Family, Friends, and oh so much fun!

Get ready for a long post, it's been a full couple of weeks.

Last post I showed pics of our beautiful Easter eggs, so here are some pics of my nephew Kellan on his egg hunt - he loved it!



Quincy being a spectator - next year he will be able to look for them!


Our friends Tamir & Joy came back to AZ from Iowa for a visit. Quincy and I spent the day at the Phoenix Zoo with them and their son, Oren.



Quincy & I met up with Jaime & Maia and Christina & Tyler @ Claim Jumper for lunch



Look at Tyler checking me out!


I decided to chop my hair off - because apparently after giving birth women tend to shed more than normal, and since my hair is insanely thick, it was driving me absolutely crazy. Here is the before & after pic:

I love my long hair, and when I am done having kids, I will grow it out again. Until then - it will remain above my shoulders.

My friend Jen Jen got married this month - I used to work with her at I Do I Do Bridal.


Solon & I enjoyed the night with Helen (my boss from the bridal shop), her husband John, and their son Collin.


Here's a really cool picture of Forrest


Mitzie & Jeremy came over for dinner before their big move to Portland.

Mitzie read Quincy a wonderful bedtime story about his Uncle Barack (that's what Solon calls him). It's a beautifully written story about Obama's life (up to this point) directed at multi-racial children, about how to fit in with a diverse background. And QB is diverse (Mexican, Scotts-Irish, African-American, Cherokee Indian, Russian - what am I forgetting?)


Solon & I took Quincy on his first trip back to Iowa

First stop was Des Moines where Solon's college, Drake University was having their 100th Drake Relays. We spent Thursday night with Solon's college roommate Vincent, and his wife Rachel. Their son William was born just 2 days after Quincy!

These boys love putting everything in their mouths!



We had a wonderful dinner (thank you Rachel) and enjoyed hearing stories of Solon's college days.
Drake Alumni - Chet, Jessica, Solon, Vincent, & Edwin


Friday, we drove to campus to check out the 100th Anniversary of Drake Relays. An annual track & field event where some of the most gifted athletes from other colleges and high schools come to compete.



The Bell Family with "Spike the Bulldog" - Drake's Mascot


Quincy and Will got a tour of the campus

The cafeteria where Solon and his buddies used to hang out and "people watch"


As we were leaving the Student Union, a staff member said hello to Solon and totally remembered him from when he was the QB of the football team. He told us to check out the inside corridor of the stadium, because Solon's name was up there on a couple plaques.



Solon in the stadium where he used to play



You can't come to Relays and not get a giant turkey leg!


In front of campus with Edwin & Vincent


Vincent, Rachel & William


At the end of Friday, we drove from Des Moines to Cedar Rapids to finally go see Quincy's Papa Allen! QB has changed so much since Dad saw him in person last. They bonded right away.

Sinbad meeting his nephew


I'm sure you remember hearing about the floods in Cedar Rapids about a year ago. We drove around to look at all the damage that was caused. It was really sad to see. So many people lost their homes - entire communities were ruined.




On Saturday we also took Quincy to finally meet his great-grandparents, Nellie & Leroy. Solon was really excited to show off his son to the woman who helped raise him when we was a little boy. Solon and Gram have a wonderful bond, and it was great to see her so happy.




Love at first sight!


Quincy playing with our cousin Royce



Our cousin Marcus and his son Luciano Isaac a.k.a Lucky



Haley and Danita reading Quincy a bedtime story - The Lion King

He loves books!


Sunday was Quincy's first time at church.
Here he is with Uncle Dicky who married us!

And with Aunt Sandy

Quincy loved the songs we all sang, and wanted to start talking once the preacher was done. It was so funny!

We went to visit with Sara & Sammy who just moved back to Iowa from AZ

I thought it was so cute how QB kept checking Sara out

Sammy, Sara & Moses the jumping dog


We also paid a visit to Gaga - Quincy's great-great-grandma!



My brother-in-law Sinbad

This dog is so wonderful, just a big lovebug. It's really funny how much he & Forrest are alike. They have the same loveable personality, and are just both such good dogs. I just wish they lived closer so they could meet and play together.

Quincy started playing this game with his grandpa where we would grab on his hand and shove it in his mouth. It was hilarious!

Then he would look at me for approval


In his adorable pj's that his Aunt Alynsia got him


On Monday, we spent some more time with Gram so we could get a pic of 4 generations



Then we went to see Romeo & Patti - Allen's best friends - so they could meet our little man



To end the night, we made one final stop in Hiawatha to have dinner with Ryan Luehrsmann (one of Solon's friends from Middle/High School), his wife Katie, and their 2 boys, Brady (2 1/2 yrs) & Cael (5 1/2 months)

Quincy's first time in a bouncy chair - he loved it!

I've never seen him so determined!


The Luehrsmann family


On Tuesday, we were able to make 2 stops before we had to be at the airport.
The first stop was in Cedar Rapids to introduce QB to Chris (Solon's mom's best friend) and her daughter Jannah




And then in Des Moines, we were able to visit with our cousin Kelly on her lunch break


Then we got a call from US Airways that our flight had been delayed 2 hours (so much for coming home early), so we hung out around the airport (which was like a ghost town) until our plane got there.

Because our flight to Phoenix was a connection flight for so many passengers, they all had to stay in Iowa over night, so our flight was pretty empty. Only 8 passengers total. We took a picture of the luggage cart because it was so pitiful - only 3 items were checked in total! And 2 of them were ours! =)


It was nice though because I was able to use an empty seat to keep Quincy in his car seat carrier, in which he slept the entire 3 hour flight (which he needed). And I was able to have my hands free to write down what we did on our trip for his scrapbook.

We had a wonderful time, and saw A LOT of people. Time always seems to fly when we go back there, because there are always so many people to see, and so much good food to eat (Dad's wings, Antipasto, Famous BBQ Ribs, Leroy's Chili, B-Bops burgers, Saigon Vietnamese etc, etc).

Here are some videos to enjoy!

Quality time with Papa Allen


Video of Quincy's 1st time in the bouncer


Quincy continues to grow in something every day. At 4 1/2 months he can roll over every which way (tummy to back, back to tummy), he loves to stand up (assisted of course), he loves making faces at himself in the mirror, he eats rice cereal and LOVES it, he studies faces and observes EVERYTHING around him, he is trying to scoot to get his toys, he coos, smiles and laughs ALL DAY LONG, every day, and he grabs my face to kiss me - which is my favorite. He is truly the happiest baby I have ever known in my life, and everywhere we went, and everyone we saw told us the same thing. He did so wonderfully on this trip. We tell him every day (although I am pretty sure he doesn't understand it yet) how much we love him and are so overjoyed that he is our son. He is such an amazing blessing to us. Every day just keeps getting better.