July 2014

Aurora started swim lessons this month. Being in the ocean and at the pool in Hawaii made us realize that she is old enough to learn to swim. She also loves being in the water so as soon as she gets over her fear of going under she will be so happy that she can swim by herself.

We went to the Cherry Creek Arts Festival again this year. Last year we didn't have a house yet so we didn't buy and thing and this year I didn't see anything I liked all that much. It was honestly a bit disappointing. Aurora had fun getting her face painted though!

Fairy Princess

Mimi and Papa were in town for a week at the end of the month. It's totally shameful that I don't have a single picture of them with the kids… Getting out of the house was a little difficult with all the different schedules going on but it was nice to see them spend some quality time with the kids anyway.

Aurora is finally starting to get over a little bit of her perfectionism and actually trying to color and write. For the longest time she would just say "I can't do it"

Otherwise we have just been spending time with the kids and a few new friends.

Aurora and Elle

Connor 8 Months

You have a tooth! One popped through a few days ago and it feels like the other bottom front is coming right behind it.

We have finally started on some real solids. You aren't a big eater yet but you get pretty unhappy if you are left out at meals. You have had kale, chicken, steak, ground beef, avocado, egg yolk, cucumber, and red pepper.

Separation anxiety has definitely kicked in. You have been much less happy to play by yourself on the floor and you get pretty fussy when I come back even if you have happily been playing with someone else while I was gone.

You love standing! It's pretty funny because lately you have been resisting being put on your bottom and want to be held up or propped up on your feet. You will even try to take a few steps if we support your weight.

You have really started rolling around. Until now you only rolled to get off your belly, but now we sometimes find you pretty far from where we put you down.

You are so close to crawling! You can lunge forward onto your hands and knees from sitting and if I hold your knees under you you can walk your hands forward but you end up dropping your hips because you haven't figured out what to do with your legs yet.

I think you have started saying "All Done." It seems early but you definitely wave your hands when you are done eating or don't want to be doing something anymore which is the same thing right?

Your bedtime is still around 6:30/7 and lately you have been super fussy by the end of the day. You have been sleeping until between 12 and 2 then up every 1-2 hours after that. You are in this awkward place where 2 naps isn't quite enough but 3 naps is too much. I have started throwing you on my back in the evenings when I am making dinner and often you will fall asleep for 20 minutes or so.

June 2014

June was a crazy month for us. We started the month off in Hawaii with the whole McCord clan -- Nanny, Grumpa, Uncle Allent, Lala, Mason, Uncle Tucker, Tia and Brynn.  I will say that traveling with two little ones definitely makes for a different "vacation" experience. I spent most of the week in the house due to naps and the kids being jet lagged but I am so thankful that we had a whole house to hang in instead of just a hotel room!

Aurora and Nanny watching Frozen

Aurora had a blast! She is finally at an age where she can really appreciate the novelty of the trip and there are actually fun things that she can participate in. We went to a sea horse farm, played on the beach, swam in the pool, played with the cousins and Aurora even got to "swim" with a dolphin named Nimbus and watch her first movie ever - Frozen :)

Nimbus

The next few weeks after Hawaii were a total wash. Our flight out of Kona was delayed and we didn't leave until around 11pm which means that Mama didn't sleep a wink that night. Aurora and Dada curled up together and I was wearing Connor but I couldn't get comfortable and every time I moved he started to fuss. By the time we got back to Denver it was time to start the day! It took quite a while to recover from that one.

How I get Aurora to cooperate at the grocery

The last week of June was pretty exciting though because Aurora attended Vacation Bible School at a church in Wash Park. We have friends that were volunteering at it and we figured it would be a good experience for Aurora considering she is starting preschool in August. She loved it! Her favorite part was definitely music time and she still loves to sing the songs she learned there.

Aurora and Pastor Char

We did get our first hike of the season in though! We didn't go very far but considering the hills and rocks Aurora did awesome.

Our first hike of the summer

Chautauqua in Boulder

Connor 7 Months

You are finally rolling! both ways! I joke that when we were in Hawaii you taught your cousin Brynn to sit up and she taught you to roll because you both had a new skill by the end of the trip.

You have been trying to sit yourself up lately. I think you are strong enough to do it but you haven't quite figured it out as you don't seem to like to use your arms very much.

We still haven't really started you on solids yet. I think you are interested but not chomping at the bit and I will admit I have been a little lazy… The pediatrician said you should just be eating a few foods by 9 months.

You are not the happy sitter that your sister was. I remember Aurora being very needy until she learned to sit  on her own and then being super content playing by herself. You on the other hand seem like you are terribly frustrated by the fact that you haven't yet learned to crawl.

Sleep is a disaster in this house after Hawaii. I swear, I am going to have to think long and hard about ever traveling to another time zone with littles because you and your sister have been taking "naps" when we put you down at night and then being up really really late. After not sleeping AT ALL on the overnight home from Hawaii, this mama is exhausted!

On the positive side, you are still only waking up every three hours and your naps are moving closer to an hour a piece instead of only 30 minutes.

May 2014

So it's May, and yes it is still snowing in Denver!  And when we aren't getting snow we seem to be getting hail storms. I honestly love Denver weather, but sometimes it can be challenging.

Minetta and the Koch's came to visit! Uncle Roger, Aunt Cindy, and Minetta stayed with us for the night while they were in town for one of Cindy's doctor's appointments. I love that Aurora and Connor have the chance to get to know their great grandmother. I barely knew any of my grandparents so this is really special.

Aurora and Great Grandma Minetta

 

I had a great Mothers Day! Matt, Aurora and Connor got me a milk brother, which might just be the best gift ever. I can't think of another gift that I use at least once a day :) They also took me out to my favorite restaurant, Jax.

Our garden is starting to produce! We have gotten kale, arugula, lettuce and spinach so far. So yummy!

Super fast slide at Carson Elementary

First bath together!

Connor 6 Months

15 pounds 13 ounces

Six months already?! This is the end of the baby-baby stage… and I am not sure I am ready!!

We haven't really started solids with you yet but you have gotten a slice of avocado or red pepper a few times because you were so indignant that everyone else was eating and you weren't.

You aren't consistently rolling over yet, but honestly I think that is just because you have no interest. I have definitely seen you do it.

You are however sitting up really, really well. We don't spot you anymore and you can even compensate if you start to fall or your Dada pushes you a little bit ;)

You are loving your toys (especially that lego giraffe!) and will switch them from hand to hand. You will also sit and look intently at your fingers and hands which is pretty funny.

You are starting to communicate with us - You will get really excited and wave one hand when I ask you if you want milk and if we clap and hold out our hands you will put your arms up "asking" to be picked up which is so fun.

We finally switched you to your own room and it wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it was going to be. I thought you would have a harder time transitioning from the rock and play to your flat crib but it didn't bother you a bit! Being in your own room has definitely helped the sleeping situation a little but too. You are now waking every 3 hours instead of every 1-2. Yay!

Your naps aren't great but at least you are taking naps so I shouldn't complain. You are pretty consistently taking 3-4 30 minute naps during the day.