Bottoms Up!

Our little man just keeps getting bigger and bigger. He has graduated from his highchair and now joins us at the table for meals in his booster seat. He loves being at the table and is even starting to learn some good manners and starting to throw things less - a little less, not much less. He is getting the hang of using spoons to feed himself his morning oatmeal and he is learning how to use a fork. We have also started introducing a regular cup during dinner time. Colton cannot get enough of the cup. He loves it! This little guy wants so badly to be a big boy, I can't stand how cute it is!

Double fisted!

Good til the last drop!

Got milk? Nope, but he did get a cup full of strawberry kefir.

These pictures are from the first time he drank from a regular cup. Sure, most of the kefir ended up down his chin, neck, and into the bib, but he enjoyed every moment of it.

My Loves

Besides just spending time with Aaron, Clara and Colton when Aaron is home, one of my other favorite things to do is to take pictures of them. I love sitting behind the lens and forever capturing the moments of bliss, one after the other.

At Funtopia, enjoying the sun

My Boys

One last dance before Daddy goes back to Afghanistan

R&R is over. We took Aaron up to the airport in Louisville last Thursday. We enjoyed a magical two weeks reunited as family. We had the perfect balance of fun trips, spoiling, date nights and lazy, relaxing "jammy" days. We did playgrounds, pools and spray parks, backyard picnics and pool parties, art museum, jump houses, roller skating, trips to the diner for ice cream, princess movie nights, dance parties, and, wow....I'm getting tired just thinking about all the fun we had. We made a million memories that are sure to hold us over the next five months until our Soldier comes home to us.

Saying good bye after R&R is by far WAAAAAAYYYYYY harder than saying goodbye when deployment starts. When Aaron left in January I had mentally prepared myself to be separated for one year. Sure, we knew there was that glorious two weeks to look forward to, but you don't think about that in the beginning. You focus on the big picture. When R&R rolls around it's almost like a tease. You had been preparing for twelve months and suddenly your handsome soldier is hugging you at the airport after only seven months. But, you have to say goodbye, again.  Prepare for one year, hugs at seven months, and you're expected to let go, just like that, after only two weeks. It's painfully cruel. Despite the pain of having saying goodbye a second time I would never trade it for the world (well, except maybe for never having to deploy again, ever). The amazing memories we made while Aaron was home are priceless. It's an excuse to spoil the kids, go out to eat more than usual, go on dates, relax, cuddle more, go fun places, and just focus on the things that you've missed about being apart, without the distractions of work. In fact, two weeks of R&R should be mandatory, every year, whether or not it's sandwiched in the middle of a combat deployment. Once the bitterness and heartache subsides and I get back into our routine I will be able to find comfort in knowing we are more than halfway through the torture of deployment and the next time we hug, we won't have to say goodbye.

Colton's First Haircut

We did it. My little baby boy got his first haircut. I had been putting it off, using the excuse of waiting for Aaron to be home. After all, a dad should be there for his son's first haircut. Deep down, I'll admit that I was being selfish and not wanting to loose all that beautiful soft, silky, curly baby hair.

Look at those curls! I don't want to say goodbye...

Ummmm? I'm not so sure about this...

Hey! If I get a sucker, this can't be that bad, right?

What happened next is far too painful and horrible to share in pictures. There was crying, screaming, squirming and attempts at escaping - a full out barber's nightmare. But, good ol' Johnny, the barber, did what had to be done and got the job completed.

Fully recovered, the morning after the haircut



Poor little Colton slept like a rock that afternoon. One of the things I have realized as a result of the trauma that was Colton's first haircut is this - A newborn baby boy with lots of beautiful hair may not be worth it. Far better to have a bald baby boy who can go longer than 14 months before needing his first haircut. The other is - It just may be another 14 months before Colton gets his hair cut again, or at least until Aaron is home to take him.

Splashing at the Spray Park

One of the pools on post, at Ft. Knox, has a new spray park. We took full advantage of school being back in session and headed out one morning. We got there right when it opened and were able to enjoy having the spray pad all to ourselves. We splashed, shot water cannons at each other, got dumped on by buckets of water, picnicked, and had a blast.

Clara catching air

Little man and Daddy looking cool

We had a great time and napped great that afternoon! Ahhhh, the luxuries of vacation!

Bath Time

Sure, we do it all the time - almost daily. But when Daddy is home, bath time turns into something so much more! The giggles and goofs are abundant, and, with an extra set of hands around, the camera is available to capture the joy!

Playing peek-a-boo with the shower curtain

No one makes her laugh like her Daddy!