Boat Pics and Fireworks

Getting ready for fireworks - John is helping Logan get on his lifevest.

Asleep after the fireworks...

The Lift (From the cabin to the lake it is a very steep climb on man-made wooden stairs, so they installed a lift that takes you up and down - much easier, especially when carrying a baby).

John and Logan on the boat (it is docked).

Buddy the Waterdog

Buddy just swam out to get his frisbee...

Turned around and making his way back...

Making his beautiful exit from the water...

Then he took his place in the shaking area to get the excess water off!

He repeated this process...many, many, many times.  He was great entertainment for all of us!

Logan's 1st 4th of July

At the very last minute, Wednesday the 1st we decided to join one of our friends and his family up their their families log cabin in upper (Northwoods) Wisconsin - close to Lake Superior.  After I packed like a madwoman on Thursday while John was at work, we drove up 8 hours to our destination.  Buddy was invited as well - which was a huge reason we were able to go so last minute.  So there were 3 kids under the age of 2 and a dog.  :)

Friday evening we took their boat out on the lake to watch a huge fireworks display another family  puts on every year - there were over 100 boats chillin in the lake ready for the fireworks.  We brought Buddy with us on the boat as well - hindsight, he probably could've stayed back.  There were several quarter sticks that went off and were very loud and startled him - John was in charge of keeping him calm.  I was in charge of Logan - who was in his lifevest and all snuggly and loved every second of the fireworks (like his mom).  There were several platforms shooting off fireworks - including one behind us.  Every so often the one behind us shot off and Logan's head would turn to see those pretty colors....it was cute.  He was very calm throughout all the noise.  When the quarter sticks would go off, he would kick his legs as if to say it kind of scared him, but not enough to cry.  :)

On the 4th, we all attended a Pancake breakfast, then walked a few blocks to catch the parade - Logan's first parade and he loved that too!  He enjoyed waving a little American Flag (which clearly said it was Made in China.....seriously).  I took it away when he started to find it delicious.  :)  We saw many floats and clowns and firetrucks - it was great!  Then we attended a big picnic with the townsfolk.  :)  It was really nice.  After we were all fed and saw all we needed to see, we headed back to the cabin and hung out on the boat and dock for the rest of the afternoon.  

I don't know who had more fun - us, or Buddy!  Their cabin overlooks a TON of trees then goes down to the lake.  Buddy roamed and roamed and roamed.  The first day he got 3 ticks (ick!!!) but we got rid of those and he was fine the rest of the time.  Then when we went down to the lake, Buddy swam and swam and swam.  Oh he loved it.  We tried to get him to jump off the dock, but unless pushed (which we did to him twice - probably scarred him) he just went down a couple boardwalks and jumped in that way!  He retrieved frisbees, sticks, balls...you name it!

Sunday we went into town (complete with wi-fi and cell phone connection....ahhhh) and shopped in a couple little shops.  Buddy came with us there as well and was loved by many passer-by's.  He did great too; he didn't jump on a sole or over-lick them.  :)  We left on Monday (the only day I had icky morning sickness, naturally).  

We had such a great time - it was nice to get away!  :)

Crawling

The day has come...Logan is crawling! He has been scooting all over the place for the past two weeks, however on Monday night (8 months old and 1 day) he moved his hands so his knees could come forward. I had worked with him on how to move his hands over the weekend and he seemed really excited to do it. He crawled about 3 paces and then fell on his stomach.

YAY!!!!!!!!

Over the past couple days he has continuously improved. He still falls on his stomach every so often, but he is a crawlin!!! I am so excited for this phase. While crawling is 'gross' since he is on the floor so much, he is mobile and that is exciting!!

Pics from our Busy Week - Part 2

Ah, he has learned to play with the foam letters!!!

Logan visited Grandma at work!

Logan on Grandpa's belly!

Logan grabbed a peanut butter sandwich from the table and just started eating it!

Logan was having a good time talking with the baseball players!

Logan eating his first Ice Cream Cone

Logan and Grandma in the pool.

Logan getting ready to jump into Grandma's arms (or be pulled off the deck).

Melissa and her kids: Alexis (8.5), Isabella (2), Jakob (3)

Logan enjoyed some fruit. He really took to the kiwi; he ended up shoving a lot of it in his mouth (he also loves cheese...like his mom!)

We celebrated Isabella's 2nd birthday...her and Jakob enjoyed some fruit on the mini table!

Logan rode the Alligator...without his swim trunks. All hunched over, he looks like he has a gut!
Logan was so exhausted from all the swimming; he fell asleep in Grandma's arms.

TJ, a friend, Michael and Alexis riding the Alligator

Pics from our Busy Week - Part 1

Logan is working on crawling.


Alex and Brittany built several domino trails. Logan was so excited!

Logan and Grandma....he used her legs as a trampoline - he loves to jump!

Playing with cousin Brittany

Brittany modeled the backpack for us...she's so funny!

Logan and I are ready to pick strawberries - in the crazy heat!

On Logan's 1st hayride (keep in mind...Logan is on my back, you can see him peeking out).

It was a far bend down, but we got our first strawberry!!!

Not a fabulous picture of Logan, but he is checking out the basket of strawberries (we picked 2 full ones!)

He is all lotioned up and ready to go outside! The SPF spray made his hair a bit crazy!

Aunt Brittany, cousin Brittany, Alex and Logan in the pool!
Aunt Sandy and Grandma jumped in too!
Granpda...I will get your nose.....

Haha, I got it!!!

Grandpa and Logan taking a stroll!

This highchair doesn't lean back, so it is harder for Logan to hold his own bottle, so I got creative!

Fashionista Brittany and Logan

Meghan and Logan (they always take such great pictures together!!!)

It was so cute - Logan's cousins were all helping him get into the swing - I loved it!!

And then they all joined him on the swingset!

Ashley and Logan taking a dip before we left on Wednesday.

Last Week

Last week Logan, Buddy and I had a very busy week. John, unfortunately had to work - although, Thursday and Friday he had a conference in Los Angeles, CA - so he got to have 2 fabulous flights and days of his own traveling. Logan, Buddy and I took this opportunity to do some traveling of our own.

On Monday we left for Wisconsin (while I battled a bit of morning sickness). We swung by Milwaukee to pick up my sister-in-law Brittany and her dog, Oakley. We drove up together to my inlaws house for a few days of family visiting time...and of course, time by their fabulous pool. :) Logan loved the pool...naturally because the weather was nice and warm, so was the pool. Today was a milestone day for Logan - he did his first army crawl/creep! We were so excited!!! His bait was his pacifier and boy did he scoot! It was very fun to share his first army crawl with family. :)

Tuesday morning, Logan, Brittany, Dorene, Alex and I went strawberry picking. It was both Logan and my first time - I was excited, Logan - eh, whatever. It was HOT, HOT, HOT that day - when we left it was 82 and by the time we left it was 86. Dan and Kaye lent us their backpack (to Logan in) - that they used for Meghan when she was a baby. With Logan strapped on my back in his plaid overalls, hat and sunglasses we took our hay ride out to the strawberry fields (his first hay ride - he enjoyed it). We spent about 15 minutes picking strawberries. The strawberries were big and very sweet - Brittany made me eat the first one, she said it is like a rite of passage for picking strawberries....boy was it delicious. Logan can't eat strawberries just yet - it is one of those foods that babies shouldn't eat until after a year of age because of allergies. Anyway, it we lasted 15 minutes before Logan was unhappy - poor child was probably so hot; I was sooo sweaty - it was gross. But we did like strawberry picking and we will do it again in the years to come, but I think we will try and do it earlier in the day (we did it at 9am, while early, it was sooo hot already) and on a bit cooler day, if we can.

Naturally when we got back from strawberry picking, we jumped in the pool! We enjoyed a beautiful, hot day outside at the pool - we all got gorgeous tans as well! Buddy loved all the acres of yardage to run around.

Wednesday we hung out in the morning - Erica, a family friend of the Battermann's and her son, Carson stopped by for a quick visit and swim. We had another delicious meal for lunch, then we left with Brittany....dropped her off and continued on our way.

We arrived back home just before all the icky Chicago traffic. John arrived home shortly after and we enjoyed a lovely evening together. Thursday morning at 5:30 John left for LA. A few hours later, Logan and I left for my sister's house. We stopped by my Mom's work first and she and her co-workers ooh'd and ah'd over Logan. We then drove over to Dawn's and had lunch and swam in her pool. That night after dinner, Logan and I drove to my parents house (Buddy stayed at my sister's since he can't come to my parents house due to my Mom's allergies).

Logan did great through the night, until 4:30 (funny, at home he rarely wakes up through the night, but both nights at Dorene's and at my parents he woke up once). I think he looked around and neither crib had bumper pads so he could see through the bars and recognized that this was not his room. Luckily my Dad was already awake (apparently he wakes up around 4:30 all the time...oy) so he sat up with Logan and rocked him back to sleep.

We spent the day at my sister's again - it was so much fun! Melissa and the kids came over and on Friday's my Mom only works until 11. So we all laid out by the pool and had a fantastic day. To end the day, we went to the Creamery - a fantastic ice cream shoppe that I went to often while growing up. Logan even had some ice cream! Nothing like a 7.5 month old eating ice cream - thanks Mom and Dad! ;)

And that ended our busy weekend. John came home late that night and we enjoyed a relaxing weekend at home doing nothing.

Everybody noticed such a change in Logan - he reaches for things (his arms seem to get longer everyday); he is more mobile; his head spins in every direction (especially when there are dogs around); he babbles more. He is just changing so much. :)