Wednesday, July 30, 2008

A pool, A horse and A park


Today we took Aspen to a pool at a friends' complex to let her play.  ONE WORD... FISH!!!  She has no fear, and even when she would slip and go under the water, she would naturally hold her breath and didn't take in any water.  As I watched her hold onto the rail in the pool,  I began to wonder if she was a little TOO comfortable holding onto the pole and posing.
Two days ago we met Slick, her neighbor, and her neighbors' kids at a park in Riverton.  Sage (in the picture) was totally taken with Aspen, and she, with him.  She kept holding his hand, and when they were sitting on the blanket on the grass, Aspen kept moving over to Seth and sitting in his lap.  He would move to another spot and she would follow, and drop herself back into his lap.  She's boy-crazy already.  Heaven help us.
Swinging at the park.
We went to see Anna's horse after the park.  I love horses, and of course... think Aspen should also.  She wasn't sure what to think of them at first, and began crying and climbing up on me when they would breathe on her.  She loved sitting a bit away from them, however, and "talking" to them.  Slick gave her a toy horse before we left, and she held onto it for the rest of the day.  Thanks Slick & Anna.  It was alot of fun!

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Liberty Park

I haven't done swell lately posting, but not because I haven't tried to.  Every time I sit down to post, I realize the pictures I need are on the other computer (and really... what is a post without pictures???).  
I took Aspen to Liberty Park in Salt Lake while I was watching a friends' boys.  I thought she and I would hang out in the shade while the boys played in the water.  This worked for awhile, then she got restless.  We decided to head home, but before we did, I thought I would take them over and show them the "canyons & rivers" water place in the park.  It has small little pools at the top and bottom with little streams that carry the water from the top to the bottom.  I thought I'd stick Aspen's feet in for a minute, and we'd be off for home.  AS IF!  After dipping her toes, she slid her bum right into the water and took a seat.  I had to pull her out to put on her swim diaper, and the 30 seconds that it took to do that resulted in a GET ME BACK IN THE WATER tantrum.  Here is the progression of her wetness:
feet in 
bum in 
body in 
everything WET 

She is a fish. Needless to say, after all that time in the water, she slept like a baby that night.    
We will be taking her back to Liberty Park before summer is over.

Sunday, July 20, 2008

SOLO (aka... 3 days without Aspen)


Hayden and I had a floor to finish in Roosevelt this past weekend, so his mom volunteered to take Aspen so we wouldn't have to do the floor and take care of her.  She picked her up Friday afternoon, and by the time I spent two hours at the house without her on Friday I knew I was in trouble cause I missed her.  Well, here it is Sunday night, and Hayden and I just got home, and now I really REALLY miss her.  The house is quiet, her crib is empty not to mention the fact that it has thrown my regular routine off the rails.  We were supposed to go to Lake Powell a week from tomorrow, but babies wearing diapers aren't well suited for Lake Powell and the heat, and leaving Aspen just isn't an option... so now we have a week where Hayden has gotten a week off for work, and I was looking forward to getting away from the daily chores before school starts back up.  So between missing Aspen and losing the "get away" opportunity, I'm kinda bummed tonight.

Thursday, July 17, 2008

It's a SHOE thing

Turning one has made Aspen more mobile than ever.  She took 6 steps last week (for Hayden, of course... when I wasn't around).  Her hair is growing in finally, and its curly when wet.  She is a climber and if there is a chair or a box low enough, she is climbing on it.  No fear. 

One of Aspen's new found joys is crawling around with shoes on her hands or arms.  Not sure why.  It doesn't matter if it is flip flops, or crocs, or high heels... she puts them on, and off she goes.  She loves to take the rolls of tape and put them on her arm as well.  This week she has also figured out that she can put the diaper bag on her arm and drag it around behind her.  Little girl to the MAX.



Her words and sounds she now says or imitates are BOO (when playing peek-a-boo), ah-oh, mama, kkkky (for kitty), and ball.  She will be 17 before I know it.  Why don't they stay young forever?

Friday, July 11, 2008

Happy 4th



The 4th was a busy day for us this year.  Some of us went to Sherwood Hills for the Snow family reunion, and some stayed home to tend baby and Morgan (who had to work).  It was great to see so many family members again that we haven't seen in years.  We kidnapped two of Tonia's sisters' kids, and brought them home with us.  Whitney, Carson and Wade were three peas in a pod.  They got along great, and played together great.  This is a feat that only boys seem to be able to manage, but Whitney was a great sport.  Its fun to listen to 3 pre-teens talk about "life as they know it (or think they know it)".  I learned that Whitney "apparently" has not been able to stay at a fireworks show (the truth is probably somewhat different) until the grande finale, and so when we drove in the bronco to Thanksgiving Point for their fireworks, we made sure that we stayed until the very last firework was done.   
The three kids LOVED the bronco.  Hayden had taken the top off a few weeks back, and now its a "cool" vehicle.  Whitney thinks she wants one EXACTLY like it when she gets old enough to drive.
It wasn't Aspen's 1st Independence Day, but it was the first one she noticed.  She would purse her lips and point at the fireworks and say OHHHHH.  She was very tired and ornery by the time fireworks came, but as soon as they started she was entranced.

Tuesday, July 8, 2008

First trip to the zoo



We decided to take Aspen to the zoo for her first little animal adventure.  Hayden didn't think she would be that interactive, but when mom took her out of her stroller and she was able to see the monkeys running around she was PSYCHED.  She started pointing at them, pursing her lips and saying "WHOOOO".  It only got better from there: The elephants, zebras, rhinos.  The one she was the most worried about were the giraffes. As they started walking around their lot, and coming in and out to eat, Aspen started getting really nervous and began clinging to her dad.  It was one of the hottest days of the year, and Aspen had a bit of heat exhaustion the next day... but she loved it.
 Save me daddy
 "I can push this thing better than mom can"

Saturday, July 5, 2008

WADE'S "Bucket" LIST: Gateway


At the end of every summer I always reflect back and wish I had done MORE with the kids, more with the summer, more with my days.  This year Wade and I got together at the first of the summer, and wrote down all the things that we wanted to do this year.  So far we have chalked off a few: put a puzzle together, took Fred to the dog park, made homemade root beer, rode scooters,  picnicked at a park,  went to a drive-in movie, cut Wade's hair,  went to the library, and went to the Mayan (restaurant) to eat.  

This week we went to Gateway to go through the water fountains.  Aspen did NOT like it one bit.  She got a little water on her, and started SCREAMING.  So while Wade went through the water, Aspen found the stairs and loved it.  Lunch after was at Rio Grande... one of our favorite, with Grandma & Grandpa Fraser.  

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