east coast bound

* Teddy with his Grandpa at our house on the lake. Best Friends.

Teddy and I leave tomorrow for New York. We've had a wonderful time in Minnesota and as usual hate goodbyes. I forgot how beautiful the lake I grew up on is in the summer. To wake up each morning and have my peanut butter toast on the back deck was such a treat. Everything about my hometown just seemed to wrap itself right around my heart and pull me in. It never felt so good to be home.

Now though we are on to new adventures in Albany. Ryan drove out earlier this week. His dad followed with a U-haul full of our things. They've both reported that the landscape is beautiful, rolling hills dotted with quaint New England towns. It sounds like we will settle in nicely.

xoxox's to my favorite Minnesotans. We'll be home soon. I promise.

perfect.

Okay I've met her. The most beautiful, sweet baby girl in the whole wide world. I'm absolutely positive she was sent straight from heaven. Cecelia Lynn Cullen was born on April 11th, but due to our out of town status we weren't able to meet her until just yesterday. She was perfect. A gorgeous head of hair, blue eyes, and as dainty as a daisy.

The new parents are doing great. Shannon is a natural mother. It was so fun to watch her take care of her baby and CeCe just loved her mama to pieces. Whenever Shan picked her up she seemed to peacefully let out a little sigh and then she would snuggle right in. Chris too, is falling right into fatherhood. Baby girl Cullen looks very much like her daddy...and I have a feeling Chris didn't mind a bit.

Like everyone else, Teddy loved the new baby. They were hilarious together! CeCe would let out a high-pitched newborn cry and Teddy would imitate it with a startling little shriek of his own. Then later Ted whined about something and CeCe responded with a whimper. They definitely seemed to empathize and care about the other. I knew an arranged marriage was a good idea!

Welcome to the world baby girl. It was so good to be introduced.

the red wagon companions

Yesterday Teddy had a blast with his cousins at Grandma and Grandpa's house! Finally, following a long Colorado induced absence, the three pint sized Alcott boys reunited! They had a ball! Dex and Dash were so stinkin' sweet to Teddy. They let him tag along all afternoon and even picked activities that the new walker would enjoy! He was in heaven. I absolutely adore the above photo. Dex is linking arms with his little bro, as Dashie holds Teddy's hand. Precious...

Our little guy loved pushing a wagon through the yard. Dexter was so smart and pulled another wagon along side. Teddy could not have been more pleased....a game with his cousin that involved marching back and forth, and each with their very own wagon....he thought it was the best!

....and as you can tell from the photos, it is beautiful right now in Minnesota. It is so nice to be home.

sayonara manitou

Unfortunately, our time in Manitou Springs has come to an end. This afternoon Theodore and I fly home to Minnesota. Ryan will start the drive tonight after work. We are so sad to leave Colorado. From the moment we arrived, it was love at first sight. There are so many Midwest transplants here. I think it is one of those places that once you come, you never want to leave.

We plan to be in MN through Memorial Day. Next week will be devoted to packing the copious amounts of miscellaneous goods currently sitting in storage, spending time with family, hanging out at our land, and most exciting...meeting adorable little Cecelia Cullen! I'm already planning an arranged marriage.

Ryan will start work in Albany, New York the following week. Teddy and I will join him soon after. We'll keep you posted as the timeline begins to play out.

Teddy changed and grew so much during our time here. Someday it will be fun to think back and remember that it was in Colorado that he took his first steps. Each day he continues to improve. Right now one of his favorite games is to march around with Ryan and I, back and forth, back and forth. The video below is a glimpse at how well he is doing :)

P.S. The neighbor has a rooster. Understandably, Teddy is fascinated.

cars of manitou

As a great deal of any given day is spent walking the neighborhood streets of Manitou Springs, we've come to notice a familiar theme...cool, hilarious, and all together note-worthy vehicles. Although a large percentage of locals operate old Volkswagen vans complete with curtained windows and two-tone paint jobs, the other dread locked drivers are pretty unique in their choices as well. In Minnesota, we just don't have such a colorful array of cars to choose from...there must be something to be said for salt-free winters.

I can't help but wish this song was streaming through for you....

catch you on the flip side.

peace.

our mailman

I have a wonderful cousin who is a thrift store maniac! She is constantly nabbing great deals on an array of goods. Before Theodore was born, while i aimlessly wondered the baby aisle at Target, Melissa was out buying all sorts of fabulous second-hand treasures for our June arrival. One of the novelties she picked up was a toy mailbox. In the last month it has turned into Teddy's most favorite thing! He adores placing his little valuables in it and then giggles when he later finds they are still where he left them....who da' thought?!

More recently he's been getting his kicks from objects that spring out when he opens the door. Since this peek-a-boo effect does not happen on its own, we've been helping out a little bit.

Both myself, and Teddy's late Grandma Morrow had an affinity for snail mail. Maybe the apple doesn't fall far from the tree... :)

side note: the 85 degree temps yesterday were just enough to push our lilacs into full bloom. as i type, their fragrance is blowing through the room. heaven.

a weekend with family

Ryan, Teddy, and I were so blessed to have Ryan's parents come out and stay with us over the weekend. We'd been looking forward to their arrival since they booked the tickets and it was every bit as special as imagined. We went out on awesome hikes, ate delicious food, and spent lots of time laughing at Teddy. The little guy was naturally THRILLED with the extra attention and really hammed it up for the company with funny faces, lots of baby blabber, and kisses for Grandma.

Ryan and Darrel got out twice to try their luck at the nearby trout streams. Although Ryan has been fly fishing for a couple years now, he reports that fishing in Colorado (and specifically, fishing for trout) is quite unique and has taken time to learn the ropes. It was Darrel's first time fly fishing and he too confirmed how much there is to learn about the sport. They both had a great time though and Ry even caught his first brown trout!

My river rat at the South Platte.

Darrel fishing the "Dream Stream."

Even the littlest Alcott likes to look for the fish.

My favorite part of the weekend was a Mother's Day hike on nearby Cheyenne Mountain. It is a gorgeous area that really gives you that deep forest feel, unlike the red rock/desert that makes up many of the trails in Southern Colorado. It was a cool, crisp day and we all agreed it was the perfect day for a long hike. As we made our way into the woods we stumbled upon the remains of an old cabin. All that was left was the fireplace and the corners of the foundation....so fun to find!

We tackled some pretty steep inclines.

Thanks to the most precious little boy this side of the mountain, I celebrated my first Mother's Day. It was one to remember.

Judy's husband. Ryan's father. Theodore's grandfather.

It was a straight drop off the ledge. Considering Darrel's aversion toward heights, we were impressed.

A perfect way to close out our weekend.

Special thanks to Judy and Darrel for coming to visit. After 2 months away from home, we were missing you both like crazy! It was wonderful to have you all to ourselves for a few days. You are already creating such a special relationship with Teddy, he is very lucky little boy.

be back soon.

We are so excited to have Judy and Darrel arriving in Colorado Springs this morning! They will be staying with us through the weekend so I probably won't post much in the next couple days. For now....here's a little wide-eyed Teddy love.

dew, drizzle, and a rocky mountain fog

Last weekend we were so excited to have Tim, Amy, and the kiddos down for the afternoon. After consuming an enormous bowl of fruit and an egg bake for energy, we hit a nearby mountain trail. The weather was cool, misty, and foggy. A very Irish day. Despite numb fingers, we loved it. Teddy adores having other children around and after their departure he spent the evening wondering from room to room looking for his friends. :)

Could Noah be any cuter?

Amy and Noah disappearing into the fog.

The cousins with their children :)

After hiking for an hour or so it opens up into this meadow, very mystical on a day such as that...

Nature's perfection.

a good little eater

I had to share these adorable photos of Teddy having dinner this week. Aren't those eyes just to die for ?!? I am experimenting with a new photo program and thought the 60's feel looked pretty nifty on these shots. :)

Teddy has always been and continues to be a great eater. He loves meal time. As soon as i mention broccoli or zucchini he makes a bee line for the kitchen! Steamed veggies are a big hit, as he prefers to pick up the food and feed himself, rather then having us shovel in the pureed variety for him.

Excitingly, he has now learned the sign for "all done" so he can tell us when he is full. Though he doesn't seem to need it often! He seldom has a problem clearing his tray! Life with Ryan and Teddy....I can already see my grocery bill rising!