Holden is 18 Months Old!

We can't believe our little man is already a year and a half. We are really loving this age of so much learning and exploring, soaking everything in. Holden's most recent thing that he just started on Halloween is to come over and grab your finger to show you something. He was Superman for Halloween and I loved watching him trick or treat. Its so funny to see their reaction at this stage. He didn't love people with masks and face painting, but his favorite part was going door to door and knocking. He started to get the concept of taking candy finally, but not the concept of walking away after. He would proceed to stand there and stare at the person behind the door as if there was suppose to be more to it.
                                


Some other fun things he loves and does at this age...

• Dancing to music 
• Climbing on everything and jumping off furniture (he is quite the dare devil)
• He loves motorcycles and anything that drives or makes a brmm sound
• Getting a horsey ride from dad every evening
• playing chase me around the living room
• fruit snacks and saying mmmm after a good bite of something
• playing outside
• every ball or thing that resembles a ball
• His Ralphy stuffed animal that he calls Ra Ra.
• Folding his arms to say the prayer
• Following Dad around and copying what he does
• Ask if his food is hot before he takes a bite (hot?)
• Kissing people on the cheek

Some of his favorite things to say besides repeating what you say

• Ball!
• night night or ni ni
• this (dis)
• hat
• uh oh
• hot
• dada
• mama
• papa
• dog
• Ra Ra
• book or boo
• outside (si si)
• apple
• snack or nak

I have found lately that he is starting to get frustrated when you don't understand what he is trying to tell you. He will just sit down and cry...I can't imagine how hard that would be to not be able to communicate what you want. Holden makes us laugh all the time. He loves putting silly hats on and walking around the house and really loves to climb on the toy table in his room and make faces at himself in the mirror and then laugh. I have filmed him several times doing this. He is also obsessed with balls. He goes crazy if we are ever in a store or someone's house and he sees a ball. He will say "ball" repeatedly until he has it in his hands. I don't look forward to the fit he throws when he has to give it up though. Last weekend, we went to Utah to visit family and Trevor took him on a motorcycle ride. He loved it, especially wearing the helmet. Every time he saw the bike after that he would point and grab Trev's hand to put him on it again. I feel like I have so many other stories to tell of this little guy. I love how much he is learning and observing. I can't believe how much he remembers something, even if we have only said or done it once. We are so blessed to have Holden in our lives and look forward to seeing his new role as a big brother.

Family Ties...

So this summer, our little family of three has been squeezing in as much fun as possible. It amazes me just how much we have been able to do!
We spent 10 days in Colorado visiting family and I got to be a bridesmaid for one of my good friends. We had a blast! I felt like Holden grew so much from that experience. He loved playing with his two year old cousin, Ali, and 6 year old cousin Azy. We also enjoyed many outdoor activities like mountain biking, and hiking. We mountain biked in Fruita, Telluride, and in Montrose (I guess they have trails there now!) One day just our little family of three went to one of my favorite little mountain towns, Ouray, and hiked Box Canyon Falls and biked around town. On the 4th we had a barbecue at my Granny's house, where I got to see more extended family and listen to mountain stories from my Gramps. I ran into and visited many people from high school as well. All in all, it was a fabulous, memorable week!

                                      The Guys all made us dinner one night...what great husbands!

                         All of us in Telluride having a picnic. I sure do miss these mountains I call home

                                          Aunt Kelley and Holden at the 4th of July parade

                                                           4th of July picnic

                                      Siblings and together again! Plus husbands and children...

 I love this picture. My Granny means so much to me; she is so giving and has the biggest heart

What a great wedding day for Amy!

Birthday picnic for my mom

Holdens outfit for the wedding

                                                                   Box Canyon Falls

Ya I know that I probably posted too many photos of that trip so that you are now completely blogged out for the day and have to read the rest later...but i promise to not make the rest of what we did this summer not so long. I just don't want to leave any of it out. The problem is I took a lot of pictures on my phone camera instead of my regular one so I don't have as much proof as I would like. So in a bigger nut shell, we went a lot of other different places this summer...like, Jackson Hole with Trevor's sister and family where we attended the Bar J wrangler, and Jackson Hole and Grand Teton National Park with Trevor's parents where we got to see the beautiful Jenny Lake! We also went to Island Park with Trevs parents where we saw a hilarious play. We then returned to Island Park a week later to camp and float down the river in canoes with my cousins on my mom's side. We have been blessed to see so many things and have so many many people visit us this summer. One thing we wanted before trying to have another baby was a fun summer and we almost made it! While in Colorado though, we discovered that we are expecting a new little one in the beginning of March and couldn't be happier! I am about 12 weeks right now and have been pretty sick this go around. Next weekend for Labor day weekend we decided to fly to San Francisco to see the rest of my family that we missed this summer. 

Summer is finally here!

So in Idaho I think it is normal to not really warm up until the end of June. But now that the heat is here, I am roasting in my non AC house! Sorry it has been forever since I have posted but we have been way busy going on trips, taking pictures (everyone wants photos this time of year), doing projects (those pictures will be coming later), preparing church talks, playing soccer, coaching soccer, growing a garden, having family come and visit us, and entertaining a very energetic little boy. We have so many fun things planned this summer, one of which is our Colorado trip. We will spend a week exploring my mountains (oh how i miss them!) and seeing my family. Then one of my best friends is getting married at the end of all that fun and I get to be one of her bridesmaids! Hope I don't trip walking in heels. Well, Holden is now almost 14 months and quite the little character. He has really wanted to climb everything all of the sudden. I got him a train table for his room at a yard sale and when I came in his room, he had gotten on top of the table? He also thinks he is cool when he sits on a chair by himself. He likes to sit on the bottom step and drink his sippy cup, and instead of walking over, turning around, and sitting, he prefers to walk backwards until he reaches the step. I feel like we have a parrot in the house sometimes as he copies us all of the time. I will yell at Trevor to come and eat and then Holden will yell as well. He loves to say " thank you" or "de du", "juice" or "duce", "dad" "mom", "uh oh", and also puts his hands in the air to sign "all done" when he has finished eating. We have so much fun with that kid and he brings so much joy and laughter into our lives on a daily basis. Check out some of the things we have been doing this summer...

                                                          Taking lots of photos of Holdy bear 

                                              visiting cousins in Utah and celebrating H's b-day

                                                                              Family pictures!

                                         Camping in Lava Hot Springs...Holden loved Tenting it!

                                     My nephew coming to IF for a baseball tournament and their fam staying with us!

 

Holden is One!

Well I think the following pictures pretty much sum up Holden's party that he had on Saturday. He loved all of his presents and definitely loved the company. I can't believe he is one already. That year went by so quickly. Here are some things I want to remember about Holden as a one year old:

He says dada all day long

He loves to cuddle but does not like people grabbing his hands

He loves to eat!

He likes to push his tonka truck around

He loves bath time and hates getting out

He hates getting his diaper changed

He loves balls and balloons

He has the most contagious grin ever!

He has 4 teeth

He sleeps on average from 8:00 to 7:00

He loves to push buttons 

He likes playing outside

He is starting to walk a lot but will still crawl a lot too

He just starting being able to say "mama"! yay!

He loves loves books and points to the different pictures and turns the pages.

                                                  My new 4-wheeler from mom and dad

                                              My awesome cake that cousin Robin Ann made

                                                              The "Holdy Bear" cake

                                            Hamin it up as everyone is singing Happy Birthday

It has been a while since I have blogged. It's hard to get motivated to do so because I really don't think people read it anyway. I mostly do it just as a journal entry that I can print off later. Who knows...maybe one day my family will get on board and we can blog together! Anyway, here are some of the things that have consumed our time lately.

1- We are buying a house! It's in Idaho Falls and we really like it. It has four bedrooms, is a split level, has a nice back yard with fruit trees and gardens (note to self - research how to garden). We got a good deal and although it was a bold move to buy a house, in fact the scariest decision we have made yet, we feel good about it and know that we are truly blessed. We close in a month and have much packing to do.
- Holden got two more teeth...and because of this, his mom has not slept in a week!
- We took our first bike ride with Holden attached to the bike. He absolutely loved it!
- Took a trip to Utah to see family and friends and had a great time!
- Holden is almost done nursing! It is a bitter sweet feeling for us both.
- I have been doing some photography, soccer, coaching, and young womens,and Trev has been doing homework (that studious boy!) house work, skiing, and projects for me. And of course Holden has been using the world as his playground. Not to be biased but that boy is smart as a whip!He also finished up his swim lessons. He sure loves the water!