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Crusin' The Halls

"Thanksmas" Cruise

We spent Thanksgiving with the Wulff family this year and they really know how to celebrate the holidays! First of all, we combined Christmas with Thanksgiving and dubbed it "Thanksmas." Second, we selected a location that was beautiful and tropical, the Southern Caribbean. Third, we brought together Wulffs from around the globe. Then we put it all together on a cruise with lots of good food and drink. We had a FABULOUS time! Here are a few pictures from the trip...Bex and Grandma sharing a good laugh.
Bex in paradise (Half Moon Cay) with grandma and grandpa.

One of the cool towel sculptures they put in our room each night.

A bunch of Wulffs....and a couple of Crutchfields in Martinique.

Bex meets Uncle Jerry (or Grunkle, in his words) for the first time. Looks like they are easy friends.
Uncle Matt and B. Chillin.

We saw turtles on Barbados...lots of them. BTY I have wanted to go to Barbados since I was about 13 years old. Someone showed me a picture of a beach with a palm tree and told me it was Barbados. I decided then and there that I was going to move to Barbados!
Beckett taking in the scene...
I've said it before and I'll say it again. Daddy is soooooooooooooo funny!

Here we are on Martinique. I got this stroller for the trip and I LOVE it! CityMini

Beckett was a hit with the 9 year old girls!

Bex n Grandpa Wulff. I love this picture!

Building Buddies

There were two babies that were born within two weeks of Beckett and the three of them have become good buddies. We met their parents while we were all still expecting. Two of us had the same due date and were both expecting boys. The little girl was due a couple of weeks earlier. This is Sweet E. She has been a quick learner and was standing well before either of the boys. She loves to be with her mom and watch the boys from a safe distance.
This is C-Dude with Beckett. He was the first to crawl and is super speedy! He was born the same day as Sweet E, even though his due date was the same as Beckett's. I was VERY envious when his mom was holding her sweet baby in her arms and I was still sooooooo pregnant!
We get together with the babies every week or so and go to the building's Play Room. there are lots of fun things to crawl on (and in) there. Bex is having a super time with his building buddies!

Sharky Haloween

Beckett was a shark for Halloween this year. He looked super cute in his ocean blue costume. We had a little party in our building. I was surprised to meet about 12 babies that are within a year of Bex. Seems that everyone here is in the same phase of life that we are. Condo. Dog. Baby. We started a play group on Fridays. Suddenly Bex has lots of little buddies around. :)

Clap Clap and Kiss

Baby Bear in the Woods

Everyone talks about how beautiful the fall is on the East coast and I must admit that even though it means winter is looming around the corner, it is really quite spectacular to see the leaves turn from a vibrant green to vivid reds and oranges.A friend of our was celebrating her birthday at a cabin in the Shenandoah mountains and invited us to come. We loaded the baby and the dog into the car and set out on the two hour drive up to the mountains. It was a really pretty drive and the leaves were just starting to change. We go there quickly and were welcomed with open arms and a warm meal. We ate good food and soaked in the hot tub on the back deck while the rain poured down. Inside was a cozy fire place and lots of fun games to play.

The next morning we got up, ate a hearty breakfast and went for a walk down to the river. Both Miles and Beckett love playing outside and they were thrilled be out in the woods taking in the fresh air and beautiful scenery. Miles went about his business of "claiming" trees, always careful to spread the love to as many trees as possible.

Beckett got to wear his cool winter coat that Uncle M and Aunt E got for him (thanks guys!). He looks so cute dressed up as a little bear. I couldn't stop taking pictures.

We both had fun playing on the swing out front. It was a super fun weekend and I'm so glad we got to spend a little time in the woods playing with good friends.

Beckett "Talking"

Comando Crawl

This is Beckett's strategy for crawling:

Pull with bent right arm.

Reach with outstretched left arm.

Push continuously with feet.

Mission accomplished.

New York Weekend

Ryan had a work trip in New York and we decided it would be fun to tag along. I've been to New York a few times before, but never in the summer and never with a baby. It was an entirely new experience and I had a great time.

We rode the train from DC to NYC, a first for both Beckett and I. We had a lot of space to spread out and enjoy the ride although the scenery was not as picturesque as I imagined it might be. Beckett had a lot of fun smiling at all the people sitting around us. He is a very social little boy.

Ryan had to work for most of the first day so Beck and I went out on our own. We strolled all around the town and through Central Park. I was impressed with all of the fun activities there were on a Saturday afternoon in the park. We stopped to listen to a swing band play, watched people canoe on the little lake and played games on the lawn while people around us picnicked and flew kites. The weather was beautiful and I enjoyed every second of our time there. I can totally understand why people love New York so much now.

The next day Ryan was available to play so we decided to go out to Ellis Island. Neither of us had ever been there before so we hopped in a cab (after walking about 20 blocks) and made our way out to the port. The sun was shining as we boarded a boat full of tourists wearing foam Statue of Liberty crowns. It was perfect! We had great views of the city from the water. It's crazy to see of of those buildings smashed onto such a tiny island! It really give you a different perspective of the city.

The Statue of Liberty was really quite impressive. We walked all the way around her and took pictures from every angle.
I'd never seen a picture of the back of the Statue of Liberty....

Ain't she beautiful!

Three Babies

Sweetwater

I've been looking forward to this trip for months! Sweetwater, Bear Lake!!!! We used to go there with my cousins every year over Labor Day weekend. We'd swim till we were water logged and then run wild on the lawn chasing after water balloons. Every evening we'd get together and eat something delicious and beg to sleep over at each other's condos. It was the BEST! We hadn't been back to Bear Lake in 15 years and I'm happy to say that the place was mostly the same....although they call it Ideal Beach now. We're all a lot more grown up that we used to be. The last time I went to Bear lake was 15 years ago...I was in middle school and I remember hunting for boys with my cousin J. Now both J and I have kids and our experience was totally different but somehow just as fun. It was cool to see our kids playing the same games that we used to play.

I was surprised at how much Bex enjoyed the water. The lake is a bit chilly, but he didn't seem to mind. He loved slapping his little hands at every wave that lapped up on his feet.

Auntie M and cousin Bren even took Bex for a "ride" on the wave runner. That thing was WAY fun. I couldn't stop myself from screaming with glee as we zipped across the water.

Cool boys with their shades. I don't know how to make it strait on this thing....help??

Here are Dan and Meg looking hot at the pool. It was so fun to play with the whole family!

Playing at the beach. I've found that it is much easier to carry a 20+ lb baby on your shoulders!

Here we are with baby L, one of Bex's little cousins.

Johnny Saucer

These are a couple of Beckett's favorite toy..... We actually got them from a random stranger we met at Target. (I'm still getting used to the impromptu conversations we seem to attract...especially when traveling with a baby AND a dog). I was looking at jumpable toys and asked the mom next to me what her recommendations were. She suggested the "Exersaucer" and the "Johnny Jumper". After chatting for a bit she mentioned that she had a couple of extras that her kids had grown out of and asked if I wanted them. Score! This is the Exer-saucer. He really gets a kick out of the butterfly for some reason. I love this toy because it contains & entertains him so that I can get a few minutes to do chores around the house.
I have a vague memory of the neighbor girl jumping in one of these contraptions when I was a kid. I remember thinking that it looked really fun and I wished that I was small enough to use it. It's basically a baby seat attached to a bungee cord that hooks to a door frame. Simple and yet so awesome. It's his FAVORITE hobby!

This is Bex very first time in the jumper. He's a natural.....

Funny Daddy

Stink Face

 

Beckett discovered a new expression this month.  We call it his "stink face".  He does it when he gets frustrated which is usually associated with him getting tired.  He doesn't actually cry or anything.  He just huffs and puffs and makes this face.  We laugh so hard each time he does it that he's now starting to pull the face just to get a reaction out of us.  It works every time!

 

Beckett Discovers Miles

Pretty Fish

We went to the Monterey Bay Aquarium when we were in California.  I wasn't sure if Beckett would be old enough to appreciate it but as it turned out, he was rather captivated by the floating fish. 
Beckett with Grandpa Wulff taking in all the sights at the kelp tank.  This was the first tank that we visited and he was mesmerized.  

Father and son contemplating the meaning of life....

They had a very cool jelly fish exhibit.  We were all enthralled by the rhythmic movements of the sea jellies.  I would like to have a giant jelly fish tank in my house.  

Beckett with Grandmpa Wulff at the kelp tank.  There was a guy in the tank feeding the fish, but Beckett was more interested in the swaying kelp.

Ryan and his dad.  Two peas in a pod.