Babysitting Corbin!

Kevin and I had been feeling like we don't get enough Corbin time what with living 90 miles away, so we offered to go up to Bellingham this weekend to babysit him. Adam and Erin got some much needed alone time, plus baby-free shopping, dinner, and a movie! Kevin and I got to hang out with our littlest nephew, and he is so much fun!!! We had a blast with him, playing with his trucks, drawing, tickling, learning all kinds of words he knows, eating yummy food, and getting a good love in with him. We even put him to bed, without a single cry!

He pretty much calls me "Mae Mae" which is what most little guys call me, although several times we got him to say "Meghan" after we said it to him a few times. But I like being called Mae Mae, so its great either way! He calls Kevin something like "Kahkee." It sounds a lot like "daddy" which we thought he was saying for awhile since Kevin and Adam look so much alike with their beards, but we finally figured out that he was trying to say "Kevin." I bet after Christmas, he'll have a lot better annunciation. But he definitely knows who we each are, which is really exciting!

He knows so many words, I couldn't possibly list them! He knows things like alligator, octopus, and Santa! Such a smartie!

Busy coloring, he likes to draw lots of circles!

What are you doing with a monkey around your neck? :)

Blueberries! Doesn't he look like such a big boy with his new haircut? :)

Helping Dad make pancakes for breakfast this morning!

We hope to make these trips a more regular thing, he's growing up so quickly, and we love being apart of his life! Thanks for loaning us your kid, Adam and Erin!

When we left, it had just started snowing in Bellingham, and continued to dump until we got to Marysville. There were lots of accidents and cars that had spun off the road, so it took a really long time to drive down, but we made it home safe and sound!

It took so long we actually had to go to a rest stop for a bathroom break! Photo op for snow accumulation!

We got home, had some lunch, and immediately headed off in search of Christmas lights! We got a fancy ladder from Kevin's parents last week, and finally had a chance to put them up today. It took many, many, many stores, but we finally got what we needed, and got them up on the house! We still need a couple strands on the tree at the front of the property, but we are pleased with how it all turned out!

It's Christmas time in full swing at our house! Music going all the time, starting to get into the baking spirit, presents getting wrapped and put under the tree, and enjoying finding little ways to decorate our home! :) Can't believe it's only 12 days away!

Corbin Beach on Vashon

Susan and Mark have rented a cabin on the beach on Vashon Island for the summer, and this weekend we all piled into the cars and headed over for a lovely three day weekend. Susan, Mark, Adam, Erin, Corbin, Neal, his friend Grey, Kevin, and I all enjoyed the lovely weather, and the awesome little cabin. Some of these pictures are from the last time Kevin and I went over, which I never got around to blogging about!

The cabins were built in the 1940's, and are wonderfully rustic! It was like a real cabin getaway!

This is the bicycle in the tree on Vashon. 'Nuf said!

There is a fantastic lighthouse on the south end of the island, and we got to go inside and look at the Fresnel lens up close!

Visiting a sweet little produce stand

Our little beach bum!

Mark, master griller!

Of course there were games!

And beer and friends!

Whoops, ran out of room in the cabin, so Kevin and I pitched our tent next door!

Cool teepee!

Learned how to play horseshoes, and I'm not half bad! But boy are my triceps sore!

Gotta love the Corbin faces!

It was a great way to spend time with the family! Tomorrow, Kevin, Adam, Neal, and I are headed down to Portland to see the Sounders play the Timbers for the US Open Cup. Hopefully we won't get beat up or have any beer thrown at us. Go Sounders!

Corbin's birthday and Father's Day

Saturday Adam and Erin had Corbin's 1st birthday party in Bellingham. It was quite the celebration, with almost 40 people there to enjoy our little guy, eat some grub, play some lawn games, and watch the mayhem of present opening! It was a fabulous party, well done guys!

Erin made 3, count 'em, 3 cakes! Yowza! They all turned out lovely, and were in the monkey theme for our little monkey!




Corbin let me hold him a little, but not much! He is very independent, especially now that he is a walker!

But there were plenty of other babies around for me to get my snuggles in with! This is Corbin's buddy Baylor, who is one of the cutest little guys I've ever met! He has an excellent smile, and is just a little wibble wobbler!

Present time! Corbin got all kinds of great loot, books and puzzles and stacking toys, push and pull toys, and some cute shirts!


Onto the cake! He was so cute, he stuck his hand in the cake frosting, and did not really like the way it felt, so he kept trying to shake it off!

Edie examines her frosting laden hands

I think I like frosting, maybe???

Yeah, I love frosting!

What a great first birthday, Corbin Dean! It was so fun celebrating with him! That night, Kevin and I slept out in our tent in Adam and Erin's yard, and listened to the crazy rain all night long! It was actually kind of nice to sleep out, even though I wasn't too excited about it at first!

The next day we celebrated Father's Day with the Bellingham/Bainbridge/Bend dads, with a scrumptious breakfast and catching up on the Sounders game that was on during the party.

Corbin tries out some of his new toys! Can't wait to see him out helping in the garden with his wheel barrow!

My parents got him the lawnmower popper, it was a big hit, as we knew since Jackson loves his!

Yay Sounders ball! Kevin and I got him this, plus some new books and a cute little t-shirt!

The men watch the replay of the Sounders game, Corbin is very into it! Ha!

"What do you mean, another tie!?!"

Drinking away his sorrows?

Bubbles make everything better!

Kids with their dads!

What a nice visit! We headed back down to Seattle, and then Kevin and I jetted over to Issaquah to celebrate the papas on my side of the family! We met my parents, Matthew, Terri, Nate, and Jackson, and my sister Lauren and brother Nick for dinner at a great steak house! It was delicious, and so nice to get to see my dad a little for Father's Day! It was a great, albeit short, little visit!

Could they look any more alike?!

Jackson decided that the only thing he wanted to eat was lemons! And provided us with some great faces to giggle at!

Hooray for another fun filled weekend! Thanks to all the dads in my life, for being a great dad to me, and great dads to all the little men in my life! You are all wonderful!