Kerri visits!

Over Memorial Day weekend my college roomie, Kerri, came to visit. Good times had by all!!

Seoul & Kerri are good friends!


Kerri brought a little cougar pride for Seoul from Amy and her. Go COUGS!!

Kerri had the brilliant idea to visit the state capitol building. Yes, it resembles a temple... nope, it's not that cool. Oregon is the 33rd state - 33 stars on the ceiling to represent.

Kerri being one with the fountain :)

They had funky trees all over the grounds that reminded us of Dr Seuss illustrations.

We took a day and went to Tillamook... to visit the Tillamook Cheese Factory of course! Yummy times.... we had ice cream before lunch. Did I know Kerri and Kelley shared a love of swiss cheese? I tried it again to make sure I still didn't like it - ew.

The day included a side adventure to a lighthouse - beautiful day.

We ate at the Cheesecake Factory one day - heavenly! It truly is one of my most favorite desserts ever! Then at the Rose Festival in Portland we treated ourselves again to an elephant ear... Kerri's first. Deep fried cinnamon-sugar goodness! So this one wasn't the most cinnamon-sugary but it was still delightful to my taste buds.

Seoul was a good little baby with all the car rides and sightseeing we did. Happy girl! Once she had her shades on she was ready to hit the town.

We are very glad Kerri came to visit and got to meet Seoul!!

Oh WOW - sitting up!!

One day Seoul decided to balance on her own... she sat up for about 30 seconds to a minute. (long enough for me to take a picture). Her expression says to me "who said this was difficult?"

Then it was a matter of learning to balance while reaching for toys... mastered quickly.

Showing off her skills for the camera :)

Practice makes perfect...

I'm a big girl now! Blowing bubbles and sitting up... multi-tasking already! This is how she likes to play these days.

This series of photos is from the last month or so. The first photo was around the middle of May. Back in the day she enjoyed sitting on the play mat and hanging on to the side of the arch. Now she sits and pulls on the flower & butterfly and flips the one side over her lap. At her 4-month well-baby appointment last week the doctor was very impressed that she could sit up so well already. Nope, no inclination to roll yet :) One day it will happen... maybe...?

FOOD FOOD FOOD

This last week was a tough one for Seoul (and me). She started acting super hungry right at the 3 hour mark and waking up to eat at night, sometimes multiple times. Since she has been showing interest when we eat for the last couple weeks I thought it was time to try a little rice cereal. Woohoo!

First attempt: eat, funny face, out of her mouth it comes.

A few days later...

Second attempt: mouth open, eat, her hand helps me guide it, and sucks it all off the spoon. Success!

A few days later...

Third attempt: mouth open, eat, dribbles out her mouth. Less interest but ate some. No pictures - boring!

Next day...

Fourth attempt: mouth open, her hand helps me guide it, eats it all off the spoon, body shakes in excitement to get the next bite... cleans the bowl! I think she would have licked it if she could :)

I think she was ready for it. She likes it pasty - the consistency of instant oatmeal. We went straight for the spoon feeding instead of the bottle and I think she is good with it. The nights she ate a good portion of the cereal she slept through the night without eating again. Coincidence? Hm.

Cousin Amanda made the cutest bowl for Seoul. It's her favorite dish :)

Seeing the World...

Seoul has graduated to sitting in the stroller the big girl way. She loves going for walks and being able to look around.

In no time at all she will be big like her cousin Ella playing T-ball.

Happy 4 Month Birthday!!

Happy Baby Seoul

Does anyone besides me ever wish they could have a contstantly running video camera on their forehead when with their babies? There are so many precious moments with Seoul that I can never re-create or catch on camera! Maybe in heaven I will be able to rewind and show Kelley all the moments he missed while he was busy working, making it possible for me to be home with Seoul. (Thanks Kelley!!). Maybe in the long run it won't matter since they will all run together. Thank goodness for my journal to record what I can each day. I want to start scrapbooking Seoul's memories... I'm already 3+ months behind! Ok, enough talk... on to the pictures of cute moments that I did catch (with my extremely amateur shots).




Seoul really does love Jasper. I forgot him at my mom's house the other day. She was CRANKY the two days that he was not with her. Kelley picked him up on his way home from work and she's been a happy baby again. Coincidence?














There is just something fun about black and white photos. Her look says "Really? Another photo in my car seat? Doesn't that get old?" Just yesterday I moved the straps up on the car seat - she is growing like a weed!












Seoul loves to grab and hold things now. She looks so pleased with herself when she can pick up her toy. When Kelley was bottle feeding her the other night she held the bottle on her own. Then posed :)











Can she be any happier? This is our typical day and I love it!












Classic. Relaxing or actually sleeping? (She was sleeping and her arms were like that the whole nap)














I love this little fleece sweatshirt she wore. It made her seem older (right word?) not being in a onesie. She loved to pull up on the bottom of the sweatshirt.












Playing with all her little toys. Jasper, of course. I introduced the "Rock-A-Stack" (you know, colored rings that stack on the tower-thing). I didn't give her the tower part in case she fell on it but she really loves the bright colored rings. They're too fat to put in her mouth but she tries! Finally, she likes to play with the phone. Ours lights up orange and she gets excited when she pushes a button and it lights up.















Bubbles, bubbles everywhere! This is the norm these days... true love = slobbery kisses. Fingers/fist in mouth and bubbles/drool all over the place. She likes to blow through her lips and make more bubbles and noise.











Daddy love. Need I say more? :)

She is "hugging" more these days. She will wrap her arms around us and hang on. We love it!

Oh the life of a baby... Seoul is just smiley and happy and fun. She is coming to life more and more each day. Although she is lounging in this picture, she is learning to sit up and if she falls forward she can sometimes pull her little body back to the sitting position.

I'm a MOMMY!!

Happy Mother's Day!!!

I love that all mothers think their baby is the best in the world. [Being one of those moms, I have to say that Seoul is the best and cutest, of course :)]

I love all the milestones that babies achieve. Especially the excitement they have themselves at each new thing they do.

I love that babies recognize and love their mommies and daddies the most in the world. It is their voice and their presence and their touch that can soothe them.

I love all the smiles and laughter. I even love the trembly turned down lower lip on frowny faces and the tears.

I love the patience and selflessness mommies learn as they grow with their babies.

I love that I get to be the one to stay at home to teach and love Seoul. I love that Kelley supports us and appreciates what I do and is the best husband & daddy!

I love it all... the things that have happened and the things that are to come!

I love our beautiful daughter!

My first Mother's Day was fabulous thanks to Kelley and Seoul. It was actually more of a Mother's Day weekend. Thursday, Kelley got me beautiful flowers. Friday, we went on a family date to the Olive Garden. Saturday, we had family time doing yardwork. Sunday, Kelley made meals and did all the dishes - lunch was belgian waffles with fresh strawberries and whipped cream; dinner was breaded pork chops, rice-a-roni, and corn on the cob; dessert was a yummy ColdStone ice cream cake (raspeberry cheesecake) - all my requests. I got super fun cards from each of them along with the gift I've been wanting - a new hand mixer! It was a lovely day spent with our little family. I love you both - thanks for the best Mother's Day!

Of course I must leave a note to say Happy Mother's Day to my mom and mother-in-law. I love them very much and I appreciate all the things I have learned, and will continue to learn, from them. You're the greatest!

the days go by...

... and our little Seoul gives us so much joy! She is growing and learning and teaching us every day. She had her 3 month birthday already!

Life is busy busy! Kelley works hard and still enjoys his job. I started working part-time from home. The days fly by and we never quite get to everything. We've started looking for a house closer to Portland so Kelley can spend more time with Seoul instead of in the car so that is fun & exciting.