First haircut

You know you need a hair cut when you start looking like one of the angry birds

You know you have to get your kid’s hair cut when you can do this with it.  Yowsers!  So on Tanner’s six month birthday, we decided to do it ourselves.  I’ve never cut hair before...so it was quite the experience.  But we all got through it and had some bright red hair for Tanner’s keepsake book.

My little rock star, before the hair cut.  I'm not showing you the "after" because it didn't turn out so well.  Yikes.

MIA

So I’ve been MIA lately because I’ve been so involved in decorating the new dental clinic that Brent’s dad is opening.  (Well, it’s actually sort of an addition to the current clinic)  Natalie Copeland and I were sort of “hired” by Brent’s dad to be in charge of the interior design.  The name of the clinic is “Community Dental”.  So Natalie and I decided that we would go along with the whole community theme and focus on the people and the agriculture in Sunnyside.   So far we’ve painted a giant grape vine on both sides of the lobby (we’ve added leaves to the grapevine--pics are coming soon).  We’ve also taken pictures of kids in the community, and we’ll put the pictures in these really cool barn wood frames.  I’ll document our progress as we get further.  It’s been nice tapping into our creative sides, and we feel it’s going to look really great.  But it’s also been very time consuming.  I feel bad for Tanner...he’s probably feeling neglected.

before

after

Other side

Reception

Still more work to be done.  But it's a start.  Decorating a huge dental office is actually a lot of work.  Wish us luck.

The first day of the rest of your life

After months of waiting, It finally happened! Brent’s license went through and he was able to start work this week officially as a full time dentist.  We are so proud.  Doesn’t he look handsome in his scrubs?  Tanner and I came by to take him to lunch with Kent and Natalie.  (Kent works at the clinic with Brent too). 

More pics of the kid

water works.  Cleaning up after mealtime

That's a birthmark, not a the cabbage patch signature from Xavier Roberts.  Although, getting my kid from a cabbage patch would've been a lot easier than childbirth.

He would be cute as a girl.  ((sigh)) someday...maybe a sister next time around?

I gave Tanner a bath in the sink.  He was really cute just sitting there.  He only started slipping around at the end when he was trying to grab the sprayer from me.  Then we did a little photo shoot afterward to show off his cute little birth mark on his tooshie.   He even had a screaming match with his daddy at one point.  Naked babies are so cute!!!

Wait...What?  Double take...yes, that's mommy as a doll.

So Tanner needs constant attention 24/7.   I guess that’s part of being an oldest and only child (so far).  But I desperately need to get work done around the house.  And I figure since he can sit up now, he can play for at least 45 minutes by himself at a time.  Well, not according to him.  I need to be sitting there with him watching every little thing he does.  So, the other day I unpacked my doll that I got when I was in “Phantom”.  A friend of mine gave it to me when I left the show.  It’s a photographic mini version of myself in one of my costumes.  Tanner can tell it’s me, and he stares at it in disbelief wondering how I got so small.  Anyway, I set the doll in front of him as he was playing and all he did was stare at it...like he was almost waiting for it to make a move.  

Yes our little man is finally growing up and starting to eat big people food.  Well, he’s really not “eating” it, he’s mostly just wearing it.  The very first food we introduced to him was avocado.  I gave him a little baby spoon with some on it to play with.  He grabbed the spoon and shoved it in his mouth while most of the avocado slid down the side of his cheek and into his hair and neck.  He then continued to paint with it on his highchair table top.  It looked like he was having a lot of fun.  After all that mess, we gave him a little bit of white grape juice to wash it all down in a sippy cup.  A big thanks to my friend Jill for giving us the “take and toss” cups and bowls so Tanner can have something to eat his first foods in.  Thanks Auntie Jill!!! 

That's all you get kid.  Just a dab.

A double-wide take

Peach or Tan?  You decide.

You asked for it folks, and here it is, the cherished peach double-wide.  This is our home for the next few years, give or take...  Brent’s dad was so great to remodel it while we were in the process of moving.  Believe it or not, it used to be a brighter blue than the sky in this picture (thanks to our previous hispanic owners).  Thankfully, Brent’s dad chose a more neutral color.  We are very grateful to have a place to live.  It’s very nice inside...all new appliances, counter tops, and carpeting.  We’re very lucky.  Pictures of the interior will follow, once I get all the boxes unpacked.

Tanner's crib

Tanner's very own bed

Gator Baby.  Thanks Rebecca for knitting it!

Yes, I know...some people could say I’m a bad parent when I haven’t bought my child a crib of his own until now.  And he’s 5 months old.  But hey, this is what I tell my husband: you try getting up 4-6 times a night, walking through a dark cold house to sit and feed the baby, then make sure he’s asleep before you trudge back through the house again only to find that right when you fall into that deep sleep, the baby is awake again and crying for you.  (And I’m not about to let my baby “cry it out” alone in his room ever---well, maybe when he’s 2!)  So, I found a simple solution to my “lack-of-sleep” problem; keep the baby in the room with you.  He starts the night out by sleeping in his pack & play, but pretty much ends up in bed with us the last half of the night.   He eats when he needs to and pretty much sleeps through the night that way.  So...I’m content with that.  And it’s not ideal for most people, but it works for us--well, me really (poor Brent, he’d like it to be different).  Anyway...enough of that.  We now have a cute crib for Tanner to at least take his daily naps in for now.  Isn’t it so adorable?  And it converts to a toddler bed and adult full size bed.  My mom made the crib set for it (even the huge canopy--she’s working on some pillows and a valance right now).  It’s a safari theme, if you can’t tell.  We’re huge gator fans, so all the stuffed toys pictured are various different alligators.  Even his auntie Rebecca knitted him a little gator toy (pictured).  He loves it! Thanks Becky! 

Like father, like son

We found the cutest little outfits for Tanner at Macys.  It’s so hard to find cute boy clothes so we took advantage of this even though we have no money...ah well.  Anyway, Brent loves Hurley and Quicksilver brand clothes.  So we had to follow in his footsteps with Tanner.  He looks so cute in his little clothes.  I also found the little argyle socks when Katie and I were picking up Tanner’s crib in Portland.

Independence Day

The 4th of July!

We went over to Papa’s and Nana’s for a 4th of July celebration at their pool.  Brent and Tanner swam--with Tanner’s cousins (Natalie, Emily and Blake).  There was NO way I’m getting in a swimsuit this summer.  It takes awhile for that baby weight to fall off...

What a beautiful spread!  Katie (Nana) made the watermelon bowl & wagon wheel pasta, and Nancy made the American Flag jello.  I guess Brent and I were too lazy to contribute.  oops

Tanner got a new Hurley swimsuit for the occasion.  Isn’t he handsome.  Tanner loved the pool playing with his daddy and cousins.