scarring.

From the swing hook in the living room we have hung his baby bouncer that normally goes over the doorway. Since he has much more room to move Garrett has learned how to hop in a circle. Hunter showed him how to do it and now he can get going on his own. Hunter would play with him both of them running in circles and laughing and you weren't quite sure who was chasing whom.

Biking with Mikey

Homeschooling has definite advantages. Mikey has been in town for the last few months since he's off track with school. Today he came down and wanted to go on a bike ride. We all got loaded up and made a morning of it. I packed a little lunch for Elle and we dropped her off at Tiny Tots before going home. Garrett and Elle rode in the bike trailer behind me. Hunter just recently learned to ride a two wheeler. After practicing...a LOT, I figured he would be good to go on a trip around town. As it was we stayed off of main streets. On our route we went down the marina. It was picturesque! We also went down to the First Street pier. We were there just in time for a man to catch a fish, which was very exciting! He let the boys touch it and then gave them high fives with the tail. We took advantage of the learning opportunities and as we rode I would point things out and talk about them. For example we rode by some Golden Poppies. I told the boys that it was the California state flower and it's illegal to pick them. The boys thought that the police would immediately show up to haul them to jail if they picked one.

Opening Day & 1st game

I am the team mom for Hunter's baseball team this year, the Dodgers. It's Ethan and Hunter's first year to play ball. Hunter is doing T-ball and Ethan is doing FARMs which is the machine pitch.

For opening day they got to participate in the Hit-a-Thon fund raiser so after the ceremony in the morning I took them around the neighborhood in their uniforms to collect money. Most people gave $3 to $10. A few people had to say no, which I told them would happen. They said, "Thanks anyway" and we went to the next one. I'm surprised that people were so generous. Even the people who did say no did so with great regret, but they were unemployed or feeling the effects of the bad economy. Trust me... I empathise with you! Michael's friend Jeremy is coaching Hunter's team so Hunter and Denver get to play their games together. Michael has taken a particular interest in baseball and has been taking both boys out to catch, throw and bat on a regular basis. Both of their skills have increased dramatically, but I think that's true of anything that a parent gives special attention and importance to.

Fort

Michael made a fort for the kids with his woodworking clamps and their playthings. The neighbors came over and they all watched a Barbie movie from the fort. Dad's forts are SO cool!