orioles

Tyler's most favorite new toy: an Orioles truck and matching sports car. By chance the sports car nearly fits in the back of the truck. Tyler loves to open and close the back doors of the truck and he uses both to act out scenes from the movie Cars. "Mack! Mack! Wait!"

hello camera

back on schedule

The trip to Boston reeked havoc on Jenna's feeding/sleeping schedule. As a result I wasn't always getting my eight or more hours of sleep (I know, boo hoo stop complaining). But I was thankful that all went right back to normal once we were home. Ahh!

rockport

We couldn't get enough of MA so we decided to extend our stay one day so we could head to Rockport and get in some family time once Alex was finished with his conference. Perrin tagged along too. We had a great time checking out the quaint shops and the views... until Tyler had a meltdown at Top Dog. This funky small shop sold the craziest hot dog combinations and had chalkboard walls. Tyler skipped lunch in order to create masterpieces. No lunch plus no nap equals a cranky toddler who doesn't want to stop drawing. Uh oh. But we loved the area and are sure we'll go back again!

Once home, my mom also informed me that Rockport is where my dad picked up our family's vintage harpoon that hung over our fireplace while I was growing up. Neat!

goodies

Each time we visit Danvers we've got to head to Goodies, a retro ice cream shop. Perrin, the kids and I went there for some sweets... uhh, I mean lunch. Tyler comes by his love of ice cream honestly! While there Tyler was checking out a poster behind us that featured Jane Russell and Marilyn Monroe. He paused, pointed to Marilyn and said, "I like THAT one mommy!" Look out ladies!

beverly airport

We headed over to a nearby small airport to check out the planes. Unfortunately, it was overcast so no planes were actually taking off and landing, but we did see one pilot gassing up his small plane. And the highlight ended up being a vintage helicopter bolted to the ground at an angle.

salem wharf

So our trip to Boston wasn't all fun and games. Alex had to stay in the city for a conference part of the week. We had planned to drive him into the city, but as fate would have it his friends Craig and Judy, who live in Florida, were in town on vacation. We met up at Salem's Wharf for lunch before Alex hitched a ride with them into the city since they were headed that way for their flight home. Craig and Judy hadn't met Tyler yet so they were able to meet both kids for the first time. It's ironic that our meeting took place in MA considering neither of us live anywhere close to that state!

him and her

Not his and hers... but him and her. Those would be his cousins, Andrew and Perrin. "I need him." or "I want her to come with me." (As if I control them.) It took a few days but he finally got used to calling them by their names and he sure had fun dragging them around and playing.

fireworks

We celebrated the 4th of July (well, it was the 5th actually) in Danvers, MA this year. I was eagerly anticipating Tyler's reaction since this would be the first year that he would see a full show and be able to communicate his thoughts on the event. And also because I have so many fond memories of watching fireworks with my dad.

I wasn't disappointed. Tyler was so thrilled to hear the booms and see the beautiful bursts of color. Tyler started out in Daddy's lap and jumped with anticipation each time a nearby home firework shot off. He would put his hand on the back of Alex's head and push it in the direction of the noise and say, "See Dad!" Then as the big show got started Tyler chose to sit on my lap so I got to snuggle with him as he listed each color he saw. And when the sparkly ones trickled down we said together, "sparkles, sparkles, sparkles." After the show I asked him if the sparkly ones were his favorite and he said, "No mom! Those were your favorite!" He favored the red ones. And many thanks to Deb for staying home with baby Jenna so I could witness Tyler and his reaction to the fireworks!

trampoline

Other than his cousins, Tyler's favorite thing about Uncle Hugh and Auntie Deb's house is their trampoline! While tentative at first, Tyler learned quickly and was soon jumping wildly. Perrin remarked that he was fearless and better than most of the kids five times his age.

headed to Boston

We set out for our trip to Boston to visit my sister and her family while Alex had a conference in the city. We hadn't even left our street yet when Tyler asked, "We almost there Daddy?" Only 10-12 more hours buddy!

supporting dad

Doesn't Tyler look cute sporting his shirt with dad's company logo on it?

six weeks and sleeping

Oh I'm so spoiled! On the night that Jenna turned six weeks old, she slept 8 full hours. And again 8, 8.5 and 9 the next nights respectively. Alex teased me about my wanting to get Jenna on a routine, but I'm the one laughing now! Jenna still gets gas, but it is fewer and further between and we're also adjusting to better help her as her own body outgrows it as well. We've learned that she isn't as complacent as Tyler was with a dirty diaper and she also needs more frequent burping which has helped a great deal. She just ripped a big toot and smiled afterward. Not sure if that was relief or an early indication of her sense of humor. She smiles more and more each day. She is wearing size 1 diapers and her newborn clothes are now getting too small.

obama's house

Alex's nephew, Justin, and his girlfriend, Heather, came to stay with us for the week. Of course Tyler loved having an audience 24/7 and called Justin and Heather "his friends." He dragged them all over the place and coaxed them into taking him to the park many times.

We also headed to DC to take in the sites and serve as tour guides to our visitors. Tyler's favorite was seeing, in his words, "Obama's house," and the Air and Space museum. And Jenna was a pretty good sport about the long stroller ride.

visit from grandma jeanne

Jeanne came to meet Jenna today. Jeanne has lots of grandkids and has been out of town visiting them recently so it was a nice treat to have her over.

5 weeks

I meant to take Jenna's one-month picture next to this bear, which had been Tyler's, but of course I forgot. So better late than never! I plan to take several more throughout her first year and we'll be able to see her size in relation to the unchanging bear.

supergirl!

visiting aunt teresa

My sister and her boyfriend had our family and my mom over for dinner. Inviting a rambunctious toddler and a newborn to her house, isn't she a good sport? Dinner was delicious and Tyler had a ball racing his trucks around, dipping his feet in the pool and explaining his imaginary games to all.

one month

I can hardly believe that Jenna Marie is one month old today! She is such a good baby. Similar to Tyler, but slightly easier in that she had no trouble feeding from day one. She SMILED for the first time today in response to me talking to her. Smiles before only came as happy accidents or at the pleasure of having a full belly. She is definitely comforted by Mommy's voice.

wishful thinking

The Campbell family headed to Red Lobster for dinner. When my baked potato arrived with a mini scoop of butter on the side, all Tyler saw was ICE CREAM. He begged for a bite of "ice scream" and when our efforts to explain the contrary didn't register with him, we went ahead and let him do his own taste test. Tasting was finally believing. Disappointment!