Hawaii etc

Hello all! I'm just catching up on some pictures and videos. I was bored toward the end of winter but we stay busy now that there is sunshine! Today Zach and I went to the park. Their infant swing was broken so I put him in my lap and we swung together! He thought it was lots of fun! Then we played in the grass together. Fun times!

I'll start with some pictures Chris took in Hawaii.


This is the Missing Man memorial. I think it is one of the best memorials I've ever seen.




Chris said they obviously spend all their money on landscaping at Hickam b/c outside it looks nice and inside (everywhere) it's a dump! Lol.



They went to a luau and did this. Chris was upset b/c it was SOOO comercialized. We can't wait to go back and see the real thing!

Chris bought me some chocolate covered pineapple at the Dole factory. I think he ate all but one piece, lol. Now you all know what to get him for Christmas. :) It's okay though b/c he also got me some taffy. Yum yum!

Here are the people he shared one rental car with!

Chris was very excited to be able to wear his flip flops again. He was happy to not have to put on jeans and boots.

This is one of the memorials for Pearl Harbor.

Chris brought Zach home this cute little Hawaiin outfit. He wore it to the neighbor's memorial day cookout. They gave him a cracker. He puked. He was then the naked baby of the cookout.

Chris got me a lei...it was very pretty but also suspiciously redskin-looking. Hmm.

After his bath I gave him a fauxhawk. His hair has gotten lighter lately since we've been spending more time outside.

Mom wanted me to try giving him a chicken bone b/c she said I used to love them. He was only mildly impressed. :)

This video is a classic case of a baby throwing a fit. I have one honery little boy these days. And yes, I washed his hands.



I couldn't get him to do his spastic splashing on camera, but he's still cute. Check out his fake coughing...

Visit

I abslolutely can't wait to get to Alaska to see you! I will take a whole 13 hours of travel any day to have a few days with the 3 of you. The videos and photos (and Skype) are all great but seeing you is going to be fabulous.

Can't wait! I arrive on June 13th some time.

I love you all!

'Uncle' Dave (Uncle makes me feel old!)

All dressed up and no where to go!

Well Chris comes home EARLY Saturday morning! We're excited! I think Zach will be really happy to see him...probably not as happy as me though!!! :)

My uncle David will be here in less than a month! Mom and my aunts Kelly & Michelle will be here in less than two! I'll be starting school (again!) in less than three months...and Zach will be one year in less than four months!!! :)

Check out my handsome son all dressed up with no where to go!!!! It's like a baby Gap add or something. :)

Daddy is the most fun to play with!!!

Say what you must...that little Pooh thing is pretty cute...and also pretty annoying, haha!

My mom wanted him to have a lollipop...they didn't have any in the commissary so I got him sugar free twizzlers. He didn't seem to like them, but they were actually pretty good! He has also had meatloaf, fried chicken, meatballs and teriyaki stir fry w/ his little mesh thing. It is awesome. What would be MORE awesome is if he could eat real food. Anyday now, I hope!!!

Gardening

You did a lot for one day! I'm sure the plants and flowers will be very pretty. The brick looks nice by the hose, too.
What are the temperatures like now? It doesn't look like the grass is very green yet, so it must still be pretty cold at night.
I love spring flowers - I just don't have enough sun in my yard to have very many. It's hard to find anything much that blooms in the full shade after the initial spring flowers. I usually scrounge around some every spring, though. I've actually planted less this year than in a long time.
Zach is growing so fast. Some of his fussiness/clinginess might be because is growing so fast in other areas. Whether he realizes it or not, he might be feeling a little overwhelmed, so he tries to cling to the familiarity. Probably working on some new teeth, too; they are the bane of infancy, I swear!
Great to hear & see how you're doing.
Love, Aunt Karen

Lovin' Livin' (for real)

Hello all!

Well Chris is in Hawaii but Zach and I are holding down the fort. To be honest, I was a little nervous about Chris leaving...it's like I sometimes feel like pre-Zach Shana...scared of babies...I forget I have a little experience now. :P

Zach is being clingy. Last week he would sit and play for about 30 minutes at a time...and often it just took a change of scenery and he'd do it some more. This week he refuses to sit and play, he stiffens his legs so I can't sit him up, lol. He doesn't care where I put him...bouncer, high chair, play pin, play yard (all things he previously loved)...he fusses until I pick him up. Last night he wailed the entire time I was making dinner...and I even brought his pin right into the kitchen so I could talk to him the whole time, lol. They say all babies got through this stage so I am trying not to worry. I don't want him to be "spoiled" but I sure ain't listening to him cry either. Lol...a fine line...we're taking it one day at a time.

One thing he DOES like is being outside. We got for a walk everyday for about an hour and he is usually pretty content the entire time. Today I woke up hungover so I was worried we wouldn't get our walk. I had three beers by the way. ??? Anyway...I was in a funk and going crazy with all the fussiness...so I decided we were going to spend the ENTIRE day outside, lol. I went to Lowe's and bought some garden stuff. I have NO idea what I am doing mind you. That might explain why I went back three times. I'm not kidding. At least it is only like two miles from the house. >.<

Anyway, he alternated sitting in his stroller and in the grass...he also had a nap...this was when I picked up dog poo. :(

I am a complete novice when it comes to gardening. There was a bunch of stuff in the garden already so I gave it plant food, lossened the soil, put new mulch down and am now hoping it does something. I also put some flowers in where there wasn't anything else. I laid down over 100 bricks (I am still 3 short...) to make room for a bench that I can't afford, lol.

On our walks I had been noticing everyone else had their gardens lined with rocks which looked nice. I wondered where they got them. I found out today...they were all six inches down in the garden area. We are talking some really big rocks...all the way down there...at first I was annoyed...then I realized I could use them to line part of my garden...then it became like digging for gold, lol. I don't think it bodes well for how good the soil is though...oh well...at least I can say I tried if it turns out like crap. I also fed/watered the lawn, lol. It is not looking too good. Hopefully I can revive it!

Well...I bought a hose reel thing only to realize the siding is metal and it cannot be nailed in...so...big hose pot here we come!

Before:

After:

There are flowers on the left side...maybe I will line that side with rocks too.

Zach received a lot of presents this week. Shoes, books, outfits. Thank you Aunt Kelly and Grandma/Grandpa! I will let him model them for you.

Multitaskin'...checking out new shoes AND eating, lol.

Don't worry...he isn't farsighted...

Love to you all!

Lovin' Livin'

Eating mashed potatoes

He definitely wanted some of what you had - lol! Is that little thing the mesh you were talking about? You put I guess just soft food in it & he sucks it out? I've never heard of that! How interesting. Every time I see new pictures, he looks different again. His hair is really growing, and that makes a big difference! Wow. It won't be long till he will start waving & clapping & getting a couple of words. How time flies. Enjoy.
Love, Aunt Karen