What up, Doc?

Ian had his 15 month well child check yesterday with his new doctor - Dr. Virginia Hrywnak. She is fabulous! When Ian was running a high fever last month we saw her and I just really liked her method of interaction. I decided that it was time to make the switch and I am glad I did. We spent a lot of time discussing Ian's diet and she gave me some helpful tips. We all know I like to eat, but not necessarily cook. Hello - I am married to a chef! Plus, Ian just isn't into a lot of table food yet. She assured me that was fine and that he would not be going to kindergarten on pureed foods. Whew! I wouldn't say Ian is a picky eater, but he definitely is less than excited when it comes to chewing. I know he will get the hang of it and he just needs a lot of practice. I also need to be better about my schedule and try to prepare foods the night before so I am not so frazzled when I get home and need to get dinner on for him in 30 minutes. Casey's schedule will soon change since school is almost out and that will help a lot too - there is only so much I can do with 2 hands, an extra pair are always handy and appreciated:)

Ian weighed in at 21 lbs. and 2 oz. Still a little peanut! He is 29.5 inches long. It is evident that he is going to be tall and lean like his Daddy. He is in the 7th percentile for weight and 42nd percentile for height. Fine by us - as long as he is growing well on his terms we have no complaints. I prefer to save the overachieving for academics:) He did surprisingly well with the shots, which always makes me feel better. It is tough to watch, especially once they have words and real tears to go along with it. He will get 3 more shots at his 18 month check-up and then we will be done for a couple of years. Yay!

We are feverishly preparing for our visitors this weekend. I am so excited because my girlfriend, Erica, is coming to visit! And she is bringing a playmate for Ian - her 9 month old son Nathan. They arrive tomorrow night and will head back home on Sunday. We are going to have so much fun. It has been awhile since I got some quality girltime so I cannot wait. I am excited to show off our home and town. She has never been to Colorado, so let's hope the weather is kind to her...

Happy Earth Day!

Hop to It!

Hope everyone had a nice Easter. Mom & Bob came to visit us for Easter. It was great to see them! The visits are never long enough though. They arrived late Thursday night - I mustered up the energy to stay awake to greet them and then I had to crash. Ian still isn't sure who that lady is, but he warmed up to Grandma much faster this time. Shame on me though - I didn't get any pictures of Ian with his grandparents. Well, I shouldn't say that. We did take some Tuesday AM before they left but I don't think Grandma wants me to post pictures of her with no make-up and still in her PJ's.

Saturday we hosted Easter brunch at our place. Casey made a fabulous meal and Mom made a yummy dessert! Ann & Tim joined us from Breckenridge - it is always nice to see them - sometimes we aren't sure we will be able to with the always unpredictable Colorado weather. Ian had so much fun entertaining everyone, once he woke up from his nap. It is the funniest thing - whenever we are hosting a big dinner or having a party he takes the best naps. It is as if he knows we need him to sleep so we can get stuff done. Thanks, Dude.

Ian was stoked to wake up to Easter goodies from the Easter bunny! He immediately went to the car and started driving it around the living room. How cute! He got several goodies throughout the weekend, but I am thinking the remote control car is his favorite. It would be Mommy's favorite too if you could turn the sound off:) He also got a beach ball, grow your own frog, bubbles and popsicle molds. Yum! Somebunny is itchin' for summer. Grandma and Grandpa gave him a hoppin' bunny and a fuzzy duck chair. He hasn't quite figured out the sitting thing yet, but he likes to collect his toys on it. The hoppin' bunny is hilarious. I tried to get a video of it, but no success. He loves to watch it hop and try to catch the floppin' ears.

Sunday we enjoyed an Easter breakfast with Ann & Tim at the Egg & I. It was delish and surprisingly crowded. We parted ways after breakfast, as they had a snowy drive back to Breckenridge. The rest of the day was a lazy one for us, but it was nice to spend time together. Mom & Bob headed back to IN on Tuesday. It is always easier to say goodbye when you know the next time you will be together. We are looking forward to a fun family vacation in WI for the 4th of July.

Once our house guests left, we focused on the basement. Our furniture was delivered on Tuesday evening. I was worried that it was not going to fit and it would not have if there was not a window to go through. I felt bad for those guys because it was no easy job. I love it though! I was worried I wouldn't like it, but nope...it is exactly what I wanted.

Having furniture downstairs was definitely a motivator to get the TV moved down as well. That was until the weather hit. When you live in a state that has 320+ days of sunshine a year, rain is just a downer. Snow expected - rain annoying. As I am sure most of you heard, Colorado got its' annual spring dump of snow last week. Fortunately, it just missed us. Instead we got 3 days of rain. Solid. Any motivation I had quickly went out the window. Just getting into the car was a debacle because the rain was coming down so hard. That is okay though. I will take that over 30 inches of snow any day. Friday, Boulder got some serious snow and the office closed down early (always a bonus) so people could get home safely. I was just tired. Casey tried to motivate me - bless his heart, but I just wasn't having it. Saturday we needed to run some errands - the only sunshine in that adventure was how cute Ian looked in his rain hat!

Finally, the rain broke on Sunday and we were able to get out. The sun was out and it was warm. Fabulous! I went for a walk Sunday morning because I just needed to be out. It was good for the soul. We enjoyed a great family day and we finally found motivation to get cranking on the basement. Casey spent most of the day downstairs trying to get it all put together. Ian and I took a drive so Casey could have time to himself and I am so glad we did. I found the perfect side table @ Serendipity (a hidden treasure in Longmont). It was just what I was looking for at a fraction of the price. Can I get a "hells yeah"?

There is still so much work to do before it is completed, but for now the books are unpacked, the albums are up and the TV is installed. Yippee! A work in progress for sure. I have plenty of frames waiting for pictures, baskets to order, a side table to pick up...the list goes on. But we are getting there. I hope to get even more accomplished this weekend while Casey is at work. Stay tuned!

Whirlwind

That is the best way to describe these past couple of weeks! It all started with our "blizzard" on the 26th. Nothing like 2006, but still bad. Boulder got 16 inches of snow in a just a few hours. Casey was able to pick up Ian at daycare while I got essential work done at the office before deciding it was no longer a good idea to stay there. I am glad I left when I did - it took me almost 2 hours to get home! I was happy to be at home with my 2 favorite guys for an afternoon. We all enjoyed a relaxing, snowy afternoon and Ian learned a new word!

It also allowed us more time to focus on the basement - a lot of phone calls, decisions, check writing, painting, comparison shopping, more decisions, last minute trips to the hardware store, etc. Our basement has come a long way though. The bookcases are finished and painted, carpet installed, painting done (with a few exceptions), and a "new" door installed.The bookcases took 3 coats of paint! Each night, I would get Ian settled into bed and head downstairs to paint. We had a deadline of Thursday night because the carpet was installed Friday AM. Casey and I finished the crucial tasks by the deadline and were nervous about the carpet. Would we actually like it when all was said and done?

The answer is...YES!

Well, mostly done anyway. The shelves are still in the garage getting their final coats of paint and tomorrow they will be here to finish the trim and casing. Then the real fun begins - new TV installed, new furniture delivered and tireless hours on the Etsy/IKEA websites searching for that "just right" decor. I can't wait!

Casey and Ian hung out together on Friday since his daycare was closed. I was jealous as I got to spend my time at the office:( They did stop by to say hello and see Maggie & me for a minute or two. What a pleasant surprise! For whatever reason that was the moment Ian decided walking was better than crawling. Casey and I could not believe we were both there to see it. He spent 15 minutes getting up, taking a few steps, falling down, getting back up - you get the idea...

He couldn't get enough of it. He even walked the entire length of our living room on Friday night. Of course, we did not get that on video. But we did get a couple of steps. He loves the new carpet in the basement and the cubbies. They are just his size!

We were able to relax a little bit this weekend, but we have a lot to accomplish before our visitors arrive on Thursday night. Grandma and Grandpa Schneider are coming for Easter! We can't wait to see them. We are hosting an Easter dinner at our place on Saturday. Bob's daughter and son-in-law will be joining us from Breckenridge - weather pending. It will be so nice to have everyone together.

The Easter Bunny made an early stop at our house this year - Ian got his first set of Legos today! I went to Once Upon A Child looking for a new pair of shoes. He has grown out of 2 pairs in the last week. And as you know, any son of mine needs at least 3 pairs of shoes at all times before actually full-time walking. ha! I didn't find any shoes, but we did score a box of Legos. Daddy and Ian couldn't wait to dive right in when we got home!