Happy Rider

Keagan loves his pony Anne but he is just not big enough for mom's saddle.  So we found a used one his size for his birthday.  He loves riding his pony around the yard or paddock and if Regen is available he likes being up high as well.

Where to start...

I now realize that when summer is here life gets to be too much fun outside and this blog just gets ignored.  So I am going to try to update our summer 2013.  We have had so much fun enjoying the nice Colorado weather this summer.  But it has been a bit hectic as we have sold our house and are moving to Minnesota September 24th.  Jeff got a job in the Minneapolis area and started working June 17th so he has been commuting back and forth all summer.  We were lucky that he would work for 2 weeks then have 10-14 days off in a row.  We took full advantage of having some time off together as I am staying at home with the boys.  Since we were leaving Colorado we decided to explore the state before we left.  Our trips into the mountains only made us realize even more how much we will miss Colorado.  It is very beautiful here and we are sad to leave but life marches on and we must go with it!

Keagan loves the summertime.  He spends every minute he can outside or at the pool.  He loves to go swimming and we are so lucky to have a nice community pool 30 seconds away from our house.  We can go every day and we don't have to take care of it or worry about the boys falling into a pool in our own backyard.  Having it heated to 85 degrees is not bad either.  When Keagan is not swimming he is usually playing in the dirt, finding planes in the sky, walking the trails with mom and Hannah, riding (or feeding) his pony Anne, playing over at John's house or picking the tomatoes in the Earth Boxes.  Since his birthday his vocabulary has expanded greatly as the summer has gone on.  At times it is difficult to tell what he is saying but he loves to talk now and it is fun hearing his commentary on life.

May 10th - We call this his Jedi pose

Our Logan-Berry is doing well too.  He has grown so fast this summer. He started sitting up on his own in June and began crawling in August.  He is pulling himself up on everything he can get his hands on now and even lets go to balance on his own 2 feet.  I am sure he will be walking before the year ends.  He got his first tooth right after his 8 month birthday and that has been a long slow process.  Of course introducing solid foods after 6 months has helped his little gums feel better.  He really liked baby food until I gave him his first finger food.  Now if he can't pick it up he does not really want to eat it.  It has been so fun having 2 little boys in the family.  Life is a little more challenging having 2 kids under the age of two but other than the lack of sleep it has been so much fun!

Good-bye to Daphne

Anne and Daphne "talking to us" and reminding Kegan to give them treats!

We said good-bye to our friend Daphne Doodle last week.  With less and less time available to ride and take care of the horses as well as only owning a 2 horse trailer and having 3 horses...we decided to try and find one of our girls a loving home.  Daphne found the perfect new home right around the corner in Castle Rock, CO.  She is going to a family with 4 grandkids...3 of them boys!  It seems like a great fit and she does not mind getting all the attention.  It was sad to say good bye to one of our friends but we still have her mother Anne for the boys to learn how to ride safely.  

Our last ride May 21st. 2013

How many things can you fit into 1 day ?!?

Mother's Day with the boys :)

Keagan's birthday was also on Mother's Day this year and it was on a Sunday.  So we decided to have his party on his actual birthday May 12th as it was a weekend day.  Since Grandma and Grandpa Hanson were also in town we decided to have Logan baptized.  It was a very full day but one full of lots of fun and excitement.

 The 3-n-1 day started the night before.  Since we had to go to the early service of church the house was ready for the party the night before.  This was actually nice to wake up and just be ready for the party later on that day.  Since Brynn and the boys are notoriously late for things we got to church a 1/2 an hour early.  Logan just barely fit into the same outfit that Keagan wore but with the help of a button extender he looked just as cute.

The boy's best friend John was there to help celebrate the day again and the service was just as touching as last year at Joy Lutheran Church in Parker, CO.  Everything went about the same.  Logan only fussed for being held over the water not the annointing. Logan fell asleep before the sermon was over...just like his brother. It was a great day to fit all 3 things together.

A day at the Denver Aquarium

May 20th

We had an amazing day in Denver last week.  We stopped to have sushi and then went to visit live fish at the aquarium.  We managed to get there just in time for our picture with an African Serval Cat.  This was a really neat experience and the cat was so well behaved.  It was a great start to a fun experience.

Logan is not present because he was sleeping.  I did not mind since we were not supposed to touch the cat.  How can you explain that to a 5 month old that loves to reach out and touch his own cats?!?

 Then it was on to the fish exhibits.  The exhibits are all built for the little ones to enjoy so Keagan could just walk right up to the tanks and find the fish.  He was a little frightened by the BIG fish and the sharks but he had a great time exploring the aquarium.

At one point we were near the big shark tank and there was a sea turtle and large ray that kept coming back to our area of glass.  It was fun to watch them swim overhead.

 Although Keagan was a little frightened by the BIG fish, Logan did not seem to mind.  He loved to watch the movement of any fish big or small.  Once he woke up he thoroughly enjoyed the trip.

Let's touch the octopus

Happy 2nd Birthday Keagan!

With the Nemo theme this year - due to Keagan's fascination with his fish - his party was a success.  It was a beautiful day, unlike his actual day of birth where we got about 2 feet of snow at home.  Keagan and his friend Max played outside in the yard most of the day.  That is until Keagan decided to start opening presents.  He loves all of his toys and the best part is still actually opening the presents. 

Keagan had a ball getting ready for his party.  Grandma and Grandpa Hanson flew in to town the Thursday before his birthday.  That was a huge present in and of itself.  Grandpa and Keagan are always inventing new silly games to play while Grandma is fun to play and snuggle with.  The night before his birthday we got him some balloons and these were the best gift.  He loved the "balls" as he calls them and would tackle the balloons.  Amazingly he did not pop any of them :)

I love the car hauler you got me John!

On the day of his birthday Keagan had lots of fun with his best friend John and expert cake decorator Grandma Diane.  Although it appears in the following picture that Keagan needed help with blowing out his candle, Mom was just posing.  Keagan actually loved blowing out his candle and we had to relight it 3 times it was so much fun.  And to be honest we had to put the candle in the left over cake and sing to him everyday and let him blow out the candle until the cake was gone.

Libby riding Anne at the party

This was Max's 1st time on a horse and he loved it!

Of course we could not forget to have the requisite pony rides.  Max, Libby and McKenzie all loved riding our pony Anne around the yard.  Keagan was too busy opening presents but loved his new little saddle the next day!

Max giving Keagan a birthday ride

Max and Keagan playing the day away!  Keagan even decided that Max is so cool that he started wearing his own sunglasses the next week!

Hello VA Beach

Keagan signing "plane"

Playground at the ocean!

We took a quick trip to VA beach to visit friends the weekend before Keagan's 2nd birthday.  We have been meaning to make it over there since he was born and since we have to start paying for a seat when he turns 2 we decided it was time to go!  This was the longest flight we have done besides going to Hawaii and it felt like the longest ride.  We even had a layover in Atlanta on the way out and thank goodness.  Keagan is a good frequent flier but Logan had other ideas.  About half way there and he got sick and tired of sitting in the same seat.  At one point the flight attendant took Logan and walked him up and down the aisle.  As long as he was not sitting still he was happy.  Mom is not looking forward to any more extended travel plans.  Having 2 children certainly changes travel plans!

Konur and Keagan playing soccer

Keagan and Isabella

Daddy and his boys

Once we were in VA Beach we had a great time.  It was wonderful visiting friends and the kids had a wonderful time.  Konur (7 yrs old)  taught Keagan how to kick the soccer ball around, while Bella helped show Keagan how to put jig saw puzzles together.  Logan pretty much smiled at everyone while  working on pooping (travel constipation is not so much fun).  Both boys went to the beach but it was cold and windy so we did not stay long.  Picking ripe strawberries in the field was a lot more fun.  Then eating our work was so yummy.  This trip was long over due and Jeff can't wait to to go back and take the boys fishing!

Best Buddies Tyler and Jeff

All 4 kids: Keagan, Logan, Konur and Isabella

Picking those strawberries was so much fun

Of course what is a trip to VA beach with out going to the beach.  We forget here in 10% humidity how much it changes the temperature.  It was in the 50-60's but man was it cold.  We only took Logan out for a few minutes but Keagan braved the weather to play on the playground on the beach. His teeth may have been chattering but he was going to have fun!

Let me get my teeth to stop chattering for this picture by the ocean

4 months old Little Logan

Logan keeps growing by leaps and bounds.  He is at 90% for height and weight: 16 lbs 12 oz and 24.25 inches in length.  He faired his 4 month shots with only a fuss in at the doctor's office and a prolonged nap at home.  Now if only we could get him to sleep longer at night.... I guess Logan listened to Dr. Avner as he started sleeping longer at night (4 hours is a treat) even if it is in the swing:)

Logan always seems to have a smile on his face!

Yummy...tasty fingers!

 Logan does not practice tummy time all that often as this seems to invite his older brother to pounce on him. He is able to hold his head up quite well when we do practice. It is funny how you don't worry as much with the second one.  I know that Logan will soon be rolling and crawling around.  It does not matter when he gets there - it will be soon enough.  Is is bad to want your baby to stay a baby for just a little while longer ?!?

A ladies man just like his brother!