If you ever want to surprise someone for their birthday, I suggest doing it so far past their birthday, that it's actually half-way to their next birthday. I guarantee you, they will be surprised! My birthday is June 17th. This past June 17th, I happened to be in the hospital having a baby. Needless, to say, we didn't have the traditional celebration, but what more could you ask for than a healthy baby?? Regardless, Dave kept saying that he was going to get me something for my birthday. By December, my birthday was 6 months behind us and long forgotten.... or so I thought! Dave came home from work last week with a big, beautiful bouquet of flowers and a card. I asked what it was for and he just shrugged and told me to open it. It was a card saying that he was giving me my birthday present and to pack my bags because he was taking me on a surprise trip. We brought Tanner with us, but he had it all arranged to have his parents watch Lacey for the weekend. We boarded a plan for..... Newport, Rhode Island! I was so excited! There are 11 states left in the country I haven't been to and Rhode Island is one of them, so I got to check it off my list -- I now have 10 :) But the real excitement was in this town. I loved it, loved it, loved it. It was absolutely, breathtakingly beautiful, quaint, charming, friendly, surrounded by ocean and turn of the century mansions beautifully restored and decorated for the holidays. Here is Dave standing in the back yard of "The Breakers", a home built by the Vanderbilts in the late 1800's to be used as their "summer cottage."
Here I am at the door of the church where John F. Kennedy and Jackie were married.
This is the Cliff Walk. It is a 3 1/2 mile stretch where the ocean is on one side and the back of all the beautiful homes is on the other. It's gorgeous! (And it's in the 1,000 Places to see Before you Die book, so I got to check that off my list too!)
Dave is a tennis nut. The International Tennis Hall of Fame is located in Newport, so he was in 7th Heaven!
And just in case you were wondering if we really did have Tanner with us, here is the back of his cute head! He turned 6 months yesterday and I go to the doctor for his check-up tomorrow, so I will post more pictures and stats of him in a couple days. Anyway, it was a short, but wonderful and memorable trip. Thanks for the weekend, Dave! I was definitely surprised!
My baby is 6 months old! It's going by so fast. I took him to the pediatrician for his check-up today. The nurse weighed him (21# 4oz.) and yells out, "Dr. G. come look at this! We have a 6 month old that is over 21 pounds!" (To put this in perspective, Lacey who was in the 50th%ile having an average weight for age, was 19# at her one year appt.) Next thing I knew, the staff was gathering around to see my chunk-a-lunka. It was so funny. He started giving them all big belly laughs and smiles, which he is very good at, and we all had fun with him. This is my favorite stage -- the 6-9 month stage. They smile, laugh, get on a schedule, start eating, rolling over, sitting up, etc. But yet they don't crawl or walk and get away from you -- the perfect combo! Anyway, he's in the 95th%ile for his weight and off the charts for his length (28 1/2 inches). Healthy boy!
Tanner with daddy in Newport. 
I love my Tan-man!
I think he's going to be a gymnast! I put him in the Bumbo, then walked behind him and was talking. He heard my voice and flipped himself backwards to see me. How cute is that! I love you Tanner!
