15, going on 16

This week Marley had his 15 month well-baby check up, and his follow-up with the OT at Swedish. It was a busy and exhausting day, but we're happy to report that Mars is perfect! As if we didn't know that already:)

The OT says that his gross motor, fine motor, and cognitive development are all within the normal range. He did a great job showing off his skills by picking up small objects, climbing stairs, and of course - walking all over the place!

At his well-baby check up he got weighed on the grown up scale, fully clothed for the first time. He now tips the scales at 25 lbs, the 55th percentile! And he is 32.5 inches tall - the 83rd percentile! (No, that's not a typo.)

He did great with his vaccinations, only crying for a minute, and even smiling at the nurse and waving "bye-bye" to her afterward. We couldn't be more proud!

Just Act Natural

Boy. Not only am I getting lazy with posting on the blog, I'm also getting lazy with taking pictures. These videos, taken last Sunday, were the most recent things I could come up with. Not to make excuses for myself, but part of the problem (as you will see) is that Mars is very interested in the camera. What usually ends up happening is that he is doing something incredibly cute, I run to get the camera, he sees me with the camera, stops what's he's doing, and comes over to have a closer look.

In this case, Marley and I were playing a lively game of chase. He was laughing hysterically as he tried to "run" away from me. In the first video attempt, he sees the camera right away. The second time I got smart and started recording when his back was to me. But, I think he sensed something was amiss and turned to investigate. In the last video see a bit more action, mainly from behind. Perhaps this is the only way you'll be seeing Mars from now on. Good thing his little tushy is so cute!

Two Weeks Later: Walking Update

I can't believe Marley has only been walking for a couple of weeks! While there's still a great deal of falling down (he currently has a black and blue knot on his forehead from a run in with the coffee table) we've also seen some definite improvements. The weather today was perfect for playing at the park. This is Marley's second playground of the day. Walking is fun!

Future Star Pupil

Future Trouble Maker

Future Star Teacher

Future Trouble Maker

It's official!

Well, it's not yet the preferred mode of transport (as witnessed by the second video), and it doesn't happen across large (> 3 feet) distances. It's still pretty shaky with lots of falling down, BUT it's official: MARLEY'S WALKING!

Without You

Without You by Sarah Weeks is the touching tale of a baby emperor penguin who huddles in the cold with his father waiting for his mother to return from sea. I ordered it, along with several other books, from Scholastic this month (you know it's becoming a problem when I buy more books than my students do...altogether).

I flipped through the book during my planning time when the order arrived at school the other day, and found myself sobbing uncontrollably by the end. Throughout the book the following refrain is repeated:


Where would I be,
What would I do,
Who in the world would see me through?
Where would I be,
What would I do,
Without you?



This part, in particular, really got me:

I know that she's somewhere out there without us.
But I've got to believe she's thinking about us.
She'll come back to you and me soon,
You'll see...

*sniff*

Of course when I shared the book with Jeff, tears welling up in my eyes, he replied, "Jeez, it's not like you're out there being chased by whales or anything."

Thanks, Dear.

Rockaway Beach, OR

The House


The View

The Beach



The Tide Pools


The Bike Rides


The Hiking


The Farm


The Family



The Friends