Another 9 months

 I cannot believe it...I'm in total shock....I'm not ready for this...Evan is already 9 months old! (HA! Did you think I was announcing something? Cause I am most definitely NOT! I just like to think I'm funny). How is it that my previous "9 months" felt like it lasted an eternity, but these last 9 months flew by in the blink of an eye?! This week a lot of things happened; 9 months must be a magic number!

He is getting into everything and really loves helping mom. Whatever I'm doing, he is right there with me.

His first tooth popped through! I know you can't see it here, but you can imagine. :)

He has started to master the sippy cup.

His favorite game to play is peek-a-boo. He pulls the blanket on himself, then pulls it down and laughs SO hard. Then he pulls it up immediately, and so on and so forth. Sometimes, he laughs so hard, he falls over. That's my favorite.

This is how I find him every time I go get him from his naps now. He just waves at me and jumps up and down. It is quite a sight to see!

He has also seriously discovered his tongue. It is ALWAYS out. Instead of waving to people we would pass at the store, like he was doing a week ago, he now just sticks out his tongue.

And most life changing of all, the crawling.

Except for that of course, I have tried a hundred times to get it on video, and this is the best I can get.

Either he doesn't like to work for what he wants or he is just content with he has. :)

I know I say this ALL of the time, but I seriously love this littly guy. He is my complete world, even though he has turned my world completely upside down. I can't imagine life any other way.

Squealin Munchkin

Evan is very noisy lately. He has definitely found his voice. Tonight, he was very much in a squawking mood. We were in his room going through clothes (which we do all too often) -storing ones too small, getting out the next size, etc. Every time I even looked at him, he would squeal. So I decided it had been quite awhile since I put up a video of him, and my family needs to see what a little personality he's got these days. (Beware, it may or may not be loud)

Kind of laborious, actually...

But very enjoyable, nonetheless!!! Labor Day weekend would have been a 4 day weekend for us this year, but with my workaholic husband, there was no way that was going to happen. So we talked him into giving us a day and a half. I'll take it!! That's more time than we have spent with him in over a month.

Our friends, The Robinson clan, invited us to go up to The Trail of 100 Giants with them. It's about a 2 hour drive (what isn't a 2 hour drive around here?), so we packed a picnic and enjoyed spending some time together. We always have loads of fun with these guys, and it was so great to explore the Sequioas! Hopefully soon, we can go to the National Park.

These trees are MASSIVE, that's the only way to describe it. Pictures do not begin to do them justice, and I'm sure my words wouldn't either. So just enjoy all of these gigantor trees and try to imagine my commentary to go along with it.

We all loved it and want to go back again and again!

On actual labor day, we went for our first family hike. As some of you may recall from last summer, I'm really into family hikes ;) Travis, who works with Nate and also desperately needed to get away from the office for awhile, and his lovely wife Sharon, recommended Onion Valley. Travis had been that way a few years ago with the Scouts and remembered it to be a fairly easy hike. And, it's only (you guessed it!) about 2 hours away.

Evan was a champ! Thank goodness for good friends who let us borrow their baby pack. Couldn't have done it without you!

 

Here's our crew! Taking the first break in the shade.Looking over Onion Valley. (Don't worry, the trailhead alone was at 9200 feet. And then we hiked up!!!  Beautiful waterfall

Our destination was the Little Pothole Lake. What a gem!

Crystal clear water. Ahhh, water.

We enjoyed lounging by the lake, wading in the water, and watching the boys attempt to spear fish. Unfortunately, both cameras died before we could capture said events.

It was a great hike, the weather was superb, the scenery was breathtaking (literally, at that insane elevation) the exercise was much needed, and the baby, thank goodness, could not have enjoyed it more. He loved it so much, in fact, he did not nap until we were about ten minutes away from the car. Impeccable timing.

 (Picture courtesy of my phone- blurry, but you get the idea.)

I think it's safe to say we enjoyed our Labor Day weekend. Only two more weeks until we have a daddy and husband back in our lives again! :)