The end of summer is here, and so my excuse has run out! It is time to give an update on our family adventures of the past couple months. Summer flew by this year. It feels like we just keep running out of time! But we had a wonderful summer with lots of changes. We went to the beach, swimming, almost every park in a 10 mile radius, the zoo, hiking...anything that was outside, we did it. Especially if there was lots of space for running. Stratton became a big, big boy with his 3rd birthday, just check out his muscles!
Dashell is trying as hard as he can to keep up with his high speed brother. He started crawling at right about the 6 month mark in June, and has been picking up speed ever since. He can climb stair, pulls up to stand on everything, tries walking behind his push wagon and shows off a definite feisty side. We have started to call him Mr. Furious. He is either completely laid back and happy, or completely out of control angry. I have never seen such a temper in such a small package. Lucky for us he is happy most of the time. Here is a picture of him showing off how he feels about the dog spraying dirt in his face. You never have to guess how he is feeling- he lets you know loud and clear.
We also went to Idaho to visit the Neibaurs for a couple weeks at the end of July. We had a great time going to the zoo, water skiing, climbing on tractors, looking for huckleberries, and playing outside. Stratton was in heaven. He loved the farm and all the tractors even more this time than last year.
Lucky me, while we were there, I got a nasty case of giardia from water skiing. Unfortunately, I kept thinking I would get better and put off going to the doctor for over a month. On the other hand, giardia can really speed up losing baby weight! But I just finished my antibiotics yesterday and should be in the clear now. How I can have grown up playing in Alaskan lakes every day each summer and not get giardia until now from one water skiing day in Idaho, I can't explain. But it has made the last 6 weeks interesting to say the least. I am looking forward to feeling good again and having enough energy to keep up with the boys!
The boys are already trouble when they are together. Stratton tells me all the time how much he loves his brother. I thought 8 months was a little young to start wrestling, but apparently not. Nothing makes Dash laugh harder than Stratton steam rolling him. After their naps most days, Stratton and Dashell will play in Stratton's room and Stratton will tell me that it is "boy time" so I'm not allowed. I do count my blessings that they get along and love each other, but I can only imagine what chaos they will create together as they get older. They do pretty well individually, so a combined effort should be incredible! Anyways, that is just a quick summary of our last couple of months. Now we are back to life at full speed. We only wish for more hours in the day.
