We LOVE Colorado!

We just got back from a wonderful trip to CO. Nothing will make you appreciate the beautiful CO mountains and sunshine like being away from it for 6 months. Just landing at DIA and walking out into the fresh, dry air has such an awesome impact on me now. Anyway, the boys and I were there for almost 3 weeks, and Matt joined us for about 10 days. It was a really wonderful trip and we got to catch up with lots of friends and family, while also managing to relax and just enjoy CO a little bit. I have so, so many pics that I was kind of overwhelmed by where to start with this blog, so here is a bit of a hodgepodge of them all. Some highlights of the trip were 2 trips up to Beaver Creek, 4 hikes that Alec did all on his own, tons of swimming, lots of biking (Alec got his own bike for Grammy's house,) a ride on the Georgetown steam train for Alec, paddle boat riding, homemade popsicle making, putt-putt and go-carts, sleepovers with cousins and Abby Root and Tuncle Toss, several play dates with some of our best friends, lots of adult lunch and dinner play dates, and lots of time with family. We truly love CO and are reminded when we are there why we miss it so much. Thanks to everyone for making it such an awesome trip, and be forewarned, here are a ton of pics.

Charlie came with my mom, sister and I for our annual girls' weekend with my Aunt and cousins up in Avon. He loved socializing with all the ladies.


He and his cousin Emma joined us for vino

and pedicures


Dinner with cousins Rodney, Kara and Tyler

The pool with Bub

Alec has been dying to go on the diving board at our pool, but I've told him he has to be able to swim across the pool in the deep end to do it. We went to the Splash pool in Golden one morning and they would let me wade in the water below the diving board to help him out, so he finally got to test out the diving board, even though he is still not quite able to swim totally by himself. He was the littlest one in line (darling) and he LOVED it. He went about 15 times, and I had to drag him away. He also did a great job swimming to the side on his own.

mid jump

swimming to the side

Charlie opted for some snuggles

Play date at our friend Hollands' pool. Here are Alec and Charlie with the Nichols' boys.

We got to meet one of my childhood friends, Tonia, and her son Kellen:)

Putt-putt, no joke, Alec got a hold in one on the first hole.

My mom bought Alec a popsicle cookbook before we came and it was a huge hit. Alec wanted to read it every night before bed (literally we would read the ingredients and steps of the recipes) and they also made several different kinds of popsicles. This also prompted Alec to want to go through my mom's cookbooks, and occasionally read them aloud to his brother.

Making homemade caramel corn for a movie night

His new bike


At the top of Rattlesnake Gulch in Eldorado Canyon. This was Alec's first 3 mile hike and he loved it. He didn't complain at all, and made it to the top w/o any breaks. His performance was far superior to Miles'.

With Papa Ross

Also Charlie's first real hike


Popsicle making

At the pool with cousin Reid

Alec, Reid, Quinn and Charlie

More posicles


Charlie showing off his smile with Grandma Susan

On the Georgetown train

An attempt at a Sungy family pic, can you tell it was past bedtime?

Sharing his hard work with his cousins

At Chautauqua


Hiking with the Stewart family

Charlie snoozing

Making homemade pizzas with his CO BFF James

James, Cormac, Alec and Charlie

A bike ride to DQ for ice cream

Alec was so worn out everyday he couldn't make it through a movie

Charlie joining us for cards

Alec with Amelia Smetzer

even more popsicles

Hiking at Piney Lake above Vail

It was spectacular, everything we love about CO. We nick named Alec "rockhopper" after this 6 mile hike b/c of what an awesome job he did on the trail.


Some snuggles with Grammy

and go carts with Tuncle Toss!!

Silly Boys

Just a cute video of Charlie's laugh

Alec kept disappearing to my mom's basement in the mornings, and when we asked him what he was up to, he told us he was doing his exercise. Turns out he's now big enough to fit on the exercise bike. You can also hear some of the streaming commentary we hear from Charlie every day in the background.

5 Months

Happy 5 month b-day to our sweet little Charlie. He celebrated another month b-day away from home yesterday on our last day in CO. Charlie has really grown and changed a lot this month. He has turned into such a sweet, happy, easy going little guy and we think he is completely perfect. He smiles, coos, laughs and talks all the time, he loves to be held and carried around, but it also totally content to just relax and entertain himself on the floor, or in a bouncy chair, or a hiking backpack, or wherever we end up putting him. He has discovered his hands and feet this month and loves to chew on them, and he has started to reach for and grab toys. He also rolls around like a pro and is alarmingly close to crawling. He can push and maneuver himself a pretty decent distance when he is on the floor on his belly. He is only waking up once a night to eat, and he warms our hearts every morning when he wakes us up from his bed with all sorts of chatting and squealing. He traveled like a champ (I was probably stopped by 7 people yesterday in the airport who couldn't believe how "happy" or "smiley" he was) and had a great time charming all our friends and family in CO. We just got back last night and I have what seems like a million pics to go through, so here are several of the cute ones with our little C man in them. We couldn't imagine life without our Ruchie Pip, and are so thrilled to have him:)


Unlike Alec, Charlie's preferred position at all times is on his belly.

He thought Nana Ne was hilarious


Snuggles with Abby Root

With Bub. We took several trips to the pool, and Charlie loves to be in the water. He did some really impressive swimming with Papa Gene a few days before we left that I'll try and post video of.

Hiking in Eldorado Canyon


He has started to sit up, and can definitely support himself, but he usually ends up in this contorted position so he can reach his feet.

At Chautauqua in Boulder

Piney Lake above Vail, he opted for sleep in my arms on the way down.

With Papa Ross

A classic Charlie smile

Refusing to cooperate with my attempts to get him to sit up so I could take his 5 month pic.

Brothers. Charlie adores Alec, and aside from me, prefers him to everyone else. He watches Alec like a hawk and Alec can always get a good belly laugh from him.

We love you Charlie!