Shiners

Ian got his first shiner just in time for his birthday party. He was stumbling/walking towards the couch and fell on his face. He doesn't always cry when he falls down but this time he did.


His party started out with a yummy salmon dinner - Lindsay's boyfriend eric caught and cooked it for us (and Ian loves fish).

Since we call him Ian Bug we made him bug cupcakes.


He wasn't really sure how he felt about cupcakes at first...


And it turns out he doesn't really like to have the birthday song screamed into his face...


But he realized pretty quickly that he does like chocolate cake.




And candy bug heads...

Opening presents started out pretty mellow...

But got a little chaotic when all four cousins decided to help out (Tommy and Jack were way more excited about his toys than Ian was)...

Luke, on the other hand, is still content to hang out with his mom...

Happy 1st Birthday Ian Bug

See pictures of Ian's east coast birthday party on my Mom's blog.

The grove of the patriarchs

Today we went with Amy and Eric and their kids to Rainier National Park to the Grove of the Patriarchs - which is basically a little hike through some really old, incredibly big trees.

Ian and Curt walking on the trail and holding up the trees.



Tommy, Karina, Katie and Jack


Ian wading through the stream.


Why can't I stop kissing him?


Amy holding Luke, Karina and me in the background.


Curt and his older brother Eric.


Karina and Tommy inside one of the huge trees.

He made it!

Yesterday Ian turned 1 year old. We are having a party for him on Sunday when the family is around so yesterday was kind of low key.

Here is Ian just as he woke up on his birthday morning.


His birthday bath.


A picnic lunch in the park with his daddy.


Oreo or dirt? We will never know...


He figured he would finish the rest of the bagette.


Playing with his new birthday push toy - he walks all around the house with it (and has even clawled on top of it and done a flip over the handle onto the floor - how does he make every toy more dangerous than I thought possible?)



Opening a present. We are trying to save them for Sunday but its too hard.


Going on a birthday car ride with the neighborhood cat.


We have been doing lots of fun things since we got here, like going to the Tacoma Childrens Museum, looking for a house, going to the farmers' market, looking for a house, visiting with Amy and Eric and their kids and my cousin Cherie and her kids, looking for a house. Hopefully we will find a house soon so we can cross that off our list (not Ian's favorite activity as you can imagine).

Party pictures to come...

First steps

Today Ian took his very unsteady first steps. He can't even stand up without holding on to something but he takes off from just about anything - takes a few steps and falls. He actually went about 5-6 steps twice, but mostly he takes 2 steps and down he goes. Here is the best video we got - hopefully we will get something better soon.




The next video is kind of long but also kind of funny. He loves playing with trucks and even makes the noises.



Also, I have been trying to get a picture of Ian's scrunching up his nose face forever now - and tonight we finally did. I know my mom and dad really miss this so here it is....

The other Auburn

Reasons Ian likes WA:

1. He was reunited with his little car - everyday we go for walks up and down the street and he talks to the neighbors' horses that we pass.
2. Grandma Leonard's kitchen drawers - he has emptied just about every one that is in reach and he especially likes banging the metal stuff together.
3. Lunches with Daddy.
4. Dancing - this started in NY with Aunt Ashley's cell phone downloads but he has been breakin it down ever since. Last night he impressed his cousins with his moves.
5. His cousin Jack. He is 4 and he takes his toys away and bosses him around but he plays with him nonstop and Ian totally loves him.
6. Face plants - I think he will be walking soon - he thinks he can already.

More videos

videos swimming

>

More Ian cuteness at the lake

Ian and I made it to WA and the weather here has been perfect. Ian has been charming his grandparents and Curt and I have been checking out some really cute neighborhoods. I was looking through pictures today and wanted to post a few more of our July in NY - and also some videos because the connection is actually fast enough to upload again. Yipee.

His favorite things to do at my parents house were: destroy the newspaper pile, empty the bin of toys and torture the dogs (these ones are my Uncle's)...