An early start to big guns...

Although I've always thought Braden was a strong little boy, this has take it to a whole different level! I set some 2lb hand weights next to him and I thought he would take an interest in them, but I did not expect this! He is definately his father's child! He is apparently anxious to have big muscles like his dad...

I love this face...like he is gritting his gums to complete the next set of curls...one...two...three....

It's like he is flexing for the picture! Look at those beefy little forearms! Braden's also making attempts at crawling lately. He sits there playing and reaches over for a toy out of reach as far as he can until he gets onto his hands and knees...
and then the following happens...

He sure is a cute little poser though!

Happy 4th of July and Go Mariners!

We had a great 4th of July with my parents and Megan and Paul. Summer dinners on the porch are the best and the fireworks were spectacular from the boat! This is also Justin and I's fourth anniversary of our first date. It's been the best 4 years ever!

Braden had a great time!

Grilled chicken, mom's famous potato salad, grilled pineapple...need I say more?

All of us out on the boat

There was even a beautiful sunset for us!

Braden also took his first bus ride and went to his first Mariners game!

He LOVED the view on the bus and LOVED not having to be strapped down in his carseat!

GO MARINERS!

Father and Son bonding time...

My great parents!

This was my first time ever seeing Ken Griffey Jr. play live! Woohoo! We love Griffey!

A visit with Great Great Aunt Zoe!

This is Zoe! I have been waiting the last three years to meet her. Zoe is Justin's grandma's sister...so I think that makes her Braden's great great aunt. Maybe just one great...I don't know, but either way she is a lot of fun and spunk! Everybody loves Zoe and tells great and fun stories about her energy and love for life so I have always wanted to meet her and I finally got my chance! And it was most definately all true. Zoe is like a role model for all of us of how we want to be when we get older. She is 86 and 1/2 years old (she made a joke about how when you are really young and when you are really old you always add the 1/2 to your age...whether your 1 1/2 or 86 1/2, that half a year is a big deal!). She is here for the summer so I'm hoping we'll get to see her a few more times. She is full of spunk and energy - and loves to dance. She told us that is how she hopes to go out of this world...dancing. She went para-sailing for the first time to celebrat her 80th b-day, and in the last few years has been on Dancing with the Stars, the Price is Right (and even got called down on stage!), and danced with Billy Ray Cyrus for a minute between commercial break on the Ellen Degeneres show. Anyway, she has an amazing love for every moment of life and all the family is hoping that when we all grow up we will be like Aunt Zoe! :)

We had a picnic at the park in Steilacomm by the beach and spent the evening with her. Braden had a great time with her and pretty much sat in her lap and played and danced with her all night.

Grandpa and baby Kylee

Addi had a great time playing on the playground and going down the slide! She did not want to leave and I think she would have been happy to slide all night long if we had let her.

Uncle 'Skagk" (or Zach) is the best!

play time...

6 months old!

I can't believe it, but Braden is 6 months old! These are some of my favorite pictures of him. He gets more fun by the day and is so amazing! He love to laugh and play games with us all, most of all peek-a-boo. He already is really good at making a machine gun sound, and says da-da-da all the time. (He used to say ma-ma-ma, but then da-da took over and we haven't heard it since! I'm excited to hear it come back!) He is a good little sleeper, loves to be outside, is curious about everything, loves to stand and walk with his hands held and has zero fear of falling. Anytime he sees something he wants he dives for it. It makes him hard to hold, but a lot of fun. If he's standing and holding onto one of our hands, he simply lets go to reach down for what he wants. I think we may have a little daredevil on our hands...well I guess actually that would make two of them counting Justin. :)

Anyway, we love our little guy, that's for sure! And he's got us all wrapped around his little finger!