Ten Months

Still playing catch up with these.  Gunnar has become harder to photograph because he rarely sits still these days and I don't have the same set up I had in Florida.  But it will be a complete picture set come hell or high water!

Cheers!

  

Here are the stats for 10 months:

-Eyes holding at blue/brown

-Three teeth came in at once!  Then two more for a total of 7!

-Says uh oh!

-Climbed all the way up the stairs without stopping

-Walking along the couch while holding on

-First baby cookies!

-Starting to eat more grown-up food

-Mimics sound

-Mastered his basketball hoop

-Learns really quickly by watching you

-A pro at the swings

-And I hear he has a girlfriend at his Tuesday swim lesson.  Which doesn't surprise me because this little guy is the biggest flirt with the ladies I have ever seen!

Grand Rapids, MI

We got married in Grand Rapids, MI.  When looking for a venue, I wanted a place that would show off MI to my friends that were coming from out of state.  Most of them had never been to MI before.  I also wanted a place that had everything we needed close to each other.  Grand Rapids fit the bill.  It was also nice that Kevin went to grad school there so we had some ties to the city.  Our wedding weekend turned out to be one of the craziest and funnest weekends I've ever had.

For our five year anniversary a couple weeks ago, we headed back to GR.  Kevin's grad program was having a 20 year reunion and he wanted to go to it.  He booked a room at the JW Marriot, where we stayed the night of our wedding, and we had our first overnight, grown-up evening away from Gunnar.  It was nice to relive all the memories and to meet his grad school friends.  

Maybe, this will be a new tradition for us...

Cheers!   

Got upgraded

Took a picture in the same spot as my bridal portrait 5 years ago to the day

Grand Rapids at night on the river

Habitat 4 Humanity

A couple weeks ago, my work did their annual community service day.  This year it was with Habitat 4 Humanity.  I've done Habitat before, but really didn't get much out of it because there were too many people working on the house.  This time it was much better.

It was just our group working on the house with a few Habitat people.  We had two houses to choose from.  One house was almost finished and needed some cosmetic work done.  The other was just getting started and needed demo.

Guess which house I picked.

It was awesome.  I totally gutted an entire kitchen.  Took it down to the studs.  I wish I would have taken a before picture, but we just went to work.  Now I've earned some what of a reputation at my new job.  I can't quite figure out if it's good or bad...

Cheers!

Kitchen Team

Swim Class!

It's been a few weeks since Gunnar started swim lessons at Goldfish Swim School.  We go twice a week, once with me in the pool and once with Kevin in the pool.  I got the honor of the very first lesson and it was so much fun.  Gunnar loves his bath time so I was sure he'd like the pool.  And he did.  He doesn't really like to follow instructions yet, but he knows a lot more than he'll let on.  He just likes to go at his own pace.  His favorite activity is collected the plastic balls from the pool and working on climbing out.  There is also a slide on some days.  I really hope he continues to like swimming, since I'm such a water person myself.  

Cheers!

A Good Teacher

I've managed to stay in touch with my sixth grade teacher all this time.  She was my favorite teacher. I've had really great teachers my whole education, but three stand out the most and Ms. Marks is the top spot.  And, yes, despite her asking me to call her Margie, I still call her Ms. Marks. Old habits die hard.  :)

I've reached out to her at every milestone in my life.  She was at my wedding and if I hadn't been living in Florida at the time, I'm sure she would have met my son right after he was born.  Good teachers stay with you.  Always.

She retired from teaching this year after 30 years.  The timing was perfect for us to go to her retirement party and for her to meet Gunnar.  After all this time, she still looks and sounds just like the lady I meet the first day of sixth grade.  I swear she hasn't aged a bit.

So, congratulations Ms. Marks!  I'm sure I'm not the only student you left a lasting impression with. Enjoy your very well deserved rest.

Cheers!

Memorial Day 2015

Gunnar's first Memorial Day and parade!  We had fun.  He was such a good boy during the parade. The fire trucks scared him a little but other than that, he held his flag and watched all the things going by.  And he looked SUPER cute in his little plaid shorts and flag tee.

Cheers!

Nine Months

Still trying to play catch up with the monthly stats.  This move back to MI really threw me off.  I'll have everything back on track this month.  In the mean time, here are the stats for nine!

-Eyes are a smokey blue with brown around the iris.  They are very pretty and I hope they don't change any more.

-Pulling himself up and standing

-Taking small steps when you hold his hands

-Eating "meals" (the puree baby food that has meat and veggies mixed).

-Very good at eating

-Mastered blowing raspberries

-Has climbed up four steps by himself!

-Really comfortable around the dogs now.  Goes up and pets them like he has been doing it forever.

-Has started sleeping on his tummy

-He crawls so fast now!

-Start expressing his opinion when he gets mad or wants something

-Challenges you (throwing things on the floor even though you tell him no.  Looks at you the whole time)

-Started swim class!

-First art fair

-Getting good at the swings