Trip to Bainbridge Island

As many people who have/have had a toddler can understand, it can be challenging to go outside the house for more than a few hours. As my sisters can attest on their recent visit, Sam naps for 3 hours smack in the middle of the day. So unless I head out the door first thing in the morning, it's hard to get any adventures of significant duration. Add to that, the weather in Seattle and well, let's just say that our family has not made any outings since we moved here last July.

Enter Bainbridge Island, an idyllic, artsy, well-to-do community of about 20,000 people.

We decided to go, no matter what. Despite Sam's mid-day nap, despite the awful weather, we were going. And you know what? I think in the end, we felt all the more "Seattle" for it.

We drove our car onto the ferry and enjoyed the scenery. 

No, of course it didn't actually look like the above picture. That would be what it looks during the summer. My picture looked more like this:

                            

We headed first to the most amazing playground we've ever been to. Again, it looked nothing like this picture today. The silver lining, though, was that we had it all to ourselves on a rainy Saturday morning at 10am. The big key was bringing two sets of clothes for Sam, including waterproof shell pants. I forgot Sam's rain boots, so we lined his shoes in extra sandwich bags that were in his diaper bag. Resourcefulness!

After the park, we went to a kids museum. Sam tired himself out pushing a kids 

grocery cart around and pretending to drive this smart car:

Once Sam was napping in his stroller, Kyle and I enjoyed browsing the main drag. We had a great lunch and the walked along the waterfront nature trail.

While I don't exactly love the weather of the Pacific Northwest, I do appreciate how green everything is, even in the winter months. I think the keys to living here are being prepared for the bad weather (extra clothes, and rain shield for the stroller were key) and just getting out there no matter what. 

Sister Visit in Seattle

Sam loved the Olympic Sculpture Garden:

Diana, Laura, Sara, Sam

 Mommy and Sam watching the train from a hilltop

Sam and Mommy

Sam and Calder:

 Strolling along the waterfront:

 Diana, Mark, and Calder:

 Laura and Remo:

Laura and Remo on the Ducktour!

Seattle as seen from Lake Union on our Duck Tour:

Video Updates

Kyle got a Strider bike for Sam. Here he's getting used to his new helmet. The video cuts off just before he points to the bike, still in the box, shouting, "Bike! Bike"

Sam loves the website Birdjam.com. It has all sorts of bird-sounds to learn. You'll notice Sam say "Please" as he rubs his chest with his hand. That was the sign they taught him in Daycare for please. He still uses it even though he can now say the word.

Getting ready to go to the park:

Playing on the bed with the kitties:

Fooling around at home:

Vocabulary in Bloom!

It is almost spring time... meaning, it will continue to rain more than it already has here in Seattle...

Actually, it's not THAT bad. No, strike that. The weather really stinks here. Clearly, I've reset my expectations (lowered them, it's the Gravelin way!) because a few weekends ago, we had a sunny 50-something degree day and I wanted to take my sweater off and bask in the sun. Anywhere else, it would have been an average day. If I had just been visiting, I would have said, "What is so special about today? Everyone should put their shirts back on." But instead I felt that it was a beacon of light (literally) amidst a cloud-filled season.

But despite the dreariness, our dafodills are popping up and the crocuses have already bloomed. Day-light savings has made our evenings so much brighter, that I can *almost* imagine what it was like last summer when the trees were green and we had copious raspberries in our yard.

All that said, I've been adapting and coping (i.e. drinking more coffee, generally moping around the house, and supplementing with Vitamin D) and trying to be aware of other things that are blossoming in this gloomy time such as:

Sam's vocabulary!

Kyle and I made a list for fun the other day and we tallied over 150 words that Sam can correctly use in context.

Among them:
Helmet ("elmut")
Apple sauce
Guitar ("tar")
Tractor
Triangle

Now, he may not say them right, but we generally know what he means. Additionally, we have noticed an onslought of compound words and phrases. It started last weekend when I was working late. I'd left my coffee mug in his room and he pointed to it, turned to Kyle and said, "Mama, home." (Yes, my heart broke a little when I heard this while I was still at work...)

He's also using more verbs and describing his needs:
"Pick"- for Mommy pick-up this thing that I just flung onto the floor
"Want" -self-explanatory and said in the general direction of so many things
"Out!"- This is my new alarm clock. Out! Out! Still haven't found the snooze button...
"Poop."- He's been trying to alert us after he goes #2, but let me tell you, there are still many false alarms.
"Wash"- When he wants to wash his hands in the sink in addition to grabbing and causing mahem with anything in the vicinity of the sink area.

And he's been playing games:
-"Nigh-nigh" said as he collapses into his crib and "hello!" said as he pops back up are his own version of peek-a-boo
- In response to "rain, rain" he'll say "go way" (I'm sure Seattle kids know this one before they can walk.)

Anyway, this word explosion has been so awesome. Everyday Kyle and I are smiling or laughing along with whatever word-concoction Sam creates. It's such a joy during a dreary time!