I am too tired to even type. Ian is teething.

We took turns over the weekend trying to console him. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't.

Aching gums, runny nose, drool, loss of appetite, slow quiet whimper: you name it Ian has it. I am not sure whose idea it was, but Ian finally cracked a smile when we wrapped him in a towel and let him suck on an ice cube.

Cherry Blossoms and Sunshine

Ian, Pippin, and I were flying solo last week while Tim traveled to California to play golf and attend a work retreat. We are still very jealous that he got to see Grandmamma and Grandpappa, the pacific ocean, and the gorgeous cypress trees. The Cherry Blossoms just so happened to bloom while Tim was away which he was very bummed about but I am sure got over quickly. My mom came down to help out for a few days while I attended a FEC conference (incredibly stimulating :) It was wonderful! She cleaned all of my floors and even my microwave (something I have been putting off for awhile)!!!

One evening we hiked all the way from the Capitol to the Tidal Basin to see the Cherry Blossoms. It took us 3 hours and by the end Ian and Pippin had had enough but it was well worth it for me and my mom.

We then headed up to PA to spend some time with family and celebrate Abigail's 24th birthday. The weekend was gorgeous and we spent most of the time outside.

Ian turns 9 months this week. He inches his way around, pulls himself up, and has learned how to sit back down again (only after many bruises on the back of his head though). Still no teeth but he sure does love to chew on everything and anything.

Bump in a Hot Pink Dress

Kristen's baby shower was last weekend. It was perfect! let me set the mood for you...

bright orange and hot pink....two dining room tables end to end....ikea table linens...gorgeous flowers...sit down luncheon...cream of asparagus soup...salmon nicoise salad...pelegrino....sparkling grapefruit juice...champagne...girls, baby, and gifts....oh, and cupcakes that I made!!!!

Ian and his veggies

Ian loves his veggies. Every week we wait anxiously for our box of organic produce to come. The green grocer drops off the box on Thursday mornings. Ian, Pippin, and I approach the box rubbing our hands together.,"I wonder what the green grocer has brought us this week." I like finding new veggies to cook with and for baby food. Pippin likes sniffing the box after the veggies have been transfered to other storage. Ian likes climbing on the box and gnawing on the cabbage. We all have our fixes.

We are back! Playa del Carmen was amazing. The beaches, the water, the town...EVERYTHING was just what we needed. According to my Mom Ian did great without us- although I suspect we will never know the real story.

The day we returned our tenant moved out of our basement. We have decided to make it into a gym, office, and guest quarters so this last week was full of cleaning, painting, and furnishing the basement. It is almost ready for all of you to come and visit! The carpet is going in next weekend and then it will all be ready!

We are so excited to be back with Ian and Pippin, and to have the extra space in our house. We took A LOT of pictures over the last couple of days. It seems like every day Ian does something new. He is now inching his way all around the house. He loves to climb into his activity play center. He loves cords and plugs- go figure! He has started pulling himself up on the stairs, but only made it to stair number one. I walked into his nursery the other night for his nightly feeding and he was standing up in his crib!!! I was stunned. I guess it is time for the baby proofing to begin.

A New Sweater!!!

Ian got a package from Grandpa and Nina today! It was the first time he really seemed to enjoy opening up a present. He played with the wrapping, ribbon, and tissue paper for quite some time and loved the crinkling noise that the tissue paper made. Thank you Grandpa and Nina!!! We love you and miss you tons!

ABCs

Tim's Grandmom Chapman , also known to Ian as Grandmama, made Ian a quilt when he was born. Actually, she made it months before Ian was born and before she even knew I was pregnant, in hopes that a great grandchild would be born. We decided to hang the quilt in Ian's room. He absolutely loves it. Every morning and evening we lay on the bed under the quilt and sing our ABCs. He loves looking up at all the colorful letters. Enjoy the video- and please excuse Ian's nose and outfit. It was just one of those days.

Here are pictures of Ian when he was only 2 weeks old receiving the quilt. I can't believe he has grown so much so fast.

Recently we have been spending a lot of quality time at home as a family. I am not sure if it is the sickness that has infiltrated our house, our desire to stay in out of the cold, or the fact that we are trying to save money so that we can spend it all on our basement when we take it back in March, but we have not gone out in a REALLY long time. I have also been working a ton lately so every moment Ian is napping, I am at my lap top. Oh, and we got P90X and have been slaving away to get beach bodies before we go to Mexico next week. Luckily I have had some play dates with Jamie and Isaac, and a drink with Kathleen to get me out of the house. And luckily for Ian we have a front load washing machine and a bathtub!

It has been a rough last two weeks. I am not going to lie. First I got the flu, then Ian got the flu, then Ian got the stomach flu, then Tim got the flu...and really, that I could all handle, but then I got the stomach flu, and then Pippin got the stomach flu, and finally Tim got the stomach flu. It was rough. There were a couple bright spots in those two weeks though- especially when my sister Sally, her husband Seth, and their two kids Cate and Will came to visit. We had such a special time. Ian loved having two other kids around the house and spent most of his time staring at them and especially watching his older cousin Will walk all over the house. We spent a windy day at the monuments and on the National Mall. We also went to zoo, which was where Ian first got sick. Sally and I (with Seth's help) made beef bourginoin and profiteroles for the guys for Valentines Day. We took several neighborhood walks to the park and daydreamed about Sally and Seth moving to DC.

Ian at Seven Months

Ian, as of February 8th, is now seven months old. I really can't believe it. Time has gone by so quickly. As I always say though, this is my favorite stage yet. I can actually make Ian smile, I know where he is ticklish, and he responds to my funny faces and noises. Although not quite crawling, Ian loves spending time rolling around on the floor. He currently moves backwards, not forwards, so I often find him under the couch or bed. Ian's new favorite food is Cynda's mom's applesauce. He loves it. He finished an entire container in less than a week. I am trying to supplement with store bought applesauce but I know it just isn't the same. Mrs. Worthington's was a pink color and smelled so fresh!

Ian's new favorite toy is the washing machine. I now know why we have a front load washing machine. I used to hate it. Now I love it. I place Ian in the johnny jump up in front of the washing machine and he is good to go for the entire cycle. Talk about multi-tasking. Amazing!

The biggest highlight of Ian's day is when his dad comes home from work. If he was crying, he stops. If he was cranky, he puts on a happy face. He loves to sit on the bed and watch Tim walk around the bedroom, hang up his tie, and change clothes. It is fascinating.

Ian Finally Meets a Stewart!!!

Last Monday, Ian finally met a Stewart. We were so excited when we heard that Laurel Stewart, Tim's cousin from his mom's side, had an interview in DC. She stayed with us for a night and got to meet Ian. We had a great time catching up and hearing how all the Stewart's are doing. Laurel is such a smart beautiful girl who is currently a senior at UNC. We hope she lands a job in the DC area!!!!