YaYa's visit

YaYa helped Magnus celebrate his 5 month birthday with a visit to Seattle this week.  He entertained her with his fancy footwork in the jumperoo, demonstrated his rolling skills, and let her experience first hand his disdain for sleeping.  Magnus and YaYa really got a chance to bond when mom had a meeting and the two hung out together for several hours.  Despite Magnus' refusal to take a bottle, YaYa kept the boy in good spirits reading just about every book Magnus owns and playing arousing games of airplane and bouncing.  As always, when the good times started to roll she had to depart home, but we are looking forward to seeing her again at Christmastime when we will celebrate 6 months together, and solid foods!!

Magnus was very determined to hold the new book that YaYa gave him.

Five months

Friends who already have children often tell Dee and I that being a parent just gets better and better with each passing milestone and month.  It is hard to imagine enjoying Magnus any more than we do as we continue to be completely smitten by him.  These days we are getting lots of giggles out of him, especially when we "roughouse".  He is quite the chatterbox first thing in the morning, he has mastered rolling from his back to his front without getting his arm stuck underneath his body, and is determined to draw his little legs up to his chest while on his tummy as if he is attempting to crawl!  He broke out of his last swaddler and no longer gets wrapped like a mummy to fall asleep, and he drools 24/7--maybe a sign that a tooth is near...?  Here he is--FIVE months already!!

It is getting increasingly difficult to get Magnus to hold onto anything without his trying to eat it!

Heather Lake

Upon hearing a sunny forecast for the day, we quickly gathered our gear and headed out for another autumn hike. We were joined by Dee's brother Lincoln, his (darling) girlfriend, Kate, and Sherman's brother, Riley. We decided to check out Heather Lake, just north of Granite Falls, as it was given "four paws" by our hiking with dog guidebook. Despite Tamra's hatred towards not reaching the final destination, we turned back just shy of the lake at the prodding of Dee's rationale about making it back before Magnus vocalized his being done. It was a great day with family amid exuberant puppies, old growth forest, a waterfall, and reenergizing mountain air--and in the end it really was the journey that mattered.

The Resmini's

This weekend, our friends Eros and Jaime Resmini, visited us from San Francisco.  It was the first time we met their little peanut, Lucca, born one week before Magnus.  The boys instantly hit it off and we decided they were going to be best friends.  The Resmini's were house hunting as they are entertaining the idea of moving to the Emerald City, and our encouragements to do so were palpable.  Dee enjoyed a night out with the dudes while the moms commiserated over babies who don't sleep.  Magnus is already looking forward to the next playdate with his stylin' friend from California, and growing up together in the Pacific Northwest!

Baby buddies, Lucca and Magnus

Like father like son

Jaime, myself, our boys, and the always photogenic Sherman

Priceless

As many of you know, Magnus is not a big sleeper, nor does he enjoy a good nap like the rest of us--despite what we tell him about how later in life he will only wish he could lay down for a few. Well, that may have all changed as of last night. We visited our friends Chris and Ellie, who have a 20 month old, Jackson.  Magnus has lucked out inheriting numerous items from them, but last night I think it was Dee and I that scored.  While we chatted we put Magnus in Jackson's old bouncer, endlessly entertaining him until we took him out.  We gladly accepted their offer to take it home with us and quickly made it a centerpiece in our living room.  This morning I put Magnus in the bouncer while I did a few things around the house.  Again, he was completely amused, "running" with his legs nonstop.  Well, apparently this little contraption also doubles as a baby treadmill, and after putting a load of laundry in the washing machine I roundedthe corner to find my little boy ASLEEP standing up in the bouncer after apparently an exhausting workout!  I debated letting him sleep there as it was his naptime, but a guilty conscience crept in having my son sleep standing, so I gentle took him out and carried him to his crib.  Of course he woke up, but I no more than put his legs into his swaddler and he was out again!  I think I should send these pictures to Fisher Price!

Rolling

Four months has proved to be a milestone month already.  One of Magnus' newest tricks is rolling from his back to his front, which he is quite obsessed with perfecting every time he is laid down.