Dayton - Dragon's Game

Dayton has a single A baseball team called the Dragons. The games are always fun, family oriented and entertaining for people of all ages. My parents share season tickets (there's a wait list for those suckers, believe it or not!) and couldn't wait to take Addison to her first baseball game this summer. Lucky for Chase, we couldn't find anyone to babysit him so he came along (a few minutes behind us with Dustin), too! It ended up working great with his sleep schedule and though he won't remember his first baseball game, I was glad he came.

Addison with Gammy and Poppy in front of the stadium.

Someone's gotta get the boy an occassion-appropriate hat. We're at a baseball game, not on a fishing boat!

What, what's that you say? Gammy and Poppy want to treat the kids to something from the gift shop? PERFECT!

Oh wait, can we make a quick stop at the bounce house for the little princess? Awwww, thanks!

Now, about that hat....

Looks like a fit. And boy is he the cutest guy I've ever seen. I'm talking about the one in the back!

Okay, this one, too!

Don't let him fool you. It might look like he was watching the game, but chances are he was eyeing something he wanted to put in his mouth.

He almost always has to be eating/sucking/chewing/gumming something! He won't take a pacifier but he looooooooves his Sophie!

He also looooooves other people's hands.

AND his own hands. :)

And I LOOOOOOOOOOOVE those cheeks!

The princess angel got a hat, too. She's a cutie, isn't she? She is a perfect hybrid of girly girl and tomboy. She's pretty versatile!

This was her first time eating Dippin' Dots. She was in heaven!

Loving on Poppy. So sweet!

Addison asked to meet Heater, the mascot, the entire game. We finally tracked him down at the 7th inning stretch. Addison was a little hesitant to get too close at first.

But a few seconds later, she warmed up.

Enough to separate from Poppy and hold Heater's hand. Maybe our fear of large, furry, fictional characters is over!?!?!

I almost forgot....Addison made it onto the Jumbotron! I got it on video using my phone. Don't blink, you might miss it!

Addison had her first encounter with corn on the cob for dinner that night. Yes, we live in the Midwest and my child has never had corn on the cob! We aren't big corn eaters and I don't really like it on the cob because it gets stuck in my teeth so I never make it. She loved it...and has had it 3 times since! She does the grocery shopping with me and it's on display as we walk in the store. She spots it right away and asks for it, so now I make it for her and Dustin. :)

Pears

Chase loooooooved his pears - first time eating them was yesterday, August 6. I just wish they weren't so runny. It helped to mix them in with his cereal so thicken it up a bit.

Trying to grab the dish. He wanted more!

Avocado

Chase took to avocado really well (first time eating it - August 2nd), which is a good thing because we might have given him away had he not. Kidding! :)

Chase 6 month and family pictures

The wonderful Jennifer Lehner came by our house the other day to take some pictures of our family, paying extra attention on Chase as he had just turned 6 months old 2 days prior! Jenni was on maternity leave when Chase turned 3 months and boy did we miss her!

I'm not afraid to admit that I have looked at these pictures over and over and over and over and over (.........) again! You don't know how hard it was to not post every last one! Not to mention, trying to decide what "finish" I like best...which ultimately didn't happen because I like them all!

Fun with Noah and Grandpa's Birthday

Noah, Aunt Julie and Uncle Josh (Bailey and baby girl in Julie's belly, too) came to visit for the weekend. The photographer who usually takes our family pictures was going to be taking some maternity pictures for them and we were also going to be celebrating my Dad's 60th birthday. Julie and I did some grocery shopping Friday night and baked the cake. The next morning, after waking up BRIGHT and EARLY (Addison has a great deal of difficulty sleeping in, especially when we have guests), the kids got to decorating the cake for their Grandpa.

What a work of art!

After the cake was decorated, Julie and I took Addison and Noah to the State Park literally around the corner from our house so they could play in the sand and swim in the lake. The water was really warm and they had a great time!

During this time, Grandpa and Aunt Lori were in route to our house for the day. They made it in time to play with the kids at the lake for a bit before we had to head home for lunch.

We had a cookout for dinner, followed by the much anticipated (by the kids) cake!

Blowing out the candles

She always eats the icing first!

Noah says, "Go big or go home!"

We had a box of sparklers laying around so we thought it would be fun to use with the kids. It was a great idea until Noah touched the hot part of one and burned his finger. Ooops. Fortunately, he was okay and wanted to do more. He was probably more stunned than hurt.

Sunday, our photographer came over to take the maternity pictures and Chase's 6 month pictures. Can't wait to share those with you! Speaking of Chase, I'm so bummed we didn't get any pictures of him. He slept through all of these activities!