Journey for Four

Sweet Kiddos

2012-01-30T21:51:00.001-07:00

Things are getting much better week by week. It almost seems like there's something magical about having a 6 week old because that seems to be the age where things begin to get easier. I guess it makes sense that many women return back to work after 6 weeks. Here's a few updates on the kids:

Charlotte is starting to be a bit more interactive. She is smiling and cooing now and it's adorable! She is on a little bit of a routine/schedule and is sleeping 5/6 hour stretches at night. We were having problems getting her back to sleep after the 3 or 4 am feeding but lately she's been going right back to sleep. James is thankful that he hasn't had to make any late night drives with her. We are loving having a sweet baby girl!

Anderson is such a little ham.He is talking up a storm and repeating EVERYTHING. He has a great memory and loves pretend play. He is starting to sing along with us and can say all of his ABC's. He is always making connections with his favorite books and sometimes he says things and we wonder where he heard them. Lately he's been talking about the dark and monsters. We have no idea where that came from. He is still very jealous of his little sister and we have to watch him like a hawk He loves sweets (where does he get that from?). We made cookies one time and he says the word cookie a few times a day now. He will even try to pull out the drawer with the pan and say, "Mommy, please make cookies." He also loves Starbucks. No, we haven't bought him his own hot chocolate or anything but one time he did get a hold of my empty cup and drink the few drops of chocolate from the bottom. Every day he wants me to go to Starbucks to get a mocha. That silly guy!

Let's just say that life is interesting and we love our kiddos. Sometimes we get overwhelmed but then we just laugh and realize how lucky we truly are.

Having fun at Lollipop Park.

Big boy!

Sweet girl!

Construction zone (we ended up making a bigger one after this picture.

Sibling love!

So cute!

Love her smile!

Two Kids = Too Little Time

2012-01-16T22:37:00.000-07:00

Things we've learned the last month:

1) Having two kids is more than double the work

2) No matter how much attention you give either of the kids, they always want more

3) Sleep is nothing but a long lost friend that we miss very much

4) Getting out of the house is an event

5) Babies love to be held and are super snuggly

6) Toddlers (especially ours) have a hard time being gentle

7) The house will never be clean

8) Car rides are like magic for getting babies to sleep

9) Nap time (the hour that both kids are sleeping) is amazing

10) Take out is our new preferred cooking technique

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T13:50:00.001-07:00

Happy New Year! We are thankful for all of our blessings and hope that 2012 is great for everyone.
Things have been completely crazy with a two year old and newborn but we have hope that things will be wonderful soon. I have really lost track of days and time but we are trying to get out and embrace two kids. We are getting some sleep at night and Anderson is adjusting but we really forgot how much work it is to take care of a newborn. She is the sweetest and we love her to pieces; but our lives feel crazy at the moment. I've asked many friends with two kids if it gets easier and people say it does. James and I do wonder how people have 3, 4, or even 5 kids.

Here's some pics of our two kiddos:

Our Sweet Charlotte

2011-12-17T22:25:00.003-07:00

Wow, our lives have been crazy. Charlotte Christina was born on Monday, December 12, at 7:55 am. She is just the sweetest and we feel so blessed. James and I are thankful to have grandma here helping out with the house and kiddos because I'm not sure how we could have done it by ourselves. I ended up having a c-section and the recovery is a little better than last time but it's still hard not being able to do everything. Anderson is slowly adjusting but really doesn't understand but I'm sure it won't be long before he wants to help out.

Holiday Fun

2011-12-09T20:34:00.001-07:00

Anderson really liked the blow up Santa!

Just sitting here...

Umm.. you look a little strange..

The beard, oh my goodness, the beard...

Save me momma!

Very Traumatic!

I'm out of here!

Enjoying the time at the museum after the trauma.

Fun with bubbles.

Enjoying the zoo lights to ourselves.

Silly Hubby

Anderson and his teachers.

We are enjoying the holiday season and have been trying to squeeze as much fun into our weekends as we can before baby #2 comes. Last weekend we enjoyed snack with Santa at the Children's Museum and James's work holiday party at the zoo. Tonight we enjoyed Family Holiday night at Anderson's school. This is our last weekend before baby and I'm really hoping that our baby girl chooses to make her appearance into the world or else I'm scheduled for a c-section on Monday. I would rather not go through that again so please keep your fingers crossed!

I'm sure you can find Anderson in the back. He is such a little dancer!

Our November

2011-11-27T17:04:00.003-07:00

Really, I can't believe that I let a month slide by without a blog post. Sorry! We've been busy preparing for baby number two, decorating for Christmas, and just busy in general. James has had quite the honey do list and has almost finished everything. I guess you would say that I've been nesting the past month. I'm officially full term on Tuesday and baby C. could be here sometime in the next few weeks (really anytime but I'm guessing she'll want to cook a bit longer).

Thanksgiving was spent with friends here in Denver and it was just nice having daddy around and not having to work. Anderson really enjoyed all of our outings over the long weekend. He's talking up a storm and is now repeating about everything we say. Needless to say, he makes us laugh all the time! He's a funny guy and it's fun to see his little personality explode. We just love him to pieces. I'm a bit nervous about the transition to two children. Right now Anderson is my little bud and it's going to be hard on both of us. We'll survive the transition as long as I survive the first month!

Enjoying his new reading nook in his bedroom.

Playdough fun

Ride it cowboy!

The Plank

Ready to wrestle the snowman.

Trying to help in the kitchen.

Helping daddy with the tree.

Yay boxes!

Cute Santas.

A little Guitar Hero

Putting some ornaments on the tree.

Almost full term!

Yummy snack!

Crazy Fall Weather

2011-10-26T21:13:00.005-06:00

We have really had the perfect weather lately and then we were surprised with some snow today! It was nice to be inside today but we are happy it will get warm again. We haven't been up to much but we have realized that we have A LOT to do before baby number 2 is born. I recently joined Pinterest and have so many ideas for the kids' rooms that we are going to work on the next few weekends. It's funny because with our first baby we were really prepared and now we find ourselves asking, "Um, what does a newborn need?"

Anderson might be getting a little inkling that something is going to happen. We bought a book about a new baby sister and he can identify everyone in the book. When I ask him where his baby sister is he points to my belly. He is getting to be such a big boy. I recently bought him a baby Elmo potty book too. One night after bath while we were doing our usual run around the house with animal towels on, he starting going potty on the floor. We quickly put him on the toilet and he finished. Now it has become part of our nightly routine after bath and most of the time he goes! I also got him to go once today during the day. I'm really not sure he's quite ready but it's a start. We love our big boy!

Yay leaves!

So fun!

My pumpkin.

Trying to be a big helper!

Love the leaves!

Two days later!

A little deep!

Oops, we should have brought in the pumpkin.

Inside fun.

Silly!

More silly!

Fall Fun

2011-10-16T15:07:00.004-06:00

We had such a great weekend spending time together as a family. Things have been very busy around here and it was nice to take some time to do some fun fall outside activities. The weather has been absolutely gorgeous but we may not have anymore 70's after today.

Beautiful fall day!

He's always doing something silly!

Dressing up is one of Anderson's favorite things to do.

Yummy Sat. morning breakfast.

The jumping castles were a hit!

Such a boy!

Sweet.

Trying to find the perfect pumpkin.

Heavy!

Fun Fall Weekend

2011-10-02T21:09:00.000-06:00

It's been a great weekend! Anderson has just been so much fun, except for the sleeping issues. We did get some reprieve on Saturday night when he didn't wake at all and slept until almost 8. I had Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday off of work and we enjoyed our time together. We had a good time with friends at the park and enjoyed just playing at home. On Friday Anderson went with me to my 28 week appointment. and he said to my doctor, "Hi Doctor." I was so proud of him. After that we went to get treats at our favorite bakery nearby, to the park, and then we picked James up early from work and drove to Rocky Mountain National Park. Anderson kept saying, "Elk, elk." We did get to see some elk this time and the Aspen trees were beautiful! It was such a fun day! The rest of the weekend was spent playing outside and then we had our friends over for dinner on Saturday evening. That's about it for now.

Having fun at City Park!

Our little train conductor.

Beautiful fall day and lots of elk sightings.

Fall colors

Love the Aspens

Anderson did some hiking and of course did his sneak walk.

Beautiful lake.

Super sweet boy.

Picture perfect.

An elk outside the car.

More elk

2011-09-25T22:10:00.000-06:00

Ellen Dance Party

Birthday Guitar Dance

Our 2 Year Old!

2011-09-21T14:28:00.003-06:00

Anderson's 2nd birthday was on Monday! We had all of our family visit and we had a great time. He enjoyed all of the attention, the cake, balloons, and of course the presents. His 2nd birthday was even more fun than his first because he knew a little more about what was going on.
Here's a little update on Anderson:
Anderson has learned about 15 new words in the past week and a half. We were really starting to get worried and were thinking about having his language evaluated. But, he has really made some progress and it's like a switch went off in his brain and now he's trying to repeat words and is saying so many new things! He's up to around 40 words or so but seems to say something new every single day.
He is still a funny little character who loves to laugh and make everyone else laugh. He's a lot like his daddy in that way. He is so sweet and enjoys reading books, playing with his toys, going to the park, etc. He is still easy going and most of the time still just goes with the flow. We've had a few challenging moments with tantrums but we think they stem from the fact that he can't communicate how he feels. The days he goes to early preschool he does come home completely exhausted and we just know to expect a little bit of a rough evening.
We don't watch a lot of television because we've been worried about language development but his favorite shows are Bob the Builder and the Baby Einstein videos. Usually in the evening he will go get one and beg to watch. James and I try to interact with him during the time we watch but sometimes we get a bit sleepy. They're definitely not quite as entertaining for us!
Anderson is definitely sensitive to how others feel. He gets upset if someone has a frown on their face or if another child is crying. He doesn't like Thomas the Train because when we watched it one time they all had scowls on their faces.
Anderson is such a boy and just loves bulldozers, cars, his choo choo, etc. He also loves music and dancing. He got a lot of fun stuff for his birthday! He got a train table, train set, guitar, dress up hats, cars, books, clothes, a tool set, and a doctor kit. So fun!
He's such a fun little guy and is still our little sunshine! He is our entertainment each day and feel so lucky to have him!!

Big boy!

Love this face!

Cute smile!

Hiking at Rocky Mountain National Park. He walked almost the entire way!

Walking with daddy.

Family photo

Beautiful!

Gorgeous day!

Stinker!

So fun!

Yay "boon"

Yummy cake!

Sweet kiss.

Silly!

I'm two!

He loved hearing us sing happy birthday.

He blew out his candle!

Anderson and his Great Uncle Steve share the same birthday!

Too much cake and getting sleepy!

Toy Story card that sings his favorite song.

Presents!

He had to put all the hats on!

Playing with Pa Pa!

Weekend

2011-09-11T20:45:00.000-06:00

It's been a great weekend but we're just so tired! Anderson is getting his two year molars and is not sleeping well. He's been waking up several times a night and then not sleeping in. We sure hope it gets better soon. He's been a little grumpy so we've tried to keep busy doing fun things. We enjoyed a nice hike in the Boulder area on Saturday. Other than that, we really just played outside and enjoyed more time at home.

It's been hard the past two weeks because James and I decided we needed to go on a budget diet. I happened to look at the credit card statement that we charge everything to and couldn't believe how much we've spent. Yikes! We then got to thinking about how much we've done this past summer including home improvements, trips, shopping excursions, etc. And, the fact that I am still working part time and we're paying more for Anderson's preschool has changed our financial situation. We decided it was time to really cut back and try the envelope system, but instead of using cash we would use our debit card. We did eat out quite a bit before and now we truly see how expensive it can be. The hardest part for us has been groceries. How do people get by without spending so much on groceries? I do use some coupons (not extreme at all) but it's really hard to go with a set amount and not spend more than that set amount. We have just realized that living is just expensive; especially when you are trying to eat healthy. We've stuck to our budget for the most part but now we have birthdays coming up this week and are going to have a house full of family this coming weekend. Hopefully we can stick to it and be thoughtful about our spending. It's really not fun though!

Our big boy!

Anderson loves balls!

Funny little guy!

Happy to be going on a hike.

Our boy sure loves dirt.

Home, Ahh!

2011-09-05T14:18:00.003-06:00

We've had the perfect weekend, except the fact that Anderson has a bit of a cold and is getting his two year molars. For the most part, he's been in a good mood and we only had one sleepless night. I guess I shouldn't complain too much.

We truly enjoyed doing things close to home this weekend. We spent a lot of time outside since we had fall like temps in the low 70's. The mornings were cold at 48-50 but so nice! I have to say that we just love this time of year! We went to the zoo, did yard work, and went to the park. We also each got to enjoy our favorite outside activities. I got to take a slow jog each day and James enjoyed long bike rides each day. We're not ready for the long weekend to be over!

Enjoying the carousel at the zoo with daddy.

Ready to play soccer!

Fun times with the train table (no train yet).

Getting some air!

Crazy hair.

Uh Oh! Anderson's newest phrase. So cute!

Yummy chocolate.

Silly Guy!

Need Another Weekend

2011-08-28T21:09:00.007-06:00

It's just been a crazy busy time lately. The weekend before I started school we went to Las Vegas to celebrate our anniversary that was a few weeks before. Grandma H. came to stay with Anderson. Then I went back to school full time for the first week and a half and Grandma C. came to watch Anderson during the end of the week. Now I'm working my normal part time schedule and Anderson is getting into a routine at early preschool. It was a rough transition for him but he is doing really well now. We think it will be great for him to be around other two year olds (he's almost two). We're hoping that his speech just explodes in the next month. Just this last weekend he's said a few new words, so we are hopeful.

This past weekend James painted the bathroom and tiled around the bathtub. Luckily he had help for the day on Saturday. We also had friends over for dinner. On Sunday I spent the day organizing Anderson's playroom since we just bought a train table for his birthday gift. We had to make room!

Is it Friday yet? I guess I can say is it Wednesday yet!

Fort fun.

Lounging in the new IKEA tent.

Watermelon!

The bathroom is almost complete!

James's great tile work

More great tile work

Making the Most of Summer

2011-07-31T13:47:00.016-06:00

We had such a fun weekend enjoying some summer activities. On Friday evening we went to Sunflower Farms for family fun night. They have it several Friday nights throughout the summer. It was SO much fun! Anderson loved the playhouses, swings, animals, tractors, etc. We all enjoyed ourselves. On Saturday we went to the Dragon Boat festival with some new friends that just moved here from Chicago. It was hot in the sun but we still managed to have fun. We couldn't believe that we had to take a shuttle from Invesco Field just to get there.

The rest of the weekend was spent shopping and bathroom work (James). It's funny because we started with summer with the bathroom remodel and are ending the summer with the bathroom remodel. At least it will be done!

I have just two weeks until I have to report to school for duty. The kids start in 3 weeks. Yikes!

Feeding the hungry goats.

Driving the old tractor.

Riding on the old bulldozer.

Walking across a hanging bridge.

Horse ride--they did have real pony rides but

maybe we'll try that another time.

We had to drag Anderson out of the corn house!

Come here kitty!

A nice kitty!

Pretty horse.

Sitting with momma in the old car.

One pic of a dragon boat.

More weekend fun with elephant rides.

Catch Up

2011-07-27T14:10:00.013-06:00

I'm going to try to get better about blogging. Sometimes it's just easier to post pictures on facebook.
Ever since we got back from Florida, we've been busy with friends and family. Our friends Seth and Dominique were in town and it was so great to spend time with them. Then, my mom and brother came to visit and we went up to Breckenridge for the weekend. It was such a great time. Anderson is keeping us very busy and the summer is just flying by. He will be 2 in less than two months and next week we will find out if our second baby is a boy or girl. Fun!

Anderson loved the beach!

Relaxing before the fireworks.

Breakfast on the patio.

4th of July

I already miss the beach!

Excited to be home.

Having dinner with friends.

Anderson loves the rocking horse that his grandpa

made him. My mom and brother came to visit and

drove so they could bring it.

A beautiful hike near Breckenridge.

Yay, we made it!

A beautiful morning view.

Crazy Guy!!!!

2011-07-11T21:39:00.001-06:00

Surprise

2011-07-07T13:27:00.003-06:00

We had a great, relaxing trip to Sanibel Island, Florida. Of course we took Anderson and some people would wonder how in the world it could be relaxing with a 21 month old. It really was though. Traveling with a toddler makes our trips different than they used to be, but he's such an easy going guy. He slept great and the time difference was in our favor this time because he could stay up later and he slept in later. Most days he wasn't out of bed before 9:00. I think being out in the ocean wore him out so he never complained when we put him down for naps. All in all, it was great trip. We ate seafood almost every day, walked/ran along the beach, swam, ate ice cream, read, etc. I'll have to post pics once I get them all downloaded.

On to our fun news.... Anderson is getting a special Christmas gift of a sibling this year. (due date is Dec. 20). We couldn't happier! Anderson has been such a blessing and is such a joy in our lives! Each day is such a gift and we feel so happy to bring another special person into this world. We even get to find out the gender on August 4th, if we choose to. Who am I kidding? Of course we'll find out!

That's about it for us. I'll post pictures soon!

Weekend Fun

2011-06-25T20:29:00.010-06:00

We are really enjoying the weekend. James and I went out last night to a restaurant called Tastes and had a great night out. Today we all went to Berry Patch Farms and had so much fun! Anderson loved the friendly animals and picking strawberries. He was a great helper and tester! This afternoon we set up his pool in our backyard and he really enjoyed it. Fun, fun, fun!

One of the friendly pigs.

Anderson tried to give the cute pig a hug.

He had fun chasing the chickens and rooster.

He was a good helper.

Yummy strawberries.

I'll take these mom!

Fun backyard pool time.

Loving It!

2011-06-21T13:57:00.013-06:00

We are having SO much fun this summer! Anderson is ready for fun every morning and we are definitely busy! He is constantly on the go and doesn't have the longest attention span. He really enjoys getting out of the house and will beg to go on the deck, outside, or in the garage. He has really started to like basketball after we saw some kids playing at the park so we got him his own inside basketball goal. He treats everything like a ball and so we are currently working on JUST throwing balls. Anderson is such a little ham and is always doing something funny or getting into trouble. He is the greatest little guy and is all boy!

Last weekend James traveled to Southwest CO and did a really long, three day excruciating bike ride. We were going to go but I wasn't feeling well and not looking forward to traveling the 6 1/2 hours to get there along with a few hours of travel each day to meet James. Honesty, I really didn't know how I would make it through the weekend alone because I felt so awful! We did make the best of it as much as I could. When I felt better Anderson and I went to the park and I even took him out to dinner one night. He was a great little dinner date. Almost everyone we know was out of town that weekend but we survived.

This past weekend it was nice to have James home. We went to one of our favorite farmer's markets in Golden, CO, and had a great time. We also went to dinner with our good friends from St. Louis who were in town on their way to Vail. It's been so nice this summer because we have a great babysitter and we are taking advantage by going to movies, out to dinner, etc. It seems like we've been out to do something almost every week. I do love summer!

Trying to blow on a dandelion.

I want to be a BIG boy!

My sweet dinner date.

Deck time in the morning.

My first haircut!

I was a good boy!

Yay for the train ride with daddy.

Humm..I was braver with my clothes in this time! I just

jumped right in the water.

Fun with sidewalk chalk.

More fun!

Shoot the ball!

Score!

I love to hide my cheetah and then find him

hours later.

Summer Fun!

2011-06-08T14:53:00.015-06:00

Wow, it's been awhile since I've posted! Since the school year ended we have been busy doing lots of fun summer activities. Anderson is loving his summer too. I've made a point this summer to get out and do something each day. Grandma and Grandpa C came for a visit and we had fun with them. Besides that, we've been busy playing outside, weekly play group with friends, going to the park, the zoo, the fountains, and the library. I found a couple great programs for toddlers at our local library and Anderson has so much fun each time we go. We're looking forward to some weekend trips and a relaxing trip to Sanibel Island, FL. Relaxing on the beach sounds so nice and we haven't had a long vacation like that in awhile.

Some of my goals this summer are to try at least one new recipe a week, read a book a week (since I really don't read a whole lot during the school year), and just have fun with my little man! We LOVE summer!

Anderson wanted to wear his Lion onesy to the zoo.

Funny smile.

Cute baby bighorn sheep.

Having fun at Tiny Town.

Sweet.

The steam engine train ride at Tiny Town.

Everything was his size.

Looking at the fountains and is very nervous.

Anderson got close but never got in the tall

fountains. He did get wet though.

The little snacker. He's figured out how to help

himself.

Stinker!

End of School Year

2011-05-25T15:08:00.008-06:00

Yay! I had my last day with the kids on Tuesday and just have to go say goodbye to them on Thursday and clean up our room on Friday. It sure doesn't seem like summer but boy am I excited! The weather here has been unusually cool, so hopefully it will warm up this weekend.

Last weekend we went to visit my family in Missouri. I'll have to post a few pictures of Anderson from that weekend but will have to wait since I used my mom's camera. The weather was very humid and warm. We actually passed through Joplin, MO, on our way back to the airport on Sunday before the devastating tornado. It's just horrible and it seems like they keep getting severe weather. I grew up in tornado alley and just don't remember having so many tornadoes in the spring.

Anderson's told me he's really excited for the summer. We plan on keeping very busy since he's a very active little guy. We are doing a play group one day a week, library activities one day, and kindermusik. I've also been thinking about doing a swim class or something. We'll see about that. I'm hoping he will start sleeping in too.

Here's a few pics from about a week ago.

Fun at the park.

Hi Mommy!

Look, a caterpillar. This was right before he proceeded

to step on it. It lived though.

Uh Oh.

This and That

2011-05-13T12:59:00.011-06:00

It seems like we've been really busy but I guess it's a lot of little things compounded to make it seem like we've had no time. Last weekend we went to have dinner with our friends Melanie, Matt, and Madison. We had a great time. We were just about to leave their house when Anderson took a nose dive on the concrete. Poor guy! I sure wish we could put him in a bubble for the next 20 years.

Mother's Day was fantastic! The weather was just gorgeous so we went on a bike ride to the park. Anderson and James got me a gift certificate to a photography workshop. I'm so excited to use it soon! James bought me a really nice camera a few years ago and I will finally learn how to use it. I feel so lucky to have such a great husband and son.

This weekend is going to be spent working on the house. We ordered new vanities, mirrors, and James is getting tile tonight. He will tile the floor this weekend and then in a few weeks he is going to tile the shower and around the bathtub. I can't wait for a new bathroom!

That's about it for us. We enjoyed two days of rain here in Denver and got our month's total of rain. Everyone here loves when it rains because it hardly ever does. Now we can enjoy a sunny, mild weekend.

Anderson's first ice cream cone. He had a lick

but then didn't really care about it.

Anderson and Madison before his fall.

Ready to go!

Loving his gifts from our recycling collector.

Fun, fun, fun!

Love this smile!

Playing with Molly.

Tug of War

Funny Little Guy

2011-05-04T13:58:00.015-06:00

At 19 months, Anderson is such a ham! James and I are having so much fun teaching him new things each day. His little mind is a sponge and seems to soak up everything. It really is amazing to watch his little mind work and learn new things. Lately he's learned how to hoot like an owl, moo like a cow, flap his hands like a duck, and do motions to several songs that we sing all the time. He also has a really good memory. If there's something he wants and we tell him to wait until after whatever, he totally remembers and will remind us. He's such a funny little guy and we've really noticed that he's starting to do big boy things. Today we went to have lunch with James and he held our hands and walked all the way to the restaurant. Babies sure do grow up so much! He is getting more independent but is still a mommy's boy. Hopefully that never changes!

Party at the Aquarium.

Fish!

Big boy cup.

Anderson loves his cars.

Vroom..vroom..vroom

I can help mom!

I'm a good helper.

Such a boy!

Look mom ( he did this all by himself)

Banana phone

Happy Easter

2011-04-24T15:02:00.008-06:00

It's been a low key weekend, which has been really nice for a change. We went and had dinner with our new friends from church, who happen to live only 2 minutes away. On Sunday we went to church and had a relaxing afternoon. We usually have sunny weather but it's been kind of gloomy this weekend. It's nice once in awhile because it gives us an excuse to stay inside and relax.
Anderson enjoyed his Easter basket and is now obsessed with his new book, Go, Dog, Go. He has always loved books but seems to love them even more lately. As a teacher, I couldn't be happier about that! There are a few that I would LOVE to hide for a few days though!

What's in my basket?

Yay, an egg.

It doesn't take much to make me happy!

The plastic eggs are for eating.

Somebody got dressed up for church but didn't
want to leave the house.

Fun

2011-04-17T13:54:00.017-06:00

I really enjoyed my Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday (along with the weekend of course) with Anderson. On Wednesday we went to the library for center/story/song time. He had a great time and ran all over the place. On Thursday we went to Kindermusik and lunch with daddy. Then on Friday we went to Monkey Business with some friends. I have to say that I love working part time. I feel so fortunate to get to spend time with my sweet boy and time with my kids at school.

This weekend we took Anderson to our neighborhood Easter egg hunt. After showing him what to do, he understood the concept of finding the eggs and putting them in his basket. On Sat. night we had a good friends Kathleen, Bill, and Annie, over for dinner. It's great having them in our neighborhood. Annie is over a year older than Anderson but they played really well together. She held his hand and ran him all over the house. It was so cute!

That's about it for us. Have a great week!

Snuggle time.

What's that?

Silly.

Ready, set, GO!

I want the egg!

Sweet!

More eggs.

Come on Anderson! Let's go!

Exhausted!

Spring

2011-04-13T13:13:00.006-06:00

We love the spring! This past weekend we enjoyed a few of our favorite things:

Hiking on a beautiful morning in Boulder.

Anderson LOVED riding in the backpack!

Yardwork (not always one of our favorite things

but we accomplished a lot)

Playing outside

Grilling. Yum!

Playroom

2011-04-06T13:15:00.008-06:00

Life has been super busy lately and time has gotten away from us. James had been working crazy hours to get a submittal in but this week he's been on a normal schedule. Yay! We're really excited about him taking off this Friday to go do something fun!

We recently converted our study to a playroom. We painted and put all of Anderson's toys in it. He absolutely loves the room and so does his mommy! All of his toys used to be in our living room and I felt like I had to clean up when we left the house or when he took a nap. Now I just leave the room alone until the end of the day. It really was a wasted room before but now we all love it. This small project motivated us to do some more home improvements. We have done a lot of work on our yard and then my stepdad is coming at the end of May to help us update our bathrooms. Our master bedroom is currently covered in carpet so it will be nice to have tile.

That's about it for us. I can't believe it's April already!

Anderson even loved the room before the toys!

Tackling his new elephant.

The best toys!

I love that smile.

Reading a book by himself.

This is where a football belongs.

The Rest of Our Trip

2011-03-24T14:26:00.014-06:00

We had a great time the next few days in California after Disney. We stayed in the L.A. area and went to the beaches. We enjoyed the beaches but didn't enjoy driving in L.A. Anywhere we went it seemed to take at least an hour (even to go 15 miles). The freeways were always stop and go and there were so many people anywhere. It made us appreciate CO so much more! We met a lady on the plane on our way home who said she has just learned not to leave her house during certain times of the day. Yuck!
Anderson really enjoyed the beaches, walking on the piers, and people watching. It was great people watching!

He LOVED the sand!

The water was cold!

Beautiful Laguna Beach.

Like I said, he LOVED the sand!

Of course we found a playground on the beach.

Yummy!

Anderson loves riding on daddy's shoulders.

Beautiful.

One of the many piers.

Anderson saw the Merry Go Round and had to

ride it.

Fire hydrants are fun.

Beautiful Redondo beach.

First Day in Cali

2011-03-23T13:51:00.015-06:00

Our first day in California we decided to go to Disneyland. Our friends who love Disney said that their daughter could ride many of the rides at 1 so we thought we would give it a try. Anderson enjoyed looking at all the sights and people watching. He didn't really seem overly excited about the rides when he was on them but afterwards he squealed and smiled. We had a good time but one day was plenty of magic. Maybe it was the crowds and long lines, but we were completely exhausted! We decided that next time we go Anderson will be old enough to remember.

Can you tell how excited he was?

Riding the teacups with mommy.

Am I tall enough?

Zoom, zoom, zoom

Meeting one of the two characters we saw all day.

Heading back for a nap (this was the happiest he was

all day!)

Woo hoo!

Fun with Daddy.

Winnie the Pooh ride. This was Anderson's favorite.

The $13 dollar hat is better off.

Hi Mickey. We were lucky and were the last ones

to see Mickey in Toontown before it closed

for the parade.

18 Months Already

2011-03-21T13:59:00.011-06:00

We've been in California but before I do some posts about our trip, I'll do quick 18 month post. Anderson turned 18 months on the 19th. *sniff* *sniff* It is amazing when I stop back to think about my toddler as a baby. In a way it is sad because he was such a sweet baby but things do get better and better. People always say that it goes so fast but you don't realize until it's your own baby growing up before your eyes.

Sleep has gotten better and better. Anderson sleeps 12+ hours a night and takes 2 to 3 hour naps daily. James and I were talking about how this past vacation actually felt like one because Anderson slept so well and even slept in most mornings.

Anderson continues to keep us on our toes but we love that little guy so much! He makes life so interesting and brings us so much joy. He has changed so much even since turning one year. You can tell that the wheels are always turning in his head because he seems to learn something new all the time. He uses gestures and tries to use words for what he wants and doesn't want. He is very adamant when it is something he doesn't want. For example, he will shake his head over and over if he doesn't want something on his tray during meals. Anderson's BIG personality has really developed. He laughs at himself all the time and is just plain silly. He loves music and dancing. If you ask him to dance he wills start bobbing his head. So funny! We have never really let me watch t.v. but recently he discovered the Baby Einstein dvd's in one of the baskets underneath the t.v. He will bring one over and will want to sit on our laps to watch his 10 minutes (that's about all he usually wants to watch). How can we resist his cute little face?
Anderson is a social little guy and it seems like his language is really developing. He has excellent receptive language and is constantly trying to say new words. It's funny because sometimes a word will just come out of the blue and then we won't hear it again. He can identify almost anything in his books and even colors, so hopefully he will start saying more words regularly.
That's about it. Here are a few pics of our busy little man. I'll get caught up in posts soon.

Enjoying some time at the park.

Outside fun.

Pointing to a no no.

Humm.. what did I find in the cabinet?

Yum!

Ha ha, you caught me mommy!

Our Little Helper

2011-03-04T13:13:00.014-07:00

I'm such a great helper...

I love to help mommy with the flowers.

I help daddy relax once in awhile.

I help with the pots and pans.

I like to help brush Molly.

I love to help with work around the house.

I help wash my hair.

9:00 pm Baby Dance Party

2011-02-21T20:09:00.002-07:00

Anderson woke up lastnight ( he usually doesn't) around 9:00 pm. I turned on his lamp to make sure that everything was okay and then he just let loose. He was so hyper and fun that I had to take him downstairs for a few minutes. We're so glad that we did because he was so funny and animated for 15 minutes. Then after all of that, we went through his bedtime routine again and he slept for the night. Funny!

What Have We Been Up To?

2011-02-16T20:46:00.011-07:00

Skiing lessons in Steamboat Springs (I finally
went down a real run)

Beautiful drives in the mountains.

Yummy indulgences.

Beautiful Views

Watching skiers from the condo.

Enjoying our happy baby.

Playing with "toys"

Playing with electronics

Fun Times at a Children's Museum.

More fun.

Spring Break? Ha!

2011-02-04T13:41:00.008-07:00

I shouldn't complain because we did have some really beautiful weather before the gigantic snow storm, but I really miss last week! It was 65 and gorgeous. It is amazing that we went from a warm 65, where we were wearing short sleeves, to a high of -10. It was definitely abnormal for CO (Denver) but at least we didn't get much snow with the cold. We actually had two snow days, which was nice since I hadn't had a snow day since we moved here. We are ready for Spring Break! Come on March. Here are a few cute warm pictures from the park last Friday. We met our friends Melanie and Madison for some fun in the sun at a wonderful park near our house.

Ready to play together.

Just a swingin...

Sweet hug.

Follow me..

Keeping Up With a Busy Boy!

2011-01-26T14:35:00.011-07:00

Anderson has really kept us busy lately. He is so much fun to chase around but I do find myself looking forward to naptime! This past week/weekend Grandma was here and it was so nice to have her help. We went to Cirque Du Soleil in Denver and then James and I were able to go out for dinner. It's so nice that our families are able to come visit so much.

This week I'm only working two days, which is so nice after last week. Last week my head just hurt because we had mid-year benchmark assessments and we were just so busy with grading and entering data. The two days I worked this week I was absolutely exhausted. Having 28 kids in my class this year is a lot to keep up with, especially when they are so full of energy. I do love them but class size does make a huge difference. I'm worried about what will happen next year when our district has to cut over 20 million dollars. Yikes! As a teacher, it's sad to see great programs go by the wayside because it does negatively impact students. I sure hope that what Obama said was true about investing in the education of our children. It does make me wonder if things will improve before Anderson goes to school.
Anyway, here's a few pictures of the past week/weekend.

Wow, this happened in about a minute. I forgot

to shut the door.

What mom?

I'll just take it with me.

A little milk on my face won't hurt.

Still LOVE the tent!

Enjoying a beautiful CO day!

Phew!

2011-01-18T20:24:00.011-07:00

A few weeks ago we attended the MU/CU basketball game and had a great time even though we lost. Anderson had so much fun cheeering and jumping up and down. This past weekend we traveled to St. Louis to celebrate Christmas with James' family. Anderson did well on the trip but caught a cold on the airplane on the way to STL (we're almost positive that's where he got it). People were coughing and sneezing all over the place! We were very busy but found time to go out to dinner with some friends at one of our favorite restaurants and spent time with family. James' family didn't have room at their house for everyone so they booked us some really nice rooms at Ameristar. It reminded me of Vegas. Traveling did wear us out, especially traveling with a sick baby. Anderson was a trooper but boy were we glad to get home!

Having fun at the game.

Yay, more presents!

Yay!

A cute tiger outfit from Grandma. Anderson loves
to dress up. Too bad we didn't have the costume
for the game.

Our cute little tiger.

Grandpa and Anderson.

Happy New Year

2011-01-02T13:37:00.008-07:00

Happy New Year everyone! Our weekend was rather uneventful but was enjoyed by all of us! We finally got some snow in Denver and it was actually nice to snow! We enjoyed our time at home and Anderson enjoyed his 2 minutes in the snow (It was extremely cold for a few days). Now we're ready for the sun to bake off the snow and for some warmer temperatures.

We're excited about a new year. It's really hard to believe we've started another decade in the 2000's. We made our top ten things we want to do or accomplish for this year and set our budget (woo hoo). We hope there are some fun surprises in store for 2011 and that everyone has a great year!

Enjoying the last warm night at the zoo before the
frigid temperatures and snow.

Somebody was SUPER excited to be up past his

bedtime after the zoo.

All geared up for his 2 minutes out in the snow.

Snow is fun!

Goodbye baby mullet.

Christmas in a Nutshell

2010-12-28T13:27:00.016-07:00

We enjoyed celebrating Christmas with our family.
It was full of...

Fun

Books

Games

Food and MANY dogs!

Toys from Santa.

Tired babies!

More fun and games.

Family

Relaxation

Mischief

More presents

Presents galore.

and finally home sweet home!

Busy but Having Fun!

2010-12-20T12:48:00.011-07:00

We're really enjoying the holiday season this year! Especially since we've had the best weather here in CO. Our weather has just been gorgeous with sunshine and warm temperatures. We've hardly gotten any moisture at all this whole year so things are definitely dry but it's nice to be able to do things outdoors in the fall/winter.

The last few weeks have been full of holiday fun. Last weekend we went to the zoo to have breakfast with Santa. It was so fun this year because Anderson was fascinated with Santa. Santa sang and was very interactive with the kids. I think it will be a yearly tradition for us! We also went to our town's winter festival and to the Denver Botanical Gardens Blossoms of Light. Anderson slept last year but really enjoyed the lights this year. It was funny and kind of sad looking at the poor ice sculptures and guessing what they were before they melted.
Anderson and I are enjoying my holiday break that started on Tuesday. He sure is keeping me busy! He's gotten really good at walking and loves those stairs. He is also down to one nap a day, which is why there hasn't been a post in some time. In the past few weeks Anderson's molars (2 on the top and 2 on the bottom) have been coming in. I think they're almost in! Yay!

We're headed to my Aunt Cathy's house in a few days to spend time with my family and then in January we will go to STL to spend time with James' family. Busy, busy, but I just love the holidays and getting to see our families.

Going up the stairs but taking a break at the landing.

Mommy and her sweet boy.

Help me!

Look at that beard!

Soo exciting!!

Having fun at Madison's first birthday party.

Ready to go look at some lights.

Gotta love the one handed pics.

Weekend

2010-12-05T13:48:00.013-07:00

We had a fun filled weekend with Grandma C. The weather was very warm (70) until Sunday. We went to the Children's Museum and Anderson loved it! It is so much fun to see him discovering all the new things. The last time we took him he was barely crawling. We even got to eat lunch outside. Grandma babysat Anderson on Friday evening so that James and I could go to his holiday work party downtown. We got dressed up and had a great night. The food was delicious and then we met some friends for a drink afterwards. James got a few free coupons for free hotel nights that we had to use before the end of the year so we stayed downtown after the party. We enjoyed a night without waking up (Anderson is getting his molars).

Anderson is changing so much! It seems like he is doing something new almost every day. He is finally at the point where he wants to take steps on his own (instead of us tricking him into taking steps). He just didn't have the self confidence before and preferred to crawl. He has been really vocal and has been trying to read his books to himself. I'm a teacher, so of course we're trying to instill a love for reading! :)

How does this work?

Family picture for Christmas card.

I don't want the Santa hat on!

I know I'm cute!

My balloon is up there, how do I get it?

Yay, I got my balloon!

Playing in the playhouse.

This is just my thing!

Outside fun.

Relaxation and Fun

2010-11-27T15:33:00.014-07:00

We have had a wonderful Thanksgiving this year at home. It was just us this year and even though we missed family/friends, we enjoyed our quality time together. James cooked a turkey and we made a few sides to go along with it. Anderson enjoyed his Thanksgiving meal too! We are so thankful for our family, friends, and health. There is something about having a child that makes us appreciate life so much more.

It has been so nice having James home for an extended time. We have really been on the go since we moved out to CO and this has been the longest stretch that we've both been home and off work! We got out our Christmas decorations and James even hung some lights outside. We've enjoyed the nice warm weather here too! We have gone for runs, shopping, James went for a bike ride, and we went to the zoo today. Yay for one more day of break before it's back to work!

Look at me!

Where did my balloon go?

Humm...what should I do with my sock?

YUM!

I LOVE boxes!

Help, I'm in Christmas jail!

Up to no good..

My first Merry Go Round ride.

Choo Choo!

Anderson said the word elephant today! He loved

watching them.

Indoor Fun

2010-11-17T10:04:00.006-07:00

We've actually had some normal Nov. cold temps the last week so we've been spending more time indoors. It was nice for a few days but we're excited that it will get back in the high 50's and 60's. We'll take it!

Anderson is his normal funny self. He has the most easy going personality and loves to have fun! Lately he has been pointing to everything and talking gibberish. We just tell him what everything is over and over! It is tiring for us but I can't imagine how exhausting it must be for him!

Here's a few pics of our little man...

My new hat that I probably won't keep on.

Going for a ride.

Silly daddy..

Fast Weekend

2010-11-08T13:52:00.007-07:00

We had a whirlwind of a weekend in St. Louis. We went to our friends Tori and T.J's wedding and had a great time! We also found time during the short weekend to visit three different friends and their babies that we haven't seen. It was a fast weekend but a good one. Anderson is such a great little traveler. We just love that cute little guy!

Chillin on the chair in the hotel room.

Us and the beautiful bride Tori.

Molly has a new best friend. Anderson takes a

bite and then shares with Molly. We have an adorable

video that we'll post when we get some time to download it.

Super Fun Halloween

2010-11-02T20:03:00.009-06:00

We had a fun filled weekend full of parties! It was absolutely beautiful here in CO! As soon as James got home on Friday from Pasadena we went to my school's trunk or treat. Anderson had a ball and enjoyed looking at all the costumes. He even petted another baby that was dressed as a puppy. On Saturday we went to Houston's first birthday party. Then on Sunday we went to my friend Melanie's Halloween party where there were so many babies! They all looked adorable dressed up in their costumes. We had friends over on Halloween night and went trick or treating to a few houses. It was a fun weekend but went way too fast!

I know I make a cute dinosaur!

Anderson and Annie (Snow White)

Walk like a dinosaur!

Baby play

Thanks Grandma and Grandpa C. for the $5.00!

Voting Rocks!

More Fun

2010-10-27T20:22:00.009-06:00

Last weekend we were so happy to spend time with James. It was a beautiful weekend here in CO. We went to a local farm to pick rasberries, get fall treats, and take adorable pics of our little man with pumpkins. I can't believe how many pumpkin patch/harvest festivals there are around here. We also found time to get a babysitter and go out to watch the Mizzou/OU game. It was so fun to be out and even more fun that we FINALLY beat them. We are looking forward to the upcoming Halloween weekend. It is going to be in the 70's this weekend!

Picking his pumpkin.

Daddy's picking rasberries.

Anderson eating his favorite food in the entire

world! He gobbled them up in two days.

Leaves!

I had to throw this last pic in because Anderson

was caught red handed getting into something he

shouldn't. This seems to happen quite often these days!

Beautiful!

2010-10-21T15:00:00.004-06:00

We decided to go to to CA because I was just so extremely tired and thought Anderson and I could both use some time at home. We've been on the go so much that I just couldn't do it. Poor James was sad, but he's excited to come home on Friday. Only one more week of travel for him. If he does have to travel anymore to Pasadena then it would only be a day or two a week. I could handle that but could not handle Monday-Friday every week!

I feel like I made the right decision about not going because I've gotten so much done around the house, and Anderson and I have had a blast. Not to mention the fact that CO weather is so much nicer than CA weather at the moment. We've been going to the park, playing in the leaves, and enjoying time at kindermusik and with friends. It's been a fun week, but we miss James a lot! We're excited for Friday!

More Fall Fun

2010-10-16T10:07:00.005-06:00

Last weekend we flew to Kansas City to stay with our friends Tori and T.J., and then we all drove to Columbia, MO, for a Mizzou football game! We had a great time and it felt like summer. Anderson was such a little trooper and handled all the travel and only one short nap on game day like a champ. He enjoyed the new bookstore on campus and the columns. We met up with one of my best friends from college and got to meet her newest addition. All in all, it was a fabulous weekend! After we returned on Sunday James had to leave on Monday for Pasadena for work. It was a crazy week because I worked much more than half time due to parent teacher conferences one night and another full day of conferences besides my regular schedule. James returned on Friday (thank goodness). He has to travel a few more weeks but the great thing is that Anderson and I are going to join him mid week next week. We will all stay until Sat. so we can go to L.A. and see some sights. We will hang out by the pool, go shopping, and enjoy the weather.

My Aunt Tammy and Tracy flew in from Dallas to run the Denver half marathon this weekend with James (his first). James isn't very excited about it because he is not a runner, but he said he WILL finish it. He tells people that it is his first and last!

Chillin at the columns.

Our future Mizzou student.

Yay, Go Mizzou!

Fall Fun

2010-10-07T14:45:00.005-06:00

The weather this spring, summer, and fall has just been gorgeous in CO. We absolutely love it here and couldn't imagine living anywhere else! We took advantage of a beautiful 70 degree sunny, fall day and went to a local pumpkin farm called Anderson Farms. We all had so much fun and can't wait to do more fun fall activities!

Anderson tried to pull the goat's hair.

Yay, a pumpkin.

I just love this picture!

Mommy and Anderson

October 2009

October 2010

Finding a Balance

2010-10-01T13:53:00.004-06:00

Things here are going great. I'm really enjoying the extra time at home and the time spent at school. Anderson is such a great little guy and I truly cherish every minute I get to spend with him. I feel like I have more time to devote to him and to my teaching. I'm trying to set weekly goals of things I want to accomplish when I'm home. My goals this week were to exercise, try out a new recipe, start Anderson's one year Shutterfly book, and finish reading a book. I did the first three but still haven't found as much time to read. The weather has been absolutely gorgeous so we have been busy outside. I'll try next week! Another long term goal I've been thinking about is getting out more often with James. We have always enjoyed taking Anderson with us when we go places, but it is nice to go without him once in awhile. I think it's healthy for any relationship to have some adult time. Since we have no family here and I don't always want to feel like I'm asking friends, we signed up for a nanny service. I worked for a great one in St. Louis right after college and found one here in Denver. It is reasonably priced and I feel like we can trust the people that come into our home. I'm so excited to go out tomorrow evening! This way we can plan to go out a few times a month. I'm excited about going to see movies, musicals, dinner, etc. I think Anderson will do great and it will help him adapt to new situations/people.
Here are some pics of our little man from last weekend and this week. He had a really high fever last week but is feeling so much better!

He was a little under the weather but enjoyed

the drive out to Rocky Mountain National park.

The fresh air was nice.

Before daddy put the cabinet locks on. Really,

we should have done it awhile ago but they are done.

The beautiful Elk on a gorgeous day!

Anderson enjoyed the yummy apple.

He's getting better about feeding himself but

we sure do clean up some messes. Molly loves

it anytime Anderson eats.

Our Birthday Boy--September 19th

2010-09-22T21:50:00.010-06:00

Dear Anderson,
We can't believe you are already a one year old. It has been the best year of our lives and you are the sunshine of each and every day. You have quite the personality and make us laugh and smile. You are doing so many big boy things now. First, you are no longer drinking from a bottle and now drink exclusively from sippy cups. Second, you are so close to walking. You cruise all the time but still don't quite have the self confidence to go off on your own. We think one day you will just forget to hold on and will be off to the races. Third, you learn so much by playing with things that aren't toys. It's amazing how fast you learn new games and figure out what the no no's are! Fourth, you talk all the time. You say a few words including momma, dadda, bird, and recently you have attempted to say Molly. Finally, you are a happy boy who is usually full of smiles. You laugh at the silliest things and it seems like we will do anything to make you laugh. It has been amazing to see you develop into the sweet,curious, adventurous, funny little guy you are. We feel like the luckiest parents in the world to have you as our son. We love you!
Love,
Mommy and Daddy

Our sweet birthday boy.

Molly celebrated too!

The kiddos.

The cute dinosaur cake (we have a great cake story).

Eating cake wore Anderson out!

Playing with a friend.

Funny videos

2010-09-12T10:31:00.001-06:00

Fun

2010-09-09T09:23:00.008-06:00

We had such a fun weekend last weekend. My parents were in town and watched Anderson for two nights while we went to the CO wine country. It was beautiful and even the drive there was amazing. We stayed in Palisade (where the CO peaches come from) one night and stayed in Grand Junction for one night. We went to several small, quaint wineries, ate at some fantastic restaurants, and just enjoyed having some time for ourselves. Anderson did great at home with the grandparents and of course we missed him but it was nice to get away.

Speaking of our little man, he turns one in less than 2 weeks. It is so bittersweet because it has gone incredibly fast! We watched a few older videos the other night and really couldn't believe that they were taken several months ago. Babies are so much fun but things just keep getting better and better. Our little guy is talking up a storm and is so close to walking. He is scared of falling so won't stand much on his own but he walks with his push toy and is getting really fast. We love him so much and I will probably shed a few tears when we sing happy birthday to him. Time sure flies.

Anderson and Molly are becoming better friends.

Molly loves Anderson's meal times.

A morning view of a vineyard.

The scenery was so different than in the Denver area.

The drive up to the CO Monument was breathtaking.

A cute little guy.

Anderson Antics

2010-08-28T21:51:00.006-06:00

Anderson is such a little boy. He loves cords, electronics, and pretty much anything that he knows he's not supposed to have. He is learning that he should stop doing what he's doing when we shake our heads or say no. Sometimes it takes a time or two but he get's it. Anderson has really been jabbering a storm and I do love hearing him say momma. I just can't believe that he is so close to the big one. Again, *sniff*sniff*. I'm loving the time I get to spend with him. He is so much fun and has been so happy lately. He isn't teething at the moment so it's most certainly helped with sleep too!

We went to a Kindermusik preview class and he had a blast. He squealed and couldn't stop smiling and laughing the whole time. We had to sign up for the fall semester. I'm really excited about all the fun things we'll get to do with him this fall.

How do I get out of here?

I love the vacuum and get super excited anytime mom gets it out.

I'm going after the Wii remotes.

Molly, come inside!

End of Summer

2010-08-21T13:03:00.006-06:00

We've had a great last few weeks of summer and school has already begun. We've had lots of company and spent a weekend in Copper Mountain. We had a great time with our guests and Anderson (and Molly) LOVED all the attention! It's hard to believe that our fun summer has ended and that little Anderson is already 11 months old *sniff sniff* He is so much fun but babies just grow up way too fast. Maybe that's why people have more! :)

Anderson is talking up a storm (baby babble) and is all over the place. He moves quick and when he wants something nothing stops him. He's doesn't like when we shake our heads no at him and will even sit and cry with huge tears. We try not to say no too much because we want him to know that no means no. Anderson is eating a lot of big boy food but still enjoys his bottles. He's lazy and would prefer that mommy or daddy hold the bottle for him. The past week has been an adjustment for him with mommy being gone and to top it all off, our babysitter is not going to be able to care for him the rest of the year. It was stressful but we did find a great new babysitter who used to teach in our district but chose to stay at home with her baby. One big plus is that she lives in our neighborhood so it will be a quick 2 minute drive.

School is going great and I absolutely love 4th grade! The kids are so much fun and my quote from the first day is, "Wow, you tell them to do something and they do it." It's amazing! My partner and I team taught this past week (just 3 days) and next week we start our part time schedule. I love the fact that I only have to teach Monday and Tuesday and then I'm off for the rest of the week. I think it will be the perfect arrangement because I didn't want to completely give up teaching. I do LOVE it! My new team is awesome too. So, things are pretty good right now. That's about it for now.

Anderson loved cheering for all the bikers.

Anderson and the bear at the zoo.

Anderson riding in his bike trailer.

Our cutie pie. He's ready for football season!

Fun

2010-08-04T20:57:00.010-06:00

We're really enjoying the remaining few weeks of summer. My Aunt Tammy is here this week acclimating herself to the altitude so that she can ride the Copper Mountain Triangle with James this coming weekend. We're having a lot of fun and staying busy. Yesterday we went for a run and then went downtown to meet James for lunch. Today we went to Boulder to hike and have lunch on Pearl Street. Anderson's been exhausted!
Three of Anderson's top teeth are FINALLY breaking through. He has one more that looks like it will anytime. Yippee! We've had some sleepless nights here and there and are ready for him to NOT be teething for a little while. He's really changed in the last few weeks. He has started really shrieking when he wants something. He is loud! He's eating more big boy food and is so close to walking on his own. We will definitely need more baby gates soon! He's such a sweet but boy am I tired at the end of the day!
Here's a few pictures from the past few weeks including more from our MO trip.

Anderson loves chewing on his Sophie Giraffe.

I love this sweet pic of our little man.

Little ham.

Swinging outside at Grandma and Grandpa's house.

Having fun at the Magic House in STL.

Sweating at the park with friends.

Anderson enjoyed spending some time with his

Grandpa.

Wow, Where Did the Time Go?

2010-07-28T09:05:00.023-06:00

I just realized that it's been quite awhile since I've posted. We went to Steamboat Springs a few weeks ago and then all last week we were in hot St. Louis visiting friends and family. After all the travels, we are so happy to be home. My Aunt is coming on Monday and then next weekend we are headed to Copper Mountain. James and my Aunt are doing the Copper Mountain Triangle Bike Ride. Anderson, my Aunt's friend Tracy, and I are going to relax and enjoy the beautiful mountain weather.

It's hard to believe but I actually go back to school in a few weeks. In fact, one of my new teammates emailed us about meeting to plan for the year. Yikes! I'm definitely not ready but I don't feel the anxiety I normally would and am even a little excited about my part time teaching role in a new grade. Yay! I feel so fortunate to be able to do this because I didn't want to completely give up my teaching job. It think it would be really difficult to find another one in the future.

Anderson has been so much fun lately. Three out of four teeth on the top have FINALLY broken through. Hooray! We've had some sleepless nights and they seem to be getting a bit better. Anderson talks all the time and is a funny little character. He loves to dance to music, he cracks himself up, and wants to try everything we eat. Molly is liking him more but still sometimes hurries to get out of the room when she see's him crawling near her. Anderson is pretty close to walking and boy will we be busy!

Yesterday we had the pleasure of meeting Kelli and Aiden at the Denver Aquarium! He is such a doll and it was great meeting them.

Here's some pictures from the past few weeks and I'll do another post with pics from MO.

Anderson and Aiden.

Dishes are fun!

Standing up is so much fun!

I love books!

I'm getting close to walking!

James rode the Tour De Steamboat.

Little things are so entertaining!

Wow, mom actually carried the backpack for a bit.

Daddy was tired from the day before.

Rabbit Ear's Pass. The hike was beautiful!

Made it to the top!

Time is Flying By!

2010-07-10T13:58:00.009-06:00

Wow, where is the summer going? We've been very busy since we returned from our vacation. Anderson and I have gone somewhere everyday, which is really making the time seem to go faster. This past week we went to the zoo, tried out a class at Gymboree, went to the park, went shopping, etc. Oh yeah, we also had company the day after we got back from our trip. Our little guy is definitely on the move. He's so fast and wants to get into everything. At this point it's easy to distract him but we've had to use the word NO. We need a few more baby gates and something to keep him away from the fireplace. He wants to pull the emblem off the bottom and keeps heading in that direction. James firmly said no and made him cry the other day. He seemed to remember that but then the next day he was right back at it. Phew..He's so much fun but I'm a tired momma!

This weekend our friends Jarrett, Nicole, and their kids are going to visit on their way to Estes Park for vacation. Hopefully James will be up for hiking with them tomorrow. Today James is doing a 120 mile bike ride called the Triple Bypass up in the mountains. The elevation gain is over 10,000 feet. He's crazy! Actually, there are 3,500 crazy people doing it today. It is such a poplular ride that the registration was closed after 30 minutes and James didn't get in. He eventually was able to find a registration on Craig's List because someone couldn't do it. Hopefully he's doing okay! He did text me awhile ago and after 60 miles it was raining, 40 degrees, and had just stopped hailing. Yikes! I'll write an update once he finishes!

Our sweet, big boy!

He loves to cruise the couch and talk.

Wow, he made it to his bouncer.

Then to his carseat and the stinker got his pacifier.

He only gets it in his crib or when he's in his carseat.

Look how tired he looks after Gymboree.

Our Vacation

2010-07-01T10:01:00.023-06:00

It has been a whirlwind of traveling the last week. We had a great time in Seattle and Vancouver. We had a lot of fresh seafood and coffee on our trip! Really, especially in Seattle there are at least three coffee shops on every corner. In Seattle we went to Pike Place Market and it was huge. I wish every city had a market like it. We had coffee at the very first Starbucks across the street too! Our first seafood meal at the Crabpot was absolutely amazing! They dumped a huge pot of seafood right on our table. Yum! We took the ferry to Bainbridge island and explored the quaint shops/restaurants, and played in the park. The views of Mount Rainer were spectatular. We also did a lot of exploring by the water and ate clam chowder/fish and chips. On another day we drove to Alki Beach and enjoyed the beautiful views and a good breakfast. It was a lot of fun but we definitely liked Vanouver better. We drove to Vancouver and had so much fun exploring the city. We stayed near Stanley Park, which is huge and beautiful. The city really reminded us a lot of Europe. We loved the glass buildings with amazing views of the water. Everyone was really friendly and it was just different than here in the United States. One day we drove to Whistler and it was one of the most amazing stretches of highway we've ever driven on. The views were breathtaking and the waterfalls along the way were gorgeous! They day before we left Vancouver and went back to Seattle I ran a half marathon. What a difference running at sea level makes. I ran so much faster and didn't get out of breath. All in all, it was great to see a new part of the country. Anderson had a great time and really enjoyed taking in all the sights. He is such a great traveler and boy was he a flirt. He made a lot of friends with his adorable smile. So fun!

Side story--We usually try to fly Southwest airlines. On the way home, James was in the A boarding group and I was in the B. The plan was for James to get on, get us a seat, and then I was going to take Anderson. Being a frequent Southwest customer, I knew that family boarding would be between A and B. So, after A was done boarding, I got in line for B. An older woman asked me what number I had. I thought maybe she was confused and proceeded to explain to her how the process worked. No, she wasn't confused, she was just a mean lady. She told me that I should go to the end of the line. I told her that I was in line for the family boarding. She then told me that Southwest didn't do that. All I could say was, "That's not very nice." Yes, I sounded like an elementary school teacher. She felt very bad. I did get out of line and sure enough, they called for family boarding and I was smiling on the inside as I passed her. Seriously, some people just are so rude. Why? Have people always been rude? It really did seem like people were more friendly in Canada. It just seemed like they were more aware of others and polite. Sometimes I just think about how self absored so many people have become and it makes me sad. I really want to teach Anderson to be a polite little guy!

Seafood at the Crab Pot

Ready for seafood goodness.

The original Starbucks in Seattle.

We loved the market.

An immigration reform sit in that shut down the city.

Ready to go!

On the ferry to Bainbridge Island.

Pretty view of Seattle.

Anderson loved the park on the island.

Alki Beach

Beautiful Vancouver.

Gorgeous!

Breathtaking view on the way to Whistler.

At Brandywine Falls.

Sleepy.

After mommy's half marathon in Vancouver. I ran

1:57, which was much faster than in Wyoming.

Father's Day and 9 months

2010-06-21T09:36:00.006-06:00

We had a wonderful, busy weekend. We babysat our friend's 2 year old on Friday night so they could go out and see a movie. Anderson loved playing with all the new toys. When James took him home to feed him he said that Anderson could barely eat because of pure exhaustion. On Saturday we went to Boulder to get his 9 month pictures in a beautiful park. After that we went to eat at The Buff for breakfast and it was yummy. We were inspired to go there after watching an episode of Man vs. Food that was filmed in Boulder. On Sunday we went to church, out to eat for some BBQ, and then we met our previous paster and his wife (from our STL church) for dinner since they were in town. What a fun weekend!

Anderson turned 9 months old on Saturday. It's so hard to believe! He is such a little man and is so much fun. He is loving his new mobility! His eyes get so wide and he always gets a huge smile on his face when he takes off for something he wants. He also started cruising the couch and tries to get the laptop. Eating is one of his favorite activities now. He squeals when he sees the puffs canister. He also is playing games. He likes to bang his pacifier against the bars in his crib and then likes to drop it. We will usually pick it up once and then say ooops and leave it. He is a great little snuggler and loves books. He slaps the book he wants us to read and has started turning the pages. We love him to pieces!

Looks like fun.

I'm trapped but it's still fun!

Playtime after my bath.

Silly boy.

Funny

2010-06-13T20:35:00.010-06:00

We bought Anderson some puffs and that started his love for anything that is food! He's always loved to eat but now he really LOVES to eat. I now have two "kids"begging for my food when I make meals. The other day I made myself a sandwhich and got the crackers out. Anderson saw the box of crackers and started crawling to the kitchen and then began crying because he wanted them. Molly really doesn't know what to think about her competition but she loves when he misses his mouth. It's funny because when we pick him up several puffs fall to the floor. Molly has a field day getting the leftovers.
This weekend it was actually kind of chilly and rainy in Denver, which is usually not the case. We are usually on the go so much because the weather is so beautiful but it was fun being indoors for a few days. We slept in, made breakfast at home, watched a movie, and took Anderson to the Children's Museum. It was fun and the best part was the huge room for crawling babies. His eyes were so wide the entire time. He loved it! It will be fun when he can participate in all of the fun other activities too. Anderson went to the nursery for the first time at church today and did great! We've had a hard time going to church on Sunday mornings because of his nap/schedule. Anderson did great in the nursery and so what if he didn't get his normal morning nap. He did fine when we went out to lunch and just took a longer one this afternoon. All in all, it was a very fun weekend!

Molly doesn't know what to do..

Of course he's happy, he's eating!

Look at all of this stuff!

Taking a rest.

Here I come.

Not so amused by Daddy's puppet show.

Puffs are yummy!

Busy Having Fun

2010-06-10T09:42:00.007-06:00

We are having such a fun summer so far and our calendar is booking up for the summmer! We went to the local outdoor mall to play in the water fountains the other day and yesterday we went swimming with our good friends Kathleen and Annie. Anderson just loved the water! We even met another 8 month old baby and they enjoyed talking. It was so much fun! Today we went to my school library to read to the kiddos who are doing the summer reading program. It's nice to be able to do fun things with my little guy.
The great thing about being in CO is that we get to meet up with lots of friends/family who are here for vacation or for work. In the next few months we have several friends who will be here and we are going to make a few trips ourselves. We're going to Seattle/Vancouver in late June, St. Louis in July, and we are going away a few weekends to fun places here in CO. I absolutely love summer but sure wish James got more time off!

What a big boy!

Summer fun!

Anderson loved the pool.

Cute video

2010-06-06T09:17:00.002-06:00

We Love Summer Vacation!

2010-06-04T13:21:00.009-06:00

Anderson and I are just loving our summer so far. It's so nice to have some leisurely time without feeling like I have to work all the time to get caught up! We wake up a little later, enjoy some time on the deck in the mornings, and play all day! This week we went to the zoo with some friends and their babies. We also went shopping and had lunch with James downtown. We are really looking forward to our busy summer full of traveling, biking/running events, and having visitors. We are also going to visit our families and friends in July. It seems like we seem to book our summer up every year and then it goes even faster. I guess that's the way we like it.

Anderson is keeping us busy and is on the move. We have some videos we'll have to post later. He is crawling bits at a time but we're sure that in the next few days we'll be chasing him.

Anderson and his friends.

He seems to always be in the crawling position now.

Silly grin.

Silly boy.

Look out!

Exploring.

Weekend Fun

2010-06-01T13:04:00.006-06:00

We had a fun weekend but it really went too fast. Anderson and I felt bad for daddy because he had to go back to work today. This past weekend we made a trip to Wyoming so I could do a half marathon in the Medicine Bow National Forest. We stayed in Cheyenne, which isn't too exciting. For some reason I thought it would be a great idea to get a latte from Starbucks on our way to Cheyenne the night before my run. Not a good idea because I only get three hours of sleep and 4:45 in the morning came way to quickly. The run started at 6:00 in the morning and I honestly didn't feel like running; plus it was cold and windy. Well, I ran it and boy do my legs hurt! It was one of the hardest runs I've ever done. I did have to walk quite a few times and there were times when I didn't see anyone during the run. Usually I do larger events. The crazy thing was that there was also a full marathon and a double marathon. Amazing! I can't even imagine how their legs feel after 52 miles. Besides our exciting adventure to Wyoming we grilled with some friends and James ran the Bolder Boulder. I wish I could have run it but there was NO way since it was the day after my run. The Bolder Boulder looks like a lot of fun and there were approximately 50,000 people that ran it. James had to partake in all the fun festivities including caffeinated beef jerky, the slip and slide, jello shots, and who knows what else. I'm proud of him for running a 10K because he really does not like running. He would choose to ride his bike over running almost any day.

I'm enjoying my first day off for the summer. In the past few days Anderson has done so many new things. He is clapping his hands, is starting to wave, and yes, he's crawling. He's not to the point where he will take off and I have to chase him but he's just about got it down. In the next day or two I will be chasing him!! We are enjoying a leisurely day and then tomorrow we're going with several of my work friends and their babies to the zoo. It's great to have more time to spend with my little cutie.

Where's the water?

He looks like a little boy in this picture.

One of Anderson's favorite times of day.

He loves to hold onto things stand up.

School's Out for Summer!

2010-05-27T21:13:00.010-06:00

Today was my last day of school and I couldn't be happier! When I went back to work in January it felt like May would never come. I made it and honestly things did get so much better once we all got on a routine and I got back into the swing of things. I'm so happy that I get to spend more time with my sweet Anderson. We are going to be busy going to the zoo, having lunch with daddy, baby gym, walks, parks, etc. It will be so nice to not have to wake him up so early in the mornings. Anderson is really excited about that!

This past weekend we stayed up in the mountains with some friends and it was just what we needed. We relaxed and Anderson was excited the entire time. He loved being somewhere new and we all enjoyed playing games, relaxing in the hot tub, hiking. This coming weekend James signed me up for a half marathon in Wyoming (a Mother's Day gift). He is going to run the Boulder, Boulder on Monday. We're excited for our upcoming weekend to spend time with friends and our sweet baby.

What's better than sitting in a mountain hot tub while

drinking a latte?

Molly even relaxed.

Our friends Erik and Meg--we played lots of games.

The frozen lake.

Anderson loved riding in the hiking backpack.

It was kind of cold. St. Mary's Glacier was beautiful.

It's actually just a snowfield but still pretty.

Our 8 Month Old Ham

2010-05-19T18:07:00.009-06:00

Oh my goodness, our little guy is 8 months old today! It kind of makes me a little sad because time has gone so quickly but it is fun to see how much he changes from week to week (sometimes day to day). He is getting so big and is a funny, little character. I think he takes after his dad!

Here are some things Anderson is doing:

He's almost crawling (he is so close but would rather hold your hands and walk)

He finds everything interesting

He has a good memory

He smiles all the time

He fixates on things he wants to play with

He loves to snuggle and nuzzle his head

He squeals with excitement when he sees mommy and daddy

He laughs a lot

He talks

He loves to sit outside

He's tickelish everywhere

He loves solids and is finding everything we eat very interesting

He likes to ride on his cars

I could go on and on about him but instead I'll let you enjoy the cuteness..

Enjoying his ride.

Yay, bathtime!

Happy boy.

Our funny guy.

Anderson got his own passport for an upcoming trip!

Of course he tried to eat it.

Happy to be a Mom!

2010-05-10T20:06:00.006-06:00

I feel so thankful to be a mommy to our precious little guy. He has blessed us in so many ways and we couldn't love him more than we already do. Being a mom is wonderful. It is amazing to think about how last year he wasn't even born and this year we have this lovable, observant, funny little guy. It's hard to remember what life was without him. Every day I thank God for him and think about how much I'm blessed as a mommy.
James' mom was in town to babysit Anderson for a few days and she really enjoyed the time with him. I was sick almost the entire weekend but I think I'm on my way to recovery. It was hard not to smother our little guy with kisses, especially on Mother's Day.

Life has been very busy but I can't let a week go by without taking some snapshots..

Always chewing on something.

I love his teethy grin.

Anderson loves being outside!

Time and Good News!

2010-04-28T20:01:00.010-06:00

Does anyone else feel like there's never enough time in the day? Working full time and having a baby is so hard! In the past few weeks I have felt streched so thin and just want more time. Each evening flies by and there is always so much to do but my first priority is playing with Anderson when I get home. I have also been feeling mommy guilt even more than usual. I'm tired of rushing around and always trying to get everything ready for the next day. I barely make it to work on time as it is with James' help. I'm also tired of feeling like I don't get to see Anderson when he is the most playful and cheerful. By the time I pick him up he is tired. He isn't usually grouchy but he is so much more animated and happy in the mornings. With all that being said, I have some great news! I'm going to teach half time next year. A friend from my school who had a baby one month after Anderson was born is going to be my partner. My wonderful principal is allowing us to each teach a few days a week and split up all grading, etc. I couldn't be happier about the situation. I'm going to teach 4th grade and am so excited about it! Last year I would have said that 2nd was my favorite but after the year I've had, I can't wait for the change! I just have to get through the month of May and then everything will be so much better.

Our little guy is so much fun and keeps getting bigger and bigger. He is a sweetheart and has a funny sense of humor. I can't wait to spend more time with him this summer and next year! We are going to do so many fun things with friends and mommy groups. Thinking about how much fun it will be is going to get me through these next four weeks I hope!

Saturday mornings are the best!

Anderson loves to stand up!

Love his smile.

Cute..

A picture to prove that he doesn't always smile

for the camera. He did proceed to pick the flower!

Our Happy 7 Month Old

2010-04-19T20:49:00.011-06:00

This past weekend Anderson's grandparents (My parents) came to visit. His grandpa helped James extend our patio and put up new light fixtures in our house. We spent some time outside and went to the zoo. James and I got a night out on Saturday night too. We had been swapping babysitting nights once a month with some good friends in our neighborhood but we just really hadn't been out since Valentine's Day. It was nice to go out together and we decided that we wouldn't be those parents that talked about their child the whole night out (we just talked about Anderson part of the night..ha ha). It was a good reminder that we do need time away. Anderson is so good that we just take him everywhere but something can be said for a night out at a place you wouldn't take a baby. We are going to start getting a babysitter at least once a month, maybe twice. With us both working, life just seems so rushed all the time. It is definitely hard to find time for each other.

Anderson turned 7 months old today! It seems like every month is going so quickly sometimes I just want to push the pause button. Anderson really seems more like a little boy rather than a little baby now. It makes me sad in one way because time is going way too quickly. Our friends keep telling us that parenthood just keeps getting better and better. So far it has..

Anderson wants to go..we think he will be crawling soon.

Poor little guy is teething again!

Having fun with his toys!

Enjoying the backyard.

Riding on the zoo train with Grandpa.

Sleepy after a day at the zoo.

Just a swinging.

Enjoying Spring

2010-04-12T20:24:00.011-06:00

We are loving the warm, sunny weather! This past weekend we spent a lot of time both inside and outside doing yardwork, playing, and hiking. We even sat outside when we were out to dinner on Saturday night. Anderson was a trooper and loved riding in his hiking backpack for the first time. Too bad the weekend wasn't longer! How many weeks until summer?

Our little ham!

Ooops..Anderson grabbed ahold of his toy and pulled it

over on himself.

Hanging out with Daddy.

We are trying to teach Anderson how to be gentle

with Molly--it willbe a few months.

Ready for a hike in the new backpack!

Having a great time--it was hard for daddy!

Sleepy after working so hard!

Little Mr. Personality

2010-04-06T21:26:00.007-06:00

Anderson has been so much fun lately and is developing quite a little personality! He is doing so much more now and is full of laughs and smiles. He has done some new things lately. He blows with his mouth so hard that his face turns red, he plays with his pacifier at night (the only time we give it to him), he holds onto his activity table while standing, pets Molly, and is very interactive. He has been talking quite a bit and yesterday when I picked him up from his babysitter's house he squealed with excitement. That really melted my heart and definitely made me a little jealous of our babysitter! At least I only have a few months left of school because it has just been so hard to leave our little bundle of fun.

At 6 and a half months old we thought it was time to start some solid foods since he has been exclusively breastfed for 6 months. At 5 months we did try a few bites of rice cereal but those few bites took us to urgent care due to constipation. We first tried squash and oatmeal and Anderson loved both and ate every bite. Then we tried sweet potatoes and he liked them but he preferred the squash. We then decided to try peas and he wasn't a fan. We tried once more and gave up with the peas. James has tasted everything we have given Anderson and said the peas were not so great. It's fun to keep trying new foods. We are wondering if he will eat anything green. We sure don't want a picky eater!

Anderson wants to crawl.

Look what the Easter bunny brought him!

He wants to grab everything.

Excited about eating something besides peas.

Warm Spring Break

2010-03-28T10:06:00.014-06:00

We had the best time on our vacation to the San Diego area although it didn't start out that great. Denver got dumped on with 14 inches of snow on Tuesday, the day before we were supposed to leave for California. At 11:00 p.m. on Tuesday night Southwest informed us that our flight at 6:10 in the morning was canceled. They couldn't get us on any flight in any airport in California until late on Friday. We were on a limited time frame and for sure thought that we would just miss our vacation. We already had our hotel and rental car paid for. After many phone calls and hours on the phone James was able to score us a flight out on Wednesday evening with a different airline. Amazingly the roads were completely fine in Denver on Wednesday afternoon. So, we were so happy to go on our vacation. It was a much needed get away from this snowy, cold winter we have had this year!
We stayed in Carlsbad along the beach for the first two nights. We walked to the beach several times, enjoyed coffee and food at local establishments, and just enjoyed relaxation with Anderson. We also met up with James's friend Katy from college that works in Calrsbad. We hiked at Torrey Pines State Park one day and it was gorgeous! The views were breathtaking and it was so different from hiking in the mountains. Anderson enjoyed the water bottle on the hike more than the views.

Our last night, we headed into San Diego and stayed in the Gaslamp district. It was full of amazing restaurants and we got to have dinner with my friend Kevin from Phoenix who happened to be in San Diego for the weekend. We had a great dinner at a local italian wine bar. Yummy!! The next day we went to Coronado Island to meet Laura, Ed, and their two beautiful children, Mattix and Molley. We walked to a great restaurant and had so much fun chatting with them. We are still daydreaming of their amazing view from their patio! We really enjoyed playing at the park before it was time to head to the airport. I can see us living there sometime in the future (maybe when we retire, ha)!

We had so much fun and Anderson is such a great traveler. He wasn't as fond of the pack n plays this time but slept okay. He enjoyed everything and really just went with the flow. We are really hoping that when he gets older he will love traveling as much as we do. We are sad that our vacation is over but isn't that how it always works?? Two more months of school, I can do it!

The Carlsbad Flower Fields were beautiful!

Our happy guy enjoying the flowers.

Yay, Anderson enjoyed the beach.

He loved playing with the sand.

The views were amazing on our hike.

Love the ocean!

Anderson enjoying a quick dip in the pool.

Chillin with Laura and Ed's adorable kiddos on their patio.

Loving the park. Look at those teeth!

Our sweet boy!

Ready...

2010-03-24T13:23:00.003-06:00

For the sunny California weather!!

6 months old

2010-03-20T21:26:00.006-06:00

It is so hard to believe that our sweet baby boy turned 6 months old on Friday. He is getting so big and is a fun, happy baby. We just love him to pieces!!!
Here are some things he is currently doing:

gets excited when he sees either of us
wants to stand up all the time

gives us face plants

sleeps through the night and some mornings we have to wake him up

is interested in Molly

has two bottom teeth
loves to play with his toys

Everything goes in his mouth

loves peek a boo

loves music

is a mamma's boy

tries to eat his feet

smiles when he cries (which is hardly ever)

sits up for long periods of time without support

loves his jumparoo

is curious about everything

likes to pick out his toys

Cute smile

Playing with Daddy

Teeth!

Dallas

2010-03-15T12:39:00.008-06:00

We had so much fun in Dallas this past weekend. Anderson was such a great traveler even when we were stuck in the car because of crazy traffic. The half marathon went better than expected. The course was beautiful and we LOVED the weather! It was in the 70's so we spent a lot of time walking, running, and hanging out in my Aunt Tammy's backyard. We are all ready for Spring!

First pair of overalls. Notice the short

sleeves and no socks. It felt like summer.

Happy, smiley baby!

Chillin while I ran the half marathon. The sun

was in his eyes.

Yay, all done!

Enjoying the sunshine.

Peek-a-boo Fun

2010-03-09T19:50:00.001-07:00

Just thought we'd share our new favorite game!

Our Little Man

2010-03-07T20:19:00.009-07:00

We had a great weekend with our little man. He has two teeth popping up through his gums and has been drooling like crazy. His disposition has been pretty good and he did sleep through the night on Saturday. Boy we do wish we could get him to sleep in on the weekends but he is just SO excited to see us in the mornings. Our mission on the weekends (and week nights) is to get him to laugh and smile all the time. Anderson has really turned into quite a mamma's boy as of late. When he sees me he squeals, lifts out his arms for me to pick him up, or even cries because he wants me. He also recently started noticing Molly and now wants to pet her. He's so much fun!! We just love babies.

Great Afternoon with Anderson

2010-03-03T19:16:00.007-07:00

The weather has been gorgeous here in CO this week! Every day I have rushed home to get our little guy. We play for awhile and then lately we've been going for a jog. Even though I'm exhausted from spending my day with 26 2nd graders, I somehow tap into my energy reserves for my little guy. I have found that I rush to leave school most days so I can spend as much time with him as I can!

I'm not counting or anything but I have 12 school days until spring break. I can't wait! Next week my running buddy from STL is coming out, then we are going to Dallas for my half marathon, and then the following week my counsin is coming, and then it is spring break. Yay! Having things to look forward to gets me through each day.

Crib Aerobics

2010-02-25T20:46:00.005-07:00

Anderson is getting more and more mobile. We heard him making funny sounds the other night and the pictures show what he was up to instead of sleeping!

We think Anderson will skip crawling and go straight to walking. He LOVES to stand and can even hold onto something and stand up. When he sees something he wants his eyes get big and he tries to move in order to get it. I think we are going to have our hands full in a few months!

Changes

2010-02-21T20:29:00.006-07:00

Anderson is definitely teething! He has two bumps on his bottom gums and has been gnawing on everything! He has ALL the symptoms so we have been giving him Tylenol and some Orajel. Poor little guy. He slept a lot this weekend and was just a bit fussy, which is so different from his normal disposition.
Even though he was a little big fussy we had a great weekend with him. The weekends really go fast and we wish we could spend more time with him. This weekend Anderson tried a few bits of rice cereal and didn't quite know what to think of it. We figured since he is 5 months old and is a big guy that he was ready for a few bites here and there. We aren't going to start more solid foods for awhile. Besides playing with our little guy we got a lot accomplished. I am running the Rock and Roll half marathon in Dallas in a few weeks so I had to get a long run in. The weather didn't cooperate because it was cold and snowy all weekend. James got me a pass to try out a local gym and I went and ran on the treadmill. He also hooked my road bike up to his trainer and I rode it on Sunday. Besides working out we cleaned house and booked our spring break trip. We decided to go to California because it is a short flight and we know it is warm. We did think about Mexico but want to wait and go when we can spend a few more days. Thanks for the ideas! We would like to go to Atlanta sometime too but it is a longer flight. Someday!
.

Our big boy!

Teethers are a must!

Anderson ended up wearing most of his rice
cereal.

Our 5 Month Cutie

2010-02-19T20:22:00.003-07:00

Today Anderson is 5 months old! His personality is really beginning to come out and he is such a little ham. He is full of smiles and makes us very happy!

Ideas?

2010-02-16T18:03:00.002-07:00

We are looking for suggestions for a baby friendly Spring Break trip and would love something warm. We are looking to go somewhere for just a few days and are having a hard time deciding on where to go. Does anyone have any ideas? We looked into Florida but we really don't want to spend so long on a plane when we only have a few days.

Thanks!

Excellent Weekend!!

2010-02-15T10:15:00.010-07:00

We have had the best weekend ever and it's not even over. :) Friday night we enjoyed a relaxing evening at home. On Saturday James took me to get my early Valentine's gift (we always exchange gifts early). He took me to a great running store to get a professional fit for new running shoes. They are amazing. I ran 9 miles on Sat. afternoon and had no pain whatsoever. Hopefully I'll be ready for the Dallas half marathon coming up in a few weeks. Then, on Saturday night our good friends Kathleen and Bill babysat Anderson while James and I went to a great wine bar called Tastes for a yummy dinner. We enjoyed a cheese plate, four tappas, two desserts, and a bottle of wine. We then headed to a trendy coffee shop to enjoy a mocha. What a fabulous night! On Sunday we spent the day indoors playing with Anderson while it snowed. Really, that was the best part of the entire weekend, followed by our dinner out.

Anderson has been SO much fun lately. We are pretty sure he is getting a bottom tooth because we have noticed some bumps in his gums and he has been gnawing on his fingers like they are candy. He has been talking and laughing all weekend. He interacts with everything all the time. He has even been doing 360's in his crib!! We think he will start crawling very soon. I guess we will have LOTS of babyproofing to do!!

Anderson tries to turn the pages of books now.

He loves to be on his tummy and "swims."

Lounging on the couch.

Anderson is holding one of the expresso cups

I got James for Valentine's Day.

Cute hat

Molly doesn't mind Anderson as much now. She's

looking old. :(

Anderson loves his teethers.

Our Fun Little Guy

2010-02-07T20:15:00.004-07:00

Anderson turned 20 weeks on Saturday. He is such a great little guy! We had a great weekend with him and his grandma and great aunt were here visiting too.

It is amazing how fast babies grow and change. It seems like Anderson is doing something different every day. We love him to pieces!

A fun weekend at home!

2010-01-31T19:34:00.009-07:00

We had a good weekend, enjoying Anderson. He's becoming so aware of everything. This past week he learned to roll from his back to front, and he showed off his new skills a lot this weekend. He began to give us little baby giggles too. It's fun to see how much he changes from week to week and how much he learns. He has a new best friend and he had a lot to say to us over the weekend. He was in happy spirits all weekend which makes our time with him so easy to enjoy.

Anderson and his new best friend, Frog Blanket.

A couple of baby talk videos.

Exhausted

2010-01-27T20:49:00.003-07:00

It has been a whirlwind of a week and last week wasn't much better. James has been in Orlando for work all week as he was last week. Anderson had been sleeping through the night but hasn't since he got sick. The first few days of this week I was up at 2:30, 3:30, and got up on Monday and Tuesday at 4:00 in the morning. This morning Anderson did sleep until 5:30, so it helped to finally get some much needed sleep. I'm hoping his sleeping schedule is back to normal now!

I've been very grouchy and sad this week. Each day I pick him up from his babysitter she tells me all the fun things he is doing. I hate how much I'm missing of my little guy's day. So sad... The thing that makes it so much worse is that my 2nd graders have really been out of control. When you are teaching elementary kids you get no down time al all. I feel like I have to be energetic and happy all the time. For some reason we all have classes with many students that misbehave. I can honestly say that I've never had a group with naughty kids. Usually I might have a few stinkers but yesterday I had 14 kids sitting against the wall during recess for behavior and missing homework. It's really not just my kids either. It takes so much energy to deal with behavior problems and it has been a struggle to go to work each day. Don't get me wrong, I do have some great kids but my job is draining the life out of me...the only thing that gets me through the day is getting to see my sweet baby! Here's an example of what my day is like...in one day I had a student who typed a naughty word on the computer, a student took a few tacs off the wall and was playing with them on the carpet in front of the SmartBoard, and one of the kids left one of my personal books on the floor and I watched 5 kids step on it without bothering to pick it up. Since I've been back I've had to crack the whip and I've had the kids practice everything every single day...It's got to get better, right? I've been wearing a witches' hat and I hope I can take it off soon...

Like I said, Anderson does get me through the day. He is my sunshine every day and is such a great, happy baby. I have found that I treasure the weekends even more now. Anderson has chuckled a bit and can now roll over both ways. He smiles all the time and even has a favorite book.. The Wheels on the Bus. We sing it every night and he loves to look at the pictures. He is such a blessing and I'm counting down the days until Spring Break and then summer.

James won't have to travel for a bit and if he does have to start traveling again it will probably be to Chicago. I'm crossing my fingers that he doesn't have to. If he does, I'm not sure I will make it!

Happy 4 months Anderson

2010-01-19T21:54:00.008-07:00

Anderson is 4 months old today. He is full of smiles and sunshine that melts our hearts every single day!

Here are some things he is currently doing:

Almost rolls over from back to stomach

Rolls over from stomach to back

Reaches out for toys, grabs them, and then puts them in his mouth

Talks up a storm

Laughs a little bit

Loves to stand and will almost pull himself up

Smiles at himself in the mirror

Mimics our facial expressions

Tries to repeat our sounds

Puts his hands in his mouth all the time

Recognizes his mommy and daddy

Observes everything

At Anderson's 4 month appointment he was a bit over 16 pounds and 26 1/2 inches long. The pediatrician said he was going to be a tall boy! He also got checked out again because he was diagnosed with bronchiolitis at urgent care on Thursday evening. He is doing a little better but isn't completely well. Poor little guy! He has been in good spirits and still smiling though. We had a fun weekend with family that was in town and we were on the go.

Survival Mode

2010-01-11T19:11:00.002-07:00

Phew..one week down at work. This balancing act is so difficult! James was gone for the weekend so Anderson and I spent a lot of time together. :) Today we started new childcare arrangements. We liked the daycare he was going to but it was just difficult with labeling bottles, Anderson's schedule, so many babies, etc. One of my former student's parent volunteered to watch Anderson for the next four months. She is so excited to have him and it is one on one for so much less money. We couldn't refuse. He had a great first day and when I got there to pick him up she was on the floor playing with him. He does have a cold and we think he got it from daycare last week. Poor little guy. He had been sleeping from 10:00 to 5:45-6:00 and last night he was up at 2:30, 3:00, 4:00. Ugghhh. at least James was home to help. We are praying for a better night today. It's hard to be really patient with unruly kids when you are lacking sleep. I'm hoping to be able to take off the witches hat soon...
Besides the cold Anderson has been so much fun lately. I'll write a 4 month update soon. It seems like every week he is doing something new. I'm have taken a few pictures over the weekend and am going to try to take more during the week.

Ugghh..

2010-01-05T19:42:00.003-07:00

It has been so hectic at our house; I feel like everything is rushed and so miss being home with Anderson. From making lunches, pumping/preparing bottles, laundry, and dishes in dishwasher, etc., how does one get everything done without feeling like you are already rushing, rushing, rushing? We are both exhausted from preparing for the next day. I sure hope this gets better. Anderson's daycare said that he is a happy baby and is doing well but at home we are having a few issues we have never had. He has been on a great routine/schedule that REALLY worked for us and he was such a happy baby during his activity time. He has also been sleeping through the entire night. At school it is hard for them to stick to the routine because he isn't taking good naps and is overstimulated. So, when we get home either he wants to sleep all night or is hard to get to sleep because he is overtired. This will get better, right? I'm currently trying to find a parent from my school who stays at home to watch Anderson for the next few months to help us keep our sanity. We know he is going to a great daycare but just aren't sure it is what is best for him. They keep telling us to give it a few weeks but we just miss our little happy guy. :( Things will get better, right?? They just have to!!

Total Denial

2010-01-03T13:09:00.008-07:00

I just can't believe my time at home with Anderson is over tomorrow. I'm so extremely sad about it. I really didn't ever think I would want to stay at home full time but since he was born my views have definitely changed. Anderson is such an easy, happy baby. We stay very busy and do so many fun things; now it feels like we won't have any time. I do love my job as a teacher (most days anyway) but it is very demanding and draining. The expectations are set very high and everyone works extremely hard. Really, many teachers stay until 4:30-5:00 and the kids leave at 2:30. I know I stayed quite late at the beginning of the year and even brought stuff home to do at night. The life of a teacher. Ho humm.. I need to have a positive attitude to keep my sanity.

I'm also anxious about Anderson going to daycare. It is a great one and we had many great recommendations but I feel like I know him best and it's hard to let go and trust other people who do it for their job. I know he will be safe but I'm still feeling sad about it. James and I are both going tomorrow morning to drop him off along with all of his stuff. I'm already tearing up. :(

I've really enjoyed spending so much time with our little guy. I do wish I would have taken the whole year off. Hopefully my next post won't be so depressing and will be full of optimism. We'll see. I have to post a few cute pics so it won't be all depressing.

Anderson loves his Hungry Caterpillar. Inside is a

butterfly blanket.

He looked so cute in his new vest outfit.

The aquarium wore Anderson out.

Mommy and her sweet baby boy.

Christmas Fun

2009-12-29T09:40:00.015-07:00

We had a wonderful time at my Aunt Cathy's house visiting with our entire extended family. Anderson traveled so well and didn't cry once while waiting for the planes or even on the planes. What a great little guy! He was overstimulated a lot of the time because there were so many people and dogs around the house. He met his Great Grandpa for the first time and had fun getting attention from everyone. We feel so blessed this year and Christmas was such a special time.

Anderson enjoyed the pink Bumbo!

The Christmas Eve service wore the babies out!

Anderson meeting his Great Grandpa and Great

Aunt Tammy.

Anderson and his Grandma.

The babies looking excited about their stockings (ha)!

Anderson opening his first gift.

Look at all of those presents!

James got a slinket and to fill the box a Woman's Day.

Great Grandpa got some flashy glasses (we will

have to post a video of him dancing with them on)

Anderson got out of his new swaddle blanket.

Daddy carried Anderson in the Bijorn. This was after

about 6 hours of traveling/waiting because of delays.