The Zoo Wedding Fun Fest

Last weekend was filled with party animals, lovey dovey animals, and animals of all other shapes.

My cousin Amy got hitched in San Juan Capistrano to her love Pat. It was a great time filled with tons of my family, some that I haven't seen for over a year...
Including this little cutie, Forrest's closest cousin, Joshua....

This was there first meeting. I think they were so stoked to see other little faces in the crowd of big, possibly scary, perhaps boring appearing adults. There little exchange was cool to watch and I only wished Joshua lived a little closer....Texas is just too far!

The wedding was beautiful and Amy and her bridesmaids looked so so lovely.

Mr. and Mrs Amy and Pat Musser!

Forrest had fun getting passed from arm to arm, and getting pushed around in his stroller.

He even managed to sleep when THIS was happening in the background...

We've trained this boy right! Loud sounds don't seem to bother him too much when he's super tired...

And then, the party animals, (sister Megan took the cake on this one... )

went for a trip to the Zoo the next two days where literally hundreds of fellow creatures took turns amazing us.

Here are just a few of the big and little beings that we had the pleasure of sharing the day with...

"Mom is that a croc behind me? Can I go ride on his back ...PLEEEAASE....."

Forrest's Favorite, the River Otters!

It was quite a warm day for San Diego. Forrest spent a lot of it in his diaper with his mom and dad trying to keep him cool in his stroller...
speaking of strollers...I truly didn't know how many existed until this trip. The Zoo is strollerville if I've ever seen one.

We were just one of the crowd...of course this mama and dad did noticed how many "cute Baby" comments Forrest got despite the massive amounts of baby and kids that were surrounding us...
We have to agree...

Summer Fun and a chillin babe

They're calling for temps up to 107 here in the next couple of days...

The life of a baby...I think I'll be stealing his floatie soon...

4 month old Forrest

4 months old....wow.

It is so amazing how much he has already changed, and how BIG Forrest seems to be getting. Literally growing before our very eyes...him and our garden corn! His weight is 14.5 lbs, at about the 50th percentile. Height is 75th percentile, and head circumference is....95th percentile! WOW!

He has grown by leaps and bounds in the last two months, and especially the last two weeks.
His little baby rolls are popping up on his chubby little thighs and arms, and he has the best little baby pot belly anywhere.


And he is getting STRONG! He actually seems to like to play on his tummy now as he can lift his big head up with no problem. No rolling yet, but I bet it's only a matter of days, perhaps hours...And...he loves to stand up...just loves it. He gets all happy and googily eyed, often laughs outloud.


And, ta DAAAAAAA, he's sleeping as much as 6-7 hours in a row on some nights. WOW! And now that I edit this a week later he hasn't done this feat in the last week at all...but at least I know he's capable of it. A usual night is still to wake up ever 4 hours....still giving his mama some rest which is good. I think it is absolutely marvelous when he sleeps 6 hours. And it helps me stay caught up on the pumping front so I can stay ahead of my little piglett while at work, as he seems to suck down the milk faster than I can make it while I am away.


Yes away, back at work full time. VERY, very tough. It's so hard to leave the little smiling face. He's still so full of smiles for his momma, dad, and just about everyone else who will give him some goos and razzs. When I get home I can't seem to get enough of him....his smiling, (and sometimes teary...) eyes are just so so sweet....
But, overall I think the transition to full time is as good as it can be. I am lucky enough to have him with an excoworker who is now home with her little year old girl just one day a week. She is close to my office so I can pop in for a visit or feeding session on those days. The other days he his getting some good dad time, with Grandma Gloria to help out now and then.

And by the time this is posted, I'm sure he'll be another pound heavier, another grunt closer to rolling over, and another baby babble closer to saying his first word...it really does go by so fast...

This week on the ranch: Bears, ExerSaucers, Carrots, and Beans...

Mr. Bear decided he wanted to visit the Fulton chickens this week. And perhaps do some tasting....
The dogs were on him like sand on a beach, but he didn't seem to mind....
hmmmm
We hope we can all coexist peacefully in our beautiful river valley, but after all he was here first.
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Forrest has begun to master his ExerSaucer! He got this super fun toy back when he was born from a very generous neighbor. Despite the "4 months and up" directions, I've been trying him in it for the last 4 weeks. He's needed lots of blankets for padding as his little legs have been a bit too short, and he's been a bit too wobbly. I would pretty much just sit with him for a few minutes until he became too frustrated and then we would move on.

Not now...he's loving it! He's gotten so much stronger just in the past two weeks, holding himself up with a strong neck, back , and belly. And he loves to interact with all the toys. He's still a bit little for it, but I can tell he's digging it.... it's challenging for him and he likes it!
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And, carrots and beans, both were steamed, made into puree, and frozen for future Forrest baby food, all grown in our garden! Can't wait until our apples and berries become ripe, Forrest will love those this Fall when he starts on solids...
unless Mr. Bear gets them first....

getting back on the horse...

My horse, which is my BIKE!!!
The goal: A metric Century, 63 miles, in Eugene OR in early August. Yikes, less than a month away!
The old Katie "Piece of cake, could do a metric century in my sleep"
The new mama Katie; "Uhhhhhh ohhhhhhhhhhh, am I crazy?"
But, I'm going for it anyways...why not. The worst thing that will happen will be that I get sorely beat by my dear old dad, (or young...I meant...), and worst comes to worst, I don't finish. And I know he'll "beat" me, but I need to step back, let the competitive drive disappear for once and just ride! And I highly doubt I would not finish, minus and fall or breakage, (find some wood to knock on please!)
And, dad has said he's "taking it easy on this one," (right dad?)

So, I've been on my bike, on the trainer, 2-3 times a week for about an hour each day, and now, back to the road, the pumping quads, sore calves and butt, thrilling descents, crazy hills, and exhilarating post ride highs. Or TRYING to get back out there, which is a bit challenging with a little human to take care of and a now full time job to work.
Forrest is helping his mama out with some motivation....
As squeezing the post baby body into Lycra bike clothes and huffing that same heavier body up crazy hills isn't always fun. He tells me he can't wait to go with.
I can't wait either!

HOT!!!!!

The heat has hit us. Summer is officially here....
This means our river beach is our new second home...more like a paradise, an oasis, a refuge.
After an early morning of work, the heat drives us to the water...
Forrest has been keeping cool along with us with mini dunks of his toes and hat into the water and lots of afternoons in his little baby tent in the shade of the beach alongside the river. He's handling it well I believe!!!
We've been snorkling away, checking out the rocky river bottom, crawdads, and occasional fish here and there if you're lucky.


4th of July was spent doing all of the above while watching the local passerbys having there independance day float...
Dinner was fresh salmon, strawberries, blueberries, garden veggies, and of course...beer ;-)
We're liking this HOT thing...
And to leave you with our beach's newest work of art...

Sand castles... !