Crazy, busy week!

Last week I was in Ontario visiting family. It was SO good seeing everyone again. It had been since Christmas, which isn't a very long time for me, but in terms of Micah's short life so far, it is an extremely long time! He's grown and changed so much since Christmas, when he was only 3 months old. He's now crawling FAST and standing up by holding on to things and walking along furniture or with the help of others. He's eating solid foods, laughing and imitating funny faces. He claps, waves, and loves to be chased! He's so much fun!

On the day before I left I had a number of errands to run, and my first stop was at the bank to get Canadian currency. While I was in the bank, the person parked next to me tried to pull out of his spot but hit my car. It was actually a pretty bad ding - my mirror was only hanging on by the cable, and the door was smashed so bad that I couldn't open the handle! Thankfully, the man stuck around to give me his information, but I didn't do the rest of my errands until I could take our other car.
I was very nervous to fly on my own with Micah. Not so much nervous on how Micah would do, but more on the fact that I had to take everything with me and wondering how I'd be able to do it. The car seat Micah now sits in is like a little luxury throne and weighs about as much. So I had that strapped to my back, thanks to David's sister's backpack made especially for the seat. Then I had Micah in the stroller, a backpack diaper bag around the handles of the stroller, and I had to wheel my suitcase behind me with one hand and push the stroller in front of me with the other. I was lucky I didn't turn quickly and take off any small children's heads!

Micah did really well on the plane rides. He drank a bottle or ate during the ascent and descent so his ears didn't bother him. He slept for a couple of hours and played with small toys or books when he was awake. The tricky part was changing him in those tiny airplane bathrooms (especially when they don't have a changing table), and then using the toilet myself. It takes talent, I must say!

I think it will have to be another post for what happened during the week. There was usually multiple things planned for each day during the week, and I have pictures from almost everything! It was a wonderful week. I know Grandma and Grandpa loved seeing their grandson... and Micah loved being spoiled!

Color Footage of Tacoma Narrows

Tacoma Narrows Bridge

Sunday was a monumental day in the Puget Sound. Do you remember Galloping Gertie? I remember learning about it in high school and seeing footage of a bridge that was so poorly constructed that it twisted and turned until it fell just months after it was built. This was back in the 1940s to connect Gig Harbor with Tacoma. Over a year later a new bridge was built and still stands today... along with a second bridge that has just been completed. They opened it to the public on Sunday so we could walk across. We had to go and walk the mile across the Narrows so we could say we did it! Micah even "walked the bridge" with a little help!

Seaside, OR

We recently went on vacation down to the Oregon coast. It is a great little town, perfect for a little getaway - not too far and lots to do. The weather was perfect, not too hot, sometimes a little windy, but it did not rain. We left on Saturday and rented a house from Saturday until the following Friday, right over the fourth of July. They always put on a great fireworks show on the fourth, and lots of people do their own fireworks show right on the beach. We were there a couple years ago and had seen everyone doing their own fireworks, but we learned this year that it was illegal now to light off anything that goes in the air. However, many people disregarded the new rule and did their own shows. Micah did great for his first fireworks! He loved seeing all the lights even though it was way past his bedtime and we had to wake him to go out.

We had gone to Seaside with some friends of ours. We walked along the promenade and along the beach, went downtown to get ice cream, to play bumper cars and arcades, we took the babies on a tiny little train ride and on the carousel, we shopped at the little shops and at the outlet malls, we played lots of games and watched some movies. There was so much to do that we all felt like we could have stayed for another whole week!

On Friday we left Seaside and went to Portland for lunch with some friends and then down to Salem for dinner with other friends. We thought about driving home that night, but made it to Vancouver, WA and then spent the night at a lodge and drove the rest of the way on Saturday.

This is Grace, Micah's little girlfriend in Salem. They had their first awkward date at 8 weeks. He's already trying to hold her hand!

Taking a little nap before the excitement of the fireworks.

Micah really liked the ocean and the sand.

Train ride!

Playing in the house

Waiting patiently for dinner

A little bike ride

Kara, Kate and Drew went on the Carousel...

...while Micah watched from the stroller.