Monday, November 15, 2010
Forgot to Update!
I just realized I never updated the blog on the progress of tooth #8! It broke through about a week later with no major problems. Aaron got a little bit fussy a few times while it worked its way out, but that was it. Yea!
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
To Sum It Up...
I was just looking through our photos from the last month and realized that there's been a lot happening that I want to share. I also realize not many have time to read a novel online, so I'll try to be brief.
The month started with Aaron getting to attend his first LIVE football game! We went to see his cousin, Alex, play. Aaron was more interested in playing with the surrounding grass and dirt than he was in watching the game...until some people sat next to us and happened to have a real football. He immediately walked over and they became friends and then he promptly took the ball from their blanket. He had a great time "tackling" the ball.
A few days later, I got to see just how big my little man is getting when I looked up and saw him trying to get out the front door! When did he get tall enough to reach the doorknob???
I had been a bit stingy lately when it came to letting Aaron play outside and get into the things he wanted to do. I used the excuse that I was too tired to clean up the inevitable mess and I realized I wasn't being fair to Aaron. So, I let him play. And there was definitely a mess!
He had a GREAT time, though, and I didn't mind cleaning up so much...when he wasn't around to "help", that is.
This picture isn't so much an event as much as it is just a funny picture and shows another side of Aaron that not many get to see. He had just woken up from a very long nap and it was well past lunchtime. I had just put him in his highchair and given him a PB&J when I got the idea to take a picture of his "Einstein" hairdo. I got the camera out and just as I was snapping the picture, he gave me this look. I'll let you interpret what he may have been thinking.
About the middle of the month, I got an itch to go do something really fun...and free. You may remember that a few months ago, I had purchased an annual pass to Thanksgiving Point, so we headed up there. Aaron got to have his first ride on a real horse. He was a little apprehensive at first, as you can see by the look on his face, and he didn't want to stay on long. He did great staying put until the ride stopped and then he waved good-bye to the horse as we walked away. (So cute!)
Aaron got to have lots of Halloween fun this year. He had a party day at the daycare during the week, so we dressed him up in an Eeyore costume I had inherited from my younger sister. Normally, Aaron is much more of a "Tigger", but he did a great job getting into character.
On Friday, my employers let family members of employees come Trick-or-treating at the office. Aaron was playing the part of "A Rebel Without a Cause" this time. He had so much fun getting candy from my co-workers. It didn't take him long at all to figure out what we were doing.
On the 30th, we went to my older sister's with the intention of joining them for "Trunk-or-treating", which is the latest version of door-to-door where instead neighbors drive to a centralized location and let the kids go car-to-car.
We never quite made it, though. He had missed his afternoon nap and was plum tuckered out before it even started. Not to worry. He still got plenty of candy.
This photo was taken on the last day of October while we were at my sisters house again. My nieces had fun dressing up Aaron and, while you can't see it here, he was having fun, too. I think the look is more because he knew the camera was going to capture this moment forever....I promise not to use it for blackmail unless it becomes absolutely necessary, though. ;)
The month started with Aaron getting to attend his first LIVE football game! We went to see his cousin, Alex, play. Aaron was more interested in playing with the surrounding grass and dirt than he was in watching the game...until some people sat next to us and happened to have a real football. He immediately walked over and they became friends and then he promptly took the ball from their blanket. He had a great time "tackling" the ball.
A few days later, I got to see just how big my little man is getting when I looked up and saw him trying to get out the front door! When did he get tall enough to reach the doorknob???
I had been a bit stingy lately when it came to letting Aaron play outside and get into the things he wanted to do. I used the excuse that I was too tired to clean up the inevitable mess and I realized I wasn't being fair to Aaron. So, I let him play. And there was definitely a mess!
He had a GREAT time, though, and I didn't mind cleaning up so much...when he wasn't around to "help", that is.
This picture isn't so much an event as much as it is just a funny picture and shows another side of Aaron that not many get to see. He had just woken up from a very long nap and it was well past lunchtime. I had just put him in his highchair and given him a PB&J when I got the idea to take a picture of his "Einstein" hairdo. I got the camera out and just as I was snapping the picture, he gave me this look. I'll let you interpret what he may have been thinking.
About the middle of the month, I got an itch to go do something really fun...and free. You may remember that a few months ago, I had purchased an annual pass to Thanksgiving Point, so we headed up there. Aaron got to have his first ride on a real horse. He was a little apprehensive at first, as you can see by the look on his face, and he didn't want to stay on long. He did great staying put until the ride stopped and then he waved good-bye to the horse as we walked away. (So cute!)
Aaron got to have lots of Halloween fun this year. He had a party day at the daycare during the week, so we dressed him up in an Eeyore costume I had inherited from my younger sister. Normally, Aaron is much more of a "Tigger", but he did a great job getting into character.
On Friday, my employers let family members of employees come Trick-or-treating at the office. Aaron was playing the part of "A Rebel Without a Cause" this time. He had so much fun getting candy from my co-workers. It didn't take him long at all to figure out what we were doing.
On the 30th, we went to my older sister's with the intention of joining them for "Trunk-or-treating", which is the latest version of door-to-door where instead neighbors drive to a centralized location and let the kids go car-to-car.
We never quite made it, though. He had missed his afternoon nap and was plum tuckered out before it even started. Not to worry. He still got plenty of candy.
This photo was taken on the last day of October while we were at my sisters house again. My nieces had fun dressing up Aaron and, while you can't see it here, he was having fun, too. I think the look is more because he knew the camera was going to capture this moment forever....I promise not to use it for blackmail unless it becomes absolutely necessary, though. ;)Sunday, October 24, 2010
Rough Weekend
The past few days have been a little rough. Thursday night ended like any typical weekday evening, with the exception that Aaron felt a little warm. I checked his temperature and it was right around 99.0 degrees, nothing too alarming. By 3:00 a.m., however, things had changed dramatically.
Aaron had been waking every two hours or so and fussing a bit, but always fell right back to sleep. After the 4th or 5th time of being awakened, I went in to bring him to my bed. He was burning up with a fever of 102.7. I immediately gave him acetaminophen and watched him closely the rest of the night.
His fever had not dropped very much by the time I needed to leave for work, so I called and told my job and my babysitter we would be staying home. At that time, I still had no idea what was wrong. We spent nearly all of the day cuddling with me trying to get him to eat something. He had no appetite and slept frequently, but was very restless and fussed a lot.
At around 3:00 that afternoon, I figured out what was happening. He was getting 3 teeth in at the same time! I knew he was working on his fourth top tooth, but the two on the bottom were a surprise. He's never had a fever with teething before, but he's also never broken more than one tooth at a time.
Late Friday night, around 10:30, one of the teeth broke through. He woke suddenly from a deep sleep and began screaming, yelling and sobbing. There was nothing I could do except hold him tight, rocking him back and forth, and sob with him. It's probably the worst feeling a mother can go through. Even writing this now, the tears are starting to roll again.
The rest of Friday night and all day Saturday, he continued to run a fever, not eat much and slept a lot. At one point, his fever got up to 103.1. I had just given him the next dose of acetaminophen, but needed to wait for it kick in. In the meantime, I drew him a cool bath, which he sat in reluctantly, crying and shaking from being so weak. I held him up with one arm only long enough to poor water over his entire body and head before getting him out, but it worked. While still wrapped in his towel, I checked his temperature again, which had dropped to 102.5.
Before we went to bed on Saturday night, I could see two new teeth (numbers 6 and 7), but I could no longer see the other one. I expected it to show up and...hopefully...break through that night or the next day. No such luck.
It's Sunday night now. The fever is gone and so is tooth number 8...at least for now. I only hope that when "eight" reappears, it comes alone and doesn't bring any friends or a fever. I'll let you know how it works out.
Aaron had been waking every two hours or so and fussing a bit, but always fell right back to sleep. After the 4th or 5th time of being awakened, I went in to bring him to my bed. He was burning up with a fever of 102.7. I immediately gave him acetaminophen and watched him closely the rest of the night.
His fever had not dropped very much by the time I needed to leave for work, so I called and told my job and my babysitter we would be staying home. At that time, I still had no idea what was wrong. We spent nearly all of the day cuddling with me trying to get him to eat something. He had no appetite and slept frequently, but was very restless and fussed a lot.
At around 3:00 that afternoon, I figured out what was happening. He was getting 3 teeth in at the same time! I knew he was working on his fourth top tooth, but the two on the bottom were a surprise. He's never had a fever with teething before, but he's also never broken more than one tooth at a time.
Late Friday night, around 10:30, one of the teeth broke through. He woke suddenly from a deep sleep and began screaming, yelling and sobbing. There was nothing I could do except hold him tight, rocking him back and forth, and sob with him. It's probably the worst feeling a mother can go through. Even writing this now, the tears are starting to roll again.
The rest of Friday night and all day Saturday, he continued to run a fever, not eat much and slept a lot. At one point, his fever got up to 103.1. I had just given him the next dose of acetaminophen, but needed to wait for it kick in. In the meantime, I drew him a cool bath, which he sat in reluctantly, crying and shaking from being so weak. I held him up with one arm only long enough to poor water over his entire body and head before getting him out, but it worked. While still wrapped in his towel, I checked his temperature again, which had dropped to 102.5.
Before we went to bed on Saturday night, I could see two new teeth (numbers 6 and 7), but I could no longer see the other one. I expected it to show up and...hopefully...break through that night or the next day. No such luck.
It's Sunday night now. The fever is gone and so is tooth number 8...at least for now. I only hope that when "eight" reappears, it comes alone and doesn't bring any friends or a fever. I'll let you know how it works out.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
New Things Learned
September was a month full of learning fantastic new things! A few days before Aaron's first birthday, he took his first unassisted step, after which he promptly fell. There was still much celebrating and jubilation at this progression.
After spending the following weeks trying to figure out how to take more than just a few very wobbly steps, he was able to walk the width of our living room just yesterday with no assistance and he can stand up from a seated position without using anything to steady himself. He is very proud of himself, as well he should be, and grins the whole time.
Aaron has also continued to develop an adorable sense of humor. He has now started sneaking up on me and laughs every time I appear startled. I even think he tells jokes; although, I have no idea what they are. He will babble on and on and then break out laughing like he just said the funniest thing. Of course, I laugh too because he's just so darn cute!
He has mastered going up stairs, but still has quite a bit of difficulty going down. The difficulty is that he refuses to go down feet first and backwards and I freak out every time he's close to going down head first. We both need some work in the area of going down stairs. The advice from mothers before is to just let it happen and then he will learn that he can either get hurt or go down backwards and feet first. I am struggling with that idea...a lot. (Maybe one day I'll be able to, but not today.)
One of Aaron's latest favorite discoveries is the wrinkles on my forehead when I raise my eyebrows. Whenever he wants to see them, he comes right up to my face, looks at my forehead and moves his head up and down almost in a nodding motion, but more circular movements. It's really kinda cute; although, I'm not entirely sure how I feel about him loving my wrinkles so much. I guess the ones on my forehead are better than those in other areas of my face.
After spending the following weeks trying to figure out how to take more than just a few very wobbly steps, he was able to walk the width of our living room just yesterday with no assistance and he can stand up from a seated position without using anything to steady himself. He is very proud of himself, as well he should be, and grins the whole time.
Aaron has also continued to develop an adorable sense of humor. He has now started sneaking up on me and laughs every time I appear startled. I even think he tells jokes; although, I have no idea what they are. He will babble on and on and then break out laughing like he just said the funniest thing. Of course, I laugh too because he's just so darn cute!
He has mastered going up stairs, but still has quite a bit of difficulty going down. The difficulty is that he refuses to go down feet first and backwards and I freak out every time he's close to going down head first. We both need some work in the area of going down stairs. The advice from mothers before is to just let it happen and then he will learn that he can either get hurt or go down backwards and feet first. I am struggling with that idea...a lot. (Maybe one day I'll be able to, but not today.)
One of Aaron's latest favorite discoveries is the wrinkles on my forehead when I raise my eyebrows. Whenever he wants to see them, he comes right up to my face, looks at my forehead and moves his head up and down almost in a nodding motion, but more circular movements. It's really kinda cute; although, I'm not entirely sure how I feel about him loving my wrinkles so much. I guess the ones on my forehead are better than those in other areas of my face.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
First Artwork
Aaron made his first drawings on September 12th. He'd never shown any interest in drawing before and, where these are his first, I thought they were note-worthy. He's quite the artist, isn't he?
(So, the top half isn't his, it's actually what was used to keep track of his birthday presents and then I wrote a note to myself to explain what they are and why I'm keeping them.)
Party Time!
Aaron and I celebrated his birthday together at home on the 8th. I got him a small cake, which he very quickly demolished. I saved his presents for his party that weekend, but he still had the best time! I was rewarded afterward with LOTS of hugs and kisses! It was so great!He got a call from his Aunt Jeni and cousins in Washington later that night. They sang "Happy Birthday" to him. He had the biggest smile the entire time! He also got to talk to each of them for awhile. He had a lot to say and, if I had to guess, I'm sure he was telling them all about the cake experience.
Aaron's 1st birthday party was a blast! His dad, sister and two of his brothers came. We also had lots of aunts, uncles and cousins there.
We had an Elmo theme and I had found an Elmo pinata. It was safer (for the person in charge of holding it) because it had strings that were used to break it open instead of hitting with a stick. No getting hit in the head, stomach, or, well, other places that hurt a LOT! I thought it was going to be great! And it was, until the kids started tearing him apart to get to the candy. Aaron started crying and screaming at the kids while reaching for Elmo. I was not prepared for that reaction. Poor guy!
Luckily, his cousin, Tiersa, was thoughtful enough to go in the house and get his stuffed toy Elmo, which he immediately grabbed onto and kissed and hugged with all his might. Thank you so much Tiersa!
(The pinata event was video-taped, so still pics to go with the story.)
After the candy had been gathered and the older kids were well on their way to a sugar high, we opened the gifts. Aaron got some great things from everyone and we appreciate all of them. He has already gotten quite a bit of use from everything but the clothes. There will be plenty of time for him to wear them out.
I made some punch from Kool-Aid and lemon-lime soda. The fizzies from the soda made Aaron shudder every time he took a sip, but he absolutely loved it and kept going back for more!
Then it was time for cake! Yippee! Aaron was much more careful about eating the cake, using only one hand most of the time. When he was using his other hand, it was mostly to stash away some of the cake down below...where no one will ever find it and he can sneak back for a snack later.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
1 Year Old!
My baby boy turns 1 today (a sigh and a tear...okay a LOT of tears!). This has been the most amazing year of my life...and of Aaron's, so far. Getting to watch this little boy grow and learn new things almost daily makes me feel so blessed. He really is an incredible person, especially for one so small still.
He's got such a fun personality and a great sense of humor. He also has quite a temper when he gets frustrated, which is any time something doesn't do what he thinks it ought to be doing. You can imagine how often that happens. With all the ups and downs that come with being alive, I have to admit our ups are far more frequent and long-lasting than our downs...and they are some really great ups.
In the last year, Aaron has taught me to love more deeply than I thought possible, to overlook things that used to bother me, to be more patient than I've ever been before and to watch how I react to difficult situations. (You wondered where he gets the temper?)
In the last year, I have also been able to witness his deep love for the people who come into his life, his fascination with, well, everything around him, his intensity as he observes boys and men, his compassion, his joy, and his ability to draw people to him.
He adores his family, both immediate and extended. He seems to know them as soon as he sees them. He observes so much more than I've seen most babies take in (or, perhaps, it's because I am observing him so much more and with more frequency than I've watched most babies).
He is particularly watchful of boys and men. There must be an innate sense that he will become one of them and he wants to know how they are...their behaviors, their interests, and their mannerisms.
He is also very aware when someone is upset or sad. Just the other day, we were doing our shopping and passed by a little girl in a cart who was crying. He turned quickly to see her and tried to get her to smile by smiling, making his silly faces and waving at her. It didn't help her to feel happy, but it was fun to watch him try and made me a very proud momma that he would do so without any encouragement from anyone else.
My little boy is already becoming quite an amazing man. I am looking forward to seeing what exciting new things await us in the next year and the next and the next.....
One Year Old Pictures - courtesy of JSA Photography
He's got such a fun personality and a great sense of humor. He also has quite a temper when he gets frustrated, which is any time something doesn't do what he thinks it ought to be doing. You can imagine how often that happens. With all the ups and downs that come with being alive, I have to admit our ups are far more frequent and long-lasting than our downs...and they are some really great ups.In the last year, Aaron has taught me to love more deeply than I thought possible, to overlook things that used to bother me, to be more patient than I've ever been before and to watch how I react to difficult situations. (You wondered where he gets the temper?)
In the last year, I have also been able to witness his deep love for the people who come into his life, his fascination with, well, everything around him, his intensity as he observes boys and men, his compassion, his joy, and his ability to draw people to him.
He adores his family, both immediate and extended. He seems to know them as soon as he sees them. He observes so much more than I've seen most babies take in (or, perhaps, it's because I am observing him so much more and with more frequency than I've watched most babies).
He is particularly watchful of boys and men. There must be an innate sense that he will become one of them and he wants to know how they are...their behaviors, their interests, and their mannerisms.
He is also very aware when someone is upset or sad. Just the other day, we were doing our shopping and passed by a little girl in a cart who was crying. He turned quickly to see her and tried to get her to smile by smiling, making his silly faces and waving at her. It didn't help her to feel happy, but it was fun to watch him try and made me a very proud momma that he would do so without any encouragement from anyone else.
My little boy is already becoming quite an amazing man. I am looking forward to seeing what exciting new things await us in the next year and the next and the next.....
One Year Old Pictures - courtesy of JSA Photography
Monday, August 30, 2010
These are a few of my favorite things...
- The way he would breathe as a newborn when he was asleep
- The way he has always smiled in his sleep
- The first time he kissed me, which happened when I came to pick him up after my first day back to work
- His eyes. They light up when he smiles. They see right to the very center of your soul. They are the brightest, happiest eyes I think I've ever seen.
- His laughs. His first laugh and the one I hear most often is quiet and in the back of his throat. Then he has the cutest squeal when he's playing and gets really excited suddenly. He also has the best belly laugh when he's in a playful mood, especially when he gets tickled.
- The way he jumps up and down in my arms as often as possible.
- The way he tastes the air -- mouth wide open with his tongue sticking out. I really noticed it when he was about 6 months old during our visit to Washington.
- His many different faces. He has so many expressions and he loves to show them as often as possible.
- The way he absolutely loves his family...even the members he hasn't met in person yet. I have pictures of each of his parents, siblings, grandparents, great-grandparents, aunts, uncles and (most of) his cousins. He loves to look at them, talk to them and laugh at them (I can only assume the laughing is because he told them something funny).
- His hugs! He wraps his arms all the way around my neck and squeezes until he shakes while wrapping his fingers gently in the hair at the nape of my neck. It's the best!
- The way he has always smiled in his sleep
- The first time he kissed me, which happened when I came to pick him up after my first day back to work
- His eyes. They light up when he smiles. They see right to the very center of your soul. They are the brightest, happiest eyes I think I've ever seen.
- His laughs. His first laugh and the one I hear most often is quiet and in the back of his throat. Then he has the cutest squeal when he's playing and gets really excited suddenly. He also has the best belly laugh when he's in a playful mood, especially when he gets tickled.
- The way he jumps up and down in my arms as often as possible.
- The way he tastes the air -- mouth wide open with his tongue sticking out. I really noticed it when he was about 6 months old during our visit to Washington.
- His many different faces. He has so many expressions and he loves to show them as often as possible.
- The way he absolutely loves his family...even the members he hasn't met in person yet. I have pictures of each of his parents, siblings, grandparents, great-grandparents, aunts, uncles and (most of) his cousins. He loves to look at them, talk to them and laugh at them (I can only assume the laughing is because he told them something funny).
- His hugs! He wraps his arms all the way around my neck and squeezes until he shakes while wrapping his fingers gently in the hair at the nape of my neck. It's the best!
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Big Moment #3 - Gates Visit Utah
(I realize I'm nearly 2 months late getting this out. I started in not too long after this event, but busy schedules and computer problems put it on the back burner for awhile. Oh well, better late than never.)
Jeni and her family came to Utah over the Independence Day weekend. Aaron and I were lucky enough to have them stay with us. I was so excited to have them here I started getting everything ready weeks before they arrived. They were only with us for about 5 days, but they were 5 days packed full of lots of fun!
It was very hot when they arrived and they had been a car for a long time, so I thought it would be fun to the kids run through the sprinklers for a bit. They all had a lot of fun...so did some neighborhood kids who came over and watched us for a little while until I said they could run through the water, too.
The next day, July 2nd, they went to hike to the cave in Mt. Timpanogos (a popular tourist adventure). We met them later at
Cascade Springs on the east side of the mountain and about halfway between the cave and Sundance. It was beautiful at the springs and Aaron just loved all the water.
When we were done at the springs, we drove down a dusty back road into Heber. The Gates wanted to visit some family grave sites while they were here. Then off to grab a bite to eat and then Aaron and I went home while the Gates stopped by Bridal Veil Falls and played in the water.
On Sat
urday, we woke up bright and early to watch the annual hot air balloon rise in Provo. It's quite a site when they are all up, but that day was a bit too windy for them to risk it. So, we watched them get blown up and deflated a few times. Three of the balloons actually got in the air, but the rest had to stop. Even the little bit that we got to see what exciting for the kids.
That night we went to a great spot to see some fireworks. Aaron loved watching the bright sparkling lights shooting out and listening to the loud popping noises. My younger brother Richard, his wife Sondra and their daughter, Bella, who is about 6 weeks older than Aaron, met up with us to enjoy the show.
Sunday was a pretty quiet day for Aaron and me, which was good. He needed the rest before we were off and running (almost literally) again on Monday.
We woke up very early ag to head out to join in Provo's Freedom Festival 5K. We had a stroller for Aaron and a wagon for Jeni's kids. We met up with my older sister, Shera, my younger brother Richard, his wife Sondra and their daughter, Bella, who is about 6 weeks older than Aaron. We walked while Josh jogged/ran. We finished in pretty good time, just under an hour. Aaron had so much fun, especially when the runners in the 10K passed on the route. He wanted to get out and run with them. Instead, he settled for his Aunt Shera holding him for awhile.
We met up with the rest of Shera's family after the race and headed to the 
parade a few (okay, several) blocks away. Aaron got to taste cotton candy for the first time and loved sitting on his cousin's lap. We had so much fun!
Later that evening, we headed to my oldest brothers house for a family 
barbecue and swim party. Aaron loved splashing in the pool and eating great food. Jeni brought a big birthday cake we had picked up that afternoon to celebrate the 6 (that's right, 6!) birthdays we had in the family that week. (Good thing we didn't try to put enough candles to cover everyone's ages!)
We had so much fun with the Gates and missed them horribly as soon as they left on Tuesday morning. I can't wait until we can see them again!
Jeni and her family came to Utah over the Independence Day weekend. Aaron and I were lucky enough to have them stay with us. I was so excited to have them here I started getting everything ready weeks before they arrived. They were only with us for about 5 days, but they were 5 days packed full of lots of fun!
It was very hot when they arrived and they had been a car for a long time, so I thought it would be fun to the kids run through the sprinklers for a bit. They all had a lot of fun...so did some neighborhood kids who came over and watched us for a little while until I said they could run through the water, too.
The next day, July 2nd, they went to hike to the cave in Mt. Timpanogos (a popular tourist adventure). We met them later at
Cascade Springs on the east side of the mountain and about halfway between the cave and Sundance. It was beautiful at the springs and Aaron just loved all the water.When we were done at the springs, we drove down a dusty back road into Heber. The Gates wanted to visit some family grave sites while they were here. Then off to grab a bite to eat and then Aaron and I went home while the Gates stopped by Bridal Veil Falls and played in the water.
On Sat
urday, we woke up bright and early to watch the annual hot air balloon rise in Provo. It's quite a site when they are all up, but that day was a bit too windy for them to risk it. So, we watched them get blown up and deflated a few times. Three of the balloons actually got in the air, but the rest had to stop. Even the little bit that we got to see what exciting for the kids.
That night we went to a great spot to see some fireworks. Aaron loved watching the bright sparkling lights shooting out and listening to the loud popping noises. My younger brother Richard, his wife Sondra and their daughter, Bella, who is about 6 weeks older than Aaron, met up with us to enjoy the show.
Sunday was a pretty quiet day for Aaron and me, which was good. He needed the rest before we were off and running (almost literally) again on Monday.
We woke up very early ag to head out to join in Provo's Freedom Festival 5K. We had a stroller for Aaron and a wagon for Jeni's kids. We met up with my older sister, Shera, my younger brother Richard, his wife Sondra and their daughter, Bella, who is about 6 weeks older than Aaron. We walked while Josh jogged/ran. We finished in pretty good time, just under an hour. Aaron had so much fun, especially when the runners in the 10K passed on the route. He wanted to get out and run with them. Instead, he settled for his Aunt Shera holding him for awhile.
We met up with the rest of Shera's family after the race and headed to the 
parade a few (okay, several) blocks away. Aaron got to taste cotton candy for the first time and loved sitting on his cousin's lap. We had so much fun!
Later that evening, we headed to my oldest brothers house for a family 
barbecue and swim party. Aaron loved splashing in the pool and eating great food. Jeni brought a big birthday cake we had picked up that afternoon to celebrate the 6 (that's right, 6!) birthdays we had in the family that week. (Good thing we didn't try to put enough candles to cover everyone's ages!)We had so much fun with the Gates and missed them horribly as soon as they left on Tuesday morning. I can't wait until we can see them again!
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Big Moment #2 - Adventuring at Thanksgiving Point
I had heard of Thanksgiving Poinst (TGP) and had been there about 3 times to attend annual work-related luncheons, but I had never taken the time to explore it before. Well, Aaron and I were visiting my older sister, Shera, and her family on April 24th and they were going to go to the Tulip Festival in the gardens there. The flowers and gardens as a whole were beautiful!
Aaron had such a good time, as did I, so before we left I bought an annual pass...and for an extremely reasonable price, too.
Aaron and I have been back several times already. He has been able to see the animals on their farm. We've explored the Dinosaur Museum, where he's been able to play with water and sand (so cool!). We have returned to the gardens to find some of the areas we weren't able to get to during our first visit.
The garden area is huge and has several different themed gardens throughout. One of Aaron's favorite places to go is the pond, which has several very large coi fish living in it. TGP has fish food dispensers, which we used on our second trip. He got such a kick out of watching all the fish gather together as I threw food into the water for them. There were times he got so excited I thought he was going to jump out of my arms and into the pond with them!
We will definitely be going there often!
Aaron had such a good time, as did I, so before we left I bought an annual pass...and for an extremely reasonable price, too.
Aaron and I have been back several times already. He has been able to see the animals on their farm. We've explored the Dinosaur Museum, where he's been able to play with water and sand (so cool!). We have returned to the gardens to find some of the areas we weren't able to get to during our first visit.
The garden area is huge and has several different themed gardens throughout. One of Aaron's favorite places to go is the pond, which has several very large coi fish living in it. TGP has fish food dispensers, which we used on our second trip. He got such a kick out of watching all the fish gather together as I threw food into the water for them. There were times he got so excited I thought he was going to jump out of my arms and into the pond with them!
We will definitely be going there often!
Formatting with Pics
I'm still trying to figure out how to get the formatting right with the pictures. What you see in the draft is not always what you get when you hit "Publish", which is kind of frustrating after having spent nearly a month trying to get it all in there in the first place. Maybe the posts will get better over time.
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Big Moments #1 - Visiting the Gates
Aaron's first really big moment, aside from all the other "big moments" that are abundant during the first year of life for most children, was our trip to the Seattle area. My younger sister, Jeni, and her family live near Seattle and they had not been able to come to Utah after Aaron was born. We decided that Aaron and I should go to them instead.
The entire flight there was one adventure after another. He spent most of the flight flirting with any woman within a 3 aisle radius who would look at him...which was a lot. When we got to the luggage carousel, Jeni and her kids were waiting anxiously. I started to run toward them as soon as I saw them. Aaron didn't know exactly what was happening, as he was in his stroller and unable to see them at first. Once he did see them, he also got very excited. After I hugged Jeni, I took him out of his stroller and let him meet his cousins and his Aunt Jeni.
He leaned into Jeni when I handed him to her and he gave her a very big, very wet kiss. He doesn't react that way to people, particularly someone he just met. This moment was a very exciting thing for both Aunt and Mom.
Nearly every moment from then on was a new, exciting adventure. We went straight to a park where he got to love on his Aunt Jeni and cousins some more. Uncle Josh met us there with lunch, but Aaron preferred to admire him from a distance at that time.
The rest of the week consisted of car rides (with a cousin on either side of him), the zoo with lots of sea creatures and animals (and LOTS of water!), bubbles, a carousel ride, a birthday party, his very first hair cut (okay, hair trim), and lots and lots of love.
He even met a girl! (Poor little thing didn't know quite what happened when Aaron pulled her in for probably the most "passionate" kiss she will ever experience.)
We also had our photos taken by an incredibly talented photographer, Sarah Alston. These were Aaron's "unofficial" 6-month-old pictures. We had a studio photo set done within a couple of days from when he actually turned 6 months old and we were in Seattle when he was closer to 7 months than to 6...thus the "unofficial".
On Easter Sunday, I had to leave for Boston on business for a week. This was the first time I had been away from Aaron for longer than a work day or longer than about 3 hours outside of work. Here I was going to the opposite side of the country...literally! Because I was in "work mode" I didn't allow myself to cry....much. I sobbed like a baby whenever I was alone in my hotel room, especially when I had just spoken to Jeni and Aaron on the phone. Most of my time there was so busy between work and visiting with my sister-in-law, Crisi, and her daughters, Kyla
and Arwen, that I didn't have much time to feel sorry for myself.
I really enjoyed visiting with Crisi and the girls. They had grown up so much in the little more than a year since I had seen them last. Massachusetts is a really beautiful state, too. I love the houses and the history that is all around there.
While I was in Boston, Aaron got to continue his "adventuring". He went to an Elementary School, where he also got to meet the mascot. He helped with laundry. There are all sorts of very exciting things to do in Washington.
He also got to do his very first art project of painted hand prints for Mommy. He was extremely sad when the project came to an end. (Doesn't he have a really good "sad" face?)
One page with handprints became a "Welcome back!" gift with pictures of us talking on the phone. The rest became part of a scrapbook that Jeni gave me for Mother's Day the next month. I LOVE them both!
After I returned to Washington, we went to the Sumner Daffodil Parade...where Aaron became enthralled with his cousin Ceithlinn's shadow. He also watched some floats, bands, clowns and other parade-type things, but he was more interested in the shadows.
It was all so much fun, but after nearly two weeks of so many new and exciting experiences, he was also very tired. Toward the end he gave up and passed out in my arms.
The trip was so much fun and we both loved spending so much time with Jeni and her incredible family. We were both very sad to see it come to an end. I am really looking forward to future trips.
The entire flight there was one adventure after another. He spent most of the flight flirting with any woman within a 3 aisle radius who would look at him...which was a lot. When we got to the luggage carousel, Jeni and her kids were waiting anxiously. I started to run toward them as soon as I saw them. Aaron didn't know exactly what was happening, as he was in his stroller and unable to see them at first. Once he did see them, he also got very excited. After I hugged Jeni, I took him out of his stroller and let him meet his cousins and his Aunt Jeni.
He leaned into Jeni when I handed him to her and he gave her a very big, very wet kiss. He doesn't react that way to people, particularly someone he just met. This moment was a very exciting thing for both Aunt and Mom.
Nearly every moment from then on was a new, exciting adventure. We went straight to a park where he got to love on his Aunt Jeni and cousins some more. Uncle Josh met us there with lunch, but Aaron preferred to admire him from a distance at that time.
The rest of the week consisted of car rides (with a cousin on either side of him), the zoo with lots of sea creatures and animals (and LOTS of water!), bubbles, a carousel ride, a birthday party, his very first hair cut (okay, hair trim), and lots and lots of love.
He even met a girl! (Poor little thing didn't know quite what happened when Aaron pulled her in for probably the most "passionate" kiss she will ever experience.)
We also had our photos taken by an incredibly talented photographer, Sarah Alston. These were Aaron's "unofficial" 6-month-old pictures. We had a studio photo set done within a couple of days from when he actually turned 6 months old and we were in Seattle when he was closer to 7 months than to 6...thus the "unofficial".On Easter Sunday, I had to leave for Boston on business for a week. This was the first time I had been away from Aaron for longer than a work day or longer than about 3 hours outside of work. Here I was going to the opposite side of the country...literally! Because I was in "work mode" I didn't allow myself to cry....much. I sobbed like a baby whenever I was alone in my hotel room, especially when I had just spoken to Jeni and Aaron on the phone. Most of my time there was so busy between work and visiting with my sister-in-law, Crisi, and her daughters, Kyla
and Arwen, that I didn't have much time to feel sorry for myself.I really enjoyed visiting with Crisi and the girls. They had grown up so much in the little more than a year since I had seen them last. Massachusetts is a really beautiful state, too. I love the houses and the history that is all around there.
While I was in Boston, Aaron got to continue his "adventuring". He went to an Elementary School, where he also got to meet the mascot. He helped with laundry. There are all sorts of very exciting things to do in Washington.
He also got to do his very first art project of painted hand prints for Mommy. He was extremely sad when the project came to an end. (Doesn't he have a really good "sad" face?)One page with handprints became a "Welcome back!" gift with pictures of us talking on the phone. The rest became part of a scrapbook that Jeni gave me for Mother's Day the next month. I LOVE them both!
After I returned to Washington, we went to the Sumner Daffodil Parade...where Aaron became enthralled with his cousin Ceithlinn's shadow. He also watched some floats, bands, clowns and other parade-type things, but he was more interested in the shadows.
It was all so much fun, but after nearly two weeks of so many new and exciting experiences, he was also very tired. Toward the end he gave up and passed out in my arms.
The trip was so much fun and we both loved spending so much time with Jeni and her incredible family. We were both very sad to see it come to an end. I am really looking forward to future trips.
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