Hello Lake Gaston

Tracy, Casey and Frisco headed down to Gramma Gail and Grampa Tom's house at Lake Gaston on Tuesday. SML had a big gig at Southsides in Old Town Alexandria on Wednesday night, so Stan made it down Thursday afternoon.

Aunt Kel, Aunt Marcy, Uncle Stuart and cousins Lily & Jack were there, along with 2nd cousins, Alex, Alli and Davis, Great Aunt Jeanne and Great Uncle Mike. Great Uncle Carlton, Great Aunt Jenny and 2nd cousin Valerie, her husband Bill and their son Liam (who is 1 week older than Jack) also came down to enjoy the Gaston 4th of July extravaganza.

Lots of activities, including boating, slip 'n sliding, sea dooing, lotsa eating, pontooning, fireworks, taboo, grabitz (a dangerous spoons like game), dominoes...and much more. Lots of fun!

Casey changes daily. She smiles like crazy and talks a lot, especially in the morning and right before bedtime (cooing, smiling and squeeking). She stares and studies peoples faces and will look from one person to the other. She is very good at holding her head up and loves to pull herself up to a standing position (with our help of course). She is still eating well and is working on sleeping through the night. She got to swim in the baby pool at the lake and even rode in the ski boat and the pontoon boat. She was perfect during the fireworks. Wasn't scared at all! She was even awake during them, looking up into the sky in awe.


Enjoy the pix.

holding her head up

being cute

in her life jacket, pontooning

Marcy, Tracy & Kelly hot dogging

Stan slip 'n sliddin'

Davis, Alli & Alex racing

Grams & Casey

Aunt Kel playing with Casey

Aunt Marcy helping Casey hold her paci

Uncle Mike feeding Casey

Aunt Jeanne & Casey

Gramps & Casey showing off their American spirit

Family photo

cousins

swimming

Grandparents & Grandkids

Visiting in VA

Tracy and Casey have been very busy visiting while back in VA for a couple weeks.

We met up with Jessica and her 2 sons, Hunter and Jake at the Leesburg outlets. We drove out to Gaithersburg to visit with Kris and her 3 daughters, Emelia, Erin and Ellie and then had dinner with Stacey and Dyani in Bethesda. Casey is a social butterfly!

Last weekend was Ron & Karen's wedding in Annapolis. Stan was busy starting with Thursday's bachelor party in Baltimore, golf on Friday (probably the hottest, most humid day of the Summer so far), rehearsal dinner Friday night in Annapolis and the wedding on Saturday. Tracy and Casey met up with Mary Ann and Ellie at the mall in Annapolis Friday afternoon. Casey then got to attend the rehearsal dinner that night. Though she was not a complete angel, everyone seemed to enjoy meeting her!

Congratulations Ron & Karen...have fun in Maui!!

Hunter, Jake, Jessica and Casey

Casey & Ellie chatting

Ron's daughter Morgan & Casey

Stan, Sweets and Ron (the Groom)

Kris, Emelia & Casey

Stacey & Casey

Dyani & Casey

Sleep

Casey slept through the night for the first time last night. She went to bed at 10:30 p.m. and didn't wake until 6:00 a.m. Hoping this is for real! We'll see.

Road Trip

It's been a busy 2 weeks...sorry for the delay in blogging.

Aunt Kelly, her roommate Joanna and Joanna's dog Charley stopped by Dillon to spend some quality time with Casey, on their way to the East Coast (from SF). They showed up last Monday night and hung around until Friday morning. It was a busy week. We went to Breckenridge, shopping at the outlets, kayaking and made a day trip to Boulder (where Aunt Kel will be moving to in August for Business School).

Thursday, June 19th, was Casey's 7 week doctor's appointment. She weighs 10 lbs, 1.5 oz, her head circumfrence is 14 3/4 inches and she's 22.5 inches long. She is in the 50 percentile in all catagories. Her oxygen level is close to perfect (97%). She got 3 shots and took them well. The first shot went in, she cried so hard her face got as red as a tomato and she stopped making any noise she was crying so hard. She then let out a few small cries after she caught her breath. After the 3rd shot she stopped crying. What a big girl.

Frisco strained her right shoulder on Thursday while playing hard with Charley. She needs to remember she is not a young pup anymore. Not to worry, she is doing better this week and hopefully will be 100% for the July 4th week at Lake Gaston.

Stan flew in Thursday night to make the drive to VA with me, Casey and Frisco. We left Friday afternoon, stayed in Junction City, KS Friday night and Groveport, OH Saturday night. Casey was a great traveler. We had to stop a lot more than usual to feed the little girl, but she did great adjusting to the long drive and the hotel stays. We got to Northern VA Sunday at 5:00 p.m., dropped Casey off at Aunt Marcy and Uncle Stuart's house then headed to the Pearl Jam concert in DC. Cousins Lily and Jack were excited to be babysitting! Lily even got to hold Casey on her lap. Check out lilyandjackk.blogspot.com for a great picture of the 3 of them.

Aunt Marcy got Casey to eat the most she's ever eaten from a bottle (4 oz) and she slept the longest she ever has through the night (we got her home and in bed by 1:30 a.m. and she slept until 8:30 a.m.)

Monday we hung out with Grammer Gail all day. Monday was also Stan & Tracy's 7 year anniversary!!! Crazy it's been that long. Tuesday we had dinner at Grampa Tom and Grammer Gail's then went to visit Great Grandma Katie (YGG).

Casey seems to be adjusting well to the East Coast.

Aunt Kel meeting Casey for the first time.

Frisco & Casey chillin'

Kel & Joanna kayaking in Lake Dillon.

Casey riding...Stan driving to VA.

In the hotel...

Grampa Tom hanging with Casey.

Smiling at Gramps.

4 generations.

Could I BE any cuter?

Beachin'

The week at the beach was great. The weather cooled down for us a bit and the water was just cool enough to feel good after sitting in the sun. Casey even got down to the beach to lay out...under the umbrella of course.

Friday we went out for a birthday dinner for Lois at Frost Seafood house...where they presented her with a bday piece of homemade Key Lime Pie. After dinner we went to Lost Treasure Adventure Center to ride the go-carts and bumper boats. Lisa & Morganne and Tracy & Ashlynne wasted Stan in the go-carts...his single car was SO slow...but he did do a nice job blocking when we would let him take the lead. The bumper boats were crazy. Morganne was the sprayer in Tracy's boat and Lisa was the sprayer in Ashynne's boat...Stan was solo yet again. Needless to say, we all came out a little soaked. We followed up the rides with some yummy ice cream! Casey was an angel the whole night, even ate her entire bottle for Gramma Lois.

Saturday morning was check out day. After a hardy breakfast at Hardees it was time to leave Emerald Isle. Lisa, Ashlynne, Morganne and Max headed back to Richmond to finish up the last of their packing and then they're off to Boca Raton!! Stan and Lois drove Tracy and Casey to the airport then drove back to Roanoke. The flight was good, although Casey caught the cold I had all week and wasn't feeling that great. She spit up on me twice on the flight...big spit ups too. She seems to be feeling a little better today, but she has been very sleepy after all her travels.

We hang in Colorado this week. Stan flies in Thursday. We all drive to VA this weekend for a 3 week visit.

Casey is now 9.5 lbs and 22 inches long. She is very smiley and almost seems to be laughing a little. She can also stand (while being held of course). She straightens her long legs and pushes to keep herself standing. She's still sleeping and eating well. She eats anywhere from 2-3.5 oz when fed from a bottle. She has her 2 month doctor's appt this Thursday...where she will be getting some shots:(

Enjoy the pix.

family photo

the beach crew...casey a little camera shy

Gramma Lois with her grandkids

Morganne hanging with Casey

Casey's first swim in the ocean.

So relaxing!

Could I BE any cuter...

A Week at the Beach

We're in Emerald Isle North Carolina this week with Stan's family. Casey is 6 weeks old today!

Tracy and Casey got on a plane to NC Friday. Casey was an angel. Okay, maybe not a complete angel...she decided to wait until we were on the plane, door locked and just about to take off before messing up her diaper big time. You don't realize how long it takes for that seat belt light to go off until you have a fussy, 5 week old little girl in a dirty diaper. We made it through that and the rest of the flight went pretty well. She seemed to enjoy take off. Her eyes went really big as she sat upright, looking out the window and holding on real tight to my fingers. I wish I had the camera out.

Stan and Gramma Lois picked us up at the airport. We stayed in Raleigh Friday night. Saturday we were off to the beach...by way of RoseHill Restaurant...our friend Harriett's parent's BBQ restaurant. They hooked us up with dinner for Sat night...BBQ, Slaw and Potatoes. YUMMY!

We got to Emerald Isle Saturday afternoon to meet up with Aunt Lisa, Uncle Dave and cousins Ashlynne, Morganne and Max. Congrats to Dave who got into University of Miami Medical School. They're moving to Boca Raton this month and he starts school in August. Looking forward to visiting!!!

Casey is getting taller. We took her for a "walk" on the beach in her baby bjorn and her head is popping out of the top now! She's smiling a lot and loving all the attention she's getting from everyone.

The weather has been beautiful, the water refreshing and the company great and we've gotten some great pix.

Swimming on the deck!

Getting ready to walk on the beach...see Casey's head popping out.

Cousins Ashlynne and Max hanging out with Casey.

The group enjoying Sanitary Fish Market (glad it's not unsanitary)

Casey laying out at the beach.

Mom and Casey at the beach...cousin Ashlynne, Dave and Stan in the background.

All Smiles

This week has been an exciting one. Stan left Sunday night to work in VA for the week, so Tracy and Casey were left to figure it out on their own!

Casey has started smiling more this week. She'll actually look you in the eye and if you're smiling and talking to her she'll stare at you and then give you a big ol' grin. It's really cute. I've tried to get it on camera, but haven't had any luck...maybe next week when I have some assistance. She is also more aware of her hands and things around her. She'll follow your face if you move around and she's been looking at her animals in her bouncy seat. I just got a playyard for her and today she laid on it and stared at the butterflies.

Casey also started a bottle last Thursday while Dad was home. She seemed to take it pretty well. I guess if there is food in it, she's happy. She ate about 1.5 oz the first night, then about 3 Friday night.

Saturday morning we went to Aspen to visit our friends Ken and Stacy who are due to have a baby boy on July 7th. Phillip and Emily joined us for lunch. We then headed back to our house to meet up with Geoff, Sarah and Kaelin (1 1/2) and Steve, Stacia, Edan and Olivia (Stacia's daughters). Edan made Casey a cute purple knit hat. So cute. This was the first of many Ward house partys for Casey. She was a trooper. Slept like a baby!

Wednesday, Tracy and Casey headed to Denver to visit with family friends Terri, Dave, Andra and her 2 kids, Ali and Jack (2 1/2 and 6 months).

Other than that we've just been packing for the beach! We leave tomorrow...Casey's first plane ride. Hopefully all will go smoothly. We'll update from Emerald Isle, NC.

Happy 30th Birthday to Aunt Kel today!! See you in a week! Safe travels.

Dad serving the first bottle.

A little unsure at first, but she figured it out.

Frisco enjoying the dirty laundry.

Staring at her animals in her bouncy seat.

Relaxing and looking at the butterflies on her Rainforest playyard.

Tummy Time...lifting her head.