This past weekend was spent having fun in the sun at Boot Lake with the Grizzly Beros! It was definitely worth the long drive… we enjoyed fireside chats, delicious meals, scotcharoos (thanks, Grandma!), kiddie cocktails, the best grapes ever, boat rides, kayak trips, nature walks, and conversations with Ms. Patty and Mr. Bill (they tell the best stories)! The only thing missing was the paperwork for me and my parents to become permanent residents at Camp Bero. Life sure is good there!

Camp Bero

Fire roasted vegetables!

Fireside with Aunt Carrie

Me & Dad

Hanging out with Ms. Patty

Lazy morning with Uncle Matt & Aunt Carrie

Checking out the lake with dad

Out for a 4.5 mile walk

Soaking up the sun with the gang

Beach (slumber) party!

Me, dad and my wet suit

Rockin’ the dock with mom

Splish splash, this is not as warm as my bath

Mom & Dad kayaking

Aunt Carrie’s got skills

And Uncle Matt’s pretty good too

Me and the momma

Dad is in the background jumping off a raft

How do you like my turtle hat!?

Booze cruise…

…complete with snacks!

How cute are we?!

Dad’s helping Ms. Patty cut up vegetables

Aunt Carrie & Uncle Matt making a delicious peach crisp!

…with the best Georgia peaches. Yummers!

Dad caught this bass while kayaking!

Cheese!

Mr. Bill

Cuties!

Babysitting Ms. Patty while my parents are on the kayak

Neat gift idea, Aunt Carrie!

Beach buddies

I love my Aunt Carrie!

But I don’t want to go home.

Surprise Happy Birthday, Lisa Heise! It’s always fun to celebrate you! And you’re welcome for the snuggles. Let’s do it again sometime!

Surprise birthday lunch!

Me and Lisa

Me and Sydney

Photo bombers

Photobombers again

Cake time!

The cake’s on fire!!

All smiles

Wonder WoMatt

Me & Patrick

Well, mom and I survived our first day at daycare, and let’s just say one of us did better than the other. Mom lingered a little bit while she dropped me off, but she eventually managed to leave the premises. I heard her come visit me over the lunch hour, but I pretended to be sleeping because it’s not cool to hang out with your mom when you’re trying to make new friends. She got the hint after a while, and reluctantly walked out the door. But 15 minutes later, she was back. Oh boy! (Just call me irresistible.) This time, I threw a blanket over my head so she couldn’t find me. I think it worked because she went back to her office and didn’t return until the end of the day. By 4:30 p.m. I was back in my mom’s arms, safe, unharmed and all in one piece! I greeted her with a smile and then we hugged for a moment, and just like that, all was right with the world. Hopefully she’ll remember that when we do this all over again tomorrow.

Preparing for daycare = frowny face

Making the trip to La Crosse

Arriving at Daycare

Here I am with my teachers!

This doesn’t look like the Babysitters Club

Pretend sleeping – Take 1

Pretend sleeping – Take 2

Tummy time with my teachers

Daycare wasn’t so bad!

Reunited and it feels so good!

I showed mom and dad my first real giggle today! It’s hilarious to let out a deep belly laugh. First I giggled, then mom started, and soon dad was laughing too. It’s contagious! I wish my parents would have captured it on video… you probably would have laughed too. Maybe next time?! Laughter sure is the best medicine!

If you’re looking for me tomorrow, I’ll be at daycare. Please check on mom to make sure she doesn’t have a meltdown.

Mom and Dad took me to UW-Platteville for a walk down memory lane. This is the place where dad fell deeply in love with momma! It’s the best thing that ever happened to him (so the story goes). I hope to find a love so great someday. Thanks, UW-P, for the role you played in creating my loving family!

The big M

Dobson Hall – where mom lived during her 2nd year

This is the place where mom & dad met

This is where mom & Aunt Kowee pretended to lift weights (while the rest of the soccer team actually did)

Bo Ryan (current UW Madison men’s basketball coach) coached here at UW-P first!

The library… where dad studied a lot (while the graphic designers were having fun)

Pioneer Family!

This is the building that mom had most classes in

This building was not around back in the day

Some of the 2014 tornado damage

Mom’s old house!

Visiting Gretchen & Koty’s farm was fun! What a beautiful, peaceful place to call home. We toured their property, went wine tasting, enjoyed the outdoors, and just took advantage of some good, quality family time. Thanks for the memories, Gretchen & Koty. Let’s make this an annual camping adventure?!

Whoa… who is that behind us?

The great room

Me & Gretch!

View from the road

Barns put me to sleep

He looks sheepish!

Me & my dad

Little birdies!

Hangin’ with Aunt Julie & Uncle Cory

Making new friends

Cortney (Miss Piggy!)

Snoozin’ with Grandma

Our campsite (in the driveway)

What’s up?

Me & Ellen

The Goodenough boys!

Cortney’s dragonfly memorial

Reading Consumer Reports with Dad

Happy!

Cheers!

Wine tasting with Krissa

Cortney-assisted nap time

Mom and I decided to attend one last New Mom & Baby Group before maternity leave ends. We met up with Aunt Mahruq and cousin Sonia there! There were lots of new little faces, but my favorite one to look at was Sonia’s. I had a lot of fun showing off my strong neck and tummy time skills… until the face plant happened. Luckily the only thing bruised was my ego.

Today mom and dad took me to the doctor for my well child check-up. Doc says I’m healthy and cute! At 3.5 months, I weighed in at 13 lbs and 11 ounces, which puts me in the 40th percentile for weight. At 25 inches long, I scored around the 64th percentile for height/length. My peanut head, however, was only in the 12% range. Whoops! Still, Doc says all my numbers look good; I’m growing big and strong! He even said I can try solid foods in a couple weeks if I want. He suggested starting with rice cereal or vegetable/fruit baby food, but I was thinking more along the lines of chocolate cake! So, that’s the good news. The bad news came when the nurse decided I was due for more shots. First she was all nicey-nicey, telling me how everything would be okay, and then BAM! …She stuck a needle in each of my legs. Ouch!! Someone needs to tell her that is no way to make friends. Luckily I survived, but I overheard mom and dad make an appointment for a 6 month check-up?! I’m either staying home next time or demanding that we get switched to a nurse who isn’t armed with needles.

This past Sunday we cruised along the mighty Mississippi River! There were bumps, splashes, rainstorms and all sorts of risky business… not quite the lazy river I grew fond of in the Dells, but fun nonetheless. It was also the second consecutive river trip we braved without ketchup! Hamburgers and brats without condiments?! …We sure are thrill seekers! And of course, no river trip is complete without a stop at Pizza Corral. Yummers! I’m not sure if their pizza is anything to brag about, but the milk was just what I ordered! (…Through a demanding, yet cute, whimper.) Which begs the question, why isn’t it named the Milk Corral?

The beginning of this week started out with a bang, as I spent today and yesterday hanging out with the Babysitters Club again. (Good times!) Tomorrow I have my 4-month check up and then we’re going to meet with my daycare provider on Thursday. Finally, we will take our thrill-seeking selves to Platteville for the weekend to visit Gretchen and Koty!

Stay tuned to read updates from those adventures…

Me & Ash

Me & momma!

Cortney, the sand mermaid

Not my best smile

Me & Grandma Goodenough

Story time!

Me & Aunt Julie

Dad photo-bombing my selfie

Me and my strong neck

Our ride!

A day on the river = exhaustion!