December 2011

Oh how this year has flown by! December was spent in typical December style, getting ready for Christmas! Elise enjoyed the opportunities to play in the snow and although reluctant, did sit with Santa for a picture! We were blessed with the opportunity to attend Grandpa Burle's 90th Birthday Celebration, and Elise of course enjoyed celebrating St. Nicholaus Day! The highlight of the month was a trip downtown to view the lights, give Elise her first Ice Skating experience, and take a horse drawn carriage ride. It made quite an impression on our Bugaboo, as in subsequent trips downtown she asks about the "horsey!" It was a great night for sure! Elise was at first reluctant in decorating the Christmas Tree, so we spread it out over a couple of nights. On the last evening, it finally seemed to "click" and there was no stopping her as she ran around the tree placing "pretties" where she best felt they fit. Since that evening, she has added her own prized "pretties" to the tree, from pacifiers to rubber duckies. Maybe that's a sign that we need more ornaments! While Christmas is a part of the month, we have elected to make a collage for the holiday all on its own. There is simply no way we could fit it all into one photo grouping. So keep a lookout for the new blog post, coming soon!

Christmas Family Photos

Thanks Belinda Mercure Photography, once again, for some amazing pictures. Belinda, we just love you!

November 2011

We started this month with a trip to Indiana. It was quite the adventure, as we made the 20 hour, 1100 mile drive to Indiana while Andrew passed a kidney stone, Rebecca was 6 months pregnant, and Elise was 18 months old... I think that says quite a bit about the trip! But overall it went pretty smoothly, all things considered! We had a great time visiting with family, friends, and even some of the extended family. After returning to Colorado, we had a few days to relax, then it was off to Nebraska for Thanksgiving Holidays there. All in total, we spent about 11 days at home during the month, which is an insanely busy schedule for any family, let alone with with a toddler! And of course with Christmas just around the corner, we don't see much sign of things slowing down anytime soon!

Our Little Red Riding Hood

Again, Belinda Mercure Photography did a beautiful job capturing our little Bugaboo!

October 2011

Who knew we were such Halloween people! But October was a very busy month, with Halloween themed events nearly every weekend. We visited several pumpkin patches, the Apple Cider Festival, Bug-a-boo at the Butterfly Pavilion, Boo-at-the-Zoo, a few Halloween Parties, and of course went trick-or-treating! Elise got plenty of use out of the Little Red Riding Hood costume that Rebecca made for her. She really enjoyed her cape, holding on to the edges while she walked, and didn't even mind the hood! At the first few events, she tried to give everyone the candy back after they put it in her bucket. But by event three, she had this all figured out! Mom and Dad had a lot of fun, and even let her have her very first piece of chocolate that was ALL hers (not just a bite, but the WHOLE thing!). It was a Three Musketeer, and Elise definitely enjoyed it. (YUMMY! was uttered almost immediately, and she did not give up licking and tasting until her hands were completly chocolate free. Elise also developed a love of pumpkins, carrying one with her whenever possible. Carving pumpkins was great fun as well, and she didn't even mind the inner-goo! In addition to all the Halloween themed events, Elise had her first "dance classes" with Mommy, a class called Moving & Music. It is more like attempted organized chaos than dance, but it is a great deal of fun as well! Daddy and Grandpa even got to come see a class. It is something that both Elise and Mommy enjoyed, and we hope to keep doing in the future!

September 2011

September brought about a lot of fun and excitement for our family as Elise finally completely "mastered" her mobility. Out of nowhere she was comfortable with carpet, pavement, grass, rocks, leaves, you name it! She quickly learned to go up stairs and ladders, making trips to the park much more exciting (and nerve racking!). But it was fun to watch her explore and learn, gaining skill and confidence every day. We took advantage of her mobility on several hiking trips to local wilderness areas, the opening of the pumpkin patch, the zoo, and of course out at the parks nearby. Grandpa also got to visit for a week this month, so she got to show off her skills for him as well! So far, mobility is an overwhelming success, with no significant falls or injuries to date!

Family PIctures August 2011

Thanks to Belinda Mercure Photography for such beautiful family pictures!

August 2011

In closing out the summer, we spent time on the farm in Nebraska. Elise enjoyed picking corn with Great Grandpa Warren, and helping in shucking, blanching, removing it from the cob, and then freezing it for the winter. Who knows how many ears went through the process, but we brought home about 10 lbs. of corn for our freezer, plus 24 ears to be frozen intact... It was A LOT of corn! While we were out there we also attended the Harrison Family Reunion and Elise ran in circles with all the other kids. She had a great time, despite being the youngest kiddo present. Andrew had the opportunity to run an Orienteering Relay towards the end of the month, and while he was racing, Elise cheered on everyone at the checkpoint and chased the grasshoppers. She was quite excited when she actually caught one, but then wasn't so sure what to do with it. Elise continues to enjoy books, and we now have many of her favorites memorized. Her vocabulary continues to grow, and we know longer have to guess at what she wants, she just tells us. We continue to enjoy time with our playgroup, and Elise is starting to keep up with the other kids. All in all a great month as summer is winding down.

Disney World July 2011

Our trip to Disney, July 2011.

July 2011

July definitely brought a very new excitement to our household. On June 30, we suspected that we were pregnant, and on July 2, we got confirmation of that fact! Our second child is due March 7, 2012! What exciting news! We celebrated the Fourth of July as the news sunk in, and then headed off to Florida for our summer vacation. Florida was a bit of whim for us, as Andrew really wanted to see the last Shuttle Launch in person. It was chaotic and stressful in many ways, but an experience we wouldn't trade for anything! We were lucky enough to get a great spot in Space View Park, just across the river from the Launch Pad. We took turns camping in the rain and drizzle, and tried to keep Elise in the car through the worst of the wet. By morning it was clearing up, and it looked like the Launch might actually happen. Elise was tired, and nearly slept through the historic event, but she was a trooper and still had her eyes open when Atlantis made its final lift off to meet up with the International Space Station. What an amazing moment to watch the shuttle blast off in person! It was simply amazing! We spent the next several days in Orlando, visiting Epcot and Disney World. Elise was enthralled with all the characters, rides, and parades. Who knew that a 14 month old would find Disney so captivating! Disney left a very large mark on our hearts, and we are sure to be back to visit with our kids in years to come! Elise mastered walking while at the park, and has not looked back since! July also included trips to the Renaissance Faire, zoo visits with the playgroup, and fun in the sun in our own backyard.

June 2011

Elise started the month with her first haircut! She wasn't so sure about the whole deal, but was very patient and calm throughout the whole process. And with so much hair, it didn't go very quickly. Rebecca and Elise had the opportunity to travel to Indiana for a visit this month, but Andrew had to stay home to work. But most of the month was simply laid back fun at home. There were a few visits to the zoo, exciting times in the backyard with the water table and of course trips to the park. Elise has walking down, but still chooses to crawl if there is something she really wants. Corn on the cob has become a favorite food, and every day there are more and more words that work their way into the vocabulary. It is simply amazing to see all the changes from one day to the next!

Twelve Month Formals

Thanks to Audrey Imfeld Photography for capturing our beautiful Bugaboo in her Twelve Month Portraits! She is simply growing up so fast!

Elise's First Birthday Party

"Come Clown Around and Have Some Fun. Let's Celebrate as Elise Turns ONE!" Thank you to Belinda Mercure Photography for capturing all the wonderful moments of Elise's First Birthday!

May 2011

May marked the end of Elise's first year, with her birthday being the first big event of the month. We had a big party with family and friends, enjoying the opportunity to bring everyone together. We had a great Mother's Day with brunch and visits to several local parks. Elise took her first independent steps during this month, and was quite proud of her new found freedom. Although we laugh that at this point walking was pure entertainment for Elise, not a mode of transportation! We visited several petting zoos, had great times at weekly playdates, hiked at several parks in the foothills, conquered a bout with thrush leading to several days of a "plum tongue," celebrated Rebecca's birthday (and Grandpa was even here to join in the celebration!), and found a new love for watermelon. It was a great way to kick off the summer!

Wielinski Cousins Spring 2011

While the girls were out to visit in April, we took the opportunity to have professional photos taken of all the kids together. Thanks to Belinda Mercure Photography for such great shots!

April 2011

In April, we were back to our busy schedule! At the beginning of the month, Grandpa brought Aunt Amber, Lois, and Ellen out for a visit. While the weather was chillier then we would have wished, we had a really good time visiting the mountains, a mine, the zoo, hanging out at the house, celebrating Easter, and having an early 1st birthday for Elise. It was great to have the girls be a part of her first birthday. Then we made a trip to Nebraska to see Andrew's parents and Grandpa Warren. Grandpa Warren's house was full of energy as all six of his great grandchildren were able to visit that day. And with four of them being under a year old, there were always little ones under foot. We tried our best to get pictures of all the kids together, and enjoyed just watching them play and explore. We had a great first Easter with Elise, although she hasn't quite figured out the egg hunt concept yet! We also did some hiking for Andrew's birthday, and enjoyed a Super Mario Brother's cake. (Another product of Rebecca's cake decorating class.) Andrew put every spare moment into the backyard deck, in hopes of having it functional for Elise's Birthday in May. Although very busy, it was a great month of family and fun!

March 2011

This was simply a month to be home and relax! I think this was also the first month that we did not take at least a hundred pictures of Elise since she was born. It was nice to slow down and catch up with each other as a family. Swimming lessons continued, and Rebecca began cake decorating classes. She is looking forward to making Elise's birthday cakes, and other special occassion cakes in the future. The class also gives her a nice break once a week to be out of the house and enjoy time with other ladies. We got ourselves early birthday/anniversary presents with new bikes for the family. Andrew has a mountain bike now, and is looking forward to finding a time to hit the trails and really see what he can do. (Of course, with a busy toddler to keep up with, who knows when that will actually happen!) Rebecca stuck to a basic road bike, and they got a great trailer for Elise to ride along. She really seems to enjoy being out and riding with Mommy and Daddy. She also loves her bike helmet, which is simply a blessing in itself! Andrew enlisted Kevin's help in finally pulling out the old gate and putting in a new one, and he is gearing up to complete the deck in the backyard. Elise continues to be a happy as ever, and now cruises the furniture full speed. She is intrigued by books, and her efforts to talk just continue to expand. It is simply an amazing time in our family!

Nine Month Formals

Thanks to Audrey Imfeld Photography for such beautiful photos! The rust colored chair was a gift from Grandma and Grandpa Wielinski, and we had it re-upholstered by Great Grandpa Burle. Andrew was so excited that his grandfather could do such a special project for Elise, as Andrew grew up visiting Grandpa Burle and exploring his upholstery workshop. At 89 years old, he is still working, and the results are simply amazing!

February 2011

February was a much more laid back month for us. We started swim lessons, and Elise enjoyed every minute in the water. She took to it like a little fish, and loved splashing around with the other kids. Of course, it didn't hurt that the pool at the Rec Center is at least 95 degrees! Grandpa came to stay for a week in the middle of the month, and Elise had a great time going to the zoo, the park, the mall playland, and exploring the mountains with him. Elise also had her first trip to ski with Daddy. Although she didn't hit the slopes, she had a good time playing in the snow and exploring the lodge with Mommy.  She also learned to move the carseat cover aside and play peekaboo whenever we covered her up.  It might be time to switch to coats and hats, rather than relying on the blankets and carseat cover to keep her warm.  But she will probably miss the built in entertainment of that seat cover, and we will certainly miss her cute little peekaboo game!

January 2011

January started out with visits to see family. The first week we were in Indiana to visit with Rebecca's family. Elise had a great time playing with Grandpa, Uncle Dan, Aunt Amber, Lois and Ellen. We celebrated Christmas, and Elise was overwhelmed with opening her presents. It took her nearly three days to get through them! We also had the chance to celebrate Grandpa's birthday, and Elise had her first tastes of ice cream and German Chocolate Cake! Shortly after returning to Colorado, we spent a weekend in Nebraska with Andrew's father, and then another weekend with Andrew's mother. The middle of the month included gorgeous weather, giving us the opportunity to get to the park to swing and play on the slides. It isn't every year that you can play at the playground in jeans and a sweatshirt while the geese are walking across the frozen pond! The air must have been 60 degrees, while the water was already covered with 3 inches of solid ice in January. Finally we wrapped up the month with a visit from our friend Jon Keller in Breckenridge and a visit to the International Snow Sculpture Championships. The sculptures were simply amazing, and the weather was beautiful! We went the weekend of judging, and wandered in 50 degree temperatures. This was Elise's first experience with any amount of snow, and she was definitely intrigued. And she loved the beautiful lights and sculptures, not to mention all the people and excitement surrounding her. Jon ended up a house guest with us for a few days, as the weather made a nasty turn in the Midwest, and he was stuck in Colorado. We were happy to have him, and Rebecca really enjoyed the company around the house for those few days. Other highlights: Elise's first swimming experience, conquering crawling and pulling to stand, and mastering self-feeding (hello pincer grasp!).