Max Update

Max is getting to be a big boy.......He now weighs 17 lbs 4 oz and is 25 1/4 inches long.  He can reach the floor in his bouncy seat and loves to jump.  He rolls over both directions.....but gets stuck a lot.  He holds on to toys and into his mouth they go.  What a champ!!

Elliott and the Pumpkin Patch

 


Elliott's extended visit to my house was the perfect time for a visit to the Hunter Farms Pumpkin Patch.

It was a beautiful day for a drive, picking the way through a hay maze, taking a hay ride out to the pumpkins and  walking through the patch to choose just the right pumpkin.  Elliot found the one he liked which he thought looked just like a snowman.

After choosing the pumpkin Elliott liked best (thank goodness it wasn't too huge as I had to carry it for awhile) we headed home.  He had his choice of how to fix the pumpking and decided he would like to paint it rather than carve it......and of course he chose a snowman motif!!

I painted one side with his guidance and he painted the other side by himself.  You probably can't tell them apart!

The Bath Blizzard!!!!

Elliott is visiting me for a few days.......and we are having "Special Just Grandma and Elliott Time!!"

I made the best garage sale purchase ever and this is the first chance I have had to try it out.  It is called the "Bath Blizzard".....fits over the faucet in the bathtub and makes AMAZING bubbles.  Elliott is now the cleanest little boy in Western Washington!!  He loves it......even after several baths!!

 

   

      FUN!!!!

       FUN!!!




                                                       and MORE fun!!!!

Max at 8 months!!

Max is 8 months old today!!  Wow!  We still have to remind ourselves that his corrected age is MUCH MUCH younger! He is doing really well.....weights over 16 1/2 pounds, is off of all oxygen, smiles and 'talks' a lot, rolls over (sometimes) and communicates VERY well when things are not going his way!! 

Birthday Girl Norah

Norah celebrated her 4th birthday on Saturday.  She had a great time sharing this important event with aunts and uncles and cousins and grandparents and friends....her parents and siblings were there too!!

Norah loves dress-up and princess things. Grandma (ME!) found some princess dresses and a castle.........

Here she is with her cakes and her response when asked "How old are you now?"

 

Cruise Buddies!!

My cruising buddies from Florida were in town last week prior to sailing away on a Grand Voyage that I was originally booked on.  I had to cancel this voyage but still spent a wonderful 4 days entertaining Mike and Pauline as well as getting together with other friends from my Grand South Pacific and Grand South America voyages.  It is amazing what good friends one is able to make on these long voyages.

Here are Mike and Pauline visiting our local Thelar Wetlands at the foot of Hood Canal in Belfair.

In Allyn we had fun visiting Kenney's School of Chain Saw Carving.  I really enjoyed showing them my area and watching them drink in the beauty of the Kitsap Peninsula.....a TOTALLY different kind of beauty than Florida.

Here we are at the Allyn Waterfront....just a hop and skip from my house.




 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
On Thursday we got together with friends from the South Pacific Voyage.  I picked up Rosemary from her Seattle hotel and we gathered in Magnolia at the home of Cindy and Ed.  We toured the Seattle locks, fisherman's terminal and then enjoyed a nice dinner at Ray's Boat House on Elliott Bay. Below: Ed, Pauline, Karen, Mike, Rosemary and Cindy at the locks.

  Saturday was scheduled for a reunion with some South America cruise friends.  Dave and Marlah invited us for the day of sailing the South Sound on their wonderful and huge 48 foot boat.  Mike, Pauline and I were also joined by Susan who lives in Bellevue.

I also managed to fit in visits with ALL of my children and grandchildren so that I could share my wonderful family with my wonderful friends Pauline and Mike.

The final celebration was on Sunday evening when we attended a party and dinner put on by my travel agency, Cruise Specialists.  This is a wonderful travel agency and they provided rooms at the Marriott as well as this party and gifts for the people about to embark on the Grand Asia Cruise.  Even though I have cancelled the cruise I was welcomed at the party where I met some more former cruise friends.

This is Barbara and Orlin from Tennessee.  They were my tablemates on My South Pacific Voyage. They were quite surprised to see me at the party because they knew I had cancelled the trip.  I will see them again in March because they will be sailing the Grand Med with me.

Finally......this is Shannon who is my Cruise Agent at Cruise Specialists.  She is excellent and always takes great care of any needs and questions I might have.  It was great to meet her at the party.

Alternate Plans..............

I REALLY wanted to have Elliott and Norah over to visit for a few days and play in the gorgeous sunshine we are having but that didn't work out.  SOOOOOOOOOOOO.....after a full day of clogging on Saturday I stayed in Tacoma for a couple of days and helped out there. 

Pictures of MAX of course!  Here he is with his loving Mommy and Daddy.......
looking cute and healthy at 15 1/2 pounds and 24 1/2 inches.  Whew...lots of growing has gone on here!!



















Max spends a LOT of time working on getting his fingers into his mouth....oh yummy.  Here he is in his little bouncy seat being pleased with himself!

I can sit up!!  (With lots of support of course!)

Fingers are better than sweet potatoes any day!!

We are having a streak of hot weather......SO.....I set Max's little tub up on the patio table and let him go for a swim.  He liked it!!