The arrival

For a week now we have been telling Ian that grandpa bought him a big bunda that he can ride and that it was in the mail. Sometimes the conversations would go something like this:

Ian do you want a snack?

No

Do you want a drink?

No

Do you want a big bunda that you can ride?

yeah!

I wasn't quite sure if he really understood what we meant, but today when the big brown box arrived he was screaming bunda bunda before I even started to open it.

Dad - here are the first pictures of the bunda riding - he is beyond happy and gave it a kiss as we plugged it in tonight before bed (but not before he loaded the trailer with all of his "tools" and a sippy cup). Thank you for the amazing present.

Last birthday post

Sorry these last few posts have been kind of boring but since this is the only journal of his young life that ian will ever have - I feel like I have to be thorough, including his final birthday hurrah which we had a chucky cheese with his friends Grant, Connor and Luke.

Here are the boys riding a ride together.

Ian's favorite part by far was putting the coins in the rides. Sometimes he would put the coin in and then get off the ride and come ask for another coin for a different ride - in the second picture I'm telling him he has to stay on until the ride is over.

Grant is old enough to play games that actually win him tickets.

Connor and Luke on the Tonka truck

Good thing I stopped at safeway on the way there for the

best cupcakes ever. I really wish I were a better planner.

Connor eating his cupcake.

Can you tell Grant's was chocolate?

The highlight for me was crawling 6 months pregnant up to the top of the tube maze hanging from the ceiling to find the crying birthday boy who couldn't find his way out. Other than that we had a great time.

Kelsy Creek Park

Last week we met up with the Matyas' at a petting zoo park in Bellevue. It was fun to hang out with Jessie and Ben before they have to go back to school.

There actually were really cute little pigs running around - but this was a pretty cool bench.

Ian Josh and Jessie looking at the horses. Jessie is a horse expert so she was nice to have around.

Abby getting big - she is such an easy baby - I don't think I heard her cry the whole time we were there.

Ian would trade animals for the bunda anyday.

Water days

Since it isn't really warm enough (consistently) here in the NW to have outdoor public pools, instead there are outdoor water parks - mostly lots of fun stuff that shower the kids with water. Here is ian and some of his neighborhood friends playing at the park in Auburn.

The real thing

two years old. charming and hilarious and we adore him. life with ian seems to get better and better with each new stage.

After two pre-birthday parties, Ian's actual birthday was pretty low-key.

We took him to the pool to swim with his daddy.

Sunday he had his third birthday cake with Curt's family.

Grandma and Grandpa Leonard got him a train table - and we had all the tracks and trains from Aunt Nicki - he loves it (and curt loves it too when ian isn't destroying all the cool tracks he builds him)

Girl Party

Last weekend I met my college roomates at Cannon Beach for a girl's weekend. Di and Amber flew in from NYC.

Michelle and Marisa both live in the NW (Olympia and Portland).
It was so fun to be together and without kids - and we stayed in this perfect little house by the beach. Everything was perfect perfect perfect (except the whole jackets at the beach in August!??).

Monday we all met again in Olympia so Di and amber could see the kiddies. Here are Lola Ian and Grant.

I have to admit that it was pretty good to come home to this guy (if you take a close look you can see the remains of Mondays flip/crash all over his nose and lip).

Why I am Mr. Sparkle??

The following is interesting and also a little bit creepy. I am not sure what to do with this information, but I understand how Homer Simpson must have felt when he discovered that his likeness was featured on a Japanese box of soap. As a result, I must make the following disclaimer: The whole blog thing was originally intended for family and friends, NOT weird guys in France who are fascinated with children's programs.

So, there is a guy in France, who according to the google translator, blogs about strange and interesting media aimed at kids.

His banner prominently features the following picture:



along side this picture:


You might recognize the first picture as Ian from this blog. As for the second picture, I am pretty sure it is some sort of young (and hungry) vampire girl. Where did he find a picture of Ian? Who is this vampire girl?

I don't have all the answers, but this is what he says in a post about Yo Gabba Gabba, a new children's television show: (google translated)

Attention attention, a new phenomenon arty-hipster direct-children is emerging. Still new, Yo Gabba Gabba is in full promotional countryside on You Tube. The buzz is supposed being followed by a diffusion on the US TVs, the U.K., and Italieen autumn 2007.The production line team is presented in the form of a “collective of young artists, musicians and craftsmen who take root in the popular culture and of which the mission and to create positive programs for the young people like the old men.

OK - and then he links the video of Ian dancing to the Yo Gabba Gabba intro that you might remember from a previous post on our blog. Creepy French guy comments on Ian's video:

And already of the promising reactions, among which, this baby who shows us how the conscience of the child is already nourished of structuralism and can perfectly recognize the various key moments like the televisual episode. At 0:29, here is what purest satisfaction resembles.

EXACTLY!

Easily accessible pictures and information serves the purpose of providing quick updates to family and friends. Of course, it is just as readily available that guy. Anyways, something to think about.

Check it out for yourself here

PS. In case you are wondering, Ian IS "nourished of structuralism", mostly because we've really stressed that. I still don't know who the vampire girl is - Amy says she doesn't look like a young Romanian vampire.

Double Trouble

The McKinney's have been in town this week so we have gotten to spend lots of time with them. On Wednesday we hung out with Amelia and Melisa and Ian showed off his table manners by breaking a glass plate on the restaurant floor at lunch. That was embarassing. The funny thing is Amelia talks just as nonstop and loud as Ian so they are a good pair.

On Thursday we met the McKinney's and Curt for lunch and playtime in the park - then dinner and a birthday party for the kids at our house (they are almost exactly a year a part). Melisa and Josh brought them their own cakes and they totally loved them.

Ian taught amelia how to eat the frosting first.

Ian was way more excited about the "dozers" on the bag than he was about opening the present.

His new hat that Melisa knit for him.

Amelia opening her gift.

She liked her candle better than the cake.

Ian tried out his candle too - in the pool.

But decided that the cake was better.

Amelia and Ian had so much fun playing together and she could totally hold her own with him - which was really impressive. I'm sure we will have many many fun visits together in the future - and who knows, maybe they are meant to be...

Bye Scotty

This week Uncle Scott is moving to Arizona to go to MBA school at Thunderbird so Tuesday we had a going away party for him at Amy and Eric's house. Fortunately Ian just learned to say his name this week so he can say hello on the phone.

Scott and Eric.

Curt, Grandpa and Katie.

Me, ian and Luke.

Good Luck Uncle Scott!

My crafty summer

I have been nesting all summer. June all i wanted to do was sew things for Ashley's little Parker - who should be showing up any day now.

Some Bitty Booties. (I made some headbands from the free pattern off this site as well).

Some bibs that Michelle taught me how to make - super easy.

And a nursing cover-up kind of thing (patterned after Hooter Hiders) with this material.

While i was in NY I wanted my mom to teach me a little more about sewing so I did another project for Ashley/Parker but I can't post it because I haven't sent it yet. But my greatest discovery was an old quit top that my great grandmother had hand sewed while she was still alive - my mom helped me make it into a quilt and I think of Gran everytime I see it.

If anyone has any ideas for baby boy sewing projects let me know - for some reason they don't excite me as much....