Hank Cameron Ewing

MOVING!

2011-05-18T15:47:00.000-07:00

Hi There!
Please go to the NEW, SHINY, UPDATED blog:

hankandhudson.blogspot.com

Because it's been a long time and Hank has a new brother, Hudson (which you know, because you've been patiently clicking back to see if she's updated SOMETHING since he was born, but you STILL see that same ol' post announcing his birth)...and now he's almost 8 months old and it's ABOUT TIME you saw some new stuff!

Welcome, Little Brother Hudson!

2010-09-22T18:32:00.001-07:00

On Tuesday, September 21st, we welcomed Hank's brother, Hudson (Hud) William Ewing to our family. He was born at 10:59 AM (no, not 11!) at 8 lb 2 oz at 18.5 inches long. Short and stocky with lots of hair...this one might not be as blonde as his brother, but we'll see! My proud moment - 11 minutes of pushing and he was here! Woohoo!

Here's our new family:

Me and the Little Guy

2010-09-10T16:48:00.003-07:00

In just a few weeks (or maybe sooner - who knows?!), Hank is going to have a baby brother. It's odd to think of there being another one and I know the blog will change after that...we'll see if there's even time for one! Hard to imagine loving another kid as much as we do this guy - but there are lots of families with more than one kid, so I know it's possible (I mean, I was THIRD and I always felt loved!). Now...if only we had a name :)

He Sleeps Great in His New Bed!

2010-09-10T16:41:00.000-07:00

Here is Hank napping in his new bed. Hehe...nothing like a lack of oxygen to help you sleep better :)
A few disclaimers: NO, we didn't put the pillow over his head (he did it himself...and oddly enough, I find Bret sleeping like this a lot!), and YES, he had a good flow of air out one side (I swear!).

**Okay - anyone remember the "Heaven's Gate" cult? I totally think of the pictures from that when I see this...kinda twisted-hehe. What can I say, it does!

Yes, More Food Pictures...

2010-09-10T16:08:00.001-07:00

I'm starting to notice a little trend with my posts lately...food, food, and more food! You can tell what we enjoy doing...going out and eating yummy food! :) Hank will be a little expert on Seattle "good eats" by the time he's four! Grandma jokes that he'll be raising money mowing lawns so we can move out of the burbs and into Seattle! Here's a little sampling:

For ice cream...Husky Deli in West Seattle has the classic stuff...or maybe you want frozen custard from Old School Frozen Custard on Capitol Hill...but if you like the fancy flavors, there's always Molly Moon's...and if you want gritty with an arcade, there's Full Tilt in Columbia City! Ridiculous, huh?!

When it comes to pizza, it's pretty much the same - we have a favorites all over town. You prefer stupidly big slices, then it's Talerico's in West Seattle...you want gourmet and delicious, it's Flying Squirrel on Genesee...Neopolitan style (and good tiramisu!), Tutta Bella's in Columbia City...bar style with a thick crust and yummy salad bar, it's gotta be Bison Creek in Burien, and for just New York style, our favorite has always been Piecora's on Capitol Hill (we had our rehearsal dinner there!).

This past weekend, we hit up Piecora's and they had the Mariner's game on...pizza and baseball. The little guy was in a good place - and we were too!

Sweet Stuff

2010-08-19T13:57:00.000-07:00

Does this kid know how to enjoy the good things in life? Let's just say, we don't hold a lot back (could be a bad thing-haha). On one of our many trips to West Seattle to hit all our favorite shops, we had to make our normal nice weather trip to Husky Deli for ice cream. As we got in line, Hank said, "ICE CREAM! CHOCOLATE!" hehe. No vanilla for this kid - he knows what he likes, and he likes chocolate! The video cracks me up, because it seems to prove the sugar = hyperactivity theory (Is that a theory that even needs proving?!). Check out his "happy feet" followed by an impromptu run down the block...which you'll notice is where the video stops, because we have to chase him-hehe.

Gardens Full of Strawberries!

2010-08-19T13:25:00.000-07:00

Hank has had the best time this summer picking strawberries straight out of the garden. Lucky him, his Tutu and Papa Andy had a garden full of them early this summer, and late in summer, he got to munch them out of the yard in Endicott with Grandma and Papa Tom. Such a fun thing to go out each day and see what new strawberries are ready for picking...yum! And apparently, he does his best strawberry picking in Disney shirts-hehe...

This first picture is at Tutu and Papa Andy's...this is where he actually LEARNED how to say "Da-Berry" for the first time. The garden was full of strawberries, so all weekend he got to go out and chomp away.
This was just this past week in Endicott. There were a few strawberries for him to pick each day and he was thrilled (the squeezed closed eyes are his "smile" for the camera)...and he's gotten even better at saying, "Straw-berry" too :)

Dog Days of Summer

2010-07-29T00:22:00.001-07:00

Just a warm day, eating watermelon on the porch...how nice :)

Disneyland 2010

2010-06-30T17:08:00.000-07:00

This was Hank's second exposure to Disneyland, but last year hardly counts (click here to see how little he was...or scroll to the end of the post for a few pictures). He and I flew down with my students (no Dad and no Grandma!) and he was a total champ on the plane. While we waited for Dad and Grandma, we spent a lot of time with the stuffed animals at the Disney store. Dad and Grandma came later that evening and they got to spend time with Thomas, Vanessa, and Josie. My group performed on Friday and I got time to hit the park with my students, and then we had a family day on Saturday. Same favorites as last year...Small World and the carousel! He was pretty good with the characters, choosing to cling to me while they were close and then waving and blowing kisses when we got a safe distance away! He met Chip and Dale and when we saw a shirt with them on it at Target a few weeks later, out of nowhere, he said, "CHIP!" My mom and I were shocked - it's amazing what sticks with them! (I can't believe I didn't buy him this Mickey...but I figure, there will be many more trips to Disney and we have to save something! At least, that's what I tell myself to feel better!).

Mickey was the first character he saw when we got to Disneyland...as long as I was close it was okay, but he DID NOT want to touch him, no matter how much I hugged Mickey, aka Hot Dog, yes, Hot Dog. My students got a kick out of the fact that he calls Mickey Mouse, "Hot Dog". At this point, he can say all the names (Minnie, Daisy, Donald)...but you try to get him to say Mickey, and all that comes out is "Hot Dog!" This all started because the album we've listened to in the car since he was tiny was They Might Be Giants...who just so happened to write the closing song to the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse...guess what the song is called...HOT DOG! Once he got old enough to put together that they were talking about Mickey, it just stuck. For awhile, he'd point to his mouse ears and say, "Hot Dog" and we were all so confused. Then it all clicked...and so, "Mickey" is now "Hot Dog". The end :)

Spotting the "Choo-Choo" right above us!

Leaving the park...he skipped and jumped the whole way (if you look closely, you'll see that his feet are off the ground!). The kid was having a great time!

The whole gang...well, except for me, but someone had to take the picture!

Josie and her new doll...she was a madwoman while driving the doll in the stroller. We all had to watch our ankles! Very funny!

Hanging out at T and V's house in Long Beach...the two goofy cousins!

This is how tiny they were last year! Oh my goodness - they're so grown up now!

Massages...

2010-06-29T22:26:00.001-07:00

Hank is the lucky recipient of many foot/leg and arm massages. He loves them (um, who wouldn't?). I'm planning to teach him how to drive a.s.a.p. so that I can sit in back and get a foot massage from Grandma instead...I mean, who's 7 months pregnant?! The goofy thing is that he can go from worked up and fussy to totally catatonic in .2 seconds. Grandma starts to rub his foot, he tosses the other one her way, and then ZONES out. Here's a picture of the zoning out in action...notice the blank stare...

A ton of Gemini's means lots of cake and ice cream...

2010-06-29T22:06:00.000-07:00

Hank has officially learned that birthdays are a very good thing...they mean cake and ice cream - yum! This is our May/June:
May 24 - Auntie Katie
June 1 - Me
June 9 - Auntie Megan and GG (Great-Grandma Winnie)
June 16 - Papa Tom
June 19 - Tutu (Grandma Connie)
and even though she's a Cancer, it still counts because it's so close...
July 2 - Grandma Rhonda
Not sure if you can see it...but even though Auntie Katie's cake hasn't been cut into yet, Hank already has frosting on his face. Eating the frosting off the candle...he was supposed to be smiling for the camera (like his mom and dad), but instead, he was grabbing that candle! He knew our defenses were down!

Auntie Megan's ice cream cake:

Grandpa's ice cream sundae. Notice how his face has had to contort just to get that big ol' spoon in his mouth...this was the start of a big mess!

I love this video...I'm not sure if you'll be able to hear it, but there are quite a few, "Mmms" and "Yummms" as he's dipping away.

And why not?!

2010-06-29T21:59:00.000-07:00

What better place is there to watch tv? I'm in the other room fixing lunch and I come around the corner and here he is...must have looked comfy!

Guy Time!

2010-06-29T20:50:00.000-07:00

Hank is a big fan of guys and stuff guys do...drive cars, play sports, mow the lawn, etc. In the car, I regularly drive while answering questions about where every "guy" is that Hank has every met. "Where's Dad? Where's the Guy (Josiah)? Where's Tom? Where's Mike? Where's Andy? Where's Dad? Where's Mike?" etc. After a long drive and answering, "He's at work, he's probably at work too, he's in Portland, he's at work, he's..." I wanna SCREAM! So, here are pictures of Hank and some of the guys he regularly talks about! Can't wait for the "Why?" stage...

Josiah is "The Guy" that started all "The Guy" stuff. This was before Hank was saying names other than Dada and Papa...so everytime Josiah would enter the room, he'd exclaim, "The guy!" And when Josiah would leave the room, he'd quickly say, "Where'd the Guy go?" Hank in sport-heaven!

Hank with Papa Andy:

Father's Day in Portland:

Hank and his Dada:

Hank doing "guy" stuff with Papa Andy, Mike, and Dada (setting mole traps...how manly):

Shootin' hoops:

At the arcade with Dada and Papa Tom. Papa Tom was the first to be called by name...one day, it just came out..."TOM!" and it's been non-stop ever since. Sometimes I'll drive from Papa Tom's house (AND Grandma's...but we women are just chopped liver in Hank's man-world) back to our house, all of three miles, and answer the question, "Where's Tom? Where's Papa Tom?" about 1,000 times.

Shopping at Target with Dada...because men shop too!The shelves that Dada and Papa Tom built in the garage...it was a truly wonderful day for Hank to get to watch all that action. Now, everytime we pull in the garage, he points to the shelves and says, "Papa Tom!"Hank in awe at the shelf-building!

The little guy surrounded by all his sporty things!

Another hat and a cheesy smile montage...

2010-04-28T20:12:00.000-07:00

He won't let us put hats on him, but every now and then, he'll turn the corner and he'll have put on one of his many hats...and it's too cute :)And so begin the cheesy smiles...

Tutu and GG Visit!

2010-04-28T19:36:00.000-07:00

Just a few weeks after we went to Portland, Tutu and GG came to visit. It took Hank all of 2.2 seconds to warm up...how cute is this: Hank gave Tutu and GG a balloon and showed them how he drew on it for them:

Taking a walk in the neighborhood

Off to the park!

At Pike Place Market...with me taking up most the picture (lovely...)

Headed home...

Not ready for Tutu to head home...

They'll take it from my cold, dead hands...

2010-04-28T19:27:00.001-07:00

This dang baguette was the source of a lot of grief last night...he wouldn't settle for a nicely cut off piece, or even a large chunk ripped off. No, it had to be the whole stinkin' thing. He walked around the whole house with it and when I finally decided that I didn't want to eat bread that had been all over the house, we had to sit through a nice long fit. Oh, Hank...you quirky little guy :)

Visiting Tutu and Grandpa

2010-04-27T15:10:00.000-07:00

Awhile back now (way back in March!) we went to see Tutu and Grandpa in Portland...Hank also got to have fun with their dog, Jack. He LOVED throwing the ball for him and getting to run around in the yard! Trying to convince Jack to roll the ball down the hill!

Grandpa and Hank in their matching Columbia polar fleece jackets:

Making Norwegian Pancakes with Tutu...we're going to teach this little guy how to cook, that's for sure!

The cooks!

Mickey Hat!

2010-04-27T15:06:00.000-07:00

Certain things just make a car ride more fun (and more dangerous, when you're trying to take a picture of how dang cute he is while driving...for the record, I did stop...in the middle of the street maybe, but still!)

Teaching Fire Safety

2010-04-27T14:55:00.000-07:00

In a polyester track suit, no less...

Well...I guess it is just a toddler thing...

2010-03-24T07:44:00.000-07:00

Just got my weekly "Toddler" newsletter and the title was, "How Quirky is Your Toddler?" I guess we have the answer to the post below!

Is this developmental?!

2010-03-23T16:43:00.000-07:00

Hank has been taking to inanimate objects lately...the other night it was two large spoons (I went in to help B put him to bed and he was clinging to the spoons for dear life).

Today, it has been all about the broom. Not his little hand broom, but the large kitchen broom. He insisted on carrying it around the house this morning while Grandma was watching him. But, it's gotten kind of weird - like he insisted on going for a walk to the mailbox WITH the broom. Each attempt I made to take it from him (or convince him to put it down) was met with a fit. So, we took a walk WITH the broom. You feel kind of awkward walking the neighborhood with a 1.5 year old who's carrying a broom. Like I'm forcing him to do it or something! And let's be honest, it's a little difficult for him to carry! You'll notice he was being kind and stopping to sweep some dirt along the way. I can't stop giggling whenever I think about it!

Workin' for a livin'

2010-03-11T12:00:00.000-08:00

Hank and I got to visit B's work a few weeks ago while I was on break. It felt funny going to my dad's old work, but with my son. A very grown up moment! Everyone there laughed that I probably knew the place better than they did (I at least knew where to find the best pens and notepads-haha). When we were little, my mom used to load the three of us into the car and we'd drive downtown to pick up my dad at the old Customs building...we'd see his work, the bums all around, and all the sights of the city. Now we're starting that tradition again, but with the new Customs building. Talk about a full circle!

Sunglass Shopping...

2010-03-10T12:00:00.000-08:00

Shopping for glasses at H&M - what taste he has!

Favorite Videos

2010-03-09T15:57:00.000-08:00

Video 1: Hank learning how to close his eyes on command...pretty goofy!

Video 2: Hank making his own breakfast with grandma

Video 3: Hank discovered that he loves the animals (Backyardigans) on this chair/couch polyester thing (aka: a parent's nightmare to have in their house). You'll hear us try to convince him to pack it up and instead, he decides to lounge just a bit longer. Pretty goofy. At least he was content to do that all at Babies R Us and then leave...without it. Phew!

Valentine's Day!

2010-03-09T15:27:00.001-08:00

I was so excited that I remembered Hank had a pair of bright red overalls from the Reiber boys. They were a little big for him, but the perfect thing for Valentine's Day! Grandma and Grandpa came over with gifts and, imagine that, he loved it!

Now, on to the present!

Boots and a book!

Well, the new boots were cooler off than on - they're a bit too big and he loves the IDEA of them, but can't quite walk in them yet.

Haircuts!

2010-02-10T16:46:00.000-08:00

After Hank's first haircut when he turned 1 year old (traumatic, expensive, and not so good), we decided that we could do it ourselves...well, we decided Grandma could do it. I was NOT up to the task. We strapped on a bib, put on Elmo, and handed him a popsicle. It went pretty well, but he has tricky hair - straight and fine. And, it didn't help that he was moving all over the place!

We trimmed it up and it worked for awhile, but it seemed to grow so quickly! So today (2/10) when Grandma and Hank came out to my work to see me, we decided to try a salon again. It worked out well - but I think Grandma is probably at home sleeping now after entertaining the little guy to the max! His haircut consisted of: a Thomas the Tank Engine chair, a sucker, a Barney video, Grandma dancing, one of the ladies pretending to chase Grandma around, an Elmo stuffed animal, squeezing my hand, and a very swift haircutter! He made it without any major breakdowns - a few tears here and there, but never any meltdowns. Take a look at this cutie (and the video of how sweet he was afterwards!). He can see again...and he has eyebrows (very light ones, but they're there!)

Christmas in Portland...a little late!

2010-02-07T13:54:00.000-08:00

A few days after Christmas, we headed to Portland to celebrate with our family and friends down there. Hank definitely got the hang of opening presents - he was in heaven just surrounded by a bunch of paper (check out the video). Not to mention, more people loving him up! Tutu showing Hank his new warm hat!

Aunt Katie and Uncle Michael came over and brought...whadayaknow...more presents!

Okay, now remember how I said Hank has an issue with group pictures...here he is at his Great Grandma Mac's house with all his second-cousins on the Ewing side. Notice how many kids are piled in there, notice how there are plenty of kids around his age and they're all doing pretty good. Then, find little Hank. Full on SCREAM within .2 seconds of putting him near the group. I even kept him turned around and facing me until the last minute. Ah, Hank!

One of our favorite things to do in Portland is hang out with Cameron and Michelia. We hit the food carts on Mississippi and Hank had the best time running all over. He loves to sit on steps and kick his feet, so Cam joined him. Too cute :)

The boys...

This was about the fifth attempt at a picture of everyone. In every other picture he'd be hanging out, and as soon as I pulled up the camera, he'd turn and run! But, there was a little progress...NO TEARS! Michelia is headed off to Turkey for the next few months (well, more like 8 months!). We'll miss her and send her our best wishes!!!

Josie Turns 2!

2010-01-14T08:00:00.000-08:00

The day after Christmas, we headed over to Eastern Washington (Endicott) to relax and made it with a sleeping baby most of the way - our quickest time yet (4 hours, instead of 6-7 with various meltdowns...you've probably heard some of the horror stories). While there, we got to celebrate Josie's 2nd birthday with family - cousins everywhere! It's so fun they're all growing up so close in age and that they get to see each other enough to know each other.
Below, cousin Leah entertains the little ones... Hank's cousin Kiefer (my cousin Joe's son) kept trying to feel Hank's eyeballs (squishy!):

This looks like Hank was striking back with a swift kick, but he was really just trying to get wrapping paper off his foot (I swear!).

Okay...so here's what to watch for in the coming posts (and to look for if you look at old posts)...Hank has a little issue with group pictures. He HATES them. He'll be happily playing and then all the sudden, BOOM, he is freaking out, red faced, screaming, and crawling to get away. It doesn't matter who it is...you'll see more when I post pictures from Portland. Ahh, quirky kids! Now anytime someone says, "Let's take a picture with everyone!" my pulse quickens and I know what's coming next...oh, the drama!

In the picture below: Hank (15 months), Maverick (3), Josie (almost 2), Macoy (5), and Kiefer (almost 14 months).

Vanessa and I had fun making this cake for Josie's birthday...love the cut-up cakes!

The Long Beach Hardys singing, "Happy Birthday!"

More presents to open (and stand on!):

Hank was thrilled to have a balloon in each hand - what a good life!

Christmas Day!

2010-01-13T12:00:00.000-08:00

The best part of Christmas Day...playing with all your new presents! In this picture, Hank is in his Thomas the Tank Engine tent (with tunnel...wow!). He's playing with his recycling truck that we splurged on, so every time he plays with it, we feel validated for spending entirely too much on a one year old!The best part of the recycling truck is that the little man fits in your mouth very nicely...choking hazard? Nah...now, please knock on wood!Santa brought a whole tube of Puffs...we let him just dig in and he'd take handfuls and shove them in his mouth. I stopped him when he started tossing handfuls of them up in the air (such a killjoy!)

"Why can't I throw them everywhere?"That night, we headed to Coulon Park to see the "Clam Lights" - both kids loved the lights and it was nice and festive! A perfect way to spend Christmas night.

Auntie Dev and Uncle Asher headed off to New York and St. Lucia...lucky ducks!

Christmas Eve at the Loctor's...Part 1

2010-01-12T17:35:00.000-08:00

Hank's Auntie Dev (aka Auntie May May, aka Auntie Megan) and Uncle Asher hosted Christmas Eve this year. There were, as always, too many presents. But, with two little ones there, there were even MORE than usual (and it was even more fun than usual!). The tree was awesome and the kids were way into the mound of presents. This is all Christmas Eve...there's still Santa, Portland with Tutu and Grandpa Ewing, and GG Rud still to come. I think this is all Hank is going to give me tonight, though...so stay tuned (Aunt Raelene, that means you!)! Hugging the presents!

"Look, Josie!"

Loving life :)

Uncle Asher had to check that none of the presents were breakable, because Hank was all over them.

Christmas Eve at the Loctor's...Part 2

2010-01-12T17:19:00.000-08:00

Family Picture Time!

Fun with wigs! I mean, when you have an excuse to do this, you kind of have to! More presents!

Biggie got in on the fun and crawled in most boxes that got opened...like one of the kiddies (haha, get it...kiddies...kitties...ah, nevermind!).

Both grandbabies! Think they were happy?!

Hank's "Little People" Farm! Josie got the house :)

11:30 PM - Time to go home and sleep so Santa can come...poor kid!

Meltdowns and Fits

2010-01-04T21:02:00.000-08:00

Hank is working on having fits lately - usually he will put his head down between his legs and howl. For this little meltdown (on the video), he was just done eating, he was tired, and he wanted us to know all about it. The hands on the face are very dramatic...but I just kept filming away! Nice mom that I am! At least they're usually short and he's easy to distract. I have a feeling it won't always be like that - yikes!

While I was blogging...

2009-12-22T18:14:00.000-08:00

...this is what Hank was doing:

Never turn your back-haha

Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus...

2009-12-22T16:00:00.001-08:00

...and he's scary as hell!Here are the little ones after that traumatic experience...at least they got candy canes, right?! Hank didn't even have nightmares after this last Santa experience (I made him go twice in one day a few weeks ago...man, am I mean or what?!). After three Santa visits, it's obvious that we'll just have to wait a year (or more) until he can really enjoy Jolly Old Saint Nick. Until then, I have some very classic Santa pictures!

Sharing

2009-12-22T15:46:00.000-08:00

Hank loves his stuffed animals, and this was the first time I saw him offering them something to eat...a sugar cookie!

He's officially a walker...watch out world!

2009-10-29T21:59:00.000-07:00

He can walk and multi-task...usually I'll watch him walking down the hall playing the harmonica. So funny!

Sorry this is so dark...lighting, must work on lighting!

Things that make me laugh...

2009-10-29T21:37:00.000-07:00

He LOVES that drum... Discovering a new drawer that he can pull things out of AND sit in!
I love that he'll just walk around wearing this...watch the video!A dragon, a princess, a duck, and a skunk...Halloween is the best!

I love morning hair...and that was AFTER the haircut!

Our little critter:

Pumpkins!

2009-10-29T21:21:00.000-07:00

We headed to the pumpkin patch and had a great time finding our pumpkins...thanks to Auntie Dev, we had an extra hand to wrangle the little guy!

This melts me...

Haircuts are Fun!

2009-10-29T21:00:00.000-07:00

The pictures pretty much speak for themselves. Hank started the day very happy, then we had to go and get his hair cut! The woman had obviously done this many times, because the crying didn't bother her a bit and she just kept on hacking away (there were some repairs that had to be made the next day). We had to stop her when she said she'd clean his neck and the sides with clippers...CLIPPERS? He's ONE, there's no need for clippers. Watch the video...you'll see why we stopped where we did (and you'll hear how supportive Bret was of the process)!
Poor guy - in the end, he looked quite handsome and now we look back at his pictures right before and giggle about how long his hair looked.

This scene happened within one minute of sitting in the VERY COOL fire truck...yeah, he saw through THAT right away. Not even a bucket-o-toys could help.

I guess it's hard to blame someone for a bad haircut when his hands pushed hers away every time she got close.

Oh yeah, real big tears...

This was a shot of the new haircut, taken just before he started to cry again-hehe. Was it the humiliation of wearing a zebra cape that got to him? Who knows...

And the video to document what a mean mom I am...

Saying Goodbye

2009-10-19T17:34:00.000-07:00

In early October, we headed to the beach to spread Bret's grandpa's ashes into the waves at Tierra Del Mar (on the Oregon coast). It was a beautiful thing and we're so glad that we got to be there with the whole family to say our goodbyes - it's such a special place to the Ruds and Ewings and it felt right that he should be among such beauty.

The view from Grandpa Bill's Bench:

Otto's hotdogs...of course!

Discovering that sand is FUN!

A view from the neighbor's porch of the family cabin...the US and Norwegian flags are always the first things out to mark our arrival!

Bubbles!

Aunt Katie and Uncle Michael:

One Year Pictures!

2009-10-04T17:50:00.000-07:00

Here are some of the keepers from Hank's one year photo shoot and also, the debut of his new shorter haircut (more on that to come...be ready to see one sad, sad baby). He started by being a little concerned by the new surroundings and was mesmerized by the lights, but he warmed up with a little peek-a-boo, and we were really happy with what we got! Now to find more wall space...
Our little guy in blue...

And one cheeseball family picture...by this time, Hank was pretty much done and I was sweaty from trying all I could to get him to smile and laugh!

Happy 1st Birthday, Hank!

2009-09-29T11:31:00.000-07:00

Hank is ONE! Oh my, that year flew by! Here he is with his horse and then at his party (a cowboy theme for our little buckeroo). I'll post some party pictures later (because it was so much fun!), but for now...just the little guy!My homemade cut-up cake! I was so excited to find this design...I grew up with cut-up cakes at every birthday, and it's fun to carry on the tradition!

I love that his first reaction was to put his face in it...why not?!
He had no problem chowing down on it...the little man has come a long way since he first tried cake for his 7 month "birthday" and spit it out immediately!

Almost There!

2009-09-26T20:52:00.001-07:00

We're so close to Hank's one year birthday and today I printed out all his pony pictures for his party tomorrow...there's just one more to go, and then it will be complete!

Here's how it started: We got home from the hospital and Tutu surprised us with this pony and a pair of cowboy boots. She asked that we take his picture with it as he grew...what a great idea it was, because it's so fun to look at how he's grown!
Hank at three days old!
So we missed out on his 1, 2, and 3 months pictures...total bummer! So we jump to...

Four months:

Five months:

Six months:

Seven months:

Eight months:

Nine months:

Ten months:

Eleven months:

...and one more to go!

Cousin Kiefer Visits!

2009-09-24T22:14:00.001-07:00

A few weeks ago, Cousin Kiefer came to our neck of the woods and stopped by to say "Hi!" Here's the latest of the two boys together (who couldn't look more different if they tried-hehe):

Could an attempt for a group shot go any worse?! Four shots and not one has the six of us looking normal - is that a sign?"Who do we look at?!"

Uh-oh, melt downs! Ahh, forget it!

Bubbles!

2009-09-24T22:07:00.001-07:00

You would have never guessed that bubbles were THIS exciting!

Jacket

2009-09-24T21:54:00.001-07:00

We were at a dinner for Kimberly's birthday and Hank was sporting his Adidas jacket. Then, he noticed sweet Madeline was cold and offered her his jacket. What a gentleman :)

It was adorable to see her in it - her boyfriend's jacket - ahhhh. First it was car rides at the park and now giving her his jacket...Hank better watch out, Madeline's daddy is back and she's not supposed to date until she's 30! (Welcome back, Madeline's daddy! Thanks for serving for our country!).

Halloween is the Best!

2009-09-24T21:47:00.000-07:00

Another option for Halloween...what happens when you want him to have five different costumes and he isn't even old enough to trick or treat?!

And so it begins...

2009-09-24T21:37:00.001-07:00

Last week, Hank and I were hanging out with Auntie Nessa at Grandma and Grandpa's house when all the sudden, Hank stepped away from the ottoman he was playing against and just stood there. She and I were silently going crazy...frozen because we didn't want him to stop and at the same time, wanting to grab a camera by any means possible. That's where it started and it's gotten better ever since. He's starting to take little steps now and hesitates a bit before lowering himself down to crawl. You can see his brain putting it all together - I love it!

Then, earlier this week, I got home from work and Grandma was eating a piece of toast and Hank put his hand out to ask for some. All the sudden, he let go of the coffee table and, in his best Frankenstein interpretation, started walking over to her! Four steps before he went to a crawl...WOOHOO! And I got to see it! One fear when I went back to work was thinking that I'd miss those big milestones, but nope, I was there...YES!!!

Here's a picture of the little guy during one of his standing attempts! Maybe someday soon we'll get a walking video to post :)

Super Hero!

2009-09-24T21:22:00.000-07:00

I suffered a little when Hank started to outgrow his 9 month pj's (and he got to wear them a lot longer than most kids, so I shouldn't complain). But a little thing happens after 9 months...no more cute onesie pj's. When you hit Target and Babies R Us, all the sweet pj's with forest animals, dinos, and ducklings only go to 9 months. Then when you search for older kid pj's, they're all two pieces, made out of polyester, and have movie characters on them. Or so I thought...I guess you just have to dig a little deeper to find a good pay-off! These renewed my excitement for cool pj's all over again and made me feel like it's okay for Hank to get older (cuz, after all, it's inevitable!).

This one's a bit blurry, but only because he was about to take off flying-hehe

A built-in cape?!!! What could be better?!

The red feet crack me up :)

Keepin' it Classy

2009-09-22T20:34:00.000-07:00

I think everyone has a few of these pictures...I will say, this was taken on grandma's watch-hahaha...the recycling can be so much fun! As his Auntie Katie pointed out, "It IS the champagne of beers!" Only the best for our 11 month old! Then there's the video, and well, B and I take full responsibility. He just kept chugging his water and it was cracking us up!

A

Hank in the Box

2009-09-22T20:16:00.001-07:00

As I mentioned...the new car seat box is the coolest thing. Hank has already discovered the joy of homemade forts from big boxes. Each day there are new things in the box, and it's even been a garage for his walker. You can tell from the various faces...it's all pretty exciting! Teething tablets anyone?

Lucy sees what it's all about...

Another box?! What luck!

Climbing in and out was the best!

Finding a parking spot for his ride:

The Biggest Car Seat Ever...

2009-09-12T14:03:00.000-07:00

There was a day when I thought Hank's bucket and base were big...then we entered the world of convertible car seats and oh, lord...big doesn't begin to cover it (nor does expensive!). When the UPS guy dropped it off, he said, "Just wait, next it will be a $400.00 bed...I have a two year old, I know!" But we can rest assured that Hank is riding around town in the safest thing out there...and really, I think it looks pretty comfy, kind of getting to sit in a Barcalounger while you ride around town. Still working on convincing him of that...the kid has never liked the car - ugh!

When the new car seat came, Hank all of the sudden became very clingy with his old bucket and base. Who knew?! Here are the pictures from that...I'll have to post some of the giant car seat later (at least big car seats come with big boxes...he LOVES the box. His cousin Big Boy would be proud).

Get me out of this thing!

New Outfits

2009-09-12T13:50:00.000-07:00

Love those people who gave us clothes for when Hank got bigger - it's fun to dig in our drawers and still find new things to wear! These were two particularly cute ones from the Kackman families...the adorable "Bear Hug" from Aunt Chris and Uncle Don. She sent this to us very early on when she heard about our woodland themed nursery. It was so hard to wait this long before he could wear it-hehe. And the overalls and shirt are from Al and Allie Kackman. Just love a kid in overalls! Thanks, guys! :)

How nice to get a "bear hug" all day long :)

Just a coincidence...but the same day he wore his "bear hug" onesie, we happened to be at Pottery Barn Kids and Hank got to try on a bear hat (Halloween time!). Bret put it on him and then they looked around the corner at me and Hank had a huge grin. Melt my heart! This doesn't have the grin, but it still melts me. Kinda wish he could wear it all the time-hehe.

Pushing around his new walker in his new outfit!

Still have a little bit of room to grow into them...that means he gets to wear them for a long time -yea!

Out for a Drive

2009-09-12T13:40:00.001-07:00

Madeline's parents let her go on a supervised date with Hank the other day. He drove her all over town...they had a wonderful time :) hehe

11 months for him...5 years for us!

2009-08-30T16:54:00.001-07:00

On the same day Hank turned 11 months, B and I celebrated our 5 year wedding anniversary (almost 12 years of being together!). We left Hank with his Auntie Dev (Megan) and had a wonderful dinner at the Dahlia Lounge in Seattle. So nice! Just a few other cute shots of our little guy:

Hank's new thing is spinning aroud using his heels...it was the most fun on Auntie Dev and Uncle Asher's floor. This was the best shot I could get of it, but there were times where he do two circles in a row, pretty fast too - goofy little guy!

11 Months Old...all dressed up and nowhere to go!

2009-08-30T16:34:00.000-07:00

It all started back before Hank was even born...Tutu surprised us with a three piece tuxedo for our future little boy. It was hilarious looking and we couldn't wait to put it on him! Jump forward 11 months! It was August 28th and I always like to take his "birthday" picture in something he hasn't worn before. As I dug in the closet...there it was! I started to get scared that it wouldn't fit, but low and behold, it did...let the torture begin!

11 months old, and so very dapper!

Being a music teacher, I had to get him dressed in his finest by the piano, as if he was giving us his first concert. I imagine that one day, we'll be reflecting back (sitting in the mansion he bought us) about how he was putting on performances in tuxedos way back at 11 months, a la Tiger Woods and his golf clubs. Hahaha - we can dream! No pressure, Hank :) If nothing else, it cracked us up the whole day thinking about it.

His first repetoire...

Enjoy his first piano performance...

Lucy

2009-08-16T23:52:00.000-07:00

Just had to prove that our cat still exists...poor kitty!

Get ready for picture mania!

2009-08-16T22:57:00.001-07:00

Playing in the yard in Endicott...yes, he's wearing those goofy "Baby Legs"...ya got somethin' to say about it?! hehe

Sitting in the rocking chair that is on its third generation (from Dr. Hardy's office...at least I think that's the story):

At the carousel in Spokane. Little did they know how stinkin' fast it was going to go. Everyone was a little sick afterwards...it was NOT like the one in Disneyland.

Hank and his Cousin Josie. He's so excited to be around her and does all he can to keep up with her:

Josie had this hilarious habit of petting Hank's head:

Hank makes contact from "prison":

Riding in the bobsled (or laundry basket):

Come on...babies and puppies...please tell me you're going, "AWWWWW...":

Cousins Macoy and Maverick celebrating the 4th of July (and Mac's FIFTH birthday...HIGH FIVE, MAC!!!):

Baby switch! Hank and his cousin Kiefer:

Fireworks with Aunt Ness, Uncle Thomas, and Dad:

Naked baby time in Endicott...100+ degree weather just calls for that, and when you're that young, you can get away with it!

My little cherub:

Discovering how wonderful watermelon is:

One of the peaceful moments during a LONG car ride home from Endicott. One baby on a five hour car ride is tricky - two, well, that's just not recommended for the faint of heart. Unless, of course, you really just love listening to Raffi for hours on end.

Riding a tractor at the park:

Picture time with Cousin Josie!

And with Grandma:

Swimming with Madeline (escaping the heat!):

The blow-up car...it has a horn that makes him smile everytime!

With Tutu at one of our favorite restaurants, Elliot Bay Brewery:

Giving me and Hedgie a love:

With Grandma and Grandpa:

Hanging with Tutu at Godmom Heidi's birthday party:

I believe this kid is getting enough love (and we must get one of those trikes!):

Looking at a balloon in awe:

Then the balloon got loose and floated up to the ceiling:

For about 20 minutes, Hank just kept looking up there at the balloon, making us feel good and pathetic for letting it float away. Sweet Madeline was able to move on a bit easier-hehe.

Cooling off with Grandpa:

Reading a story with Grandma:Eating my hair...a habit that is becoming harder and harder to break. The things that seem so cute at first, quickly become not-so-cute!

Ahhh, this smile kills me. We were putting our feet in the kiddie pool when Hank just decided to sit down and start playing in the water:

Mr. Cool...I'll have to post some better pictures of this outfit, because it's just hilarious. He either looks like an old man about to hit the greens, or like an 80's preppy boy. Either way, I love this outfit (even if the pants are cinched about two inches at the waist...he was GOING to wear it this summer no matter what...and it's a size 6-9 month...grow Hank, grow!!):

Goofy Guy...

2009-08-16T22:38:00.000-07:00

With cousin Josie...giving us a good sneer: Demonstrating "Take-Out Chic"...the newest fashion to hit the streets:

Again...the sneer...

Showing terrific restaurant manners...For all those punks looking for ways to get a good mohawk, may we suggest buttered toast rubbed in the hair (you'll notice he's headed for a bath):We've started to work on having him feed himself...he likes to fill both hands with food and squeeze it (in this case, banana), and then shove whatever else he can in with it (Cheerios):And when all else fails...you just go for the whole bowl. This is actually an improvement...usually he puts his mouth down on the table and just tries to suck up the food. Who needs to use their hands. In other words...self-feeding is a work in progress.

10 Months...so overdue!

2009-08-16T22:19:00.000-07:00

Man, am I bad at blogging this summer. Too much going on!! My friend's daughter just turned 11 months and it was a good reminder that, if I don't get on it, Hank will be 11 months before I even post his 10 month pictures. So...here he is (was) on July 28th - month 10 of the little guys life and in the middle of a heat wave...whew, was it hot!
A little about his 10th month: He's very into giving anything soft a "lovey"...his favorites are a hedgehog (downstairs), a pony (in his bed), and a bunny (in the carseat). But really, sometimes he'll snuggle anything/anyone - which we all love! He loves to point at planes - even when he can only hear them, he'll still point to the sky. He loves to hear my violin and the piano (he does this goofy smile with a nose sniff). He loves to be chased and will crawl at warp speeds to get away, all the while squeeling with delight. He claps (finally...man, for awhile I thought the wave was going to be his only "trick" - hehe). When we do, "Happy Face...Sad Face", he'll copy. And well...we're just loving him and everything little thing he does. We have thousands of pictures to prove it. :) Giving his horse a "lovey"...

He's even gained a pound! Woohoo...the bacon, sausage, and butter-on-everything diet seems to be working...gee, who would have guessed that a diet like that would make you gain weight?! hehe

Video Time!

2009-07-20T21:57:00.000-07:00

Here is Hank making some more of his goofy faces while eating...

Then, a video of him giggling while dad chomps his belly...that giggle is my favorite thing in the world!

And finally, a video of Josie that just totally cracks me up. That girl is hilarious!

Teeth...

2009-07-20T21:43:00.000-07:00

Just as before...the best way to snap pictures of new teeth just happens to be when Hank is crying. So, without further ado...here are the top teeth (and a very sad baby)!

Those two front teeth were almost the death of us...he stopped nursing (FOR 36 HOURS...ladies, if you've ever nursed a baby, you can imagine the pain), stopped sleeping, and life was overall painful for about three days. Then they appeared...and it all made sense.

9 Months Old!

2009-07-20T21:28:00.000-07:00

I figured since Hank is almost 10 months old, I better get on posting his 9 month pictures - it's been a busy month!

Adorable devil shirt comes compliments of Tutu, and the equally amazing devil Robeez from Godmom Heidi!

We got a big time score at the consignment shop and Hank got a great activity table (he LOVES it) for only $14.99. We were at Babies R Us earlier in the day, about to buy the same one for $50! Bret was so proud of me :)

Did a little harassing on the cat...perfect that the devil tail should be showing-hehe

Found some new cords to try and chew on... Slept with his pony...

A pretty fine day!

Sleepy Time

2009-07-20T21:12:00.001-07:00

I just love when babies sleep like this...

We've hit a BIG landmark...Hank has FINALLY slept through the night. There was one night, in his second month that he slept seven hours...but that was only ONE night. We've had a stream of them lately and I think we're all happier and more sane.

B is on NPR!!

2009-06-25T16:16:00.000-07:00

B IS FAMOUS! Check him out on NPR today (All Things Considered) or you can listen to the "Planet Money" podcast for the extended interview that came out last week (Episode 55 - through I-tunes...free, of course).

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=105907815

Who knows if it will play with news of Michael Jackson dying...weird, huh?

(I got a funny voicemail from my cousin Joe over this past weekend. He said he was listening to his I-Pod while mowing the lawn and just happened to hear Bret's interview on NPR. Pretty funny...but, what I'd like to know is, why is Joe listening to the Planet Money podcast? Planet Money? Really? I never knew-hehe)

(And Bret's co-workers are giving he and Jim (the other guy in the interview) a hard time..."Look, it's one of the SENIOR IMPORT SPECIALISTS featured on NPR...oooohhhh" hehe)

Father's Day Weekend

2009-06-22T22:06:00.000-07:00

We started the weekend early and drove down to Klickitat, WA to celebrate Tutu's birthday (June 19th) and then, Father's Day on Sunday. It was great to get to spend time at the river and then to see everyone on Sunday. We got home around 7:00 PM and then headed over to Gma and Gpa Hardy's to continue celebrating.

We're so lucky to have such great men in our lives to look up to and who've raised us right...or, in Bret's case, he is raising his son right :) Cheers to them!

Matching hats!

A card for Dad!

"Helping" him open it!

A coffee mug...since Mr. Hank doesn't sleep, dad's coffee intake has had to increase tenfold!

Grandpa Ewing with his kids (and grandson, of course!)

Hank with his dad, Bret with his dad :)

Giving Grandpa Hardy his card!

Tutu's B-Day on June 19th

2009-06-22T22:00:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday, Tutu! It was wonderful to get to spend it with you!

Fish Lips

2009-06-22T21:21:00.000-07:00

Teething has made this little guy do some crazy faces...one morning, while eating breakfast, he kept doing fish lips, over and over. Enough for me to actually get one recorded - I love how he laughs at himself!

My Surprise Party!

2009-06-20T00:00:00.000-07:00

(Photo by Cameron Browne)

People are crafty! I knew something was up for my 30th, but I had no idea the extent of it! NO IDEA! Even at the end of my party I was still putting things together (I said to B's grandma and mom at the end, "Wait, did you guys plan to come up for THIS?!"). I'm a little slow!

The theme was "Marie Antoinette" as done by Sofia Coppola. She had an over-the-top life and I had an over-the-top party. There's a scene in the movie where Marie Antoinette is celebrating her birthday and there are beautiful baked goods everywhere...my Devil (Megan to those who are confused) baked TONS of treats and I felt as royal as M.A. The decorations were beautiful too - if you need a party planned, she is your girl!

When we arrived at the park, I was kind of surprised, but thought we were maybe just having a picnic with family (instead of a small brunch at mom and dads...as they LED me to believe). BUT THEN...I saw my friend Karen waving to me, and then a tall guy with a camera...CAM! And standing next to him...MICHELIA! Then HEIDI pulled up next to us! And the parade of people just kept coming. Moms from the Mom's group came, my Aunt and Uncle, my cousin Leah. Brad from college, Missi, B's cousin...the list goes on! It was wonderful. I guess turning 30 isn't so bad when you've got so many people taking care of you and wishing you well :)

My Party through Cam's Camera

2009-06-19T23:59:00.000-07:00

For those of you who aren't on Facebook, here are some of the photos taken by the incredibly talented Cameron Browne at my party...

Hank has two daddies...hehe

Hank and Madeline

Florida tourists...hehe

First Swim...and it went Swimmingly!

2009-06-19T00:00:00.000-07:00

We've had a wonderful stretch of weather, and on one particularly warm (but overcast!) day, we decided it was time for Hank's first swim in Grandma and Grandpa Hardy's pool. He was all decked out and ready to go and...he loved it! He loves the bath, so thankfully, his love translated to the BIG bath. Now it's time for swimming lessons!Here goes!Cover that belly, Hank! "Kick, Kick, Kick!"
He loved playing on the steps! With Dad... Sunbathing :)

Screaming Banshee!

2009-06-18T12:32:00.000-07:00

Hank is loving to hear himself scream lately - it cracks us up! The tongue sticks out, the mouth opens wide, and out comes this high-pitched, raspy scream. I'll scream back and he'll laugh and then scream again...I'm sure it's a great habit that we're fostering-hehe.

This is also one of his last gummy smile pictures (how'd he get so old!). The top two teeth are breaking through!!

And now...the video of my little screaming banshee!

The Little Men...

2009-06-18T12:00:00.000-07:00

We don't get over to Endicott much, but when we do, Hank and his cousin Kiefer get to hang out. The last time they saw each other was in November! Look at how they've grown!!! Kiefer might be 5 weeks younger, but you'd never know it!

Cousin Kiefer brought his trucks and tractors to play with...Hank was happy to take them off his hands!

Eyeballs are squishy!

Hank looks like he's a crazy man...I'm pretty sure he's mid-wave in this one. It looks a little more like he's shouting, "TA-DA!"

PJ time! (Again, Hank in mid-wave. The kid LOVES to wave!)

Come back here!

Happy Birthday, Grandpa!

2009-06-16T12:00:00.000-07:00

Happy 60th!!!!

Portland Trip, May 23-25

2009-06-10T00:02:00.000-07:00

On our first day in Portland, the Browne's came over for a delicious Mexican dinner whipped up by Tutu. The Ewing and Browne families have been friends for, well, forever. It was so fun to get to spend time with them...

Hank Cameron with Cameron :)

Hank with Cam and Michelia

Table 1:

Table 2 (we had a better centerpiece!):

Auntie Katie's Birthday!

2009-06-10T00:01:00.000-07:00

The biggest reason for our trip to Portland, was to celebrate Auntie Katie's birthday on May 24th! It was a beautiful, sunny day and we were so lucky to get to be with her :)

Great-Grandma Winnie was the host for a delicious sourdough pancake breakfast - sitting on her porch (or in the yard) felt like HEAVEN! Why aren't there porches anymore?!

(I was so ticked the above shot was blurry...it's so cute!)

Hank getting "familiar" with Rachel-hehe...

Playing with Great-Grandpa's musical instruments...

The happy hostess!

The birthday girl...donning her sun-hat...took a break from 3-D sidewalk chalk drawing (so cool!) to take a picture with her fans :)

What a goofball!

The Fam! (Look at that amazing porch!)

Last Day in Portland

2009-06-10T00:00:00.000-07:00

On our last day in Portland, we got to spend lots of time with Tutu and Grandpa Ewing. We made Tutu's stepping stone for her garden (a belated Mother's Day gift), but had minimal success. Even with a concrete expert in the bunch, we couldn't get it to the right consistency to have much success with putting Hank's handprint into it! Our first attempt was the best, but we decided to try it over and little Hank learned that it was much more fun to grab the concrete than just get your hand pushed into it. Oh well, it's part of the memory! :)

What a dork-hehe

Hank all the sudden started doing fish-lips before we left. Too funny! It hasn't happened since!

Mmmmm...ice cream on a hot day! If there's one way to get us to stay longer, an ice cream cone will do it!

Happy Birthday, Auntie Dev and Great-Grandma Winnie!

2009-06-09T00:00:00.000-07:00

Two amazing ladies, one special day (50 years between the two!)...WOW!!!

Happy Birthday to You, Happy Birthday to You,
Happy Birthday Dear Auntie Dev and Great Grandma Winnie...
Happy Birthday to You!

LOVE YOU!!! :)

(If there is exactly 50 years between the two, how is it that GG is turning 83, but Auntie Dev is just turning 29? hehe)

Auntie Ness and Her Disney Pix

2009-06-03T15:59:00.000-07:00

Here they are...the photos from Auntie Ness's camera: http://www.josiebeanlily.blogspot.com

She even did a special movie for Hank's first time on the carousel :)

8 Months Old!

2009-06-02T20:06:00.000-07:00

Okay, it just feels wrong to be posting recent pictures without putting up his 8 month birthday pictures! On May 28th, our little guy turned 8 months old...soooooo old! He can get up to a sitting position from his belly and he is a certified waving machine. Cars, animals, people, pictures, tv...you name it, he waves at it. We walked into the ice cream shop on my birthday and he had both arms out and waving with a huge grin at everyone in line. Little did he know they weren't all just waiting to see him...shhh, we won't tell him, it's too cute to see how excited he is-hehe.

And yes, that IS Mr. T on his shirt...thanks Auntie Ness and Uncle Thomas (Josie too!) for making our boy look cute (and for helping us get crazy stares all afternoon).

Bison Creek Pizza for dinner...no cake this birthday!

Grandpa didn't know I was taking the picture...otherwise he would have looked (would his eyes have been open...we'll never know-hehe).

Swimsuit Season

2009-06-02T20:02:00.001-07:00

Less talk...more pictures...here's the little guy in his new trunks, ready for the pool (he has a swim shirt too...we aren't blind, we know how pale this kid is!).

The Happiest Place on Earth...

2009-05-29T11:35:00.000-07:00

Back in January, when I was supposed to be going back to work, my long-term sub asked if I would be able to take my students to Disneyland. At the time I thought, "Of course! Hank will be so old by then, and he'll be sleeping through the night, and it will be nothin'!" Well, live and learn.

It was such a difficult process - in the weeks leading up to Disney, I had to go in and conduct and was basically working, but with no child care and no pay (just for the love of it all - do I win a prize?). Hank was not too happy about being with someone else during the class and proceeded to cry for the whole hour that I taught, while my poor sub tried to distract, entertain, and field all the dozens of people who thought THEY could make him happy (nope, just mom could do that!).

Needless to say, I ended up conducting my class with him in the Baby Bjorn. A true sight to see and I only wish I had a picture. The kids thought it was hilarious and would play peek-a-boo while I tried to work with them, Hank thought it was great because he was connected to me and had the attention of a whole class of kids, and I...well, I had a backache.

I do think all the exposure was good for Hank...for awhile he was sticking his arm out in a fist (think "Olympics 1968")...rather than Black Power, we thought he was trying to conduct. It might just have been the early stages of a wave...but we won't discount the time he spent watching me conduct, and I will still hope he'll become a famous musician or conductor because of it! hehe

During the trip, Hank: had his first airplane ride (never cried-woohoo!), visited Disney for the first time (loved "Small World), got his first tooth, and learned to wave. Not bad for a three day weekend.

We also got to see Uncle Thomas, Aunt Ness, and Cousin Josie while we were in Disneyland (another bonus of going). A VERY, VERY big "Thanks!" to Grandma Hardy and dad (of course!) for going with me on the trip and taking time to help me out - even when it would have been more fun to be partying it up with the Long Beach Hardy Fam!

Bring on the pictures. (Note: I was working a lot, so I don't have many, but we'll all have to hit up Josie's blog once she gets pictures up)
Watch out for your hair! (Grandpa Hardy said he has had his share of hair tugging while flying...)Grandma Hardy worked wonders to keep little Hank happy during the flights. What a blessing (cuz this kid doesn't sleep!).

Dinner together on the first night. Hank shared his prunes with Cousin Josie - how nice :)

This picture cracks me up...I had one where the kids didn't look so crazy, but their eyes look INSANE in this one! What goofballs :)

Mornings were the best...they'd wake up early and smile at each other, roll around, and try to poke each other's eyes out (with some hair pulling on Hank's part...ahh, good habits).

Diaper time!

Do you think she was happy?

"Small World"

Neither of the kids could take their eyes off the characters. They were soooo into it!

When B, T, and V went on Splash Mountain, we sat outside and watched the ride. Everytime people came down the "waterfall", they'd scream and Josie would do this hilarious face. A woman next to us kept watching her and cracking up. That Josie gets 'em all laughing!

New Tooth

2009-05-28T21:58:00.000-07:00

Here it is...his first tooth! We tried to get pictures of it for about a week (he got it in Disneyland), but to no avail. Then, he started crying in the car and I was not going to miss the opportunity to get the picture!

NOW she likes him...

2009-05-28T21:54:00.001-07:00

I sat Hank down the other day by his playmat and went to get some cereal. When I peaked around the corner, he was gone...he had rolled under the table, grabbed Lucy's cat toy, and was flicking it around. It took Lucy about .2 seconds to hear her toy and run to join in on the fun. She just might grow to like Hank afterall...or not-hehe.

We did Disney...

2009-05-20T21:45:00.000-07:00

There will be a post dedicated to Disney later, but these summed up how we all felt after a whirlwind trip to Disneyland!

(The one of Hank makes me feel like the worst mom ever...put that kid to bed already...his eyes are purple! Scary, huh?!)

Crazy Outfit Alert!

2009-05-20T21:37:00.000-07:00

When B is home to dress Hank on the weekends, I always know that he'll either come out looking adorable or crazy. On this occassion, I was finishing getting ready and I walked into Hank's room saying, "What is it today, cute or crazy?" and Bret laughed and said, "CRAZY!" There were a few outfits strewn around the room (they were much worse than this one!), but this is the one he ended up in. Grandma H, B, and I thought it was pretty cute...Uncle Asher compared him to a Fraggle :)

Baby Legs are the silliest, but most fun!

We Love Parks

2009-05-11T09:00:00.000-07:00

If there's one thing that living in the NW makes you appreciate, it's a nice day! In Seattle, we're also lucky to have beautiful parks lining the multiple lakes in the area. So as soon as there's a tiny glimmer of sun, we're outside!

The first picture was taken at Seward Park...it was a bit of a "Three Hour Tour" (sung to the tune of "Gilligan's Island"). B, Dev, Hank, and I decided that we needed to take a stroll before dinner one evening. We started out on the trail and every so often said, "Should we turn back?" But we kept walking, and kept walking...until finally, we were too far along to go back. Lucky us, we got to walk the majority of the time in the wind and shade (yes, I'm being sarcastic). Further down the path, we all got kinda pumped that we were out exercising and we were applauding ourselves for getting out there...a 1/2 hour later, with the end in sight...and still very far away...we started to drag, whine, and curse ourselves for not knowing what we were getting into! 2.5 miles later (Hank still strapped in the Bjorn) and we made it back to the car. The barbeque we ate after never tasted so good! Now we know how long the walk is, we know to wear better shoes (Bret: "Well, now I know these shoes aren't as comfortable as I thought!"), and we'll bring the stroller next time! But we got exercise, dammit! These next pictures are at Coulon Park...just 3 miles from home and down the driveway from Grandma and Grandpa Hardy's place. We love it! I meet here to walk with some moms usually about once a week, and Bret and I hit it often as well. You'll notice Hank's new sun hat. I've come to accept that my boy will not be able to bake in the sun (as I LOVE to do)...that Norwegian white skin just won't allow it! So he's all covered up. Everytime he wears this hat it makes us laugh...we can't stop saying, "G'day Mate!" I bought it because it has little cute skeletons all over it and I thought it would look cool...nope, still dorky-hehe. But at least he won't get a sunburn!
There is nothing cuter than a mommy and daddy duck with all their ducklings...especially when your own little baby is looking on (and talking to them as they passed...melt my heart). This is the same family from the "Mother's Day" post!

We've tried the swings before and he's OK with them...not overjoyed. We'll give it time :) Told ya the hat is dorky!

Slide time! Grandma Hardy first took Hank down the slide on her lap, but then he was ready to go at it alone (well, not quite alone...Grandma is standing close by...you'll see in the video!).

Happy Mother's Day!

2009-05-10T09:52:00.001-07:00

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there! Just over 7 months ago, I got to join the club and it's made me so happy. Until I had Hank, I never realized the extent of how much you could love your child. Now, I get it...
I watch every episode of "Baby Story" on TLC and even before I had Hank, I would watch them deliver their babies and get weepy. It just seems like the universe is rocked in that moment - when you become a mom. Below is that moment I had with Hank. It was the most perfect moment - ever. My favorite memory is how they put him on my belly right after and I kept trying to pull him closer and closer to me...they kept saying, "Hold on! He's still connected!" hehe. It was a, "Give me my baby!" moment.
Mom's are the best, and being a mom is the best - love you guys!

Let them eat cake!

2009-04-29T20:34:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, 4/28/09, was Hank's 7 month birthday...time has FLOWN by! After a bath (the only time his hair lays flat) and a ride on his pony, I decided it was cake time. Trust me, I don't bake cakes for his monthly birthdays, but this time, I was bored, there was cake mix, and even better, an excuse to eat cake. So we celebrated :) We have a pony picture for his 1st, 4th, 5th, 6th, and now 7th birthday...too bad about months 2 and 3...it just didn't happen. This time he was sporting his newest monster p.j.'s from H&M.

Cake time!

I figured we'd let him try a little piece of his cake...since it was for him. He was ready for it...

But he DID NOT like it...hehe

He's skinny and he doesn't like cake...whose kid is this?!

(His latest tricks: He pulls up to standing...then reaches for people, toys, or just lets go. He hasn't quite realized he can't stand/walk yet! He's also learned how to shake his head "No" and talks up a storm...mostly "Dada". Which prompts me to say, "Hank do you me to change your diaper?" He then shakes his head, "No!" So I say, "Who do you want to change your diaper?" and he says, "Dada" YES! It's perfect!)

Hair...

2009-04-29T20:00:00.000-07:00

Here is Hank's hair at its craziest...I took him to school and said, "Geez, his hair is really spikey today...it's because he fell asleep after a bath." They looked at me funny and said, "Umm, Mollie, his hair is always like that!" hehe

Out on the Town!

2009-04-29T19:36:00.000-07:00

I met Karen and Kimberly at the mom's group I go to once a week at Valley Medical Center. They've been so fun to get to know and we have a great time hanging out...with and without babies!
Sunday was Karen's birthday and we took the opportunity to go out...just the girls! No babies, no hubbies...just us! It's a rare opportunity, but we had a great time chowing down on chips and guacamole at Cactus...thanks to Karen for giving us the reason to celebrate!
(and thanks to Grandma, Grandpa, and Bret for watching Hank and Madeline...and Kimberly's husband for watching Ashlyn...and Asher for letting Dev sneak away!).

We realized we couldn't sit there forever...back to real life-hehe

Mav and Macoy Visit!

2009-04-29T19:23:00.000-07:00

Right after Easter, we were so lucky to have the Reibers visit! They live in Eastern WA and we just don't see them enough...especially since all the cousins are growing like weeds! We had a great time getting to see them and Hank got to spend special time with his cousins (and his Aunt Marie and Uncle Eric!). We love you guys and can't wait to see you again soon...maybe it will be swimming with you guys (and even cousin Kiefer)! Spending time with Aunt Marie and Uncle Eric...finally!

A sweet hug from Maverick...the big 3 year old!

Storytime with Macoy...sometimes we think Hank looks like his big cousin Mac!

(If you guys are reading this at the library..."HI!!!!")

It was all just to make a good meal...

2009-04-27T19:44:00.000-07:00

As you all have probably heard, Hank is not the best sleeper (that's putting it mildly!). After a few particularly rough nights, Bret was attempting to make me a happier camper by whipping up a delicious feast. I came home grumpy to find him hunkered over the stove cooking gnocchi, halibut in a homemade red sauce (with freshly diced kalamata olives, fresh parsley, and other delicious bits), and garlic broccoli rabe. No run-of-the-mill Monday dinner...no way! Did I mention there were tulips...and chocolate chip cookies! Man, is he good or what...

That's when things went all wrong! As he went to finish off the broccoli with fresh squeezed lemon, the knife whizzed through the lemon...and went straight down into his middle finger! OUCH! When I could see air in between parts of his finger, I knew we were in for it. He turned off everything, I packed up the baby, and off we went to Urgent Care. Here is the result...

It's healing up nicely...and the meal was still good (but not quite the same) at 9:00 PM that evening. No...we didn't try and put the lemon onto the broccoli-hehe.

Happy Birthday, Uncle Thomas!

2009-04-24T19:34:00.000-07:00

Hope you had a wonderful day! We can't wait to see you in May...get ready for lots of picture taking! See you at Mickey's house :)

Kelsey Creek Park

2009-04-21T20:23:00.001-07:00

We had a wonderful day at Kelsey Creek Park this past Sunday. Heidi and I had been meaning to get our families together for A LONG time, and it finally happened! The kiddos (and parents) got to hang out and see the animals, and we all had a really nice picnic lunch (too bad for the weird tasting "Whole Foods" mayo on our sandwiches-it may be fancy, but it wasn't good-hehe)! The coolest thing is that the big girl influence of Louisa (18 months) seemed to make Hank (6 months) want to talk! He's been a talking machine ever since..."Dadda dadda dad dadda" Way to go, Louisa!

I was emailing Heidi pictures and couldn't help but get choked up looking at the one below...she and I have done so much together (college, music ed, teaching, moving, weddings, trips) and to see us now with our babies is just so amazing!

Louisa was so sweet to Hank. She kept bringing him "flowers" and Hank loved every minute of it. He's so in awe of things that are small like him...especially when they let him touch them (the cat may be small like him, but she'll have NONE of that!).

Hank and his pops!

And the dads...

Hank and the Farm Animals

2009-04-21T16:30:00.000-07:00

No, these animals were not at Kelsey Creek Park. Instead, they were in a Sears store in Bellevue...and no, they are not real. Who will buy the $800.00 horse and other ridiculously expensive animals...not us!! But they make for great photo ops when the sales people turn around.
(You'd look scared too if you were sandwiched between those hogs!)
(The horse is a little better...) (But the calves are the best!)

P-Town!

2009-04-21T16:00:00.000-07:00

A few weeks back, we went back down to Portland. It had been way too long since we had seen everyone, and Hank was a real trooper. He did well in the car (phew!) and then did great entertaining while we were there. He got to see both great-grandmas (BOTH! Yes, he has TWO!), and a lot of family and close friends...and even a cat named Ralphie!

Notice how he's grabbing for Ralphie in EVERY picture-hehe

Yes, there was pie...strawberry rhubarb to be exact...THANK YOU, G.G. (WINNIE)!

Hank and his Tutu (Grandma...in Hawaiian!):

Winnie found this great hat in Great-Grandpa Bill's things...it made everyone laugh the whole trip! Not the best shot of Hank, but really, it was so goofy to see that hat on his Grandpa, totally worth it-hehe

Great-Grandma Mac was a wonderful hostess (as usual). It's that Southern Hospitality! We ended our visit with "Game Night" at Aunt Anne and Uncle Wink's house...they gave him the CUTEST outfit...stay tuned for pictures of the little guy in those (he has a bit more growing to do, but he'll be ready to rock those madras pants in no time!).
Hank was so good...we let him drive home-hehe