Greta's First Camping Trip

Due to a miscommunication mix up, we ended up going camping with friends the same weekend that we left for the cottage with Joe's family.  We had a great time at each place, but we sure were tired by the end!  I was going to put them in the same post, but I'll have to get to cottage pics later!

We took our first trip of the year (and Greta's first camping trip ever) to Woodchip Campgrounds in Byron Center.  We had a Groupon, so that was nice:).  We had never been there before.

These are the three cute new additions to the group, Greta, Deacon and Lincoln...

In the baby jail:)...

Buddies...

Layla, Kali, random kid, Mason, Jonathan, Gibs and Maddy...

Layla LOVED climbing this and was pretty proud of herself.  She loves climbing things and such since taking gymnastics this summer.

While we were there, Layla and I had a "sprinkle" (like a mini shower) for my cousin Mandi's new baby Zachary.  It's so fun to be able to take Layla to these types of things. 

Mandi with cute snuggle bug Zachary.  He's such a little honey and I can't believe how tiny he seems to me!

Natalie and Layla showing off their new earrings they got as a gift from the shower.

 

With their cute and delicious cake...

Again, practicing her gymnastics...

And Gibs wanted to join in...

Greta and Deacon locked up...

Joe, Darrell and Drew with their babies...

Layla, Gibs, random kid, Jonathan and Mason...

We got a new trailer this summer which was fun to try out for the first time!

Eating a yummy camping snack (not sure what to call them--crescent rolls wrapped around a dowel and then roasted over the campfire and then filled with pudding and rolled in butter and cinnamon and sugar).

Messy kids eating their snacks on the playground...

Kipton and Ella came to visit Saturday night and loved it so much they are going to join us for our next trip!  They also loved Greta:).  Greta was drinking her bottle--that's why she's in her carseat.

 Goofballs...

 She was trying to get out of our camper door so I had to block it off with bar stools:)...

 Layla was trying to be helpful and get Maddy and Gibs to be in the pic:)...

Layla and Gibs thought it was pretty cool sleeping on bunk beds.  They were supposed to be sleeping nicely in the dark trailer, but instead, this is what I saw.  It did make me laugh.  The first few times.  :)

Hudsonville Fair

Saturday night we went to the Hudsonville Fair figuring the kids would love it.  We were right.  Many of the animals were gone already since it was the last night of the fair, but the kids didn't mind.  We ate at the Beaverdam boothe and then got enough tickets so that the kids could ride three rides and then played a couple of games.

 Layla thought the stamp she got on her hand when we entered was pretty cool:)...

 Greta didn't wear her helmet since it was so hot (and since she can have it for about an hour each day)...

 Gibs loved the tractors...

 She was a happy girl despite the heat (and the smells:D)...

 Gibs' face was so funny when the cars started up--I don't think he really knew what was coming, but he loved it!  I was surprised that he choice to get into a different car than Layla was in, but I really shouldn't be surprised since is definitely Mr. Independent!

 

 They looked like they liked the little rollercoaster when they were on it, but after it was done Layla said it was a little too fast:).  They would have gone on more rides if they could have!  (although many they aren't tall enough for--Gibs was JUST tall enough--36"--for the roller coaster and the cars)  I'm guessing that they will LOVE Disney World next year!

 The guy at the dart game got Layla to play and she actually did really well.  She cried first when the guy was trying to convince her to play, but then did and liked it.  And she was able to win an animal pretty easily thanks to that guy.

 Gibs got an animal playing the ducky game only because the girl working at it showed me where she set down an "L" (large prize) ducky. 

 I love how she sits with her feet up on her tray:)...

9 Months

Greta is 9 months old already!  I can't believe it's time for pictures again!! I have been a bit delayed with getting all of her pics done, so we'll see when I get around to her 9 month:). Feels like she just had her 6 month pics done!  She is still so lovable and sweet.  I am curious to see if she continues this same disposition throughout life--super sweet yet super interested in figuring everything out.  She is a curious little girl and very determined so at this age, that can mean getting into trouble!  She wants to open every cupboard and every drawer and wants to explore every unknown.  She is a complete mamma's girl which I admit, sometimes I like:).  She cries when certain people look at her, but with most people is fine (just seems like a select few she finds quite frightening for some reason).  She does fine being dropped off at nursery, so that is nice. 
She is wearing 9  month clothing mainly--she can still fit in some 6 month yet also fits in some 12 month.  She wears size 3 diapers and I would guess will for quite awhile.  She is getting some formula but mainly frozen breast milk yet.  And I still have quite the supply left:).  I quit pumping I believe around 6 months and have purchased 3 cans of formula since then plus a sample can, so not too bad:).  She has dropped her evening nap recently so she normally just has a morning and afternoon nap. She gets 3 naps on days still when she either naps really short for her first two naps (like only an hour each) or if she misses one.  She eats about anything we give her and loves to eat.  She drinks her bottles good on her own--I often put her in her carseat (strapped or she'll escape)--otherwise if you feed her a bottle she gets SO distracted by everything around her that she is very hard to feed.  She LOVES standing and can take steps a little bit holding on to things.  I would guess that she'd be walking by a year. 
We have a helmet appointment tomorrow so we'll see how her head is growing.  So far they keep saying that her head is growing slow:(.  But it's really not bad having it on, she doesn't mind at all, and to us, her head now looks great!  I was "that" mom and brought her to the doctor on Saturday because I was afraid she had an ear infection (she had had an eye infection and cold and then woke in the night Friday night which they had said to look out for), but she didn't.  But at least we got her weight and height on her 9 month birthday:).  She was 18 lbs even and I think 28"?  I could be wrong on the height though and actually, maybe she was 17 lbs even, hmm, at least we'll get it in a couple of weeks at her 9 month appointment:). 

We love having her as a part of our family and most of the time her big brother and sis love her too--sometimes a little TOO much and Gibs has some issues being a little over affectionate:).  Happy 9 months sweet baby girl!!

8 Months

Greta turned 8 months on July 25.  Let's see if I can remember what she was doing then:).  That was also the day we had to be out of our house.  Wow, that means we've been living at my dad and Joyce's for a month already--time sure flies!  Greta started pulling up on things a little before she turned 7 months and can now stand up as long as she has a little something to help her (like a wall or piece of furniture or whatever).  She likes to eat anything we give her and does really well with chewing whatever we give her (obviously with the exception of really hard foods) even though she doesn't have any teeth yet. I really might as well be doing her 9 month post because honestly, I can't remember how different she was a month ago from what she's like right now.  She was sweet a month ago and still is, that I know:).  She was also very curious a month and still is and is into everything she can get her hands on!  And we love her now just like we did a month ago--or probably even more now! :)

Here's her 8 month pic... 

 Checking things out in her kitchen...