in continuation....practice makes perfect part II

Teddy is continuing to get better at walking. Today he was quite disciplined, training very hard....and I didn't even take out the snacks for incentive! He now seems to understand the awesomeness of what he is accomplishing. Good job baby boy! We love you to the moon!

practice makes perfect

HUGE development at our house! Teddy took his first unsupported, unassisted steps on Friday night! He did about 3 wobbly strides and then fell over. By Saturday though he doubled that, taking 7 steps.... before collapsing in utter exhaustion :) He's very nonchalant about the triumph and isn't overly excited to keep trying...honestly, I don't think he realized he was walking all by himself. On Sunday when we tried to get him interested in more practice (by interested I mean waving strawberries, sweet potato chunks, or cereal in front of him) he absolutely refused and wanted to crawl to the chow. I'm hoping today if I bring out the big guns, garbanzo beans or gruyere cheese (two favorites), we may see more gains.

and because a ten month old's list of duties is never-ending, we continue to practice his other jobs.

spring blossoms (written by, ryan)

While shopping for groceries, Theodore and I spotted an array of flowers displayed for the Easter season. The colors and size of the blossoms caused him to let out a scream. The only way we could move on without causing a scene was to select a plant. So that is exactly what we did. We carried the largest and brightest yellow tulip through the store while Theodore laughed as it moved with the cart. When you see nature's beauty through your child's eyes, it is like seeing it all over again for the first time.

Thanks to recent rainfall and warm weather, the bush along the walkway leading to our house has presented its bright pink blossoms demanding the attention of all who pass, not unlike the tulips. Once again, Theodore must stop to admire.

closing shop

we've always loved elton john in this household, but since going to the his concert earlier this month i've become obsessed. his music has become a part of daily routine. just prior to breakfast we put on the rocket man and shake a leg. teddy loves dancing. the more spins the better. but i have to think after 15 days of the same tunes he must be ready for me to get over my fixation. in light of closing the chapter on sir elton for awhile, here is a short video of my VERY FAVORITE song from his show here in colorado springs. unfortunately my memory card filled up right before the chorus, but i'm sure you can still get a feel for its greatness. maybe after sharing him with friends and family, i will finally feel i've spread enough of his love and poor teddy can start listening to someone sing about dinosaurs, chickens, wheels...you know, the things he enjoys. :)

have a fabulous friday!

sweet and spicy

lately teddy ryan alcott has been a wonderful mix of sweet and spicy. at times he can be the most precious little angel in the whole wide world and at others...well, he knows how to make himself heard! as his parents, we love all his ingredients and we thought you might appreciate a few of them too.

the sweet side:

everyday he is melting our hearts with his love for kisses. honestly, giving kisses is one of his most favorite things right now. when he first sees ryan and i in the morning he will give us at least 5 kisses each. as we read books he wants to give all the characters kisses too. some of the people that never slip by him without a smooch are the chicks in his farm books, the bee on the cover of "fuzzy bee," and devin from the family album grandma alcott gave him. devin, bet you didn't know your cousin gives you kisses each and every day. how's that for love! :) the thing that really makes me giggle though is before we put on a clean diaper he gives whatever sesame street character pampers printed on it a quick peck!

and his spicy side:

2 things teddy's loves, while mommy and daddy dislike.....

1.) fans. he stands near the fan at the foot of his crib, hollering into it so it echoes back at him. hilarious fun that he would do for hours.
problem: well there are a couple...first, i'm worried his little fingers will slip in between the guard slots and he'll lose a tip. second, he gets so excited by his friend Fan that he tries to hug him, knocking him over or pulling Fan on top of him.
his solution: turn into a arched back maniac, with flying arms and legs causing mom to have a terrible time dragging me away from my swirling, windy, beloved.
2.) wheels. he wants to touch EVERY SINGLE wheel he spots. cars, strollers, toys, grocery carts, you name it.
problem: can you imagine my child on the floor of a grocery store touching the disgusting cart wheels with his drool soaked hands. seriously.
his solution: hold my breath. turn deep purple in the face. and then let out a horrifyingly loud scream causing the other shoppers to wonder if a.) i fell out of the shopping cart or b.) mom just ran over me with the shopping cart.

worth sharing

not long after i discovered the beauty and soul of country music, leann rimes became a household name as the thirteen year old with a voice big enough to tackle patsy cline's "blue." although today i tend to gravitate toward a more bluegrass feel, many of her songs still touch a place inside me, reminding me of why i came to love country music in the first place.

her latest song did just that.
from the today show this week: "what i can not change"
i felt this was worth sharing.
peace, love, and serenity.

bring on the giggles

yesterday theodore and i went to the park for the first time. although we have a neighborhood playground here in manitou springs, it doesn't have baby swings. i felt the other equipment was still a little out of his league so we hopped in the car and set off for more infant-friendly setting. the neighboring town of old colorado city had just what we were looking for...

as suspected, the swings were a HUGE hit! he loved them! today, following his afternoon nap and inspired by another beautiful day, we went back to the park for round two at the swing set. however, he was ready to operate the digger.

every opportunity

following a year and a half break from the education field, i am beginning to revisit the idea of returning to work in the fall. anyone who understands the inner workings of ryan's job knows this is a tricky situation. while we appreciate the experiences frequent travel offers, it does not mesh well with spousal careers or overall day to day family life. a re-entry into the classroom on my part would likely mean an exit from azco on ryan's. we hope the details will work themselves out in the coming months.

in the meantime, i've spent the last month or so throwing my resume in amongst the masses at a few choice locations around the twin cities. although i've already heard rumors from education counterparts that social studies positions continue to draw close to five hundred applicants, it couldn't hurt to add my name to the bunch.

another option is to explore teaching opportunities in some of the locations ryan may work at in the coming months. if he stays with azco, we are still on track for albany by june. although i've done a little research, it's been difficult to gage the need for teachers in the capital area. i do know to become licensed in the state of new york is a moderately hefty process. not to mention it would be difficult to say whether we would be there for a full school year.

for now we will simply keep our eyes open, seek out new opportunities if they should arise, and continue to enjoy the sightseeing along the way.

beat the drum

a few things we celebrated this week:

against all odds, ryan escaped the tight grip of work and family last weekend for a day on the slopes!

after at least a two year break, i finally picked up my knitting needles again.

following months of encouragement and lots of practice, teddy started saying "mama" really well! we've actually heard him say it much clearer than the video portrays, but what we captured is pretty darn cute :)

while out for a hike on wednesday night we found this TRUE sign that spring has arrived.

...and the great part is knowing the best celebration is yet to come

le meilleur ami

tonight after crawling into bed, i had intended to write a post about just how much it meant to have my dearest friend kelly come out and stay with us last weekend. before i began writing though, i checked her blog and found she had written such a sweet memoir of the weekend. for tonight, i think i'll share that instead :) perfect end to the day.

kelly's post

p.s. happiest of birthdays to the very best father in the whole world. i don't like you, i love you.

long overdue

for the sake of ending my blogging hiatus i thought i would post my favorite photo from the past weekend. i finally got to spend extended time with two of my most favorites...TOGETHER! i will post more about our adventures in the week to come!