First Trip to the Zoo!

Last Thursday was my last day having Banx for the summer.  Since I go back to work this week, I wanted to do something special and fun for Beau and Banx---make our first trip to the Blank Park Zoo.  Luckily, my best friend Dena offered to tag along and help me with the kids (thank you Dena Kay!).  We arrived right when the zoo opened that morning at 9, and it could not have been a more perfect day for the zoo.  It wasn't very busy yet and the weather was amazing. 

As soon as we walked into the zoo, we saw flamingos and Beau yelled "Hi duckies!  Here duckies!".  I didn't understand at first why he kept calling all of the water animals "duckies" until I realized that the only animals we've ever taken Beau to see are the ducks at the cemetery.  Banx and Beau did so good at the zoo.  Thanks to Dena's help, we had an amazing morning at the zoo and can't wait to go back next year!

They loved pushing the buttons to hear the different animal sounds

Favorite animal = monkeys!!

Banx was amazed at the Rhino

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Beau and Banx kept thinking the otters were going to swim through the glass right to them!

Beau learned a new word that day: "Tuttle"

We were at a zoo, and they only wanted to play at the park, go figure!

They didn't know what to think of the giraffe

They loved the camel ride!  When we first started walking, Beau said "whoa, whoa, whoa!"

He loved getting sprayed by the elephant water hose

When it quit spraying water Beau said "Ut oh mommy, it boke.  Fid it mommy!"

There was a baby kangaroo that was roaming around, and Banx kept chasing it to pet it.  Cutest thing ever!

LOVED all the fishies

He kept trying to grab the fish through the glass

Spoiled with Grandparents

I know I have said this several times, but I feel so incredibly blessed to live next to all of our parents (mine and Joe's).  This is so special for Beau that in a drop of a hat, any of the grandparents can quickly come over to help with something, or go take Beau for ice-cream.  Prime example has been the past week.  Joe and I have been overwhelmed and busy with several things and just needed help with Beau for a little while.  First Beau was able to go spend time with Grandpa and Chelle, then go up to the State Fairgrounds to hang out with Nana and Den-Den, and finally spent a couple of days with Papa and She-She.  It is so comforting to know how much Beau loves all of his grandparents and is so excited to go see them.  This definitely allowed Joe and I to get a lot of things done over a few days and just take a breather.  So a huge THANK YOU to our parents for always wanting to help out and spoil our son! :)

Beau and Aiden taking a cruise at the farm

Hanging out with Den Den at the fair

Chelle spoiling Beau with chips at the store :)

Hanging out in Papa's car

21 Months!

I cannot believe Beau is 21 months.  It seems like just yesterday I was writing about his 20 month updates!  This summer Beau has just blossomed with his speaking/vocabulary.  I can't even keep track anymore of the words he knows.  One thing he is doing much better with, is forming 3-4 word sentences together.  This makes our communication with him so much nicer :)  The newest thing Beau is doing lately, which is the sweetest thing, is when you sneeze, he will say "Bless you mommy" or to whoever just sneezed.  Only a few more months until he turns 2---where have the past 2 years gone?!

Winter Park, Colorado

This year we took a little family vacation to Winter Park, CO.  Joe's cousin, Sarah, was getting married there and had asked Beau to be the ring bearer.  So we decided to go early and make a mini-vacation out of it.  If I said the plane ride there was terrible, that would be an understatement.  Our flight left at 1:00 pm, so I thought that would be perfect because that's during Beau's nap time and I assumed he would sleep on the plane.  Wrong!  He was so wired and antsy on the plane ride---he would not sit still!  I remember one of the times I flew to London I sat by a family that had an infant who cried most of the way and I was irritated beyond belief.  Now after having our flying experience with Beau, I will never again feel that way towards a child being upset on a plane!  We were definitely "that family" that everyone hated on the plane.  And for the lovely 90 year old lady who sat next to Beau, I apologize for him taking off your padded Dr. Scholls sandals and poking at your poor, swollen feet (I was so humiliated at this!).

Once we were settled in to Winter Park, our vacation finally started getting better---since Beau didn't sleep at all the first two days in Denver/Winter Park.  Thank you so much dad and Shari, Joe and I would have lost our sanity if we didn't have you two staying with us and helping with Beau.

 The wedding was beautiful and Sarah made a gorgeous bride.  Sarah and Cale, we wish you a lifetime of happiness and we could not be happier for you!

On the plus side, Beau was a perfect angel on the plane ride home!  Joe and I had said we were not taking another family vacation for 10 years, but Beau-man, you might have redeemed yourself!

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Happy 4th of July!

We were very busy celebrating the 4th of July this year.  We try our best to always keep it fair and equal by seeing all of our parents, and Beau of course LOVES getting all of that attention from his grandparents in that time.  On the actual 4th, we went to Rathbun boating with Joe's family and some of our friends.  It was the perfect day!  On Friday, my dad and Shari wanted to take Beau up to the car show Musco was hosting at our Osky mall.  Needless to say, Beau was in 7th Heaven.  He sat in Papa Gene's car the whole time trying to show it off.  Saturday was a nice, relaxing day at my mom's to enjoy her pool.  It is so peaceful to just swim while being surrounded by beautiful corn/bean fields.  She (my mom) definitely has her own Utopia!  While swimming at my mom's, Beau decided to be extra brave and go down the slide and off the diving board by himself.  We couldn't believe how great he did in just one day! 

I feel as if we were so busy during this holiday that I failed to take any pictures.  But I did get videos of Beau swimming.  Don't mind him wearing Banx's pink floaty :)

First Big Owie

The other night Beau, unfortunately, grabbed the muffler on the lawn mower after I had been mowing. Since the muffler was still very hot, Beau burned his hand right where he had grabbed.  Thankfully it was not a severe burn!  After a long night of some TLC and medicated aloe  vera, he is doing much better!! He doesn't even act like it bothers him now!

20 Months Old!

I cannot believe Beau is 20 months already.  Sometimes he acts 20 months going on 16!  I've heard that when a baby turns 2, that is their independent stage.  Well in Beau's case, this is absolutely true.  He has to feed himself, tries to put his shoes on himself, likes to drink out of normal glasses rather than his sippy cup, and so many more things.  Here are some new things Beau is doing or saying lately....
*Sleeps on avg. 13 hours at night and 3-4 hours for a nap after lunch
*His vocabulary has grown immensely.  Some newer words are: gotta potty, book, bulk (milk), Butters, Banx, Pat, ride, side (outside), boat, kee-kee (kitty), cheese, hat, shoe, baby, bath, up, down, and more I'm sure I'm forgetting.  One thing I am definitely proud of that he does, are his manners.  He does a fabulous job with always saying pease (please) and tank you (thank you).
*He runs everywhere, no more walking!
*Prefers to always be outside rather than inside
*Likes to dip his chips in dip, but just lick the dip off then double dip again!
*LOVES boating and swimming
*If he sees a tractor, gator, or lawnmower, you better expect to give him a ride or he will have a major meltdown.
*Beau loves going "bye-bye".  He will grab his shoes and stand by the door and ask me to go bye-bye.  He is definitely my child since I love being on the go and doing activities.
*Likes to help daddy in the garden outside
*He has to wear hats!  Like what bows are to Banx (a necessity), that is what hats are to Beau.  His favorite hat lately is his fedora.
*Dancing.  When Joe or I play music through the stereo in the house, Beau will stop whatever it is he's doing, then start swaying his hips and dancing.  When the song stops, he'll say "ut- oh!"
*Favorite word: no!  I am excited for this to stop!
*And the most exciting thing, we are in the midst of potty-training!  He is doing so well already.  He will tell me when he needs to go potty, or go get me a new diaper to tell me he really has to go.  I am not rushing him to be fully potty-trained because I do not want to frustrate him.  But so far, he is doing great!