Look what the post lady brought for Forrest!

From his one and only Aunt Nat...

This lovely present happened to come just after Forrest had his 6 month shots and doc appointment, so he NEEDED this surprise in a bad way! This 17 lb 3 oz baby that continues to have a head circumference in the 95th percentile grabbed the book right up, scratched it, christened it with baby drool and baby gums, and promptly announced, "EEEEEEEECCCCCCCCCCCCUUUUUUUUGGGGGGGGGGG" in the highest pitched baby shriek your hears can handle, (or CAN'T handle I should say, the kid's got some major vocal cords on him!) By the way, that's baby talk for "Awesome book Aunt Nat! I'll try to make my face extra stinky for you!"

Isn't this the best stinky face you've ever seen!

Thanks Nat for getting the best book EVER!

My fishy hubby

doing what he does best...putting friends, family, and new acquaintances on steelehead, salmon, and a great time. He's quite the amazing guy, not to mention father, husband, and firewood cutter extraordinaire.

He had an awesome couple of days on the water earlier this week and was thoroughly spent at the end of it all, but in exchange he had a boat full of happy fisherman...and plenty of memories of the fish that got away, and plenty that didn't.
Just a small part of his amazing job...

Kevin and my Uncle Ken with the biggest catch of the day!

1/2 a year....

or 182.5 days, 6 months, since Forrest has changed our lives with his presence. His tiny, (and now ever growing,) amazing, smiley, drooly, happy presence.
It has been such a crazy time! He is such an awesome baby. Everyone he meets is charmed by his happy little personality.

His life these days is filled with FOOD! Yep, life is now forever changed for Forrest. Food has entered it, and is never to leave it again. We started introducing solids about 2 weeks ago with some rice cereal and pureed summer squash, and soon after introduced pears, apples, beets, beans, corn, bananas and he loves it ALL!

He is becoming quite the hulk with his appetite. He likes them mixed, alone, with cereal, without...all of it. Milk is still of course the major part of his diet, but food has very quickly taken a close second, and corn cobs....he attacks them like a little piranha. It's pretty hilarious.
Forrest is also standing like a champ. I find him actually balancing on his own without support for several seconds at a time, testing his skills. He is also the champion sitter already. No crawling, thank goodness! But he is getting better at the rolling skills. I have a feeling we're gonna have an early mover and shaker on our hands....ughhhh....tons of baby proofing to do in this household...

He's basically an easy going baby. He does get bored and antsy, and absolutely loves the outdoors.

His favorites are his bathtub which we have been known to happen in the middle of the day on our front porch to appease our little offspring during a fussy time, and the beach down by the river. He loves to feel the sand in his toes and hands, and when mama looks away for a split second, in his mouth....yep, eating dirt already....
:-)

Fish On!

Forrest's first Steelhead.
(I know what you're thinking, how can a not even 6 month old catch a fish that's over 1/2 his weight?)
Talent....
this kids got it.
With fresh fish slime and roe to match.
ok, ok, his papa may have rowed the drift just perrrrfectly to put him on the fish,

and his mama may have set the hook for him, and maybeeee just assisted him in reeling the nice fish in,

but I tell you, Forrest was the clincher.
He brought baby luck I tell you.

Life is sweet.

The 2nd Annual Riverbend Neighborhood Progressive Dinner...

Yep, we call ourselves the Riverbenders...our little neighborhood out here in the sticks...
Have you ever been a part of a Progressive Dinner? It's a great time! We have a great little neighborhood community out here in Salyer and today we repeated our annual progressive dinner. Our neighbors include weekenders, vacationers, and full time residents such as ourselves. The age range starts with our very own Forrest at 5 months, to the seasoned retired veterans. Each house is responsible for a different part of the meal, (appetizers and drinks, soup, salad, main course, dessert). Makes for a long meal and a LOT of food but it's so fun to travel to other neighbors houses. Maybe this is extra special in our neck of the woods because eveyone always has some new project they are starting/finishing, or perhaps new land they just purchased. We also have quite a variety of houses, from the super cool deluxe tent and outdoor kitchen of Michael and Donnvieve who have not built a house yet, to the super epic Taylors' house which is extra fancy and is always a treat to be in.
So...we started at the Taylors' for appetizers and drinks...Forrest of course was the star, (as you will see is common place throughout the afternoon and evening...)
We munched on yummy artichoke dip, eggplant/tomato dip, wine, beer, you name it. This easily could have filled me up!
Forrest had a blast here as he loved their nice carpet to roll around on, and the interesting, (and EXPENSIVE I'm sure!) knickknacks everywhere.

Our next stop was Michael and Donnvieve's....where we feasted on a delectable ceaser salad, home grown tomatoes, and homemade bread.

There spot was lovely to sit in the shade, feel the breeze, and eat our salad with chopsticks! A first for me with salad! House or no house the spot is beautiful...


Our next stop was to the Fitzgerald's for soup...and did they ever do this one right! We had a cold berry soup that was so yummy on this hot day, and also a delicious clam chowder. MMMMmmmm.
Forrest loved it so much he took a nap, (mom and dad cheered, and I'm sure the neighbors did too).
For the main course we headed to the Mayvilles house. I LOVE their house, very cute, with a screened in porch and awesome view. Perfect for sitting with that perfect drink and letting the evening linger, or the food digest in our case!
The main couse was so awesome, chicken marseille with grapes! You know it's good when people start going for seconds when they are already claiming to be stuffed, which we were by this point.


We finished the evening at the Waller's for dessert, homemade Boston cream pie. Wow! It was amazing.
A very great evening for all of us Riverbenders!

The ups and downs of life...

So I could use all this space to lament on the trials of motherhood, on how while at work I feel incredibly guilty about leaving my perfect little boy, but while at home I worry about how I'm gonna continue making it dealing with the stresses of my profession. I could go on and on about how stimulating my work is, and how much I really adore it, and then how demanding it is, and I wonder if it will ever truly fit in my "ideal life" of being a good mom, (which does take TIME,) and having a healthy family.
These last few weeks have been tough. I'm working a lot, more than I probably should, but money is tight and those bills don't just stop showing up. So, we're dealing with it and I'm gonna stop now, enough boo hooing...
I do feel incredibly lucky to have the job I have in the current times.
SO, SO, VERY LUCKY.
Please enjoy the pics of Forrest.... they make me happy...

Forrest's Happy Place...

A monkey in training...

The crazy 5 month grass eater...And weddings abound

Can you believe I knew 4 couples getting married this weekend! Wow! Getting hitched is in the air. We had the pleasure of attending the wedding of good friend's Katie and Michael....very awesome people.


Forrest is at the age where he loves people, sounds, and was a regular party animal....or at least at times!

Lots of square dancing was going on, and our little boy was having fun watching the dancing happy folks. I'm sure he'll be out there before we know it! The summer wedding season is winding down, best wishes to all the happy newlyweds out there. Welcome to the club!

Forrest, plotting his next move...onto 5 months tomorrow!

Little Forrest is not so little anymore, his swing his creaking away, and we wonder just how much longer it's going to continue to rock our baby to sleep....
Though this baby is growing up and wanting to be a part of the world in a big way! He still is only breast fed, but is showing real interest in food so I believe some solids are right around the corner in this next month.

His smiles keep coming and coming, and he's singing, talking, and cooing up a storm on a regular basis...

As well as stretching his legs in a big way. He LOVES to stand and can hold himself up for quite awhile now....
And based on this smile, I can tell he's already plotting his future moves out of our loft, down the ladder, and how he can manage to swing on the banisters without his parents catching on....
Sitting up is also a new skill he's working on...he currently is still a bit top heavy, but that little torso is gaining muscle strength by the second it seems.

"Mom, Daaaad, watch out, here I come!"

It's the simple things in life....like, for instance, a chewed on corn cob...

Forrest took one look at a chewed on corn cob and you would have thought it was the best thing in the world....well...maybe it was for this babe.
He sucked, smiled, looked at us, and sucked some more.
MMMMMMMM.