Baby Laughter

Rohn is 10 months old today!  He is just one happy little dude.  He currently has a stomach bug but you wouldn't know it except for when he tosses his cookies.  It's immediately back to smiling and laughing.  My three guys (two of them my children, the other my husband) bring me so much joy, I'm surprised my heart has not burst yet.

Here he is laughing with the video himself above.

Our babies never crawl

We seem to have the laziest or most content (depending on how you want to look at it) babies you'll ever meet.  Keegan didn't crawl until 11 months and shortly there after was walking.  Rohn is almost 9 months and shows no inclination or desire to crawl.  He finds it sufficient enought to roll, twist and spin.  Since I have not experience with crawling babies the very thought of a baby crawling is very odd to me.  To the point that when I see a baby crawling on the ground I think, I can't believe they just let their child crawl around on the floor!  Ha!  Maybe soon he'll be crawling.

MicroShiner

Cobey has started a magazine. He put in a lot of work and has done an excellent job.  Check it out at:
http://issuu.com/workingdogmedia/docs/microshiner?mode=window&viewMode=doublePage

Wow 5 1/2 months already?!

Wow, time flies when you're having fun!  It's been a while since we've posted anything.  Sorry, if our updates are usually highlight of your week.  The littlest one is growing up so fast.  He LOVES his big brother.  I can already tell he's gonna be the type that just follows him around
everywhere.  He's getting so interactive and a massive thumb sucker.  It is looking like he's going to be a daddy's boy too (Keeg is a major mama's boy).  He always gets a HUGE smile when he sees daddy.  He's such a happy little guy!  Here is a video of him trying his first "solid food" mashed up bananas.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzcVv1mCH-0&feature=g-upl

Keegan is growing up fast too.  He still LOVES basketball, but he's adding football to the list too.  Probably fueled by mommy playing in a flag football league this fall.  He is constantly cracking me up with the things he says and does.  He also LOVES his little brother and is constantly trying to make him laugh.  Those two are just so wonderful!

 Laying in the leaves!

 

 Halloween: Basketball player (surprise!) and a Jedi!

 

 Rohn napping during a visit in September to Grandma and Grandpa McCoys

 

Rohn looking for his thumb!

A 2 month old and a 40 year old

On Sunday, it was Cobey's 40th birthday and Rohn turned 2 months old. We had a great time Saturday celebrating with family and friends at the 10th Annual Purcell Mountain Jamboree. All of his 5 brothers and their families (which includes 7 of the next generation) were in attendance. Even my parents were there. It took all night but they finally got my mom to perform up on stage (of course that was after Keeg and I had gone to sleep). Everyone had a good time, including the man now climbing down the other side of the hill ;)

The Williamson men playing some tunes!

All the younguns.  Arianna had already left for Silverwood.

 

Dads and kids

Moms and kids

Once again, Blue leads a rough life.

"Professional style" Photos

I decided to try and take some professional style photos this past weekend.  So in 5 minutes, since both the boys were in a good humor and cooperative, I threw together the "set" and got them in the nicest clothes I could find (i.e. clean and somewhat coordinated).  Here's a sample.

(tried to get a picture of big brother giving baby brother a kiss but most time big bro blocked baby's face.  This is an after shot)

Classic sleeping baby photos.

He decided to go play basketball right after...but he had to have his basketball jersey on!

In full admiration of the great basketball hoop!

Just rollin' with the kitty

Either we've got a big cat or a little baby....though Rohn has grown quite a bit lately.

Just making faces for the camera!

Keegan went to naptime without his boogie legs on and I found him with them on a little while later!

A one month old and a 28 year old

Rohn is now 1 month old!  I can't believe it's already been a month.  He has grown a lot.  He is starting to stay awake longer and enjoy his time awake better (i.e. he doesn't scream the entire time). 

Keegan absolutely loves being a big brother. Everytime Rohn cries, Keegan comes over and gives him a kiss and, more often than not, Rohn stops crying and looks at Keegan.  When Rohn and I go pick Keegan up from daycare, the first thing (as usual) he says is "MOMMY'S HERE!"  followed very quickly by "Go see baby brother!" and he runs over to him.

I have a week and a half left on my maternity leave and I'm getting quite nervous to returning to normal life.  Everything's been quite managable while I've been home taking care of Rohn, resting and doing chores when I can and Cobey not having to work overtime.  But soon it will get truly crazy around here.  We'll both be back to work, sleep deprived and fire season is arriving fast.  OI!

In other news, it was my birthday on Wednesday and it was easily one of the best birthday's ever.  First, Cobey and Keegan stayed home for the day.  Cobey let me sleep in and made me breakfast.  When I got up, very refreshed and rested, Keegan (with no coaching by Cobey, except for telling him it was mommy's birthday) came over and stacked 7 column blocks next to me.  Sang "Happy birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you" and blew out the "candles" (the columns).  Cobey said get ready to go for my surprise.  I put on a new dress that I got from Cobey while I was pregnant (but couldn't wear it then).  I didn't know what the surprise was until I walked into the building (and even then it took me a few seconds to figure it out)....he got me an hour massage!!!  I do have to say I think I did a pretty good job of just going along with it.  Just ask Cobey, I'm horrible with surprises; I'm always trying to figure it out and that usual ends up ruining it.  It was my first one and it was great and VERY much needed.  He took the two boys down the park and I got to relax and enjoy!  Then, that evening, he sent me out the door to hang out with some of my girl friends, Lisa and Alex, for dinner and dessert!  Then we returned to Lisa's house, where Cobey and Lisa's husband, Jake, were hanging out with the five boys (our two and their three)!!!  We finished the great day with a couple episodes of Battlestar Galactica!!!  Thanks Cobey and friends for a great birthday!

He likes sleeping with an arm or two by his head.

My birthday candles!

Awake and actually not crying or eating!!

Pencil thin cream cheese mustache!

3 weeks

Yesterday was Rohn's estimated due date, June 11th.  And today Rohn turns 3 weeks old.  He's finally (unfortunately) starting to act like a newborn and instead of sleeping 4-5 hours in the night he's only sleeping 2-3 before he decides he wants to eat.  He is also spending more of his time awake and aware, which still only amounts to probably 4-5 hours of the 'day', he likes to sleep.

Here are some pictures of him and Keegan over the weeks.

Love this onsie from Grandma McCoy!

Sleeping so peacefully!

Not being so peaceful.  Sporting his new wool diaper cover from Aunt Sharie!

Giving me a skeptical look.  We get them a lot from him.

"Cheese!"  Keegan loves to pose for the camera!

Sleeping

More sleeping

And while he sleeps I practice a little guitar.

Look at all of us matching (Keegan, Rohn, Mom,...the 'new' 4 wheeler for training our dogteam)

Welcome Rohn!!!

Rohn Nikola Williamson

May 22, 2012

10:09 am

6 lbs 5 oz

19 inches

On Tuesday we had our second son.  Rohn (pronounced Roan) was 3 weeks early, but that's considered full-term, and is healthy as an ox!  Likes include eating and sleeping.  Dislikes: being set down and diaper changes.

Keegan was a little shy/unsure about baby brother at first.  Now he mostly just ignores him and carries on his day like it never happened.  Though he is very concerned when baby brother does not have the stuffed doggie with him that Keegan gave him as a gift.

My Little Bruiser

I was recently going through some pictures of Keegan and came across this "old" favorite with Aunt Alece. I love this one because he's got this look like, "Don't you mess with Aunt Lecey and I" But I hadn't noticed, until this time, that he's making the fist-into-other-hand-(I'll mess you up)gesture. Oh so funny!

Play Basketball Mommy

Keegan has been absolutely obsessed with basketball the last month. Which is going to work out perfectly for us with March Madness just days away. For his 2nd birthday we got him a basketball hoop and ball. That was exciting but what really solidified the deal for him was the high school basketball game he went to with daddy and the Pintok's. Ever since then basketball sleeps with him, eats with him and, of course, plays basketball with him. The first word in the morning is basketball and the first thing we do in the morning (after getting dressed) and after school is play basketball. He wants to wear the basketball outfit Grandma McCoy got him for days in a row but best of all basketball is his comfort. When ever he's upset he cries "basketbaaaalll." I have no problem with a good basketball obsession. It's a great sport, hope he sticks with it. I hope to enjoy watching him play basketball with a team when is old enough.

Making Treats

Tuesday evening, it was Keegan and I to fend for ourselves as Cobey had some extra, afterhours work he had to do.  After a somewhat dicey start, with one stubborn little boy who refuses to take his own shoes off, though fully capable, things simmered down.  We each had a bowl of cereal as a snack (yum!).  Then I got out the cookbook and told Keegan, ‘Let’s find a treat to make.’  Thankfully he “choose” carrot cake right off the bat (i.e. randomly pointed to a picture of ‘cake!’).  Carrot cake is a much easier and kid friendly project than some of the others in the book.  We got to work getting our ingredients out and putting them in the bowl.  He’s my “super stirrer” and, as far as he’s concerned, he did all the stirring.  Though, his main duty quickly morphed into “entertainment,” as he made some wonderful music with the metal measuring cups while singing along.  He had so much fun making cake with mom that we proceeded to make our Enchilada dinner which, without thinking I set the red Enchilada sauce down right in front of him and he stuck his hand right in it.  Attempts to keep him from touching anything until I could clean it up ensued.  Fortunately, there weren’t any major clothing fatalities on the night.  After dinner we sat down and enjoyed our treat!  And let me tell you, he REALLY enjoyed it!  What a great evening of cooking and baking with my fun loving little boy!

Thneeds

My belly is getting bigger and the little one is getting more and more active. I swear, he never rests, just constantly kicks my belly, bladder and kidneys. Keegan never rests either. Okay, that’s not completely true. He cherishes his sleep like a good boy should and also loves to cuddle with mommy! Last night we were reading bedtime stories and I started to notice he was finishing the rhyming phrases. So I started to stop and let him finish them for me. I was very impressed!! The Lorax is read to him so much that, I believe, a lot of those were recited from memory, but some he obviously didn’t know or forgot. When I paused for him at the end of the phrase he would say a word that rhymed, fitting the rhyme pattern of the phrase! I think I was having WAY more fun than him with story time as I squealed with delight every time he would rhyme! It was one of the neatest moments to listen to him doing that.
I also got a good chuckle out of one passage from the Lorax. It was the only one he didn’t rhyme along with as, I believe, his counting skills/logic won out. The phrase was “He thought that the Thneed I had knitted was great, and he happily bought it for three ninety-eight.” But it was actually recited as: “He thought that the Thneed I had knitted was great, and he happily bought it for three ninety-TEN!” He was very excited that he knew ten came after nine(ty) and he shouted it. I love my little cutie! He brings so much joy to my life!

2 already!?!?

Recently, I stubbed my toe real hard and gave out the most painstaking “ouch, ouch, OUCH!” Keegan came running and I said “ouch my foot hurts!” He replied with “Sawrry Mommy! Kiss Foot!” Since, like most moms, I kiss his bumps and bruises to make them better, it was only natural he wanted to help me with kisses. So he kissed my foot and I said “All better! Thank you!”

Since then I’ve been a magnet for bumping into furniture and objects that I swear jumped out in front of me! Every time now Keegan says “Sawrry Mommy! Kiss Foot!” and he won’t “let” me be better until he kisses my foot, even though that hasn’t been what I’ve been injuring. It’s so sweet!

Last week Cobey and I took a visit to the doc for the 20 week ultrasound. Of course we had to find out the sex of the baby since I am an extremely inpatient person! And to my extreme excitement (and surprise to the doctor when I screamed for joy), we’re having another BOY!!!! Half way til complete insanity in our house!

Also last week was Keegan’s 2nd birthday. We had some friends of ours and his over on his birthday for snacks and cake. Keegan really enjoyed himself and so did we! I can’t believe how fast he’s growing up! We continue to be blessed by wonderful events and people in our lives!

Pictures

Keegan LOVES spaghetti. I think he just loves making a mess really.

On the trip home from visiting Grandparents. Keegan naps with his trusty dog Kona by his side.

Keegan really loves bagels with cream cheese too.

Our team of dogs running the last day of 2011.

Happy New Year

Hello everyone! Sorry I haven't been keeping up on this. As the sledding season has begun I've spent my time blogging on our site www.bydog.org about time out with the team. Things are going well for our family. I hope your holidays treated you well. We had a good time with Cobey's family over Thanksgiving and got to meet the, then, most recent Williamson, Brevin. Since then another brother has had a baby girl. The next Williamson is due to arrive in June as Cobey and I are pregnant and Keegan will soon have a much needed sibling.

Over Christmas we visited my family in the Tri-cities. Always fun to go home. We got to see Makena much older than the last time I saw her. She was quite a lot of fun and it was entertaining to see her and Keegan interacting.

Keegan is continuing to grow and impress me with all the skills and words he's learning. Just yesterday we were playing with blocks when a song started playing that he liked. He said "good one! All done blocks!". Then frantically put the blocks away so he could dance to the song. It was quite humerous and surprising. Guess I never realized how often we say "good one" when a good song comes on. Having a kid makes you realize a lot of things but one being your quirks and phrases you say a lot. I mean I never knew my dance moves were that silly ;)

I posted from my phone. Was hoping to add some pictures from my phone but can't see how to do so. Hopefully I'll get some pictures up soon. Have a great new year!

Swimming in a Sea of Plastic (literally)

Last week, Cobey and I, separately stumbled upon some especially disturbing images and information reminding us (yet again) of one of the horrible atrocities humans are perpetrating upon this planet….plastic. I came across a series of pictures on the NPR website that Chris Jordan had taken on Midway Atoll in the Pacific Ocean near the Pacific Garbage Patch. They documented Albatross chicks that had died and were decomposing exposing the undigestible contents of their stomachs, large handfuls of plastic bottle caps and other plastic parts. The overwhelmingly saddest part for me (being a parent) is that the parents of these chicks had been feeding these plastic pieces to the chicks mistaking them for edible sea catch. Cobey came across similar pictures and more information while watching a TED talk by Captain Moore.
This began a discussion over stopping the use of plastic at our home. As the discussion continued we realized this was a HUGE undertaking. Cobey claims impossible, I claim INCREDIBLY difficult but possible. To qualify Cobey’s statement, he means impossible to the average family. Which is true, only the most extreme people would an undertaking to reduce their plastic purchase and “consumption” to zero. It’s a sad reality. The assertion that in a capitalist society the people decide what they want and do not want does not apply here. Maybe it is true in a capitalist society but, at least in the not truly capitalist America we live in, it is not. EVERYTHING we consume is wrapped/packaged in plastic and it is no small feat to eliminate plastic from our purchases. The amount of time, energy and money it would take, makes it impossible for the average family to enact. I’m positive there are good majorities of people that would prefer not to purchase so much plastic but not willing to go to the extremes it requires seeing it through.
Even so, I proposed to Cobey last night that we at least do so for a month. He seemed skeptical to the idea but I am serious and will continue to push the idea.
Here is a short list of things that come to mind that we may have to do without or find a direct source (like a farm) if this proposal passes the family debate:
milk (BIG issue with a little milk chugging toddler in the house)
cereal
cheese
toilet bowl cleaner
toilet paper (while toilet paper is paper….the large packages sealed by plastic make it off limits)
yogurt (oh my beloved yogurt!)
….honestly the list continues into the night, but you get the idea, almost anything packaged will have plastic…
We would be allowed to buy things in glass, paper or metal but nothing with plastic. If taken to the extreme, it will still include many glass items (such as peanut butter) because of the plastic seal over the lid. Obviously, we wouldn’t go without toilet paper, we may have to boost some from restrooms or find a source of toilet paper not wrapped in plastic. Seeing how this goes, maybe we could make a “national day' of it, much like “Bank Transfer Day.” But until then, you can be sure we're going to do our best to reduce our plastic consumption/purchase. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. And they're listed in that order for a reason!

Back home!

It’s been a busy last month! During labor day weekend, we had some visitors to our humble abode! The Larimers!!! It, sadly, had been a year since we’d seen them last. It was great to see them again! They have a little boy who is a little over 13 months old. He was crawling all over and pulling himself up on things. It was interesting to see Keegan interact with him. He is the first child about Keegan’s age to visit in our house and while Keegan shares well at daycare this is a whole different situation for him. He had a bit of trouble with it. It was good for him. They were old buddies by the end of the visit. On the way back from a short hike, I thought Keegan was talking very boisterously to me to find when I looked back that he was talking to Ethan and Ethan thought whatever he was saying was hilarious. Victoria was pretty sure Keegan was telling him dirty jokes in toddler talk; I wouldn’t doubt it.

We went to the Ravalli County fair on Saturday the 3rd of September. We checked out the exhibits. The photo I entered of Keegan got a red ribbon. Then we went to the rides. Keegan only rode (with help) the carousel. Ethan rode a car ride and the super slide (with help) as well. Keegan showed some interest on wanting to ride the car ride….until it jerked to a start. Then I’m sure in his head he said “oh no way” and walked away. The best part of the night, as always, were the 4-H animals. Keegan really enjoyed the sheep and wasn’t so keen on pigs. I’m not surprised with how neat and clean a guy he is. The Reserve Grand Champion pig was so fat its legs stuck straight out and didn’t touch while it lay on its side. Kind of looked like bloated roadkill. Dan made the comment that that pig was already well on its way to being bacon.

The next weekend was the wedding of my old college roommate (high school classmate and HS and college track teammate), Allie. Since the fires were really cooking around that time in the Bitterroot valley Cobey was unable to join Keegan and I for the trip. This was Keegan’s first airplane ride. He did REALLY well. Many people commented on what a good boy he was and one older man told me I was a great mother! That was very sweet! At one point during the flight, Keegan got the chance to look out the window and much to my surprise he started to freak out and say “down, down, down” with eyes and wide as grapefruits. I didn’t think this was cognitively possible for a 19 month old but I am absolutely certain he meant he wanted the plane to go back down to the ground. I calmed him down by pointing out all of the exciting things on the ground like cars, tress, houses, etc. The travel was the easiest part of the trip. We had so much fun flying and hanging out in airports. The 3 hour layover, on the way home, in the Seattle airport was the most fun I’ve had during a layover in a while.

Allie’s wedding was beautiful and different all in one. The ceremony was beautiful and their ring exchange was very unique, something you’d only get from a physicist or chemist! The sun was attempting to melt us and had the ceremony been any longer it may have, but we survived. I was very thankful, too, that Keegan slept through the entire ceremony. After arriving in Portland, he decided to enter the terrible twos phase and reduced me to whimpers and tears the night before at the rehearsal dinner. The reception was the “different” part. I’d only been to weddings receptions with lots of dancing. There was no dancing and, in fact, no music simply lots of food, drinks, and games! Unique and definitely lots of fun, especially for the kids! I spent most the night chasing Keegan around instead of getting to catch up with my other two college roommates, Carley and Becky, as well as the Larimer’s and another college track teammate, Amy.

This last weekend Keegan and I visited the Tricities as a surprise to my mom for her 50th birthday. We arrived just in time to sit down at a table at Red Lobster with Alece and her family and surprise her as she walks in. Actually, we originally were in the parking lot when my dad pulled in too but thankfully mom didn’t see us. We rushed inside before them. Hayley showed up later that evening after dinner. My mom thought that was it. Her birthday surprise was her 3 daughters home. Little did she know, there was more coming. We told her that Brandon was prepping for a surprise birthday party for Alece and that she needed to stale Alece for us. All the while, Alece was really staling her. It was great fun and when the surprise was actually sprung upon her it took her a while for it to sink it. She had a great birthday weekend. As did the rest of us. Keegan (and I!) got to see his greatgrandmas and a bunch of 2nd cousins. It’s been a busy last few weekends. They’ve been enjoyable but this weekend at home has and will be glorious!

Willow Creek Hike

Saturday we went for a hike up Willow Creek Trail. It was the first hike we’ve gone on in a while. When we got to the trailhead there were more cars than I expected there. A man had just returned from biking up the trail and another from riding his horse. The horseman told us he got about 1 mile up the trail before his saw got too dull and he turned back. The cyclist told us to keep an eye out for his family as they had turned back before him but were not at the vehicle. We quickly proceeded up the trail as the flies in the parking lot were unbearable. Keegan slowly trudged up the trail for about 50 feet before he decided he’d had enough. So we put him in the carrier and continued up the trail. Before long we came upon some huckleberry bushes. Most had nothing or tiny green berries developing but a few had some huckleberries. We gave one to Keegan thinking, since he’s not a big fruit fan, he’d turn away or just not like it. He readily ate it and asked for more. We couldn’t pick them as fast as he wanted them. He loved them! Soon, we were fresh out of huckleberries and continued up the trail.
Soon we were climbing a pretty steep trail and soon after that we’d hit the point where the horseman’s saw decided it’d had enough. Looking at the many downed trees we were going to have to climb over (with a child carrier on mind you) we also decided to turn back. On the way back we saw a sign the cyclists family had left for him and then we passed the cyclist headed up the trail to find his family. Hopefully he did.
It was great to get out and hike. Keegan had a smile on his face the entire time and by the end was singing quite the bumpy tune in Cobey’s ear. The bugs were horrible, the majority of the berries were far from ready, and the trail was steep. But in exchange we got to see a beautiful still full flowing creek, a few berries to eat, and good exercise, and not to mention, enjoy the smell and beauty of the woods.

Keeg loves the carrier, mom and dad not as much.

checking out the creek we were crossing.

headed back down. Was pretty steep.

Hmmmmm....those look like fruit and you know how much I don't like fruit.....but I'll try it.

oh.....

Wow those are GOOD!