Crawling with purpose

So as you know Bridget is crazy in to her blocks! She loves to knock them over and we can spend some serious time stacking and knocking blocks over…I am trying to teach her how to stack the blocks but I think we got a little crazy in the knocking them over training that she does not understand why someone would allow blocks to remain stacked!  As a first time parent,  I hold Bridget all of the time…if she wants to move somewhere she just lifts her arms and I come a running to move her (parents of multiple—smile and shake head here).  

With that said,  crawling is not really of interest to Bridget. (and if I can be honest for a moment…I think I might be ahead of the curve on this one and say that I am not all that excited to have a moving baby.  A stationary baby seems easier!)  I am confident she has the ability to crawl but has no desire UNTIL NOW!   Bridget will crawl with purpose only…meaning that if you stack blocks out of her reach she will shimmy her way to the blocks to knock them over.   She will not crawl for any other purpose as of yet…but at least I know that she can crawl she just chooses not to!

Sounders 'til I die

Auntie Destiny and Uncle Erik (with Grandma Ah! in tow) took Bridget to TMobile for a promotional Sounders signing.   Bridget got her Sounders jersey signed by Alonso!   Destiny said that he was super nice....so cool!

The magical signing

I feel like he is giving the Fonzie thumbs up.

For Papa James

There are two things you will know about Papa James in a matter of seconds....1- he is a Texan (or as they spell it in Texas- Texsan) and 2- he is a Republican...just ask Grandma Billie about the time Papa James almost had to walk home from Bonney Lake!

While we were in San Antonio--EVERYTHING reminded us of Papa James and made us miss him, so we took a couple of pictures for Papa James.

Brendan and Mitt Romney...Or a cut out in a store..

Waterburger as Papa James says...and it was good! It reminds me of a mix of McDonald's and Burger King...but better.

Right before bubble blowing which is Papa's favorite trick.

San Antonio or Bust

We took our first airplane ride as a family on this trip.  I have to say it is so much easier flying with a partner and not being the sole entertainer on a plane trip!  Granted it was only half the flying time of our Hawaii trips but...man oh man...it was nice to have Brendan with us.

We headed to San Antonio for a conference that Geneva puts on. Michelle and I plan the conference...more Michelle than I...When we landed (on Thursday night) we went to dinner with Janice, Gail, Laurel and Michelle.  It was great fun!

Bridget eating the menu...

Bridget travels pretty well.  She lets us keep her up way past her bedtime with minimal public fuss...she saves all of it for alone time.  Bridget is fascinated by mirrors and this lamp in our room was PERFECT...it was a ton of mirrors.   It made eating very hard because she was so distracted...but she had fun playing.

Friday, Michelle and I had to go set up for the conference so Laurel, Brendan and Bridget headed to the Alamo.  They seemed to have great fun.

Remember the Alamo!

 

 

Outside of the conference center is a map of the United States...It was only fitting for Bean to get a picture on Washington State...always remember your roots baby bean!

 

 

 

Saturday was Brendan and Bridget's day of fun.  All of the ladies had to work the conference so Brendan and Bridget headed out (in the minivan) for an adventure.   Brendan will have to give you the details...but this is what I know. 

Brendan and Bridge at the top of America's Tower

Bridget at the bottom of America's tower.  (basically San Antonio's Space Needle)

From the top of the tower Brendan found a park.  They ventured out to the park and found some swings.  Brendan said that she was so excited she just kept clapping and he would have to remind her to hold on.

Yay for the swing!

 

 

They then went to a different park that is similar to Point Defiance and rode a train that went around the park...the trip was about 2 miles long.   Brendan said she had a ton of fun...Apparently,  this is the thing you do as a kid if you grow up in San Antonio...so Bean got a true San Antonio experience thanks to dad!



Dada and Bean on the train

Bridget being a big girl.

 

In the same park, there is a Japanese Garden...the fish are so big.  Brendan said that the grounds were incredible!

We all met up on Saturday to go out to dinner and while Brendan & I waited for the ladies we had a little bit of fun making Bridget talk like Wallace (from Wallace & Grommet)

Brendan was basically our tour guide and he never steered us wrong.  Saturday night we wanted to go somewhere to relax.  We (Laurel, Michelle, O'Briens)  ended up at Freetail Brewery and Lauren ended up joining us!  It was an awesome place with great pizza.  I would definitely recommend it!  During this time,  we found out that our Sadie girl (dog) was very sick and needed to be put down so needless to say I did not take very many pictures this night.

Sunday morning we went to a cafe called Lulu's...The food was amazing!  There was a 3 pound cinnamon roll available and you know we had to purchase it for the photo opportunity alone! We traveled with it all day.  It even got its own baggage check and seat on the plane!

 

 

Do the Puyallup

We leave for San Antonio tomorrow and will not be back in time for the traditional go of the last day of the fair.  I decided to be VERY selfish and keep Bridget up past her bedtime so that we could go to the Puyallup Fair as a family.  For some silly reason this tradition is very important to me...I would go as far to say...it is more important to me than Christmas or holiday traditions. 

We were not able to stay long as Pix was pretty tired but we managed to see the sheep and do the most important thing...get ice cream from the dairy!  Bren and I each got ice cream cones.  I thought I would give Bridgie a taste...little did I know she would eat almost all of it! Every time she was done with a bit she would grunt at me for more!

I will admit it....I got a little misty eyed when we were leaving.  It was the perfect night!  I had no idea how much the stupid fair meant to me. 

Right before Bridget's first fair dairy ice cream

You have to look at the pumpkin when you go to the fair...it is one of my favorite halls.

So close to crawling

While we were on our anniversary trip...we got this on our phone from Auntie Destiny...she is so close!

10 year wedding anniversary

10 years ago today Brendan and I got married in a horse field and had a reception in a barn.  We thought we would bring in our 10th year of marriage with a beautiful 10 month old little girl.  We started the day off with a picnic in a park.  There is an out to lunch series in Seattle that puts on music concerts during lunch hours...so Bridget and I picked Brendan up from lunch and headed to Occidental Park...which really should not be called a park it should be called a square.  I digress...we went to see Hey Marseilles...which is one of my all time live music groups to see.  I would come close to saying #1 band to see live.  Pix loved the music and was dancing to it.   It was a fun time. 

We then ventured off to see Gregg and Beth Ann's new house.  It is beautiful and in West Seattle---which means they are getting closer to us...YAY! On our way to Gregg and BA's Bridget fell asleep which was an anniversary miracle because she NEVER falls asleep...especially in the car!

Telling dada a story about the day.

The look when you say smile bean...

Peace!

 

Sitting in uncle Gregg's moving boxes

 

On Saturday, Brendan and I headed over to Yakima in the Miata.  Pixie stayed with Auntie Destiny and Uncle Erik.  We got over there and checked out Snipes brewery (which this is the only picture I took for the entire trip!).  We then went to a sparkling winery...all they do is sparkling wines and they were all very good. Yakima is a farm town...so everything closes early...I almost had Brendan convinced to go to the speedway races...but that seemed way too ambitious at the time.  Oh to be in the Miata again was a glorious thing!

 

 

We clap our hands now!

New this morning Bridget started clapping....Auntie Destiny held Bean so that I could get a shot of it before I left for work...When I got to work I totally was that woman and made everyone watch!  So I thought it only fair to make you watch...XOXO

Pixie turns 10 months

I cannot keep up with these posts...just when I get one month posted we are ready for the next months posting!

Physical Milestones:  On her 10 month birthday she started clapping!!  Don't worry video will be posted.  She also started sleeping through the night! She could have done that sooner I just did not train her to sleep through the night because really I love our night time she is so snuggly and is not like that when she is awake.  She also puts her hand to her mouth and makes noises (you know that sound that you made to make a native american sound...so not PC!) And she is getting ready to crawl...we are not there yet but she is starting to get frustrated when she cannot reach something. She also waves bye-bye and understands to hold her hand up for a high-five.

Favorite Toys:  The cow bells and baby with marbles for brains at Grandma Billies and the MGM Lion from Auntie Kaylene.  We really have not added other toys and she does not need them...she loves the blocks and just playing with us.

Favorite Games:  Shake, Shake Shake (she will shake anything she can), High Five, and rasberry sounds with her lips... Oh and she LOVES to shake her head no.

Words:  Hiiii.....and she uses it correctly

 Thank you Gabby for the help!

Compare....

Fun run--Right to Breath

The Geneva Foundation (where I work) participated in the Free to Breath 5K...for some reason I kept calling it the Right to Breath Walk...which my team laughed at (not with) me every time.  The walk was on Ruston Way in Tacoma.  It was a very fun walk...I think we will participate in more!

Michelle and Gracie met Laurel and I there.  We started the walk and about 1 mile in Gracie was done.  Thankfully, I brought my carrier so we put Bean in the carried and Gracie in the stroller and finished the walk.  Both Gracie and Bean fell asleep on the walk which was a miracle for both girls since the really only sleep in their beds.

Bridget in the car stretching out for the walk

Gracie and Bean...Gracie is so sweet with Beanie...

Auntie Michelle, Gracie and Bean trying to get her to walk....

The group....Michelle, Laurel, Gracie, Bean and Michelle's friends (which I forgot their names...whoops!)

Auntie Michelle and Bean!!