From Cole to now, a very random update.

So in reviewing our blog, I realize I've only posted one update for the last two months.  Hmmm, what happened two months ago?!  Actually, I've been feeling a little guilty for not putting more of our newest little addition on here.  Every time I think of it, I get a little overwhelmed at how much time has passed already.  I think when you've already watched one kiddo grow up so fast, you realize just how precious each and every moment is.  And then I feel guilty for not documenting it all.  Grrr. 

So here are a few pictures, in no particular order:

Welcome Baby Cole!

Cole - 2013

 Had to add this one from 20 months prior.  Sometimes it feels like just yesterday.  

Max - 2012

After Cole was born, our wonderful friends offered to take Max for a night so that we could focus on the baby.  Max was super excited to spend time with Valentino and Gemma, the family cat.  Here is a picture of the boys on their way to their sleepover.

Valentino and Max

While Nana was here, she would help me take Max to his swim lessons.  Towards the very end of my pregnancy and after Cole was born, she got into the water with Max.  She was here long enough to see him blossom into a confident swimmer.   Here is Max at his last swim lesson. 

 Cole's announcement photo.  Love this picture.  He still has all of his newborn hair. 

One of Cole's first social smiles.  What a ham!

Cole is such a happy baby.  He is now cooing and laughing, tracking toys and his big brother, and very much enjoys tummy time on his activity mat.  He has already mastered rolling from front to back, ahead of schedule, mind you. 

Current challenge: getting Cole to stop socializing in order to nap.  Our littlest one has never been a very good napper.  He is doing well at night, sleeping 4-5 hours at a stretch, and sometimes as much as 7 hours (yahoo!).  During the day, however, Cole should be getting about 4-5 hours of sleep or 4-5 naps.  It's more like 30 minutes at a time or a total of 2 hours.  Sometimes it takes me longer to get him to sleep than he actually spends with his eyes closed.  Admittedly, I rely on a car ride or a long walk with him in the Baby Bjorn to occasionally force him to sleep.  As a full time SAHM, I crave some daytime downtime.  And, since it's rare when I can get both boys napping at the same time, I have to be grateful that on weekends, David has allowed me to get out of the house on my own for an hour or two.  It's amazing how exciting a trip to Target by myself can be!  Thank goodness for David's understanding and the smiles the boys generously share with me.  Those little grins are the rainbow after the storm.  Take two and it's all better. 

Pumpkin Picking in Pictures

David trying to convince Max to jump

Lindsey, Me with Cole, Courtney and Kristina

Olivia and Max in the bouncy castle

Max hops

Max flies

Olivia and Max

Courtney and Olivia, Lindsey, David, Max, Adriana and Cole

Max picks a baby pumpkin for Cole

Mama and Max discussing pumpkin features

"Okay if you can carry it, you can have it!"

Our front porch

 

 

The birth of Cole was more like a marathon instead of the sprint we had hoped for. We arrived at the hospital on Sept 9th at 10:30pm and Cole was born on Sept 11th at 12:41am (the span of 3 days). Does anyone find it ironic that the labor was 26.2 hours and a marathon is 26.2 miles?

My wife has run many half marathons and now she has just finished her first marathon.

Story behind Cole's name:

Adriana labored over the span of three days, Sept 9,10 and 11.

Most of you know Adriana's father, Nicholas, passed away a few years ago. Some of you also know Sept 10th was the Feast of Saint Nicholas and considering Adriana labored the entire day on Sept 10th, we couldn't ignore the coincidence so after two days we decided to honor Adriana's father and the feast day. Hence the first name of Cole, which is a derivative of Nicholas.

Rogers - We are honored to give Cole the middle name of Rogers, David's uncle who passed away on Sept 11th. Aunt Diane and Uncle Rog always found a way to be there for every special family occasion (graduations, baptisms, weddings, etc). Considering Cole waited to be born until Sept 11th, we couldn't ignore the fact that Rog, once again, found a way to show up for yet another special occasion.

Behr - Thanks Mom and Dad for giving me a name to pass on that I am extremely proud of.

Cole Rogers Behr
9/11/13

12:41 am

8 pounds

20 1/2 inches

Firsts at last!

Two of Max's loves: Sports and Bikes.  You can imagine his excitement in getting to do both for the first time in one day!

We frequently visit Wash Park, which is a mecca for fitness enthusiasts, and Max will shout and wave each and every time a bike (or "dub dub" in Max's language) rolls by.  Last Sunday, we finally took the surrey bike for a few spins around Washington Park.  The surrey bike is that clown-looking bike-mobile that seats 2 or more riders, has a canopy overhead and those "watch out I'm coming" flags that wave in the wind.  So this time, Max got to ride in the front basket of the surrey bike with a bird's eye view for our family's first bike ride.  He was probably just as excited to wear the "bike hat" - though you wouldn't know it from the pictures.

Ready, set, go!

Hands up!  "Wheeee!"

Look Ma!  No hands!

Why does this picture make me want to sing circus music?

Play time at the playground

Later that afternoon, we met some friends at Coors Field for the Rockies/Pirates game.  We had fantastic seats, but it was a bit overwhelming for Max, who seemed to prefer to socialize with the other fans and the aisle ushers.  We knew ahead of time that it was more likely a "first" for us to enjoy than for him, but fun nonetheless.  And the Rockies swept the Pirates, which was pretty great. 

No. 1!  My 1st Rockies Game!

Breckenridge

Finally!  We made it to the mountains!  We've been dreaming of a weekend trip since before we moved from Boston, but it took us all summer to get there.  Thankfully, we did it when we did.   I didn't anticipate that the altitude would have had such an effect on me and I'm not sure I could have tolerated the trip at a later date.  David and I both wondered at times if we might be having the baby at Summit County Hospital.  Thankfully, that didn't happen, and we enjoyed a really awesome weekend with some truly great weather.

Max and David throw rocks into the river.

Max and I enjoy a swim in the pool.

We stayed at the Grand Lodge on Peak 7.  Our room and patio had a fantastic view of the slopes and the saline pool.  Being in the mountains made me really glad that we'll be staying in Colorado for 4 more months.  I'm hoping we can take a weekend with Max and the new baby and enjoy the Fall up there as well. 

Max loved his first gondola ride!

The mountain was hopping with all kinds of summer activity!  Here's a shot of us on the chair lift on Peak 8.

Being at this spot on the mountain brought back fond memories of our early years as a couple when I was learning to snowboard.  I remember enjoying the snow and the crisp air, but being really pleased after last chair when I could enjoy a Bloody Mary or a beer apres ski!

I think Max thoroughly enjoyed his first weekend in the mountains.  We cannot wait to share many more trips with him and his younger sibling! 

Seattle trip - July 2013

David, Max, and I flew to Seattle to visit with David's parents last month.  David's brother Steve, with wife Julie, and kids, Jack (5 1/2) and Abby (2 1/2), met us there from Texas.   We were super excited to see them, enjoy the beautiful Northwest Summer weather, and the amazing views of the Sound. 

We stayed in a family friend's home while visiting.  The water was only a hundred yards away from our patio and the first thing we could see when we woke up in the morning.  Absolutely stunning. 

We enjoyed the beach one day, a night out without kids (Thanks, Mom and Dad!!), and the Point Defiance zoo while there.  Here are some pictures from the zoo.  Can you see Mt Rainier between Jack and Julie's heads?

Steve, Jack, Julie, Abby, Grammy, and Opa

Max blessing us with water from the stream at the beach exhibit

Jack and Max having fun watering Grammy's plants

A very soaked trio of garden gnomes

We all took a tour of Grammy and Opa's garden and walked through plans for their new deck.  Jack helped Grammy and Opa plant a new garden decoration before turning the hose on Max for some classic summer fun.  Max LOVED it.  David was an innocent by-stander, but good sport!  Way to go, Uncle David!

The Unfinished Nest

I woke up at 4am today in a panic. 
I realized that if I went into labor today, I'd have nothing ready for this baby.  We still don't have a room or bassinet set up, and no sheets, blankets or clothes washed.  I thought of myself calling our friends to see if they could come grab Max before we went to the hospital and not having anything ready for him to take either...no bag packed...what about moving his car seat?...what would he think when he woke up in someone else's house?...
My eyes searched the ceiling for answers and as soon as our human alarm clock named Max woke up at 6:23am, I bombarded poor David with my questions.  

So, the list is made and it's lengthy.  I hope Max feels like cooperating with my plan.  Through the monitor, I can see that he is making laps around his crib instead of napping, so I'm not that confident.  If only I had the energy to do these things after his bedtime.  Perhaps I should add a shot of espresso to my evening routine and power through the week in this fashion.  I love the feeling of crossing items off of a list.  It might be worth it to push through and sleep later.  I still have 2 weeks before I'm full term - plenty of time to sleep, right?

Order newborn diapers.
Measure the room. 
Unpack the bassinett.
Launder the blankets, onesies, burp cloths, and a homecoming outfit.
Re-cover the glider.
Make a list for the hospital bag.  Pack it.
Pack a bag for Max.
Sew the curtains.
Sew the pack n play sheets.
And...
And...
And.

Here's a link to the pattern I'm using for our bassinet sheets:  http://prudentbaby.com/2010/02/baby-kid/diy-fitted-sheet-for-pack-n-play-2/
And the cute fabrics I picked up for baby's bassinet:  http://www.fabricworm.com/jadeforbiorf40.html  and http://www.fabricworm.com/jadeforbiorf27.html

Next project:  A runner for our 2nd-Hand Glider.  I'll add pictures once these projects are done!

Fabric Friday Giveaway for the cute elephant print:  http://prudentbaby.com/2013/07/giveaways-2/fabric-friday-109/

Smoothie 'stache

Max and David enjoying a smoothie for breakfast the other day:

Cheers!