The Pollard Place: January

I do always love January because it's a time to get everything back into a routine. We got rid of a bunch of stuff, looked through and organized things, and started setting up the house a little bit better. We hung up some more final touches, did a transition piece from the hardwood to the tile, and started switching out the door knobs and hinges. It's looking really cute! Oh, and we got a new sectional! I am in love with it. It's a charcoal gray and is so comfortable and perfect.

H loves the boxes that the sectional came in :)

We wanted to go snowshoeing, but there wasn't enough snow to make the snow shoes necessary. So we got to use our awesome microspikes that Jess got us for Christmas and go on a hike to Heather Lake. It was stunning! It seemed so long, but that was probably because we were in all of our snow gear. But it was definitely worth it. It was Henry's first time in the snow, so it was really fun to watch him explore with it a little bit.

We have been wanting to go snowboarding, and we haven't been since before we moved here. So, Rusty took a day off of work and we went snowboarding at Steven's Pass! It sleeted off and on while we were there and it was our first experience with the snow here (which is so super wet haha). They have free ponchos here for you to put on! It's crazy! We had a blast and can't wait to get back out there again!

This month I also started something that is on my bucket list: Volunteering at the Seattle Aquarium! Well, I started the orientation and training to volunteer. I am so excited about doing this! I have wanted to do something like this for as long as I can remember, and I just never thought I would really be able to. Rusty was so supportive and encouraging, and then it turned out that my friend needed someone to watch her little boy one day a week so she could go back to work which worked out perfectly because then we could just trade! That way I won't have to pay for someone to watch him, and the extra money I'll make (her days are longer than mine) will cover parking and gas. I can't believe how well things have fallen into place. I feel so lucky to be able to have a chance to really pursue my passion. It has been awesome to take the classes, meet people that actually enjoy talking about this stuff, and have a chance to get my foot in the marine biology world. I want my kids to see that their mom went after her dreams.

I also want to give a quick shout out to my dear, dear husband. He lights a fire inside of me that I didn't even know I had until I met him. He makes me feel like I can conquer the world, that anything I want to do is possible and an option. With him by my side I truly feel like there's nothing I can't do, nowhere I can't go, and no dream I can't make reality. Sweet Sister Hinckley described how I feel perfectly when she said this about her husband: "You have always given me wings to fly, and I have loved you for it." One of the nights that I had to go down for training Rusty and Henry came too and had a little man date. They walked around the pier, went to Gordito's for dinner (Henry LOVED the burrito), and walked through the pirate store. It's safe to say that they had a good time. :)

I started watching Jace, a baby that's one month older than H, and at first Henry loved his hair so much he would pull it. But he stopped doing that and plays really well with him and other kids that we hang out with! He is doing great at learning how to share and play softly. We watch him every Monday and have fun going on walks and playing!

Henry Highlights:

Henry has learned to to click his tongue and he does it all of the time!
One of his favorite games is to play hide and seek crawling around upstairs.
He loves to walk around with his little walker he got for Christmas.
Babbles all of the time still, and has now started to make new sounds of "ssss" and "th". He says da da all of the time, and ma ma basically only when he is sad. My favorite thing is that he went through phase where he would whisper "da da" when I said, "Say Mama!"
Crawls all over the place, climbs up the stairs, pulls himself up onto everything, and walks along the furniture. He is getting really close to walking and he can walk holding just one finger.He absolutely loves to walk with help.
Takes baths in the big tub now and he LOVES it! Like, so much. He just splashes and splashes and is so pleased to be in there.
Stands up in the crib, and I thought it was hard to get him to sleep when he could just sit up in there! Haha! He sleeps on his belly and still moves around all over the place. I LOVE that his socks end up tucked all around the mattress, just like me!

Raises his eyebrows and closes his eyes when he fake whines/cries
Doesn't like to be left alone. He is like his mama in that he definitely likes to be where the people are at! He has become a little clingy, but still is not much of a snuggler.

This is how he spends a lot of his time, but I don't mind

This has started! The little fingers under the door while I go to the bathroom. It's hilarious!

Loves cheese, bananas, peanut butter & jelly sandwiches. He has gotten a little bit pickier about what he will and won't eat. Sometimes he'll like something one day and hate it the next. Ahhhh. This is him eating banana bread and he absolutely loved it!

Loves to feed himself. If you put something in his mouth he will take it out, look at it, and then put it back in himself. He often throws food off of his tray while he looks at us knowing we don't want him to haha.
Chipped his tooth on his 11 month birthday :( I cried for hours, he cried for 2 minutes. As his tooth grows out it looks like less and less of a big deal.
We are taking full advantage of the warmer weather here and love going to the park to swing, going for walks and visiting an indoor play place at the mall on rainy days.