how did you get so big?

goodbye summer.

we'll miss you.

i think they are winning

I have no chance now that they are both mobile.

look out world

we almost didn't make it

So we went to the North Cascades on Friday. We arrive a bit later than planned and dark was creeping in while we scrambled to pitch our tent and feed the kids. Jeff gets the tent almost up, it is almost completely dark out, and Lucas suddenly realizes that sleeping in the woods in a tent might not be quite what he imagined. He bolts for the car begging to be let into his carseat and crying, "Go home! Go home!" Jeff pleads with him a bit and then finally heads over to take the tent down. As Jeff works on the tent, Lucas begins to explore the campsite. (Meanwhile I am eating the pureed peas and brown rice that Wren didn't finish because I am starving and in the midst of all of this there really is no time to fix big people food. I am also having to hold Wren because every time we set her down she crawls off and begins to stuff her face with pine needles). The tent is totally down and Lucas, thanks to his exploration and the encouragement of a neighboring camper, decides that maybe he'd be okay sleeping here and that hiking in the morning sounds cool. Jeff puts tent up again.

At this point we were all totally wiped out and went to sleep. Thankfully the kids slept great and the next day we got out and did a beautiful hike. Wren was happy to let us cart her along wherever we went and Lucas did a great job of hiking 3 miles in his Crocs (I promise, Lucas, I'll get you some decent shoes to hike in next summer).

simplifying

I am grateful for the times I get out on my own and for the books I read besides picture books, but I am also very thankful for the daily conversations I have with Lucas that keep me solidly earthed in the simple things. So, he's doing pretty darn well with the potty training. Yesterday as he peed in the toilet I said to him, "That's all that milk you drank earlier coming out." He looked up at me and eagerly proclaimed, "Lemonade!" Clever boy.

A clever boy who is about to get a wake up call. Wren is officially crawling as of the past 2 days. It is slow, but she gets what she wants. Even before she was mobile Lucas spent half his day taking toys from her saying, "No Wren! Don't have that Wren." (We've been trying to teach him to trade if he insists on taking what she has but then yesterday I caught him somehow attempting to trade her a toy for something with an xacto blade in it. I've got to work on that child proofing again...).

Oh, and one more story. Lucas really is a good big brother. This week he's attempted to spoon feed Wren, push her in the swing, and comfort her in the car as she wailed on the way home to bed. ("It's okay Wren. Mama take care you, Wren.") And, melt my heart, he told me "Love you!" for the first time out of the blue at the play ground on Sunday. Sweetie.

somethin' fishy

Watching the fish. It's a great time of year to watch the salmon migrate or check out the aquarium.

summer's eve

six months

Wren will be six months old this coming week. She's sitting up all by herself, getting up on her hands and knees and rocking, and managing to maneuver herself after toys. What happened? Last I looked she was sleeping in my arms while I was chasing after Lucas. Now there are two little people with abundant personality occupying my living room floor. Our days are filled with Lucas saying, "Here ya go Wren!" as he hands her toy after toy--soon followed by Wren's howls as Lucas decides to take back whatever toy she's picked up to suck on.

I was really hoping not to start her on solids til, oh, another week or two but Wren decided she was going to find a way to eat whether I wanted her too or not. So, she's now feasting on rice cereal and bananas and is eagerly anticipating her first taste of phad thai.

not so lazy summer days

But we try to fit in the fun. It helps to have a playground, a wading pool, and a beach all in walking distance.

Yesterday we took Lucas and Wren to see Ratatouille (which I recommend. It is a lovely film). Wren did a great job of being totally mesmerized then falling asleep. Lucas was excited and thrilled and loved the popcorn...and then the previews started. I never realized how loud and large they are. Poor Lucas's eyes became saucers and he began saying, "Outside! Outside!" We moved to the back of the theater, endured about 20 previews, and then finally the movie began. Lucas did a good job of sitting through the whole thing, and enjoyed a lot of it, but he seemed relieved when he could tell
us "Go potty!" so that someone would take him out of the theater to some place more familiar. I'm glad I saw the film but I don't think I'll put Lucas through that again til he's a bit older. Once again, I have a whole new perspective on the experience of movies (the big screen really is different from watching things on TV at home).

i like it

especially when it comes in chocolate

sweet cheeks

What We Did In June

We went to the beach and Nana and Pop Pop's and visited cousins and celebrated Lucas's second birthday multiple times.

Wren and I followed this up by traveling to the Via Affirmativa conference in St. Paul, MN with our friend Jen. Wren at 4 months has been to five states, the beach, an art museum, and traveled on a dozen airplanes...which probably explains why we both have colds right now.

Wren chillin' at the conference.

My Peeps

I spend so much time with these guys. Good thing they are funny.

double jogger!

I've been waiting for a few months to be able to put Wren in the double jogger and finally get back to jogging/walking faster than a kid in a sling can tolerate. The other day I decided to take both kids out for a spin I think it went pretty well. Lucas picked his side and was excited to have Wren riding next to him. Wren fell asleep soon after I started walking, had a nice nap, and then enjoyed watching Lucas playground from her nice, shaded front-row seat. Get ready for a faster fitter Cris.

chillin' saturday morning

saturday morning cris and jeff will have to wait til another time...

Mmmm Zebra

wren's friends

Younger and (slightly) older.
(Judah, Mary, and Deb).
Oh, and Lucas would say they are his friends too.

can't we just go outside?