October 2016

We got a terrible stomach plague this month. I should have known it was coming because we are never sick until Matt goes out of town. It started with me, then Connor and then Aurora. Thankfully it got weaker as it went though the family and also thankfully Cooper didn't get it. I was completely useless for two days though. I remember lying on the couch while the kids watched TV (which NEVER happens) and hearing them yell to me that Cooper had crawled all the way upstairs... oops...

Aurora is settling in at Logan really well. She loves her school and her unit work (Greek Gods and Goddesses). I don't think we could have picked a school that was more tailored to that child.

Connor is finally getting more comfortable at Paddington. Everything was fine until my first volunteer day. After I stayed at school with him once he couldn't understand why I wouldn't stay everyday... It has been so hard to see him struggling with drop off, but lately he has seemed okay as long as I get him settled into an activity before I go.

We are looking at new houses! After coming back from Grand Junction and watching the kids play in Roger and Cindy's big backyard we have decided that we need to find a new place with room for them to run and play. We will see!

Aurora got to go to her second Broncos game with Dad! That girl is turning into a huge football fan.

Halloween was fun this year. We had a Butterfly princess and a Red Dragon... except the Red Dragon didn't last very long because the poor boy basically baked in his costume at the Halloween Parade. He flat out refused to wear the hood when we went trick or treating with Aurora's friends Ellie and Eliana.

-- Cooper at 12 months --

Cooper has started standing on his own!

He has also started talking up a storm -- buh-buh (bye bye), go-goot (yogurt), ro-ro (Aurora), Da da da (Dada) Ma ma (Mama)

Cooper gets really excited after he nurses in the morning saying Da-da-da-da-da-da and looks for Matt. It's super cute.

I set up the play slide in the living room and Cooper loves playing with it.

We haven't transitioned to cow's milk yet, but he does eat a ton of whole milk plain yogurt. With other solids he tends to be picky from day to day, but overall eats most things.

He is still very content to ride around on my back, has shown no real interest in walking.

He is super smiley when people talk to him. As the third I think he is just happy when someone finally pays attention to him ;)

I have been taking him to the park lately and he loves crawling around on the play structure. Up the stairs and down the slide... up the stairs and down the slide :)

He has been waking up around 5:30/6, taking two naps around 9 and 1:30, then going down for bedtime at 6:30. I think we may his bedtime a little later to try to get a more consistent 6am wake up.

December 2014

Rora started ski school. She is pretty excited about her all pink outfit! She will be going almost every Saturday in December, January and February so it will be interesting to see what she is able to do at the end of the season. So far it has been ugly getting her out the door but she seems happy and says she had fun at class when we pick her up.

We traveled to see Nanny and Grumpa twice this month! Once in Farmington and once at their new place in Scotsdale. Both were quick trips but fun. I flew down to Farmington ahead of Matt to give the kids enough time to settle 

Scotsdale was an even quicker trip. We were only there for one full day and two half days but we still got in some good visiting. We took the kids to the train museum and got to ride in a small kid sized train all around the property.

We have been meeting with an educational councilor to try to figure out what on earth we want to do with Aurora for pre-k next year and then kindergarten after that. It has been helpful but we are still undecided exactly what to do. The politics of school applications is stressful!

We went to see Santa! I am not sure if Aurora was more excited about seeing Santa or about visiting the Frozen Ice Palace ;) Unfortunately I planned poorly and went the morning of the 23rd. The line was enormous. I think it took us about 2 hours to get into the Ice Palace and then meet Santa.

We had a great Christmas. We didn't travel on Christmas Day this year which was so nice. We got to relax at the house all day. I will say though, you know your children have too many presents when they ask to take two breaks before they can get through opening them all!

We started trying to teach Aurora to read a few months ago and even though she has been asking to learn for over a year she hasn't been interested since starting preschool. Recently we picked up her learn to read book again and have been making some good progress.

-- Connor at 12 months -- 

You are almost walking! I think you are totally capable but you haven't quite got the confidence to take off yet. You can walk between things and you are starting to choose to walk from one thing to the next but you won't just start walking unless your destination is close. Actually you did just take off once but landed on your face so I think that dissuaded you for a while!

You are also talking a lot more. You can sign "all done" and "more"

You are becoming such a picky eater it is driving me crazy. I am not quite sure how to deal with it so for now I am just continuing to offer you choices which you hardly ever eat… I think if you could live on sweet potato, banana and yogurt you would be a happy camper!

November 2014

Happy Birthday Connor! This past year has flown. I feel like I'm always saying that but it's true. I need to find a way to slow things down and enjoy this time when the kids are little because it is going by way too fast!

We spent Thanksgiving and Connor's birthday in San Antonio this year with Nanny, Grumpa, Allen, Tucker, Lauren, Erin and all the cousins. It was pretty crazy with all the babies but so fun to finally meet the twins! I only left the house once but I felt like I was busy the entire time. That's what five little ones under the age of four will do!

We let Connor and Brynn have smash cakes together which was pretty uneventful. Neither one did very much damage.

Mimi, Papa and Uncle Matt came to visit us before Thanksgiving. It was fun to see them and spend some relaxing time together. I also used their visit to get a bunch of appointments knocked out ;)

-- Connor at 11 Months -- 

You are talking quite a bit more. You are using Mama, Dada, and ba-ba (bye-bye) a lot more as well as  saying doggie (da-da with different inflection) and ba (ball)

Taking some steps between things if we ask you to, you took off once and fell on your face so you haven't done that again. I love how you throw hands up in the air for balance.

You are measuring pretty small. The pediatrician said you are following a typically pattern for breastfed babies (your weight is dropping below the standard curve) which wouldn't be note worthy but you have fallen off the chart and we need to make sure you have gained some weight by your next appointment. You are somewhere below the 5% for weight… but still measuring 90% for head!

Most mornings you have yogurt for breakfast along with some cut up fruit and cheerios. Lunch and dinner tend to be an assortment of leftovers. You aren't eating a ton of finger foods but you have been experimenting with it.

Your sleep hasn't changed very much -- naps are still about an hour a piece around 9:30 and 2:30 and you sleep from around 6:30 to sometime between 4 and 5 before needing to nurse and then waking for the day around 6.