Izzy's Entourage

Happy New Year!

2012-02-03T15:13:00.002-07:00

Hope you are having a great 2012~ how is it possible that it is already February!! We had a very busy holiday season and January as well. Christmas was so nice with just the 4 of us at home. Dad had lots of clients in town so he still had to work a little but we got some great quality time together before the Kubiks, Granats and Mimi and Pa came up to visit. It was so fun spending time with my cousins and I am really just beginning to grasp the concept of 'presents'... I am sure that the best part is opening them, whatever is inside is just icing on the cake! Here are some highlights: Izzy with Aunt Kate and her baby belly, Izzy and Henry, Ryder with one of his favorite new books, Izzy chilling in her swing in one of Ryder's shirts after a major blowout, Ryder pushing his new Linkin Log Truck!

Coming together

2011-12-22T12:47:00.002-07:00

I love love love baby Izzy and have been having a hard time keeping my hands off of her since I got sick last week. Mom is doing her best to keep us apart but I am getting creative! I just miss her so much~ she is the first thing I ask about when I wake up and sitting on top of her in the bouncy chair is a favorite pastime. Here we are before Mom knew I was sick!

"Happy"

2011-12-09T08:51:00.002-07:00

Happy Birthday to our sweet boy! Ryder, you are the sweetest, kindest, funniest, smartest little 2 year old guy we know! I am sure that your parents are a little biased but your constant upbeat attitude (saying HI!!! to complete strangers in the store or park) and commentary on the world (CAR!!! Big CAR!! Tractor!!) bring us so much joy and laughter. We hope that you hold onto that forever! You are able to show so much joy (I gave you a 50ct Hot Wheels car in the grocery store and you held it in both hands, squatted down and screamed CAR!! a man in the checkout are said to me 'I wish ANYTHING made me that happy!") What an example of joy you are to the world. Yesterday was your second birthday and when you were opening gifts last night you looked up at your dad and said 'Happy'. Another amazing example of watching you grow and 'connect the dots'~ here is a great photo of where you are right now.

Loved those locks...

2011-12-05T08:00:00.001-07:00

One of the bigger events on our trip to Denver was my first haircut. I was looking forward to it until we got there and I started to put it together... I ended up sitting Mom's lap while she and Dad did their best to distract me from the nice lady cutting my hair. Sadly the curls I had in back are gone but the new cut is great! It should be quite a while before I will need another one so I will keep you in the loop about how that one goes!

Gobble Gobble everyone!

2011-11-30T19:25:00.004-07:00

Happy Thanksgiving! I hope everyone had a great holiday! Mom and Dad took me and Izzy to Denver for 10 days over the holiday and it was crazy and fun. The day after we got down there Aunt Mags delivered Baby Henry!! Henry William Granat (adorable name, don't you think?!) arrived on Friday Nov 18, making Izzy's reign as the newest baby in the family a short 6 weeks. We also got to spend some excellent quality time with Grandpa Bill and Grandma Kay as they visited from KC. Mimi and Pa were so incredible to let us invade their home for so long with such a big crew (Wriggers and Hatch joined us for the holiday). We went to the park almost every day and had a blast with everyone. I also got to play with Luke and LoLo. I can't believe Lukie is almost a full year younger and just about the same size that I am! Here are some pics for your viewing pleasure

Happy One Month, Izzy!

2011-11-06T19:22:00.002-07:00

We have been working hard for the last month getting settled in and incorporating Izzy into our already busy world! I love having her here (who would have thought I would have enjoyed sharing the attention?!) and every morning I run back into Mom and Dad's room to see her. Whenever and wherever I am I love to ask Mom 'Baby?!?! Baby?!?!' It took me a couple of weeks to realize Baby wasn't the same thing as Izzy but I think I have it down now!
First Mimi Mary and Pa were here to help us, then Aunt Mags and Uncle Andrew (they are practicing for Henry's arrival in 2 weeks!) and then Mimi Shirley came to visit all the way from Nashville. It was such a cool couple of weeks and I got a ton of attention and play time AND some new cars for my toy collection. Izzy has had a big few weeks as well~ she isn't a great sleeper at night but she is a good eater and has been gaining weight at a steady pace! She was a full pound heaver than I was when she was born so she had a head start... We'll keep you posted on our progress but it has been a wonderful few weeks and I love love love my new little sister!

Welcome Elizabeth Mae Poole!

2011-10-11T16:51:00.002-06:00

Hi everyone! Check out my new sister Izzy. She is soooo sweet and I was so happy to have her and Mommy home from the hospital on Saturday. They were there when I woke up from my nap and I was THRILLED to have them back. It was nice to have a little break and spend some quality time with Mimi but I was ready to have mom and Baby Izzy home again. She was born on 10/5/11 at 8:03am and weighed 6lbs, 4oz. She was almost a whole pound heavier than I was!! She is eating great and sleeping a lot and we are all working on figuring out how to make all of our schedules work together. I have been spending a lot of extra time with Daddy and thank God Mimi is here to help!! I love to kiss her and point out her parts (eyes, ears, hat, etc) to mom and dad. I love her and hope you get to meet her soon! Here are some photos for you.

Aaaaaaand We're Back!

2011-08-30T20:44:00.002-06:00

So sorry for the massive lapse in posts! Mom's 6year old Dell finally bit the dust and it took her and Dad FOREVER to get a new laptop fired up and in the loop. I promise to get you guys back up to date as soon as possible.

Daddy's Boy

2011-07-15T08:00:00.000-06:00

Ummmmm.... Dad made some chocolate cake and I have been helping him with it. Yummmmmmmmmmmmm

Walks to the wa-wa

2011-07-11T08:00:00.000-06:00

Every day (usually twice) we take a walk to check out the wa-wa (Mom calls it the river) and throw rocks in. The river has gotten huge with all of the snow we had over the winter and the warm weather this summer. Mom and Dad don't let me get too close, but as long as I can toss rocks in I am happy! Here are a couple of pics

Cars 2

2011-07-07T08:00:00.000-06:00

My favorite movie in the world is Cars! They decided it would be cool to take me to Cars 2 to see my first movie. I loved it and sat through the whole thing with eyes wide open! HOW COOL! Here we are after the show

Happy Independence Day!

2011-07-04T14:24:00.003-06:00

Well, it's 4th of July and I had no idea how much fun stuff there is to do on this day! We have been down and out with a tummy bug and it feels like we haven't been out of the house in WEEKS (Mom said it is really just DAYS, but still...) We walked into town and checked out the parade which I officially declared 'cooooool'. I was mostly just interested in the fire trucks that were honking horns, turning on sirens and shooting wa-wa into the crowd (Thankfully!! it was HOT!). Mom was nervous that I wouldn't like the sirens since they were soooo loud but I just kept saying "woo-woo! woo-woo!" and clapping.
I did like the bikes and other floats, too. There was a lot of flag waiving, candy throwning, dancing and general 4th of July celebrations. Whew! I need a nap!

I love being outside

2011-07-02T08:00:00.000-06:00

It has been sooooo beautiful now that summer has decided to show up! All I want to do is go outside and play: throw rocks in the river, ride my bike, hike the doggies, play in the sandbox or just play with my cars. Mom thought these pictures were cute!

New places

2011-06-29T08:00:00.000-06:00

Last weekend Mom and Dad took me to Salida for a camping weekend with the Places, Murray's and MacFarlaines. It was soooo cool! We camped right next to this little stream and all I wanted to do was throw rocks in the water 24-7. All of the grownups got out for bike rides and I had a great time chasing the big kids around. On the way home we stopped at K's Burgers and Ice Cream in Buena Vista and at Twin Lakes so I could throw some more rocks. It was a great weekend and I have been catching up on my sleep since we got back! Mom said that makes her sooooo happy.

SOOOOO Big!

2011-06-27T08:00:00.000-06:00

We went over to Vail for the weekend and stayed with our great friends the Places. Unfortunately they were out of town but we crashed at their pad and I had a BLAST. Their toys are soooo much cooler than mine and I loved getting to play in the yard and on the sidewalk. We had Dad's favorite BBQ (called Moe's) and it was DE-licious... I especially enjoyed the Banana Pudding with the Vanilla Wafer in it. It was so good it made me LAUGH

New Toys

2011-06-24T08:00:00.000-06:00

For fathers day Dad got ME a gift! He has been talking about making me a sandbox for a little while now and on Sunday it was finally put in! whoo hoo! It is a little on the small size but Dad said if I really like it he will get me a bigger one. So far it is pretty great... I love feeling the sand and really just crawling in and out of it and using the rake. Mom said she really loves it because it actually keeps me in once place for longer than 10 seconds. Thanks Dad!!

Terrorizing the joint

2011-06-21T19:34:00.002-06:00

Mom took me into the Dr's office for my 18month appointment and they have the coolest shopping cart! I was pushing it all over the place, then it was time to get checked in for my appointment and I had a FIT! They stripped me down, measured me, weighed me, etc and all I wanted to do was get back to that cart. FINALLY the nurse was done with me and mom and I compromised that I would be able to go back out and play as long as I kept my diaper on. DEAL!

Gymfant-astic!

2011-06-17T08:00:00.000-06:00

Mom decided we need to get out of the house more and signed me up for a baby gymnastics class. It is super fun and basically they just let us go wherever we want and terrorize the place for a half hour once a week. I really love it and have a blast running all over the different surfaces and am starting to warm up to the concept of bouncing and jumping off of things. I'll have mom post more pics when I start doing more tricks!

Outside in Aspen

2011-06-13T11:44:00.003-06:00

The weather has been so wonderful (FINALLY! after what felt like the longest winter ever)so I told Mom and Dad that I wanted to go run around town and enjoy the afternoon. They agreed and we all went in to get some ice cream and check out the fountain. I loved the water and had a major meltdown when they tried to pull me away from it... they are going to have to come up with something pretty major to distract me from that thing next time! Also, we saw a house pulling a carriage that was friendly, too. Waaaaay bigger than my doggies at home!

Stylin'

2011-06-09T08:40:00.002-06:00

Mom thought I was looking especially cute yesterday before heading out to school and thought you would like too see pics. I am so happy that summertime is finally here and all I want to do is be outside playing! Finally am in SHORTS!

And it's a....

2011-05-27T09:57:00.002-06:00

Girl! I am so excited to have a new baby sister on the way! I love to pull up mom's shirt and pat her belly and say 'BA-by' and then blow kisses to her. I love to crawl all over her already and I think she is already used to my talking talking talking all day long. Anyway, we are going to be great buddies and I can't wait to have someone to run around with and protect! Isn't she adorable?!

Visitors

2011-05-08T08:00:00.000-06:00

Mims and Pa came up from Denver to visit since they were in California all winter and I haven't been able to see them much. We had a nice weekend but the weather was a little stinky! (mom keeps promising me that summer is on the way but i thought there wasn't supposed to be SNOW in the SUMMER... hummmm) We had fun hanging out, took advantage of the off season to do some dining in town without fighting the crowds and (most fun of all!) got to spend some quality time blowing Mim's kisses in the back of the car! Thanks for coming up to visit! I can't wait to see you (and Sofie and TuckTuck) again soon, Ryder

More Nashville pics for you!

2011-05-05T08:00:00.000-06:00

How was Nashville? So cool!

2011-05-03T12:05:00.002-06:00

I just got back from a week in Nashville to see the Poole side of the family and celebrate Easter. We had two tough travel days (actually three!) but the weather was warm and we got to do a lot of fun stuff! We went to Murfreesboro to visit Uncle Steve, Aunt Gina and cousin John~ it was fun to have dinner and then play with John's amazing collection of matchbox cars. 'Car' is my FAVORITE word! We also got to visit the Nashville Zoo with Uncle Mike, Aunt Ali and cousins Lea and Mack. I saw an elephant, some giraffe, some cool birds and took a ride on the carousel with Dad. We also spent some great time just hanging out at Mimi and Mack's place where I played with some new toys, read books on the porch, worked on my walking and got out for tractor rides!
When are we going back??
Here are a few pics

Spring? Is that you??

2011-04-15T08:00:00.000-06:00

Well, it still feels like winter up here (winter storm warning today of 10-18 inches!)but we are beginning to get the occasional 50degree and sunny days creeping in. Mom took me to the park to hit the swings and check out the ducks in the river. I can't wait for summer to hurry up and get here! I love being outside!

Moab

2011-04-12T08:00:00.000-06:00

We went to Moab so Dad could do an adventure race and we could all get a little warm weather! It was so fun to hang with some other kids and get a change of scenery. Thought you would enjoy the pics

Up to no good

2011-04-09T15:04:00.003-06:00

I have some new tricks up my sleeve and one of Mom's favorites is watching me help Dad eat breakfast and lunch. I absolutely HAVE to touch (and usually sample) everything on his plate! My signature move is to put it in my mouth and then back on his plate. Mom keeps telling me that is rude but they both laugh when I do it so I can't really be getting in trouble, right?!

Winter fun

2011-03-22T08:00:00.000-06:00

Mom and Dad have been talking about taking me sledding all winter but haven't been able to get their acts together for some reason... FINALLY they got me out! I was a little concerned about it at the beginning but I warmed up to it by the end. Thought you would like to see the pics

Spaghetti anyone?

2011-03-18T08:00:00.000-06:00

One of my new favorites for dinner... yummmmm

Big Boy!

2011-03-15T20:18:00.002-06:00

Well..... sort of! I had my 15 month Dr's appointment today and my head and height are at 50% but I am off the charts skinny! After watching me run around for an hour Dr Mitchell told mom that I am so skinny because I am such an active guy. I know that I am busy (well... there is a LOT to do!) but I eat a lot too so who knows. Mom said she is thinking of changing my whole milk to half and half... wonder what that is? Well, as you can see from this pic, I look a lot more like a kid now. Where did my baby face go?

Paradise Pics #2

2011-02-19T08:00:00.000-07:00

More pics from our trip:

1. Mom trying to feed me

2. An evening swim!

3. Kissing the duck taking a bath with Dad

4. Hanging out on the pool deck at home

5. Helping Dad work on his bike

Grassy Grass

2011-02-17T11:14:00.002-07:00

When we were in California I really liked crawling all over the place and liked all of the different textures. Marble floors, rugs, carpets, pool decks and grass... I didn't love the texture of the grass at first and mom got some video of me crawling on it and keeping my feet up.

The best things....

2011-02-17T11:03:00.002-07:00

The most amazing part of being in California was the Tree of Balls! Since 'ball' is not only my favorite word, but also my favorite thing to push around and around and around. There was an endless supply of 'ball' to play with and mom took this pic of me asking for more to play with.

Back from Paradise!

2011-02-17T10:42:00.003-07:00

Hi fan club!

I have been such a busy busy guy but am glad to be back home and back to blogging away!

We had a grea time in California visiting Bunna Shirley, Mims and Pa (AND Sophie & Tucker). The weather was too beautiful for words.... speaking of words I came out with a bunch of new ones while we were out of town: PaPa, Pa (directed at the right people!), Car, Bye Bye and Golf Cart. I had a tummy bug while we were there but managed to stay in a pretty good mood. Here are some pics: 1. Going for a morning walk with Mims and Pa, 2. Taking lunch on the deck, 3. Dad hitting golf balls with Pa, 4. Enjoying the pool, 5. Going for a swim with PaPa

Getting my move on!

2011-01-30T14:15:00.002-07:00

Yesterday we went over to Eagle to spend the afternoon with my friends Lilly and Davis Place. Mims and Pa bought me a singlespeed for Christmas and I haven't been super interested in it, but once I saw Lilly and Davis crusing around on the bikes it all clicked for me! It was a beautiful afternoon and I hung out on that bike for a long time. Mom and Dad are thrilled about it and said they aren't surprised that I am on a bike before I can actually walk. Here is the video, more photos to follow!

Wiped Out!

2011-01-25T21:15:00.003-07:00

Sorry for the delay in posts, we have been BUSY! Mom and Dad have both been working too much so I begged them to take me to Denver last weekend to see Mims and Pa before they leave Denver for 8 weeks and to celebrate Aunt Kate's birthday. I lvoe getting to cruse around with my cousin Lauren~ she is so great at playing with me and even gets down to my level on the floor. My biggest obsession is pushing balls around on the floor all day chasing them around saying 'baa, baa, baa'. I also say 'uuck' (truck), 'buh ba' (bye bye) and 'oggie' (doggie). New tricks? well, clapping (I used to just waive my arms up and down when I got excited) and crusing... crawling up on everything and moving from object to object. I am REALLY gonna give Mom and Dad a run for their money now!! Anyway, on the way back from Denver I was so exhausted from all of the festivities and socializing I was unconscious in a matter of minutes. Mom got a picture... good thing I am so secure in my manhood, the pink binkie doesn't bother me at ALL.

I love my Daddy

2011-01-07T20:22:00.002-07:00

My hero and all-time favorite person is my Dad. Whenever he walks into the room I squeal and kick my legs and get as excited as you can imagine! Today Mom and I were about to head out when Dad came home for lunch. I wanted to check out his glasses and mom grabbed the video camera!

On the Move... Again

2011-01-02T08:00:00.000-07:00

Here are a few more pics of me on the move!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

2010-12-31T10:02:00.004-07:00

Sorry for the delay in posting! I have been a BUSY BUSY guy! We had a short and sweet trip to Denver to see Mims, Pa, the Kubiks and Granats for Christmas. It was a fun time but too short! Mims had a huge dinner party on Christmas Eve and I had a BLAST. I spent 90% of my night pushing stuff around on the floor and my cousin Lauren hung with me the whole time. She is so cool! I love that she was spending so much time with me and I was literally squealing with delight as we went around the house. Also, it was fun to have Luke around foor his first Christmas. He is still pretty little, but is smiling a lot and can't wait to be crusing around on the floor with Lauren and I. I got some great toys, books, puzzles and clothes and am very excited about my new bike! Also, my Mimi Shirley sent me my dad's old piggy bank and he is soooo cool! I have him on my shelf and I waive to him every morning when I get up.

New Toys

2010-12-17T08:00:00.000-07:00

Mom and Dad have been working on Christmas gifts for our friends and family and I sincerely hope that no one got me anything expensive because I seem to be happiest with an empty water bottle OR (even better) an empty cardboard box! This one was especially great... fit my head, and I could pull it on and off all on my own. Honestly I really liked it ON best!

O Christmas Tree

2010-12-16T08:00:00.000-07:00

I have been bugging Mom and Dad for a Christmas tree... I know we had one last year but I barely remember it. I have mostly just heard the other kids at school talking about theirs. Apparently MOST people get them up around Thanksgiving... My parents can be slackers I guess! Anyway, when Dad got home from work we bundled up, grabbed the doggies for their opinions and hiked out along the creek looking for a tree. We found a great one and I am excited to see it all decorated and lit up!

1. Dad cutting down our tree (Just kidding!!), 2. Me looking for a tree, 3. Dad chopping it down, 4. Papa and the tree

Rollin, Rollin, Rollin!

2010-12-13T08:00:00.001-07:00

I had my 12 month checkup this week and am happy to report that I am on track! All is well, I am still a little peanut (10% percentile in weight!!), but totally healthy and developmentally crusing right along. Mom kept asking all kinds of questions... something about dairy, something about nut butters and then something about how many words I have. Whatever!! Blah, blah, blah... they stripped me naked and made me sit on a cold scale but after that I got to push a water bottle all over the floor so I was happy as a clam!

Dining in Style

2010-12-12T08:00:00.000-07:00

When I am eating I insist on only dressing with THE most cutting edge fashion! I am sure it has something to do with being born in Aspen... anyway, I thought you would enjoy these photos of my latest 'hot' outfit. (Well, my friend Paris Hilton said it was Hot, but I think it was 'Coool!')

Nothing to See Here

2010-12-10T08:00:00.000-07:00

One of my specialties is getting into messy trouble. And quick...! Mom and Dad insist on going to the bathroom a few times each day and when they finally cave in and run to go, well, I go to WORK. They have caught me in the act a few times, but luckily they have only been able to capture my handy work with the camera twice. First, having my way with a roll of TP (I also enjoy pulling them off the roll, but they ARE best while free on the ground!). Second.... nothing like a big box of dry pasta all over the ground! It took mom a LONG time to clean that one up.

It's My Birthday and I'll Blog if I Want to!

2010-12-08T07:00:00.001-07:00

Well! It's official! I am a whole 1 year old TODAY and as a full-blown kiddo I have decided to take over the blog from my mom. I am just going to consider it my birthday gift...

Mom and Dad threw a birthday party for the this last weekend and it was really fun! I had some great friends show up and Mims and Pa & Aunt Mags and Uncle Andrew represented the family. Mom really forced me to do the whole deal~ cake, candles, gifts, etc etc etc. I tried to be a good sport about it but come on Mom... I am a busy guy. I have a LOT going on!

Anyway since Mom's camera was down Aunt Mags was the sole photographer and...well...it's a long story, let's just say 'photos to come!'

Mom wants me to thank everyone for their love and support and says she'll make sure I stay on top of the blog to keep you all updated.... (haha, I love letting her THINK she runs the show...)

Down time

2010-11-22T08:00:00.001-07:00

In between flights to and from KC we had some time hanging out in the terminal of Aspen/Denver/KC airports. Got some cute pics!

1. Cracker?, 2. Wearing Dad's hat, 3. Tickle Monster coming for you, 4. Playing with iTouch, 5. More PDA with Mom

Kansas City!

2010-11-20T08:00:00.000-07:00

We went to KC to visit Grandpa Bill and Grandma Kay this last weekend and had a wonderful time. The weather was horrible (cold, raining, sleeting, blowing) but it was a wonderful excuse to hang out inside and have some down-time together. We made it out for a few activities: trip to the bike shop, family dinner with Kay's kids (and THEIR kids) and breakfast at 'You Say Tomato' in downtown KC. Overall it was a relaxing time for everyone to catch up~ I am not sure who enjoyed it more, Ryder or Grandpa Bill!

1. Checking out a new set of wheels, 2. Not quite big enough yet!, 3. Breakfast at YST, 4. Food time! 5. About to head home to Colorado

What's so funny?

2010-11-18T08:00:00.002-07:00

Ryder spends 90% of his play time chasing various rolling objects around our house. The musical ball, tennis balls, tennis ball containers, dog bones, and this blue ball that is from another toy. Today he was pushing it around and then throwing it (I guess trying to make it bounce??)and CRACKING up....

Here is one of the two videos:

Leavin' on a Jet Plane!

2010-11-17T17:32:00.003-07:00

The recent trip to KC was an interesting test of Ryder's flying/traveling tolerance. He is crawling like a mad man, but does NOT like to be restricted for any period of time. We were worried about what would happen with him on the airplane! The last time we flew Ryder was about 6 months old and a lot easier to keep still. Much to our relief he was able to handle it pretty well! We mad sure to board the plane as late as we could so he would be squirming (or "squidging" as we call it) but once the engines fired up he would calm down and by the time the plane took off he was usually asleep. Whew!

Nighty Night!

2010-11-14T08:00:00.000-07:00

So much for sleeping babies on their backs! Ever since we stopped swaddling him Ryder has been sleeping on his side or on his tummy. More and more frequently being curled up is somehow included in the equation...

Swinging good time!

2010-11-12T08:00:00.000-07:00

We have been trying to get out and enjoy the sunny semi-warm weather while it lasts. Rocky Mountain winter is headed our way and eash sunny day is precious! Here are a few shots from a trip to the park recently

Kiss Kiss!

2010-11-10T08:00:00.000-07:00

Ryder's latest trick is KISSING! For some reason it is more of a wide-open-mouth, slobbery, almost French-type kiss! It is pretty funny (if you can handle the slobber) and he will, usually, do it on command. Here is Ryder and Andy in the middle of some PDA

Going for a drive with Dad

2010-11-08T08:00:00.001-07:00

Ryder is having a great time with his toys! This one was a loaner from Aunt Kate. He still can't touch the ground to push himself but he can balance well enough to go for a drive with Dad

Tooth Monster

2010-11-08T08:00:00.000-07:00

We are up to a grand total of 6! Two up top and four on the bottom... good thing because this kid likes to EAT!

A deeper understanding...

2010-11-05T20:09:00.003-06:00

It is so interesting watching Ryder's development move along so quickly! The other night we were having some quiet time before bed and Hatch decided to join us on the couch. He was resting right up against me and I said to Ryder "Do you want to give hatch a pet Goodnight??" and he DID! He reached right out and pet him for a couple of minutes... I know we are biased but it was heartmelting... sweet boy!

Snow, Snow, go away!

2010-11-05T08:00:00.000-06:00

We got our first official big snow of the winter season last week! Over a foot of snow at the house so we took the opportunity to put Ryder in his snowsuit and check it out. Unfortunately.... Ryder had a new tooth and no nap so it didn't go over well!! haha- Good thing I had my camera there to capture his mysery... (We hope he doesn't truly feel this way about snow... we live in the wrong neighborhood for that!)

Boo (Part 2!)

2010-11-04T08:00:00.000-06:00

Here are a couple additional photos from Halloween time:

1&2. Checking out the pumpkin guts

3. Ummmm, what is this thing?

4. Andy's artwork!

5. Going for the Binkie exchange at the Church Fall Fun Fest Party

Boo!

2010-11-02T08:00:00.000-06:00

Happy Halloween! We had a few fun activities this Halloween including an annual party at the Gee's. David and Laura sweetly host a mommy/kiddo gathering every year and all of the kiddo have an amazing time with each other (AND playing with a whole new set of toys) and the mom's have fun getting to know each other and catching up. Ryder enjoyed himself and looked adorable in his Tree Frog costume!

Running Errands!

2010-10-30T20:15:00.003-06:00

This weekend we needed to do some 'utility' errands: Target, Costco, etc and it turned into a fantastic opportunity to see the Place crew. It was really fun to hang with Lilly (Davis was deep into a 3 hour nap so we barely saw him!), we played, did some crafts, some reading, and some hardcore crawling. Also, we are loving the new ski hat Davis handed down...

Thought you would enjoy these pics!

Doggies in the Park

2010-10-21T08:00:00.000-06:00

Recently we went to a party in the park for our sweet doggie friend Ellie... Ellie belongs to our friend Shea and sadly she was recently diagnosed with lung cancer. Like so many of our wonderful doggie companions she has gone on to run (and bark!) in heavenly fields and we know she is pain-free, chewing on a big bone, watching over us right now! Someone there took some cool photos of Ryder while we were there, thought you would enjoy.

Happy Daddy, Happy Baby

2010-10-18T08:00:00.000-06:00

One of the things Ryder really enjoys is watching Dad working on bikes. It is tough to catch Ryder sitting still, but he will for a few precious moments if it means he can hang with Andy. Also on his list of favorite activities... helping Dad pack the car for a bike race, and bumping helmeted heads with Dad.

Denver Trip

2010-10-15T08:00:00.000-06:00

While Andy raced his mountain bike at 24 Hours of Moab, Ryder and I went to Denver for the weekend. It was action-packed with Grandpa Bill and Grandma Kay in town to meet cousin Luke, Aunt Maggie and Uncle Andrew's housewarming party and lots of great time visiting with Mims. It was so heartwarming to see Ryder with his cousin Lauren~ she is sooooo sweet with him! He also mastered crawling on the hardwood floors this weekend and slept and ate like a champ. Is it possible that he grew a full inch over the weekend?!

1. Visiting Aunt Maggie at her school, 2. Reading with cousin Lauren, 3. Enjoying a hammock swing with Lauren, 4. Grandpa Bill and Grandma Kay with Luke, 5. Grandma Shirls and Mims with the newest generation!

Mimi Shirley and Aunt Judy!

2010-10-13T08:00:00.001-06:00

We had a wonderful visit with some of the Nashville Pooles! Mimi Shirley and Aunt Judy came out and spent some high quality time with Ryder and he loved it. We wish we were all closer physically but happy to have the times together that we do!

Breaking Ryder News: Off to the races!

2010-09-30T09:34:00.002-06:00

Well, it's official! He's on the move... Lookout Mom and Dad, lookout Wrigley and Hatch, lookout world!

Scavengers....

2010-09-22T08:00:00.000-06:00

Now that Ryder is eating in the highchair the doggies have really stepped up their begging. They have both become experts in Cheerios, puffers and Graham Crackers~ ready and waiting...

D-town

2010-09-20T20:23:00.001-06:00

We went to Denver last weekend to meet Ryder's newest cousin (Luke) and the weather was fantastic! Super warm, time at the park, bluebird skys and lots of fun playing! We love little Luke-Man and can't wait for him and Ryder to be such great buddies. He is a great little baby, eatin and sleepin like a champ!

9 months!

2010-09-20T20:10:00.002-06:00

Ryder is 9 whole months old! Where does the time go?! Here we are at his Dr's appointment. He is doing great but is a little peanut. Right now he is in the 25% for height and the 15th for weight! It is so interesting because 90% of people who see him remark about how big he is... one of my friends said he seems so big because of his 'presence'! Maybe that's it?!

'Orange' you glad I posted this video?

2010-09-08T08:00:00.000-06:00

Ok.... last 'baby eating something sour' video for a while... ! I promise...
This is Ryder trying a slice of my orange during lunch the other day.
tooooooooo funny

Welcome! Luke James Kubik

2010-09-06T08:00:00.000-06:00

Ryder would like to put an official 'welcome' out there to his new cousin, Luke Kubik. These little guys will be running around together before we all know it!!

Luke was born Sept 1 in Denver, CO and was a healthy 8lbs,4oz, 21inches

He is doing great at home and we cannot wait to get down to Denver to meet him as soon as possible!!

Rockin'

2010-09-05T08:00:00.000-06:00

Ryder is still working on the crawling (and we are trying to enjoy the last few days of immobility!) but he has now mastered being on all-fours and rocking back and forth. For now, he is able to crawl backwards and roll to wherever he wants to go... stay tuned!

Splish Splash

2010-09-02T08:00:00.000-06:00

We have been bathing Ryder in a blue plastic tub (lovingly handed down from Lilly and Davis Place) and Andy really felt it was time to get little man his own 'big boy tub.' SO! 3 photos for you: 1. Last bath in the old tub, 2. First bath in the new tub!, 3. Wrapped up post-bath

Eatin' it up!

2010-08-31T08:00:00.000-06:00

Ryder loves to eat and we have been slowly incorporating new flavors into his meals. Most of them he has really taken to, but the other day I think it is fair to say he REALLY disliked both the Kiwi and the Broccoli... oh well, you can't win them all!

Tooth count: 4

2010-08-27T08:00:00.000-06:00

Ryder is putting everything he can get his hands on directly into his mouth! gum, chew, gum, chew, gum, gum, drool...

So far he has the middle two teeth on the bottom, one directly to the right of those and the left top center tooth. I will try to get a picture, but hopefully these will even out soon!

Movin' on Up!

2010-08-23T08:00:00.000-06:00

Ryder has recently made the transition into a big boy highchair for meals. For a while he was sitting in a boppy to eat and then in a little 'bumbo' chair. He seems to like the big chair a lot and has a good time working on feeding himself. Here are a couple of photos of him after having his way with a graham cracker!

Crawling?? Not yet!

2010-08-20T08:00:00.000-06:00

Ryder is RIGHT on the verge of full blown crawling. He will pull himself up, get on all 4's and then not know what to do. He is rolling all over the floor to get where he wants to go~ although parts of me are looking forward to him crawling, I am truly enjoying these few days before he is REALLY on the move!

Happy Birthday

2010-08-17T22:02:00.003-06:00

To Ryder's friend Annelise Bumgarner! She turned 1 about a week ago and Ryder had a lot of fun at her party... We tried to get a good picture of them together but she isn't big on sitting around for photos anymore so she took off before we could get one... as you can see, Ryder was sad, but then he pulled it together and was happy just to have to company of the balloon!

Grandpa Bill and Grandma Kay!

2010-08-17T21:41:00.003-06:00

Last week Grandma Kay and Grandpa Bill came to visit with Ryder's cousins from Kansas City. We had a GREAT few days together including some fun time hanging out at the big house, some hiking and a wonderful trip to the Maroon Bells. We appreciate (so much) them making the drive and can't wait to see them again soon! 1. Lunch by Maroon Lake 2. Beautiful day! 3. (l-r) Auds, Laney, Luke and Monie 4. Grandma Kay and Grandpa Bill 5. Soaking in the love from Grandpa

HahahaHatch

2010-08-12T08:00:00.002-06:00

Ryder LOVES the doggies and frequently will just watch them and crack himself up... We aren't really sure what exactly is so funny but as long as he is happy, why mess with the comedy? I got some of it on video:

Baby Einstein

2010-08-10T08:00:00.000-06:00

We have a couple of Baby Einstein videos and Ryder makes completely new noises when he watches them. There is just 'something' about them! I have heard form other moms that lots of babies have these reactions to BE, but I thought you all would enjoy seeing this... it is really sweet!

Lovin' Lauren

2010-08-08T08:00:00.000-06:00

Ryder LOVED hanging out with cousin Lauren when we were in Michigan. Here is some video of her reading to him~ the end of the video is ok, but the first half of him watching her is AWESOME... he is totally locked onto her:

Peachy!

2010-08-06T08:00:00.000-06:00

Ryder is loving the solid food and peaches are his favorite! He is currently into: peaches, mango, bananas, avocado, graham crackers, sweet potatoes, zuchini, yellow squash and carrots. Coming soon: black beans, blueberries and green beans

Teething....

2010-08-04T08:00:00.000-06:00

Ryder has his middle two teeth in the bottom and seems to constantly be working on whatever ones may be next! Drool, fevel, extra fun diapers, and chewing on whatever frozen toys he can get his hands on- all part of the fun. We will let you know when any others make an appearance.

Growin' Like a Weeeeeed

2010-08-02T08:00:00.000-06:00

We swear that Ryder is getting bigger and bigger by the minute! He is transitioning from a baby to a little dude... here's proof

More new tricks!

2010-07-31T08:00:00.000-06:00

Ryder is now sitting on his own!! I woke up the other morning and came out to see him hanging out with Andy on the couch. The image was just too funny (little man, big couch!)~ had to share it with you all...

Michigan- Post 3

2010-07-29T08:00:00.000-06:00

Ryder was happy to be hanging with some of his most special peeps on this trip. Here are some pics: 1. Great-Grandma Shirls 2. Aunt Mags, 3. Aunt Kate, 4. Mims, 5. Uncle Andrew, 6. Cousin Loey

Michigan- Post 2

2010-07-27T08:00:00.000-06:00

For some reason I just love the pics of Ryder with food all over his face, maybe that is because it is one of the few times he is sitting somewhat still! Here are some good food pics from the Michigan trip: 1. Breakfast with Dad, 2. Want to try Dad's corn, 3. Gonna need some more teeth in here!!, 4. yummm... not so much the chips, but love the bag, 5. Gummin' a tortilla chip, 6. the sultan of avocado

Michigan- Post 1

2010-07-24T08:44:00.004-06:00

We just returned from a long week in Michigan with Lisa's family. It was a wonderful week full of fun times! The days mainly consist of a lot of coffee, maybe a cherry doughnut, some exercise, time at the beach, naps, reading, shower, dinner and hang time. Not too exciting on the 'thrill meter' but amazingly restful and full of fun times together. The week was full of fun for Ryder- lot's of other faces and new things! here are some pics of some of the 'news' for Ryder:

1. First beach sunset with mom and dad

2. Sitting unsupported for extended periods of time

3. Dad took him swimming in the lake

4. Mims introduced him to Graham crackers and he LOVES them

5. A little cat-nap on the beach

Mango-rific!

2010-07-22T08:00:00.000-06:00

More pics of Ryder eating! He really loves fruit in his rice cereal~ this week's new fruit? Mango! Yummm!

Footage for the Nashville and KC branches of the Ryder Fan Club

2010-07-19T08:00:00.000-06:00

This is a little longer (about 2 minutes) but thought it was a good sample of what is going on with Ryder right now. He is getting so big (long!) and strong~ he can stand on his own, you just have to balance him. We have raised 'The Office' up a notch and he loves loves being in there. He sees it and starts reaching down, wanting you to put him in it! This morning he was really 'working hard' when we were in the kitchen. I thought you all would enjoy this:

Matchy matchy...

2010-07-16T08:00:00.000-06:00

The other day I realized that somehow I had dressed Ryder in almost the exact same outfit that Andy was wearing for the day... On the positive side, at least they weren't in matching Christmas sweaters!! (you can rest assured you won't be subjected to any of THOSE kind of photos!!)Anyway~ here are a couple of pics of Ryder and Andy hanging out~ both looking pretty cute!

Young dog, new tricks...

2010-07-14T08:00:00.001-06:00

Here is one Ryder has been working on lately... holding onto his own bottle to feed himself. He doesn't have it mastered yet, but he is getting better!

Rollin', rollin', rollin'

2010-07-11T08:00:00.000-06:00

Ryder isn't crawling or scooting yet, but he is able to roll! No more leaving him unsupervised on any elevated surfaces... we were hanging out outside the other day and here are some pics of him starting to rock and ROLL

Wheels up!

2010-07-07T08:00:00.000-06:00

Ryder is just getting big enough to go for bike rides with me and just this last week we have been able to get out for the first time. We did a great ride up to the Maroon Bells with our friend Shea~ the weather was perfect, the raod was steep and Ryder took a great nap... hard to ask for much else!

The latest from Aaaaaahspen

2010-07-05T21:41:00.002-06:00

Ryder has started eating 'solid' foods ~ basically mushed up bananas, sweet potato, avocado and (the lates and greatest) PEACHES. The first time I gave him peaches he made a squished up face, then opened up for another spoonful, THEN grabbed the bowl and stuck his face in it trying to eat more.... here is a pic of the newest trend in Aspen Spa treatments, the 'Peach Facial'

America the Beautiful

2010-07-05T13:56:00.005-06:00

Happy 4th of July! Hope everyone is doing great~ we had a busy holiday. Lisa and Ryder went over to Breckenridge early in the morning so Lisa could do the Firecracker 50 mountain bike race. Maggie and Andrew were in town with some friends for the holiday and were so fantastic to watch Ryder (after they ran a 10k in the morning!) while Lisa raced.

After the ride, zipped back to Aspen and had some great friends over for a lobster and tenderloin dinner! What an awesome way to celebrate the USA, friends and family!

Hanging with Mims

2010-06-26T19:21:00.002-06:00

Sweet video of Mims doing whatever it takes to make Ryder laugh!

My way?? Sideways!!

2010-06-23T08:00:00.001-06:00

Ryder has started a new little trend... sleeping on his side! Not sure where this came from but both of his parents sleep like this so maybe he inhereted it?? There doesn't seem to be a preference for one side or the other as long as he is sideways.

Denver Trip

2010-06-21T08:00:00.001-06:00

Well! Mom and Dennis just got home for their fantastic vacation in Europe and have a whopping 1 week turn around before heading off to Michigan for another month so Ryder and I ran down to Denver for a couple of days to see them. We had a wonderful trip, bbq at Mim's and Pa's house on Thursday, I got out for a bike ride with a great friend who hasn't seen Ryder since he was about 4 weeks old, and we had some professional photos taken for Andy's first fathers day gift. The weather was fantastic and I am so greatful to have gotten some very nice one on one time with my mom! We are all very excited for the Michigan trip coming up in July.

Here are some pics: 1. Spending time with Bunna Shirley, 2. Baba with Aunt Kate, 3. yummm... bracelets are yummy! 4. Dinner out with Mims and Pa, 5. Ryder with the awesome professional photo we gave Andy for father's day.

More pics from Denver

2010-06-20T20:29:00.004-06:00

Couple more for you! 1. hanging with Aunt Maggie, 2. Ryder loves the doggies! harassing Tucker, 3. Playing with Sophie, 4. Excited to get a reaction out of Sophie, 5. Pa being a bad influence!

Hot Shot!

2010-06-15T08:00:00.000-06:00

Another one of Ryder's sitters snapped some more photos of him for us the other day and they are so cool! We thought Ryder's fan club would enjoy... She is certainly a LOT better at getting him to smile for the camera than I am!!