Beautiful Colorado

We have spent the day enjoying where we live! My bother Nathan is here as acting baby sitter, while our nanny is in Wisconsin visiting home this week. So with our visitor who has never seen Colorado in the spring we went up to the mountains to do some hiking! I think we often don't take advantage of the beauty that Colorado has to offer...well today we did! We headed up to St. Mary's Alice (yes, that is the name). It is a glacier that over the years has lost its glacier status and became an alice (I guess you remove the G and the R and rearrange and that is what you get!). Anyway, the glacier is a fairly short hike, but a little intense too...blame it on the altitude right? But once you get up there you see this...

That's why we love Colorado. 

We spent some time walking around and exploring. Garett pet about 5 different dogs, threw some rocks, fell over some rocks and checked it all out with Nathan. 

And of course Lucky had fun...

We took a couple more pictures,

And than we hiked back down the mountain, headed to McDonald's, took a drive to Boulder and came home. It was a good day. We sure like having Nathan here to visit too!

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I never had a chance to update about last weekend either...we have been busy! So it is a 

two-fer! 

Last weekend we were back in Minnesota. Hans, Garett and I flew back together and Hans headed to International Falls for 4 days on a house boat, with 11 guys, to celebrate a bachelor party! Yeah I know! But he survived!

Garett and I got to spend time with family and friends, which is always wonderful. Especially wonderful is when grandma and grandpa take Garett back to Rochester and I have a girls night out with 3 of my best-est friends! Having lived away for awhile now, I can say with out a doubt I miss those times with old friends. There is just something that I just cannot explain that I find comforting about old, good friends. I miss my time with them dearly, but am ever thankful for those fun nights "with the girls!" It was fun to catch up, reminisce, and just be with my friends. 

And than of course Garett spent time with the grandparents, which really means Garett had ALL attention focused on him and only him! Which I suppose should really be the definition of grandparents. Obviously, he had fun. He rode some rides at the Mall of America...which he LOVED. Really he loved the whole experience, lights, noise, all of it! And the park, oh the park. Garett's favorite place to be. The pictures  speak for themselves...

It was another good weekend, until our 9:30 pm flight home. In which the whole flight Garett was awake, and about 75% he was complaining/throwing a fit! That is until he fell asleep, just about the time we were asked to turn off our portable devices (yes, that is about 5 min before you land!). Not only did he finally fall asleep but he stayed asleep as we got off the plane, got our bags, got in the car, drove home, pulled into the garage and took him up to his room. Only a brief moment did he flinch when we opened the door once we got home! He was tired. He spend the next day re-cooping and sleeping plenty. So, yes, we were "those"people on the plane with a crying kid! But we got home safe and got some rest too! 

A day at the zoo and other pictures too

Last weekend we took a trip to the zoo. Besides enjoying the cheetah's and giraffe's and pushing the stroller, we discovered that Garett has a love for ketchup, really most condiments. Such a love for ketchup he has, that he dips the french fry in the ketchup and sucks it off! Gross I know! He also does this with BBQ sauce and ranch, sometimes he will use a spoon to eat the condiment too...again, gross! He likes it, I don't have to right? 

Happy Mothers Day

Today is a day to honor mom's, mother-in-law's, grandma's, soon to be mom's, great grandma's, all forms of a mom. In our house, it is a day to let this mom sleep in a bit (thanks Hans). It is a day I think about my mom, and miss her terribly back in Minnesota ( I wish I could be there to celebrate it with her.)It is a day I think about my sister in law, Stacy, next mother's day will be a special one for her, her first.  It is a day I think of my friends Sara Jo and Audrey, it is their first mothers day. It is a day I think about my grandma and how I haven't seen her in awhile, and yes I should really call her to tell her I love her. It is a day I think about my mother in law and how lucky I am to have such a great one (I hear it doesn't always happen that way).

But mostly it is a day where I think about my boys.  And of course I think of my angel Jack, who should be here, but he isn't. And that is the way it is, it is life the good, the bad the bittersweet. I know he is here with us and that is all I need to know. And of course I think of how lucky and blessed I am to have this beautiful, healthy, boy who just gave me the best hug in the world and a kiss on the shoulder (he doesn't quite understand where to give a kiss!). There is nothing that compares to a hug from your child, other than, I assume, the feeling when he first says "I love you!" (that will be a good day too!) 

So, I wish all the mom's I know a Happy Mothers Day. Hope your day is filled with love and laughter. 

Rules & Discipline vs. Headstrong Garett

We have entered into discipline territory!! And I am not sure how good I am or will be at this discipline thing...it is a challenge to say the least. I am sure other moms with kids older than mine, would laugh in agreement. My mom does and she continues to tell me that the testing limits really doesn't stop with her youngest son...sorry Nathan I am throwing you under the bus! But I noticed not so long ago, that Garett went from a mild mannered baby to an all out opinionated, screaming, temper tantrum throwing, limit testing, toddler! I wouldn't say it was over night, but it did change rather quickly. Garett's pediatrician likes to remind us that it is no longer the terrible 2's that occur, it is the the terrible 1 1/2's. Ahhh, it starts early! Yeah! Garett is not the exception to the rule! This is exhibited in the following video. Let me preface this scene...I closed the gate. Yeah that is it, I closed the gate so he could not leave the room when I was trying to make supper. And this is what happened, you just get to witness 2 minutes and 7 seconds of the 15 minute meltdown. I find it slightly amusing that such a simple act can cause such an exaggerated outcome. But welcome to a toddler's life...On second thought that may be THE definition of a toddler's life!

You might have noticed that the crying and carrying on ceased once the gate was open, or in other words, he got what he wanted. As frustrating as these episodes may be I find them slightly funny and interesting. He is so sure of what he wants. So sure of his opinion at that moment. He knows what he wants! And than as quickly as it started it ends. And I get my lovable, giggling, silly boy back. As if nothing happened.

And so it comes back to discipline, limit setting and all those other good things that as a parent you get to learn. We've tried the time out, "No you can't stand in your high chair, now you will sit in time out." I am not so sure how well that is working. We've tried the stern no with the reason for the no. "NO, don't hit Lucky, that is not nice to hit!" Sometimes that works. Tried ignoring it. Also tried to replace no with something else, like stop, that doesn't work at all. And sometimes all it takes is a simple no and he walks always. And sometimes, as much as it pains me to say, all it takes is a no from Dad...yeah I know it slightly irritates me!

Oh well. Like most things we do we learn as we go, improvise, try something different, give up, try again and when all else fails I guess you laugh!

Pictures

After it stopped raining this weekend, we went outside to test out the new toys, a sandbox and water table. Fun was had to say the least. I might add that water and sand make for a fun but dirty child. Of course there were some tears when we had to go inside (there are ALWAYS tears when we have to go inside), but a good nap came next! 

I added come other pictures that I have taken too...enjoy. 

Playing with the new toy! 

New crocs, he wants to wear them all the time!

Got to love the mischievous look...

He's thinking...and watching something on TV