The Most ONE-derful Time of the Year!

TODAY IS COLIN'S 1st BIRTHDAY!!!  We celebrated this momentous occasion with a holiday-themed party at our house this past Saturday.  We had about 30 guests and everyone seemed to have a great time.  I took most of my party decorations and food inspiration from Pinterest, and I was so pleased with how it all turned out!  It was certainly a lot of work, but it was all worth it to make this day extra-special for our little boy.  After all, this was as much a party for us as it was for Colin - we all have a lot to celebrate!  The invitations said "Our Little Dear Is Turning One!" and I ordered a cake shaped like a reindeer that was pretty cute.  Colin even had his very own "smash" cake, which made for some adorable pictures.  We put balloons and streamers all over the Christmas tree to transform it into the "Birthday Tree," and all of the guests put their gifts under it.  I had a banner that said "Merry Birthday" and made some red, green, and white pom-poms.  We served fruit "Grinch" kabobs, a snowman cheese ball, a veggie Christmas tree, and a yummy oreo-mint cookie dip.  We also had 3 crockpots cooking delicious things - one with white chicken chili (which was gobbled up before I even had any), one with taco soup, and a third with hot chocolate!  We had a hot cocoa bar with lots of goodies to add in.  We even had a "naughty" and "nice" cranberry punch!  But the highlight of the day was when Santa stopped by for a surprise visit!  The kids at the party were so excited, and they each got to sit next to Santa on the couch and tell him their Christmas wishes.  Before Santa left, he helped to sing "Happy Birthday!" and we all watched in delight as Colin delicately explored his very own birthday cake.  It was an absolutely incredible day, one which I'll never forget.  Here is a link to all of the photos from the party, which have been uploaded to Snapfish, if you'd like to check it out!

http://www2.snapfish.com/snapfish/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=13849053007/a=24077577_24077577/otsc=SHR/otsi=SALBlink/COBRAND_NAME=snapfish/

I'm still so amazed at how quickly this year has flown by.  It seems like just yesterday I was complaining about back cramps, checking in with the doctor, and being anxiously driven to the hospital in preparation for labor.  I can most assuredly say that this has been the greatest year of my life, and I know that Marshall feels the same.  Colin has not only made us parents, but has made our lives truly complete.  He is the child I have always dreamed of, and it seems as if every moment has been too good to be true.  Colin is happy, healthy, silly, smart, affectionate, friendly, determined, thoughtful, busy, and loving. I love bringing him out and about to interact with the world.  People are constantly telling me how beautiful he is, and I swear he seeks out this kind of attention from others!  It has been totally mind-blowing to watch him develop and grow right before our eyes.  Each new sight, sound, and experience have been learning opportunities that have helped him to discover the world.  And I'm pretty proud of us, too.  Not only did we manage to keep this tiny person alive and well, but I think we succeeded in helping him adapt to "life on the outside" by establishing routines, following cues, and maintaining order.  I know that this is a job I was meant to do, but I never knew I'd love it so much.  Being a mommy has always been my dream, and I'm so lucky that I have the opportunity to stay at home with Colin so that I don't have to miss a thing.  There have been ups and downs, several tiring nights, and certainly times when I questioned my abilities; but as I reflect on the past year, I realize that I feel very accomplished in my role as a mother.  We're so blessed and fortunate that this little person is ours, and although it's a little sad that our baby isn't quite a baby anymore, we are thrilled about all of the memories that we will get to create with him in the future.  Here are some of my favorite highlights from this most special year:

• When the nurse told us that she could see our baby's dark hair!
• Holding Colin for the very first time
• Bringing him home from the hospital during rush hour traffic on a Friday night, to a house decorated with balloons and signs, and a yummy dinner waiting in the oven (courtesy of Mom and Dave!)
• Taking Colin to John and Kimmie's Christmas party when he was just 3 days old
• Celebrating our first Christmas together as a family
• Being snowed in with a newborn for a week with Mom while Marshall was in California for work
• The first time he giggled (the most adorable sound I've ever heard)
• Going away on our first real trip away from the baby - to the Bahamas for my birthday!
• When some very special family members came for a visit and met Colin for the first time - Uncle Drew and Aunt Rachel, Aunt Adrienne and cousin Evyn, Uncle Brad and Aunt Lindsey and cousins Amelia, Bishop, and Clive, Uncle Jim and Aunt Sarah, and Great Great Aunt Rose
• My first Mother's Day, which we celebrated with a morning boat ride on Lake Norman with Aunt Ginna, Uncle Blake, Grandma Kimmie, and Grandpa John
• Ginna and Blake's wedding, where Colin made a guest appearance for a family photo!
• Swimming in the pool at the YMCA
• Playdates with his buddy, Hunter Poole
• Spending time in the mountains with Grandma Mary and Grandpa Lee, picking blueberries and going on walks in the stroller
• Colin's baptism at our church, Harrison United Methodist
• Our first plane ride and trip to Florida to visit Nani Lynne and Pop Pop Dave
• When Colin started crawling and pulling up all over the place!
• Our beach vacation in the Outer Banks with Grandma Mary and Grandpa Lee
• Baby storytime at the library
• Watching Colin discover the pets
• When Colin first started to say "Dada" and "Mama"
• His first kiss from his neighbor friend, Amelia
• Trick-or-treating around the neighborhood in the little red wagon
• Colin's first Thanksgiving with the Rothwell family
• When Colin sat on Santa's lap at Southpark Mall - first intrigued, then a bit terrified!
• Colin's first birthday party at our house, with lots of family and friends

And of course, the birthday wouldn't be complete without the monthly chalkboard wall update!  So please enjoy this final one, but I hope you will continue to check in to see what we're up to in 2015.  And YES, for those that keep asking, we'll be considering a sibling for sweet Colin in the next few months :)  Happy New Year!

So Much to be Thankful For

Colin's very first Thanksgiving was filled with family, food, football, and fun.  Grandma Kimmie and Grandpa John hosted this year, and we spent much of the holiday weekend with them, Jim and Sarah, Ginna and Blake, and Blake's stepdad, Mick.  We all had a blast eating delicious Thanksgiving treats, playing games, going on walks, and relaxing on the couch.  Marshall and I were even able to take Jim and Sarah to a few local breweries and show them around our town on Friday, while Grandma and Grandpa babysat our little turkey.  Even though the 3 of us ended the weekend with a head cold, it was one of the best Thanksgiving weekends I've ever had.  Probably because this year, we were able to spend it with the newest member of our family...and he is truly the thing I am most grateful for.  Marshall and Colin make my life complete, and I am so very thankful for all the blessings in my life.  I spent a lot of time reflecting on just how lucky I am, and wanted to share some of the things I am most grateful for this year.  Here's just a few, in no particular order!

• Our sweet baby boy, Colin - I didn't know it was possible to love anything so much
• My amazing and loving husband, Marshall, who is the ultimate provider and my soul mate
• The opportunity to be a stay-at-home-mom, to watch Colin grow and learn, and to not miss a single moment!
• All of our basic necessities and more - the food we eat, the clothes on our back, and the roof over our head (and these things are well beyond the basics)
• Our house, the one that I dreamed of that fits our family perfectly in every way
• My health, and the health of my loved ones
• Marshall's job, which he loves and is so successful at, and the opportunities within it that lie ahead
• My family, both near and far, and the unconditional love and support they provide, as well as the examples they have set
• My friends, who make me laugh, listen when I need to talk, and bring joy to my life
• Our pets -  Kai, Jack, and Phoebe - our first fur babies who always make me smile
• Being an American, and all of the freedoms that allows me
• My church, which has helped me to grow in spirituality and faith, and has enriched our lives as a family
• My education, which has shaped my life and taught me valuable life lessons

I'm sure there are many more that I can add to this list...and that thought alone truly humbles me.  We want for nothing, and I'm so very thankful every single day for each blessing in my life.  Happy Thanksgiving to all! I am grateful for you!!!

Here are a few cute photos from our wonderful holiday weekend.  Enjoy!

Colin was mesmerized by the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade...so cute!

Mommy's Little Turkey wanted some champagne from Aunt Ginna Bug

A beautiful Thanksgiving table filled with yummy food prepared by the amazing Chef Kimmie!

The boys helped clean up the Thanksgiving feast

Jim, Sarah, Amy, and Marshall at NoDa Brewery

Colin is 11 Months Old!

Only 1 more month left before Colin can be officially considered a toddler.  A TODDLER!!!  Can someone please explain to me just HOW that is possible?!?!  Well, one thing is for sure...and that is that he is certainly starting to toddle!  He is gaining so much confidence now, and is determined to do things on his own.  He loves being able to be on the move, and explores everything he possibly can.  "Busy" has been our favorite word to describe Colin at this stage!  But it's very evident that pretty soon, crawling and cruising around the furniture won't be enough to appease our little adventurer.  While my mom was in town visiting during the week of Halloween, she gave Colin an early birthday present - a push toy with an activity center and a handle so that Colin can stand up and walk it around the room!  He was so excited at this new-found skill...and we were a little on edge with the speed at which he zipped around the couch!  Colin also loves to stand up and bounce the yoga ball in the playroom.  He's got pretty good balance, too.  But when he does lose his footing and falls to the carpet, I'm so impressed with the way that he picks himself up again (and without any fuss, I might add!), and goes right back to it!  We've also watched him crawl up a few stairs and stand on his own for a few seconds at a time.  It won't be long now before he takes that amazing first step...and I spend the rest of my days chasing after our busy toddler!

I'm also amazed lately by Colin's fine motor skills.  He's perfected his pincer grasp, and can use his thumb and forefinger to pick up tiny peas and cheerios at meal time!  He has also learned how to take the lid off of a cup and put a ball inside, shake it up, then do it again.  The first time he did this, he discovered it all on his own...and I was such a proud mommy!  I'll attach a video of this for you to marvel at :)

Little Man has also popped out four of his top front teeth!  Luckily, teething didn't seem to affect him too bad this time.  He's using his new chompers to explore a wide variety of new foods as well.  He is basically over the baby food and ready to move on to more interesting tastes and textures.  So far, I haven't found too many things that he turns his nose up at.  And this will also be our last month of formula and bottles...our baby is growing up SO fast!!!

Colin is the absolute joy of our lives.  He is funny, charming, clever, and sweet.  He loves being tickled, silly faces, and rough-housing with Daddy.  He loves splashing in the tub and exercising his voice.  He loves music and books, and has a blast at baby story time at the library each week.  I taught him to clap his hands a few weeks ago, and I love how he uses this gesture to show his excitement!  We play patty-cake and peek-a-boo, and lots of other rhyming games.  But the best part of my day is waking up in the morning and bringing my cutie in bed to snuggle.  I cherish these moments, and plan to cuddle with my little buddy for as long as he'll let me!  Cheers to the last month of babyhood!

Here's the latest chalkboard wall update!

Hooray for Halloween!

October is my favorite month of the year.  The temperatures are cooler, the leaves are changing, and the skies are a clear Carolina blue.  But Halloween just might be the best part of this month.  We did a few fun things this year for Colin's first Halloween.  First, we signed up to work a shift at our church's annual pumpkin patch.  We really enjoyed the day and made a bunch of good sales...probably because we brought along the cutest little pumpkin in the patch :)  Colin wore his jack-o-lantern outfit and we got several adorable photos on hay bales, surrounded by pumpkins, and with our neighbor's little girl, Amelia, when they stopped by to pick out their pumpkins.  But Colin's real costume this year for the big day was a horse!  Marshall and I wore our cowboy and cowgirl gear, and took our little pony trick-or-treating to a few houses around the neighborhood.  He even got to ride in his new Radio Flyer wagon (a.k.a., the "Rothwell Rider"), which he seemed to really love!  With his candy basket in tow, he eventually picked up on the concept of reaching into the bowl to choose a piece of candy, and he even put it in his own basket!  It was so cute!  We also made a last stop trick-or-treat visit to Grandma Kimmie and Grandpa John's house, just before a thunderstorm rolled into town.  They were very excited to see us all dressed up!  My mom was also in town visiting for the week, so it was extra special to have her here for the occasion.  She babysat Colin for us on Saturday night, so we could attend Mark and Kim's Halloween party.  Marshall and I went as a "Day of the Dead" couple, a sort-of Halloween tradition in the Mexican culture.  Think skeleton meets mariachi...lots of face painting made this one a hit!  It took a while, but I had fun turning hubby and myself into these creepy characters.  We had a good time at the party, too...but next year, I think we'll be ready to host our own!  Here's some photos from all the festivities.  Enjoy!

 

10 Month Update

Every month I think to myself, "This is the best age yet!"  As Colin turns ten months old today, I've been thinking about how much fun we've been having with him...watching him grow and develop right before our eyes.  His little personality is really taking shape, and we can imagine what he'll be like as a toddler, child, and maybe even as an adult!  Our little boy has such a sweet and gentle soul.  He definitely has a sense of humor, and loves to be silly.  He'll even try to make me laugh as I'm putting him down for a nap...his way of telling me he'd much rather play :)  We've also learned that Colin really is quite adventuresome.  He's fully on the move now - crawling almost fast enough to catch the cats, pulling up and sitting down with ease, and cruising around the furniture as he perfects the skill of one foot then another.  And if you read the last post, then you already know how much he LOVES to swing...my little daredevil!  We even took a walk to our neighborhood playground and discovered some baby swings there too.  A nice change of scenery for Colin's new favorite activity!  He's also learned how to wave bye-bye (or hello, although we're not entirely sure he knows what it means yet!).  We've had fun practicing this gesture everywhere we go...and people seem to get a kick out of it.  Well, at least we do!  Colin is such a little social butterfly.  He loves to exercise his voice when out in public, probably aware that it gets him some attention.  He loves to yell all over the grocery store, in restaurants, and at baby storytime.  Guess he hasn't learned the quiet rule for the library yet.  He's also very intrigued by other kids and babies, and is eager to interact with them as much as possible.  Everyone always comments what a happy baby Colin is, and it's certainly very true!  He smiles and giggles at everyone, and I swear he poses when someone gets out their camera.  But my most favorite new accomplishment  this month has been hearing my baby say "MAMA!"  (And sometimes "mamamamamama" and "mom-mom").  It melts my heart every time.  And you know what?  I think he does know what it means! Each month has brought oodles of new surprises...I'm treasuring each passing day, and hoping our baby doesn't grow up too fast!!!

Here's the newest chalkboard photo!

Swinging Into Fall

Fall in the Carolinas brings about cooler temperatures, bright blue skies, and beautifully changing leaves.  We've been spending quite a bit of time outside lately, just taking it all in.  Colin and I enjoyed all of the autumn splendor in the mountains this past week, and it was wonderful to be able to be outdoors (without the threat of rain, finally!).  We stayed with Grandpa Lee and Grandma Mary while Marshall was on a business trip in Chicago, and then Marshall drove up after he returned on Friday.  We got to do some nice long walks, visit some playgrounds, feed the ducks, and sit by the fire.  We also watched a lot of football and celebrated Grandma Mary's birthday on Saturday.  Colin even got to check out a golf course for his very first time after Marshall and Grandpa finished a round on Sunday.  We think Colin will be a pro someday for sure :)  He even got to ride in a golf cart!

But Colin's most favorite thing to do in the fall is to SWING!  Grandma and Grandpa gave us a Little Tykes swing which we hung from the top deck at our house.  The first time we put Colin in it, we knew it was a winner!  Colin giggled and smiled the whole time, and we could barely get him out of it!  He also loved the baby swing at the Seven Devils park and the Valle Crucis park in the mountains.  We've been using the swing at home a lot, and it seems like the perfect way to enjoy the season.

Here are some "swingin" photos and videos for you to enjoy :)

A Month of Many Milestones

Our little baby isn't such a baby anymore...Colin is 9 months old today!  And the last few weeks have seen one new accomplishment after another.  Looking back at my post from 2 weeks ago, I saw that Colin had just learned to roll over and sit up on his own.  While on vacation at the beach last week, his "army" scooting lead to full-fledged crawling on all fours!  Colin is so excited about his new found freedom to get anywhere his little heart desires.  But I bet if he could talk, he'd tell us that this crawling stuff is for the birds, and that he'd MUCH rather start walking already!  It seems as if all of a sudden, he's now gained the strength - and confidence - to pull himself up to a standing position...and it's his new favorite feat.  And his most favorite place to perform this trick?  In his crib, of course...when he should be sleeping.  But he also loves to pull himself up on the tables, chairs, couches, and on his mommy and daddy.  Once he's up, he gets a huge grin on his face, and puts out his arm for someone to assist him when he's ready to take a few steps.  While we're so very proud of our little man on the move, we're really hoping he won't be one of those kids that starts walking at 10 months.  We need a few more weeks to really baby-proof this place!  So even though Colin might be ready for the next step (meant both figuratively and literally here), Mommy and Daddy are certainly NOT!

Here's a few cute pics of Colin's latest trick, followed by the latest and greatest chalkboard wall of accomplishments.  Oh, and maybe a crawling video too :)

Our First Family Beach Vacation!

Last week, Colin, Marshall, and I joined Dad and Mary in Duck, NC (in the Outer Banks) for a fun beach vacation.  We stayed at a resort club called Barrier Island Station, and our 2-story unit had 2 bedrooms, a loft, full kitchen, and even a washer and dryer.  Although it was a bit outdated, it was a great setup for us.  There was also an indoor pool, a great outdoor pool, and an amazing beach overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.  Apparently, whenever we travel, the bad weather seems to follow us.  So, the first few days, we had lots of clouds and rain...followed by flooding and very strong surf and rip currents in the ocean.  We made the most of it though, and explored the area, played games, watched some movies, and even visited the Currituck Lighthouse.  Of course we got breakfast from the famed Duck Donuts (a must-not-miss while in Duck...they make the donuts as you order them!  Delish!), and had scrumptious crabcake sandwiches at Cravings, a local restaurant highlighted on the show Diners, Drive Ins, and Dives (one of Marshall's favorites).  Dad and Mary also babysat one evening so Marshall and I could have a special date night.  We ate at a quaint little restaurant called The Paper Canoe, overlooking the sound.  It was a lovely evening with my hubby!  The weather finally cleared on Wednesday, and we got to relax for a bit on the beach.  The ocean was still too rough, and the No Swimming flag was still perched upon it's pole.  It took Colin a bit to get used to all the new sights and sounds of the beach.  He is definitely not a fan of the sand...it must have been just too coarse for his delicate little feet, because he wouldn't even let them touch the ground!  He loved the pool of course, and had fun floating in his raft and splashing with his toys in the kiddie pool.  Thursday was the best beach day by far.  The waves were calmer, and swimmers were allowed in the water.  Marshall, Dad, and I spent hours body surfing and boogie boarding...it was a blast!  We were all worn out that evening though!  On Friday we drove through the Wright Brothers memorial park, and visited Jockey's Ridge, which is the largest natural sand dune on the eastern coast.  Then we had a yummy lunch at a pizza place, and Colin enjoyed some of his very own vanilla ice cream.  Then it was time to pack up and head home.  We did our traveling at Colin's bedtime, which worked out great because he slept the whole 6-hour drive home.  We had such an amazing time, filled with memories we'll cherish forever.  We're already looking forward to another beach trip next year...and maybe Colin will get to enjoy the sand and ocean when he's just a little older :)

 

New Tricks

Now that Colin has become more mobile, he's also gained quite a bit of confidence in his abilities to get around...and more importantly, to get what he's after.  While doing some FaceTime with Nani last week (one of Colin's favorite things to do), we were amazed at how quickly he scooted across the carpet to get to the screen!  It was really more of an "army crawl," but he saw what he wanted and made it happen!  He not only rolls from his back to his tummy, he can now turn himself all the way around to face any direction he chooses.  Colin can easily get his legs bent underneath of him so he's up on all fours, and rocks back and forth before he starts to scoot.  He's ready to do some serious crawling now!

We've also had a few laughs while watching the video monitor above his crib.  Our sweet baby boy who used to hate tummy time now happily rolls into this position for sleep.  He's never in the same place he started, and we'll often find him with his legs on his bumpers or his cute little bottom in the air :)  Colin also sleeps with his "blankie bear" now, and this has really helped to signal when it's time to go to sleep.  Dad and Mary's friends, Dave and Faith Rowe, gave us a little pacifier with a small beanie frog attached to it (called Wub-a-Nub), and this has also become a welcome friend in the crib.  Colin loves to wake up slowly and hold his Wub-a-Nub and fiddle with the taggies on his blanket.  It's really very cute!  But a brand new surprise came during this morning's nap.  After hearing a few noises, we knew that Colin must be awake. Marshall and I peeked at the monitor to discover him sitting up in his crib, just staring at the camera...quite pleased with this new accomplishment.  So pleased, in fact, that this new-found skill already seems to have become a bit of a distraction when it's time to sleep.  When it came time for his afternoon nap, Colin wanted to practice going back and forth between laying down and sitting up, over and over.  Eventually, he fell asleep...but as soon as he woke up from this nap, he popped right up and sat in his crib until I came in!  You can be sure that the very next thing on our to-do list is to lower that crib so our little trickster doesn't escape!

Here are some cute pictures I took of the video monitor screen, to give you an idea.  The first one shows Colin in the "downward facing dog" position...aka, tush in the air!  The second one shows him just sitting in his crib, probably just as surprised as we were at the accomplishment!

Happy 8 Months!

Ok, so I know I sound like a broken record here, but WHERE HAS THE TIME GONE???  It's amazing to think that I gave birth to our beautiful baby boy 8 months ago today.  Looking back, I can easily remember being a frazzled new mommy, just trying to figure it all out.  And these days, I'm feeling much more confident! I have learned so much about Colin - what he likes and what he doesn't; how to calm and reassure him; and how to prepare him for new things.  His little personality seems to have exploded this month, and he's had a lot of new experiences!

We just got back from a visit with family in St. Pete, and Colin did awesome on his first plane ride!  I was feeling a little anxious about making the trip without Marshall, but it was actually pretty easy.  Colin loved being wheeled through the airport in his stroller, flirting with the flight attendants, and seeing Nani and Pop Pop when we arrived in Tampa...they even had a sign with his name, ready to chauffeur him to their place at the beach!  Although we had a few days of rain during our visit, Colin was still able to swim in the pool, put his feet in the sand, and splash in the Gulf for the very first time.  We also had several visitors during our stay.  Colin got to meet Ashleigh, Marion and her son Jacob, Bob and Sue, Lari, Katie and George.  He also had fun spending time with his Aunt Adrienne and cousin Evyn, Uncle Drew and Aunt Rachel, and of course, Nani and Pop Pop (Colin thinks that Nani is the funniest person ever!).  It was a wonderful trip, but we're already missing everyone!

Marshall was sure that Colin would start crawling while we were in Florida, and he is getting pretty close!  This month, he learned how to roll over onto his tummy, and has been doing some serious scooting ever since.  He wants to crawl so bad, and I bet by this time next month he will have figured it out.  Time to baby-proof the heck out of this place!  Colin also got his 2nd tooth, right next to the other one on the bottom (so now his smile is much more symmetrical!).  He's officially sleeping through the night now...about 12 hours in a row!  It's simply blissful having our sleep back!  Colin even sleeps like a champ in the pack n' play when we're away from home.  He is now eating 3 solid meals a day for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and loves just about everything he's had.  He's trying more finger foods too...soft pieces of fruits and veggies, toast sticks, yogurt melts, and even pasta!  He loves exploring the new tastes and textures, and is very motivated to feed himself.  He's also learning to drink from a sippy cup, and seems quite proud of himself...such a big boy!

Whenever we're out, people always comment on what an alert and happy baby he is...and it's so true!  Colin loves to laugh, be silly, play patty-cake, and he also imitates sounds and movements.  He shakes his head "no" from side to side, and still tries to get our attention by coughing and screeching...it's really quite amusing!  We can't wait to see what next month will bring!

Mommy's Mountain Man

In the last few weeks, we've spent a lot of time visiting Grandpa Lee and Grandma Mary up in the mountains...and I think Colin loves it there as much as we do!  Colin and I stayed for another week in July while Marshall was traveling for business, and we went back up this past weekend to visit with Drew while he was in town.  Unfortunately, the weather was not the best, but we made the most of it and got outside every chance we could when the sun came out.  We had a picnic dinner at Banner Elk Park, and Colin even got to put his little feet in the stream and play on some of the "big kid" playground equipment.  We also did some shopping at the outlet mall on one of the rainy afternoons.  Colin loved being pushed around in his cozy stroller that Grandma and Grandpa got for him, and just smiled away at all the other shoppers.  He even got licked in the face by a service dog, and tried his first taste of an ice cream cone!  My favorite day was spent blueberry picking in the morning (just before getting caught in a downpour!), and splashing in Wild Cat Lake in the afternoon.  During Drew's visit, we also let Colin take a dip in the hot tub and fed the ducks on our walk around Bass Lake.  Grandma and Grandpa have gone all out to give Colin every comfort of home while he's visiting them in the mountains.  He's got a pack n' play, a swing, stroller, activity mat, bath seat, and car seat...but his favorite new toy is a walk-around activity table.  We were amazed how quickly he figured out how to get around to each area, and how each toy worked!  I think it'll even help him as he learns to walk...he just scoots all around with ease!  We've all had so much fun during our visits to the mountain house, and we can't wait for our beach trip to the Outer Banks in September.  But stay tuned...our next big adventure will be our trip to Florida to visit Nani and Pop Pop (and Adrienne, Evyn, Rachel, and Drew) next week!  Look out, St. Pete...HERE WE COME!!!

Here are some of my favorite photos from our latest trips to the mountains.

And here's a cute video of Colin in his activity center.  Dad and Mary's dog, Sebastian, loves to play...and Colin seemed to find this to be quite hilarious :)