Lake is so tough. Daddy’s a rock. Mummy’s gaining grit by necessity, to keep up with the rest of the family! Lake is just so unflappable. It’s true what they say about falling down and getting right back up: if you’re looking for inspiration, just watch a toddler learning how to walk. So concentrated, so unfazed. Grandpa noted, it looks like he’s walking a tightrope. Lake had his big (minor)surgery last week Friday and it went really well. No more ear tag, happy button, duplicate tragus, branchial cyst, etc. It’s been named a lot of different ways over the past year but no one would remove it at Northwest Hospital when he was newly born or in any of the Doctors’ offices or back alleys since then. So last week we found ourselves in the hands of the handsome plastic surgeon at Seattle Children’s. 

It’s an ethical decision to put your baby under general anesthesia for an elective cosmetic procedure. Would he have wanted the ear tag when they were older? Would he have pierced it and made it his own? Now we will never know. It was a really minor procedure, that somehow got inflated as time passed. Anyhow, we made it through, and Lake is not just a survivor, he’s a thriver!

Then, in the thick of it and all the heat, Lake managed to come down with a full on case of conjunctivitis and cold. He’s giving me the tissues for my nose to pretend blow. He’s been getting his nose wiped so much.

He’s such a trooper. Survivor!

Thriver!

I have two favorite go-to hikes from Seattle: Snow Lake and Lake Serene. This week we took Lake to both of them. Here’s some pictures from our hike to Snow Lake with Jo. 

Now, dear reader friends, we will need some recommendations! What would your favorite hike be to take a 13 month old, 20 pounder? Please let us know in the comments: where would you like to see us go next?

By the afternoon, the water was really rushing over the trail. Lake forded the creek.