My list of many firsts at Blackberry Farm

The whole gang, literally stopped for 1 split second!
My first merry-go-round ride
My first pony ride
My first view of a piggy
Emily, Megan, Ty, Jaedyn, Moshe, Caelan and Tyler

On day two we decided to go to Blackberry Farm. This is a really fun place where my family made many memories growing up and now passing on the "funess" to our kids. Typical George style, Blackberry closes at 4:00 and we are finally able to get there at 3:15, Ha. We crammed as much as we possibly could in 45 mins. Caelan got to ride on a merry-go-round for the first time. He cried when the ride stopped and we had to get off. ( Ahh, note to self, Caelan really, really loves the m.g.r.!) Then a mad dash to the train which makes a trip around the whole farm. The kids were having a great time, Caelan included, until the tunnel......As you know, when you are a kid, it is mandatory to scream when entering a train tunnel. Caelan had the death grip on my arm and I have never seen his eyes get that big. As soon as we hit daylight again, he was laughing and giggling again. Then we ran to the ponys and had to beg the handler to let us ride them before putting them away for the day. As soon as I set Caelan on the pony he was excited, kicking his feet and trying to grab the ponys mane. He called the pony a dog-dog. First of all I was floored that he SAID dog-dog, and second that he made a connection between a name and an animal. After I recovered from my mommy-pride moment, we ran to the area where the penned animals are, or I should say---were. The only animals still out were the piggies. All the others had already been brought inside. So we stood and looked at piggies. Then time to go, believe it or not, no crabby or foot stomping kids ( I think because we fit a whole days worth of activities into 45 mins!). One quick pic of all the cousins outside the farm and then on to grandma and papa's house for dinner. Yum!

Home Sweet Home

Good Morning Grandma! Every morning

my mom comes in to give Caelan morning smooches.

Well, we are home and loving every second of it! The flight home was interesting. The flight itself was great but Caelan was a crazy man! As soon as we sat in our seat, he had to touch every button, the armrest, window, tray and look over our seat forward and behind, smiling at everyone. (I thought it was a good idea he was trying to win everyone over around us, before he attempted to out scream the engines right outside our windows .) Oh well, I'm just thankful we can come home!

We have been filling our time with memory making moments visiting my sisters and their kids. Caelan is having so much fun playing with the cousins. His favorite game is to crawl after them around my mom's house. I can tell in just the little time he has been around them that he is a little more outgoing, adventurous, and vocal. They all are a year old and Caelan is trying to be a big kid too. I love it so much.

Happy Father's Day

Me and my Daddy
Caelan, Shawn, Beth, Jeremy, Jon, Terry, MacKenzie, Peggy & Chris
MacKenzie plays one of Caelan's favorite games, Peek-a-Boo

Happy Father's Day to all the Dad's we love and care about so much. What a special day, a celebration of the love and sacrifices a dad gives everyday. Thank You!

Today was so nice, Caelan started the morning off by making Shawn breakfast in bed. He looked so cute with his little apron on as he slaved away at the stove. He made Irish oatmeal and sausages, one of Daddy's favorite breakfasts. I kind of had to help when it came time to bring the tray in to daddy, he couldn't reach it up onto the bed. Shawn was really touched. (Okay so I cooked and Caelan supervised from his highchair while eating a banana.)

So we enjoyed our breakfast and had some errands to run before Shawn leaves for a two week BNCOC class tomorrow. We later went to dinner with some good friends of ours. Beth & Jeremy, Jon, Terry & MacKenzie, (Jon is on R&R, he flew in from Afghanistan yesterday), and Peggy & Chris. All people that Shawn met through the military and now have become great friends of ours.

Tomorrow Caelan and I will drop Daddy off at the airport bright and early. We're going to miss him so much, but are so proud him! Then we'll come home and pack for our big trip on Tuesday back to Chicago to visit our family! (Watch for exciting pics!)

The Caelan-mobile

The other day I was finally unpacking the last of our boxes from the move. Caelan was being Mr. Busybody and playing with this box, so I put him in it and pushed him all over the apartment. He was loving it. Our apartment doesn't make for a very big race track so out the apartment door we went and down the loooooooonnnnnnggggg hallway. He laughed and giggled the whole way. When we got back into the apartment he was content to just stay in his Caelan-mobile. He worked up a little appetite (all that drag racing) and a snack was in order, so I fed him puffs through his little "mailslot", he was happy as a clam!

My remote controlled car that rivals Uncle Erics'

I just had to get a quick snigglet of Caelan playing with his car.

I was laughing so hard watching him figure out how to make the car move!

Rock On!

This past Sunday, 6/8, we had another visit with our cousin Scottie. We had so much fun...it was 101 degrees and we decided to go to the Crystal City "mini fest" and see the Everclear concert. We actually didn't stay that long due to the heat that felt like soup to breathe. We came back to our place and had a yummy dinner in the air conditioning. Caelan had his first taste of scallops, which he loved!

What a view!

View from our balcony
Admiring the view
View from our roof

Today the weather was hot, hot, 98 degrees hot, muggy and hot. We tried to find things to do inside. Caelan and I took a quick trip to our indoor pool in our building and guess what? It was too cold! (heater was broken) So a quick dip and then upstairs for a fun bath. We had some running around to do with daddy in his big rig with fabulous airconditioning. Then home again. Tonight I went out onto our balcony and the top pic was the sight before me. A storm was rolling in and lighting was all over the place. We decided to head to the roof for a better look. Well, a lot of other people had the same idea, cameras in hand. The sight was awesum!

No haircut needed

(Shawn did it, I didn't, hee)

National Building Museum

Lunch at La Tasca Spanish Tapas Restaurant, in DC
National Building Museum


Good buddies, Maggie and Caelan


Caelan's in the zone (the Building Zone)
Caelan the building inspector, gives this

"green" built house his stamp of approval

On Wednesday, 6/4/08, Caelan and I had a fun outing. We started out at La Tasca for a wonderful lunch with some of our friends from the mom's group. This restuarant, which has a fabulously vibrant decor, serves Spanish tapas which were really tasty. After our tummies were happy, Carrie, Maggie, Caelan and I headed off to the museum, Adelyn had decided she was ready to go home and told her mom, Tara, they would have to take a rain check.

The Building Museum, 401 F Street NW, DC 202-272-2448, was great. They feature much of DC's architecture, design, engineering, planning and construction. It was really interesting to read all that went into the building of our nation's capital. Currently the museum is also featuring an exhibit of the Finnish architect/designer Eero Saarinen. I have to admit, being drawn to modern design myself, I was trying to absorb every inch of this exhibit. They featured early drawings, photos and models of his work, some being: the main terminal at Dulles Airport, the St Louis arch and the John Deere building in Moline, Il. There was also a sampling of his furniture he designed. Was I drooling? Yeeeessss.

Caelan and Maggie spent some time in "The Building Zone" creating prize winning works of art. This zone was set up for kids with blocks, tool puzzles, construction trucks and such. There was also a kid size home built of all green materials.

After a full stroll around the museum, we noticed it was raining cats and dogs and lightening all around. Carrie got a call from her mom telling us to stay put, there was a toronado that touched down in the area. Soooooooooo, we hung out while we watched Noah and his ark float by outside. All in all we had a great time and Caelan took a nice long nap when we got home. Yipee.

Eating Adventures

Asparagus bit
The jury is out
Yup, I like it!

(Chicken, chicken the musical food?)

This week Caelan has been on a little food adventure. He's tried a couple new items, asparagus, golden raisins, tortillas, whole peas and chicken, and liked them all. He's such a good eater, even if he doesn't like something he doesn't spit it out (he just will refuse another bite of it :)

9 Mos doctor visit

Caelan is changing the oil on his jumpy jumper,

makin' sure she's ready to rock'n roll.

On Friday, 5/30, Caelan had his 9 month doctor appointment. Everything went great, he now weighs 20.1 lbs (50th percentile) and is 29.5 inches (90th percentile). Yep, confirming once again he's going to be a big boy!