La Junta visit

Michael had to work the weekend, so Melinda and the two kiddos drove down to La Junta for a visit with the Freidenberger Family.

Great Grandma Lois looks on as Madelyn eats her first popsicle! Grandma Freidenberger has a things for introducing Madelyn to food with sticks. First suckers, now popsicles. After the popsicle fell off the stick, Madelyn had to have a bowl for it. It was so good that she drank the little that had melted.

We took Madelyn's "blow-up bed" for her to sleep in and she wanted to blow it up. I showed her how much easier and faster it is with the motor that came with the bed.

Helping Grandpa pull weeds.

Grandpa was playing on the floor with Xavier and trying to teach him to crawl.

Madelyn liked blowing bubbles with Grandma.

Mommy put Xavier to sleep and then was working on getting Madelyn to bed when Xavier starting crying. Grandma and Grandpa couldn't stand to hear him so sad so they went and rescued him. Xavier became Grandpa's good buddy after they took a little walk outside and looked at all the trees and Tar the dog.

Xavier wants real food (not the pureed baby food) so bad. He was reaching for the magazine and laughing at the pictures of all the food. He tried to eat the magazine as well.

Xavier and Grandma played with the baby in the mirror.

Xavier was trying to eat the fruit bowl, not the fruit, just the bowl. Drool was just running down the side of the bowl.

Madelyn didn't want to take a nap so Grandma laid down with her. She kept saying "but Grandma, I'm not tired"

When we got home Xavier graduated to sweet potatoes. He's still not sure about them.

Christmas in July??

On the way home to Grand Junction, we encountered a little storm. It was raining as we started up Monarch Pass, the rain got heavier until it turned into hail. The hail quickly started sticking to the road and my car was wanting to slide all over. Luckily I was able to pull off the road at the turn for Old Monarch Pass. Many cars did the same thing. Then a truck pulling a 5th wheel trailer pulled off right in front of me. A minivan pulling a pop-up trailer behind him was spinning his wheels and ended up stopping on the road. After the hail stopped the minivan called for a snow plow (in JULY??). After about 10 minutes everyone was able to get going again. We were the last car to get back on the road because I wanted to be safe!

Looks like wintertime! It was actually kind-of beautiful!

I would guess there was 1-3" that fell in probably 5 minutes! Madelyn looked frightened but when I told her it was called hail she seemed to relax (she just wanted to know the name of it).

Cars were backed up pretty far down the road.

Luckily they were fairly small pieced of hail.

A stream quickly formed on the side of the road.

East-bound cars made tracks and that's how the west-bound cars first got going.

The top of the car right before we drove off. I made a "hailball" for Madelyn to touch. She loved having me get her a piece of hail and she tried to throw it out the window (it was the first time she'd ever had the window all the way down). The temperature was 37 when we started going. It took about 20 minutes for all the ice to melt off the windshield wipers. CRAZY!! Only in Colorado!

Mohawk man

So I'd never go out in public with Xavier's hair spiked into a mohawk, but I had to do it to get some pictures. It's too cute not to do it.

So Happy! From the side you can see it's a mohawk, not a pony tail on his head

Asleep and sucking his thumb (I had to leave the room to get him to go to sleep and he woke up as soon as I took the picture).

Getting very sleepy. This is when the thumb goes in the mouth.

Madelyn wanted her picture taken as well. Xavier just loves his big sister. He just smiles at her and laughs. I tried to do these when she was supposed to be napping, but I did get the biggest smiles with her help.

She really does love him even though it looks like she's about to eat him.

Everyday fun

Madelyn loves to play in her new pool in the back yard. Wylee would also love to play in it but is not allowed. Madelyn was nice enough to share a drink of water with Wylee. But then the fun began and Madelyn tried to soak Wylee.

Wylee is very good with the kids. Both kids love to love on her.

Xavier actually started out sitting against Wylee and petting her.

Mommy and Daddy had a battle on when to start solids (rice cereal). Mommy wanted to wait another month so that Xavier would be 6 months, but Daddy wanted to start July 6 (at 5 months). After noticing how bad he stared at food and reached for it, Mommy admitted defeat and started Monday, July 6th. So far he's not real sure of it. You would almost think we're trying to torture him by the faces he makes. So until he gets more accustomed to it, we just give him rice cereal once a day. Once he masters that we'll move up to tastier things like sweet potatoes. Mommy is a little afraid that he's going to be one of those babies that wants "real" food, not baby food.

Now that Xavier eats cereal, Madelyn's baby Pinky also eats rice cereal. It sure is cute how she imitates us. Pinky has to be swaddled every night for bed (even though Xavier now sleeps unswaddled).

Xavier started rolling over from back to tummy on July 1st. It was just the thing he needed because now he sleeps through the night (most nights that is). He goes to bed between 7:30 and 8:00, usually wakes up shortly after 6, eats a little bit, and goes back to sleep until about 8. Life is good!

Mommy bought a really neat Exersaucer ad both kids love to play with it. If we put Xavier in his Jumperoo, we can't face him towards the exersaucer or he tries to jump to it to get the toys on it.

4th of July Bay Family Reunion

For the weekend of July 4th, we went to Cotopaxi, CO (between Salida and Canon City) and stayed at the KOA to attend the Bay Family Reunion. We had a good time.

Madelyn and Mommy baked a 4th of July Jell-O cake. It was yummy! We went on a hay ride and the two kiddos even held hands.

Madelyn walking to dinner with Grandpa Freidenberger.

Madelyn LOVES corn-on-the-cob

Xavier was happy as could be!

Grandma Freidenberger playing with Xavier.

Grandpa Freidenberger caught a fish in the Arkansas river. Daddy and Madelyn watched him gut it and when he actually pulled the "guts" out Madelyn said "Mmmm, yummy."

Xavier met his Great Aunt Connie for the first time.

We ate some delicious meals and boy what a view!

The part of the Chester Bay Family that attended.

Madelyn loved playing with Shannon, her new friend (and cousin).

We even got to see a bunch of mountain goats!

The KOA had a pool and we all went swimming before fireworks. This was Xavier's first time in a pool and he loved it. He just kicked and kicked like a little frog. Madelyn was able to stand up in the pool because it started out at 2' deep so she loved it as well. The KOA had their own fireworks show which was pretty amazing. We thought Xavier might not like them, especially since he was so tired, but he just stared at them in amazement and never even jumped.

Father's Day 2009

For Father's Day, Xavier got Daddy a new Star Wars game for the Wii and Madelyn got him "sticks" (light sabers) to play with it. This was Madelyn's first time playing with the Wii.