A Fall Weekend

This past weekend Fall was in the air so we decided to take advantage of it! Saturday afternoon we met up with Katy and Ed and drove up to Woodinville for lunch at the Red Hook Brewery. Next we stopped at The South 47 Farm for some organic veggies and apple picking. It was the first time that I had ever picked my own spices so Katy had to show me the ropes. Surprisingly enough, there is really not many places to "u-pick" apples in Western Washington, so the pickin's were slim on the apple trees. The two rows of apples that were open for picking were pretty much picked over so we had to get creative!

We were excited to come back to Katy and Ed's for the evening, figuring that Louis would sleep in his pack and play. But unfortunately that was not the case and by 6:00pm we had a bear on our hands! Katy and Ed cooked up an awesome fall dinner- beef cacciatore and asparagus, but dinner was a little bit rushed with me feeling like I needed to get crabbypants in bed. As soon as we were done eating Mike and I took off and Katy and Ed, (who are SO easy going) happily came over to our place to eat the apple cobbler Katy and I made and watch a movie. Louis passed out in the car and didn't even wake up when I carried him up to his bed (that was a first).

Sunday we continued our Fall weekend with apple pancakes and Mike's pumpkin spice cappuccino's!

Pictures

A Trip To Chicago

This past weekend Louis and I went to Chicago to see all of my college friends. Brianne and Mary picked us up at 11:30pm Thursday night after a VERY long flight with Louis not sleeping a wink. (I didn't know that it was possible for a baby to drop toys on the floor of the plane for mommy to pick up for 4 hours straight -at least he was happy!) I was so excited to see the girls that I talked there ear off till 1:15am! Friday we went out for breakfast then came back to let Louis nap before the party started.

In the early afternoon Amy and Jeff arrived from Cincinnati with the twin, Sophie and Ella. Louis had fun playing with the girls but he was a little jealous that Ella crawled MUCH better than he did! Yes, Ella started crawling at 5 months and 1 week! She is the strongest baby I have ever seen! Sophie however is more laid back and not moving quite as much yet. Later in the day, Jennie and James came from St. Louis and Justin and Laura and Maria and Jess came over. We spent the evening eating 3 different kinds of soup, drinking beer and catching up! Saturday, we all met at a forest preserve (minus Jennie and James who were on their way to a wedding, and Jess who was moving). We sat under tree on blankets and ate Einsteins, and played catch and Frisbee.

Saturday afternoon we had to say goodbye to the Taylor-Haas' but it was so good to see them and the twins again. Maria came over to Brianne and Mary's later in the afternoon to visit and to make a trip to Caribou Coffee with us and was so entertained by Louis' crawling style that she kept throwing her keys around the room to see Louis go after them. This is how Louis went from crawling 6 inches to like 5 feet in a few hours. Saturday evening it was just Brianne and Mary so we ordered a pizza, played skip-bo and watched a movie - Daddy hadn't seen Louis crawl yet! It was so great to have everyone together again and I can't wait to plan another trip!

Thanks to Amy & Brianne for the pictures since I forgot my camera!

We Have a Camper :)

Two weekends ago we decided that we could NOT go an entire summer without a camping trip. Friday night we planned the trip and packed up. Good thing Mike likes a challenge because it was no easy feat getting everything in the car. Saturday we made a detour and stopped on Bainbridge Island to let Mike attend a free kayak class. Louis and I took a walk, went to the local fudge shop and watched Mike roll his kayak.

In the afternoon we drove to Fort Flagler State Park. We called on the way up and the park ranger said she had one more site left. Unfortunately, 45 min later when we arrived, it was gone. The ranger, however, was so taken with Louis, that she gave us the "emergency site" whatever that means. When we arrived we went down to the beach on the sound and Mike let me use his kayak to paddle around a little bit - it was nice to finally get out on the water myself!

I borrowed a large tent from my coworker, planning to sleep Louis in the pack and play in the tent, but as I was getting Louis ready for bed he seemed to really like his sleeping bag so I thought I would give it a try. I put Louis down at 6:30pm, in broad daylight, with kids screaming and he actually laid in the bag quietly for about 1/2 hour before falling asleep! He woke once to eat at midnight and slept till 6:45am. He slept in that sleeping bag just like a big boy! This left the evening for Mike and I to cook our hot dogs, drink our beer and make s'mores. I let Mike down by forgetting the beer and condiments and he fired me from packing the food. Mike was so sad that Louis had to sleep right through his first campfire that he made another one in the morning for Louis to enjoy! We were so proud of Louis and had such a great trip.

Pictures!

Louis can Crawl!

Louis started crawling about 1 1/2 weeks ago but this weekend he finally increased his distance from 3 inches to being able to move across the room! His crawling pattern is AWESOME - check out the video! He doesn't seem to move much on his own yet - he has to be enticed with something VERY exciting - a cell phone, a remote control, crinkley tin foil, a empty coke bottle - but never one of his own toys. We are so proud of him!!

Louis Goes to the ER

Monday evening, right before Mike left to take Phil to the airport, Louis awoke from his sleep and had thrown up EVERYWHERE - all over his face and hair! I thought it was just that his grilled cheese didn't agree with him, but the vomiting continued Tuesday (Mike stayed home with him). Finally, Wednesday morning I called the Doctor's office and they had me come in right away. I was shocked to find out that Louis had Lost 1 pound since last month!! The doctor sent me home and gave me 3 1/2 hours to get 6-8 oz of fluid down him or they were going to do the IV. (I got 3 1/2 oz in and then he threw it all up) So...we went back to the doctor's and the nurse tried to get the IV in one arm without luck and then the other arm without luck. It was terrible - the whole time they were putting the tourniquet and hot pack on his arm and tapping his veins he was smiling and smiling but as soon as they poked him with that needle the smile was wiped off his face and he was screaming -and that nurse kept digging with the needle trying to get it - I seriously almost told her to stop! After 2 tries I suggested we try pedialyte in the office. Well, it didn't take long for him to throw that up too so they sent us to the ER. During this trip to the Doctor's office Mike came down with the same bug and came home from work early - which left me taking Louis to the ER by myself.

We were at the ER from 5 - 10pm and they gave him some medicine to stop the vomiting and had me give him Pedialyte from a syringe. After 2 1/2 oz and FINALLY a wet diaper, they sent me home and told me to bring back a stool sample. I waited all day Thursday for that stool sample but he had diarrhea so bad it all soaked into the diaper. Thursday after vomiting in his brand new car seat I decided that I was getting that sample one way or the other. I tried to sit Louis on a Tupperware but he kept taking that out and chewing on it, so I set him in the laundry basket without a diaper while feeding him Pedialyte through a syringe. I made him sit in that basket for one hour and NOTHING happened. Friday morning I got my sample finally and took it by the lab. Today was the first day that Louis didn't throw up and the diarrhea seems to be tapering. Now we need to slowly start adding solids back into his diet and get his weight back up!

Grandpa Phil In Town

Mike's dad arrived from Maine last Thursday evening. Mike picked his dad up from the airport and they grabbed some dinner at Verranzio's before heading home. Last time Phil came to town he spent the WHOLE time fixing up our house. He said he didn't mind at all so Mike came up with another list for him. This time Mike was able to take off Friday and Monday to help. Friday, in between watching Louis, they put a new sink in our bathroom and cleaned out the birds nest in our air duct. Saturday Mike's dad helped Mike figure out a better place to store the kayaks and they worked on the deck. Saturday, Louis and I hung low as I had come down with a little bug and was not feeling well at all.

Sunday was beautiful and Phil had never seen Mt. Rainier National Park so we drove to Mowich Lake and hiked 2 miles to Eunice Lake. I still wasn't feeling well but I couldn't miss out on a HIKE! Louis was in a great humor until we got to the lake and sat down to have our picnic lunch. I sat Louis on my jacket and he immediately leaned over and grabbed a fistful of rocks and tried to put them in his mouth. I took the rocks away and that caused him to scream at the top of his lungs, which bounced off the rock cliffs around the lake, probably being heard for miles. I couldn't even distract him with his lunch. I pretty much had to hold him the whole time while he fussed and tried to get down!

Sunday night we made a steak dinner. Monday Louis went to daycare while the men finished up the list. Phil had a midnight flight so mike took his dad for dinner and some drinks before dropping him off at the airport. Louis really enjoyed having grandpa around and LOVED when grandpa picked him up swung him all around - Phil could have Louis laughing and squealing in no time at all! We had so much fun and hope grandpa gets to come back soon!