New Toys, New World

I feel like in the last week Kai has gone from infant to pre-toddler. In this last week he has:

• Started solids


• Is sitting up
  
• Has two teeth


• Has new toys that make him seem older

So that last one doesn't really mean anything, except that when I see him in his high chair, in his jumperoo, or just interacting with toys he seems so much older to me. I think the main toy is his jumperoo. It has opened a whole new world up for both of us. Instead of him playing on the floor in the living room, I can bring him into the kitchen while I'm cooking dinner. And he just loves it. He would rather be standing anyway (when we hold him he just wants to stand on our laps instead of sit and snuggle), so it is perfect. And he can be in there with me, or daddy since he made dinner tonight, and he just loves it. Or, I can bring it downstairs while I'm working and he is totally entertained. Anyway, although I love seeing him become more independent, a part of me can't believe how quickly he is growing. I know I've heard everyone tell me that it "goes so quickly" and I have always felt that each month and week and day flys by...but now I feel like he has reached a new stage...pre-toddler...and his infant stage is gone. This weekend he will be five months old. Anyway, I am excited to watch him grow and learn and explore but I am amazed that it is going by so fast. Anyway, enough of that. Here is a video of him in his jumperoo having fun while Tyson is cooking dinner.

Also, here is a picture of Kai enjoying his new mobile that Grandma Julie got him. It is a Seattle Mariners mobile and it plays Take Me Out To The Ballgame, of course!

First Food

We decided to try to start Kai on solids. He has been so interested in our food lately, almost mad that he can't have it. I wasn't quite ready to start yet but I think he was ready so that is what matters:) He did good, I don't think he actually swallowed any but he'll get the hang of it. Here are some pictures from this morning.

Young Life Baby

I found this shirt yesterday and realized it is already getting small on him. We bought him a little outfit in Malibu when we found out we were pregnant...and we got blue in hopes we would be having a boy. We thought it was fitting to take the picture on the YL blanket...he should be in some sort of advertisement:) I will put in a few other pictures from our picnic at the park last night. We played a little frisbee golf too...Tyson and Kai beat me by 7...and we only did 3 holes...yikes!

His face is so funny in this picture...classic!

Any Resemblance?

Tyson's mom sent me this picture a few weeks after Kai was born. At that time I was shocked at how similar they looked. Looking at it with Kai being closer to the age of Tyson in the picture, I was amazed that they look even more similar! Check it out!

Kai is trying to sit up

Last week I started propping Kai up in a sitting position and having him hold himself up with his arms. He is starting to get much stronger and even straightening up without his hands sometimes...for brief periods of time. Of course...he can't keep himself from falling backwards so we have to put a pillow behind him....and as you can see below he has done more than one face plant. But, he is getting stronger and I think he will have it in the next couple weeks.

Good job son!

Fun in the Not So Sunny Sun

This Sunday we had a great time going over to our friends' home. Jeff, Kari and Dutch used to be our neighbors and then moved further away in McMinnville and now have moved even further up near Portland. We are sad to see them go but excited because Jeff is going to seminary and is going to make a wonderful pastor. This Sunday we went up to have a BBQ at their home. They have a pool and so it was Kai's first time swimming. It wasn't very warm out but our boys were troopers anyway...the mom's stayed out of the water:)

We also went for a walk down by the river which is right next to their house.
And the dads and sons and a friendly game of (I can't remember the name...something that sounds like washers and horseshoes or something).
Thanks for the fun afternoon!

Malibu

I had the thought the other day that around this time last year was when we found out we were pregnant. I decided to look at some pictures to find the exact date we found out and it was on the 15th...how quickly a year goes by! Anyway, while looking at the pictures I was reminded of the wonderful month we had last August and I thought I would post some pictures. For those of you that don't know last summer Tyson and I had the opportunity to go up to Canada and serve at Young Life's camp Malibu. It was an amazing time that God totally put together for us. We were asked to be Work Crew bosses for high schoolers that would go up for a month and serve the campers. After some prayer we realized we could not pass up such an amazing opportunity. Although we knew this was a time that Tyson could be getting calls for job interviews we decided to step out in faith and commit to going. A week and a half before we were set to leave we had a strange turn of events when Tyson broke his shoulder in a softball game. Things got even crazier when they told us he had to have surgery for it. Again we prayed and decided we needed to go to Malibu anyway. Tyson had surgery on a Tuesday and that Friday we headed up to Seattle to meet up with our team. It was a rough few days for Tyson heading up to the camp (consisting of sleep on the floor of a church and long bus rides, followed by a three hour boat ride to the camp), but he stuck it out and God ended up using Tyson's broken arm for His good. A few days after arriving we realized what we were in for. Long days, hard work, homesick kids, and very few moments together. But by then we also realized we had a month in one of the most beautiful places I'd ever seen, a month to build relationships with kids on a deeper level than I had imagined, and a month to serve our kids and teach them what it means to serve the Lord and others. That month was filled with God's Amazing Grace. We have story after story of how God reached down and gave us exactly what we needed when we needed it and we were able to watch him work in the lives of kids in a way I had never before witnessed. It was an AMAZING month. Of course as we look back now it was amazing because we also found out about our baby there. Being so busy every day Tyson and I saw each other for a few minutes each night and maybe during meals. It took a few days for me to realize I was late and I kept Tyson updated but we were both so busy I don't think we thought too much of it. After a few more days I knew we had to take a test...but we were in Malibu, three hours from any town and that was by boat. I checked with the camp doctor but they didn't have a test so in the end we asked one of the property staff if they could keep a secret and get us one next time when went into town. By the time we finally got the test I pretty much knew but needed to know for sure. I took the test and met Tyson up on the big rock. We were excited and scared and happy and shocked all at the same time. Somewhere in the craziness of our month with broken arms, surgeries, long trips and hard work God had decided now was the time. God was faithful through out that month, I didn't get sick or tired until the day I got home. He gave me the energy I needed to continue working alongside the kids, kept me safe while I was up in the tree tops doing the rope course every week and on a flight on a float plane. And he was faithful in his timing. I could not have asked for a better time to find out we were pregnant. A time when we were not thinking of ourselves but serving others and Him...which is how we want to raise our son. Thanks for letting me go on about this but I have been meaning to write this story down for Kai so I thought now was a good time. Here are some pictures of our time in Malibu.

Beautiful Malibu is tucked away in a beautiful inlet, surrounded by water.

I thought I would also mention that Tyson's parents met in Malibu...lots of good memories from this place:)

This is the rock where I told Tyson we were pregnant!

Nootka 1 1/2 was our little home for the month...tiny, dark, wet and moldy....but it will always hold a special place in our hearts:)

Above are my Linen Nook Girls, we did laundry, cleaned cabins and bathrooms, swept boardwalks and cleaned bird poo...a very glamorous job...but fun too:)

Below are the kids in the Dining Hall that Tyson worked with. They served the campers at every meal and cleaned off tables and reset tables. They worked hard but had lots of laughs too!

Chewing on Books

This morning I was reading to Kai which I try to do as often as possible. After I was done with the book Kai proceeded to grab onto it and put it to his mouth. My first reaction was to pull it away...we don't chew on books! But then I thought about it. What I am teaching Kai right now is not how to read or even to like reading. What he is learning right now is to love books. And how is he to love books unless he gets to know them...and he does that by putting them in his mouth...just like everything else lately. As I thought about it more I remembered how much I loved books as a child and even now. I would go on adventures and learn about new places all from the comfort of a chair in my home. My hope is that he will gain a love for books that will turn into a love for reading...that will become a love for learning. Thank you Mom for your love of books that you passed down to me. I promise to do the same for Kai.

Check out my Slide Show!

These were some random pictures I took while we were at Lake Washington but they turned out to be some of my favorites...they seem to catch Kai's personality better than other pictures I've taken.

This weekend we were so excited to go up to Bellevue to visit good friends. We met up with lots of Tyson's college friends and their families. It was so fun to see everyone and have all the kids meet! Here are some pictures of Kai's new friends.

We were at a Park and Tyson was showing Kai Lake Washington

We had a great weekend catching up with friends and we look forward to the next time we can all get together!

Daddy is Home

Last week Tyson was in Washington, DC for a conference for work. After the conference he was able to take a couple days to tour DC. It was a great trip for him but a long time to be gone for both of us. He missed us...and boy did we miss him! I knew I appreciated him but having him gone for 6 days was a great reminder of what a wonderful daddy he is and how helpful he is. Kai was excited to wake up to Daddy on Tuesday morning and it brought joy to my heart to see father and son together. I love watching them together and I know it is only going to get better as Kai gets older!

I had to take this picture because Tyson was talking to me and Kai was just watching us and they looked so much alike to me...the picture didn't quite catch the similar expressions I was seeing but it is close.

Kai has taken to sucking his thumb lately. I just thought it was such a sweet picture and he looked so content. Happy to have Daddy home and safe in Daddy's arms.

Kai is Four Months Old!

Kai turned four months on the 2nd...I can't believe how big our little boy is getting. He had an appointment on Tuesday and is now 14lbs 15oz and 25 3/4 inches long. He is rolling over more now...has done it every day this week and is moving lots more when he is on his tummy. He scoots forward and also moves in circles. It is so fun to watch him learn and grow.

July Update

July has been a fun summer month. We have kept busy but have enjoyed every minute of it. Every Monday and Tuesday we have spent out at the softball field watching Tyson play. Our church as a team in the city league. It was fun for the guys but the ladies had a great time too. It was fun to relax and visit and watch all the kids play together. Last night was the last game...they played for in the championship game...unfortunately the lost, but they played well and we were proud of Daddy:) Here are some pictures of some of the kids.

McKenna, Kai and Dutch Dutch and Kai were being good friends

This month we also got to see Auntie Taryn and Nana G when they came down to visit for the weekend. We hadn't seen Taryn since the begining of May because she has been in Guatemala so it was great to see her! Here we are going blackberry picking...well, at least trying to...they weren't quite ready yet.

Here is Kai playing with Nana G...he was giving some big smiles and laughs!