As is the case every year, we are in the midst of an action-packed, family-filled and absolutely awesome summer! Much to Caleb's delight, we haven't gone but a few weeks without seeing at least one side of the family. From a wedding in Indiana, a 4th of July celebration at Love Lake in Wisconsin, a "staycation" in Michigan, to a big family trip out to California, we've been on the go. Somewhere in the midst of all of that, Jonathan hit the eight and nine month marks.
But before we get to updates and photos, I'd like to take a minute to remember my late grandma, Vonnie Flynn, who we fondly referred to as "Banny". Banny passed away on Monday, July 28th at the age of 80. What a blessing it was that this happened to be right in the middle of my family's vacation in Michigan. Not only were we with my dad as he grieved the passing of his mom, but we were able to remember and celebrate the many wonderful memories we had
with her and
because of her. My dad's entire family is very close, evidenced by the annual camping trips we took growing up and the Christmas gatherings we still look forward to every other year. And we can thank Banny for these memories as she raised the four wonderful children that have created these loving families of their own. We love Banny and we will miss her, but we are thankful that she is no longer plagued by pain and that she is now with the One that loves her most of all.
Here's a quick update on what Jonathan and Caleb have been up to before we get to the big summer photo dump:
- Jonathan's a mover and shaker! He's either speeding across the room on all fours, bear crawling with his cute tush in the air, or scaling any piece of furniture or leg he can find. He's even taken up to four steps at a time. We'll have another walker on our hands before we know it.
- Now that JD is on the move, Caleb assumes he's fair game for tackling. If you stopped by when both boys are awake, chances are you'll find me saying, "gentle Caleb! He's just a baby!"
- Jonathan babbles a bit here and there. We've heard "da da", "ma ma", and "ta ta" so far. He's mainly a quiet observer, but I wouldn't fault Jonathan for that. There's no time for him to talk given that Caleb never stops making noise! Whether he's singing his ABC's, making siren noises or trying to make his little brother laugh, Caleb fills each moment with something.
- Food is one area where JD's clearly the second child. With Caleb we were so cautious about what foods we gave him and when, always checking our baby books to see when we could introduce various foods. With Jonathan, if we're eating it, chances are he is too (besides the highly allergenic foods like peanut butter and egg whites). We still sneak in some baby food between bites of cheerios or blueberries, but he's much more into the finger food at this point.
- We're up to seven teeth now. And each of these teeth deserves its own little standing ovation (with a pat on the back for mom and dad, too). Like many babies, JD is not a gracious teether. He's a drooling, whiny, hot mess of a baby until those little devils make their debut. But then he gives us that cheeky grin and life is good!
- Here are JD's stats from his 9 month check-up:
- Weight: 22 lb 8 oz (89%)
- Height: 30.3" (98%)
And now to the photos. We'll start with our annual haul up to Love Lake in Wisconsin. This cabin has been in Tim's family for over 90 years and it is a very special place to him. I've only been going up there for the past six years, and it already has its own little place in my heart. We look forward to our trip up there all year and this time didn't disappoint. Whether we were cruising around the lake on the pontoon, making homemade ice cream, marching in our very own 4th of July parade, enjoying a cocktail on the deck, or playing at the beach, we were all smiles all the time.
 |
| Ok, I lied. Jonathan wasn't quite "all smiles all the time" (who would be in that life vest?) |
 |
He especially was not all smiles when it came to nabulizing. Our poor boys seem
to have the "wheezes", which is a made up term but fits since we don't know yet
if it's asthma, allergies or what |
 |
| Sunset boat cruise with my fav |
 |
| Ice cream making |
 |
| Cousins |
 |
| USA! USA! |
 |
| Caleb even got his very own ice cream making session with Poppy |
And then we were off to Michigan for our very first Richardson family "Staycation". In the past we have all gone up to northern Michigan to Walloon Lake. With eight adults, three babies and two dogs, the cottage just can't fit us all anymore. And so we all convened at my parents house in Marshall for a week of R&R. Most of our time was spent in the pool in the backyard. Too bad we don't have a two year old that looooooooves the water…. oh wait! Caleb was in heaven as his Grammy and Grampa were willing to take him for a swim at any given moment.
 |
A riding Thomas train/roller coaster that can go in the pool… does it get any better for a two year old??
Grammy did an amazing job making this place a little boy's dream land |
 |
| My grampa is cooler than yours |
 |
| Cannonball! |
 |
| Taking a two minute break from all that swimming |
 |
| Don't forget about me! |
 |
| Jaybird loves watching his brother swim |
 |
| We fit a quick round of golf in (and by round I mean three holes) |
 |
| Riding in style |
 |
| Poolside smores |
 |
We had such a good time seeing my brother, sister-in-law and niece Nori. They live in Hong Kong
and we don't get to see them too often, so we cherish moments like these! |
 |
| I think Jonathan's head is legitimately bigger than Caleb's |
 |
| Going for a little jet ski ride with Aunt Hannah |
 |
| Feeding the giraffes with ridiculously overpriced lettuce was a highlight of the week. |
 |
| That vacation took it out of all of us! |
We weren't home for but five days before we loaded everything back up and headed out to California with Tim's family. It took ten hours of planes, trains and automobiles but we finally made it to the beautiful Carmel Valley Ranch. To say we were spoiled is an understatement. The photos tell it all:
 |
| We'll start with a stunning view at the resort |
 |
| No filter :) |
 |
Super dad on the plane. The boys handled the flying well, but we were all exhausted after 4 1/2 hours of
keeping a baby and toddler quiet and entertained. |
 |
| Not a bad little companion to have |
 |
| Caleb couldn't get enough of the golf carts |
 |
| When did my baby get so big??? He looks like such a little dude here. |
 |
| The view was spectacular but I was more excited about the wine and s'more at this point |
 |
| We had a great time at the Monterey Aquarium |
 |
| I've never golfed a more beautiful, or harder, course than the Links at Spanish Bay (right next to Pebble Beach) |
 |
| We even had fun in the bathtub |
 |
| Super dad is back |
 |
We stopped for a few minutes at the beach on our drive up Hwy 1 to San Francisco.
What a perfect ending to a great vacation. |
 |
| JD took the "hold on tightly" direction on the people mover very seriously. |
After a hectic couple of months, we're excited to be home for a few weeks before we're off again. We're hoping the rest of the summer looks a little like this:
