.: October 2010

Just as we were preparing this month's pictures, we were packing to go to CA... and this got left as "almost done". Life ran away with us and we finally got the chance to stop and catch up—well, at least a bit. This is Faye from July 7th–August 6th. Below Faye is enjoying the freedom of no clothes!

Couldn't resist putting this pic up...it fit so well with the image of our little cupcake above!

Caught on video: Faye shows how she can mimic daddy's facial expression!

Rachelle and Faye get to catch up over coffee. Rachelle was the first visitor

after Faye was born and they had a lot to catch up on from the past two months.

Grammy and Grampy came into town in July and we spent a couple days in the McKenzie River area. Faye is catching up on sleep as we travel out there; though she is missing out on the tree-lined highway that leads to the cabin.

We arrived and Donna is sheltering Faye from the harsh rays.

Lounging with Grampy.

Grammy and Faye hang out while we have fun being kids again—playing foosball, ping-pong, and air hockey (and though quite loud in the room, Faye seems oblivious and content—guess she is already used to her loud and sometimes obnoxious parents.)

This was the FREE jogger we got off of craigslist! (it only took about a week of trying different methods to get the cat pee smell completely out of it, no wonder it was free, but it was worth it once the smell was gone!)

We decided to go see Sahalie and Koosah falls. Faye and Donna

got to take a rare photo of a picture of a picture of a picture being taken of the waterfall.

Why just stop at viewing the falls? We decided to hike the loop around the falls. We forgot that it was a bit intense for those that aren't used to hiking. The other thing that we forgot was how narrow the paths were and how RIDICULOUS it would be to take a jogger stroller the entire way! Below is how we transported Faye about 70% of the time. She was like an Egyptian queen being carried around by servants!

The only way to cross back over to the end of the trail was to cross this log bridge. As you can see, just like the paths we were on throughout the entire hike, it was not meant for a big bulky jogger stroller to go across. Corey shows how we had to carry it across the river—up on the hand rail!

Little munchkin gets out for a bit during the hike.

Due to the long hike the day before, the rest of the trip was taken

at a slower, more relaxing pace. Well-earned naps all around.

We named this toy giraffe "R-Gee", for Rubber Giraffe...yes, very creative. We liked it better than being called by the given product name "Sophie"—boring. This is the first toy that Faye actually grasped (and chewed on)! Thank you Grammy and Grampy for getting this for Faye!

This is how we are greeted in the morning! A content happy baby!

We discovered that Faye LOVES facing out. It worked out well to have her head held up while asleep.

Donna was actually able to get some chores done that day!

A common occurrence in the Templeton household, Papa teaching Faye how to nap.

We took a quick trip over to Bend to see Connie, Donna's boss from her college days.

Faye says, "doesn't the wallpaper complement my sweet outfit?"

We took a nice walk with Connie and her sister, Carol, along the river.

We got to see some swans, beautiful homes, and Donna's favorite, seeing her baby and getting some cuddle time!

The Carters came to visit again this summer! Woohoo! It was great practice for them as they

prepare for their baby—soon to come in December! Joel did very well holding Faye.

We went up to Portland to go see musician Josh Garrels (if you haven't heard of him, you should check him out, www.joshgarrels.com). He played at a 21 and over place so we had to have someone watch Faye. Fortunately Sarah and Paul live up there and THEY were just a month away from having their baby. So this was good training for them! Sarah made an awesome blanket for Faye.

We had to put in one picture of the show. (and what a show it was!)

The next morning we got to witness the making of a wonderful mommy. As Faye is crying and upset, Sarah, undaunted, sits and smiles so sweetly as if all is well with the world. (as you can see in the background, the frazzled mom is running by to bring the pacifier to Faye!)

Sarah's baby and Faye got to hang out. Here is a picture of Faye showing how she already loves baby Carter by placing her hand on the ultrasound image of the baby in Sarah's necklace! Too precious!

Faye, so full of smiles now! Sarah caught a good one in the car.

We took a little hike with the Carters. Faye enjoyed the ride... she slept most of it!

Back home from the hike the next day...

Faye caught napping on Corey, how rare!

The last day the Carter's were in Eugene we all went to the University to hang out (Corey to do some work, Joel to find a pick-up game of soccer, and Donna, Sarah and Faye to do some much needed coffee-shop-girl-time). While Donna and Sarah walked on campus, Sarah spotted "Puddles" the duck (who looks an awful lot like Donald Duck), the mascot for UofO. She knew it would be a good photo moment and almost like going to Disneyland and taking a picture with one of the characters there (a lot more convenient then traveling to CA!). So here are the pictures below of Faye meeting Puddles. Oh, and does the second shot look a bit like a awkward family shot? (only awkward because the person inside the Duck costume is not Corey)...well it made for a good laugh anyhow.

(who is the person under the costume, and why is that peculiar pose being done?

we will never know...)

Faye napping while resting her arm on her good ol' pal "R-Gee".

So for our 5 year anniversary (July 30th) we did a quick day trip up to Portland. A quick day trip is quite the event when toting a baby with you. We started out going on a walking tour of downtown Portland so that we can pretend to be "insiders" and know weird facts about different landmarks. Below, Donna and Faye pose during the break portion of the tour.

So we just HAD to take a picture of Faye in front of the "Made in Oregon" sign...

it was just too fitting. (though looking at her face, she doesn't seem as pleased to pose in front of this)

A beautiful view of Portland.

The little orange spec on the ramp is the bassinet stroller that Donna was pushing.

On this trip Donna became a pro at "discreetly" breastfeeding in public—in our car in a parking structure, on a bench next to a drunk guy (who Corey tried to converse with and keep him at a safe distance), under an overpass that was quite the pedestrian walkway (as pictured below), and on a curb next to some port-a-potties outside a music event. She prefers home MUCH more to any of these locations.

Corey in ONE picture from the entire day (burping Faye)... guess that is mainly because Faye was strapped to Donna for most of the day or in the bassinet and Corey was the self-appointed photographer of the trip.

So once Faye was fed we realized we needed to get back up to street level to get to our destination—little did we know that after walking further down the walkway, that they would not have a ramp...that was a fun arm workout.

Corey took this picture because this area where the free music event was held, had a very different vibe and look to most of the people. Donna looked quite out of place, not just because of the cheery flower dress in contrast to the black leather/muted colored outfits/skinny jeans, but also the fact that she had a baby strapped to her (and the crowd was a bit younger than us)! Note the aforementioned port-a-potties ;)

Faye and Donna are pictured here on a concrete waterfall

—just one of the many interesting art pieces in Portland.

The day was packed with walking, and more walking... we stayed parked in one place (not the best idea). We got home and calculated how far we walked and it was around 6 miles! We easily worked off the Elephant Ear and other not-so-healthy food choices that day. Below is a beautiful dusk shot of Portland on one of the bridges. If you can see the bridge in the background at the left, it was closed down and there was live music and huge festivities going on there for the bridge's "birthday". We almost walked down there but this was at the end of the day and our legs were feeling a bit worn-out! Overall, it was a great day...one in which we came away saying a familiar phrase "ahhh, we love Portland" (maybe, just maybe we will end up there if the job market turns around by the time Corey is done with graduate school)!