More Ayla Mae

For those of you anxiously awaiting more pics of baby girl, here are a few. These are the ones taken by the professional photographers (Bella Baby) at the hospital.

oh, how sad!

sorry, couldn't help myself with the prop. ;)

The Halo of Light Around the Moon

Ayla Mae ('Ayla' means the halo of light around the moon) was born on 8/16/2015, healthy and cute. Due to her position, she had to be delivered via c-section but momma and baby are recovering just fine. 

As far as babies go, she seems pretty easy going...so far. She eats, poops (a lot), pees on daddy when he changes her diaper (every time), and cries occasionally. She makes a lot of noises and we are trying to decide if she sounds more like a chipmunk, mouse, dinosaur, or pig. Big brother votes 'pig' and he might be right.

Big brother is making the adjustment, slowly but surely. He is going to be the best big brother ever! Speaking of big brothers, my brother and I are three years and four days apart (July) and so are Kye and Ayla. Weird coincidence!

A bunch of pics won't upload to blogger so you get only a few here. Technical difficulties!

Local Pleasures

We are not very good at hanging out inactively in our hometown area in the summertime. But since baby could come at any point (really, come on now!), we have been doing just that, trying to enjoy local tourist spots and events.

The Big Wheel on the pier

Nice views but a bit slow, you know.

We picnicked and watched the Blue Angels from a park in downtown.

Blue Angel Kye

Grange Fest at the Nursery, with Anne M.

Enjoying watermelon at our favorite river spot, Olallie State Park.

And here, our big boy on his 3rd birthday.

The Best RV Park Ever!

Doctors orders were to 'avoid travel', so we cancelled our trip to Glacier and the Bitteroot area of Montana. We decided a nice compromise was to hang out at the RV pad at my dad's place in Coeur d'Alene.

80 acres, panoramic views of the lake, and loads of quiet except for the noises of various birds, honey bees, grasshoppers, frogs, and the occasional elk bugling. Plus some time with grandma and grandpa. Not too bad, right?!

My amazing hubby surprised me with a birthday present of a 'spa day' at the Coeur d'Alene Inn: a pregnancy massage, facial, and pedicure. I've never done a true 'spa' experience and it was pretty awesome. That evening, we enjoyed a nice dinner on the back patio with a lovely sunset. I'm looking forward to another great year.

While in town, we got a couple visits in with my best childhood friend and her fun family. Here, we enjoyed playing and swimming at the Mica Beach.

[K is pretty sweet on this little girl]

[the clan with K & I...me looking ridiculously huge and uncomfortable
(did a little too much that day).]

[K thought it was awesome to have a bunch of kids in his Airstream room. 

Five kids in one tiny space!]

[The kids get a lesson on honeybees from Grandpa Dale.]

We also enjoyed an evening kayak and paddle board session at Loff's Bay, unpictured as we don't have dry bags for our camera yet.

Paddling around the marshy ends of this lake are some of my best memories as a child. I sat in the middle of my grandparents' large aluminum canoe while they paddled. I imagined myself to be a little 'Indian' girl (that was the term we used back then). We were quiet as we looked and listened for birds and wildlife. Thirty-plus years later, K sat quietly in front of me, while we dipped our paddles in quietly and looked and listened. We saw a little turtle, a heron, some geese, and a few fish.

On another day, B went fishing on the St. Joe (also unpictured...sorry). It turned out to be quite a long drive but he enjoyed himself anyway. We will try to go back there to camp and fish more. While he was away, I played in the shop with the router and scroll saw, making a sign for a friend's yard.

[K occupied himself with a 'construction project'.]

[the almost finished trail sign]

Finally Doing It!!!- CD'A

The school-year came to a close, the Airstream had some minor repairs done, and we were ready to hit the road...finally!!!

Just prior to the school-year's end, K and I enjoyed some trips to Rattlesnake Lake.

A dear friend let us play around on her paddleboard in the shallows. We were hooked and decided we needed our own, so B ordered one to be delivered to Stop 1 on our trip, my dad's place in CD'A.

K and I headed there a few days before B, as he had to work. We enjoyed running around the land, helping grandma with her watering, driving tractors, and some trips to the lake.

Grandpa and K

The guy that hosts this beach/campground purchased a bunch of dump trucks, and labeled them 'Mica Bay Construction Co'. Pretty cute. And also very difficult to lure my little guy away from. 

After some cajoling, I was able to get him to the lake where we both cooled off.

Family Fun

In late May, we enjoyed a visit from family. It was somewhat ironic that the best place they could find to rent was at the pass, just down the road from the house we sold one month previous.

K with his cousins, all captivated by a cartoon

Headed on a walk to the lake

We have rarely felt compelled to swim in this lake, except maybe on the hottest day in August.

This year, it was comfortable before June. This should've been our warning that 

this summer was going to be ridiculous.

While everyone was in town, we had the chance to celebrate 

cousin M's 1st birthday at the splash park. Happy Birthday Cousin M!!!

K and C, soaked and happy

There was also time for a quick trip to the ocean for a picnic.

Merry Christmas!

We hit the Snoqualmie Pass Christmas party last weekend, a local tradition for many families at the pass but our first go. Wow, what a cool party for kids! Santa came to the party on a fire truck, so that's awesome. 

Then, he read "Twas the Night Before Christmas" to the kids. What a cool memory for those kids!

K rehearsed what he was going to say to Santa before-hand, but then got scared. I convinced him to sit on Santa's lap but he wasn't going to look at him. No way.

Somehow, they made friends and K was even willing to snuggle Santa. :)

On the eve of Christmas Eve, we headed to my brother Jon's place for family dinner. Thanks to them for hosting as it was relaxing and enjoyable. 

K enjoying a book from Grandma Jane and Auntie Carly

Today, Christmas, involved a good deal of overstimulation, thrill, and 'some' assembly required.

K's present from Santa

He probably could've been happy with just a candy cane. Easy customer.

but then he got cars from cousin Sam. Pretty cool.

 ...and um yeah, this from my brother and family. 44 steps and screws for this awesome toy!

When we had K, my brother took it upon himself to buy us the most annoying noisy toys ever. Many of these toys have 'broken'. Really though, the noisy toys didn't bother me that much and I think he knew it. This year, he took a step in a different, much worse direction. A semi-permanent, hideous, and large structure that my kid loves. Wow, thanks bro! It might break quickly.

We're finally getting some white stuff, more expected tomorrow. Keep dancing everyone!

K trying out his snow-plow on the driveway.