Santa!

met a friend for coffee.  boone was in tow.  saw a santa house near coffee shop.  called walker and asked if it was a big deal if we did this "sitting on santa's lap" thing without him... was told - go for it.
the result is the cutest darn santa pics ever.  he even got a rare smile!

thanksgiving

in Montana.  good times.  boone got to see his other cousins for the first time.  he liked them.  great time seeing fam.  we ended up driving over because flying to Montana costs a lot.  like a lot.  i had a flight booked on the way home, but boone killed it on the way over, so i canceled and we drove home too.  he did well, but it was a long drive home...i forgot the nice camera. all of these are with the phone. boo.  and boo to no group shots! thanks to walkers sis for hosting!

lincoln

emme

cousins and ben kingsley the dog.

downtown whitefish

such a pretty setting

saw tommy's stone for the first time. beautiful.

boone took the wheel.

san diego

my mom turned 60.  we surprised her in san diego back in november. all about the birthday surprises this year. auntie em lives in san diego now.  not a bad place i tell you.

 

boone and mom convo...

mom.  be honest.  can you see my double chin??

uhhhhhh

gimme that, i want to take a selfie

stop, i'm shy

and then! i fought the wolf with my bare hands!

squirrel!

don't tell dad, you are my favorite...

6 months

boonie, booner, the boone dog, boonerator, booneroo festival...  you are the best.  my favorite kid so far.  people told me about this overwhelming love that would come with being a parent.  it's true. so so true. life is better with you.

sweet is a good word to describe you. i am biased, but i think you are handsomest guy around.

unimpressed is another good word to describe you. you don't give your smiles out for free.  people have to earn that sh*t. whenever we bring you to a new crowd it takes you a while to warm up.  no tears.  you just look around, take it in, and then when you feel comfortable, you start to give a little.  your dad and i can make you smile and giggle almost immediately though.  your smile starts in your eyes (tyra banks would be proud).  my favorite is when you give the half smile, or i like to call it, the flirt.  at your 6 month check up, we got you naked per the usual and you half smiled at the nurse.  it was almost if you were saying, you like what you see?

you plank like a boss. your dad and i always tell you to relax because your legs and toes are always pointed. 

you have been sitting up unassisted for a while now.  rolling over is happening - although sometimes it's an effort.  i think it is because you are huge.  not like fat.  you are just a big boy.  solid. dense.

you love the oven light.  watching the clothes go around in the dryer.  the vacuum.  all lights.  i put up a small Christmas tree in your room and you stop eating to look at it.  big deal.

you have your moments, but overall are a good sleeper.  just wake up once to eat and then your are out.  your dad will find every excuse in the book to bring you in bed with us.  sometimes i think he goes in and nudges you to wake up.

no teeth yet. 

you are a happy baby.  i heart you. 

stats @ 6 months

 

Weight: 19 lbs 11 oz 85%

Length: 27.5 in 85%

Head: 45.5 cm 96%
 

plank

 

plank

oven light stare down

first pumpkin patch and first halloween

firsts are exciting.  more for the parents.  boone has no idea what is going on.  he just stares at us.  i have been hearing/reading/looking at pictures of my friends doing things like pumpkin patches for years...  thanks to a friends kid bday party, we experienced it first hand.  and if it wasn't for the party, the templeton's would have turned around as soon as we saw the parking lot.  what a sh*t show the pumpkin patch was.  we had a great time celebrating gigi's bday!  a rented private area is the way to go!

 

 

 

 

i love his face.

too cute.

 

boone was his dad for Halloween.  we gave him plans for the actual night

 

bend is the best

my bro got a civil engineering job.  in bend.  sad for us, stoked for him.  he is a mountain biker and snow boarder - bend is perfect for him.  i am excited to have a reason to get over there more. 

this job thing happened fast.  two weeks before his 30th.  instead of having a big party in pdx.  we deciding to surprise him in bend, with the entire fam sans david .  dan was very surprised.  the weather was perfect.  despite my dad breaking his arm (yes - he broke his arm taking the dog on a walk 5 min after we arrived) it was the BEST weekend.  we laughed a lot.   most of the time at jax because he was crying, or at my mom because she is cray, or my dad - because he really tripped on nothing.

the prep

look dan - they are in matching bumbas

my poor dad. before we realized his arm was actually broken

i think walker took like 6 naps.  first time he relaxed in a LONG time.

toots.

the er didn't cast his arm, just put in a sling and gave him some meds.  he was a trooper.

teaching dan how to sit like a baby

stars and stripes

70 and sunny in October.

this is my favorite pix of jax.  SO CUTE.  em looks a little creepy.