Our Indiana Trip (August 2010)

This summer, Christopher and I got to spend several days with all of my family. We had a really, really great time!

Doing what cousins do together - goofing around...

Good old Indiana sweet corn, fresh from Grampy's garden...
A first for Christopher - jumping off the diving board like a big boy, into Uncle Luke's arms.
On the carousel at the Fort Wayne Children's zoo - a very fun day!
Another first for Christopher - a pony ride (also at the zoo)...

Best spot in the house, on Grampy's shoulders...
"Sharing" the blue chair with his cousin Ella (the two are only 3 days apart in age)...
Getting to see Great-Grandma Healey...
And Great-Grandma Harman...
And Great-Grandpa Harman, too!
Yes, that's uncooked brownie batter he's eating. Only at Babcia's house!
A little help from his cousin, Caity...
He really liked getting "kisses" from the dogs at Babcia's house - Dixie and Mav...
Cooling off in the water fountain at the end of a zoo day...
Getting to touch the baby chicks at the zoo...
Feeding the goats, and I mean one little pellet of food at a time. It took forever.
Chillin' on the train with Uncle Eric James...
Can you envision these two cousins, almost 2o years from now, singing karaoke at a bar in college together?

Proud of himself for swimming in the pool...
No explanation needed here. He was ruthless with that squirt gun.
All lined up on the carousel...
The four cousins in a tent at the zoo...

Christopher got to feed a leaf of lettuce to the giraffe. It was pretty neat to be that close to them.

Making a little drum music together...

Needless to say, we had a GREAT time with the grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins!

Farmer Christopher

Holding a bowl of green beans he picked for dinner tonight and admiring a growing baby pumpkin.

Me and Trumie!

Christopher has become very loving with poor Truman, who is now the recipient of many, many hugs and lots of affection.
Truman doesn't seem to mind too much, though. He's been napping with Christopher more, now that we turned his crib into a daybed.

I make pierogi!

When Babcia came to visit, she showed me how to tap into my Polish side and make pierogi. I will say that it involved quite a bit of flour on my shirt and on the floor, but they were yummy!

Our New York (and Pennsylvania) trip...

This is a long overdue post, considering our visit was at the end of July, but nevertheless, let us fill you in on all the fun Christopher had with his beloved Grandma, Gramps, Aunt Bonnie, Uncle Bill and cousins Josh, Josie and Ben...

Right before we headed back to CO, Grandma and Gramps gave Christopher his very first beach experience (with ocean waves)! He loved it!

Relaxing on a park bench with Grandma and Gramps. It was a pretty hot day...

Feeding the animals at a nearby farm. Christopher got to feed the goats and cows some carrots...

Me and Aunt Bonnie. Last time I got to see her, I was just a couple months old...

At the (hot, hot, hot) train museum with lots of fun train stuff to see!

Cousin Josh showing me how to thumb wrestle, while on the train. It took Christopher all of 3 seconds to figure out how to cheat by using both hands.

Me and all three of my cousins - very special to be all together!

The water park at Dutch Wonderland (amusement park in Lancaster, PA), saved us from the heat that day.

Hee hee! Cool water to play in on a hot, hot day!

Cousin Ben, you're funny!

Airplane ride at Dutch Wonderland.

His eyes are so big and he has a death grip on that cup because it's filled with chocolate milk, a rare treat back in CO for Christopher, but it flowed freely in PA. He is forever indebted to his cousins - Josh, Josie and Ben - for making this chocolate milk possible. :)

Cousin Josie showing me how to feed the duckies...

Never in my life have I seen children have so much fun in a hotel room (playing on the bed and bashing each other with pillows) - this was moments after they got to see each other for the first time and all of them were just so happy!

When we got to Grandma and Gramps' house, Christopher got right to work, playing with Daddy's toys from when he was a little boy.

"Helping" Grandma make chocolate M&M cookies. I would be lying if I said the "helping" part lasted more than 30 seconds max. In that 30 seconds, more M&Ms went into his mouth than on to the cookies and he even attempted to eat a raw cookie, 'cause it just looked so good. Hence, the reason Grandma is now making the cookies and Christopher is happily eating a bowl of M&Ms.

Gramps gets to take credit for successfully getting Christopher over his water/pool fear and happily splashing away. Thanks, Gramps!

Eating Daddy's favorite - chocolate Carvel ice cream!

Christopher had such an amazing visit getting to see all of his NY/PA family - can't wait to see everyone again soon!!

True story (no pictures)!

This morning, while I was cleaning up a little in the kitchen and Christopher was playing in the living room, I hear...

C: "Mommy, look what I have!"

me: "What is it honey?" (not looking into the living room yet)

C: "Look!"

me: (now looking and screaming) "DROP IT!!"

Christopher was holding up a baby squirrel (who was "sleeping") in his hands for me to see. Not kidding. I wish I was.

Apparently, Truman brought us a "treat" from outside, carried it in from the deck and Christopher was the first to discover it.

There was a fair amount of chaos which followed, involving me screaming a bit and scrubbing Christopher down and Brian with a shovel (we weren't sure if it was playing dead or not). Christopher seemed surprised by our reaction. Why was Mommy yelling about a little baby squirrel in the house?

Long story short, Christopher thought it was fun, Truman was very proud of himself and if that baby squirrel was playing dead, he was very, very good at it. May he rest in peace.