Rocking Horse

There's another animal in the house: a horse. It's actually a rocking horse, but we love it just the same. It's got a great saddle that doesn't let the rider fall out, so Evan and mommy think it's great. We're going to have years (at least minutes) of fun out of this one!

Real Foods

Today was Evan's first real food - a banana. He loved it! It was so much fun to smash and eat. He would have eaten the whole thing, I'm sure.

Just three days later, we tried Cheerios - something solid requiring chewing. It went over really well! He thinks it's much more fun to grab the food and feed himself - and so do we.

Next stop: steak and lobster.

Hanging with Ernie

Hi Ernie! How are you today? I like that we're right at the same eye level. You're a lot fuzzier than I am. I like your whiskers! We both move on all fours. Let's play!

Jack in the Box

Evan has a Jack In The Box. He's been trying to alternately get the top open and then to pull Jack out. It's so funny when Jack pops up - Evan looks so surprised and excited like it's the greatest thing in the world. Then we do it all over again, and it's just as fun as the first time.

Grandpa A

Evan and Grandpa A must have been having a very serious conversation here. Were they talking about hunting? Fishing? Golf? Or just singing some good old-fashioned nursery rhymes?

Grandma B

We had a great time playing with Grandma B while in Milwaukee. She had a great lego table and fun books to read. Thanks for playing with us!

Standing Up to say Goodmorning

Evan decided to stand up this morning! It was the first time we came into his bedroom to get him up and he was standing up to greet us. What a big boy!

Baby Jack Friend

While home, Evan got to meet baby Jack Wyatt. They're a few months apart, but they had so much fun rolling around on the floor together! Maybe they'll be best friends growing up, just like their mommies.

Fest

Milwaukee is known for it's Fests, and this week was no exception. Though we missed Summerfest, we had a great time at Festa Italiana. Talk about food! The weather was damp and cool, but that didn't stop us from wandering the grounds, listening to music, and watching demonstrations. It was a great afternoon.

Madison!

We took a day of vacation and drove up to Madison. It was definitely time to introduce Evan to the ways of being a Badger! We drove past all of Mommy and Daddy's college houses, passed the Kohl Center and Camp Randall where they met, and sat down by the Terrace for the evening. We saw friends at the Waisman Center and at the Union. It sure was great to visit with them again!

Kopp's

A visit to Milwaukee is nothing without a stop at Kopp's Frozen Custard!

Evan enjoyed his introduction to this famous place, but is looking forward to the day when he can try the custard and burgers for himself.

We're Going to the Zoo

Evan went to his first Zoo! The Milwaukee County Zoo was the perfect place to spend an afternoon with two grandmothers and get some close-ups of real live animals.

The first animal Evan saw was a Flamingo. What silly pink birds! We also toured Monkey Island, a Bird Aviary, the underwater animals, and many more. Mommy saw the funny ostriches, and grandma liked the giraffes. Daddy steered us far away from the snake building. In the Lion's Den, the male lion was pacing back and forth and got right in Evan's face! What a noise he (the lion) made. We also visited the hippopotamus, Evan's favorite animal. He was curious as to why the hippo isn't blue, like the one in the bathtub...

At the end of the day there was one thing left to do: ride the carousel! At first Evan couldn't figure out why the animals were hard and cold like plastic, but once the music started, he didn't want the ride to ever stop. What fun!

Milwaukee Brewers

While in Wisconsin, we made a trip to Miller Park to see Daddy's favorite baseball team: the Brewers. Evan was decked out in his gear: a "my first Brewer's tee" shirt and spiffy tennie-runners. We had excellent seats behind home plate, and Evan the little socialite made good friends with the people in the row behind us.

The game was a good one, though it didn't end the way we hoped. Evan learned the rules of baseball from daddy, and cheered loudly for his favorite players. He didn't quite understand why Manny was being booed, but joined in the noise with gusto. He saw the Sausage Race, and got a photo with Mommy's favorite: the #4 Hot Dog. He tried valiantly to stay awake for the whole game, but finally fell asleep after the 7th inning stretch.

We think he really likes baseball!

At the Airport

The Pariseau family went home to Wisconsin for a summer vacation. We visited family and saw the sights of South Eastern Wisconsin. To get there, Evan went on his second trip in an airplane. We did have transfers this time, but he still did great on all the legs! Some people on the plane said they didn't even know a baby was on board. Evan did make friends with the people sitting in the row behind us, but he mostly slept on all the flights.

Still no flight wings though. Do they still exist?

Ernie Dog

Evan and Ernie are bonding more and more. Each definitely knows the other is there, and they often sneak over to investigate what's the other is doing. It's a challenge to keep them interested in their separate toys! As the relationship grows, they'll soon ll be chasing each other around the yard.

Big Boy Car Seat

Evan graduated from infant seat to a true car seat recently. He simply outgrew the baby seat... he's too tall! Plus, him in the seat was getting way too heavy for us to carry. Now Evan has big boy seats installed in both mommy's and daddy's cars. It's a fun new adventure!

Happy 4th of July!

It's Evan's first 4th of July! He was all decked out in a star covered shirt and shorts, happily showing his red, white, and blue. The weather was great today, and we had a nice picnic lunch and played outside. He got to see his first fireworks tonight - playing with sparklers in the backyard with mommy and daddy! Ernie was a little scared, but Evan took it all in. All the fun today made him a very tired boy!

A Toy Hurricane

Playing with just one toy at a time isn't enough for this little man. No, his favorite activity is to pull every item within his sight, toy or not, off the shelf or out of the bucket and sit happily in the mess, looking at his colorful little kingdom. It's the bestest way ever to spend a lazy weekend morning, that's for sure. Hmm - which item to chew on next?

Stand Up!

Looking back at previous posts, we can easily see the progression of Evan getting bigger and stronger. In the beginning all his photos were laying down. Then we moved to laying on the stomach. Then sitting in the chair while he got taller and taller. Then he was crawling. Now he won't sit still in the chair long enough for a photo, and would much much rather stand up. Needless to say, it's nearly impossible for him to stay in any one place long enough to get a good shot, but one thing's for sure - this little man is growing up!