Just some random pictures from this month:

Hailey’s bridging ceremony for going from being a Daisy to becoming a Brownie.

Officially a Brownie

Receiving a special pin

Hunter at 18 months old with Tigger.

After Hunter took his picture with Tigger, I asked him if wanted a picture with his “mow, mow” since that is his favorite toy. He went and got his lawn mower and put it in the chair and sat next to it. (Hailey thought Tigger should get to be in the picture too.)

18 months

When we say, “Where is Hunter?” he puts his hands over his ears and says, “There he is!”

Hunter loves to line up his cars!

His favorite shoes… Hunter usually asks to have them put on as soon as he wakes up. Sometimes he’ll agree to take them off if we sniff his feet and say, “Stinky feet!” but as soon as he remembers that they are off he asks to put them back on.  It’s funny that the shoes are not on in the earlier pictures, but Rich had just done the “stinky feet” game with Hunter.  Otherwise  those shoes are on from the time he wakes up until he goes to bed.  I even hear him say “shoosh” in his sleep, which is how he says shoes.

Whenever Rich mows the lawn (or one of our neighbors), Hunter gets his “mow, mow” and stands here watching Rich mow.

18 months, Hailey- 6 1/2

Changes since 15 months:

Lots of talking!  Hunter tries to say everything and is getting really good at communicating what he wants.  He has even started to put some words together.  The other day after Grandma left our house, he said,  “Ma Maw aaaa- gaaaa” (Which means Grandma all gone).  It’s impossible to keep track of all of his words.

Hunter now has 3 molars in.  He has been pretty grouchy with the molars coming in.  It has definitely made sleep harder too.  When he isn’t teething his sleep has been pretty good.  He usually naps from around 1-3pm each day.  He goes to bed around 8pm and usually wakes up about an hour later and comes and gets in bed with us.  He sometimes wakes up once or twice during the night and nurses back to sleep.  He sometimes nurses to sleep for his nap and at bedtime, but he usually doesn’t want to anymore.

Hunter is such a good eater!!  He will eat pretty much anything!  And he loves his fruits and veggies.  Tomatoes are one of his favorite foods

Hunter knows lots of his body parts, can point to them and can say most of them too.  He is also learning his colors, but he thinks that everything is blue, so we’re still working on that   He loves books, coloring, painting, Mickey Mouse, cars, trucks, and lawn mowers.  He is such a sponge and soaks up everything we say to him.  He can follow directions- and even understands things like, “Eat your sandwich first and then you can have a cookie.”

Hunter is 25.3 pounds, which is the 68th percentile and is 33.3 inches tall, which is the 80th percentile.  He mostly wears 18-24 month clothes.  He wears size 4 diapers during the day, but next time I buy diapers I am going up to 5.  He wears size 5 diapers to bed.

We took some family pictures while we were at the beach.  I’m convinced that when you see pictures of families on the beach that they can’t really be taken on the beach.  It was so windy, so all of us had hair blowing every which way.  And everyone was either squinting or wearing their sunglasses.  Anyway, I still think we got some good pictures!

Grandma and Pa with Hunter and Hailey

All of us

All of us again

Me, Rich, Hunter and Hailey… this represents Hunter perfectly

Ellie and Matt

My parents, with Rich photobombing

The girls

The guys

Uncle Mike and Hunter

Us

A couple of months ago my sister in law had this great idea- we (my family, my brother Matt and his wife Ellie, and my brother Mike) would all rent a house near the beach and surprise my parents on their anniversary weekend.  My parents have been trying for years to get everyone to rent a house near the beach, so it would be the perfect surprise.  Since Rich and I live near my parents we kidnapped them and took them away to their surprise.  We told them the weather report and gave them some instructions for what to bring.  They had a couple of ideas of where they thought they might be going, but I don’t think they actually knew.  They seemed surprised- so either they are good actors and we surprised them

We arrived at the house in the evening and got all settled in and had some dinner.  Then we headed out to the beach.

Hailey at the ocean for the first time.

Hailey and Rich

Hunter with Aunt Ellie

Hailey loved it!

I love this expression as a wave was coming in.

Hunter loved it too!

The next morning we got up and got ready and headed back to the beach.

I love these little footprints in the sand:

Hunter and Pa

Hailey and Uncle Matt

Hunter enjoying the beach:

Hailey enjoying the beach:

Hailey, Rich and Hunter

Hailey burying Uncle Matt

Hunter “resting”

Rich and Ellie worked pretty hard on this sand castle

The next day I didn’t take very many pictures at the beach, but here are some that I did take:

Mike- “I am smiling.”

Hunter enjoying the ocean

Mike tried to take a nap, but woke up and found he had been buried.

Hailey loved being at the ocean!!