10 years and counting

i can hardly believe it has been 10 years since i graduated from college, but what a great ten years it has been.  one of my favorite traditions of these years is getting together with my college girlfriends for our annual memorial day weekend trip.  this year we met up in asheville, north carolina for the long weekend and had 7 of the 11 girls and even two new babies.  it was one of our more beautiful settings (although all have been pretty awesome!) and we spent the weekend going for walks around the lake, playing mexican train and catching up.  i am already looking forward to next year's reunion whether it be east or west, beach or mountain - as long as i am with these girls it will be perfect!

the train!

baby kate playing with charlie rietz

out for mexican food and margaritas

bounce bounce

like father like son

brooks has taken a new interest in playing tennis with daddy and this weekend we got him his first racket.  after seeing it a week ago, brooks talked all week about his "little tennis racket" and kept asking if we could "bring home?"  we told him if he was a "nice boy" all week we would go and get it on saturday.  he held too it and "bring home" we did! 

a star is born!

4 months

this is getting so unreal - i really can't believe kate is four months old already.  sounds so cliche, doesn't it?  as richard says, kate is the sweetest of all sweetnesses these days.

at her 4 month doctor appointment today, kate measured in at 15.5 lbs (84%), 25 inches long (81%) and her head is 87%.  we thought she would be even bigger based on all her rolls!

as you can see in this one, kate has started laughing now and continues to be a very happy baby.  she likes to put everything in her mouth - her hands, rings and toys.  at night she gets our of her swaddling blanket, and by morning we find her turned in her crib and sucking on her fingers.  she has also started rolling over from her tummy to her back during tummy time and can get about half way from her back to her tummy.  we are now eating 5 times a day and taking 3-4 naps.  kate is following in her brother's footsteps and sleeping well overnight (about 8pm to 7am).  so thankful for that!

brooks is still doing great in his big brother role.  we are taking a parenting class (Love & Logic) and practicing all of our new techniques on him.  he is very sweet to kate and always says he wants to be a "nice boy."  this week we have a reward for being a nice boy - on saturday, brooks is going with daddy to buy a "little tennis racket" to play "bounce bounce" more with dada.  brooks is so excited and is talking about it everyday. 

weekend getaway

so fun that we were able to spend mother's day weekend (and also richard's birthday weekend) in vail.  it was a great getaway - wonderful weather, beautiful scenery and lots of time to just relax.  no laundry, no chores, no yardwork, no shopping - just watching basketball (go mavs!) and baseball (come on rockies, pull it together!) and spending time together. 

playing with daddy in vail

kate on her first "hike" - we really only made it about 300 yards before it got too snowy on the trail and we had to turn back!  not our best effort.

kate happy to be in beaver creek for the afternoon

brooks all tired out from our "relaxing" weekend

"more eggs"

these have been the most said two words of Brooks's life so far - this little man is totally into eggs!  funny, considering he is allergic to them.  but wow, easter eggs, dying eggs, coloring on eggs with markers, putting stickers on eggs, hunting for eggs and especially opening up the plastic eggs to find jelly bean treats - brooks loved it all! 

as you can tell from our easter clothes, we did casual and cold easter here in denver this year!

thanks to mimi fuquay we had great treats for the kids in their baskets.  brooks is really enjoying his easter bubbles and bunny coloring book.

sweet baby kate in her easter dress and bunny ears - she was so smiley all day and did lots of "talking"

our "best" take of a kids easter picture.  "puppy" made an appearance and wouldn't go away for the pictures.  there's always next year!

What a great Easter celebration with family!  This is always my favorite holiday of the year.

3 months

this weekend our little kate turned 3 months (or one quarter as richard liked to say).  she is the most adorable and lovable little thing.  we had quite an eventful lead up to 3 months and we have lots to remember about our little peanut.

• at 3 months, kate weighs 14 pounds (90%)
• she eats about 5 times a day starting at 7am and finishing off around 9pm with a "dream feed"
• she sleeps about 9 -10 hours at night and takes 3 naps (some are lengthy and some short depending on the day). 
• kate spent her first morning in the church nursery last week and did great
• she loves her swing and the light up star on her playmat. 
• she does not love tummy time and needs a little work there! 
• kate has given out a few giggles in addition to her many smiles - she is such a happy baby.
• last week, kate took her first trip to the ER after taking a fall down some of the basement stairs.  such a freak accident and we are so thankful that she is totally ok - healthy and happy.  after a CT scan at the hospital we found out that kate has two small fractures in her skull.  luckily, the doctors told us that kate is a "healing machine" and the fractures will heal within two weeks with no long term consequences.  unbelievable!  we definitely thought that our first trip to the ER would be with our two year old rambunctious boy, but our little baby brought us there first.  

 

as you can see in this picture, brooks is such a loving big brother.  when kate got home from the hospital on wednesday, brooks said "kate, big boom head" and just wanted to give her a kiss.  it was about the sweetest thing we have ever seen.  brooks is really thriving these days - as a big brother and just as a two year old.  his vocabulary is increasing by the minute and we love to hear all the new things he has to say.  some of his favorite phrases are "mommy play more choo-choo" and "eat now."  at least he is also getting better with his "please" and "thank yous."

kate looking at all her awesome rolls and wondering, "when did i get so big?!?"

lately

just a few pics from the last couple of weeks.  we are continuing to have a taste of spring here and there and loving being able to play outside.  my birthday last saturday was a record high (84)!  kate is getting bigger everyday (11 weeks now) and becoming a little person for sure - smiling and staying awake so much more.  she has taken over brooks's nickname of "cheeks" and is for sure off the chart in that measurement!

cheeks

birthday sand table - a big hit

opening day - go rockies