Grand Haven

On our anniversary we decided to take a trip to Grand Haven to see the pier.  Noah always travels well, but Claire has this thing about dirty diapers that need to be remedied immediately.  So a stop or two was required.  Claire seemed to enjoy being outside, and Noah always loves it.

Claire's Arrival

Claire was born on June 10th, 2013.  Due to complications, the doctor's agreed to let me have her via C-section earlier than anticipated.  She arrived  at 7lbs. 11 oz.  She was much smaller than Noah, and she's been a relatively happy baby.


Claire and Mom



They footprinted Ryan's arm

Noah meeting Claire

Little Miss Claire

John Ball Zoo

Last Saturday we took Noah to John Ball Zoo in Grand Rapids.  I was a little unsure of it as I had never heard of it before, but it turned out to be a great zoo!  Plenty of things for Noah to do and to enjoy.  If he were a few years older there is a rope walk and a zip line he could have done as well.  He got to go into a birdhouse filled with parakeets and feed them while they landed on him (he loved it!), got to see a penguin up close, petted a stingray, brushed a pig, played on a train, and had a macaw say "hello" to him.  The expression on his face when the bird talked to him was priceless.

Noah talking to the Macaw and realizing it talks back!

feeding parakeets in the birdhouse

Playground Fun

We found a new playground in Charlotte that we started taking Noah to, he seems to really like it there.  There are also a couple of little girls there most nights that he likes to play with as well.

Noah has been watching the Olympics too much

Peach Lake

Noah loves to be outside, so when we are in West Branch he's always up for a boat ride.  You mention it, you better be going...NOW.  One of the times we told him we'd take him out, he ran and got his lifejacket and put it on and snapped it himself (though not quite perfectly).  But he enjoys being out there and touching the water, but he's usually just as content to throw rocks into the water as well.

Notice the straps aren't quite right, but he did it himself!

trying to catch turtles

Noah loves to row with the oars

the loon hanging out nearby

Avery Lake

One of the days we were up in West Branch, we took a little trip up to Avery Lake.  Cute little lake, sandy bottom, and Noah was able to find frogs and crayfish.  Then he decided to be a "naked baby" and off went the clothes.

Noah wasn't too sure about the crayfish

the frog was perfectly content sitting on my hand.