i love camping!

we had so much fun today on our camping trip! we sat around the campfire and the big people ate yummy s'mores. here are some of mommy's favorite pictures of our fun:




and here is a picture of Dexter having much fun too:

my first camping trip

mommy and daddy and auntie lisa and uncle andy and i all went camping this weekend! what fun! i brought my own tent!

missing in action

well, mommy said it was inevitable. she finally missed a daily update! 42 daily updates actually. our last entry was in august and it's now early october. mommy went back to work so our blogging time has been a bit spotty but we're going to try to make up for it and catch everyone up the best we can. for now, here's a picture of me looking super cute:

cumpleanos feliz E-man! numero uno!

today was my buddy Ethan's first birthday! it was super fun! he had a fiesta and we drove up to seattle to celebrate! his mommy and his nanny made yummy salsas and enchilladas that mommy and daddy said were SO YUMMY! Ethan opened lots of presents and he let me and my buddy Huddy play with some of them. we had lots of fun!

weekend at Grandma and Grandpa's house

these are some shots of me playing at my Grandma Laura and Grandpa Tom's house. i had lots of fun there!

daddy day care

today was friday funday with daddy. i woke up early to make sure mommy made it off to work okay and when she left she put me down for some more rest so daddy could sleep in but i was too excited to spend the day with him so i woke him up! after we had our breakfast together we decided to help mommy out so we cleaned the whole house. daddy worked extra hard and mopped and vacuumed all the floors. when mommy came home from work we were waiting for her in the front yard. daddy was pooped! mommy gave us both a big hug and kiss, i guess she really likes it when daddy is a stay-at-home mom!

lovely michelle

today mommy's friend michelle came to stay with me for a few hours between when daddy had to go to work and when mommy came home. i introduced her to leroy (my jumperoo pony), i took a tiny nap, and i foiled her plans for a fashion show by wiggling around when she tried to dress me up- she told mommy that putting my shirt on was like trying to herd cats!

training to be the future michael phelps

mommy made it home in time to take me to swimming lessons again tonight and i had some special surprise guests! MoPa came out early to pick up auntie tay so he could see my swimming and when we got to the pool uncle andy and auntie lisa were there waiting for me! even better, nobody from my class made it to the pool tonight so mommy and i got a private lesson with our instructor! we had so much fun. i'm in training to be the future michael phelps. i'm still working on blowing bubbles but i'm on my way!

mommy's even longer day away

today mommy and i spent the morning together again but she had to leave extra early because she had to drive down to salem to spend the day helping some boys that got into some trouble and have to be in jail now. mommy had to leave our house at 7am and she didn't get home until nearly 7pm! she missed me very much. auntie tay stayed with me again and we had lots of fun but i missed mommy too, auntie tay said i was very clingy which made mommy sad. i was very excited to see her when she finally got home.

mommy's long day away

today mommy started her internship at the morrison center. it's a place where children and families in portland who don't have a lot of money go for help when they are having a hard time. mommy is going to help them get and stay healthy so they can learn to take better care of themselves. she's very excited about this ministry and work opportunity, it's very different than any work she's ever done and she's pretty sure God had a special purpose in allowing us to stay here in portland so she could work there. mommy is a little sad though because it means she has to go to work everyday and she misses me. she gave me lots of kisses this morning. we got up extra early so we could spend some quality time together before she had to go. i hung out with her in the bathroom while she got ready and then we had breakfast together. she had some blueberries and cereal and i had my rice cereal then before she left she rocked me back to sleep so daddy could get some more rest before he had to get up for his day. when daddy had to go to work too i got to go to uncle andy and auntie lisa's house for the day. we had lots of fun together. mommy doesn't need to worry about me because i always have lots of fun with uncle andy and auntie lisa and they take very good care of me. today we chatted online with grandma and grandpa yarborough! it was super fun. mommy got done with her internship orientation early so she made it back in time to take me to my swimming lessons and then we got to spend the rest of the evening together. mommy said she missed me bunches and she smothered me all night with hugs and kisses. i'm gonna be alright but i'm not sure mommy is!

my first set of wheels

after church today mommy and daddy took me to test drive a new high chair. first we went to babies r' us and looked at several promising models. mommy saw a couple she didn't mind but daddy wanted to keep looking around. next we went to target but daddy wasn't very impressed with the selection so off we went again. finally we went to Segal's where daddy fell in love with an imported italian high chair. it was pretty much the ferrari of high chairs. we both loved it's sturdy frame, it's leather upholstery, and it's sleek design. but mommy said i didn't need a ferrari and we were interested in a nice, safe accord or camry. we ended up with a shiny red one that can easily be cleaned and wiped down, adjusts for height as i grow, and rolls on wheels so i can enjoy breakfast and lunch in the kitchen and then cruise in for dinner at the family table in the dining room. i love it!

my first breakfast

today was mimi's birthday so, appropriately, we went to Mother's for breakfast and this time i got to have breakfast too! mommy and daddy made me some rice cereal to enjoy with the family.

here i am anticipating my first big bite:



and here i am enjoying it:




mommy and daddy were very proud of me. i eagerly accepted my first spoonful but i wasn't really sure what to think about it. mostly i just stuck my tongue out a lot and moved the food around. i'm just getting used to this new texture! thanks for the birthday adventure mimi! happy birthday, i love you!

my big checkup

today i went to see dr. burns for my six month check-up. i love dr. burns, and so do mommy and daddy. i measured in at 15 pounds 12 ounces and 25.5 inches. according to the centiles that makes me a little small which always worries daddy but mommy thinks i'm just right. my head, well that's another story. i'm always ahead of the curve with my nearly 90th percentile noggin. thanks grandma yarborough! mommy and daddy say it's because i have a very big brain.

pictures in the park!

auntie jessica

since auntie tay is still gone auntie jessica came with little Raf to play today. it was my first time spending all day with auntie jessica and we had lots of fun. we played and went for a walk. here are some pictures of us:

GG's back!

today GG came to stay with me. we had lots of fun all day. we played and GG held me for a very long nap which i loved.



after she went home auntie lisa and uncle andy came and played with me for a little while too!

swimming lessons

auntie tay is on a youth group trip this week so today i split the day between mommy and daddy. mommy went to work in the morning and i played with daddy and then mommy picked daddy up and took him to work and she and i played in the afternoon and evening. we had swimming lessons again. i'm having so much fun learning to swim!

jesus loves the little children

today i went to church with mommy and daddy. sometimes i sleep during church but not today. today i sang really loud, so loud that mommy decided it was better for the other patrons if we spent the hour in the cry room. i played with toys in the cry room while mommy listened to the sermon and read her bible. my favorite toy was a big red apple that rolled around and made noise. after church daddy went to the gym and mommy and i played in the yard and raked the leaves under our trees in the back. when daddy came home we moved to the front yard and watched the people while mommy went for a run. after mommy's run daddy gave me a bath and even got in the tub with me! we had so much fun, there was water everywhere! i'm learning to kick my feet and daddy was helping me, he's so much fun in the bath!

lazy saturday

today was saturday and we just hung out around the house. it was nice to just spend time with mommy and daddy. we all laid on the couch and read our books. daddy is reading about Jesus, mommy is reading about Super Food for babies, and I read about teddy bears and puppies. daddy and mommy took me to Child's Play, a toy store on NW 23rd Avenue, and i got to pick out three new toys. i was getting bored with my other toys and losing interest so mommy said it was time for something new. i picked some blocks and a ball with a bell inside. i also got a new watering can for the bathtub!

my shirtless friday with daddy

it was my day with daddy again today. mommy went to work to work on her dissertation and daddy and i played. i got some good naps in because daddy appreciates the value of rest on his days off so we sleep sometimes. we also play outside. today it was a little chilly outside so mommy put on my sweat pants when she came home. i couldn't find the shirt that goes with them so mommy just threw on my jacket with no shirt underneath, she felt kind of silly doing that but since we weren't going anywhere she let it go. except later, when daddy came home from the gym and had worked out really hard, so hard that he needed to go to the mongolian grill so he could eat lots of yummy post-workout stirfry, mommy forgot i didn't have a shirt on. when mommy took her turn at the giant wok daddy took my jacket off and i got to sit in a highchair all by myself for the first time with no shirt. mommy was mortified when she returned to the table. auntie lisa teased mommy and told her the waitress said "no shirt, no service" but that didn't really happen. actually the waitress thought i was super cute. i had fun in the highchair. i think mommy and daddy are going to have to get me one for at home because i'm planning to start eating big people food very soon!

another day at work

today was supposed to be mommy's day off but she had to go to work for a meeting. we got up early and met our friends Jamie, Misty, and Kylie for a morning run and coffee break and then headed into work. i played with grandma Dixie and grandma Kristina and my friend Eresha while mommy worked. they like me at mommy's work. now when she goes to work without me they ask where i am!

i'm a swimming fool!

tonight i had swimming lessons again and i'm getting much better. i have lots of fun in the water playing with mommy and singing. we sing "The Grand Old Duke of York", "Old MacDonald had a pool", "If you're happy and you know it", "I had a little turtle", and lots of other songs. Today I floated on my back.

a night with auntie tay

mommy and daddy haven't been on many dates since i've been around so tonight they went to see the new Batman movie and auntie tay stayed home with me. we had lots of fun. mommy was a little worried because the movie was much longer than she expected and she texted auntie tay during the middle of it but we were having lots of fun, so much fun that i got worn out and auntie tay tucked me in early, nothing for mommy to worry about.

wild blueberries

this morning mommy was going to pick blueberries with her friends Jennie and Marisa and i was supposed to stay home with daddy but i didn't want to miss out on all the fun so i came along too! we picked lots of blueberries while mommy caught up with her good buddies.





afterward, we went to Kramer's Market on Sauvie Island and shopped the fresh produce. mommy wants to take daddy back sometime because they were roasting and selling fresh ears of corn and it smelled YUMMY but instead of getting corn we met daddy at St. Honore the french boulangerie for some coffee and pastries and lunch. mommy said her bartlett brie sandwich was delicious and daddy enjoyed a quiche lorraine and a chocolate eclaire. i can't wait to try those!

later we took some family pictures because great-grandma and grandpa are headed back to arizona. we also celebrated auntie jessica and uncle Daren's anniversary! 1 year!

big hike

today mommy and daddy and dexter and i went on a hike near Bonneville Dam. we hiked along a river trail and saw some lovely waterfalls. here are some pictures:






after our hike we came home and auntie lisa came over for dinner since uncle andy is out of town boozin' at SeaFair.

family fun day

today was my day with daddy again. mommy is busily working to finish her dissertation which means daddy and i get to hang out together on fridays. today we had lots of fun and daddy told mommy it was his most fun day with me so far! we slept in together like we always do and then i got some exercise with Leroy my jumperoo horsey while daddy ate his breakfast. mommy worked from home today on her paper and daddy and i went on a bear hunt, i wasn't scared. later we worked out in my play gym and then i had a nap while daddy went to the big people gym. when i work up i played with mommy and we had lots of fun. i played in my walker and then i sat up on my mat and played by myself for 40 minutes! i played with all my toys and then i played with dexter! when daddy came home i played some more with him! we all went to family swim at the pool tonight. the water was very cold and mommy didn't like it but i swam anyway. after we got out my gums were chattering and i was shivering but mommy warmed me up and put my jammies on me and daddy kept me warm. we had a super fun day!