NW Trek

We thought it would be fun to take Ryanne on a mini-adventure for her birthday, so we drove to NWTrek to check out the animals. We did a little walking then took the hour long tram ride through the animal preserve where there are 7 different kinds of wild animals (all herbivores!) like bison, moose, caribou, goats, etc, so close to the tram that you could reach out the window and touch them if you wanted to.

This was clearly near the end of the day and near the end of a now two-year old's patience...

So obsessed with the bears that she couldn't even look at the camera. Her sole goal in going to the park was to see the bears and she was not disappointed - she saw black bears, brown bears and grizzly bears, and GRRRRR-ed at all of them.

Enormous bison from the tram. Ryanne entertained the older couple sitting near us by mooing very loudly out the window every time we saw a bison. This bison is chillin' in a mud bath made from a mixture of dirt and bison urine. Apparently the lady bison can't get enough of it.

Billy goat right outside our tram window.

Mark holding Alexander...
...who had fun until he decided the birthday party would be ending early for him.

Happy Birthday Ryanne!

My baby is two!

First born.

First birthday.

Second birthday.

To celebrate, we went to Northwest Trek (pictures to follow), had birthday girl's choice for dinner (waffles), and ice cream sandwiches for dessert. Maybe I'll get around to planning an actual party at some point soon.

Ryanne at almost 5 months:

Alexander at almost 5 months:

They could be the same child, except that Ryanne was already much chunkier. I think Alexander must have an extremely fast metabolism. I started him on food a little sooner than I wanted to - after he consumed almost 50 ounces of formula in a 24 hour period I took the hint.

No Bananas No Thank You!

Love These Pictures!

I was feeding Alexander and Ryanne came over with a spoon and said "I do it, mama." She then proceeded to carefully spoon cereal from the bowl into Alexander's waiting mouth (sometimes it took a couple of pokes to his chin and cheeks) until it was all gone. Very sweet!

Alexander tried his first foods yesterday - some watery, pasty, oh so yummy rice cereal mixed with formula.

Ew. What IS this stuff?

Actually, it's kind of good...

More please!

Mini Birthday

Ryanne's grandparents are going to be out of town for her actual birthday, so we did a pre-birthday for her today. She got some presents, went swimming at the indoor pool, and enjoyed some tasty funfetti cake.

Dad's delicious ribs, keeping warm (and safe from Stanley) in the oven

Before you ask, she's two, not one hundred and twenty-one.

I like the look on her face here - "Hmmm...this cake IS good."

Opening a present from Numa and Papa. Why is this funny, you ask? Well, I will tell you. On Thursday, I left for the airport at 1 pm for an overnight away - Mark's first night alone with the kids. Ever. I had been gone for no more than 2 hours when Mark took Stanley out back to potty. Ryanne immediately locked the door behind Mark and either refused or was unable to unlock it. He therefore had to shoulder ram the front door, SWAT team style, until it busted open and he could get inside. So the grandparents thought a present which Ryanne could use to practice opening various lock styles would be useful. Or, more likely, they were mocking Mark.Mark tossing Ryanne through the air. She thought this was great fun.

Alexander puts his feet in the pool for the first time. And someone's legs desperately need some sun.

Mark would take Ryanne and the quadcycle up to the top of the hill, and set her loose, pedaling frantically and laughing hysterically all the way to the bottom. What she lacks in good sense, she makes up for with courage.

Columbia River Fun

Alexander's fortune at dinner today:
"You can breeze through most of the day."

How very true.

I spent last night turning this:

into this:

(Ryanne's birthday present - a new tricycle!)

Even though she isn't 2 until the end of the month, I'm glad I did it last night and didn't wait until the day before her birthday, as it required much frustration and swearing to get this thing together. I already seem to have forgotten my Christmastime resolution to never again ask for or purchase gifts for my children that require me to assemble them.

Little man sleeping.

Little man in his Bumbo sitter, which he loves. I think it is because he can see everything.