First stop: Colorado Springs

Out of order vacation photos!  Our first day we packed up the car in the morning and got on the road in time for first nap.  Augie slept to Denver and then played quietly by himself all the way to Colorado Springs.  We went straight to my first year college roommate, Sasha, 's apartment (I have never known how to deal with a possessive when you also have to describe who they are).  I hadn't seen her since June and she hadn't seen Augie since the week after he was born.  We discussed how this was inexcusable!

Sasha had a big surprise for Augie -- she had found some of her old toys at her parents' house and cleaned them up and had them out for him.  She also had a clean peanut butter jar that you could put things in and SHAKE!  Sasha knows babies well.  She had put something in front of her fireplace, gotten plugs for her outlets and even locks for her cabinets, so Augie was able to explore with relative freedom.  He loved all the different toys especially.

After a bit of squirm time, we headed to the Air Force Academy chapels, which were a must-see for the architect in the family.  I had already seen them three years ago when we lived here and I visited Sasha, but they were just as amazing the second time around.  It was quite brisk for a Colorado November day -- just hovering around freezing.

We quickly stepped into the biggest chapel - the Protestant chapel, to get warm.  Augie LOVED it because the lighting was so interesting, and he got to practice his first word a lot -- "light."  It sounds more like "dit" but he's really consistent in using it and points at all different types of lights (including fire, we learned yesterday) and says it, so I finally concurred with Brett that it is his first word.  

After that, we stepped back outside and toured the other chapels in the basement -- the Catholic church, the Buddhist temple, and the synagogue.  While they weren't nearly as breathtaking as the Protestant chapel, they were all very nice and didn't seem slighted, just smaller.  We then got a few more photos before heading to Garden of the Gods.

Contemplating a new career.

After the AFA, we boogied to a Jimmy John's because we were all starving and Augie passed out as soon as we got into the car.  We ate that on the way to Garden of the Gods, which was beautiful and not too crowded thanks to the weather.  This was also a first for Brett and a second for me.

After this, we headed back to Sasha's for some good old fashioned squirm time and a nap before we went out to dinner.  We went out to a really nice place in Colorado Springs called Nosh and Augie ate like a king!  He was a very adventurous eater that night.  We left after breakfast the next morning to head to Great Sand Dunes National Park.

Augie loved playing with Sasha's pumpkins!

Pre-nap books

His favorite toy was probably her jingle bells.  I think he liked the way they tasted just slightly more than the way they sounded.

The Great Sand Dunes = the greatest place on earth

I don't know many 10 month olds, but I can tell you that for this 10 month old, a giant sandbox is pretty much the best thing imaginable.  Photographic and video evidence follows.

I should start by saying that even if we had only gone to the visitors center, Augie would have been quite happy.  Mom, there are CHAIRS in here!  He also loved playing with the blocks that spun around on a rod with pictures of animals on them and the topographic map of the mountains, but those were very hands-on experiences for mom and dad.

Outside the back of the visitors center, we got a nice view of the dunes that we'd be driving closer to before starting our hike.

He's so serious for most pictures.  He just can't help it.

 We drove closer to the dunes and had to cross this stream before we could climb them.  Dada was carrying Augie in the Ergo baby through this part and we were trying and failing to not get our feet wet.

Once we got maybe a little more than halfway up, we decided (I decided) to stop and play in the sand instead of going all the way up to the top.  Dada took some photos before making his way to the top.

Whoa, mom, did you know sand feels really cool in your hands?

Wait, there's so much sand!

There's more of it over here!

Mom!  So much sand!

Then he started just crawling around in it and loving it.  

After this, dada took off for the top of the dunes and got some great photos while Augie and I kept at what we were doing.

When dada got back, he saw how things had deteriorated, and caught Augie with what can only be described as about a tenth of the sand he probably swallowed on his face.

Augie learned another valuable lesson yesterday -- going down is way more fun that going up.  Mama has known that one for awhile.

Also, there's daddy's shoulders.

Around the house

Sometimes photos don't seem special enough to post, but I like to have our everyday pictures somewhere so we can go back and remember the little funny things that he did or that made him laugh.  Here are a bunch taken from the past few months.

Loves this mat and how it feels on his teeth!

Helping mama unpack!

This is the first time he was "into" something when I walked away and came back.  I had laid him down on the mat, and when I came back, he was going through the contents of a shelf.  Uh-oh.

A student gave me some colorful kitchen utensils as a thank you for writing a letter of rec for her.  I didn't need them, but I knew someone who would enjoy them!

Hard to get an entirely in-focus picture with this boy.

The first time he "smiled" for me not because he was happy but because I think he's starting to understand that's what you do for pictures.  It kind of made me sad.

Did I mention "uh-oh?"

We got a swing adapter that takes the big kid swings we have out back and makes them suitable for babies.  He LOVES to swing.

He just loves putting these little popping things back down.

Rolling a ball with dada

Not technically around the house, but just a trip to the grocery store.  Lately he's so fascinated everywhere we go.

Also not at home, but just a quick trip to the playground.  He was so serious on the slide until the bottom when he had a huge smile.

Not only is he standing up but he's also holding onto things while he does.

At a local cafe.  I must say the other patrons were very impressed by his virtuoso performance.

Augie meets snow - 10 months

Augie turned 10 months today. Daycare was closed for Veteran's Day, but Mama had school. So, I (Dada) got to hang out with Augie all day, just the two of us.

We got some 10 month pics. It was quite a rodeo. In keeping with the spirit of these monthly pictures we've been taking, the quilt Kari made is (technically) in all the pictures. But it's getting hard to catch the fleeting moment when he's actually on the quilt.

 

 

We've got a stander. Everywhere. All the time. And just as important, he knows how to dismount safely from standing position.

 

Wedged him between the couch and ottoman so he would stay still long enough for a picture.

Coincidentally, we got our first snow of the year last night. 1-2 inches. Technically Augie saw snow last winter, but he probably doesn't remember that.

 Dada, did you see this? Outside turned white.

I can goes to Outside?

Wait a second... the screen door doesn't latch.

Dada, I'm going outside!

Disclaimer: It was actually pretty warm outside in the sun. Dada was in a tshirt and shorts.

Crawling on hands and knees! This is actually a rarity. Augie is more of an army-crawler.

Wet. Bright. Texture similar to the oatmeal & pears I just ate.

Doesn't taste like oatmeal.

Cold foot!

Foot elevated. Further taste tests.

Off-quilt exploration. Minimize ground contact. Keep left foot elevated.

The explorer back in the office (his toychest).