Ugh, it's so hot.

So we were having really beautiful weather for a while - I couldn't believe it was actually June. But sure enough a few days ago, it started reaching the 100's consistently, and it just feels so much nicer indoors during the day. So Quincy and I have been finding ways to keep cool.

Kellan & Quincy playtime



Early morning walk with Forrest (very early)


Kristine brought her daughter Olivia over for a playdate, and Quincy slept through 95% of it. He woke up about 30 minutes before Olivia's nap started. Here they are hanging in the crib together.


And in the kiddie pool



And here's a video!


After they left, Quincy and I went out back for more pool fun





Now that QB can sit on his own, it is only a matter of time before he starts crawling. Here he hanging out at his Great-grandparents house in Surprise, and observing the toy that Papa Allen gave him


Quincy loves playing with hair now. Long hair, short hair - it doesn't really matter. My mom was out of town for work last week, so I took Quincy over to play with his Papa Tom. He immediately started grabbing for my dad's hair. Doesn't he look like he just got caught?


On Friday we drove to Casa Grande to meet up with Becky who lives in Tucson. We figured Casa Grande is halfway for both of us, so it worked out great. We met up at the new shopping plaza there and visited for a short while. In this pic, QB is modeling the little organic "Sweet Pea" onesie that Becky got him when she first found out we were pregnant (which was over a year ago) and that day was the last day he was able to fit in it. He is getting so big so fast!


On Saturday, Solon was gone all day helping Marsielle install ceiling fans in his new house, so I put Quincy in this cute outfit that my mom got him, that Solon doesn't want him wearing because he says he looks like a girl. But I took a ton of pictures anyway, because really, he looks precious.



When Quincy was first born, and we were still in the hospital, everytime I would look down at him I would say that he looked like Christian Slater, because of his pointy eyebrows. As he has gotten older, and he is starting to be more expressive with his face, I can't help but see the resemblance of another actor. I finally figured out who it was:


Yesterday, I enlisted Quincy's help with the laundry - hey, I had to start doing everyone's laundry when I was about 10 years old, so it's never too young to expose them to it. =) He really enjoyed playing in the basket - he had so much fun!



And then we flipped it over when we were done, and turned it into a fort, well kind of.


The other day we started playing the game "What does the (insert animal here) say?" I read in a magazine that at this age, it's supposed to encourage babies to talk more. Well, it worked! I started making animal sounds to Quincy, and he started going crazy! It was pretty funny, when I said, What does a dog say? - Wuff Wuff," Forrest started barking - almost as if he was on cue! It was hilarious. Now Quincy even has his favorites sounds. Here's a video for your enjoyment.

Happy Father's Day Solon!

For Solon's gift, I put together a scrapbook of the last 6-months or so of our life, and his journey towards his 1st Father's Day. This posting will give you an idea of what it looks like - a series of pictures of just the 2 of them (and some with our furry-son Forrest), and then some great quotes that I found that seemed fitting for his new role as a father.

** AND TO ALL OUR FAMILY & FRIENDS WHO ARE CELEBRATING FATHER'S DAY - WHETHER IT'S YOUR 1ST (AND THERE ARE MANY OF YOU) OR YOUR 30TH+ (DAD'S, GRANDPA'S ETC) - THANK YOU FOR BEING PRESENT IN YOUR CHILDREN'S LIVES, AND FOR SETTING A WONDERFUL & POSITIVE EXAMPLE! **

Now, a peek at Solon's gift:

“We never know the love of our parents for us until we have become parents.” - Unknown



“It is not flesh and blood, but heart which makes us fathers and sons.” - Friedrich von Schiller



"A man's children and his garden both reflect the amount of weeding done during the growing season". - Unknown

"A truly rich man is one whose children run into his arms when his hands are empty." - Unknown




"A father is a fellow who has replaced the currency in his wallet with the snapshots of his kids.” - Unknown

"Blessed indeed is the man who hears many gentle voices call him father!" - Lydia M. Child



"I cannot think of any need in childhood as strong as the need for a father's protection." - Sigmund Freud

"Fathers, like mothers, are not born. Men grow into fathers - and fathering is a very important stage in their development." - David M. Gottesman



"One father is more than a hundred schoolmasters." - George Herbert

"When a father gives to his son, both laugh; when a son gives to his father, both cry." - Jewish Proverb



"Any man can be a Father but it takes someone special to be a dad." - Anne Geddes

"Every father should remember that one day his son will follow his example instead of his advice.” - Unknown



"A man's desire for a son is usually nothing but the wish to duplicate himself in order that such a remarkable pattern may not be lost to the world." - Helen Rowland

"Dad, you're someone to look up to no matter how tall I've grown." - Author Unknown

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!!!
xoxo

Happy 1/2 Birthday Quincy!

Today our little angel turned 6 months - pretty hard to believe!

At 6 months old, Quincy weighs 18.7 lbs (which puts him in the 70% percentile for weight), and is 28 inches long (which puts him in the 93% percentile for height). The doctor tells me everytime to sign him up for the football team (his only joke maybe?) but I am thinking he's on his way to the NBA, although he does enjoy the reality show So You Think You Can Dance, as much as he enjoys watching the NBA Finals. =) So we'll see...



On Monday, Quincy sat up unassisted for the first time!
And, the day before that, he tried (and loved) using the sippy cup for the first time! Such excitement for first time parents - seriously!



Here are some videos to get this post started - you will notice that one of the nicknames we have for him is "crazy man" - whenever we call him that he goes crazy, you'll see:

Video of QB sitting up


Video of sillyness


Video of Quincy speaking his mind


Quincy playing in his bouncer



This past weekend, Solon, Quincy & I finally went to visit our good friends Kaream & Monica, who welcomed their 2nd child, Vivian Renee, into the world on April 16


Donovan and little sister Vivian


Solon always says that I am the "creative" arm of the Bell Empire - well, I encouraged him to explore his creative side, and what better way than to start in the kitchen! So I gave him the mission (should he choose to accept it) to plan and prepare dinner for us once a month. I love cooking, but I love seeing him experience the thought and preparation that goes into preparing meals for our family.


Using some of the many recipe cards I have, this past Sunday, Solon made Grilled Catfish with a Roasted Red Pepper Sauce, with "Grown-up" Macaroni & Cheese, Grilled Zucchini, and rolls. It was delicious! I can't wait to see what's on the menu next month!


My friend Elizabeth gave us the gift of membership to the Arizona Science Center, so this week, Larel & I took the boys to check out the Lego exhibit



Kellan was afraid the dragon would bite - so he didn't get too close

Quincy & I took our chances


Kellan checking out the different expressions a face can make


Forrest is starting to really show love to Quincy. He gets closer to him now that QB is moving around so much. And Forrest especially likes the fact that now there is one more person in the house that he can beg for food from. What he doesn't understand is just because Quincy has started on "solids", the food isn't solid enough for his liking - but don't tell him that.

Forrest waiting for me to "drop" some of Quincy's food


Another picture of my handsome Forrest

Wrapping up May

In just a few days Quincy will be 6 months old. I am pretty sure I have said it before but the months have literally flown by in days, and every day he is developing so much more before our eyes.

Quincy rolls around all over the place, and has figured out how to roll-scoot. It's his way of getting around while on the floor. The second he is awake, and has eaten, he is moving - he doesn't want to sit still! He will be crawling in no time! We have been feeding him solid foods for a little over a month now and he loves rice cereal, sweet potatoes and butternut squash (as long as it's mixed in with bananas), and he kind of likes peas, and definitely did not like carrots in the beginning, but has since changed his mind. I have been making almost all of his baby food from scratch except for the veggies that have nitrates in them, and it has been so easy and fun. He helps me all the time in the kitchen! He laughs at our funny faces, and makes some of his own, he follows his shadow, and loves when 5pm comes around, because he knows it's time to play with Daddy!

Quincy loves bathtime!


Quincy hanging with his friends Tyler and Garrett


A video of Quincy with Tyler and Garrett


Marsielle and Quincy at Sunday Night Dinner - they are making the same facial expression!


Celebrating my Godfather Chuck's 63rd Birthday!


Quincy meeting his Great-Tia Yolanda for the first time!!!


Tia Yoli singing to Quincy in Spanish - he loved it!



One of Quincy's many tricks - sticking his whole foot into his mouth



Our little man is teething really bad right now. The last few days have been pretty hard for him around bed time. When he gets real tired, he starts working his gums with his fists. It's hard to see him so uncomfortable, but he makes these really cute sounds when he rubs his gums.


My friend Allison came over for dinner and to play with QB while he was awake. She told me later that she is completely in love with him. So are we!


Just showed up at Great Grandma Mama Mimi's house for lunch


Hanging with Aunt Alynsia


This is what he does to me all day long - open mouth kisses! He loves giving them!


Playtime with big brother Forrest


In his little cowboy outfit from Holly and her mom Jill = so cute!


With Tia Yoli the night before she left to go back to Cancun =(


Quincy with his Mama Chacha, Tia Yoli, and Tia Georgina


We had so much fun spending time with Tia Yolanda. We love when she comes to see us from Cancun, and she makes the best margaritas on the planet - and now we have her recipe! Our time with her is never enough - so we just need to plan a family trip to Cancun to see her and so many more members of our family!