Isaac is 22-Months-Old TODAY!

I just can't wrap my brain around the fact that Isaac is 

22-months-old today!

He is happy, healthy, and energetic.

In so many ways, he wants to be like his big sister.  When she goes swimming, he wants to go swimming.  When she laughs, he laughs.  When she screams, he screams.  When she begs to paint, he insists on being right there next to her.

 He may have ended up with more paint on his body than on the paper, but at least he got to do what "Sissy" was doing."

 For the most part, he is pretty chill (as this picture would have you to believe).  He patiently rides along as we go back and forth to Clare's school for drop off and pick up every day.  He run errands with me.  His world revolves around the schedule of everyone else's world.

He is a FANTASTIC napper.  

I can count on a 2-3 hour nap every day, and he literally dives into bed.

 I've always loved watching my little ones sleep.

 Like Clare (and most kids) at this age, Isaac LOVES Elmo...

although he pronounces it "Melmo."

 We spent Labor Day at Busch Gardens, and he wanted to do all of the rides.

He is active...on the go...and fearless.

Isaac was the September Cookie Club Winner at Publix, and he was awarded with a 10" cookie that said, "Congrats Isaac!"  He may have only eaten 5% of the big cookie which goes to show how excited the rest of the family was for that big win.  :)

For an interesting point of reference, this is Clare at 22-months.

 When Clare was Isaac's age, I was already 20-weeks pregnant with Isaac.

I have to continually remind myself that that Clare and Isaac are different people...with different stages of development and different personalities.  I love having a little girl and a little boy, but I must confess that I am seemingly clueless when it comes to raising a rough-and-tumble little man.  I want to nurture his spirit while developing his character, and I am still learning how to do that.  

I wish that I could tap into the wisdom of my in-laws because they raised four boys...who all became wonderful men.  Thankfully, one of those wonderful men is the amazing father to my littlest love, and he brings such a different perspective into this adventure called parenthood.  My prayer is that our little Isaac will one day be like his Daddy, his Grandpa Hillary, and his Papa Durham.  What an amazing man that would (and I trust WILL) be!

NBFF

Only in Fremont, our hometown, do they have a

"National Baby Food Festival"

 This festival isn't just for babies!

There are pony rides.

Clare thought her pony was pretty fantastic!

 They have special areas with kid-friendly activities.

 They have rides...complete with the world's creepiest Carnies.

 This ride was most definitely NOT the highlight of my time in Michigan.

 The parade was a HIT.

Isaac has some rhythm!

 Enjoying the parade!

 Ninnie and Clare

 It was like Halloween with all of candy that they collected at the parade.

 Candy AND new shades!  Peace!

 All tuckered out...

OR

Candy-induced coma!

Scalloping 2012

Phil and I go scalloping EVERY YEAR.  It is quite possibly one of our favorite things to do together, and this was our 8th year "hunting" the waters of the Gulf of Mexico.

This picture looks strikingly similar to one from last year,

but that is likely due to the fact that we have a pretty good routine figured out by now.

This is a fuzzy picture of the large sea turtle that we saw while on the water.

 This was the first time in FOUR YEARS that I wasn't either pregnant or nursing while on our scalloping adventure. 

 We had a successful day, and we ended up with somewhere around 175 scallops.

Guess what we had for dinner and then breakfast???

Imagine bacon wrapped around those little beauties!

The other success of the day was that I finished reading my first book since last summer.  After a few hours of diving for scallops, I usually take a break to read.  Ahhh.....

2011 Scalloping Trip

2010 Scalloping Trip (not recorded for some reason)

2009 Scalloping Trip

2008 Scalloping Trip (largely PREGNANT)

Isaac Intrudes

While Tropical Storm Isaac has been brewing all around us 
(Schools are closed today as well as Busch Gardens...which never closes), 

our own little Isaac is a hurricane all his own!

 At 21-months, he is a ham bone!

His screams (as described here) seem to be largely replaced with laughter.  AMEN to that!

He goes through several new phases every week (i.e. insistently walking around with only one shoe on, carrying his tooth brush all over the house like it permanently belongs in his hand, LOVING socks and then hating them, wrapping blankets around his neck like he's a boxer), and his current obsession is wearing mittens (mismatched fuzzy mittens that used to be Clare's)...even into bed.

 Stylin' Guy with sticker jewelry and mismatched mittens.

He's about 30-pounds of solid BOY!  He climbs, runs, throws, kicks, grunts, and destroys anything within his power.  Much like Tropical Storm Isaac, our little guy can quickly turn this place upside down in a matter of seconds.  He sees no boundaries or limits on his world, and we see that as a uniquely powerful trait of his.  He will undoubtedly grow up to do/create BIG things!
(Note only one shoe in this short video.)

 On the sweeter side, he has become a big cuddle-bug (something that we never experienced with Clare), and we find ourselves soaking up all of his hugs...and oftentimes begging for them.

Watch out world...here comes ISAAC!  :)

Fremont Lake

My parents live on a lake in Michigan, and I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE spending time there. 
It just brings me back to my childhood
and all of the wonderful memories I had on/in/near that lake.

 We were blessed to have FOUR weeks in Fremont this summer.

My little ones quickly adopted my sentiment for the lake!

Clare happily swam with ANYONE who was willing to go in the water with her. 

 This was our first night on the lake...and the Huissens were happy to get out of the heat and into the water.

 Unfortunately, Phil wasn't able to join us in Michigan...

so Uncle Brian had to take over with the tossing of my kids in the air.

 Clare loved SO MANY aspects of this trip, and this picture highlights several of them:

COUSINS, lake, swimming, being outside, and having FUN, FUN, FUN!

 Grant, Clare, and Jeb were in and out of the lake more times than I could count.

 They perfected their synchronized jumping after watching all of the Olympic divers.

 Isaac liked playing by shore more than waddling around in a life jacket.

 I don't know if I've said it before (Ok, I just don't know how many TIMES I've said it before), but Isaac beats to his own little drum.  :)

 Our trip was filled with family and friends, and this was a night on the water with my Aunt Jan and cousin, Laura.  :)

 After several years of not being able to ski (pregnancies, broken boat, etc.), I was finally able to try my legs at water-skiing again.

 Ahhh...like riding a bike.

Now that we're back in steamy Florida, I find myself wishing that we were back on Fremont Lake.  Clare looked at one of the pictures and rubbed her face all over it.  When I asked her what she was doing, she told me that she wanted to jump inside the picture.  I know the feeling.  :)