Summer is here, finally!

Finally we seem to be enjoying some time outside this summer! It has certainly taken summer a long enough time to get here, hasn't it!?

Playing outside at our house isn't the easiest because of the street and not a lot of toys in the backyard (I can't wait for a swingset next year, or better yet, our nice, private, quiet yard on the lake where our property is, can we build yet? PLEASE!?) so I try to take Easton places where he is more free to run around. We go to parks and playgrounds and my parent's house (that is a great place for E to run around even though it is a minor "death trap" with the fountain and brick patio and walk ways, not to mention the dock out to the lake, but I digress).

Lately we've been taking Easton to Millennium Park! He loves it! So I have some pictures from there, we went yesterday with my parents and brother. Ryan pouted because he couldn't go, he had to work - hey dude, someone has to work to support my lifestyle of staying home and playing with the babe! *wink wink* Much love to you honey buns!

Before pics from Millennium Park, I have to share a shot from Monday night. My husband and his "mini-me". I prayed every night while I was pregnant that our baby boy would be gorgeous just like his daddy and he most certainly is. Look, they even the same smile! But I SWEAR that Easton's eye color, nose and curly hair are ALL.MINE!!!! I swear....

Millennium Park - it was such a gorgeous day and the water was perfect!

Easton and his mommy aka "the incredible chin" - seriously, look at that thing....

"Boppy" showing Easton some rocks he found in the water which E-man then wanted to eat. Nice.

With Grammy and evidentally not happy about it. I think he wanted back in the water. Look at how hot this woman is - SERIOUSLY. I hope and pray I look as amazing as her when I am her age. In all honesty, she looked better than most of the girls MY AGE on the beach.

With mama. Aw, I love my baby boy. Look at my killer deal - Ralph Lauren swimsuit, was $97 at Macy's and I got it for $15 at Marshall's! WOOT WOOT!

Uncle Kole and his buddy.

Trying on Grammy's shoes. What boy wouldn't want to wear such sparkly shoes? Hmmm?

He loves trying on everyone's shoes. He had Ryan's flip flops on this morning and my slippers last night. He even was walking the beach and trying to steal people's sandals, had to keep on eye on my little klepto!

Fun and Games at the Beach....

Oh and in other news, Easton can count to 3 all by himself! I had to share that because (of course) I think that is so advanced! Ha! :-) And he is just chatting up a storm. He knows up and down and hot. He knows what animals say. He knows "all done" and "nite nite" and "love you" as well as the normal, "Uh oh", "No", "Hi!", "Bye!", "Mom", "Dad", "Grammy", "Boppy", "Uncle" and he just started saying "Ritzy" as well. He says so much it is hard to remember it all, but he definitely has the gift of gab!

Fun, fun, fun, sun, sun, sun, fun, fun, fun, everyone has fun under the sun!

Last week was a busy one for our little E-Toe!

Wednesday Grammy decided she wanted to take little dude to Millennium Park and we had so much fun! We visited the splash pad, played on the beach and swam in the lake. My parent's lake is gorgeous, but you aren't really able to walk out into the water because it doesn't have a sandy beach (yet, they are creating their own beach in front of the house this Summer, shhhh!). Easton loved being able to walk right out into the water. This little dude is DEFINITELY a water baby!

Testing the water, is it warm?

Oh yes, the water is niiiiiiiiiiice!

Grammy giving E-man a little swing action.

BOO!



"Bye!" This is Easton waiving good-bye to as us he heads back up to the beach




Enjoying the sand with a big smile on his face.

Oh yes, a sandy cup is always tasty.

Later that night, we got cleaned up at home and came back to Grammy and Grampy's house for a pontoon boat ride. It took us forever to get there because the traffic was horrendous! These crazy turkeys don't hurry or move to the side for anyone! And people say LA traffic is bad....





Then Thursday morning Easton had his 18 month check up! Here are his stats:

Weight: 25.6 lbs. (25-50 percentile)
Height: 34" (90-95 percentile)
Head Circumfrence: 19" (50-75 percentile)

Easton only had to get one shot and he did great! He was quite the trooper! After the nurse checked him, Easton told her, "Done!" and she reminded him the doctor still had to see him. After Dr. Jarve saw him, Easton told him, "Done!" and Dr. Jarve told him not yet, he still had to get his one shot. After his shot, Easton shot up on the seat and looked at the nurse and said, "Done! Done now!" It was so funny!

Because Easton had been such a good boy at the doctor's office, we went to a playdate and met some new friends - that is always fun!


And then Friday we went over to Grammy and Grampy's house for dinner and some time on the lake. Grampy also got to open the present we got him for his birthday because it FINALLY arrived at our house (only a few days late! LOL). Easton didn't care much about Grampy's present, but he sure LOVED the box it came in, especially when Uncle Kolby turned it into Easton's own personal aircraft....

Easton got really excited after dinner because his Great Aunt Gail came over with her granddaughters Hallie and Addie. Easton LOVES Hallie and Addie. He was so excited to play with them and they were nice enough to let Easton hold and hug their new webkinz (Easton wants to show you his webkinz next time we see you girls!).

We went tubing with the girls, first time around Easton and I went with my mom and Hallie, we had to show Addie how it was done. After Addie got a peek of the fun that was going down, she couldn't wait to get on! So she and her big sister Hallie and my mom went for an exciting ride around the lake. (Amber, we were careful, PROMISE! Your mom said you'd love to see these!)

Hallie, Addie and my mom after their ride.

My mom hiding behind Addie (tubing is a little rough on the hair and make up)

Easton really took to Addie (I think because she is more his size, she is 2 1/2). He kept wanting to give her hugs and kisses. Here they are hugging. I wish this picture would have turned out better, it is a bit blurry! Shoot!

Easton wanted to keep hugging Addie

Then they both went in for the big kiss. SO CUTE!

Thanks for coming over girls, come over again real soon!

The girls zooming by on the tube....

Weekend fun!

Last Saturday Easton met his cousin, Shelby, for the first time. Shelby is Ryan's brother's daughter and they live in Pennsylvania. Shelby was up in Michigan with some family on vacation and Easton was so happy to meet her!

Last Friday night, after dinner out with friends, Ryan decided to teach Easton how to mow the lawn and, of course, Easton really dug it! :-)

Bouncey bounce fun!

Today Easton and I met up with our friends Kristen and Ethan and the West MI Parents Network for a bounce party! Easton had a blast! But I did get all teary eyed looking at these pics - seriously, when did my baby turn into a little boy? It happens too fast....

~

Don't he look so old!?

The bouncing has begun!

Ethan and Easton



Easton would bounce to me with his eyes closed, bracing himself for impact! :-)




I think these two loved running around the place more than bouncing on the inflatables!

Peek-a-boo!

A couple of videos too.

You can't see much in this one, it was dark in the bouncey maze, but I love his shriek and giggle! You can hear he's having a blast!

Bouncing into Mama!

Crazy boy!

Easton and Ethan last Saturday, best buds!

Complete and utter tomfoolery.

Saturday morning, after returning from an early morning jaunt to the farmer's market, I laid on the couch for a second - a second! I heard the lazy susan open and a bag ruffle and then heard, "Mmmm!" come from the kitchen.

This is what I saw.

Oh yeah buddy, that's right, you were caught RED handed!

I am sorry, no amount of pouty lips is going to get you out of trouble for this one buddy!

Just kidding, I wasn't upset. I actually couldn't stop laughing and ran around the house like a chicken looking for my camera.

He would move his hands around in the powered sugar and then would eat it and go, "Mmmmm!" and giggle. So much fun!

"Mom! We need to do this more often!" Oh no Easton, once was enough, thanks for the laughs my little buddy.

A little late.

I feel bad that I didn't update this past week, it was a really stressful week for us.

We noticed our beloved furbaby, Ritzy, was peeing blood on Wednesday night, so we took him into the vet on Thursday and found out he has bladder stones. There are two kinds, sturvite and oxalate. Sturvite can sometimes be dissolved with meds and a special diet, oxalate cannot, so they have to be removed surgically. The stones Ritzy has are oxalate. So Ritzy has to have surgery this week.

Ritzy is one of our babies and we love him so much, we would appreciate it if you all would please say a prayer for him. We are praying that Ritzy has a safe and successful surgery, that he also has an easy recovery and we are also praying that Ritzy will be one of the blessed dogs that DOESN'T get the stones back. He will need to be on a special diet and meds for probably his whole life. We are praying and believing for a miracle that he will live a long and healthy life with us - stone free and other problem free as well.

Ritzy is such an amazing dog, he has been our happy little companion for our whole marriage. He has seen us through good times and bad, through our pregnancy and has been Easton's best buddy. He is our baby, our friend. We want the best and healthiest life for him. Please, we beg you, to pray with us for the same for him! Thank you all so much!

So it has been an emotional week for us, especially me. I have been crying at the drop of a hat, anytime Ritzy's newly developed situation is brought up or discussed, so I haven't felt like updating.

Two other big things happened last week - happier things. #1, on the 9th, Easton turned 18 months! Seriously? 18 months? How did that happen!? I cannot believe how old my little man is getting! He is doing and saying new things every day! He loves going up and down the stairs all by himself, he loves performing for all of us, he loves playing kick ball and says "Thank you" everytime you do something nice for him - it is so precious! We're enjoying him immensely!

#2, on the 10th, Ryan and I celebrated 5 years of marriage! Pretty exciting, half of a decade and all of that! :-) Next year we will have been together 10 years, insane! I cannot imagine my life without him and am blessed beyond words. We celebrated by going out to dinner and drinks at Bar Divani downtown. It was nice to have a night out just the two of us (that hasn't happened since our last anniversary!) and to get ours minds off of everything. Thank you baby for 5 amazing years and for our little dumplin's! I love you!

Boys will be Boys!

Last Saturday Easton spent some more time in the lake with the boys. He loved splashing around and playing games with Daddy and Ritzy, but he especially loved playing games with Grampy on this particular day - they were two peas in a pod.

Lake time with the boys.

Have a Happy 4th of July everyone!