Flying Squirrels

 Our local AA baseball team is in the championship series, and Grandma, Grandpa, Mommy, Daddy, and Anderson were all decked out and ready to be Flying Squirrels (yes, Richmond voted on this mascot a couple of years ago) fans for the evening.  Anderson has enjoyed watching Daddy play softball, and he even enjoyed a Babe Ruth 12-yr olds world series game- awake and looking around for most of the game.  Besides, Anderson's daddy had gotten him the littlest Flying Squirrels t-shirt you can buy, so we already knew he would be the CUTEST fan at the game.

While he WAS the cutest fan, he was NOT the happiest.  Turns out that professional games are significantly louder than softball or little league, and it took one good hit by the Squirrels for Anderson to let us know he wanted OUT of there.  Mom and I walked him around behind the stands for a good little while so he could calm down.  We all hated to see him afraid.  We made a couple of attempts back out in the stands before deciding Mom, Anderson, and I would probably all be happier at home getting bedtime started.  Ryan and Dad stuck it out and enjoyed the rest of the game, although the Squirrels lost. 

We did, however, get a couple of good family photos- something we haven't had a lot of yet.  Anderson doesn't even look terrified!  :)

Next year we will be back, and I have a feeling Anderson will love it.  He is an Ives, afterall!

Maymont

Saturday the boys had a fantasy football draft, so Kelly and I decided to take the babies to Maymont.  They were such good babies!


Our first task was to fit both carseats and strollers into one car.  Luckily Kelly's new car was just the right size.  Here are the cuties in the backseat.  They didn't seem to pay each other too much attention, but they were great little companions.

Kelly and I didn't remember Maymont being so hilly, and on a warm September day it felt like quite a workout getting the strollers around.  We settled on doing most of our "sight-seeing" at the Nature Center, which was indoors with a/c.

 

 We saw fish...

And fish saw us! (notice the fish staring at Anderson)

The highlight for me was seeing the otters!  The babies had as much fun watching the kids watching the otters as anything else.

I was sure Anderson loved the otters, and I reached over the stroller to capture his (surely smiling) face while we watched them:

Haha :) He looks uncertain.


Next time (in beautiful fall weather) we'll really get out and about and check out the big animals, like the bears, bison, foxes, and bald eagle!  I'm going to love being out and about this fall.... but with October comes mommy going back to work.... so for now I cherish these hot summer days spent indoors.

CHEESE

 The smiles have begun!!  The first smile was spotted August 8th, but they are now a daily occurrence, and I LOVE it!!

 

 

 

Good Morning

Everyday is different, but most mornings start out about the same way.  I love our mornings, and I know how precious they are.  Soon they will be reserved for weekends and summer break, but for this sweet time in our lives, these mornings are wonderfully normal for Anderson and I. 

This morning...

8 a.m.
After getting me up once in the early morning, Anderson was still asleep when my alarm went off, so I got a few quiet minutes this morning before waking Anderson.  It still seems a little crazy to wake a sleeping baby, but we're working on getting a routine in place.  So when I can help it, our days begin around 8:00. 

 This has proven to be the perfect formula for a sleeping Anderson.  In the "Swaddleme", in the car seat, in the crib (and the green grass grows all around, all around...).

On the changing table working on waking up...

Look at this sweet boy.  He LOVES his sailboat mobile.  It has gotten more sweet smiles than I have at this point, for sure.  So I'm completely jealous but glad he loves it. 

8:20- Breakfast for Anderson, followed by cuddle time.  We love cuddle time!



Some days Anderson falls into another nap at this point, but other days we get play time.  Luckily, this morning he was ready to play.

Story time in our rocking chair...

Ryan built us the book shelf.  :)

And 9:00- play time on the farm mat. 

So that's it... Anderson gives all new meaning to "good morning." 

Meeting Aunt Lauren and Uncle Kyle

The weekend of August 6th and 7th, Lauren and Kyle came to visit us (and by us, I really mean Anderson.)  I think he was a big hit.  We met up with the newlywed Kinderknechts and my parents at Bottom's Up Pizza Saturday afternoon.

We spent the rest of the afternoon out in Montpelier at my parents' house.  We passed around the cute baby and caught up and ate (Mom cooked).  It was a delightful Saturday. 

My mom finally got a turn to hold Anderson that evening, and the rest of us played Monopoly.  As ALWAYS, Lauren and Ryan beat me... and Dad and Kyle this time.  I don't know why I try. ;)

Daddy's biggest fan

I can't help but look forward to all of the baseball games I'll get to watch as Anderson grows up... or swim meets... or concerts... or whatever makes him feels as good as baseball has made Ryan feel throughout his life.  I will watch these boys and be their biggest fan my whole life.

This was actually our second trip to the softball park, but Thursday night the weather was cool enough that Anderson and I could make a night of it.  Next summer, Anderson will be toddling around the park.  This night, he rolled in in style.

We were joined by our BFFs, Kelly and McKenzie to root the team on.  This is perfect since Kelly and my first real conversations took place on these very bleachers :).

This will be easier once Anderson can sit up... or just hold up his head :)



Proud daddies

 Anderson is a grandparent magnet, and before long Grandma and Grandpa joined in on the fun.  We were all very happy to be hanging out on the bleachers for the night.

We must be really good fans because Daddy hit a home run and his team won the championship game in the play offs.  We were so proud! 

Catching up

This month has FLOWN by, and I'm just now figuring out how to do things with one hand (Anderson still prefers to be in the other). So, laundry is slowly but surely getting done, thank you notes are being worked on, and the Blog has begun!  It's only thanks to helpful grandparents that the floor was ever swept and the baby book was ever begun during the first few weeks.  I can't imagine life is planning on slowing down anytime soon, so with this post I'll do my best to catch up, with some of my favorite highlights.

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Anderson is growing! He came home at 5 lbs. 10 oz., and he's been a growing-machine ever since.  Our measurement formula of (mom+Anderson)-mom= 9 lbs. at 1 month. Check out this bath babe at 1 week and at one month:

1 week

1 month

And because these are some of my favorite pics so far, more bath time at one month:

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Anderson loves to snuggle!  It took us about 3 weeks before we figured out how to get him to really sleep without being held.  Now, thanks to the wonderful Summer Swaddleme blanket/ swaddle-things, Anderson is sleeping between 4 - 6 hour stretches (usually for a total of 7 or 8 hours) just about every night.  Hallelujah!  Mommy is much more fun with some sleep.  I hope he's always a cuddle bug.

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Chris, Sarah, and Liam Casson (our cousins) came to meet Anderson.  Liam is such a fun 8 month old- it's amazing how much he can do!  Spending time with them was a great preview to all we have to look forward to.  Here's Liam: 

 Group shot: (Anderson slept just about ALL day the first day of their visit.)

The boys went to a Flying Squirrels game which was ultimately rained out.  That freed up the mommas (including mine) and babies for Hobby Lobby and Red Robin.  Shopping and eating- rain or shine.  :)

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Here are a few more "action shots" of Anderson's daily life.  I'm trying to soak up every minute of these lazy days with Anderson while I can.  Even after nights with little to no sleep (hopefully a thing of the past...?), I know I am so lucky and blessed to be Anderson's mom.