Fall is in the Air

In Logan, anyway.

Bless my parents' hearts, they had to fly Mac and I out to visit one more time before Mac turned two and cost another plane ticket.  Naturally, I agreed to go.

We timed it just before Mac's birthday and Mark's boards.  Poor Mark spent the week studying all by his lonesome self and coming dangerously close to insanity.

Mac and I soaked in all the wonderfulness of family, friends, gardens, canning, mildly warm days and crisp cool nights.  We even saw a few leaves beginning to change.  Oooo, magic!

Mac couldn't wait to wake Trent up so he could sit in his hammock and play with his ipod.

First thing Mac said as we walked in the door:  "Bubbles!"  Of course, Nana was prepared.

Bumpa may now regret showing Mac all his berry bushes ... by the time we left everything from Mac's knees to his head was gone.  Also, he had a fierce diaper rash after eating almost nothing but berries the first two days.

The magic ingredients for Nana's pickles ....

Picking beans

Canning beans

Every time we come to visit, there is a mysterious new toy ...

Throwing rocks in the great outdoors.

Picnics

Mac wanted me to come up with him once, and then afterward kept saying "Bye," and trying to get me to go away so he could do it all by himself.  Must've gone on that slide a solid 23 times or so.

"A pa-lane! Big one!"

Not to mention going to movies, seeing friends, eating out, eating in, crafting, and lots of Ticket to Ride.  It's always nice to go hang out with the fam.

Usually however, I dread coming home because Mac expects me to be as entertaining as four adoring adults ... which is hard to do.  But ever since coming home, he has been as sweet as sugar.  Happy to be with Daddoo, happy to sit around with me, and happy to have his little toys.

It's like he got all filled up with love or something.

Thanks family.

Dr. Gunn the 4th

It's looking like we've got a fourth-generation chiropractor on our hands.

These adjustments come complete with sound effects, a "Got it", and a nice cheesey grin.

I'm thinking this kid will put all his chiropractic ancestors out of business.

Growing a Baby

Welp, now I am 26 weeks along.  That's about 6 1/2 months. 

I keep getting the feeling that this little lady is going to crush Mac's first weighing in at 6 lbs. 7 ozs. 

However, there is also the chance that this pregnancy seems to be flying by so very fast ... I keep thinking everything is happening much much sooner, when really it might actually be that I'm just farther along than I think I am.  November is approaching ...

Whether I'm ginormous or whether it's going by fast, it has been a very good pregnancy.  Everything has been ... well ... basic.  Nothing in particular to report.  Of course I love to eat.  Right now I can't get enough of ice cream.  Mongolian BBQ is probably the meal I think about most often. 

The only complaint I have at the moment is that my pelvic bones have become quite achy.  My doctor felt my stomach and said that her little head is down -- which is wonderful -- but that it can cause your pelvis to start to loosen up.  Makes me feel like an ooooold woman.  Still jogging though!  Or shuffling, really.

This girl is a real wiggler.  If you push on her, you are quite likely to receive a kick in return.  She seems to get the most wiggly late at night, particularly if I start to rub my belly.  Lately our Netflix date nights include Mark pushing her around a little.

Mac does love babies; he gets excited whenever he sees one -- except when I am holding them.  Today I told Mac more about our baby; that his sister would be coming soon, and we could give her hugs and kisses and take care of her.  He leaned forward, real close to my face, and whispered:

"No way." 

Hm.

Pinterest

Have you heard of Pinterest? 

It has got me daydreaming about our future home and all the many projects I will do once we are settled. 

 

 I have quite the list of things to finish before this baby arrives, and I'm thinking I might reward myself with these projects if I can get them done in time ....

Sigh.  I suppose staring at the internet won't make them happen any faster.  No more dreaming ... time for doing!

Keep it Cool

Arizona was too too hot.  We are glad we do not live there.  My legs became quite swollen, and both Mac and I were in a constant state of flushed-faced sweaty-ness.

Though the weather is so very much better, it still feels too warm here in California.  Luckily Mac found a new way to stay cool ... and look cool ... and feel like the world looks a lot cooler too.

Peace out.

Good Bye, Uncle Barry

I cannot imagine burying a husband, a father, or especially a child.

Good bye for now Uncle Barry.  We'll see you on the other side.  Our prayers are with your wife, your three young boys, and Grandma.

Trekking Across the Desert

I have turned down a few trips since we've been in California because of one thing:  I am terrified to drive with just Mac and I.

Well, a family funeral and baptism gave me the courage to give it a try, and wow -- it was easy.  Not to say that sitting on my rear end for six hours straight is fun, but entertaining a toddler while doing it certainly makes the time go by more quickly. 

And Mac was great.  Reading books, playing with toys, eating snacks, fiddling on the ipod, and the "Dorrie Movie" were all he needed to make it through.

I'm glad we went.

My grandma still has the magic ball!  I loved this thing as a kid.  So fun to watch Mac love it too.

Look at this precious little threesome.  Mac can't get enough of these guys, and though I'm pretty sure they could get enough of him, they certainly didn't act like it.  Oh it is wonderful to be loved.

 So fun to see the baptism of this strapping young man!  Gabie Baby, we love you and are so proud of you.  I am relieved Mac has someone as wonderful as you to look up to!

I asked Gabe to give me his most holy, pure and righteous smile.  Here he is.  Fresh out of the baptismal waters.

The only bummer about this new-found traveling confidence is that it feels a bit late.  With the months ticking by and our big move inching closer, I really just want to stick around here and soak it all up.  Sigh.

I suppose there will be driving to do later on.  But then I'll have to add an infant to the mix ... ooo ... I think I just got scared again.

Big Bear Lake

A big moment for us as a family ... our first trip with just the three of us.

So very nice.

Mark randomly had a couple of consecutive days off of school, and declared that he might go crazy if we just stuck around town.  However, driving sounded painful, so our mini-vacation solution evolved into a small trek two hours away to witness Big Bear Lake, a ski resort in Southern California. 

Favorite memories include:

• Looking at the clock, realizing we had only been driving an hour, and experiencing a moment of dread.  Then remembering that this trip would take two hours, and not seven ... halfway there.
• Climbing higher and higher up that enormous mountain; twisting and turning and causing all sorts of nausea, but discovering an almost hidden town.  Mark told me a little about the random villages in the Swiss Alps.  I would like to see those one day.  Although, Big Bear Lake certainly tried to depict one.
• Mac slipping into the hotel's pond as he attempted to kick rocks into it.
• Watching my boys dance in the hotel room.  Sort of ... crazy-native-ish.
• Crashing a Beach Party and throwing rocks in the water for a solid hour, and then carrying Mac back to the hotel in a diaper as everything else was soaked.
• A mini date night, walking and talking about our little family's future after Mac went down to bed.
• Double fudge brownie ice cream.
• Bringing Mac into bed with us at around 6:30 a.m. ... and promptly turning on Nemo to distract him from his intense desire to go back to the lake and throw rocks immediately.
• A beautiful 6 mile hike with a great view ... and a screaming child all the way up.  Is there anything more torturous than being carried away from the one thing you've been talking about since the night before ... lakes and rocks?  Apparently not.
• Mac eventually deciding he would allow riding on Daddoo's shoulders, but most definitely not in the backpack.

•  Reaching the top of the mountain and hearing Mac suddenly pat the backpack and say, "I sit!  A blue one!"  Okay ... what a great idea.
• Mac grabbing his head when a gust of wind would pick up and say, "Got me!  I cold," and then anticipating the next gust would whisper, "It coming ..."

•  Getting Mac down for a nap and being quite adventurous ourselves ... while still sticking close by.
• Wishing I had ordered Mark's calzone for dinner, however Mac certainly enjoyed my salad.  A first.
• Warm warm swimming pools.  Mac was in heaven.
• An even better hike.  Mac loved the backpack, and the scenery was almost cartoon-ish.

Brotherly love?  No.  Sibling rivalry.  Sister is already getting in the way of Mac's being held.

•  Doing "big jumps" from rock to rock to get a better view of the lake.  Mac is lucky to have such a well-balanced father.  My protruding center of gravity makes me a little hesitant to carry my son from boulder to boulder; however I did stay close by and caught the lovely view of the lake.

•  Mac attempting to do big jumps off of parent-approved boulders all by himself.  And getting very dirty.

•  Drawing circles, throwing rocks, burying sticks, touching trees ... the fun was never ending on this little hike.  Baby sister slept through it all; don't think I felt her once.  I imagine that means she enjoyed it too.

We need to do things like this more often.  It is sure nice to get away and explore the world a little.