CHIPMUNKS!!!

We had a RiverWalk playdate w/ Nadia, our good friend whom we haven't seen in a quite a while.  It took the girls about 2min to warm up to each other, then were right back to being best buds!  They are so funny together + make each other laugh constantly :)

We walked along the River on the paths + spyed on CHIPMUNKS!  The girls couldn't get enough.  They got so excited to spot one, then so bummed once they scared them away.  Elsie Anne would squeal, "MiMunk!!" and Nadia would yell, "MunkChip!!"  It was quite the scene :)

FINALLY...we found a rather tame "MiMunk" + the girls were able to get a closer look!

Silly GIRLS, we look forward to going camping w/ Nadia + her family!!!

ALL BY HERSELF!!

Our park-time now consists of SLIDING.... over + over + over!!!

Elsie Anne is extremely sturdy on steps (of all shapes + sizes) and loves climbing ALL BY HERSELF!!  She will brush me off if I'm anywhere near her!

Climbing up the 'big-kid steps'...ALL BY HERSELF, of course!  This was the first time I bit the bullet + stood @ the very bottom the whole time!

Look @ how proud she is that I'm not right behind her + that she sat down @ the top ALL BY HERSELF!!!  And I was so proud of myself for being 5ft below her + not freaking out:)

WEEEEEEE!  She knew that she was being such a BIG GIRL + she could not quit cheesin' :)

All the way to the bottom... w/ no help what-so-ever!!!  She even hopped off the bottom ALL BY HERSELF!!!!

Our sweet Missy Moo has completely eliminated ANY sign of BABY left in her!!

Evening Playdate!!

We met up w/ some friends @ Carter Park to drink some beer, play w/ the kids, and enjoy a gorgeous evening!!  Elsie Anne got to go for a ride on the cooler to get to our shady picnic area.

Elsie Anne's meeting Kai for the first time!  She is a really good sport about 'licky' dogs, unlike her Momma, ha:)  Kristin + Jake chillin' on the blanket.  Shawn throwing the football w/ Andrew, Kristin's husband (our BIG KIDS)!

EA found the sand volleyball court... and had a ball ROLLING in it!!!

Daddy's Sweetie!

Thank you Phillip Family for a great evening playdate, we'll have to do it again!!!

WOAH!

Just need to document a FIRST... 4-word-sentence!

Driving down the road today, we're talking about Henry + the fact that he went 'bye-bye' on an airplane today.  Elsie Anne blurted out... "Henry Ddssshhhh Ay Hiiii!" translation: Henry (airplane noise) Way High (pointing into the air)! 

I about died in disbelief + said, "that's right, Henry is in an airplane, way up high"!!  She continued talking about the airplane being 'ay hi' all the way home!!! 

Parenting is just too much fun!!! 
At the Frisco Marina Park w/ our buds...

Thanks for taking the pics Kristin:)

Hanging Around...

That's my girl...just HANGING AROUND!!!  Elsie Anne wants to HANG on everything, including our stove handle :)

Swinging like the BIG KIDS!!

SPINNING!  This contraption was awesome:)

HANGING AROUND having a little snack w/ friends!!  Yes, the view @ this park is incredible!!

Another day in PARADISE (during the summer, heehee) w/ my sweet SUNSHINE!!

SENTENCES!!

In the last two weeks, we've noticed Elsie Anne using sentences!  At her 15mo check-up our pediatrician told us to watch for this, as she's very advanced in her verbal skills (I'm not tooting MY horn, just very proud of our little talker).  Dr. Winfield does not include 'gargain' as a sentence, ("Lets go, Hi Daddy") as these are things we put together for her + she mimics us.  She said to look for EA's own words that she puts together herself!
So these are her first sentences...

• "Daddy Un,Un,Un!" (run,run,run) as she watched Shawn run up the steps.
• "I STUCK!!" when her hand or foot are 'stuck' in anything.
• "All Beba" (all better) when she pulls her hand or foot out of whatever she is 'stuck' in.  This one is 'gargain' but I had to include it, since it goes along w/ the previous!
• "My BaBa" as she hugs her sippy cup to her neck.
• "My Hiney" as she pats her bottom.
• "My TeeTee" when she's washing herself in the tubby.
• "Bye,Bye Gola, Nov Nu" (bye,bye gondola, love you) when we drive under the gondola.
• "Daddy Wok" (daddy work) when I ask her "where's Daddy"

It's incredible how she catches on... I mean how did she get 'I' + 'My' out of me saying "That's Elsie Anne's cup" or "Are you stuck?"  I can't believe she's already figuring out POSSESSION of things!  As you can tell, Shawn + I are in AW of our baby girl + so proud of her!!

This is EA being a BALLERINA w/ her hands above her head, spinning around!  She says "RINA!"

Elsie Anne eating her corn-on-the-cob b/c she saw us doing it, + didn't want to eat what I had cut off-the-cob for her, anymore:)

Missy Moo is growing up + becoming such an independent TODDLER!  I just can't believe it!  I'm starting to feel the ITCH for another baby, uh oh!!

4th of July Wknd!

We made an effort to get-away for the weekend!!  Shawn has been working so hard, actually, we've both been working so hard since we returned from Florida, so it was very special to have a family weekend away from 'the grind'!! 

We left Friday (7/2) afternoon and got to Granby, CO just in time for the Farmer's Market!  **For those of you that don't know, my parent's have a house in Granby, which is a little over an hour away from Breckenridge, so its really nice to have a FREE get-away location**  Elsie Anne LOVED the live flute-ist + was dancing around hippy-style :)  She had her arms waving around + her hips going too, it was too cute + got a ton of attention!

We weren't ready to stop playing yet, so we went to the SolVista Bike Park (which is @ the back of my parent's neighborhood) to check it out!  It is hosting the 2010 US National Mountain Bike Championship in two weeks, (for the second year in a row) and is, as I've been told, the Premier Mountain Bike Resort in Colorado!  It was really neat watching all the guys practice... we found this 'child-sized' track that EA ran around + around for 20mins!!

Then we relaxed w/ a few beers on the deck... and yes, that is my daughter 'pole-dancing' for our entertainment!!  It was pretty hilarious watching her crazy moves on the "UM-LELLA" pole:)

Granby had their Town Parade + Fireworks on the 3rd... EA loved the USA flags MeMoo sent us, along w/ the matching bows in our hair:) 

This profile pic is one of my FAVS... they were watching the FIRETRUCKS get closer + closer, louder + LOUDER!

A quick family shot, that turned out pretty cute!  Oh, and by the way, Elsie Anne is 16mo old today (7/3)!

After nap we went back to the Bike Park, took the Lift to the top of the mountain + hiked around up there.  I'm bummed that we didn't get any pics of EA's first time on the Ski Lift!!  EA then enjoyed running around the Base Bar while we sat back + had a brewski :)

We pooped Elsie Anne out + she was ready for her tubby + bed right when we got home!  Couldn't have worked out better for us, since we made it our mission to get D-R-U-N-K by the time the FIREWORKS shot off!!  I know it sounds silly, but we haven't drank together like this in a LONG time!!  So, we got down + dirty... as you can see Shawn 'shot-gunned' a beer, something he said he hasn't done since our wedding! :)

And I drank liquor for the first time in a while:)  We enjoyed the gorgeous sunset on the deck, good music, good laughs, good memories, lovey dovey snuggles... and loved each hour of it!!

It all payed off b/c we were definitely TIPSY when we watched the FIREWORKS!  It was so much fun feeling our pre-baby selves, even if it was just for a few hours!  Not to say that post-baby is bad, but pre-baby felt so young + carefree, you know what I mean?! 

2nd Half...

Sunday (7/4) we took our traditional hike (as of last year) to Adam's Falls in Grand Lake Village. 

Elsie Anne enjoying her view from the "BA-BACK"!

The sound of the Falls is so peaceful, I love this hike!

Climbing around on the "ROCKS"!

We rewarded ourselves w/ Hot Dogs + Ice Cream @ 'Dairy King,' a local joint w/ a familiar name:)  This was the FIRST time EA has ever experienced the cold, sweet, goodness of this delicious treat!  She liked it, but really only wanted a few licks before she was done?!

We then ventured down to the Fire Dept, which had all their big trucks on display!  After seeing the Firetrucks in the Parade + talking about them a lot, EA was in aww of these monsterous machines!

She had a great time climbing all over them and saying, "WEE,OOOO,WEE,OOOO" (her siren noise)!

Momma couldn't help but PLAY too:)

We had to stop @ the very over-crowded Town Park!  EA loved 'kid watching', swinging, sliding + running everywhere as quick as her little feet could carry her!  We also stopped @ the Go-Cart track to watch the cars go 'round the track, the stables to see all the Horses, the beach to see the Sail Boats, + Town Square to listen to the live music!  It was a busy day, to say the least!

At home, we had a DANCE PARTY!!!  One of my favorite past-times w/ my Missy Moo... you can tell that she LOVES it too!  This is her 'rolling laughing' laugh...

Monday (7/5) morning Shawn took Elsie Anne to the Granby Airport, so that I could clean the house + pack up our things.  This is something I would've never thought of doing, but she thouroughly enjoyed it!  They were able to watch an airplane take off!

And there it is...

I'm disappointed that we didn't take any pictures of our stop @ Hot Sulphur Springs on our trip home.  It was the first time we had tried this Spring + of course EA loved getting to swim!  She was exhausted by the time we got back in the car, + slept on the way home (doesn't usually happen)!

All in all, this was one of our favorite family weekends to date!  We all left feeling re-connected, re-freshed, + re-vived for the upcoming weeks!!  I love my little family:)