IAC annual picnic

So today we headed north for about an hour to the IAC Annual Summer Picnic. There was a good crowd this year but we missed all our south bay buddies! We got lucky in the raffle and won a huge water gun and two massive tubs of bubbles. Eoin had his first experience of a bouncy castle and loved it! He also had tons of fun painting and generally running around everywhere.

Now what?

The video says it all!

Another ear infection

Eoin spiked a fever last night after gymnastics and it kept climbing all night so I took him to the doctors this morning and sure enough he had another ear infection and a fever of 104.7

We've got a 10 day supply of amoxicillin so hopefully that will cure things and we are alternating Tylenol and Motrin to control the fever.

This visit did give us a chance to check his growth again. I don't know why I am surprised when they tell me he is taller every time we visit but Eoin now stands at a cool 3ft tall and weighs 30 lbs 3oz. So in other words for his age he is HUMONGOUS! But so so cute!

Daddy's car is lots of fun...

...especially when you get to honk the horn lots!

Lizards and Climbing

Memorial Day Fun

We've had a great Memorial Day vacation. It was so good to have Andy home for a long weekend. This morning we went for a short hike and then later we headed over to our friends the Demers for a BBQ. Eoin had so much fun in their huge back yard. He spent most of his time playing basketball and climbing on their play structure.

Basketball

In the last few weeks Eoin has become fascinated with basketball. He tries so hard to throw the ball up into the hoop. If he keeps growing like he is now then he'll make a great basketball player!

Slide fun

Neighborhood Park Pot Luck

Now that the evenings are lovely and warm we are enjoying Friday evenings at our local park by getting together with our neighbors and doing a pot luck (huge thanks to Jen for organizing every week).

Eoin looks forward to the pizza the most and usually chows down a whole slice. Today he also ate a corn dog too!

19 months old

Ok so what has changed in this last month. Well Eoin is developing a little bit (more) of an attitude! Guess that's just part of almost being two. But for the most part Eoin seems to have had a great month and is normally a beaming happy kid. He is still into everything and the higher something is the more fun it is to try and scale it and then jump of it.

New things for him this month are a love of basketball and Caillou.

Eoin is working hard on his four canine teeth and so eating is a little hit or miss but he will never turn down fruit oh and he seems to have gotten over his dislike of bananas.

Eoin continues to be able to tell us when he has pooed and he is starting to be able to tell when he has peed so I'm hoping we can start the potty training at the end of the summer (I don't want to do it before as we spend most of our time at the park).

Eoin is still tall and strong and very much a little boy!

First Dental Appointment

Eoin had his first ever dental appointment today with Dr Ann Lee. It went really well despite Eoin not being too inclined to open his mouth wide. Eoin loved the waiting room which was full of jungle animals and trains. Dr Lee cleaned Eoin's teeth and then did a fluoride treatment and answered all my questions about Eoin using a pacifier vs sucking thumb. Of course Eoin was running all over the treatment room while we were talking but the most important thing was he came away from the visit with a balloon dog and being very happy (and not at all scared of dentists unlike his Mommy!).

Forever Family Day

A year ago today we went to court as a family to finalize Eoin's adoption. Now we have deiceded to celebrate this special day every year; it's a time to celebrate being a family and Eoin's adoption.

Andy came home early today and we played together at the park. Then we headed downtown to Pasta? and had a yummy early dinner togther. Eoin had one of his favorites - pesto pasta followed by chocolate cake.

The poor guy was so tired by 6pm that we could barely get him to keep his eyes open for a rushed family photo.

Boy's having fun

Beach videos

Fort Ross

Fort Ross was so ideal for a toddler to run around that we visited it twice. There is a great beach just below the fort and Eoin loved wadding in the little stream and discovering seaweed.

Back home from vacation

We got back home from vacation this afternoon :-( We had the best week ever and truly feel relaxed and refreshed. The Sonoma coastline really reminded us of Ireland but with sun! We have fallen in love with the area and think that this may become our vacation spot for years to come. Over the next few days I'll post video and pictures from our hols - hope you all don't get too bored looking at them :-)

Having a great vacation...

Still having a great time on vacation. Here are some pictures. I'll post more when we get back in a few days.

Vacation heaven

Well we have arrived at our vacation spot and are beginning to relax. We had a good journey up to Bodega Bay. We stopped once for lunch and to let Eoin have a run around. Eoin slept nearly the whole way here which meant he didn't go to sleep until 10pm last night but he was still up at 6.30 am this morning. We started a holiday tradition of letting him climb into bed and watch cartoons while we grab a few more minutes shut eye.

There are tons of beaches here. It is so windy though I think we might just be flying kites rather than sitting on the beach building sand castles. We have found some beaches with sand dunes so maybe we can find a sheltered spot in them and play in the sand there.

Birthmother/Mother's Day

Today is Birthmother Day and tomorrow is Mother's Day in the USA and I just wanted to take this time to reflect on the honor and sheer joy it is to be a mother to one very happy, precious and wonderful little boy. It truly has been the most amazing journey and I wouldn't change it for one second. Eoin has been the biggest blessing and gift we have ever been bestowed with. But we would never be this family of three without a very special women - Eoin's birthmother Amy.

Many of our friends and sometimes strangers ask what it is like to have an open adoption. We always say that Amy is family and that Amy has entrusted Eoin to us and she chose us to be Eoin's parents. We cannot even imagine our lives without Eoin but we can also never imagine our lives without Amy. Amy is someone who has so much courage and love and made such a hard decision.

And so on this special weekend we wanted to ask everyone to just take a moment and remember mother's and families everywhere, all over the world, and consider what a miracle family is no matter how it comes to be or what miracle brings you all together. Family is precious and a gift not to be ignored or taken for granted. Cherish each other and have a fun and love filled weekend.

Vacation Time

We are all very excited to be going on vacation on Sunday for a week. We can't wait to relax and chill by the sea. We plan lots of hiking and sandcastle building. See you in a week :-)

Discovering shadows

Fun times with Daddy

Teddy Bears Picnic

It all went a little quiet this morning so I went to investigate. What I found was so sweet! Eoin had lined up some of his teddy bears and he was talking away to them. Then he got one of his play cups and spoons and started feeding them one by one. When I asked him what he had cooked he told me soup. I love that he has such an imagination and so early on too!