Road Trip

We traveled to Portland this past weekend. And it was a legitimate road trip, let me tell you. We spent over seven hours on the road both Thursday and Sunday. No, we did not attempt our Friday after work to Sunday after church shenanigans. I don't think the 48 hour Portland trips will be the norm again for a long while. Thankfully, Jonathan was able to take an extra day off work to make it happen.

We stopped quite a few times during our drive. We planned ahead for some nursing/park for Clara breaks. And I finally caved in and allowed the stop at Multnomah Falls. My husband has been dying for a rain-less daytime stop the last twelve times we've made the trek to Oregon.

Four days as a family and spent with Devin, Larissa and Everett were awesome. We had lots of down time to relax. And some great weather to play outside. We hit up the Portland zoo and lots of neighborhood parks. I had my booty seriously kicked by my brother on a hilly run around their neighborhood. We ordered in Thai and watched Parenthood. Dev & Lariss even spoiled the two of us with a little babysitting so we could shop and have lunch downtown together one day. It was such a treat! Oh yes, and we went to a great breakfast Sunday before we hit the road at the Bakery Bar (so delicious). This trip will mark the last time together as a group of seven. In less than a month we will be eight! Larissa is due on Clara's birthday will a GIRL. Hurrah for that!

Here is our time together, in pictures...

The whole weekend counted as a birthday extravaganza, I suppose. I turned the big 29 on Sunday. Of the four days it may have been the worst day to have a birthday. Driving 7+ hours and unpacking don't top my list of favorite things. But the weekend on the whole was fabulous. And the sunny day was great too. I only wish we were at home enjoying it instead of driving. We did enjoy a little bit of playing along the way, though.

And so the next twelve months mark the last in my twenties. It has been an eventful decade, let me tell you. But I'll reflect on all that next year, I suppose. And in the meantime, I'll remember to soak in the goodness of the two little ones that make up my days right now. Life is pretty great (and simple) these days. God is good.

Deja Vu

We got a box of hand-me-downs, and low and behold, we found the same monster jammies Clara wore at Caleb's age. Caleb's are just the boy version (thank goodness). So we stuck Caleb in the bumbo for the first time this week and snapped a few pictures, to compare. Here they are:

Miss Clara at 4-ish months:

Mr. Calebo at 3 1/2 months:

I'm not seeing too much resemblance between these two. Their coloring is really different, to start. As are pretty much all their other features.

I keep hearing that he looks like Jonathan. Yet everyone said Clara looked like Jonathan when she was four months too. And Clara does not look like Caleb. Hmmm. I guess I can't quite figure it out yet. It will be fun to see how both of them change over time ;).

P.S. At four months we thought Clara was a monster. I think Caleb is redefining the term.

Ski Day

Clara and her daddy enjoyed a second, spontaneous ski day today. After relaxing over our Saturday breakfast of pancakes and green OJ in honor of St. Paddy's Day, I went out the door with Caleb for a baby shower. What did Jono and Clara decide to do? Head to the ski mountain, of course. This was Clara's second day downhill skiing. And as the pictures show, she loved it. I still laugh aloud every time I see the world's smallest skis. And the poofy pink coat and too big pink pants. Add the look of pure bliss. She is clearly her father's daughter.

Winter Escape #2

This weekend we enjoyed a nice little getaway. We traveled north, yet again, to the great country called Canada (I love you, Canada). This time, we went further east, to the town of Kimberley, BC. It's a great little spot - a destination we've enjoyed before. Jonathan's dad got a great deal with a travel Groupon, and so we decided to make the trek together.

As always, it was nice to get away. At Red Mountain Clara had her first downhill skiing experience. This weekend, she tried out her xc skis for the first time. She loved it.

And then she got a free ride with daddy. (I am feeling a bit jipped that I didn't don skis until my early twenties. I would've liked the free ride part. And the being caught by the great, big, strong daddy while downhill skiing part).

We enjoyed hanging out at the condo. This little guy makes the act of "hanging out" fourteen times better than normal.

Jono and his dad took in a little local hockey, of course.

Oh yes, and even though we never bought downhill lift tickets, Jonathan still managed to hike up the mountain on snowshoes and snowboard down.

Add a quick stop to Tim Horton's on the way home, and we'll call it a successful trip to the land up north.

Three Months

I love the three month mark. It represents, to me, the end of the hardest part. Okay, I know that there will be plenty of hard stuff ahead. I just mean the wondering why in the world you're screaming part and the I can't think straight because I've been up all night part and the all I do is nurse all day long part. These parts may creep back into our world on occasion, but never simultaneously (I hope) again.

Not only is the sleep/energy/figuring out the baby part so much easier, but three months is such a great stage. Personality starts to come out - as do smiles and interaction. You start getting little glimpses of who your little one might become. I LOVE this. Love it.

Caleb is turning into the sweetest, happiest little man I know. Seriously.

He cries when he has trouble falling asleep and that is pretty much it. He loves taking in the world around him and he loves people. That is pretty much our little guy right now. Happy and sweet. We are all in love. Nobody around here can imagine life without Caleb George.