Such a Tease...

...this BEAUTIFUL winter weather is!  I can't believe the 70 degree temperatures we are being blessed with, which is totally giving me spring fever!  On Friday afternoon we spent 2 hours at the park soaking in the sun, playing in sand, going down bumpy slides and of course swinging...

   

This was Eli's first experience playing in sand and he loved IT!  He especially loved when he figured out that his drool mixed with sand made MUD!  He even tasted a bit of it...

Can't wait for more days like this, but for now we have to get cosy in our home with the snow and single digit temperatures on the way!  Gotta' love Colorado!

CU Basketball

On Saturday afternoon Ashtyn and I joined Nana, Papa and Mimi at the men's CU basketball game against Oklahoma State - it was fantastic!  I haven't been to a CU basketball game in years - we used to go all the time when I was still at home - so it was nice to return to the ol' stomping ground and watch some, actually, very exciting basketball.  I guess CU has a good team this year - they beat the Cowboys 74-69 in the final seconds, which makes them 3-0 in conference! The place was sold out, which made it even more fun - I haven't seen that kind of support in awhile!  I had no idea the game would be so crazy, so I didn't hesitate bringing Ashtyn, but I think it was a little overwhelming for her! 

She sat and watched the game the whole time, and was so well behaved, but near the end she was tired and ready to go home for sure.  The band kept her occupied - loves the tubas - along with m&m's, pop, popcorn and dippin' dots!  I am thankful I decided to leave Eli at home - can you imagine what that experience would have been like!

Probably the best part of the day though, was being able to spend it with Ashtyn all by myself - with no other distractions, besides the game of course!  I forget what is was like to have only one child - how easy - but how nice it is to focus all your love and attention on just them.  I think Ashtyn enjoyed her time too with her mama!  I just need to get better at making special day trips for her and I to do together before I am shipping her off to college!

Here's Ashtyn enjoying her famous dippin' dots - which Nana waited in a very long line for...

Thank you Nana for the fun day out!  We definitely enjoyed ourselves and it will be exciting to see what the Buff's season turns out like - GO BUFFS!

Grandma Sandy is 53!

We celebrated Grandma Sandy's birthday last week with dinner at Outback - my favorite - and then dessert afterwards at their house.  My children absolutely adore their Grandma Sandy, so it's always fun to celebrate a day for her, since she is so deserving!  She does so much for our family and our kids - I couldn't imagine doing daily life without her.  I was so blessed when I married Matt to gain a mother-n-law who has become more of a best friend then anything - We LOVE you so much Grandma Sandy!  Happy Birthday - and just think 2 more years and you get senior discounts at the movies and Good Will - Yeah!

Seven Months - Crazy!

Eli turned 7 months old last week - that just sounds CRAZY coming out of my mind!  I have to admit, I am constantly wanting him to be older - because he is quite a handful and I am hoping he will get easier as he gets older - but knowing he's more then half way done being a baby make me sad.  We have had yet another busy month - literally there is never a dull moment with this boy...

PERSONALITY:  Oh Eli has quite a personality!  Not even sure how to describe it except for "BOY"!  Yep, he screams, grunts, farts, burbs and screams some more.  He is constantly wanting to be entertained or held and will scream until someone figures out what he is wanting at that very moment.  It still very difficult to find something to entertain this boy - toys, bumbo, excersaucer, walker, swing, bouncer will only keep him occupied for 5 minutes at a time!  The ONLY thing he actually enjoys for a long period of time is BATH TIME!  Loves bath time...he kicks his feet up, splashes plays with toys, and likes to smack his "thing" - he is quite entertained in the bathtub.  So whenever I need 20 minutes of peace I plop him in the tub.  Even though he is quite a handful and very LOUD - he is so loving!  He always smiles for everyone, and loves to give open mouth kisses.  He loves to grab faces of people he knows and rub noses with them.  So he has his precious moments.  I believe he is cutting 2 teeth on the bottom - so he has been extra fussy the past couple weeks, but with a little Tylenol and Brandy he is feeling just fine!  JK!  But we do hope the teeth will make their appearance soon, it is getting exhausting...

TRICKS/HABITS:  Eli can officially SIT!  Yeah, this was a huge milestone, and he loves that he can see more of what's going on now.  He will however fall over if he gets excited or throw his head back to look at something - which then leads to a dramatic crying fit.  The other day Eli fell over from sitting and Ashtyn says "Mom, Eli is freaking out again!" - oh that girl!  He is starting to get into the crawling position from sitting when he sees something he wants, and then after figuring out he cannot move he "freaks" out as Ashtyn would say.  Hopefully we can get him crawling soon - I know it makes it harder on myself, but I think he would be a much happier baby if he could move.  Loves to play with anything but toys - so we usually give him spoons, tupperware, water bottles - stuff like that!  Mostly, just loves to be held and walked around.  His favorite position is perched in Matt's arms.
 

 EATING and SLEEPING:  Praise GOD!  We have finally had a good month of both feeding and sleeping.  I think this is a first since he was born.  Eli's new eating and sleeping schedule goes as follows: 

7am: 4oz formula after waking up

9:30am: Oatmeal mixed with 4oz formula and fruit (pears and bananas are his fav)

10-11:30: Nap time

Noon: Oatmeal mixed with 4oz formula

3pm: 4oz-6oz formula bottle

30-45 min Cat Nap

6pm: Oatmeal mixed with 4oz formula and veggie (mainly sweet potatoes, squash and carrots)

8pm: 4oz formula bottle

8:30: Bed Time

Eli has done so well eating Oatmeal, fruits and veggies!  He definitely already has his favorites and will shiver when we feed him something he doesn't like.  He has a very sensitive reflux, because he will throw up when he doesn't like something, so I am always hesitant on the first spoonful.  He is a VERY messy eater - again all boy!  It usually in his nose, ears and hair by the time he is finished - which means he changes clothes a couple times a day.  We have started giving him Baby Mum Mums when we are eating to keep him entertained.  He's not sure about the taste - he typically will chew on it and then spit it out - but at least it keeps him occupied during our meal.  I got on the scale with him the other day and it looks like he weighs about 16 pounds, so the Oatmeal is starting to fatten him up - he is actually starting to get chubby fingers - so GREAT! Isn't it funny how when you are a baby your parents do everything they can to fatten you up and then you spend the rest of your life trying to lose weight.  Anyways, it looks like he is gaining weight - now I am just hoping teething and sickness doesn't ruin the good thing we have going.

Eli is a handful - no question about that!  But I absolutely adore and LOVE him more then I could ever express.  He brings a whole new dimension to our lives and I am sure we would be quite bored without him.  I am so anxious to see him grow and constantly wonder what he will be like when he is Ashtyn's age - but I have to remember to just enjoy him as he is now, because it is going fast and I am sure I will miss it when it is gone.  I am so thankful for this little boy...

Oatmeal 5K

On Saturday I ran in my second 5K at the Oatmeal Festival in Lafayette.  I would have to say out of all the races I have ran - being two - this one was my favorite.  The energy was so great and the course was very challenging - up hill most the time!  Before the race I woke up and thought - 'Why do I pay money to run in a race?  I can just walk out the front door and run"  But once I got there and after a quick cup of coffee, my mood changed, and I definitely enjoyed myself!  I finished with a time of 31 minutes, so I didn't improve my time - actually added seconds - but like I said it was much more challenging then the first course, so I was happy I just finished - alive!  The best part was my fan club cheering me on the side of the road - we ran right down Emma in front of my in-laws house, so Matt, Sandy, Butch, Sarah, Emily and the kids came to cheer me on - it was great!  They even made me a sign...

I felt so loved!  "Hidden Runner" is an inside joke Matt and I have - it's really is not funny to anyone else but me and him - but when I saw the sign I started laughing and about tripped - I am a very gracious runner!  The Oatmeal 5K attracts a lot of elite runners since it is a qualifier for the Bolder Boulder - never knew you had to qualify for the Bolder Boulder - so this inspired me!  I have now downloaded a training plan for "How to run a 10K" - so hopefully in May I can finish the Bolder Boulder - running. Now if the weather could just cooperate...I have been very spoiled the past couple months...

Snow Fun

Sunday was one of those days... a perfect day.  The kind where you hang out in your pjs, watch Toy Story 3, play with new Christmas toys and finally get the chance to play in the SNOW!  And that's just what we did...even Eli made the trip outside and LOVED it!  Playing in the snow...

Ashtyn was beyond ecstatic when she got to swing!  She loves her swing set and getting to swing in the snow was the best idea ever!  Eli joined her too...Ashtyn wasn't too sure about him taking over the baby swing, so once he was done, she wanted to get in.  She ended up falling asleep in the swing - classic...

And then we all took naps.  Perfect Sunday.