Kansas City Sealife Aquarium

Dad had to work on Saturday so Elliott and I went to the aquarium for the first time.  Elliott's vocabulary consisted of one word the whole afternoon....WOW!

 

5-Year Anniversary

Mark and I became Mr. and Mrs. Currie on August 16th, 2008, almost eight years after meeting each other in September, 2000.  I was only 14 and Mark had just turned 16.  We were extremely young, but we knew pretty early on that we were meant to be together. 

 

 

 

 

I surprised Mark with tickets to Chicago for our 5-year anniversary. Ok, I didn't really surprise him.  I had to tell him three weeks in advance so he could schedule a three day weekend away from work.  Yes, I said weekend. Mark's employer has recently ignored American's standard 5-day work week. Those bridges are important folks!

 

Although it was a quick three days, we managed to fit a lot of fun stuff in.  Even two naps!  Yup.  We spent two of our precious hours in Chicago taking naps.  Thanks to my cousin Lisa and a couple coworkers for all the really fun recommendations.  What an amazing city! And thanks to Pops and Mimi (Jon and Mary) for watching Elliott. 

 

 

 

 

 

Such A Helper!

Mark decided to start working on the retaining wall last weekend.  It's been something on our 'To Do'  list for a couple of months now, but we just haven't found the time to do it.  It doesn't help that every "day" project turns into a whole weekend or sometimes several weekends.  Fortunately, this is one project that took less time than we expected.  It was probably all the help from Elliott.

Look Dad, I'm moving the dirt all by myself!

Hmm...I think this length is about right.



The poor kid has his mom's sweat glands!

16 Months

16 Months

 

The monthly email update I get from babycenter.com is no longer "your baby at x month," it's now "your TODDLER at x month."  When did my baby make the transition to a toddler?  Sigh....

 

This new toddler thing has brought about a whole net set of challenges.  He has become very independent and determined (I know I've been saying this forever, but I really mean it this time), and when he can't figure something out he throws a fit.  As much as it's cute because it shows his determination, it's also extremely frustrating.  I always used to pass judgment on the parents in the store who casually went about picking out their groceries while their child was at the end of the aisle screaming "I WANT A SUCKER!"  Now I get it.  I totally get it.  It's so much easier to just ignore them.  Unfortunately, I have quickly found out that ignoring Elliott just makes it worse.  His tantrum time is cut in half if I sit down next to him and talk to him about his feelings.  Who knew you could talk to a 16 month old about their feelings.  :)

 

Elliott now knows how to sign "please."  He pats his stomach with both hands while he looks up at you and smiles.  This gesture is usually made when he wants food or picked up.  He can also say "up" which sounds more like "ah-pah."  He loves to work out with Mom and Dad.  He usually tries to partake in the activities by sitting right next to you, or even on you, when you are doing any type of floor exercise.  How convenient!  

 

Favorite Things:

I think outside time has officially taken over as number one

Basketball is a very close second

Banana and strawberry shakes

 

Schedule:

6:30am - wakeup

8:00 - breakfast

9:30 - 10:30 - nap

12:00 - lunch

1:30 - 3:30 - nap

3:30 - snack

6:00 - dinner

7:30 - bed time

 

 

 

 

Storm Lake Visit

We traveled to Storm Lake last weekend to get in some sun and water time!  Unfortunately, Mother Nature surprised us with record low temps both Friday night and Saturday night so we spent most of the weekend in long pants and sweatshirts.  So much for working on that tan!  

We had an amazing time despite the cold weather!  Elliott loved the beach and the boat.  He had absolutely no fear of the water and would have walked right in if we would have let him.  Yikes! This kids fearless attitude is going to give me gray hair.

Thanks for such an amazing weekend Pops and Mimi!

He was very uneasy about the cracks in the dock

Let me go Pops...

New Swing

First boat ride

Pops even let him drive!



Hugs for Mimi

Hmmm....I wonder how I can get into that water?

Building sand castles

15 Months

15 Months

 

Is it terrible two's yet? Holy cow, Elliott has a mind of his own!  He officially threw his first real fit this morning.  Lay down on the floor, kick his feet, and cry his eyes out fit.  And it was all over the medicine syringe that Dad took away.  Yikes! I think it's officially time to start reading the parenting books. Oh wait, I've already read two of them.  Shoot. I think I'm going to have to reread them.   

 

Despite moments like the one detailed above, Elliott is so much fun right now.  He is literally a sponge, soaking up everything that is happening around him.  I won't list in detail what he comprehends because it would take you all night to read this.  One of the cutest things he does right now is say "Oooh oooh aaah aaah" when you ask him what a monkey says.  Adorable! 

 

Favorite things include: reading books, playing basketball, anything that involves water, and pushing his own cart at the grocery store.

 

Schedule: Wake up around 6:30am, naps at 9:30 and 1:30 and 8:00 bedtime.  I thought he was ready to take one nap because he started taking only 50 minute naps and often times didn't want to take the 2nd nap.  We tried a couple days and we failed.  We are back to taking two naps and they are both usually between 1.5 to 2 hours.  He must be growing! 

I told him to pose like a model....just kidding!  But seriously, isn't that face so cute! 

 

First big boy haircut

 



Steamboat Springs

First Family Vacation

 

John and Laurie bought a week's stay at a condo in Steamboat Springs at a hospital fundraiser last year.  They asked all of the kids to join them for their vacation and we gladly accepted. "Vacation" felt like a foreign word to Mark and me after waiting two years to take one.  (Side note: I mentioned this to a male coworker who said, "Well, you took 12 full weeks of vacation last summer when you were on maternity leave with Elliott."  To that I say, someone who puts vacation and maternity leave in the same sentence has never done it.)

We fought (sorry, "discussed") for several weeks on whether to fly or drive.  Mark's worst nightmare was being stuck on a plane while Elliott screamed his head off, so we decided to drive the 15 hours.  Well folks, we got 15 hours of screaming in the car instead of 1.5 hours on the plane.  Elliott isn't necessarily fond of cars and slept a total of 4 hours on the drive.  What a nightmare!  We were already researching flight options for the travel back home before we even arrived in Steamboat.

The five days in Steamboat were absolutely amazing.  The weather was gorgeous! Eighty degrees in Colorado actually feels like 80, unlike Kansas City where 80 degrees leaves you with frizzy hair and sweaty shorts.  We decided not to move Elliott's schedule to Colorado time so we were up bright and early at 5:30 am MST most mornings.  I know, 5:30am wakeup calls are not on my list of vacation to-do's either.  Due to the early wakeup calls we spent most mornings going on long walks so we wouldn't wake up the rest of the house. We found a really cool stream/wading pool the first morning.  The water was numbing cold  but Elliott didn’t seem to mind!  

Hiking Fish Creek Falls

 

Swimming

 

Whitewater Rafting in Glenwood Springs

Thanks to Laurie for staying back with the little rugrat so we could enjoy an adventurous day on the river.

 

Night Out on the Town

 

 

Rodeo

 

Hahn's Peak ATV Ride

Unfortunately these things don't have car seats so Laurie got the short end of the stick and stayed back with Elliott again.

 

 

Strawberry Park Natural Hot Springs

 

Gondola Ride to a Restaurant on Top of the Mountain

 

Elliott and I ended up taking a flight home.  He actually did very well for his first plane ride, despite Southwest's requirement that I purchase a ticket for him because I didn't have proof of his birthdate. They promised me they would refund the ticket if I sent in a copy of his birth certificate when I got home.  I'm not keeping my fingers crossed!