One year ago

One year ago we got to meet this little tough guy! So cute and snuggly. He has grown from a no sleeper and super eater to a semi sleeper and awesome eater. He has gone from not fitting in newborn clothes and diapers to being in 18mo+ clothes and medium cloth diapers. His beautiful dark brown hair has changed to beautiful blonde hair. He has had broken bones and learned to talk and get around the house. He went from being the pestere to the pesterer. One year ago our sweet yet tough little Emmett Baird was born.

This year we will go from crawling to walking (hoping soon!) and from the 18mo clothes to who knows what size. He will probably end up weighing the same as his big brother and will have to learn what "no don't hit" really means. He will be able to walk Anabel and eat on his own. We are so greatful to have him that all of these things will be treasured just like the last year has been. We love you Emmett Baird!

We're going to the zoo zoo zoo!

For letter Z day we took a trip to the zoo. The Wooland Park Zoo is amazing! This would be the first trip to the zoo for both Alestair and Emmett. I know you would think that since I worked at the zoo Alestair would have visited earlier but there wasn't a very inexpensive nice zoo in LA and for some reason it hasn't happened until now. When we first arrived it was only us (me and my boys), Amber and Burl, and Georgia, Henry and Agatha. Alestair was really excited to see his friends. We couldn't get a good shot of all three of them. This was the closest. Alestair decided he would try and pick up Burl who is twice is size. He was grunting and groaning-it was pretty funny.

We saw the tigers that were just recently put in together in hopes that they would be able to mate. Which they did in front of us so Yay! for the zoo!

They have tons of places for the kids to climb on rocks and other things that look like what the animals make as their homes or toys. Alestair and Burl were big fans of the Meerkat burrow.

Emmett had a face off with a meerkat. It was pretty amusing. He was far more excited to see them than they were to see him and Agatha.





 



Alestair was also extremely excited to see an Anteater. Aunt Wendy gave him the "A Book" and it has an anteater and since then he has wanted to see one for real.

There was this really manly peacock that had his feathers up the entire day! He was fantastic! Alestair learned not to touch them when one boy did and the poor peacock tried to peck him.

Of course we could not miss the potomuses (or hicamisspotamusses). They have always been my fave but are now growing on Alestair :)!!!

We saw this giraffe while they were trying to move the girls and boys from one side of the pen to the other. On the other side was a mama and two babies. This guy though made the most amazing noise! I have never heard them make a noise before.

We also saw the asian male elephants (to the right) and the african male elephant (below). The african elephant has the biggest tusk I have ever seen on an elephant! It was amazing. He also had some very very long eyelashes that Candace wanted.

We found Becky and Audrey, Candace, Kristie and Joel and Heather and Mya just before lunch time when we stopped for a potty break. It was about here that I wanted to see elephants and hippos and wasn't really into looking for some big cats so Georgia and Amber (and munchkins) decided to go see the lions and then meet up with us for lunch. At lunch it started to rain...really rain. So Georgia and Amber decided to take off. The rest of us went to find somewhere to eat...that had cover. This was quite a task! You would think a zoo in Seattle had places like that mapped out but they really didn't. Below you see the Gals (plus Kristie) who stayed for lunch.



Mindy, Heather, Kristie, Candace, Becky



After lunch Heather and Candace had to take off so Becky and I took our kids on a real NW adventure! It was POURING by now. We were DRENCHED but we still saw a ton of stuff and found some really awesome quite parts of the zoo. To the left you see the Taiper. He/She was really cute. I made friend with him/her.

Becky and I took the kids to see the Northwest animals. This is the otters. There were fish on the other side with a big brown bear. From what the zoo personal said the fish were there for the bear's enrichment but he didn't really care to try and catch them. He did come down and look at them Alestair was really in love with the "pish" by this point and about had a heart attack thinking the bear was going to eat "his pish". He started yelling "MY PISHES OH NO OH NO MY PISHES!" Audrey was consumed with the diving otters. She was in love. It was hard to pull her away. after we came out we saw that the white artic foxes were there too! One tried to follow Audrey but she didn't notice and my picture didn't turn out.

From there we went to see the Austrailian animals. The Emus to the left weren't a big hit and you could hardly see the wallaby (to the right). The wallaby was very well hidden. Below you see the Kookaburra. Which is pretty cool.

From there we went back to the penguins where the boys and I started. Becky and I were drenched through our coats by now and Audrey and Alestair were wet up their pants. Emmett was the only one dry. Yet it was a very very fun day!

Becky and I just before leaving.



Me and my boys!

And so our day ended. We went home.

Lunch

Emmett and Alestair are hit and miss with Mac and Cheese but today was a total hit! They gobbled it up!

Alestair in the morning.

Alestair has been pretty fun lately. He must always have his shoes ready in case we go outside. He wants to stay in his jammies all day long (I really can't blame him). He LOVES to have you take pictures of him. He hands me the camera and says "Cheeeeeeeeeeeeeeses" all the time. He also loves to take pictures himself. Those are on his blog which you can email me about. In the picture above he had chased Anabel around for the better part of the morning just after breakfast. She wouldn't let him come close (good choice on her part). Since she wouldn't be tied up he decided to tie up the chess table. I asked him what he was doing as he pulled it across the living room and he said to me "I take it for a walk. It goes outside now." I guess this was his substitute for a dog that wouldn't be walked by a 2 and half year old.

 He really wanted me to take a picture of both of us. As I said this is a big thing for him. He of course looks cute while after just getting up in the morning i look aweful!

 I love him so much he is just too cute! Look at those eyes!

The boy and his dog.

Boys Room Finished

Alestair's Bed. Bottom Bunk. The "wuberflies" on the wall glow in the dark.Beside the door/Above dressers.Top Bunk. Grasshoppers are all over.Above the crib and on the door.

As you walk in the room.

Emmett and Mom Time

I really treasure the moments I have with each of my boys alone. Emmett and I haven't had some really nice alone time in a while since he has been going down for a nap during the times we have alone together. Today we got a few moments (also helps that I found my camera). I am so in love with this little smirk he does when he doesn't really want to smile but will do this to make you happy :)!

This is the first time he actually tried to smile when I said smile and had a camera in my hand.

I caught him! He climbed right up on the couch. He doesn't know how to get down yet so this is not allowed without Mom or Dad...he doesn't get that either.

Alestair Says

Alestair, Emmett and I were playing in the toy room one morning and Alestair runs over to me like something is really wrong and he can't hold it in. It looked like he was going to explode! Of course I was a little concerned and asked what happened. Pointing at Emmett he says "He is just SOOO cute!" I giggled and asked "doesn't it make you love him?" and he said "YES! I just WUB him! HE just sooo cute cute cute!" and then he nearly smothered Emmett with hugs and kisses. It was so sweet!

Alestair and I went grocery shopping and as we past by the pilsburry roll area he stood in front of them looking and looking. He had his hands on his hips and then turned to me and said "They don't have them. They don't have the Untle Dave Wolls" It was so cute to see him say it and know that he remembers his Uncle Dave and the specific rolls they shared.

Alestair had gathered some books and a few cars up and told me he was going to the car. I asked where he was going to go and he told me he was getting "Sacy" (Aunt Stacy). I asked what they were going to do and he said "I don't know mom. We just go in my car." So I asked what they would do in the car and he got a little annoyed and said "I don't know. We just play or somefing"

Alestair has been fishing. He likes to take a curtain rod with a string at the end and put it into the laundry room while sitting on the step. He then bobs it up and down. I made the mistake of asking him what he was doing one day and was told "SHH! MOMMY YOU SCARE ALL MY PISHES AWAY!" He also likes to fish with the curved branches from our ceder tree and then he fishes into the bushes.