Love him. Love him. LOVE him.

race video.

For those interested, our race promo video is up on our race website, www.gcsupc.com - check it out!!

We're already getting ready for the 2011 Gulf Coast Stand Up Paddleboard Championship!

bounce baby bounce

forecast.

This is my second summer in FL and as I sit INSIDE on a beautiful sunny day (if you were to go outside you'd be a sweaty mess in about 4 minutes), I can't help but remember/miss (a lot) San Diego. For those of you that know me, you know I was never a huge fan of Southern California. When I lived there I was homesick for the south and missed my friends and family back East.

While I do get to see them all a lot more often now, I have to say the "sunshine tax" that you pay to live in CA is kind of worth it. I can't be outside long. I can't take Jonah for a walk unless it is 6a.m. and even then we both end up hot and hotter. The dogs can never get a good run in because after about 5 minutes at the park, they are a panting mess. You can set your AC to as cool as you like and it is still HOT in your house. And don't think a dip in the Ocean will refresh you. The Gulf of Mexico is a balmy 92 degrees. It's like going for a run and then cooling off in a hot tub.

So as I sit inside today, I am very nostalgic for the following: Swamis Cafe on the 101, Del Mar Dog Beach, Station Sushi, Iron Mountain, the cool Pacific, good Mexican tacos, Pacific Beach people watching, Del Mar horse betting, happy hour with my Santaluz girls, hiking, no humidity, no bugs, light breeze, mild temperatures, sunshine that kisses your skin not scorches it and most of all the ability to spend the ENTIRE day outside.







Missing San Diego today....

studs.

I am lucky enough to be blessed with two studs in my life. The first is my husband of close to 5 years. Why is he a stud one might ask? Well I'll be honest, most days I wouldn't necessarily refer to him as a stud (especially when he hasn't taken the garbage out) but today a stud he is indeed.

Brody paddled 28 miles today around the island of Manhattan. 28 miles! An event benefitting children with Autism, some of the top paddlers competed. Longer than a marathon and much harder as you are battling wind/current/waves, etc it was not an easy feat. Not only did he finish in just 4 hours 37 minutes but he came in 2nd place!! I am very proud of him!!! So you see I am definetly married to a stud today, whether he has taken the trash out or not.


Brody before the paddle - I have no "after" photos, which may not be a bad thing considering his exact words when I talked to him were - "I am a mess."

The other stud in my life is a lot cuter (sorry Brody) and a lot smaller. He hasn't paddled 28 miles yet, but I think he could crawl them! That's right my little 5 month old, chunky as I call him, is crawling. Baby proofing is going to happen a little early in the Welte house as Jonah is all over the place. And boy does crawling make him happy. It's as if he's been trapped and finally set free. The second you put him on the ground he's off. Now it is still a tummy to the ground crawl, but he is beginning to lift those knees so I am confident that before long he will be a full on crawling machine. I am proud and devastated at the same time. While I am so happy that he is growing and learning, I am so sad that my little baby is already mobile. My sweet boy who I just gave birth too is already trying to leap out of my arms to explore the world. And while I want to try to stop him and hug on him forever, I know that this is only the first of many times I will have to let him go on his studly way.


My baby is starting to grow some hair!!


Seriously, could he get any cuter? (I love his bug eyes)


Crawling over and under everything.

close encounters

check out this AMAZING picture of a gal on one of our lessons with a manatee!!! It came right up to their boards and wanted some love.

LOVE IT!

new friends, old friends

The Welte's road tripped it down to Captiva Island yesterday to visit the Swifts! It was so nice to see them and their new baby Andrew, who is 10 days older than Jonah. We were friends and co-workers with James and Calay in San Diego and were there when they had their daughter Delcie. It is amazing how fast they grow, because at the ripe old age of 5, Delcie is quite possibly the smartest kid I know.

Jonah enjoyed Andrew and both of them grabbed at eachother and drooled all over eachother! It's fun having a playmate! Since Jonah is home with me all day, he gets really excited to see other babies.

all things new

Jonah is 5 months old this week - 5 MONTHS!!! I can really say this time has flown by. It seems like just yesterday we were bringing him home and now he is almost sitting up by himself, rolls over all over the place, is showing the first signs of crawling, laughs, smiles, eats off a spoon, starting to drink out of a sippy cup, sits in the stroller like a big boy and plays with toys. WHAT?!?!

I know all Moms think their child is the smartest and cutest baby on the block, but Jonah really is. Seriously though, this kid is so smart and so strong. He can stand up, flat footed and hold his weight just by holding onto my fingers, he is almost crawling and he I mean look at his face - he is the cutest thing on the block right?

Jonah meets his aunties!

Meghan and Tina came to visit us this week and we had a great time! It was a bit too hot to spend our days outside, so we filled them lounging around, eating great food and talking. Reminded me of our college days (if you don't count the baby drool, sweet potato mush and poopy diapers)

Thanks for coming girls, miss you already!!

sweet summer

Happy 30th Birthday Aunt Jody!!