15 Months

Thomas has quickly made it past a year and it seems like he is changing by the minute!   Our little boy continues to have non stop energy and moves from the moment he wakes up until he is sleeping again!  It is exhausting but he loves it.  He is running, climbing and getting into things he shouldn’t.  Right now his favorite movement things are running around chasing Stella or other kids, climbing on play structures, dancing, testing his balance by going up and down inclines and trying to jump.

He has several words and seems to be adding a new word every few days.  Some of his favorites right now: Mama, “M” (Mike), Tuck, “Gat” (Itzy/Cat), meow, go, “do”g, “bu”s, “tu” truck, all done, up, hello.  He also is gesturing and shaking his head a lot and the best part is he is able to show me most of the time what he wants. 

Mike and I, or anyone around Thomas, will always know if there is an airplane, boat, bus, van, big truck, or anything “big and cool” around because Thomas points and has a little “hmmm” squeak that he does to say he look at that.  If your lucky he will even tell you what it is!

We had his 15 month well check at a new pediatrician’s office and everything went well.   Thomas was 20 lbs 14 oz (25%) and 30 3/4 (25%)  inches long.   He also got a poke but was a little trooper!  I can’t believe how fast 15 months has flown by!  He is turning into such a big boy with every passing minute…it is so much fun to watch how independent he is getting. 

Grandma McConachie Visits

Sunday night my mom flew in to spend the week with us!   It was so great to have an extra set of hands to help me finish organizing and putting our house away.  It is always amazing how much you can get done with an extra set of hands (it also makes me miss my cleaning lady-I am her now!)  With my mom’s help we were able to get some extra organizing and cleaning done.  I had a long list of  stuff to do and we were able to get most, but not all of it done.

We also found time to make to the zoo, to play on the beach, do some shopping, go down to the locks and get some park time in.  Thomas and I loved having his grandma here.  She also kept us company as Mike had to be out of town for work on Wednesday night.

Pool Fun

Here is a little glimps into our water loving baby!  This is what we have to contend with anytime we take him away from water…thankfully the cheese made him feel better!

Ballard Locks

We finally made it down to the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks or the Ballard Locks.  

First we watched a tour boat come in from the Sound and head into Salmon Bay.    The actual raising of the ship from sea level to the bay level was a lot faster than I thought it would be. 

Then we walked across the lock and were able to read about what has been done to help young salmon called smolt go through the locks with a higher survival rate. 

We also saw a bird (I think a heron) and a seal catching fish.

Then for the big finale…the fish ladder!  Thomas loved watching the fish equally as much as watching the bubbles in the water.  The fish made Mike want to go out and start fishing that minute. 

Taj Mahal Concert

Zoo Tunes is a concert series put on by the Woodland Park Zoo when we got our membership we saw a few concerts that we wanted to check out.  The first was Taj Mahal opening for Joan Osborne. 

Thomas and I got to the zoo early and secured our spot.   From the minute we got there, Thomas was a dancing machine.  His dancing is equally awkward and amazing!  Mike and I can not get enough of him dancing and love trying to figure out where he picked up his latest move!

After Taj Mahal opened we decided to sneak off to dinner.  Can’t wait for Brandi Carlisle in August!

Afternoon at the Zoo

I get to spend a lot of time with Thomas, yet for me it never gets old watching him learn and enjoy new things. 

Our day at the zoo was no different, except that this day at the zoo was not like all the others.  This was the first day at the zoo, that it would be just “us.”  There were no rules, no time constraints, no things we had to see or people we needed to meet, we just had an afternoon together with the animals at the zoo. 

Thomas and I were able to see a baby wallaby, penguins, tiger, and meerkats.  He has been very into birds the last few weeks so I think the highlights for him, judging by his reaction and protested leaving, were feeding the parakeets and watching the bird show.  After we had had enough and we were getting close to “daddy time” we took off from the zoo.

On our way home a friend called and asked us to meet at the park.   I thought it would be a good way to pass time as Mike was still about an hour out so we went.  An important lesson was learned by me that day, don’t let a tired baby run down an incline!  Running as fast as his little feet could take him saying go, go, go, go all to get his snacks…until…"uh oh” trip!   He fell and did a great job catching himself, but the momentum had him roll to the side and directly onto his cheek/eye!   He cried for about 30 seconds and then decided his snack cup and friend were more important!  When I called Mike to say “uh oh” he said well “chicks dig scars!'”  Whew, Thomas was ok, daddy wasn’t mad our world was OK minus the scratched/bruised eye!   

Father’s Day Weekend

Here are some pictures from our weekend celebrating Father’s day.  Thomas made sure his daddy was well played with and fed the whole weekend.   Friday night we went to Ray’s which is a seafood place right on Puget Sound.  It was neat because we could watch the boats, big and small, going between Salmon Bay and Puget Sound. 

Saturday we wanted to go to a parade but it was gloomy and rainy so we headed over to do some shopping instead.  After grabbing lunch and heading home for nap time it was time to head to the park. 

Sunday, Thomas and his daddy went to Target  and he came home with his first big truck to push around.  He loved it.   We then did yard work and grilled dinner out to celebrate Father’s day. 

Happy Birthday Stelly Belly

There have been many adventures with Stella in the last 3 years!  Happy 3rd Birthday Stella!

Wagon

Great Grandma Robertson gave Thomas a wagon for Christmas.  After we found out we would be moving we decided to wait to put it together until we were settled.  

When daddy got the tools out, Thomas was eager to help put the wagon together.  The wagon has become our mode of travel for heading to the park a couple blocks away. 

I couldn’t help but get a few close up pictures of my lil guys cute face!

Corn on the Cobb

Thomas had his first experience with one of our summer favorites, corn on the cobb.

He liked the  corn and had his own way of eating it.   He is also a big fan of potatoes “gunked” in sour cream! 

Pictures from Aquarium Trip

Thomas and his friend Dahlia went to the aquarium together.  They both enjoyed looking for a few seconds at the fish but preferred to run around and climb the stairs they could find.  I wish one of them would share some of that endless energy with me!

The top left picture is a little dark but it is Thomas looking at an octopus.  On this trip his favorite was watching the harbor seals swim around in their tank.  I didn’t get a picture :-(

Exploring the Parks

Thomas and  I have been keeping ourselves busy and learning exploring the parks.  Thomas is changing so much everyday and it is so much fun watching him learn and grow. 

He currently favors finding and pointing to: birds, airplanes, buses, trains and any big trucks.  He also started to say “bird” and “bus” in the last few days.

I took these pictures at Carkeek Park while we were there with a mommy group I am a part of.  After we played in the park area we headed down to the beach.  Thomas loves digging in the sand and walking in the freezing cold water!  I love looking at his little feet as sand squishes through them.

Following his afternoon nap as he wakes up we have been rocking and reading books.  My current favorite to read to him is “Oh the places you will go, by Dr. Seuss.”  Your off to great places today is your day…I can’t help but think that as I look at this little foot that will carry my son to so many places as he continues to grow and learn.  This is a moment and feeling I want to remember.

Race for the Cure

Over 4 years ago cancer walked into our lives and took our beloved Josie to be an angel in Heaven.  It was then that I really learned how much I hated cancer and it was reaffirmed when just over a year ago it came into our lives again as my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer. 

It is so very difficult for me to swallow just what this awful word is, means and does to families.  I. H.A.T.E. I.T.   As anyone who has lost someone or seen someone fight this ugly disease knows it doesn’t discriminate, it just walks in and says “here I am what are you going to do now.”  This is why we need to fight it

one person at a time with family and community standing behind and saying “we are the cure.”  I do believe that we can see cancer of all kinds cured, treatment has been remarkably improved and because of this I get to have my mom here with me to watch Thomas grow.    On the other hand, Josie continues to be a constant reminder of the fight that we still have to beat this disease.When Mike came into my life he too had seen cancer try to take its hold on both of his grandmothers.  Thankfully, they were able to beat it and have been wonderful additions to mine and Thomas’ lives.

I also want to mention that we have other people in our lives who have fought or are fighting this ugly disease right now and we also raced for you too.  To those who we have lost to this disease we will continue to fight it and beat it for you.   Together we can find a cure. 

After an emotional race along side 900 breast cancer survivors we went into the Children’s Museum for a quick play.  Thomas was a trooper and rode for about 2.5 miles in the stroller before he had enough and we took turns running/walking with him the rest of the way.          

Issaquah Triathlon

Mike completed his first triathlon on Saturday morning and Thomas, Stella and I were out of bed early to support him.

Mike had a goal of not finishing last in his age group and he exceeded his expectations as he finished 23 out of 53.   For a guy who 6 months ago couldn’t swim a length in the pool…to this…amazing!  Way to go Mike/Daddy!

Elephant Seal

Friday Thomas and I went down to the beach near our house for a little play date with Whitney and Daliah.  Shortly after we arrived we saw yellow tape and people starting to look “in” the yellow tape.

We headed over and I started to chat up the seal sitter and find out what was going on and if Mr. Seal was o.k. 

Mr. Seal was a young elephant seal who was molting.  Seals endure catastrophic molts, where they shed their entire shin/hair layer before regenerating a new one.  This process is exhausting and can take up to a month, in which the seals do not eat and are a little cranky. 

Elephant seals spend most of their time in the water and are typically only seen on shore for 2 things: breeding and molting.  Another fun fact was that although it is somewhat common to see harbor seals in our area, elephant seals are not very common in the area (they stick to California).

So after a little watching the seal and as more people came the seal decided that the location he had picked to be uncomfortable and molt was not suitable and he was back in the water to find someplace that could accommodate him better.  We hope Mr. Seal has safe travels and a long and healthy life.

What a cool experience and also a reminder that we are in a whole new area with new adventures.  It was also a reminder that I need to bring along a good camera because I wish I would have had it today…my iPhone just doesn’t do Mr. Seal justice!

Sprinkler Fun

He is a nut…but he is our nut!