A Day at Play

So being the AWESOME dad that Cole is he wanted to check off all the things on Sierra's list while he was home.  Being that it is the middle of winter two of her items were going to be a bit questionable... Camping and Fishing.  So he opted for an indoors version.  The tent was set up, the fishing pole rigged... and then they created a rainbow trout to catch (with magnets.)  After her big 10 inch catch out came the camping stove and frying pan.  The tent was loaded down with the sleeping bags, a gun for protection from the big black wolf... aka Bongo, and a baby crib. 

As the day evolved her camping chair became the toilet/out house, she had about five more babies, we became the grandparents and she was married to a man named Cob Lo.  As we inquired more about her husband who wasn't present much we discovered that he was a cowboy out on the range working with donkeys.  He rides bare back, wearing a hat and the Emperors New Suit.... aka he's a nudist.  He makes a living selling donkey poop so he can pay for all these babies she keeps having. 

She is an independent mommy that goes and checks for the bears, cooks the meals, takes care of the sleeping/crying babies, and so easily pops out these chidlren.  All in all it made for a hilarious day of imagination, creativity, story telling.... and some somewhat restful play for mom and dad as we got to take some rests in the sleeping bags as mommy declared night time, morning time, night time, morning time, ha ha!

Our Blessed Little Boy

One of the items on my top 5 list while Cole was home was to have Weston baptised.  (This was one of the things he missed with Sierra.)  The priest here on post is awesome and was very willing to work with Cole's unpredictable schedule with the arrival/departure time line.  Cole came home, we set the date and then the Army scheduled for Father to leave for the week... awe!  Thank goodness we received a new priest to post that week and he was able to step in. 

Father Dan held a beautiful ceremony in the intimate Sacred Heart Chapel.  Weston was able to wear the baptismal gown that was originally my mother's, then my uncle Jon's, later worn by me, my sister Amy, and by Sierra.  Here are some pictures of the ceremony and our darling little boy. 

 Sierra and daddy

 Weston and his godparents, Sarah and Matt

 Our family with Weston's surrogate mommies/aunties... aka my birth coaches Melissa and Julie

 Sierra with her friends Caleb and Baylee

All Smiles!

FOOD!

Oh my mom and dad... what have you been holding out on me!  Weston is loving his first experiences with solid foods.  He was not at all crazy about the rice cereal plain.  We made up some butternut squash and mixed that in... and now he is all about it!  Here is a video to share so you can see his excitment for each bite. 

Hope you enjoy =)

http://youtu.be/ZBL2zLlFVAI

A Family of Four

We are finally a family of four!!!  Cole arrived home Sunday for his R and R time period.  The morning didn't start off qutie as planned with Sierra vomitting in my bedroom doorway about 6am.  We skipped mass so we wouldn't risk anyone else getting sick and hung out watching cartoons for most of the morning waiting to find out when daddy would arrive.  I didn't bother to get dressed until 10 minutes before heading out the door in fear of being vomitted/spit up on!  We managed to make it through his greeting... and then Weston got me as we were leaving the airport!  Sierra was attached at the hip to daddy as we left the airport and has enjoyed much time with him since.  Cole is enjoying the smiles and giggles from Weston too... and trying to adjust to life without needing to give orders on a constant basis.

And now for the pictures many of you have been waiting for... thanks Melissa!!!

A Cozy Christmas

Well... without daddy home the kids and I ventured to Maryland for Christmas.  Originally the hope was to have daddy home some time around Christmas and when it was clear that wasn't going to happen then we went to plan B.  Originally the intent was to meet up with Papa Steve and Grandma Lulu as they flew cross country so there would be extra adults.  Well... that didn't work out either as the Tehachapi school didn't get out until really late this year.  So off to plan C. 

The kids and I flew out of Colorado Springs so that we could have a friend drop us off and help pick us up to collect baggage.  I booked a flight that went through the Dallas airport knowing that they had a USO and a playground.  This would create to shorter flights and some wiggle time in between for Sierra.  Still not sure whether that was the best route or not verses a direct flight... but it worked out. 

We started our adventured early in the morning... about 4:30.  Got to the airport and all checked in.  Then Sierra was randomly selected for security.  We spent a good deal of time there getting everyone redressed, bags re-packed (the DVD player, bottles, etc. had to all come out and be screened).  The first flight was not too eventful.  Then the layover began... Sierra did a great job pulling her own little suitcase around packed with her toys and goodies.  We finally made it to the playground.... and then had a complete meltdown over having to leave socks on to play.  Ugh... that nearly took up the entire play time. 

Oh... and I have break to mention the handmade baby carrier she received for her birthday.  She had her new baby doll in the carrier and was walking through the airport like that so she could be like mommy.  We passed a group of people and I heard a couple ladies gasp.  Then one of them said to the other, "I don't think it's real.  Really it can't be real!"  Ha ha, they thought she was carrying my baby around for me.  It was funny. 

Okay... made it through that and to the next flight.  Got the stroller broken down, the car seat bagged up and down the jet way.  Onto the plane, in the air and then... before we reached altitude Weston pooped.  What to do.  Didn't want to allow it to completely smell up the plane so I managed to change him on my lap without spreading any unwanted bodily fluids to undesired surfaces/places.  Got that double bagged in the awesome poop bags, only to sit him up and have him spit up down the front of me.  Then as we reached altitude Sierra declared that she too needed to poop.  So off we went to the teeny, tiny airplane bathroom.  Sierra took care of business and then I went in to wipe with Weston strapped to me and Sierra declaring, "There's not enough room, I'm too squished!"  Ah... mission accomplished and back to our seats we went.  Then the rest of the flight seemed to go about like that... spilt goldfish crackers, tears over not being able to eat them off the airplane floors, spilt water, etc.  It didn't take long on that flight for me to think to myself, "What was I thinking!!!??"    At last we made it. 

We did enjoy a wonderful visit and loved getting to meet and play with cousin Sean.  We had a wonderful Christmas surrounded by family and in a new place (although it wasn't a white East Coast Christmas... that was surprising.)  Auntie Aim and Uncle Steve had a park in their neighborhood that was frequented, as well as a Chic Fil A near by for the rainy days.  I got to catch up with a good girlfriend and meet her kids, Sierra saved many worms from drowning meanwhile wearing nothing but pink!  Such a Tom-Boy!  We enjoyed a Christmas Eve Mass service with a children's nativity pageant and choir.  And I will spare you all the details of the trip back as it was much the same... but with a little more help from the kind lady sitting next to us.  She held Weston while I took Sierra to the bathroom that go around!  Things could have been worse, but it was definitely eventful and not something I will take on again until the kids are a bit older or daddy is available to travel. 

And now here are some pictures of our time in Maryland...