Winter walk with Karen and Andy

Just a small walk on the snowy, but fairly packed down trails around the south Mesa trailhead. Though cold and windy at the trailhead, ended up being beautiful, even a little warm.

Paloma walked 80% of the way to the top of the turnaround point. Then she rode Andy's shoulders a good bit before asking to get in the ergo.

Then I popped my shoulder out of the socket trying to get her in the ergo. That was fun.

All in all a beautiful hike with a little girl who is too much fun right now.

First Ski

With Grammy in town, we headed over Berthoud Pass to Devil's Thumb Ranch. We found some tiny skis for P and took her out to see what would happen. She sort of walked around in them and got better as the day went on but mostly she wanted us to drag her around super fast.

Beautiful day in the mountains. Looking forward to the day when I can go skiing with this kiddo - she's gonna be fearless!

Butterfly Pavilion with Grammy

The Butterfly Pavilion in Westminster wasn't exactly like we thought it would be. Our fault for going on a Saturday but it was a kid zoo in there. So many people. I'm not sure if Paloma really liked the butterflies, hard to tell. But nice to try something new. 

"Two old"

When we ask how old Paloma is she responds, "two old". It always gets a chuckle out of us. But in reality that's the way I'm feeling these days, too old if she's already two years old just like that.

Her birthday was on Friday but I worked all day that day. She and Zoey came into the restaurant for dinner but the real party wasn't until Saturday.

We picked up a cake and some balloons and snacks and had some folks over. Jenny and Josh, John and Laura and Charlie, Ben and Carrie and Bixby, Mary and Phil and Hazel, Dave and Lisa and Ryann (sp?), Eric and Caitlin and Calvin, Shawn, Sally stopped by with her two little girls and Karen and Andy showed up as everyone was leaving.

I think Paloma enjoyed it. There was too much going on to keep an eye on her.

I was joking with someone I saw outside the cake place earlier that day that one and two year old's birthday parties were the best because it was really just an excuse for the adults to drink. "There's no kids there," I told him. Boy was I wrong. It was a kid zoo at our house.

Not that there's anything wrong with that.

When the time came for cake Paloma got right into her seat and waited patiently for everyone to quiet and sing Happy Birthday to her. With two very deliberate breaths, and really without even needing instruction, she blew out those candles and then waited patiently for her slice of cake.

Two old. Such a sweet kid. I can't even imagine how different the past two years would have been without her.

Waiting for the cake. The anticipation...

Blowing out candles

Our neighbor Calvin.

Mary and Hazel's first exploration of cake

LOVE CAKE!!!!

I mean, really LOVE CAKE!

Charlie and John

Little kids hugging are the cutest

"Wow!"

When I say goodnight to Paloma, I put her in her crib, tell her goodnight, then walk to the door, say goodnight again and turn off her light.

The last few times I've done this, there is a slight pause after I turn off the lights and then she says, "Wow!" in a calm, awe like manner.

Maybe it's the darkness, maybe it's the glow in the dark stars Zoey put up for her a few weeks ago but I love it.

bike ride

Been a tough Thanksgiving week.

First the hives and steroids, which started last Friday, accompanied by bad sleep and Paloma just being a little bit off. Then she got sick, then Zoey got sick and none of us have had  much of a rest.

But last night, Paloma slept through the night and she had a nice long nap this afternoon.

Zoey went up to Karen's to finish her quilt leaving Paloma and I to pal around this afternoon.

First we started to clean out the pantry. Then we decided to go for a bike ride.

"Do you want to ride on my bike or do you want to ride your own bike?"

"My bike!"

She picked out her cowboy boots and "the pink one" (jacket) and off we went.

Otto joined us part of the way.

Paloma just whips around on this little trike bike. She has a flurry of activity and then usually stops to take everything in and then away she goes at breakneck speed.

We swang on the swings and looked at doggies and then rode all the way home.

"I did it!" she exclaimed upon arriving back in the driveway.