Crawling!

As of Saturday, June 18th, our big boy, Hud, is an official crawler - woohoo! I swear, watching kids hit milestones is always amazing; it doesn't matter if it's early, late,or if it's the second time you've seen it...there is something so amazing in watching them put together all the steps that it takes to do something that we don't even THINK about when we're older. And I know some people say, "Watch out, as soon as they crawl, it's all over!" But I LOVE when they're mobile - even if it means having to move them away from the DVD player 1,000 times in a day, it's still so fun!
Our favorite thing Hudson would do as he was learning to crawl was, what anyone who has taken yoga would call, "Downward Facing Dog":

How much better is it that he's only in a diaper - eee, I love those knees!

Then, he learned how to sit up on his own...

And, now...drumroll, please...our CRAWLER!

Happy Father's Day...

I'm trying so hard to be tasteful with the name of this post, because how much did I want to call it, "All I Want for Father's Day is a Bag of Dick's!" (giggle, giggle). Okay, I got it out...there are so many more, but I'll stop there in the interest of keeping this tasteful!

B's special treat was a trip to Queen Anne to eat at Dick's and shop for music at Easy Street. The drive usually sucks from Renton, but we did it anyway and had a good time. You'll notice that the boys were all too happy to sample our chocolate shakes. Hud's already getting a taste for the good stuff (Hank was lost long ago...as he is often heard saying, "My favorite thing is CHOCOLATE!").

Happy Father's Day, Daddy. We love you <smooch>

Yes, Yes...I think I like this...

Don't you dare try to take it away! I will fight with all my might!!!

Just going for a drive...

I am so opposed to this...but, come on...wouldn't you kinda want to buy this for them...I mean, even just a little? It's small and probably gets good mileage! Bret would kill me - haha.

Oh, IKEA...you provide such good male-bonding activities

"CAN WE BUILT IT?!"

"YES!"

"CAN WE FIX IT?!"

"YES!"

Now we all sing..."BOB, THE BUILDER!" 

Oh wait, you don't know that song? Maybe you don't have a boy obsessed with (among other things...firefighters, cough, cough) being handy like Bob the Builder, or Handy Manny. We found a bookcase at IKEA that will hold all Hank's books that keep heaping up by the bed, but, with IKEA, it's never that easy. You have to actually BUILD it first. Thank goodness for grandparents who are game to come and help because there were A LOT of shelves!

 Hank is doing his best to be "very useful"...Grandpa and Dad are doing their best being "very patient"

 Hud was just being entertained by grandma and being cute- and then popped up to check out the work...

 Check out the teeth (below):

I guess it would make sense to post the final product...it will come...upstairs I go!

Boys with Babies

I mean, it's just cute, right?!

B, Hud, Sam, and Hazel

Uncle Michael, Matt, Josiah, Hud (really happy!), B 

Uncle Michael, COUSIN LIAM!, Hud, B

Look at the party!

Cam with cousin Liam...come on ladies, you're melting, right?!

Taylor, B, Josiah, and finally...Hank!

French Macarons...not the lumps of coconut that you thought they were!

Awhile back, Auntie Dev (that's Megan to most) sent me a link to a blog she reads. It's all about a talented and beautiful young mother with two kids...you're thinking it's me right (ha!)...no, just wait...who is a party planner and letterpress printer with an artist husband and she's currently...LIVING IN PARIS FOR A YEAR. Yeah, not me (dang!). I obviously hate this girl, but I've gotten to work trying to live her life in even the slightest of ways. Yes, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.
Check out this link, the first I received...it's all about eating French macarons at a park in Paris:
http://ohhappyday.com/2011/04/laduree-the-unboxing/
Anyone else jealous?!
Uncle Asher and Auntie Dev got me a box of my own French macarons from La Panier, a French bakery at Pike Place Market, for my birthday and the boys and I got down to recreating our own idyllic macaron eating fest. If you can imagine, they had no problem helping me with the cause!

I mean...La Panier could work on their packaging to help my cause a little!

Hank's boots, pj shorts, and fireman shirt are decidedly NOT very "chic", but at least Hud is sporting stripes, and that's pretty French, right?!

 Hank actually let me have a taste of his prized chocolate macaron!

 Hud going in for a taste of the strawberry.

Dans la cour, manger des macarons...oh sorry, I meant, "In the yard, eating macarons." Sometimes I just slip into French without realizing it, excusez-moi (hehe).