Getting so Big...

Josh continues to be our Mr. Brown Eyes. He is often mistaken for a girl even though nearly every outfit he owns has balls on it. I am sure it is because his eyes are so pretty and his lashes are enough to make any girl jealous.

Eating rice cereal. He just has to hold the spoon by himself, it becomes kind of messy.

In the stroller at the Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. He looks pretty tiny in the big stroller, but also big sitting in it without his car seat. Everybody always tries to explain away his serious scowl look--"it must be my glasses", "I have a funny hat", "I'm wearing bright colors". Really he just stares everybody down even Mom and Dad. Some people start to get uncomfortable after a few minutes and try to escape his gaze.

Joshua just sitting up, which he does all the time now. He also dives nose first for stuff out of reach. He is scooting himself around but with his bum in the air and his face planted into the ground, not the most effective way to move. I'm sure he'll figure this crawling thing out soon, maybe when we get to Utah and he can watch his cousin Carlee.

Sometimes after I take these pictures I recognize how much Josh looks like Cameron--especially when the pictures are black and white and you can't see the different colorings.

MUIR WOODS and the REDWOODS

To get to Muir Woods you drive down into this canyon on some very windy roads. You can't see any big Redwood trees. I was getting disapointed, and Ben was laughing at me. Then we saw a sign that said Redwood groves. I was pretty excited. Here is Ben and Josh getting ready for the "hike". Turns out we could have brought the stroller because it is all boardwalk. Josh loves ties and drawstrings-so he especially loves his new hat.

These Redwoods are huge and so amazing to see in person. I can't believe they are still not as big as some I've seen in pictures. These trees are unique in that they reproduce not only from seeds, but also from degenerating trees. They form a family circle around an old deceased tree.

A favorite quote we heard a teenager say to her dad, "I am not impressed with these trees."

But we sure were!

THE GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE and SAUSALITO

I look forward to Saturdays all week. There is so much to see and do, and every Saturday I feel like we are on vacation. Last Saturday we went to Sausalito, and took a long way across the Golden Gate Bridge. It was worth it because the views were amazing, and once again the weather couldn't get any nicer.

I think this may be the only picture of Joshua looking at the camera. We were standing on this pier with people fishing and riding bikes. Josh was very interested in all the people.

Mom and Josh with a view of San Francisco in the background.

Sausalito is this pretty little town across the bay from San Francisco. It is right on the water and cute little shops line the streets.

It reminds me a little bit of Italy and the coastal cities.

Friday random post day...

Josh in his australian hat looking so old and so cute!

Josh has decided he needs to drink from a sippy cup. I don't think he actually gets anything, but he loves holding it himself and chewing on it.

I was trying to get a picture of him sucking on his bottom lip, and he really didn't want to pose. So here he is crying and sucking on his bottom lip.

and here's a happy one.



I chopped my hair off when I was in Utah, and am loving the easier upkeep of short hair.

The Golden Hills

Josh and I drove up Mt. Diablo this morning. We were going to hike around, but Josh fell asleep so I just took some pictures. This is an idea of what the landscape looks like. It is really pretty yet different than what I had expected. I guess if you drive all the way to the summit you can see views of the Golden Gate bridge. I was making myself carsick so we didn't go all the way.

just love being a mom...

As I said before, Josh has been fussy trying to cut his teeth. It has been next to impossible to get him to sleep sometimes. He screams (the piercing break your heart kind of scream) when you lay him down, screams when you rock him, screams in his carseat, screams when you walk outside--last night we tried everything and finally he cried himself to sleep, all red faced and wet cheeks. Thank goodness he doesn't do this always, but there have been a few bouts of it the last couple of days. Then tonight it started again, and I thought "oh no, not again". He wouldn't nurse, didn't want me to hold him, and didn't want to lay down. So I plopped down on my bed with him burritoed up. An amazing thing happened-he calmed. So we stayed on the bed for a few minutes forehead to forehead humming primary songs, his eyes started to close and within minutes he was asleep. These sweet moments of being a mom. I just stayed there snuggled with my sweet little guy. What more could you want in all the world.

Slow down Joshie Josh!!

It seems like all of a sudden Josh is so old. Here he is standing on the couch. He cut his first tooth a few days ago and now the second bottom one is coming up also. I am learning that Josh teething equals sporadic inconsolable screaming. All we can do is wait it out. Right now he is sitting on my lap sucking/biting on my arm. Plus we are both soaked with drool all the time.
I put him in the sink to wash off from the pool, and he was trying to put his mouth on the faucet. Then got so mad when I wouldn't let him.
Sitting up by himself! I feel like there was no warning for this. He wasn't doing it one day and now he is for long periods of time. He even catches himself when he falls.

Swimming at the pool in his cute outfit Grandma bought for him. He was definitely the cutest guy at the pool.