Snoqualmie Falls

Saturday we took a little family trip up to Snoqualmie falls. Here are the falls from the lookout at the top. They are pretty cool - not nearly as impressive as Niagra Falls but way more accessible and not a tourist trap, which makes them really fun.

We decided to hike down to the river and see the falls from below - it was not a hard hike at all, although I still managed to fall and scrape up my knee. It was kind of embarrassing, not only when I was sprawled across the path but also because of the huge hole in the knee of my pants that people saw for the rest of the day.

Ian was really concerned about my booboo and gave it lots of kisses, which, now that I think about it, is probably part of the reason it is so pink today.

Down below you could get really close to the falls and feel the spray of the water. There were even people kiaking up to the falls and then riding the rapids down the river.

Our family picture

Ian hanging out in the rocks.

After we finished at the falls we went a couple miles down the road to the old train museum. They had tons of old trains out on an unused part of the track.

Some of them you could touch but the coolest ones were all behind this fence, which ian tried to climb several times.

We were just in time to catch a ride on the old train from the museum - Ian was so so excited to ride a real choo choo. I thought an hour and 10 minutes was a little long but totally worth it for Ian, who tried out at least one seat in every car and made us chase him throughout the train several times (thankfully it wasn't very crowded and lots of other kids were doing the same thing).

The mountain and town from twin peaks.

The train actually goes over the falls - which was kind of creepy - heres a look down at the river.

And since I haven't blogged in forever, some highlights from last week with my favorite little boy.

1. Some of Ian's favorite books are Curious George and in one George eats a piece of a puzzle, at which point Ian puts his hand out in a stop position and screams "STOP" every time we read it.
2. He is suddenly really aware of what he is wearing and wants to wear jeans like daddy's every day.
3. On friday we had some workmen here to fix some things in our house and every tool they got out ian got out his toy version and was helping (his favorites are his "ammer" and both of his saws). Although they were impressed with his handy work I finally had to take him to meet curt for lunch so they could finish.
4. My very favorite word he says is sorry, pronounced "wauwy" and is always accompanied by the sweetest sad face and usually a kiss. He surprises all the time with new words we had no idea that he knew - which makes me think that we need to be a lot more careful about what we say around him.

Forced Potty Training

(not his potty - just a funny picture)

Things I love about Ian this week:
1. The way he calls curt while he is at work on his fake cell phone and says: dada you ome?
2. The way he puts all his tools in the trailer of his bunda and then pretends to fix it.
3. The way he kept saying "bye bye hammer" so sadly after he threw it down the vent in the kitchen.
4. The way he loves to read all the new tractor books that aunt ashley sent him, over and over and over (one is especially good at getting him to do almost anything in order to hear it again).
3. How cute his little little bum looks in his little Thomas the Train underwear.

Which leads me to the real reason for this post. For the last couple of weeks Ian has decided that he wants to go to the bathroom on the toilet - and who am I to say no to that (although in my head I wasn't going to have to deal with potty training for at least another six months or more and I feel totally pressured into it and unprepared)? He does really great when he is running around the house naked (his preference), or with very little on but as soon as he has undies and shorts on he forgets altogether that he is supposed to go in the toilet. Has anyone else had this potty training problem? Please please please tell me all your potty training secrets - I need some good tricks.

On another note - I won this amazing virtual baby shower on this mom-blog that I love. Check out all the great stuff - the indulgent and the practical kind of stuff that all makes me happy. It has already started coming in the mail and it is like Christmas everyday - I love it.

Mt. Ranier

We live in a pretty place.

The hike:

The lake:

The mountain:

The belly - for Ashley, and Eve's cute hat so I always remember:

Danger Boy

Michelle and Joe made this tee-shirt for Ian for his birthday because he always, always does something crazy and gets hurt at their house. It seemed particularly appropriate that he had it on while doing stunts on his new bunda.

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).