With Espen in the family happy happy home...

We all had a family date tonight. We have several of those a week, but tonight just felt special. Maybe its because the ground was wet from all the rain, we had our sweaters on and hot drinks in hand.
Espen learned how to drink out of a straw tonight. He drank from my Sprite from Chick-fil-a but when the sprite hit his mouth he backed away from the straw kept his mouth open cause it burned his little mouth (his first carbonated drink)...he kept his head back and mouth open until the burn went away then wanted more. We only tried 2 or 3 times, since he didn't swallow any, his shirt and my sleeve were soaked. We'll try water next time. Ryan and I laughed so hard.
Espen waits for me to laugh now with him after he sneezes. It's been so fun to get tickled about sneezing. He does it once then I do 40 fake ones loving to hear him laugh so hard.
Espen rode the carousel tonight with me. It's his second time total to ever ride one, but we would watch for daddy every time we would come around. He waved at everyone! But he would go right back looking for Ryan to wave at him.

Oh our little Espen is so cute and funny! He truly enjoys the world, and I really think the world enjoys him. Tonight we stopped into Anthropologie and Ryan told me later that he observed a tired lady who just looked sad, she saw Espen and said hi to him; he responded with a big smile and his little laugh, she thanked him for that smile, and said "that really made my day". Ryan said her face changed and it was like she genuinely needed that smile.
Its so cool to see how such a little life can give life.
I'm so thankful for my joy named Espen.

Espen also loves to play in a certain cabinet and he loves to climb...


(Espen's still not walking on his own but he's confident enough to just hold one hand. Hopefully we'll get it on video when it happens)

And Practicing for Christmas Carols...