Davis does the beach

In early Sept we took a trip out to MD and NC to see Kelly's family and join them on their annual Corolla beach trip. A year ago, we made this same journey with a 6 month old on oxygen and the difference all around was noticeable to say the least. Davis was walking, signing, playing, getting to know family and loving the beach. We had so much fun playing in sand and water together. And he warmed right up to grandma/grandpa, cousins Sydney and Josh and aunt Holly and uncle Scott. Here are some of the highlight pictures.

Meeting Owen Lyon...such a sweet little guy

Mowing the lawn with grandpa in MD

Truck book on the beach....little boy bliss

Cousins playing in the sand

Feeding the turtles

Davis LOVED the little rug

Naps on the beach for the two boys

Chasing birds with aunt Holly

Chasing birds with Cathy

Sydney

 

Flying home

Congenital Heart Walk

Saturday was our second annual Congenital Heart Walk, near Children's Hospital. We had great cool weather and a huge turnout. After two laps around the course, Davis woke up from his nap and we had some time to visit with friends and celebrate the event. It's always inspiring to see so many families pulling together to support each other and the great cause.

The Mallory-Sanderson family and our "Walkin for Davis" team post walk

Team Walkin for Davis :)

Checking out the pond with uncle Jason

Tiny Town

One of the best things about my work schedule is the few days off each week that I get to spend with Davis. On Friday, Davis & I drove over to Tiny Town to meet Nana & Papa for a fun day together. Thanks to our friend Aunt Dee (who works there) we had a fantastic time. Davis got a new train hat, a few toy trains and had a blast walking around all the small buildings. After a picnic lunch and plenty of laughs on the playground, we rode the train through town and then finished off with some frozen yogurt. :) What a great day.

Walkin' and Talkin'

Davis loves walking! He is becoming much more independent and prefers being on his own on the floor rather than in your arms. He loves cruising from room to room picking things up and bringing them back to show you. Most of the time he even puts the item back before grabbing something else. He is still pretty reserved, he wont try to go up or down stairs and often likes a helping hand just to go between different types of flooring. No attempts at trying to climb anything but enjoys opening drawers and emptying contents with over the shoulder tosses. After only saying 'Ella' for a month Davis has now expanded into 'Dada' and 'Mama.' He makes a variety of noises but we can't pick any other words out at this point. He has definitely turned into a 'little boy'. His favorite activities include playing with dirt, playing with trucks, poking things with sticks, and shoving his face full of food. But he does have a VERY sweet side as well, he loves to get kisses and will lean his face in towards you to let you know when he wants them.

I love bacon too!

Cool guy

Davis displaying his patriotism

Storing snacks like a chipmunk

Stylin' in Papa's fedora

Crashed out!

1st Camping Trip

It's official, Davis loves camping. We drove up to Kenosha Pass with Stephanie and Penelope for a quick one night camping trip on Saturday. It was a big deal for many reasons, Davis and Penelope's first tent camping, 1st time using our new family tent, first back-road outing with the Outback. I was expecting this area to be packed with people since it's the weekend before July 4th, but we were pleasantly surprised with very few people and our favorite spot with a view was available. It was great having Penelope there because she kinda showed Davis the ropes and helped him stay entertained. Because of all the local fires lately, there is a fire ban, but we still had a great time and definitely appreciated the cool fresh air for a night. We tried to let Davis get dirty and play with everything, and he seemed to enjoy the whole experience. He ate and slept great and I also enjoyed the close snuggles all night with Big D in my sleeping bag with me. He started in his own bag, but after a few hours he seemed to want out. But after joining me, he slept through the night and was in a great mood in the morning. We're all already looking forward to the next trip out.

Estes Park

After the big wedding, much of our family and out of town friends spent the week up in Estes Park at the Overlook Ranch. It was a spectacular week in the mountains and Davis had a blast hiking, seeing wildlife and running around the ranch house. After a beautiful yet busy wedding week, a vacation in Estes was just what the doctor ordered. It was really special seeing Davis get to know family and friends and form bonds together. By the end of the week he knew most people's names and would play with anyone.

Sleepy Hiker

Playing with Bisnonna and aunt cookie

Boating on Lake Estes with the summit

Uncle Jason sharing his massive brownie.