Bem-vindo a Portugal

Ready for the Adventure

Our Portugal adventure has begun. Life here (at least for Leif  and I) is slower. We are adopting the culture, and it feels oh so strange coming from the hustle of life at home. People are relaxed and family oriented, with long meals and breaks in the middle of the day. Everyone has loved Leif and talks and plays with him when we are walking around and playing at the park. He hugs waitresses and people we meet and they give him hugs and kisses on the head (not strange here-I promise!) it is such a kid friendly culture.  There is an amazing kids park and cafe in the park to get an espresso and run around in the sunshine. (Espresso for me, running for Leif) Leif is really loving it here. He is running over the cobblestones, chasing pigeons and finding dogs. Talking constantly and interacting with everyone and everything in his environment.

"Whoa, check this out!"

Leif the Viking

We had a great Halloween, celebrating with cousins at Gigi and Popi's, celebrating with baby friends, and trick or treating with the Burns family. Leif had a great time! Leif wasn't as interested in candy and would instead try to walk into people's houses, pushing past the candy bowl. Our little social butterfly.

At his baby Halloween party he ran around talking and yelling like a viking. He even stood on the first step of the stairs and hung on by the baby gate and yelled down at the other kids. They were just all down there quietly playing on the floor while our bossy little monkey man tried to keep the party going.

He had a blast at Gigi and Popi's and loved seeing his cousins.

Happy First Birthday!

What could be better than a pit of balls for your birthday?

playing in his tunnel and new castle with Pop Pop (there appears to be good hair genes in Leif's future)

Happy Birthday 

blow out your candles

Leif update

Looking at the cover photo I can't believe that that little baby is now such a big boy. For the last week every night after Leif goes to sleep Zan and I have been staring at him saying "he is so big." 

Our guy is walking now. He started taking a few steps at around 10 1/2 months and now is walking like a little drunken sailor all over the place. He loves to wrestle and be held upside down, and tackle you. He mimics the little high pitched yell I do when I play with him and it is hilarious.  One of his favorite games right now is to find Ruby in the house and searches around saying "dog" until he finds her. At the zoo and the fair every animal was a dog. He also loves searching for the wild bunny we have that lives in our yard and feeding him carrots.
 

Leif and his best friend "dog"

At the fair with Mormor...working on horse. They were all "dogs" to Leif

Besides dog he also says dada and mama, bun (for bunny), and ba (ball).

sweetness

playing (which involves a lot of destruction)

cousin love

loves brushing his teeth while we sing the Raffi song (he has 4 teeth)

Gigi got him started on the garlic fries at Mariner's games. He loves 'em

End of summer and so many changes

WHOA! Where did the summer go? From what the blog tells me it was just the 4th of July. Our summer was full of fun and adventures and weddings. LOTS OF WEDDINGS.

First, Emily's wedding. What an amazing weekend of relaxing and celebrating with friends. 

Then Kate's wedding:

Amazing "big city" kid-less wedding

Zan and his ladies

Meghan's international wedding:

diplomacy is exhausting

Finally Matt's gigantic bash

A very happy 4th of July

We had a wonderful 4th of July in Cannon Beach with family and friends. Leif went in the Pacific for the first time, in his stylin' suit and hat. There were parties every night and plenty of fireworks (poor Ruby spent the weekend drugged, and hung over.) A great weekend with lots of kids, laughter, and family time. 

First time in the ocean

                                                          

                                                                            And he's off

Brrrrr

Glorious sun! Ahhh

The ladies loved Leif. Try saying that three times.

Everyone gets their turn to hold Baby Leif

Happy kids

My, Oh My

June 23rd marked Leif's first Mariner's game.  Gigi and Popi drove up for the weekend as a belated Father's day for both Dad and I.  It was a wonderful weekend and great game.  Raul Ibanez hit 2 home runs and Morales hit a 3-run homer in extra innings to beat the Oakland A's.  However, Leif seemed more interested in his Mariner Moose trading card.