Putnam Family Updates

Random Pictures-April

2011-06-12T17:58:00.001-06:00

April 2011 Christian was 3 1/2 yrs and Grayson was 10 months

Merlin (our cat) trying to open the front door.

Success!

Christian decorated a window for Easter.

Barnes & Noble

Attempting to get some yogurt in his mouth.

"Helping" me fold the diapers.

He can't resist these sandals.

I finally cut my hair after over a year.

Dying Easter eggs.

Just a fun sculpture

Grayson loves to destroy!

Peek-a-boo

Trying to climb in

Somehow he always gets stuck under the table

Having a snack outside

Exhausted

He found his reflection in the oven door.

Random Pictures-March

2011-06-12T17:35:00.000-06:00

March 2011 Christian was 3 1/2 yrs and Grayson was 9 months

"Look, Mom! I am dead!"

This one is accident prone.

They sell Blue Bell ice cream in CO now. Yipee!

Daddy reading the boys a bedtime story.

Grayson eating bananas (that I peeled and chopped for him because I am a good mom!)

Sleeping in the car

Jackpot!

What's up?

Random Pictures-February

2011-06-12T17:21:00.000-06:00

I've decided to organize my Random Pictures posts so they make a little more sense. So here are some pictures from February 2011. Christian was 3 1/2 yrs and Grayson was 8 months.

A really fun marble game we got for Christian.

Being a Vet at the Denver Children's Museum

He had so much fun "making appointments" for the Vet.

Dave and the boys bought me flowers for Valentine's Day

Such a happy boy 98% of the time.


Christian loves to push Grayson around the house in boxes. And Grayson loves it, too!

Denver Zoo

2011-06-12T08:44:00.000-06:00

This year we decided to renew our zoo membership. We've been so many times just in the last 2 months it's already paid for itself and then some. We love going there with friends, but one time we actually got to go with Dave.

Playing Outside

2011-06-12T08:31:00.000-06:00

Our little condo is about 900 sq ft. It's just little. And with 2 very energetic little boys it seems even smaller. So, for sanity's sake we've been outside just about all day everyday as the weather allows. Enjoy some pictures of the boys playing outside in our beautiful CO weather! You really can't beat the weather here.

Grayson's first time on the swings.

Christian LOVES sand!!

Grayson is still pretty iffy about it.

Fun!

A visitor on Christian's jacket.

Just hanging out.

Christian's "motorcycle"

The result of no sunscreen...OOPS!

Flying his kite

Grayson and his friend Abby at the park.

Soccer

2011-06-12T08:05:00.000-06:00

I decided that Christian needed an activity that he could burn some energy. Since he loved to kick a ball and run I thought soccer would be a perfect sport to choose. Unfortunately, Christian hated it. It was almost torturous getting him ready each week. We ended up skipping the last couple of weeks.

Random Pictures

2011-06-11T20:14:00.001-06:00

Christian helped Grayson have some breakfast.

The jelly stayed at the top. Christian thought it was awesome.

Christian LOVED Aunt Maren's skateboard and helmet and pretty much anything that was in her room.

My Grandpa McLaughlin and Grayson March 2011

Grandpa McLaughlin and Grayson and Christian (who wouldn't cooperate and take a picture)

It snowed a lot in UT while we visited.

I'm glad we brought his snow clothes.

It was hard for him to walk around.

Imagination Movers Concert March 2011

We were able to review the new Boppy Slideline product in March. It is AMAZING!

Grayson loves this thing still!

It taught Grayson to get up on hands and knees.

Christian and Grayson hanging out.

Where Do I Begin?

2011-06-11T08:30:00.001-06:00

I was doing so well keeping up with our blog. And then disaster struck. I have missed out on so many good stories to blog about. Bummer!

On Feb 24, 2011 I got a phone call a little after 7am. My Grandma McLaughlin had passed away. I packed our things and jumped in the car by noon. After grabbing some lunch Christian, Grayson and I made our journey to Salt Lake. We arrived around midnight and tried to get settled for the night. A couple days later my 2 kids and I along with my little brother and sister flew to San Jose, CA. At the airport, Grayson had an allergic reaction to something (we're thinking it was from sucking on the stroller straps) and his lips swelled up really huge. He seemed mostly fine otherwise. Thankfully after a couple days he was back to normal. Phew! While on the plane to CA I was eating some fruit snacks with Christian and one of my fillings came out. I had a hole in my tooth. Great! And I was far away from home on a Saturday night. My Grandma's funeral was on Monday. What on earth was I going to do? Thankfully it didn't hurt, so I just left it. This trip was starting off pretty badly!

We went to church in my Grandpa's ward on Sunday and spent the afternoon with family. On Sunday night I started to have a cough. But otherwise felt fine.

On Monday morning I woke up not feeling well. I was soooo cold. We got some breakfast and went back to the hotel room to get ready for the viewing and funeral. It all went downhill fast from there. My memory of the events is a little iffy so I'll try to make it make sense.

On the way to the church I was really, really not feeling well. I asked my dad for a blessing and while it helped me to feel comforted I got the feeling things were going to get worse before they got better. I was assured that my kids would be well cared for. That concerned me! I am their mom...of course they will be well cared for!! I got worse...much, much worse. I was so, very sick. So sick that my mom had to call an ambulance from the church during my Grandma's funeral. If I wasn't so sick I would have been
humiliated
embarrassed. But there wasn't time for that. So, the ambulance came. It seemed they came really fast. I left the church on a stretcher during the first talk at my Grandma's funeral. I missed it all. :(

Soon I was at the hospital. I remember almost nothing about the ambulance ride. I know my mom rode with me. But I don't remember seeing her. We got to the hospital and I remember them doing a chest xray and other tests. I tried to sleep as I could. I must have slept, I don't remember much. And then I got the dreaded news after being in the ER for several hours. I was being admitted. What?? Other than childbirth, I've never been admitted to the hospital. I've been to the ER several times. Even been on an ambulance a few times in recent years (my health sorta sucks!), but never admitted. I'm in CA without my husband. My kids are with my dad, brother and sister at my Grandpa's house. My mom is with me at the hospital still dressed for a funeral (a funeral that she and I missed). I'm a nursing mom. I have a child that does not take a bottle....ever. How were we going to make this work? I remember that even though I wanted to panic I had a very overwhelming sense of calm. It was like I couldn't panic. I didn't cry. I just took it all in stride and assumed I'd be going home the next morning.

The next day I was told I had influenza A. The flu? I got a flu shot. How do I have the flu? So, I was started on the proper medicines and told I'd be going home the next day. Ugh! My room was placed in isolation. Anyone that came in my room had to wear a gown, mask and gloves. And before they left they had to toss it all in the garbage. I felt so diseased!

The next morning I had a fever of 104.3ºF and it wouldn't go down. I had to wear this stupid, dumb, I can't come up with enough bad words to describe it, cooling blanket. It was awful. It is set to 6ºC and when you already feel like you're freezing to death it is quite possibly the most uncomfortable thing to have on you. But that, plus tylenol, plus ibuprofen was the only way I got my fever reduced to 102.7ºF. Seriously? It was awful. Guess what....I just landed myself another day in the hospital. They were long days. My mom and dad came to visit once or twice each day. But other than that I was by myself. I was so sick I didn't even watch TV. I tried to catch up on Facebook, but reading was difficult. And after looking at my status updates a while later I posted the same update 3 times in one day not realizing I'd already posted it. I clearly wasn't all there!

The cooling blanket

My fever finally came down enough they didn't have to use the cooling blanket anymore. Thank heavens! I was still getting a lot of medicines both orally and through my 2 IVs. One IV blew one night and my hand was very swollen. To this day (3 months later) my left hand is still tender. My last day I woke up at 2am with excruciating headaches. Really bad! They sent me for an MRI just to make sure I was okay. They came back good...so I was finally released that afternoon. I was still sick...but I could walk and talk so that was better than I started.

I wasn't well enough to travel just yet. And I had to wear a mask still, but I was released to stay at my Grandpa's house for a day or two until our flight. On Saturday we (my mom, dad, me and my 2 kids) flew to Salt Lake. I was still coughing a ton and could not breathe well. Plus I was so dizzy I could barely stand, let alone walk. I was all over the place. I'm sure I was a sight to see. My parents sacrificed their room for me and my boys to sleep. I'm assuming they did that since it's on the main floor and they didn't trust me on stairs (considering I was still having really dizzy spells). I stayed until Wednesday. I finally felt sort of well enough to travel the rest of our journey home. We'd been gone for 13 days. That's about a week longer than we expected!

How we all survived, I do not know. I know Christian and Grayson were both sick with colds and my mom got sick with a cold, too, while in CA. Grayson was not a fan of eating, taking a bottle or sleeping sometimes. I'm sure it was a long week for my parents and anyone that helped out!

It was so good to be home. I was still recovering, but at least able to get around and take care of everything. But, unless it was vital for our survival, I didn't get it done. It's taken me a long time to recover from that illness. But I'm so happy that I'm feeling better now than I have felt in several years. I'm glad they took the time in CA to get me better instead of just getting me functional. Why this all happened at that time, in CA is a mystery. I've thought about it all A LOT! But I'm not sure the "whys" are as important as the testimony I gained during that time in my life. I suppose it was a lesson I needed to learn, and I hope I got from it what I was supposed to! Life is full of crazy twists and this year, more than most, we've been on a bit of a roller coaster.

Now that life has calmed down a little (it's still crazy, though) I hope we can get back on track and start the blog up more regularly!

Videos

2011-02-19T16:13:00.000-07:00

Here's a couple of videos from the week that I thought were fun. The boys are getting big! Enjoy!

11 Step Program For Those Thinking of Having Kids

2011-02-15T08:32:00.001-07:00

I saw this one Facebook a while ago, but it's just so funny I had to keep it for future generations. It wouldn't be so funny if it weren't so true.

Enjoy a good laugh and remember...A sense of humor is one of the most important things you'll need when you become a parent!
Lesson 1
1. Go to the grocery store.
2. Arrange to have your salary paid directly to their head office.
3. Go home.
4. Pick up the paper.
5. Read it for the last time.

Lesson 2
Before you finally go ahead and have children, find a couple who already are parents and berate them about their...
1. Methods of discipline.
2. Lack of patience.
3. Appallingly low tolerance levels.
4. Allowing their children to run wild.
5. Suggest ways in which they might improve their child's breastfeeding, sleep habits, toilet training, table manners, and overall behavior.
Enjoy it because it will be the last time in your life you will have all the answers.

Lesson 3
A really good way to discover how the nights might feel...
1. Get home from work and immediately begin walking around the living room from 5PM to 10PM carrying a wet bag weighing approximately 8-12 pounds, with a radio turned to static (or some other obnoxious sound) playing loudly. (Eat cold food with one hand for dinner)
2. At 10PM, put the bag gently down, set the alarm for midnight, and go to sleep.
3. Get up at 12 and walk around the living room again, with the bag, until 1AM.
4. Set the alarm for 3AM.
5. As you can't get back to sleep, get up at 2AM and make a drink and watch an infomercial.
6. Go to bed at 2:45AM.
7. Get up at 3AM when the alarm goes off.
8. Sing songs quietly in the dark until 4AM.
9. Get up. Make breakfast. Get ready for work and go to work (work hard and be productive)
Repeat steps 1-9 each night. Keep this up for 3-5 years. Look cheerful and together.

Lesson 4
Can you stand the mess children make? T o find out...
1. Smear peanut butter onto the sofa and jam onto the curtains.
2. Hide a piece of raw chicken behind the stereo and leave it there all summer.
3. Stick your fingers in the flower bed.
4. Then rub them on the clean walls.
5. Take your favorite book, photo album, etc. Wreck it.
6. Spill milk on your new pillows. Cover the stains with crayons. How does that look?

Lesson 5
Dressing small children is not as easy as it seems.
1. Buy an octopus and a small bag made out of loose mesh.
2. Attempt to put the octopus into the bag so that none of the arms hang out.
Time allowed for this - all morning.

Lesson 6
Forget the BMW and buy a mini-van. And don't think that you can leave it out in the driveway spotless and shining. Family cars don't look like that.
1. Buy a chocolate ice cream cone and put it in the glove compartment.
Leave it there.
2. Get a dime. Stick it in the CD player.
3. Take a family size package of chocolate cookies. Mash them into the back seat. Sprinkle cheerios all over the floor, then smash them with your foot.
4. Run a garden rake along both sides of the car.

Lesson 7
Go to the local grocery store. Take with you the closest thing you can find to a pre-school child. (A full-grown goat is an excellent choice). If you intend to have more than one child, then definitely take more than one goat. Buy your week's groceries without letting the goats out of your sight. Pay for everything the goat eats or destroys. Until you can easily accomplish this, do not even contemplate having children.

Lesson 8
1. Hollow out a melon.
2. Make a small hole in the side.
3. Suspend it from the ceiling and swing it from side to side.
4. Now get a bowl of soggy Cheerios and attempt to spoon them into the swaying melon by pretending to be an airplane.
5. Continue until half the Cheerios are gone.
6. Tip half into your lap. The other half, just throw up in the air.
You are now ready to feed a nine- month-old baby.

Lesson 9
Learn the names of every character from Sesame Street , Barney, Disney, the Teletubbies, and Pokemon. Watch nothing else on TV but PBS, the Disney channel or Noggin for at least five years. (I know, you're thinking What's 'Noggin'?) Exactly the point.

Lesson 10
Make a recording of Fran Drescher saying 'mommy' repeatedly. (Important: no more than a four second delay between each 'mommy'; occasional crescendo to the level of a supersonic jet is required). Play this tape in your car everywhere you go for the next four years. You are now ready to take a long trip with a toddler.

Lesson 11
Start talking to an adult of your choice. Have someone else continually tug on your skirt hem, shirt- sleeve, or elbow while playing the 'mommy' tape made from Lesson 10 above. You are now ready to have a conversation with an adult while there is a child in the room.

Snow!

2011-02-12T16:30:00.000-07:00

It snowed a few inches this week. It was finally warm enough for Christian to go out and play in the snow for a little while. It almost took longer to bundle him up than he was outside playing. Dave taught him how to make a snow angel. Christian loves to get out there and play in the snow. Hopefully we'll get some more snow for him to play in before the season is over. (I don't actually wish for more snow, but I know we will get some....and for his sake...I wish for more snow.)

Thanks to Aunt Jeanna and the girls for the hat and scarf. They worked great!!

Denver Nuggets

2011-02-12T16:22:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Momslikeme.com-Denver I was able to win 4 tickets to see the Denver Nuggets play the Dallas Mavericks. I've never seen an NBA game live before and I'm not a big basketball lover, but all sports are more fun live than on TV, right? We had some pretty good seats and I just didn't want to pass them up. So, even though it was last minute, I managed to find a couple of friends to go to the game with us. Dave's parents watched Christian for us since the game was late. We took Grayson with us. It was a good game and a lot of fun! Thankfully, Grayson was a good baby during the game (he's such a good baby most of the time that I wasn't too worried...that was, of course, until he screamed the whole car ride to pick up our friends).

Once we got to the Pepsi Center Grayson was happy and content. Dave and I got some food (you know...the over priced, cold stadium food....YUMM!) and enjoyed the first quarter of the game. But then it was time for me to feed Grayson. So I missed half of the 2nd quarter. Thankfully I got back just before half time. Grayson slept through most of the rest of the game.

The game was pretty exciting. The Nuggets were losing the better part of the 2nd half and I had lost hope of us winning. People were leaving before the game was over, but I'm sure they are sad they left. We started to catch up, and then we were ahead, and then we were behind and then we were tied and then...We scored the winning shot right at the final buzzer. It was pretty loud in the stadium...Grayson woke up.

All in all...we had a fantastic time. I'm glad we went to the game, even though it was last minute. It's hard for us to do such spontaneous events with small children, but it was nice to know that we still have it in us. We were VERY tired the next morning, though. Kids just don't understand the need to sleep in.

Did I mention we had to go to 9News to pick up the tickets? It was a highlight for Christian to see where they do the "Colorado News", even though we only got to see the lobby. He's pretty easy to please!

Denver Aquarium

2011-02-12T15:48:00.000-07:00

I took the boys to the Aquarium recently and we had so much fun. I wish it was more affordable. I understand it costs a lot to maintain all of those fish, etc, but I just can't afford $42 for our family to visit. Especially when you can only stay 2-3 hours with small kids. I had a coupon to visit, so I thought I'd take advantage of it, but Dave wasn't able to go. :( We still had fun, but we missed having Daddy with us. He knows a lot more about fish, sharks, and general ocean facts than I do. I guess I need to study up because Christian has been telling me all week he's going to be a sea diver when he grows up.

We were able to see the sharks and stingrays be fed as well as the tigers. We saw a lot of fish, snakes, birds, turtles, sharks, jellyfish, plants, and many other things while at the Aquarium (we can't forget Nemo and Dory). We even got to pet the stingrays!

But the most fun part for Christian was watching two workers clean out the gravel from the turtle's habitat. He sat and watched them scoop out nets full of tiny gravel. He asked 800 million questions and just couldn't get enough of it. After a long time I finally convinced him to go see other exhibits, but he went running back to see them clean the gravel out only a couple minutes later. I don't know what was so fascinating. He really wanted to help, but I told him he had to be older before he could get a job there. He told me he'd work there when he was 5. haha (They were cleaning out the small gravel to replace it with bigger rocks. The turtles were eating the tiny rocks and it was hurting their digestive systems. I know you wanted to know!!)

I feel very fortunate that we had a nice older couple, who volunteer at the Aquarium, give us a little of a tour. They were so helpful in answering all of Christian's questions (he had A LOT!). I'm glad that we left the Aquarium having quite a bit more knowledge of all of the different species that live in the ocean as well as the freshwater species, too. I felt like the trip was fun and very educational, too. Grayson slept through half of our visit, but he had a good time gazing at the sharks. It will be so fun once he's a little older and can participate in our activities more than just being present.

I can't decide which pictures were the best, so I'm just throwing in a bunch that I liked from our visit. If you're in Denver and have the opportunity, visit the Denver Aquarium. It really is a neat place!

Do you see Christian?

Grayson Laughs

2011-02-12T14:58:00.000-07:00

There is nothing that Christian loves to do more than make people laugh. Especially to make Grayson laugh. Enjoy these videos of my cute Grayson laughing at his big brother.

Funny Christian-isms

2011-02-12T14:45:00.000-07:00

I have really enjoyed watching Christian grow up. He is getting so big. And while he continually physically grows, his mind is growing 5X faster! I can't seem to keep up with him. So many times a day he says funny things. I've decided I need to write them down so I don't forget. I've lost track of what order they were said, but I don't think it matters. They are all from the past month. And this is just a small sample of his funny comments.

I had just opened one of Grayson's toys from Christmas and Christian immediately swipes it from Grayson. I told him to give the toy back and his reply, "But Mom, I'm just testing it."

Me singing Jingle Bells: "Dashing through the snow, in a one horse open sleigh..." Christian starts screaming at the top of his lungs. I ask him what's wrong and he said I needed to stop singing that song because dashing through the snow is dangerous.

Christian brought me a tiny (I'm talking itty, bitty) piece of a stick and told me his brain was coming out of his head.

Just recently Christian brings in a bag of Goldfish while I'm getting ready for the day. He tells me he's trying to read what it said. I ask him what it says and he pretends to read, "You can eat them." Nice try, Christian. We aren't having goldfish for breakfast.

And our most recent quotable of the day...."I don't want to eat lunch, because I want to be dead." And for full effect, he put on his skeleton costume.

Notice, he also dumped all of the play food on the floor to have a picnic. Grayson is in the background helping himself to some plastic food.

I really need to write down more of the things he says. He's just so funny! I can't wait for Grayson to start talking. I'm sure he'll be equally funny!

Editor's Note: Christian is dressed in costume for most things he does. He is currently an astronaut with a fireman badge and snowboots on.

COLD!

2011-02-12T14:19:00.000-07:00

Brrrrrrr! It was cold here in Colorado. We had some pretty low temperatures (-19*F with a windchill in the -30*F range) and it was getting to be a bit much for the kids. On one or two days we didn't even get above 0*F. We felt trapped in our house for too long. I tried to keep them occupied, but they just didn't want to see the same four walls any longer. We are happy that we are warming up again (It's currently in the 50's). And we can't wait for spring!! We have had a really mild winter this year so far. I'm sure we'll have a blizzard in March to make up for the lack of snow this year. But we'll take the warm while we have it.

Here are some pictures of the kids while we were stuck inside.

Bananas

2011-01-31T15:22:00.000-07:00

This post is to show my family just how much I love my kids! I love them A LOT! Enough to peel, chop, smash, and feed them bananas. That is LOVE!! I also peeled 8 bananas for the freezer today. We got a bunch in our Bountiful Basket this week and we'll never eat them that fast.

Just for the record I DESPISE bananas. But my kids think I like them. I put on my big girl pants, untwist my panties, suck it up and put on my happy face. I try not to vomit as I feed the baby his bananas...it's a process that takes F.O.R.E.V.E.R.

I'm so grown up!

Menu Monday

2011-01-31T12:02:00.000-07:00

Want to see just how awesome I am?

Click HERE!

Then you can come back and tell me how jealous you are of my awesome homemaking skills. I'm such a good wife/mom.

Not Me! Monday

2011-01-31T11:55:00.000-07:00

All right, folks. Here it is. My list of things that I didn't do this week. Enjoy!

I most certainly did not plan a play date at the Children's Museum and stay for 6 hours....Not Me!

I didn't decide after seeing a barely 2 year old girl ask her mom to go potty that it was time for Christian to be potty trained once and for all....Not Me! (I would never pressure my kid to do something just because someone younger could do it.)

I didn't bribe Christian to use the potty with money and/or tickets to see the Imagination Movers LIVE in concert...Not Me!

I didn't take the kids to the Library in the middle of nap time...Not Me!

I didn't have to break up a fight between my 2 kids...Not Me! (I mean...the baby is only 7 months. He's not even capable of picking fights yet, right?)

I didn't forget the dry erase markers were still out in reach...Not Me!

I didn't give my baby a pizza crust to chew on just to stop the fit he potentially could throw...Not Me!

I didn't drink the orange juice straight out of the carton knowing I have a cold just so I could claim it as all mine...Not Me!

I didn't contemplate doing the same thing with the cookie dough ice cream...Not Me!

I know you all are jealous. But really, you don't have to be. Make your own Not Me! Monday list. It's fun.

Big Air

2011-01-29T22:52:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago I won 4 tickets to see Denver Big Air. It is a big ski/snowboard competition right in downtown Denver. They built a ramp over 100 feet high for athletes to do tricks. Also, One Republik was there for an outdoor concert. I was excited to go, but I just felt so anxious about being away from Grayson for so long. I couldn't take him with me in such cold weather so I decided it would be best for me to stay home and send Dave with 3 of his friends. It seemed they had a great time. Here are a couple of videos from the event (of course Dave came home with no pictures, just videos).

P.S. I don't think it was coincidence I had the feeling to stay home. Grayson was very grumpy and needy.

Cheese and Whine

2011-01-29T22:09:00.000-07:00

I am sick. Again! I have been getting sick quite often since I became pregnant with Grayson. I have learned that I am pretty whiny when I am sick. Especially as the sicknesses are getting closer together and lasting longer. I feel like I have spent the better part of the past year sick. Thankfully I am usually only knocked down a couple days at a time and then I just suffer through the rest as I get better. I try to keep my perspective, but man...when you can't breathe, your head feels like it will explode, your eyeballs feel like they have knives stuck in them and your body aches from head to toe...it's hard. (dramatic much??) I'm such a baby!

Anyway, I have some posts that need to be published. Hopefully I will get to them before I forget what I want to say. I didn't do so well with my "Days of the Week" this week either. And I didn't follow my menu...not even one day. I think it's time for a do-over. I hope next week produces better results!

In the mean time, here's a funny from Christian this morning. He walked into my room first thing this morning with a bag of goldfish. He said he was reading the bag. I asked him what it said and he pretends to read..."You can have some." LOL Nice try kiddo. We're not having goldfish for breakfast.

I really need to write down when he says funny things (which is pretty common!!). It is his greatest joy to make people laugh. I worry he'll be the class clown.

Not Me! Monday

2011-01-24T13:19:00.001-07:00

As a kid I remember my dad saying he had 6 kids once. Really there are 5 kids, but he said Not Me was his sixth kid. The one that always got blamed for everything.

Then I was reading some blogs a few years back and I was reading all of these Not Me! Monday posts. They were a great way of confessing all of the things that went wrong the past week. I participated a few times, but then my blogging fuse sort of fizzled. But this year, I'm back!

Not Me! Monday will be more fun than ever before. I've found having 2 kids means I make twice the mistakes. Just think of when I have more kids...wow!

I didn't stay inside the house for 4 days straight...Not Me.

I didn't make Dave stop at Chick Fil A for dinner on his way home because I was too lazy to cook....Not Me.

I didn't forget my Visiting Teachers were coming until minutes before they arrived while we were eating our Chick Fil A dinner in a fairly dirty house...Not Me.

I didn't do 7 loads of laundry last week and I most certainly wouldn't just leave baskets of clean clothes to fold and put away for later...Not Me.

I didn't have 2 pajama days in the same week...Not Me.

Oy...that list is pretty frightening. I hope I'm not so lazy this week!

Menu Monday

2011-01-24T09:16:00.002-07:00

Every week I try to plan my menu and grocery shop according to my plan. So far it has saved me a bunch of money on groceries each month. I am hoping that we will be able to slash our budget even more each month. I still feel we spend too much. So, I'm delving more into the world of coupons. I still have a ways to go before coupons will really help me save because we'd like to build a 3 month supply for our family. But hopefully soon we will be spending less each month.

Anyway, here is the menu for this week. It's one of my very boring, kid friendly yet jazzed up for adults, menus.

Dear Christian-Blast From the Past

2011-01-22T15:27:00.000-07:00

Today I was reading a few old entries from my blog, just to see what I wrote about way back then. I couldn't believe how much I've changed in the past few years. I also realized that in some ways I'm just the same! Anyway, it gave me a renewed energy to keep up the blogging. It was so fun to read old posts. I really do need to get a book made of my blog so we have a hard copy to look at.

On December 5, 2008 I wrote this post on my blog.

Dear Christian,

Today you were in a very grumpy mood. You threw a tantrum every other word I said. But that's okay because I love you SO much! Today you got into every nook and cranny in the house, especially if you knew you'd get in trouble for it. But that's okay because I love you SO much! Today you spit out every morsel of food I offered to you (even ice cream). But that's okay because I love you SO much! Today you learned how to open the refrigerator and carried around the mustard everywhere you went. But that's okay because I love you SO much! Today you randomly gave me a big hug when I was sitting on the floor exhausted at 11am from a long day of chasing you around and cleaning your messes. And then I remembered I love you SO much!

Love,
Mommy

What I wrote on December 5, 2008 is what I feel today. It may be different events going on during the day, but I still feel the same. Christian has been finding new ways to challenge me throughout the day. He is older, understands much more, and is constantly testing the boundaries. I find myself getting frustrated with him more easily this week. I don't know why. My attitude has been less than desirable. All day long when he asks me "Why?" I just answer, "Because I love you."

Hopefully soon I will be able to get my attitude back to normal. A little sleep might help. But until then I will keep praying for guidance and patience (Yikes...praying for patience is dangerous :). Parenting, while the most difficult thing I've ever done, is very rewarding! And at the end of the day, when Christian says, "I love you, mom!" I forget the challenges of the day and start with a fresh outlook on life. The good days are far greater than the bad. And for that, I feel very blessed!

Days of the Week

2011-01-20T09:02:00.000-07:00

Over the years I have randomly participated in certain blog posts on certain days of the week. So, I've decided to re-implement that back into the blog. I fear if I don't I won't have anything to blog about. So, that means a lot of blog posts from me, but hopefully they will still be worth reading. I hope to be better at this blogging thing. I just need to get my head in the game. So here's what I'm thinking.

Monday- Menu Monday (will be posted on my menu blog and linked to), Not Me Monday
Tuesday- Self Portrait Tuesday
Wednesday- Wordless Wednesday
Thursday- Thankful Thursday
Friday- Faithful Friday

Hopefully this will get me a jump start on my blogging and get me thinking in a certain direction. Sometimes I just need a little help. By no means does this mean that those will be my only posts, but I hope to at least have those posts. I won't be 100% each day, life happens, but I will try to be at least 80%. Deal. Deal.

Just had to write this out and post it to keep me on track!
I probably won't start until Monday. I hate starting new projects in the middle of a week.

Reading

2011-01-15T12:48:00.000-07:00

Christian loves to have me read to him. He's been really good at recognizing his letters and is so proud when he can read the letters to me. Today as we were running errands we drove past Heritage High School. We were stopped at the light and he was reading H-E-R-I-T-A-G-E. We were so proud and made a big deal about it. A few minutes later he said, "H-E-R....Mom, what comes after R?" I said S and he said, "No, it's I-T-A..." I couldn't believe it. By this time we were a couple of miles away from the high school. Maybe it's time to start doing some actual reading practice with him. I didn't think at 3 he'd be ready, but I suppose I should encourage a love for reading as much as possible. I'll take him to the library this week and look for some good beginner reading books. I'm not ready for him to grow up so fast, but I just love to watch his world become brighter as he learns new things.

Grayson-6 months

2011-01-06T16:15:00.001-07:00

Grayson rolling around the living room.

Dear Mr. Grayson,

Today you went to the doctor for your 6 month check up. It went okay, but you cried (screamed) the whole hour we were there. I even tried to nurse you to calm you down, but you weren't happy. At the end of your appointment you were happy and laughing. I suppose you already have a dislike for doctors. Maybe you were just having an off moment.

Your stats are:

Weight- 18 pounds 6 ounces (55%)

Height- 27 inches (60%)

Head Circumference- 19 inches (still >97%)

The doctor is slightly worried that you slowed WAY down on the growing (you only gained 5 ounces and grew 1 inch in 2 months), but since you were so big he thinks you might just be regulating your weight gain a little. Plus, now that you are rolling all around the house you are burning some fat. Also, last week you had a stomach virus and threw up for 2 days straight..you probably lost a little weight. But just to double check, you get to go back to the doctor next month to get weighed and get your flu shot booster.

The doctor thinks you are developing right on track for a 6 month old. He gave us some papers with fun things to do together over the next few months. I think you'll like that. Also, your eczema is still a problem. It's causing you to scratch everywhere. The doctor gave us a prescription for some ointment to help your skin heal. I hope it works!

Now that you're 6 months you are starting to eat solid foods more and more. I know it's not your favorite, but I'm still hoping you'll warm up to eating.


Grayson NOT enjoying green beans.

I love being your mommy and can't wait to see what the next 6 months brings.

Love,

Mommy

Side By Side

2011-01-05T03:33:00.000-07:00

I can't sleep. It is currently just after 3 am and I am wide awake. I will regret this very shortly! Christian and Grayson will be awake in 4 short hours. Since everyone else is clearly asleep I was looking at pictures of my cute kids. I started comparing what they looked like at similar ages. What do you think?

Top- Christian @ 5 months

Bottom- Grayson @ 5 months

Do they look like brothers?

Christmas 2010

2011-01-05T02:22:00.000-07:00

Christmas was pretty laid back this year. We just hung out at our house with our little family. Our kids are still young so we got away with sleeping in and eating a leisurely breakfast (I made waffles). We even showered and cleaned up. I think it was about 10:30am before we opened our presents. Christian had a good time opening presents. He had the whole Santa thing figured out this year. This is the first year he really understood. Grayson was not amused. He really wasn't interested and didn't want to participate. Come to find out, he cut his 2nd tooth the day after Christmas. That explains a lot! Poor kid!

We didn't get much this year, but I tried to make some of the presents big so it looked like a lot. Did my parents play that trick on us when we were kids? Santa, of course, brought the best presents! Christian received a toy fire truck...it doesn't need batteries. Santa is SO smart! Grayson's toy; however, does require batteries...Fail! Grayson doesn't care much for toys yet, but he will soon and he'll thank me. Every gift I received was for the kitchen. Is that a hint?? Dave got a Wii game (Donkey Kong Country Returns) and a new white shirt for church and a digital picture frame. The family got a Wii game for Christmas. Overall, I think Christmas was fun! I hope we can create some of our very own traditions. That's the best part about the holidays!

Our tree Christmas morning.

I tried to get a decent picture of the boys, but this is the best I could come up with.

Grandma McL sent a box full of craft supplies for Christian. So much fun!

Grayson was NOT into this activity at all.

Dave's sister sent him a shirt that says, My Wife Has Good Taste. Yup...she does!

He was annoyed I wouldn't let him eat the paper.

The only thing he asked Santa for was a fire truck. Glad he delivered!

Christian with all of his presents.


Grayson with his presents. His shirt says Santa's Favorite. Don't tell Christian!

I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!

You Are A Fun Mom!

2011-01-04T10:32:00.000-07:00

Lately I've had several different people comment to me about how fun I am. Fun comes with a price in this household. First of all, we live in a pigsty and eat out more than we should (still not a lot, but more than necessary). I fall behind in my cleaning and cooking and other normal domestic duties so I can play with my kids. Is that the right thing to do...probably not. But, I am a fun mother. I am trying to be better at my domesticness (pretty sure that isn't a real word) all the while still being labeled as a "fun mother". I'm going to have to compromise. How about if we live in a clean pigsty and still have fun? Don't get me wrong, we don't really live in filth. But let's say it's been 7 days since I last cleaned the bathroom, but we have plans to go to Little Monkey Bizness with a friend. I'll clean the bathroom after we get home (if I'm not exhausted) or tomorrow. See, I should clean before we go. Then it won't get shoved off for another day or two. Because inevitably, someone will come over and need to use the bathroom. I need to be prepared for these things.

So while it is true that I love to have a good time, I believe that it must be known that my house is generally in a constant state of pigsty. So, give me some notice before you come over. I'd appreciate the heads up.

Some of the "fun" things we've done lately...

We took the boys on a tour of the fire station. Christian being the driver.

Christian actually liked being the passenger more.

We saw Santa at the Library for story time and pictures.

We also went to see Santa at Bass Pro Shops. Christian was terrified of Santa that trip, so we spent most of our time playing all over the store. What a fun place to visit!

Dave is just dreaming a tiny bit.

We were invited to a friend's house to play in the leaves with her boys. What a fun time!

Our Ward Trunk or Treat. So fun!

That hand grabs you as you put your hand in the bowl. Christian was scared, but extremely intrigued by how it worked!

We carved a pumpkin together.

Christian definitely loves to help in the kitchen!

Look, Mom! I drew a tree!

Christian expressing his creativity...what I would give for him to express himself on PAPER! He uses the whole world as his canvas.

This is just a sampling of a few things we've done the past 3 months. We've done many other things that I don't have pictures of. We've been to the zoo, the Wildlife Experience, multiple parks, McDonald's play place with friends, on walks, Best Buy (seriously...so fun!), Ace Hardware (Heaven for a little boy!) and have done countless art projects and other activities. We went to Utah for Thanksgiving, We had a family party for Christmas with the Putnams, and other little things here and there. I can't think of everything. I can't wait until Grayson can be more involved in the activities we do. I have so many pictures of him just hanging out in his carseat to prove he was there. The best part is....Everything we have done has been FREE!

And if you're ever bored and want to get together, We LOVE playdates!

Starting Fresh!

2011-01-03T23:41:00.000-07:00

It's obviously been a VERY long time since I updated our blog. I guess I got a little cranky about life towards the end of my pregnancy with Grayson. I was sick and exhausted and anything that required much thought or effort got neglected. I have never been fantastic at blogging, but my goal for 2011 is to post at least once a week. I have no idea what I will write about, but hopefully I'll come up with something.

Grayson going home from the hospital

Just a little update about our family. We officially welcomed Grayson Dean Putnam into the world on June 21, 2010. He weighed in at 7lbs 11oz and was 20 inches long. He, just like Christian, had a huge head. He's done nothing but grow and by 4 months weighed 18 pounds and was 26 inches. He goes to the doctor this week for his 6 month appointment so I'll make sure to post his update then. He's a great baby! He is generally mellow and only fusses when he's hungry or tired. He absolutely adores his older brother. And Christian adores Grayson. They already get along...how I hope it continues for the rest of eternity! Grayson can almost sit on his own, he can roll around on the floor, he loves to jump in his jumper, and he has 2 teeth. At 6 months old he has nearly outgrown his 9 month clothes. He wears size 3 diapers. He is a complete joy and I have thoroughly enjoyed being his mommy!

Christian and Grayson at Grandma and Grandpa McLaughlin's house at Thanksgiving. Picture taken by Maren

Christian is such a great big brother. There has been very, very little jealousy issues. He has accepted Grayson into our family with an open heart. Christian is a very energetic 3 year old boy. He can't stay busy enough. He is constantly into things trying to figure out how it works. He talks non stop and is usually asking questions. I love his curiosity, but it makes me feel like I need to go back to school so I can learn the answers to my 3 year old's questions. Even when I think he's not listening he is. He often surprises me by talking about Nephi or Lehi or Jesus. Glad to know he's retaining some information as he is bouncing off the couch. I can't believe how big he is getting. He is SO excited to go to preschool when he is 4. I told him he has to be potty trained before he can go to school....so far he's too busy to bother with the potty.

Christian touring the fire station Dec 2010

Christian loves anything to do with arts and crafts, tools, firefighters/fire trucks, books, and computers. He can navigate the internet like a pro. He also knows how to open iPhoto to find all of his favorite pictures and videos. I love that he can just figure things out on his own...even if it makes my blood boil sometimes. He is my big helper and often can be found wearing my apron because he is going to be a chef today. He is my sous chef when it's time to make dinner. Too bad he has lost almost all of my measuring cups. I love this boy! He is going to be a great big brother (he already is)!

I am still staying at home. I never knew how much I'd love it. I am right where I am supposed to be. It's been a great learning experience. These boys keep me hopping and I love being their mommy.

Very last minute family photo Nov 2010

Dave is working as a store manager for AutoZone. He works a lot of hours and works hard at his job. I am so grateful for his dedication and hard work that allows me to stay home and raise our boys. It's the best gift he could ever give me. (I'm trying REALLY, REALLY hard to have a better attitude about him being at work all the time!)

So that's our family in a VERY quick nutshell. I hope to get into the details more as we go along the journey. I'll try to be better at taking pictures of my cute kids! I feel that blog posts are much more fun when sprinkled with pictures.

Wordless Wednesday

2010-02-17T14:47:00.000-07:00

Submitted by Christian (Age 2 1/2)

Half Way

2010-02-13T18:07:00.000-07:00

On Feb 11th I was able to have my 20 week ultrasound. I had two things I needed to know. 1.) If the baby was healthy and 2.) Gender. We were able to find out both answers. The baby is healthy and growing right on track and we're having another BOY! We are all so excited to add another boy to our little family.

The biggest surprise was to find out that my blood pressure medicine is working. I had major blood pressure issues with my first pregnancy and I'm so glad it hasn't been such a big factor this time (yet). Hopefully things will continue to progress well and we'll have a healthy little boy in June. At first we were concerned that the baby would have to come early, like Christian did, but now we have some hope this baby can come a little later. Only time will tell. I still have several months left and we all know things can take a turn for the worse, in no time flat, with my yo-yo health. But for now, everything is going very well.

Now, if only we could agree on a name. We'll surprise everyone (maybe even ourselves) with the name when the baby is born.

Wordless Wednesday

2010-02-03T12:21:00.000-07:00

Hop on over to Embrace The Chaos for more Wordless Wednesday posts.

Christmas in Utah

2010-01-11T17:02:00.007-07:00

This year we traveled to Salt Lake City, UT for Christmas. We stayed with my parents for a nice and relaxing week. It was a long, snowy, drive (both ways) but we made it all in one piece. Christian mostly behaved and Dave and I were pretty good too. I was on orders from the doctor to take it easy as well as take blood pressure medicine that made me feel pretty sick most of the time. But we still managed to get out and have some fun. We did spend some time at my sister, Kenzie's, house to let the cousins play. I was AWEFUL at taking pictures this trip. It's pathetic.

My parent's have this really cool retro tree. I thought it was really neat. Who doesn't love a silver tree? Anyway, Christian really liked it too...so we had to take it down a couple of days early. Sorry!

Christian is starting to figure out who Santa is and what he does. He loved getting presents and I can definitely tell that next year we need to be more sneaky about the presents. It didn't take him long to figure it all out. He's getting really good at ripping that paper off...regardless who the present is for.

Christmas evening we had enchiladas for dinner and were able to talk to my sister Maren on the phone. She's serving a mission in the Philippines.

After Christmas, we were able to spend some time at my sister's house. Christian and Arthur (4) played really well together. However, Christian wasn't always nice to Victoria (1). Since it was cold and snowy, we got everyone in their snow clothes and out to play. I guess they were out there less time than it took them to get dressed. Isn't that how it goes? Also, Christian and I got to go to the SLC library. What a great place! They have a great kids section!

And how could I forget the trip to IKEA? It was our first visit. I could have spent a lot of time there, but Christian wasn't so convinced. We bought an easel and some art supplies to help our budding artist try to draw on paper and not on the walls. (Who knows how well it will work, but it's worth a shot!)

We had a fantastic, but short, visit to Temple Square to see the lights. We barely got any good pictures because of the inversion. Almost all of our pictures turned out foggy looking.

It was freezing cold (16 degrees F) so we didn't last long. I was ready to give up and go home. Christian had a blast looking at all the lights and the horses.

Christian got all excited! "We're going to the Temple!" He'd shout to anyone that would listen. He sure knows how to get those old ladies to pay attention. They thought he was so adorable. Nobody could walk by and not smile and say hi to him.

And a funny story of the trip there. Dave took Christian into the gas station to change a diaper and Christian was talking up a storm. "Daddy, a guy's going potty." "Yes he is, let's let him have some space." Christian says to the guy a minute later, "All done going potty?" Ohhh...Christian had the whole men's room busting up.

That was our trip. We had a blast. It was hard to come home and get back into real life. New Year's Eve we were supposed to go to Dave's parent's house for a party, but Christian decided having 4 blowout diapers all night long was more fun. So, I got to stay home with a grumpy boy who stayed up to 10:30pm whining at me. He's still having some issues and regularly tells me his tummy hurts...so I suppose I'll have to see if he's eating something that upsets his stomach. So far we can't figure it out.

I Wish I Had An Update

2009-12-01T17:06:00.002-07:00

We've been super busy the past couple of months. Super busy playing with blocks, baking, cooking, potty training, quitting my job (YIPEE!), throwing tantrums, making messes, cleaning, Facebook, shopping, visiting with family and friends, and being sick (for a whole month-YUCK!). I know I'm forgetting something, but you get the gist, right? Life's been busy and fun and normal. We've fallen into a pretty good routine now that I'm home. Oh, did I mention that we can't find the charger for our camera? We've looked everywhere...except wherever it is. Ugh! So, I wish I had an update for you. Or a picture. Or something. But this is all I've got. Sorry!

Pumpkin Patch

2009-10-03T22:34:00.012-06:00

We took a trip to Longmont, CO this weekend to go to the Rocky Mountain Pumpkin Ranch with some friends. Christian had so much fun! We started our morning with jumping in the big bounce house. And then the boys took a ride on the airplane.

Next, we painted pumpkins so they could dry while we did the other activities. Christian really, really enjoyed painting. He was very particular about what color to use.

Then Dave took Christian down the slide twice for the price of once. Shhh! We were instructed not to let anyone else know. Christian could have done this ALL day long.

Our next stop was the petting zoo. Christian loves animals and gave them all hugs. He really loved being with the animals and particularly loved the llamas and goats.

Then we went on a really lame "train" ride. I thought Christian would like it better, but it was too "little" kid for him I guess. He wants to ride the real thing. But he kept saying, "All Aboard!"
(As a side note: He's going to be a train engineer for Halloween.)

They had a little corn maze that Christian and Dave enjoyed playing in. Dave would hide in the corn and scare Christian as he went running by. Christian would scream so loud and then laugh.

The boys enjoyed playing inside the pumpkin.

I truly had no idea how much fun a hay bale maze could be. But after a while of running around in circles, Christian got frustrated and gave up.

Our last stop was the inflatable pumpkin that was filled with balloons for the kids to chase. We eventually had to drag Christian out of there so we could enjoy our picnic.

After lunch we took a look at the over priced market and then smelled every flower we could see. And then we (by we I mean Christian) decided to try to pet the bees. I did not approve of this activity (shocker!) so we called it a day and drove home.

Over all we had a lot of fun, but I doubt we'll go back. They raised the prices this year and I felt like it was over priced. But it was so nice to get out of Denver for a few hours and spend time together.

Cancelling Internet

2009-09-10T08:05:00.001-06:00

Sometimes, when life gives you new options, you have to do what you can to make it work. In order for me to stay home, we have to make a lot of sacrifices. We've made the decision to cancel our cable/internet. We have blackberry phones and receive email and facebook on our phones, plus I can do all banking needs on my phone too. How convenient. So, since we're stuck with the fancy pants phones for a while now, we may as well use them. On that note, my blogging will, if not come to a complete stop, slow down quite considerably. I am not very good at updating anyway, so I may as well just give it up for now. I will still be able to use the internet at friends and family's houses. But finding the time to go there is sometimes difficult. Anyway, just thought I'd give you a heads up. Sorry if I disappear for a while. If you need to get ahold of me, just send me an email. jeanneputnam@gmail.com

Fun, Fun, Fun

2009-08-29T11:39:00.009-06:00

In July, Christian and I attended my company's summer picnic. We had a luau at Castlewood Canyon. Instead of participating in any of the fun activities, Christian played in the sandbox almost the whole time we were there. He loves sand!

Last weekend Christian and I had a lot of fun. It started on Friday, going to Westlands park with some friends. We had SO much fun playing at the playground and in the water. And we also enjoyed a picnic lunch. What a great way to start the day. Later that afternoon Christian and I spent a couple of hours playing outside in our yard with chalk. Then we discovered what fun it is to have a water fight with waterbottles.

On Saturday the whole family went to the Parker Family Fair. It was a fantastic event that was free to the public. Christian especially loved the fire truck. He was so excited to be able to sit in the driver's seat and pretend he was driving.

And, even though, in this picture he looks less than amused, he really enjoyed wearing the fireman clothes. What little boy doesn't love that?

Other things he enjoyed at the fair that I didn't get pictures of:

The Police car
Swat weapons
Anything to do with the military
The ambulance
hot dogs
Snocone
Popcorn
Running, Jumping, Running, Jumping, etc.

Cabin

2009-07-18T15:26:00.005-06:00

Dave took Christian to the cabin for a weekend. They had a good time.
I had a great time napping and enjoying a quiet house!!

I hear Christian loved the motorcycle. Somehow that doesn't surprise me!

Christian decided to paint his face with dirt. Isn't he precious?

I'm glad you were able to have fun at the cabin! I hope it becomes an annual event!

A new (to us) Park

2009-07-18T15:18:00.003-06:00

Christian and I discovered Westlands Park. Holy cow! Who knew you could have so much fun at a park? We could easily spend all day there. If you ever want to go there with us give me a holler! We'd love to go back anytime!

We spent all of our time at the spray park. Christian spent 3 hours running through water and splashing and having a good time. We also enjoyed a picnic lunch there too.

We didn't have time to go to the playground this time. We'll definitely go back and check it out soon. It looks like a lot of fun with a lot of really fun things to play on. We didn't get to see the big tree house they have either. I'm in love!

4th of July

2009-07-18T14:35:00.005-06:00

Christian and I drove to Salt Lake City for the 4th of July weekend.

The drive through Wyoming was actually really pretty. I couldn't believe how green it was in July. All that rain is paying off!

We met some friends (my roommate from BYU-I) at the Hogle Zoo on the 4th.

We saw ducks.

And we went to the elephant show.

Christian loved these tiger statues.

Matthew and Christian at the zoo. Neither one was interested in getting this picture taken.

The boys checking out the giraffes on the 2nd level. This was Christian's favorite part of the zoo. He really loves giraffes right now.

I took Christian to Temple Square before church on Sunday.

I just loved to watch Christian gaze at the temple.

He loves to smell flowers.

Some other highlights of our trip:

Kenzie invited us to their ward carnival on the 3rd. What a fun event to go to. They had a big slide and a bouncy house. We had to drag Christian out of the bouncy house. They had a lot of other activities too. Somehow I have no pictures of this night. Thanks for inviting us!!
We got to ride the train and carousel at the zoo. The highlight of our trip, for sure.
We had a good time playing the Wii on the 4th too! It was fun to see everyone's true age.
We got to meet Tommie, Geoff's girlfriend. I, sadly, have no pictures of her. What a great girl. Thanks for letting us get to know you.
I finally received our family pictures from my last trip to UT. They turned out GREAT! I will scan them in soon.
We enjoyed a great BBQ and fireworks with my family on the 4th. I really failed in the pictures department this trip. I guess I was having too much fun!
Church was excellent and Christian went to nursery with no problems. What a relief!
I got to spend time with my niece and nephew.

California

2009-07-18T14:09:00.010-06:00

At the end of May Dave and I took Christian to San Jose, CA to visit my grandparents. We had such a good time! Thanks Grandma and Grandpa McLaughlin for letting us invade your house for a few days! Unfortunately, Grandma was in the care center while we were there, so we barely got to see her at all. We can't wait to go back and visit again soon! Here's a quick recap of a few of our adventures in California.

Great-Grandpa and Great-Grandma McLaughlin got to meet Christian for the first time!

Visiting Great-Grandma McLaughlin at the Care Center.

Driving to the beach, via the redwoods.
I didn't take any good pictures of the redwoods and it was my idea to see them. Dave got so car sick that we just decided to get to the beach as quickly as possible.

Dave and Christian had SO much fun playing at the beach in Santa Cruz, CA. It was pretty chilly (which we expected) but we're used to the cold. They jumped in the ocean for a few min and then warmed up on the beach.

My Aunt Heather brought a couple of unicycles and Dave had a lot of fun learning to ride them. Maybe someday I'll get him his own. Maybe.

Aunt Kenzie pulled the cousins in the red wagon.

We also visited the Children's Museum in San Jose. It is so big and so much fun. Christian didn't know what to do with himself. There were so many things to play with. We'll definitely go back!

We were so glad that Kenzie and her family were able to come to California at the same time! It was so fun for the cousins to get to play. Thanks for vacationing with us!

Next time we go, we'll allow more time to see everything. Our time was limited and we tried to do too much. Christian was still sick and fairly grumpy and Dave had a cough the whole time we were there. I was the only healthy one. We found out after vacation that Christian had a sinus infection and he started on antibiotics. Only a few days later he got REALLY sick and was vomiting and diarrhea for a week. But we are all finally healthy now!

Christian's Post

2009-05-15T16:54:00.018-06:00

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lky6cbm z ghhhghfgdxrseszeazxcfklm m Aszx ZU`zDASJKK DSSFGGG xcv

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Translation:

Dear readers: I am very sick. I have had a fever for a few days and now I am so congested I can't breathe. It is so hard to sleep and I am very tired. Today I got some sunshine and that helped me feel a lot better. I sure hope I feel better soon.

Now Daddy is sick too. Sorry! I hope Mommy doesn't get sick next.
Love, Christian

PS I hate having my nose sucked out. Gross!

Chalk

2009-05-03T17:09:00.003-06:00

Christian and I finally got to enjoy some good weather outside last week. We busted out the sidewalk chalk and graffitied the place up. We are so happy for sunshine again!

(Sorry for the fuzzy pictures. They are from my phone.)

Because I Know You Love Pictures

2009-05-03T16:08:00.010-06:00

In the last month Christian and I have been keeping busy. Sadly, I have been terrible about taking pictures this month and even worse at blogging. I promise to do better in the future.

At the beginning of April Christian and I went with some friends to Little Monkey Bizness. They are new in Parker and WE LOVE IT! It's perfect to get some extra energy out and who doesn't love a Bounce House?

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

EASTER

We started Easter with a Peep. An Easter tradition that I hate...but in the name of traditions...

Then we attempted a photo shoot and it was TERRIBLE!! Talk about a grumpy kid.
So, I gave up and let him play (and we ate a real breakfast).

Christian's Easter basket and toys from the Easter Bunny.

--------------------------------------------------------------------
RANDOM PICTURES

Christian was eating and I just about lost my lunch when I had to clean it up.

Christian hanging out and Grandmama Putnam's house.

Eating yogurt.

Liberty Park

2009-03-29T13:07:00.012-06:00

Christian and I flew to Salt Lake City last weekend. On Friday (Mar 20) my sister, Kenzie, took us to Liberty Park to play. It was a gorgeous day. Perfect springtime weather.

I think my nephew, Arthur (3), and Christian played well together.
Christian still struggles to play well with others though.

My niece, Victoria (6 months).

Christian was a little weirded out by this tunnel. It took him a long time to go through it and get out of the way.

Christian (above) and Arthur (below) had a good time playing with these musical instruments. This was my favorite part of the park.

Arthur going down the slide. He's one hard kid to take pictures of.

Christian really likes to pretend play lately. This was his favorite part of the park. I'm not sure what he thought he was supposed to do, but he had fun doing it.

This little boy came up to Christian and gave him a hug. It was so funny. Then after a couple of hugs Christian returned the favor. They went back and forth hugging each other for a minute or so. Then the boy caught Christian off guard and they toppled over. Christian was SO tired by that point that he had a hard time recovering from the fall. He just stood there by my sister with his eyes closed and cried. We decided to go home and have lunch.

Arthur and Christian eating grapes and watching PBSKids.
Cute Cousins!

Thanks, Kenzie, for taking us to the park. I'm so glad we went! We want to go back in the summer time so we can play in the water.

The Children's Museum

2009-03-13T15:33:00.008-06:00

Christian and I went to the Children's Museum in Denver for a playdate with some friends today. It was our first time going and we had a blast! So, if any of you want to visit us in Denver...we'll probably take you there (But only if you have kids!). It was fun to see Christian interact with the other 18 month old kids. He really likes the girls. Yikes!

Christian was pretty frustrated that there were so many balls to play with, but he couldn't get them off the wall.

Of course we had to play with the trucks. So much fun!

All three kids playing with the trains.

Christian couldn't resist jumping on the huge teddy bears.

The firetruck was a big hit! He loved everything about it. He especially loved to sit in the driver's seat. He often climbed up onto the seat..even if it was already occupied. Oops!

Christian is waving "BYE!" I think he is mimicking me when I go to work. I have my purse and say, bye every morning. He does this a lot at home too. Anything that has a handle and might resemble a purse.

We did so many other things there during our 2 hour stay. But I wasn't able to get good pictures of it all. And the older he gets the more there is to do. My only complaint was how busy it was. But I suppose there isn't anything that can be done about that. We'll have to try and go at a less busy time next time.

Wash Park

2009-03-04T13:39:00.009-07:00

Apparently, now that I have lived in CO for 10 years I have decided it is time to get out and experience what this state has to offer (go here). I've been missing out all these years! Today, Christian and I went to Washington Park and had a blast! It was 70 degrees out and a little breezy, but not horrible. We met a group of Walking Moms from MomsLikeMe.com Nice people, fun kids, and a great time!

I realized that Christian doesn't get to play with many kids his age and didn't really know what to do with them. Towards the end of the trip he figured out that he could join in, but mostly just did things on his own.

Wash Park is only 25 minutes away from my house, right off of I-25 and Downing. Why have we not been there? So Fun! We are going to go there more often and take advantage of the big play area. And we'll take some bread for the geese. They tried to steal Christian's food. Okay, the truth is Christian was trying to feed them.

Can't wait to take Daddy there!

Kids Expo

2009-03-04T13:22:00.009-07:00

I won two tickets to the 2009 Radio Disney All About Kids Expo in Denver Feb 28. So I decided to ~~drag~~ ask a friend to go with me after work and of course take the kids. Well, I don't think anyone was in a particularly good mood that day and we have young boys (18 mo and 9 mo). There was a lot going on there, but I think it is geared more towards older kids (preschool and elementary age). Being in a crowd of thousands and being told you have to hold mommy's hand all the time was too much to take. We only lasted an hour. But in that time we were able to ride a pony and see a fire truck and do a little gymnastics. By then the mommies were worn out, the babies were grumpy and it was time to go. Of course, I remembered my camera, but didn't have much to take a picture of. It's hard to take pictures and deal with a tantrum at the same time. Besides...who wants to see pictures of Christian throwing a fit? Don't worry! We'll be back...in 2011.

Aquarium

2009-03-01T09:52:00.006-07:00

I apologize for the fuzzy pictures. I, of course, forgot my camera and so we used Dave's phone to take pictures and videos. Surprisingly, the videos turned out pretty well, but the pictures did not. Oh well. And of course we had SO much fun and no good pictures to show for it. These will have to do.

Dave and I learned that we know little to nothing about the species of the ocean. Sadly, most of our knowledge comes from the movie, Finding Nemo. Maybe we need to go back and learn some more about our friendly (or not so friendly) water friends. I, for one, was surprised how fuzzy the star fish look.

This is a really bad picture, but is the best one with Christian in it. That fish is VERY big.

Also another bad picture, but we wanted to prove we were really there.

Unfortunately, we were unable to get a video of the actual event, but Christian and Dave were able to pet the sting rays. Christian LOVED it! And I think Dave did too.

It's not surprising that we all loved the sharks. They are so breathtaking to look at. I could have stood in front of the shark tanks for hours! Unfortunately, there isn't much Christian can do for that long. So our trip to the Aquarium was short, but we had a blast. We will definitely be going back. And next time I wont forget the camera!

Nursery

2009-02-22T18:17:00.003-07:00

(Of course I didn't think to take a picture before church...when his hair still looked good.)

Today was first day of Nursery for Christian. A joyous occasion for all! He didn't cry until it was time to leave. He took one look at the toys and ran inside and never looked back. Two hours later when we picked him up he was still happy as could be. I hope it goes this well next week.

Mr. Potato Head

2009-02-14T14:31:00.005-07:00

Christian and I decided to play with Mr. Potato Head instead of cleaning the house. Here is what Christian did all by himself. He's so creative. On a side note...When asked to pick up the eyes, or nose, or arm, etc. he chose the right part. That made me happy. See..it was educational too. I'm such a good mom. :o)

Sunglasses

2009-02-14T14:28:00.002-07:00

Christian borrowed his Aunt Maren's sunglasses for a quick photoshoot. Isn't he so handsome?

Telephone

2009-02-14T14:05:00.007-07:00

Thursday night I called Dave to see when he would be home and Christian snatched the phone out of my hands and decided to talk to his Daddy. Christian had a lot to say, but he also let Dave talk on occasion. He was very upset with me when he had to get off the phone so I could give him a bath. (He had a blowout diaper while all of this was going on.) But he was quickly distracted by the water and was happy again. I think this might be a sign of what is to come during the teenage years (minus the blowout diaper, I hope).

Nothing In Particular

2009-02-06T17:03:00.007-07:00

I've been lazy about keeping this blog up to date. We've been keeping busy with day-to-day activities, but have done very little that is worthy of public mention. We've been sick here for the first time in a long time. I have been very lucky that Christian is usually healthy. Hopefully he inherited his Daddy's good genes. The poor kid would have never gotten sick if it wasn't for me. OOPS!

Can I just say...Check out that hair. I don't care what I do...it just sticks out everywhere. What can I say? He inherited his daddy's hair.

Christian has figured out how to use the camera. I found a bazillion photos of his foot and the carpet on the camera. Yay for 2gb memory cards.

Christian's Nana came to visit for just a few minutes last weekend. What a rare treat! We miss her so much!

They had SO much fun together! There was 3 months of kisses to catch up on. I'm just glad he warmed up to her. Have no fear...he remembered.
(I was unnecessarily worried.)

Christian's Great Uncle, Bill Putnam, unexpectedly passed away last week. I was unable to go, but Dave and Christian were able to attend the funeral on Tuesday morning in Greeley, CO.

So, that's it. Now we just wait for next week when Aunt Maren comes!

Let Me Introduce You...

2009-01-17T14:30:00.009-07:00

...To a few of Christian's favorite things.

Christian got this for Christmas. He loves to bounce on the zebra and dance to the songs.

He loves to tip over the ottoman and climb inside of it.

He loves his rocking chair. He sits in it all the time.

This is Lola. Christian LOVES Lola.
Here he is playing pat-a-cake with her.
(He's rolling it.)

We all love this table and chairs from IKEA.
It's the perfect size for a little boy.

I let my son...

2009-01-15T22:45:00.003-07:00

...eat dinner in nothing but his underwear and black socks.

I am such a good mom!

Random Pictures of the Week

2009-01-14T21:46:00.008-07:00

We have a bunch of random pictures from the week that don't really have much to them other than I think I have the cutest kid on the planet and I like to post random pictures. I'm the mom and I'm entitled to that, I think. (phew!)

I have a thirsty boy in very cute (and new) Cars pajamas.
Tow Mater!

Daddy had to ~~force~~ help him be still long enough for a few pictures. This is, by far, the only one that kinda turned out. Sometimes the energy level runs a little high. (Check out the alien cat in the background. How cool is that?)

These two pictures are for Aunt Maren. Thanks for the adorable outfit!! I'm glad you were able to find it in 18 months. We think it's the cutest thing ever!

Christian was cuddling with Daddy and the cat decided to join them. Apparently Christian was very excited by this. (*side note* I found this little surprise on the camera and just had to ask the story. I would like you to notice the big bruise/bump on his forehead. He's a boy, what more can I say?)

Well, I hope that will catch you up on the goings on of the week. Nothing major, just the normal day-to-day routines. As you can see we have a well lived in house with toys everywhere!

BlockHead

2009-01-11T16:22:00.006-07:00

Dear Christian,

Remember the day I bought you the set of 100 all natural wood blocks in a 100% organic cotton bag? I actually bought them for me. Thanks for giving me an excuse to play with blocks.

Love,
Mommy

It's Been A Year

2009-01-06T22:49:00.005-07:00

I technically started blogging in Aug 2006, but I ~~was too lazy to keep it up~~ took a year break and started back in Oct 2007. But then I decided it would be best to have a blog geared more towards the family life and one just for myself ~~to vent~~. So on Jan 10, 2008 I started this blog.

My main goal was to have a record of events in our life and keep in better touch with our family and friends. I don't think I posted as much as I thought I would, but I figure it was better than nothing. Then as the year went on I decided this blogging stuff wasn't so bad. Now my goal is to publish my blog into a book. So, in 2009 I will do better. I hope to double my posts, if not more.

If I was as cool as Lene I would host a Blogoversary Give-A-Way to celebrate. But I'm not. So, in honor of one whole year, I will probably eat some cake or take myself out to dinner on Jan 10. We don't want the day to go by unnoticed.

Now, Doesn't That Look Comfy?

2009-01-05T07:47:00.004-07:00

He's getting a little too tall to sleep like this.

Energy

2009-01-04T11:38:00.003-07:00

I can't believe how much energy Christian has lately. I know toddlers are packed full of energy, but I'm not sure I was expecting this. I don't know how he can get into so much all at once. Sometimes I just have to sit back and laugh. My patience is tried multiple times a day. I'm going to have to try a little harder to come up with fun activities he can do. I can't wait until spring time when we can spend more time outside. Our little condo offers no place for a toddler to run.

The other day I found Christian entertaining himself in his crib. I just want you all to know how BIG this is in our house. Christian has been sleeping in our bed for several months (about 6) but just before Christmas we put him in his own crib. He still protests at bed time, but only for a couple minutes. This transition was not nearly as difficult as we thought it would be. So, when I found him jumping in the bed, I just had to capture it on video so I could have proof that he's not really terrified of the crib, he just pretends to be.

New Clothes

2009-01-04T10:48:00.009-07:00

Christian got this cute outfit for Christmas from his Nana. Nana is my best friend's mom who watched Christian for the first year I was back at work. Now she lives in Wyoming and we miss her a lot!! We wish we could visit more, but winter driving in Wyoming is not a wise decision most of the time. Thank you Nana and Dani and Kori for the cutest outfit for church. It almost fits!! I can't believe he's so big now.

Nana requested pictures of Christian in his new outfit. I've been trying!! It's not easy to get my 16 month old to hold still for a photo shoot. And the only place he would stand is by the stairs; not the most beautiful backdrop. Then he got distracted by all the toys and that was the end of our photo shoot. But I think he looks so adorable, nonetheless.

This is the backside. Sorry I don't have more pictures, but he wasn't cooperating and I gave up. Next time he wears it I will try again. Enjoy!

Because I Have A Bad Memory

2008-12-28T21:48:00.005-07:00

Not that anyone really cares to read this, but I thought I'd write this all down before I forgot it all. I am thankful to have a blog (because we all know my AWESOME journal keeping skills) to document the happenings in our lives.

As of lately, Christian has wanted to sit on my lap a lot to read books or share a snack or just to cuddle.

If there is a sad commercial or sad music Christian will cry uncontrollably until you turn it off and then it still takes a long time to calm him down. He is especially sensitive to pictures of abused animals.

If you pull Christian onto our bed he immediately dives face first into our pillows, laughs hysterically, and then stands up, turns on the radio and dances.

Christian loves to dance. Almost always he will stop what he's doing to do a little dance if he likes the song.

Christian has a fascination with vacuums and brooms. He loves to "sweep".

Christian LOVES his daddy! He squeals (literally...like a little piglet) with delight as soon as he sees his Daddy, especially when he gets home from work.

Christian is a BIG flirt. He acts all shy, but it's just a ploy to get attention. It works every time. He can find a girlfriend anywhere we go.

Christian is finally sleeping in his crib every night, all night, for the first time in many months. Merry Christmas to us! The best present we got this year!

I'm sure there is a lot more that I could write, but this is all I can think of now.

Kangaroo

2008-12-26T16:23:00.003-07:00

This is just one example of a moving light display at Zoo Lights.

Zoo Lights

2008-12-26T14:40:00.008-07:00

Dave and I bought tickets to see Zoo Lights at the Denver Zoo. We kept trying to go, but with our crazy work schedules and the record breaking COLD nights it was getting harder to find the time and energy to get there. But I was determined to go (mostly because we already spent $14 on the tickets). We discovered that the zoo is always open (I guess the animals always need food) so we decided to go on Christmas Eve night. What a fun evening! I hope we can go back every year. But we're dressing warmer and taking our own hot chocolate. Seriously $4 for one hot cocoa and only $2.50 to add a shot of bourbon. Too bad I don't drink...I could have used the extra "warmth".

Here are some neat lizards lounging around.

A family portrait in front of a Gorilla...how fitting. (Love the trash cans!)

Christian is very concerned that the Hippo is going to eat his Daddy.

Isn't this picture amazing!?!

Dave and Christian (I opted out) got to touch this reptile. I'm not even sure what it is. Christian really liked it though. I quickly made them wash their hands. Yuck!

Just Because He's SO Adorable

2008-12-13T19:07:00.005-07:00

Certainly I am the coolest mom ever! If not the coolest, I've got to be pretty high up on the "cool mom" list. I got my son his very own cell phone today. We were shopping for a few last minute decorations so we decided to zip on down the strip mall to the Verizon store to look at the coveted Blackberry Storm that Dave wants SO badly. I just had to see what could be SO cool. As we were in the store, Christian was being his cute self and charmed all the employees. It was surprisingly slow tonight and everyone was playing with him and chasing him around. Christian was having the time of his life. One of the guys gave him an old dummy phone of his very own. He walked around pushing buttons like he was texting and then would hold the phone up (like he was taking a picture of the person), push a button and then turn the phone to show them the "picture". Then he would put the phone on the floor, clap a few times, pick the phone up and continue to charm everyone in the room. He sure loves to be the center of attention.

Food Network Challenge

2008-12-05T22:15:00.001-07:00

Christian and I went to see a taping of a Food Network Challenge with a friend tonight. Of course I didn't take my camera and forgot to take my phone in with me so this picture is all I have of the night. It was so crowded that we didn't have a seat and we couldn't see much. Christian wasn't a big fan of the event, but he loved to clap. We didn't get to see much of the show, and we missed the end (kind of on purpose). Now when I watch it on tv I will be surprised who the winner is.

I can't wait to go again and see more of the challenge. I think it would be so much fun. But I think I will have Dave watch Christian instead of taking him with me. I don't know how I didn't know about this sooner. This is my kind of event. I guess I just never thought they would tape something like that in Denver.

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Dear Christian,

2008-12-05T11:21:00.003-07:00

Today you were in a very grumpy mood. You threw a tantrum every other word I said. But that's okay because I love you SO much! Today you got into every nook and cranny in the house, especially if you knew you'd get in trouble for it. But that's okay because I love you SO much! Today you spit out every morsel of food I offered to you (even ice cream). But that's okay because I love you SO much! Today you learned how to open the refrigerator and carried around the mustard everywhere you went. But that's okay because I love you SO much! Today you randomly gave me a big hug when I was sitting on the floor exhausted at 11am from a long day of chasing you around and cleaning your messes. And then I remembered I love you SO much!

Love,
Mommy

Can you tell what kind of day I am having today?

Christian's 1st Artwork

2008-11-25T10:18:00.002-07:00

I picked up Christian from the sitter's last night and this is what he gave me. This is a special treat...it's his very 1st piece of art. He colored it all by himself. These are the things that I cherish. I am going to be the mom that keeps it all, but it's worth more to me than any expensive piece of jewelry or technology.

Jake

2008-11-23T23:00:00.005-07:00

On Friday we said our final goodbyes to our wonderful dog, Jake. He was a part of our family for nearly 5 years and was our "first" child. Dave and I were newlyweds when we adopted Jake, but times have changed and we just couldn't feel right about having a dog. So, we put him back up for adoption.

He was a good addition to our family and will be a great addition to the next family he is a part of. We will miss him a lot, but it was time. He will be a good memory in our family.

First Snow

2008-11-14T11:14:00.000-07:00

We had our first snow of the season this morning. It is almost gone now, not that it was much. It barely dusted the grass and only stuck to the less traveled roads. But it is snow...so it counts. It will be gone soon but I am sure there will be more soon. It is almost Thanksgiving after all.
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

We Had Fun at the Park

2008-11-11T20:01:00.000-07:00

Christian and I had fun running all over town, but the best part was the park. He especially liked the swings. Yeah for a fun phone that allows me to blog from anywhere.
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

The Park

2008-11-11T19:46:00.001-07:00

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Country Music

2008-11-11T17:39:00.002-07:00

My son is in love with Taylor Swift. I don't know why...I don't even listen to country music. Every time we hear her on tv (she was on Ellen today) or on the radio he just can't help but dance or sway. He stares at her pictures and giggles with delight. All I can say is..she's a pretty girl. I don't know much else about her.

Breakfast

2008-11-11T09:16:00.002-07:00

Is it a bad thing that I took Christian to Chick-Fil-A to enjoy some very yummy chick-n-minis for breakfast on my day off? He loved them just as much as his mommy does! After every other bite he would say "Mmmmm!" and smile really big. It was quite possibly the best $5 I will spend all day. If you haven't tried them...you must! The only thing I wish is that they would sell them all day and not just at breakfast.

The Amazing Christian

2008-11-09T14:29:00.003-07:00

We had an amazing Stake Conference today. I only know it was amazing because Christian sat through the whole meeting and quietly played and ate his snacks. I don't remember the last time he was so good for so long. He did GREAT!! It makes me happy to know that it is possible. Now if we could just do it every week.

Pumpkin Guts

2008-11-05T20:20:00.003-07:00

We didn't carve our pumpkins this year, but we did gut one for the seeds. Christian loved to help daddy play in the guts. He had pumpkin in every nook and cranny. Dave enjoyed homemade pumpkin seeds, but he was disappointed with the small quantity of seeds in our very large pumpkin. I think I like the look of a pumpkin without carving it better than the jack-o-lantern look. But, for tradition's sake, we should carve pumpkins next year.

PS It always amazes me that no matter what we are doing the dog always wants in. Once I give him a taste of what we are doing he doesn't like it and still begs for more.

Boo at the Zoo

2008-10-25T21:33:00.004-06:00

We went to Boo at the Zoo today and had so much fun. Unfortunately, so did the rest of the Denver population! It was a beautiful, but very windy, 70 degrees today. I've never seen so many people at the zoo. As you can see, Christian was a ferocious tiger. I think he's a pretty cute little tiger.

The best part was crunching the leaves.

Pumkins

2008-10-15T16:42:00.008-06:00

Dave, Christian and I went to pick a few pumpkins today from a local (but still 45min away) pumpkin patch. We were told that there are no pumpkin patches in CO where you can pick them from the field. I don't know if it's true, but I found that this was a better way to pick a pumpkin with a 1 yr old. We found the quality to be great and prices were reasonable. Everyone was so friendly and there were lots of other kids to play with too.

We thought Christian would love this corn box. Who wouldn't love playing in a hug box filled with corn? Well, he hated it. Maybe next year.

Christian loved these bumpy gourds. He thought they were balls that he could throw.

When Christian realized that he couldn't lift these big pumpkins (and believe me, he tried) he decided they were better chairs than balls anyway. So he climbed on all of them until he found just the right one. I couldn't have posed them better myself.

Here are the final 3 pumpkins that we decided to buy. Soon they will be gutted and carved for everyone's viewing pleasure. Dave is mostly excited to eat the seeds. I love fall and I love making memories. We can't wait for next year!

Being Silly

2008-09-29T12:35:00.003-06:00

The other day we were watching a movie and Christian was playing with his toys. We look up and he's climbing in his toy box. He sat there for about 5 minutes playing with different toys, mostly his trucks. He didn't get out until he accidentally dropped his truck overboard. It was quite entertaining to watch him. I guess it's easier to reach the toys when you are right in there with them.

On a not so fun note...Christian is sprouting teeth again. His 1 year molars are emerging all at once. Yay! He's been sick because of it I think. Or he's just sick. So, on top of a really cranky teething baby, he's throwing up and won't eat. I had to stay home with him today because of it. Yeah for staying home! Boo for being cooped up with a sick baby!

Walking

2008-09-29T12:22:00.004-06:00

I know you all have been long awaiting this here video. I am SUPER sorry about the VERY poor quality. Someone (Dave) lost the charger to the video camera and so I took this on the digital camera a week ago. It's better than nothing I guess. Oh..and apparently Christian's room wasn't very clean that day either. Oops! So here it is...the proof that he really does walk. In fact..he walks everywhere now. Such a big boy!

Editor's note: I don't know why he loves that little broom so much, but he does. He carries it all over the house and sweeps things with it. He's my little helper.

Memory Lane

2008-09-23T22:38:00.013-06:00

I was looking through some old pictures and I realized that Christian has had a few different hair styles in his short life. And I can't believe how much he has changed as he has gotten older. I can't believe when I brought him home he weighed in at a whopping 5lbs 5oz and 18.5" long. He wore preemie diapers and preemie clothes. Now he is 22 lbs and 30.5" and wears size 3 diapers and 12 months clothes. He has 8 teeth and walks everywhere. What a growing boy! I love that he walks now and I love to hear him babble on and on like we are having an intelligent conversation. I can't wait until he talks to me. We'll have some good chats! I have a feeling he'll be one of those kids that never shuts up though. Oh well...better than being silent I guess. I hope you enjoy my trip down memory lane. Sometimes it's hard to believe he is already 13 months.

This is the original...just born 3 days ago hairdo.

This is the one month old...Daddy made me do it and I don't like it hairdo.

Here is the 2 months old..thinning hair look.

Getting long around 4-5 months.

Long Spikes @ 7 months

Short Spikes the next day

Faux-Hawk 9 months

Short..Short Buzz Cut 1 yr

Christian's Big News!

2008-09-13T15:02:00.002-06:00

The little monster walks now! He walks, turns corners, stops to pick up a toy or cup and keeps walking. Who knew he had it in him? Sadly, I have not been in blogging mode and have no pictures or video of this new skill. My friend got a video of it at her house so I will have to beg to get a copy I suppose. Hopefully we will have a video up soon. It's pretty exciting stuff (or maybe it's just exciting to me)!

Thank You!

2008-08-24T08:46:00.015-06:00

Lydia holding Spencer.

Mikel and Shalena

Kori, Dillon and Christian were entertained by the balloons.

Lydia holding Christian

Christian loves his new puppy.

The perfect shirt!

Lots of presents! Thank you everyone!

Dillon

This is what happens when you try to avoid the picture..you look silly and I still get the picture.

Jesse and Lydia

Shalena, Lindsey and Spencer

Grandmama and Grandpapa Putnam at the barbeque.

We just want to thank everyone that came to the party! We loved having you here to help us celebrate Christian's 1st birthday! Thank you for all of the cute new outfits and fun new toys. We hope you had fun!

1st Birthday Party

2008-08-24T08:07:00.010-06:00

We had Christian's 1st birthday party last night. We invited a few friends and family to come over for a barbeque. Christian had a lot of fun and loved all the new toys he got. I can't believe he is already one!

This is me, Christian and my friend, Lydia from work.

Christian and Daddy opening presents!

Christian loved his birthday cake!

Can't believe he ate the whole thing!

Too much cake...too many pictures!

Dave and I bought Christian this fun toy that he can walk behind. Oh my! It didn't take long to figure it out and now he just runs over whatever or whoever is in his way. He LOVES this toy! It is already helping him have more confidence to walk. Maybe we'll have a walking machine in the next few weeks...who knows.

Overall, I think the party was a success. Christian had a lot of fun and that was my main goal. The food was good, company was great and the weather held out for us. What more can you ask for?

Another Haircut

2008-08-18T20:45:00.003-06:00

Another haircut for the boy who is almost 1! He seems to like it, but I'm not convinced yet. I think he looks better with longer hair, what do you think? Compare pictures from this post and the last one. I was just tired of washing food out of his matted hair all the time. So, for the sake of my sanity..short hair it is.

Play Time

2008-08-18T20:32:00.004-06:00

I love to watch Christian play. He has so much fun babbling to himself and trying to accomplish new things. As his first birthday gets closer by the day (it's tomorrow already!) I was on the lookout for fun toys I could get him. The last month I have payed close attention to the things he chooses to play with. He goes straight for the fun stuff. He loves the dog and cat toys and daddy's wallet and a watering can. Who knew?? So, I still don't know what to buy, but I'm sure we'll figure something out. He doesn't pay much attention to toys but would rather play with the "stuff" laying around the house.

Nothing New

2008-08-08T18:01:00.003-06:00

I haven't updated this blog in a while and I don't have any recent pictures to share. Life has been abnormally boring. We don't go anywhere fun or do anything exciting (or anything for that matter). We're lucky to make it outside for a quick walk. So anyway, I am sure life can't always be exciting, right? We are anxiously waiting for Christian's first birthday in a couple weeks. Stay tuned for pictures of the munchkins birthday bash! Hopefully we can start having some fun once it's not so hot outside.

Pay It Forward

2008-07-29T07:00:00.003-06:00

I am going to play " Pay it Forward". I got this from Janiece. This is how it works folks. I am going to send something to the first 3 gals who comment on this post. Then those 3 gals promise to send something to the first 3 gals who comment on their posts and so on and so on. The something can be anything you made, bought, found or were given. Something you would like to receive. If you want to join the fun...PLEASE leave a comment and then post about the giveaway on your blog. Then send something to the first 3 who sign up. Who Wants To Play???

This will be lots of fun!

Nauvoo

2008-07-27T07:04:00.012-06:00

When Christian saw this statue of Joseph Smith at the Visitor's Center his little face lit up with joy. He started to clap and immediately reached out to touch him. I have never seen him get so excited about something like that. He loved to see anything about Joseph Smith.

We were able to attend the Nauvoo Pageant and it was SO fun! I highly recommend going to see it if at all possible! Christian had a great time too. This is a scene when they just completed building the temple.

We were fortunate to take a horse and carriage ride through the countryside in Nauvoo and enjoy some spiritual stories from the missionaries. It was a great way to see some of the sights that most people don't get to see. Besides, where else can you see children pulling handcarts? The picture below is Lookout Point with a great view of the Mississippi River.

These are the 2 ginormous horses that pulled our carriage. Christian LOVED the horses. I couldn't get him to turn around to look at the camera. He loves animals so much!

A couple of the places we were able to visit were the printing press and the brickyard. It's amazing how much you learn everytime you go to Nauvoo.

We had such a good trip to Nauvoo. It made for a very nice first family vacation. Christian was so good in the car which gives us hope for future vacations. We hope you enjoyed some of our favorite pictures from Nauvoo. I didn't take very many because I was very sick for most of the trip, but we still had a great time! We also visited Independence, MO and Liberty Jail. We missed the trip to Carthage because I was too sick. Unfortunately I wasn't able to take any pictures in Independence or Liberty. Maybe we'll have to go back.

The Park

2008-06-29T15:06:00.008-06:00

We decided to take advantage of a beautiful day to go to the park. It's a little bit of a walk from our house, but we managed to make it there and back. We had a lot of fun!

Christian didn't seem to like hanging on the monkey bars. He had a sad face the whole time.

It was getting a little hot so we decided to sit under the tree with Jake and get a drink of water.

Overall I think we had a good time and it was nice to get out of the house and do something rather than waste another day away. I think summer will be over before we know it.

It's Been A Couple Weeks

2008-06-29T11:53:00.005-06:00

My mommy has been too busy to blog lately, so I have decided to take on the responsibilities. I have had a lot of fun these last couple weeks. Here are some pictures of what I have done.

Mommy kept saying she needed to clean the kitchen so I decided I could help. The floor was really dirty and needed to be mopped so I dumped Jake's water on the floor and mopped the floor with my pants. Then mommy gave me a roll of paper towels to use instead. She was so happy I helped.

Sometimes I have a little down time after dinner and before bed so I like to text my friends and see what they are up to.

Mommy wasn't feeling very well and fell asleep for a few minutes while I was playing. I decided that I should pull everything off the couches and out of the kennel to make a nice obstacle course to crawl around in. She was so happy to wake up and see how easily I can play all by myself.

Jake and I love to share our toys. Here I am playing tug of war with Jake's bone.

Daddy and I went to the cabin for my very first time. We had SO much fun there. I am so glad I got to take Puppy with me. He reminded me of home. I took Puppy everywhere with me. When we got home from the cabin Mommy said puppy had to take a bath. He looked just fine to me.

So, that's what I've been up to the last couple of weeks. I hope the next couple of weeks are just as fun!

Happy Father's Day!

2008-06-15T17:19:00.002-06:00

Happy Father's Day to all of the fathers out there! Christian hasn't had the opportunity to see his daddy yet today, but he can't wait to have a nice dinner with him tonight and give him lots of love and kisses. Unfortunately Dave had to work all day today, but we will see him tonight to give him his gifts and tell him what a good daddy he is! We are so fortunate to have him in our lives and we love him very much!

Swimming

2008-06-05T20:29:00.003-06:00

Christian got to go to the pool for the first time on Monday. We went with Kori and had a blast! He didn't have so much fun in the kiddie pool, but those were the only pictures I got of him. He loved the big pool though. Unfortunately I wasn't able to get any pictures of him there. The truth is we were having so much fun that I forgot about the camera.

Other than that not too much has happened. It's been life as usual full of fun and games.

Another Haircut

2008-05-28T17:49:00.008-06:00

A couple days ago I was trying to clean the house (a rare occurance, I know) and Christian was in the way, as always, so I put him in his toy box to keep him out of my way. He thought it was great. Now he tries to climb into it all the time. Or maybe he's just trying to dump all the toys out.

After Christian was all ready for bed he fell asleep while playing with his toys in the living room. Too cute!

Today Dave, Christian and I drove to Colorado Springs to visit my sister in law, to play and get haircuts. Here is a before and after of Christian's haircut. He looks so grown up now.

BeforeAfter

Also, we have been having a lot of fun rearranging our living room! Stay tuned for pictures coming soon.

Climbing stairs!!

2008-05-23T19:23:00.003-06:00

I didn't take a picture because I was too scared to move, but Christian climbed up 6 stairs without even glancing back. Of course, he tried to take a break and sit down, but there wasn't a stair behind him to sit on. Good thing I wasn't busy taking a picture.

What a week!

2008-05-23T18:59:00.006-06:00

Christian was a little out of control the other day so I locked him in the dog kennel. Okay..I didn't really do that. He actually crawled in there all by himself and closed the door. It looks like he found a couple things out of his room to make the journey with him (ie..bib and carseat boot on the floor). He is too tall to stand up all the way in there, but he sure tried. He kept bonking his head on the top of the kennel. I couldn't stop laughing.

What kid doesn't love to play with spaghetti? Oh..and this wasn't on purpose. During a lapse in my better judgement I held the bowl within arm's reach. I should have known better. I decided since he already made a mess to let him have some fun. Then straight to the bathtub.

A picture really is worth a thousand words. Notice Dave's new accessory on his left arm.

This week has been long! I am ready for it to be done and I am so grateful that it is Memorial Day on Monday. I could use a small break.

Crawling, Mohawks and Mother's Day

2008-05-11T14:16:00.008-06:00

In my last post I announced that Christian is crawling with ease. It didn't take long for him to figure out how to crawl faster, turn corners and find the dog food. Yumm!! I thought Jake would protect his food a little more, but he just steps back and lets Christian try some.

Also, because of his new crawling talents and need to explore every nook and cranny, we purchased some jail bars aka a baby gate. We got the kind that screws into the wall so we don't have to worry as much about him or Jake or Merlin knocking the gate down and getting hurt or opening a pathway to the stairs. I think we need another one for the hallway. I have a feeling this will be a very good investment. It's already been helpful.

It also didn't take long for Christian to start pulling himself up. He truly likes this new talent and practices often. He isn't great at it yet and it is still a struggle for him, but he finds great joy in standing all by himself.

And because it is Mother's Day and I am the mother, I dressed Christian up for church and gave him a nice mohawk..ok..really it is a fohawk. He wasn't so sure of it at first, but I think he's warming up to the idea.

Here Christian is practicing to be a model. This is his "pensive" pose.
We are having so much fun watching him grow and learn new things. I can't believe how fast he is growing. He already has 2 teeth on bottom and has 4 teeth coming through on top. Only 1 hasn't cut through yet. And just yesterday I noticed 2 more teeth swelling up on the bottom. I can't believe he'll have 8 teeth soon. He's turning into a little person.

I am so happy to be a mother and be given the responsibility of raising one of Heavenly Father's children. We have truly been blessed with a good baby. And he's pretty cute too!