Who Does Ryan Look Like...

The kids and I were going through old blog posts and watching their old videos.  It's crazy to think that to watch old family videos we go to the computer and not VHS tapes like I did when I was a kid.  You know you are getting old when you tell your kids stories like, "When I was kid we watched home videos on VHS.", and they look at you and have know idea what you are talking about.  Anyways, it's so fun to see the things they used to say and do.  I also came across some old pics of both Zach and Kate at 6 months.  So I pulled up one of Ryan because it's always fun to line up old family pics to determine who looks like who.  He is a mix of both but definitely is looking more like Kate.

Zach

Kate

Ryan

Me

Justin

Ryan 6 Months

Time just doesn't seem to slow down around here.  I have had these pictures and videos loaded for a month now just waiting for me to sit down and type a little something about our sweet Ryan.  He's 7 and half months as I type.  So lets play catch up.  Here's the skinny!

We technically started solid foods at 5 months, but it has taken a month for him to catch onto eating food off the spoon.  His favorite food is squash.  He got his two lower teeth and has successfully bitten me a time or two with those razor sharp teeth! Yikes! He learned to crawl and can sit up all by himself.  He is on the verge of dangerous, the silent type, where you know when you don't hear from him in awhile that he is not where he should be allowed(stairs).  We took him swimming for the first time and he's a fish.  He loves the water, even face plants himself to get a good taste of the chlorine.  And best of all his little personality is starting to show.  He giggles and is spitting raspberries at the older kids to get their attention.  He loves when all eyes are on him.   

Utah Soccer Camp turned Family Summer Vacation...

Over the week of July fourth we took a trip to Utah so Zach could participate in a BYU soccer camp.  Kate, Ryan and I tagged along to make it an official family vacation.  And somehow we managed to get a picture of every other activity besides the camp itself. 

 

Justin had his full circle moment having Zach at that camp.  The coach even mentioned to the entire camp that he had coached Zach's dad.  Zach thought that was pretty cool!  He played so well that he moved up a level within the first day because he was dominating his own age level.  You can imagine what this did for Zach's confidence level. 

 

Its always a treat to go to Utah.  Being able to spend time with friends and family is always fun.  We swam at Cowabunga Bay with the Broadbents, saw Monster's University and fireworks with Justin's side of the family and played at Seven Peaks and watched Stadium of Fire(from a distance) with my side of the family.  Whew what a week, we were so busy.  As always we didn't visit half the people we wanted to...so many people, such little time, especially when trying to let Ryan nap just enough to survive the crazy schedule. 

 

Ryan met Great Grandpa Van for the first time, Zach met Kyle Van Noy, a future NFL hopeful, Kate braved more waterslides than any other 5 year old I know, and Ryan enjoyed his first pickle. Good Times had by all! 

  

   

Tiny Dancer...

This year Kate took ballet from teacher Grace, and jazz from me.  Teacher Grace is one of my young women from church who trained at Oregon Ballet Theater.  She was a wonderful teacher for Kate to learn the basics from.  Kate knew exactly what to do at their showcase right down to the way you hold your hands.  I still remember learning how to hold my hands as a 6 year old, so it was so fun for me to watch Kate go through the same process this year. 

Kate with Teacher Grace and sister's Claire and Lilly, who assisted Grace.  We love the Newsom girls!

This is Kate's Kinder Jazz class and the girls I was able to teach this year.  They were such a fun, energetic group of girls.  They danced to "Rockin Robin" and were the cutest little birds in the concert.  I gave a special part to Kate where she ran from the corner and cartwheeled her way back into formation.  The crowd loved it and she loved the attention.  It was my consolation for putting her in the second line instead of front and center.  She does me proud and I love that I get to teach her.  I could spend hours teaching these girls!

At the end of the concert they always do a grand finale to celebrate the end of another year.  This is a little snippet.  Although she won't admit it and appears to be a bit shy at first, you can tell she loves to be on stage.