Our Happy Baby

Happy Bath Time

Happy with Music

Happy Eating

Happy Family

Scooter

In the last week or so Evan has really started to scoot, army crawl style, and cover more distance. This video was meant to be about Evan inching along...and it is. But then it's also about the song playing, which is one of my favorite kids' songs these days. And it's also about some general Evan cuteness.

 

Road Trip

On July 14 we embarked on quite an undertaking - a road trip with 2 little ones. The plan was to take 2 days to drive from Nyack, NY to Fraser, MI, where we'd stay with my parents for a couple days. From there we'd drive to St. Joseph, MI where Burke will be teaching next fall. We hoped to meet with some people from the school district and secure a place to live in the area. Then we'd take 2 days to drive home, arriving back in Nyack on July 23.

Ryan & Happy in the car- Happy is staying in Fraser until we are settled in St. Joseph. You can see a sleeping Evan reflected in the mirror on the other side of Happy.

Ryan playing with the phone the first night in a hotel. He'd pick up the phone and say, "Are you calling everybody?"

I call Evan "Little E" or just "E". So I got so excited when I saw this on the side of a truck.

Evan's first night in a hotel. 

All in all, the trip was a huge success. The first day of driving was a nightmare, but the rest were relatively easy. Evan, I've decided, is a light sleeper and is most comfortable in his own bed (read, he did not sleep well and, as a result, neither did we). Ryan was a trooper every step of the way.  

Grandma & Grandpa's House

We arrived in Fraser on July 15. Here are a couple cute shots at my mom and dad's house.

Evan and Burke outside. 

Ryan first time playing with a hose. Always fun.

Ryan enjoyed putting his toys in Jordyn's cage. He also liked putting himself in said cage.

I swear we did not put him in there!  

Chuck E. Cheese

We were only in Fraser for a couple days. We were able to squeeze in a visit with my college friend Vicki and her family. She suggested Chuck E. Cheese as a meeting place. This was an inspired suggestion, because I was thrilled at the opportunity to step foot in the establishment that employed me for the better part of my teenage years. Yes, I worked at Chuck E. Cheese...and yes, sometimes I got to be in the Chuck E suit. Fond memories.

Me & Vicki

Ryan & Noah - They are only 2 weeks apart in age.

We enjoyed breadsticks. Evan enjoyed smashed up banana.

 

Lake Michigan

On Wednesday, July 21, my brothers and Christine came from Chicago to St. Joseph to visit. We spent the early afternoon at Silver Beach and played in Lake Michigan. I had so much fun in the water. Anyone who knows me well will attest to the fact that I am not a huge fan of swimming in lake/ocean water. For some reason, I got right in. The water was pretty clear, the sand was clean, and the temperature was perfect. Such fun! So glad we are moving there!

I took Ryan in the water. He cautiously enjoyed it. He also like playing with the sand.

We had quite the crew - my mom, dad, Aunt Carol (my mom's sister), me, Burke, Ryan, Evan, Steve, Joey, and Christine. Here's our family beach set up.

Grandma, Ryan and Evan

Don't Wipe My Face

I just love this series of pictures.

My Aunt Carol feeds Evan.

Burke wipes off Evan's face.

Evan does not want his mouth wiped.

Pool Fun

On Thursday night, our last night in a hotel for this trip, we decided to head to the pool after dinner.

Turns out Ryan is more adventurous in the water than I would have imagined. He was full of smiles and courage. I am so happy for that.

Mama & Evan

We had a lot of fun in the pool, considering this reflects the boys states of mind as we were getting them dressed for swimming just minutes before.

Is He Hunting?

This morning, July 23, we left our last hotel and headed back to Nyack. As Burke was packing up the car, Ryan started playing in the landscaped plants and such.

So I look over and he's crouched down. I tell Burke, "Look at Ryan." Burke says, "What is he hunting?" We had a little chuckle.

As it turned out, of course, he was not hunting, but he was busy doing something that resulted in me changing a diaper.

Sharing a Tub

This was the first of what will be many shared baths. Evan has not completely transitioned to the big tub yet, as he is on the small side and still seems comfy in his baby tub. But when necessary, he can be plopped in the tub with his big bro.

Max

On Sunday, July 11, the James Family came to Nyack for one last visit with both of our families are residents of the state. Sarah, Nathan & Max - we will miss you!

Sarah and I met, and became fast friends, as new NYC residents and music teachers in District 15 in Brooklyn. She had moved to NYC to be with her boyfriend (now hubby) Nathan. Nathan is one of Burke's best friends. Thank God for Sarah and Nathan, since they brought me and Burke together. As they like to say, Ryan and Evan owe them their lives.

Max, Ryan & Evan

French horn

I took this video a couple weeks ago. I wanted to put it on the blog right away, but we were getting ready for our trip and such, so it was a busy time. Here is footage of my budding brass player! Dedicated to Burke's cousin Kate.

Stylin' in Shades

Since we are moving to St. Joseph, MI, which is right on the beach of Lake Michigan, I figure we will be spending a lot of time in the sun. So, we got sunglasses for the boys (in different sizes, of course). We had a lot of fun wearing them when they first arrived (I ordered them online). We shall see if they get used properly.

 Don't mess with me. 

Ryan wearing his glasses on his head because "Dada does that."

Little Tooth

Evan's bottom middle teeth are poking through - one in mid June, the other a few days later. Burke took this picture of Evan gnawing on a washcloth so we accidentally got a picture of one of Little E's cute new bottom teeth.

Climbing Out

Well, the day has come! This morning Burke went to get Ryan up. He came back into our room and looked at me with this sort of "guess what" shocked look on his face. He said to me something like "Guess who was not in his crib." Burke found Ryan out of his crib, in his room with the door closed (Ryan must have closed it) playing with toys.

I made him show me how he did it and gave him a big hug because he's such a big boy. Then I had him do it a third time, which is on the video. Of course, the video time is the time when he bumped his chin. Ouch! He was fine, so don't worry. Anyway, Burke and Ryan are currently at the store searching for bed rails. Time for us to go from crib to toddler bed.

Ryan climbs out - Age: 2 years, 2 months, 19 days

Howdy

As our neighbor was moving out, she offered this hat to Ryan. She thought maybe he'd like to play with it. He picks it up occasionally and puts it on. I've been wanting to get a picture, because he's so darn cute with the cowboy hat on.

 

Nuggles

Nuggles is how Ryan says snuggles. It is hard to get Mister-Toddler-On-The-Go to snuggle anymore. On this particular night, the stars must have aligned for Ryan to want to snuggle for more than three seconds. He was pretty relaxed and tired from reading stories before bed, so Burke caught him at the right time. Lucky Dada!