Summer, Fall, Winter, Where is the time going

It's now pretty much November and in Wisconsin that means winter is here.  It hasn't actually snowed yet...but I know it's close.  Time is short so we're gonna summarize the last few months.

July

Family Reunion in Midway---so great to see everyone!   

August---my team won the Midwest Section championships beating Ohio and Michigan to qualify for nationals

September---moved into a bigger place.  So great to have more room.  My parents came out to help which was wonderful  (for us---not so much for them)

October---got to see my family again!  Flew into Vegas, spent a few days in George before driving down to Palm Springs to play Nationals.  Left Sean overnight for the first time.   Had so much anxiety about it, but it was actually very relaxing, I got to just focus on tennis.  I guess if you're going to leave your son with anyone, your mom and sister are about as good as it gets!

Can't wait to go out to Utah for Thanksgiving and Chile for Christmas!!!

Sean is growing up so much.  He's 20 months old, running everywhere and starting to talk more.  He has really enjoyed having more space in the new house...having room to run around and a huge backyard to play in.  

Sean's favorite things to play with or do right now:

playing with the brooms in the garage

holding pencils and spoons

playing the piano

holding toothbrushes

playing in the car (climbing in the front seat and pushing every button, lever, switch possible)

reading stories (moms favorite because he just snuggles in my lap)

books with flaps or anything to manipulate or feel

wrestling

Sean's favorite things to eat:

pasta

propel

chocolate chips

GRAPES

chocolate pudding

sandwiches

raisins

did I mention GRAPES

Summer is the best!!

Here in Wisconsin, you wait forever for summer.  Growing up in St. George, it's warm in March, very warm in May and downright hot in June, July, and August.  So I'm just programmed to think that spring comes in march and summer shortly after.  Here in the frozen tundra of packerland....it's not uncommon to have snow in May.  Even in June, before we left for Utah, the high temperatures were high 60's, 70's; maybe an 80 in there.  It takes some getting used to.

So to put it plainly----Sean and I are taking full advantage of summer!!!  We go to the pool every day we can...I end all my runs at the park by our house and let Sean run around at the playground while I stretch...and pretty much spend every possible moment outside.  Life is good!

I've been playing tennis once or twice a week.  I'm playing on a league team this year.  We've won all our matches so far and play regionals in Indianapolis next month.   I'm headed back out to Utah in a couple days for a family reunion with my moms' side.  Can't wait to see everyone!

Collin and his brother Eric did their Half Ironman triathlon last month. They did the 70.3 in Boise.  It was a great race and so much fun.   They did awesome, but I think it's safe to say we're both happy he's not training as much!!  It was quite an adventure for Kate, Ali, Sean, & I watching.  Just imagine the four of us standing in a dirt field in the middle of nowhere, huddled under a rather small umbrella trying desperately to escape the rain.  Any of us would be happy to give you the full account--it was memorable!!

Sean is growing up so much!!  He's not just walking now--he's running.  He can't pick up enough sticks, rocks, or plastic shovels.  He seems to always want something in his hand, so he'll usually latch onto something early in the day--and won't let go of it for hours!!  So we've taken many trips to the grocery store with tennis rackets, spoons, giant plastic golf clubs.  He is very attached to his tennis racket (to his mother's delight) and will try to hold as many tennis balls as he can see.  It's hilarious watching him try to hold a tennis racket and 5 tennis balls in his little hands. He gets so frustrated when he just can't do it!

He just gets cuter and cuter every day!  Collin and I feel so lucky!

Itchin' for Spring

I'm officially going crazy waiting for spring.  We have some nice days now but it's all over the board.  For instance:  monday it snowed, tomorrow (friday) it's going to be 80 degrees.  You just never know what you're gonna get in Wisconsin.  

Sean and I have been spending a lot of time at Gymboree lately.  The play and learn part, not the clothing store part.  Sean loves going there.  He's getting to be a really good climber, got up his first "ladder" the other day.  It's fun watching him there because he just runs around and climbs all over everything and picks up any ball in eyesight and either throws it or carries it around for the next 15 minutes.  He is so fearless.  I love that he's not a sissy little kid.  He trips and falls down and it doesn't really even faze him.

We've been able to get outside a few times so far this year.  Sean's favorite thing:  sticks.  He finds the two biggest sticks in our yard (one for each hand) and carried them around whacking things.  He's such a boy!!!  

Like I said last time:  I'm realizing more and more how much he actually understands.  It's so fun to say "bath time" and see him instantly drop whatever he's doing and run full speed for the bathroom.  

Last month, Sean and I spent a week in St. George with my family and then a week in Tucson.  It was great to be in the sun.  It was so fun seeing my sister and her girls.  Sean loves playing with his cousins.  Those three are hilarious together.

We're headed down to Indiana next week to hang out with my uncles' family.  He's organized a 1/2 marathon that I'm going to attempt to run.  I have done almost no real training.  My longest run has been 6 miles.  It should be interesting!

All in a year

Sean is officially 1 year old now.  I cannot believe it!!!!  Where did my little baby go?  Sean is a little boy now.  He's starting to have strong opinions and will voice them as necessary.  He loves going to class at Gymboree. (thanks Aunt Ali for that one!)  He loves being around other kids his age ( or at least his size).  He's still off-the-charts in the height category and 75% for weight.  This kid is TALL!!  

The latest big development is that I've realized he understands much more than I thought.  He walks right to the books when I ask "Do you want to read a story?"  He goes straight to the door when I ask "Should we go get the laundry?"    It's so fun to see him understand and respond to something I say.  

He's babbling like crazy.  His current favorite 'words' are "da-guy", "duckkk", "yuckkkk", and of course "momom" and "dada".  

My mom came out for Sean's birthday.  It was so great!!   Makes me wish we lived closer to family.  I will always remember Sean's first birthday as the time I TRIED to make a really difficult cake, so sure I could do it, even though it was my first ever cake.  It was kind of a disaster.  Fondant, not so easy!!!  But it was edible, and actually quite tasty once you got rid of the fondant layer.  It served it's purpose--Sean and Collin got a birthday cake!  For those of you who don't know, Collin and Sean have the same birthday.

I'm looking forward to a trip out West in March.  This time of year in Milwaukee just gets depressing.  Winter drags!