- Clara: walks with ease now. She learned right at about 1 year. At 13 months she's a pro.
- Clara: can say some words sometimes. She says "hi" (I know, not the greatest accomplishment) from time to time - that's the clearest one.
- Hadden: uses the "big boy" potty and also has used the urinals in public restrooms.
- Hadden: already has had his first graduation (from Zoom Language Center day care 2-3 year old class)
Hadden Graduates
Hadden's Zoom Language Center (http://www.zoomlanguage.com/) "clase azul" (2.5-3.5 year old) class "graduated" out at Golden Gardens park. They sang songs (La Bamba and Los Bomberos) and then we had food and played on the beach. All the kids where in white shirts and Yvonne says they looked like little angels on the beach. I agree.
Hadden climbing on the driftwood at the beach
Throwing rocks with his Zoom friend
Clara's Birthday
Clara is now 1 year and 1 month old. It's hard to believe that she's already over a year and walking. Before we know it she will be in college. I'm sure every parent says the same thing - not may say "geeze, will they grow up already?" We went to the park and had Top Pot Donuts, fruit and sandwiches on an overcast but not-quite-rainy day in June. Clara (as you can see from the swinging) loved it. She got to walk around as much as she wanted. There was also a Title Nine blowout sale in one of the hangers there (Magnuson Park encompasses what used to be Sand Point Naval Station) so mom was happy too. As you can see, it's a bit cold in June in Seattle (all people in picture wearing fleece).
Clara on the swings at her birthday party at Magnuson Park (Hadden pushing)
Cama Beach State Park
Emily's parents (Josh and A.P.) invited us up to Cama Beach State park (http://www.parks.wa.gov/camabeach/) to weekend in the cabins there. There are many cabins - each with a bed or two and a sink, microwave and table. Hadden and Clara LOVED this because Hadden spent the entire 2 days with Emily (his great friend) and Clara got to walk everywhere. When we left, Hadden was disappointed that we had not, in fact, moved to the cabin permanently and that we were, unfortunately, returning to our "old house."
Cama Beach State Park cabins
Clara out front of our cabin - going up and down and up and down...the stairs
Hadden and Emily playing with the wheelbarrow near the cabin
Clara DIGS the wooden boat Hadden "made" at the park
The Week without Mom
Yvonne had to go to Paris and Brazil for business (I can think of worse places) so the rest of us hunkered down for a week. I think Hadden really got the idea that Mommy was going a way for a week and he was a bit sad. No matter, after we dropped Mommy off at the airport we went to Costco and got 36 juice boxes, a Horton Hears a Who video, a Toy Story 3 book and a DVD collection of every World Cup on film (hey, Daddy was sad too). Highlights: we all lived, Hadden once pooped in his pants twice in 2 minutes (I changed him in between and that was AFTER he already went on the potty), Clara slept remarkably well, we got to watch more movies than usual, and we made a Welcome Home Mommy banner (along with a big mess).
The Air Expo
We went to the Air Expo at McChord. LOTS of planes there for Daddy and Hadden to look at. No submarines. Hadden got to walk through a C-17 Globemaster, C-5 Galaxy and an RC-135 Rivet Joint. Hadden also got to "pilot" a CH-47 Chinook helicopter. They also had an inflatable slide/maze area that Hadden went nuts on. We were supposed to buy tickets for each "ride" but Hadden was too fast and snuck at least 2 free rides. Gotta watch that kid. Mostly, Clara was tired and slept or wanted to be picked up. Perhaps she's a Navy gal like her Mommy. We got to see a bit of the airshow too before everyone got too tired. Hadden's favorite part was the A-10 Thunderbolt flyby. They even set of an explosion at ground level when they went by to simulate an attack. "I like the planes that made the fire!" Who wouldn't?
So now it's the middle of July and we are going to Hawaii next week to spend a week with family at the Michelle/Andrew/Kash/Haze house. Should be a blast. Summer has been a bit late coming to Seattle this year so we will be sure to bring LOTS of sunscreen.
