Beach camping

This picture is awesome! I was standing in the water when Jared took Drew out for his first ride. We couldn't keep Drew out of the water all day. We had to make him take breaks because his lips were getting blue and he was shivering! He loves the water. 

 Everytime we tried to bring him back up he went straight back to the water!

 He got knocked over so many times and even got salt water up his nose but never cried and still wanted to be in the water.

Drew's cousins...Shelby, Jessica, Luke, Ryan and Landon. 

 First flip flops! 

 Drew is a lucky little man! 

 Drew and his future girlfriend/wife Lucky! 

 Drew and Jackson

We had such a fun trip to Carpenteria! We hung out the first day with Jared's family and had a blast then we spent the night. Drew loves his cousins and had fun swimming and playing in the sand (mostly swimming though). The next day we got to spend the day with our good friends the Call family. They are so great and fun to be around. Their kids are so sweet to Drew and the girls act like his little mommys. They try to pick him up and bring him places. We got to go swimming at their hotel in Santa Barbara. Drew loved the baby pool because it was so warm and he could stand by himself. I wish it could be summer all year. It's been so fun to have Jared around so much.

Crazy summer

Wow this summer has been so busy! Went on vacation to Yosemite for a week, came back and had family and friends in town and went beach camping. Then we moved from a one bedroom to a two bedroom and then house sat/baby sat for 4 days! Now we have one week before Jared goes back to work and I hope we can just relax and stay home. It was a fun summer but an exhausting one. It was a learning experience for Jared and I about vacationing with a toddler. Next summer I'm voting for a stay-cation! I've been wanted to post pictures from all the craziness and I'm hoping to have the time to do it soon.

13 months old

Drew is so funny! One new thing he's doing this month are walking a lot better and faster. Now I have to watch him a lot closer when we go out because he can take off so fast. At the end of 12 months he started bending down to pick up toys. He just scoops up whatever he wants now and keeps going. He loves to carry things around the house...sometimes it's one thing in each hand but lately he's been trying to carry heavier things like a big box or a big toy. It's so funny to see this little guy come around the corner with something huge in his hands. Drew has been dancing to music for while but he really seems to prefer cake and 311. He's saying yeah, yes, dis, dat, wow, momma, dada, na na na for no, ba for ball but I don't know if you can consider them words because he doesn't say them consistently.. When he thinks something is cool he says "wow." He is very agreeable, if I ask him a question he almost always says "yes" in the cutest voice. "Drew do you wanna read a story?" "yes". In fact now he will come and hand me books that he wants me to read. It's so cute because now I really know which one he prefers but sometimes he will have me read each story 10 times! We sit for like 30 or more minutes at a time and read. His favorites now are the little blue engine ABC book, All about baby, Pals are Fun and Peters Chair. And he loves to point to everything . When I ask him where's the ball in the picture he points to it. He has a strong opinion and has started crying when he doesn't get what he wants...for example he loves to walk around our apartment building but he could do it all day if I let him and sometime we have to go back to our apartment...when I take him back he cries and looks so sad because he wants to stay outside. It make me feel bad but what am I supposed to do? He also has a strong opinion when I'm feeding him. If he doesn't want sometime he lifts his head and tightens his lips or holds his breath even! He shakes his head no or even says na na na! When he does want something he reaches for it points and makes a noise like egh egh. He is growing so fast!

Yosemite!

 Catapillar head!

This is Drew playing in the ice cold water! He was sitting in it and splashing too!

Wow a week in Yosemite with a one year old is exhausting! Drew never stops! From the minute he wakes up till he's napping or asleep for the night he just goes and goes. We call him our little Christopher Columbus! He loves to explore everything...touch everything...try to eat everything and meet everyone in every camp site. As his parents we took turns co-exploring with him. Yosemite was beautiful and we went on lot's of hikes and bike rides. We had a great trip but we were glad to be home. I've never seen Drew so dirty! lol

Yosemite

We are going on our longest family vacation since we had Drew next Monday! We are camping in Yosemite valley for 7 days! I think it will be fun but I'm a little nervous of how it will be to camp with a toddler. I think he will love it I just hope he doesn't eat to much dirt! lol

Walker boy!

Drew is walking everywhere and is now standing up from the floor! He has totally left crawling behind now. It's kinda sad but exciting to. It's nice now because when we go places he doesn't get as dirty crawling on the floor but he is at the age where going shopping is becoming impossible if he is not strapped down to sometime! We were shopping for his clothes and I thought it would be fun for him to walk around with me...bad idea! He tried to rip everything off the shelves and grab anything he could get his little hands on. I don't call him my little tornado for nothing!

ONE

I wanted to capture him at one because I love everything about him and he is growing up so fast. It's hard because I am excited to see him to grow up but I also want him to be my baby forever! I love his soft skin, big beautiful eyes, soft curls, little teeth, chubby tummy and drooly little mouth!

Drew is one!

Drew had an awesome first birthday! We celebrated on the Saturday before with our parents and Jared so he could be apart of it. Drew's birthday was on a week day this year so Jared had to work but it was nice to celebrate it together and have Jared see him try his first cake. On his actual birthday we went to the park with friends and family! I made him a gluten free vegan cake and frosting that actually tasted great and looked cute. I also made cupcakes for his friends!

Our little celebration when Jared got home from work

                                     
He ate a few bites but would make a terrible face while chewing it! He did not like the cake but he loved the watermelon after!

                                        

We celebrated at the park with friends on Drew's birthday! Of course his best bud came!

My sisters and my mom and friends came to celebrate Drew's birthday at the park on May 9th. It was almost 100 degrees in the valley that day! 

All those toys and all he wanted was to sit in his box! 

12 months!

Drew is 12 months old! I can't believe that a year has really gone by! He has changed so much from the wrinkly little guy we met a year ago. He has started really walking now. He's been kinda walking since 10 and a half months but now he can really make it far! He's so excited about it it's been hard for him to go to sleep because he just wants to practice his new skill! Teething has been in full force this month also..he now has his front 8 teeth! He is non stop still..when we go to the park I just follow him around. He never stays in one place for long. His personality is really blooming too. One of the cutest things he is doing is copying us. We wave and he waves...we make a motion for pewy (when he has a stinky diaper) and he does to. Drew recently started folding his arms for a prayer! It's so cute because he know we have to pray before he can eat and so when I put him in his chair he sometimes folds his arms like c'mon let's pray so I can eat already! lol He understands so much. He has definitely got an opinion! Drew knows what he wants and knows how to get his point across! He understands no and listens to no most of the time. He walks up to dad's stereo that he's not supposed to touch and shakes his head no at it! Such a funny guy. I can't believe his one year photo project is complete! Wow! It has been a fun year and a challenging year but it feels so good to have made it this far and have a happy healthy baby that is thriving. I feel so blessed!

Water baby

Jared's sister is in town and so we got together at his parents house and swam with the cousins!   I got an underwater camera case a while ago and haven't had a chance to use it till now! It was so fun to have my camera in the water! 

 Drew was so brave and really loved the water!

We also had a fun beach day. It was overcast but warm. Drew, Landon and Claire are pretty close in age and it was fun seeing them interact. We tried to have them share a bucket of water but it ended in poor Drew getting slapped my Claire and then Landon started screaming and scared him. It's tough being the youngest cousin sometimes. lol After that everyone got their own bucket which worked out much better! 

 Drew was a messy sand monster! Eating the sand..dumping water on himself...drinking the sand from a bucket!