Oh Wednesday, we hardly knew thee

Well, Wednesday is now a blur in the past. Greg and I did go on a walk with the dogs in the afternoon, that's about all I can remember.

Here are some pictures though!

Awaiting a webcam chat

"I love the view from here!"

Sleeping up against the side of the crib

Back deck, maracas and cymbals, playgroup

Apparently I took a lot of pictures on Tuesday - and on three different cameras. I generally have one downstairs and one upstairs so I don't miss a moment! I'm also getting used to the new camera, but limiting the pictures since the memory card hadn't arrived yet.

We started off the morning with some time on the back deck. I leave the door open for the dogs so they can come and go as they please. Greg figured out how to crawl over the threshold by himself!

"Everything appears to be nominal in the dominion."

Enjoying the back deck

"This is a new view!"

Approach #2, Hank grows weary

Greg goes out on the deck again, Hank goes inside

"What? It's safer in here!"

"Oh man!"

Afterwards we spent some time in the office, then went to our bedroom to put away laundry. I enjoyed the musical stylings of Gregory Freed on the maracas and cymbals.

"This thingamabob is delicious!"

"I'm going to rearrange this drawer for Daddy."

Shaking both maracas

"Making music is hard work!"

He was crawling with a maraca in each hand

Speedy boy

He can play the cymbals too with a little help to hold on to the handles

Keeping me guessing as always, Greg took awesome naps on Tuesday and I wasn't complaining! It was so nice after two straight days of no afternoon nap. I told him that it wasn't cool to go from three naps down to one nap in less than two weeks! We were almost an hour late for playgroup because of the sleepyhead, but we still had a fun time!

Fun in the ball pit

Keens, fun at the park, Eagles pj's

I love Keen sandals. I think I got my first pair in 2004 and since then they have been my footwear of choice from spring through early fall. I just started breaking in my third pair, one of two that I bought ahead fearing that they would stop making my favorite model - Newport H2. Plus, I got them on sale!

Why, Elise, are you writing about your love of Keen sandals? Behold, the cutest toddler shoes ever:

Baby Keens!

After two weeks of head cold symptoms for Greg and myself, we were back to 100% and were able to once again join our playgroup friends on Monday. We spent time at a park - swinging and crawling around in the mulch. He also tried goldfish crackers (baby size) for the first time. He liked them once he figured out how to eat them!

Swinging fun

Mini-me

Like mother, like son

Asking for goldfish crackers

"Let me have the camera, Mom!"

Accidental pretty picture

Climbing (with some help)

Greg skipped afternoon nap again. He was in his crib chatting away for 1.5 hours. I figured as long as he wasn't upset, there was a chance that he'd fall asleep. After 90 minutes he was done and started fussing. So he was ready for bed early with nap sleep worth 1.5 hours in the morning, but we were able to snap a picture of him in his Eagles pajamas first.

"G-G-G-G-G-S!"

Then cute sleeping ones too:

Cute #1

Cute #2

Nap strike, new camera, tortilla, nap in car

Max asleep at the wheel

On Sunday, Greg decided to make errands more interesting by not really taking an afternoon nap. He may have slept a little bit, but for the most part I could hear him talking on the monitor. He wasn't a very happy camper on our adventures, but Mama and Daddy had some shopping to do!

Our keynote purchase of the day was a new "point and shoot" camera, the Nikon Coolpix S8100. Our previous camera has treated us well, but it has always had occasional issues with the flash washing out the photo and now pictures appear blurry more often. Now I'll be able to take the older camera on my backpacking trip, which I'm pretty excited about.

After picking up the camera, we ran a few more errands and ate dinner at Taco Bell. Greg tried tortilla for the first time and really liked it!

On the way home, Andrew and I discussed how nice it would be if Greg would take a nap in the car. After a few minutes I noticed that our son was very quiet, his feet weren't swirling, and Paddy the Panda wasn't crinkling. Was the boy sleeping? Upon inspection at home - YES! We didn't dare try to move him - he'd wake up. I didn't want to leave him by himself, so I got a chair and the iPod Touch and sat next to the car in the garage. He slept for another 15-20 minutes in his car seat.

Tuckered out

Tooth #5 is definitely on its way now - neighbor to his upper right front tooth - so maybe that's why his napping schedule was off.

A few pictures on the new camera (yay for internal memory):

"This dog bed is pretty comfy!"

His favorite standing apparatus - Hank's crate

"Mom, seriously? The kid is still here... It's been 10 months, Mom." - Hank

"This cup is still delicious!"

"Oh, hi!"

Backpacking prep, reunited with Andrew and Greg

I left the house at 5:45 PM on Friday to head out the Girl Scout council. 

Two of my friends, whom I have met through Girl Scouts, and myself are leading a week-long backpacking trip with 8-9 teenage ladies in June. This is a great introduction into the "sport," and the girls are able to borrow from the council all of the backpacking-specific items except boots. No purchases of backpack, sleeping bag, tent, etc required!

We met this past Friday evening through Saturday afternoon to meet the potential hikers and get a few necessary things done. They were fitted to their packs, sampled trail-worthy breakfast and lunch items, and planned dinner menus. The parents joined us for the last few hours of the session to cover what to bring and expectations for the trip.

I returned home at ~5:35 PM on Saturday. I was reunited with my boys after nearly twenty-four hours. It was the longest that I have been away from Greg in his ten months of life! Andrew reported that all went well, except for Greg bruising his forehead approximately fifteen minutes after I left on Friday. Greg took the bottle like a champ, acting like he had been using it all of the time.

Andrew will be the first to admit that he didn't take any pictures while I was gone, but I did take a few upon my return!

The boys had a good time together!

Traversing the kitchen floor under the highchair

Bank trip, packing for overnight

The Friday "highlight" for Greg and I was a walk up to the bank. When we were almost there, the bottom of my sandal sole came loose. It was like wearing a sandal and a flip flop at the same time! The kind woman at the bank hooked me up with some packing tape and the sandal was good to go again. Fortunately I have a backup pair of Keens. I think I'll be able to fix the old pair with some shoe glue. See... it was an exciting day.

Throughout the day, I also packed for my overnight at the Girl Scout council. Around 5:45 PM, I departed for my mini-adventure and left Andrew and Greg at home to have a mini-adventure of their own!

Baby blues

"This cup is delicious!"

Talking about something

Checking out the cheese in the microwave

Friend's house, weekly picture, time with Daddy, couponing "class"

Starting off the day with Mama

Late Thursday morning, Gregory and I went over to a friend's house so that I could be brought up to speed on some Girl Scout backpacking training that we did this past weekend (more to follow in future post). When the three "trainers" discussed everything, Greg went on a stroller walk with the friend's daughter. Both of them had a great time. Then he explored their house - a new experience for him!

Back at home:

"I can reach for things now!"

Thursday is, of course, the weekly picture day. Greg is learning a lot about temper tantrums lately and he decided that he was done with the photo session.

"I don't want to sit with the doggy anymore!"

Luckily he calmed down and Andrew got him to smile great for the final picture.

44 Weeks

The rest of Greg's early evening included feeding the fish and reading with Andrew.

"Let's go feed the fish, Dad!"

"The fish go 'nibble, nibble.'"

"But Dad, I thought that cats are lactose intolerant!"

After Greg went to bed, I headed out to a couponing "class" led by a playgroup friend. Imagine 15-16 moms in one room - some on couches, some sitting on the floor - taking notes on how to save money with better couponing skills! I learned a lot of good tips and enjoyed everyone's company. It's easier to carry on a discussion when you're not chasing a baby around!