Castle Chronicles

alphabet books made and enjoyed (a little early).  one number book to finish.  c's packing done.  cards done.  packing for m, j, and h to do.  checking to see if all will fit in the car still to do.  big fun music festival still to do.  dishes, diapers, and trash to take care of, etc. it will all get done somehow, but the list does seem to grow even as we cross "to do" items off.  of course, we do have to take time-outs to enjoy the deer... visit with friends, practice for the music festival, and apparently expose c to hand, foot, and mouth virus.  sorry guys.  you've been warned.  lots of hand washing for everyone.  we probably won't know for a few days whether the exposure will amount to anything so until then wash, wash, wash. pause to watch c helping herself to a mini pumpkin bread (a gift from one of m's students).  leaving it on the coffee table was probably not the brightest idea as the saran wrap was no m...

another week down.  c apparently managed to catch a sore throat virus of sorts.  she started carrying a slight fever late thursday night after waking up several times (m thought she felt a tooth so lathered her up with orajel & put her back to bed).  she was quite grumpy friday morning and still had a slight fever so j stayed home with her while m went to the eye dr., which was quite fun after not much sleep.  m also went to school to try to get kids' clay projects fired, but of course the kiln filled up way too fast. m returned home to a trying to sleep baby.  j went to work.  baby c woke up content but not hungry (quite unusual).  m & c ran errands, taking huan with to try to help prepare him for some upcoming car time.  all did well.  c went down for a decent afternoon nap.  an hour later, she woke up screaming.  she was very warm and a bit frantic.  checked temperature.  ouch.  103.7. fever, red ears, ...

December 4, 2010 we survived our1st year (c survived us).  it hasn't flown by.  it hasn't crept by.  it just was: the good, the bad, and everything in between.  it's hard to remember life before little c.  sure we had more freedom, but we keep reminding ourselves that our lives really weren't that exciting before c joined us. watching c grow over the last couple of months has really been fun.  she's developing quite a unique little personality (with some quirks we love as well as those that might present a challenge).  we really have no idea where the stubborn streaks are coming from! December 4, 2011         c had her 12 month check-up this morning.  she really does not like going to the dr, getting poked and prodded, weighed, all while being mostly naked when it's only 12 degrees outside.  she survived.  she weighed in at 16 lbs, 8 oz and still measures 28.5in long.  for now, they're blaming her 5t...

we had a great time visiting with grandpa & grandma phillips during the thanksgiving week.  c did too, once she figured out mama and papa weren't going to leave her.  we shared a giant turkey (j insists on getting the cheapest bird per ounce, which meant we had a 19.99 lb turkey for the 4.5 of us).  we played games, watched movies, shopped, and threw a party. c celebrated her b-day with one set of grandparents a week and a half early (she doesn't know the difference and enjoyed herself anyway).  there were 10 kiddos under the age of 3 there to wish c a good one.  they helped c devour chocolate-banana treasure chest cakes and sported pirate hats and eye patches.  big kids (parents & grandparents) ate dessert first and then cleansed their palettes with lettuce wraps and egg rolls. c's treasure island cake extraordinaire  thanksgiving.  done.  one b-day celebration. done.  12 ft Christmas tree set up.  done.  more...

we survived another busy weekend.  saturday was our annual scary movie party.  this year's theme and movie was alien.  we had alien finger chili, alien eyeball chili, and alien larvae chili.  we also had an alien cake and alien eyeball doughnut holes and eyeball candy and... yes, we had an abundance of eyeballs. everyone in attendance was thankful for the extra hour, but now we're trying to slowly get c to figure out the time changed.  she went to bed at 6 last night (7 in her mind) and slept until 8:15 this morning.  tonight we tried 6:30 (probably still 7:30 in her mind) and well, it hasn't been as peaceful as last night.  we'll get there eventually, we hope:) c's finally been trying to make the switch from 3 naps down to 2.  we haven't gotten the 2 nap schedule quite down yet leading to a clingy and touchy baby.  since she's been a little grumpy in the evenings, we've been pulling out new toys to keep her entertained.  the dru...

wow!  we managed to survive a very active, busy weekend with minimal crying and screaming.  we helped with the comic book stand on friday night at "boo at the zoo."  of course in our hurry to get out the door, we forgot our camera so we're waiting for photos to be emailed to us before we can share.  not too many animals are out at our zoo on chilly evenings in october, but c did get to see lions, hippos, zebras, and a peacock, as well as many small wild children.  we got c to bed around 7:30pm and she slept until 8am on saturday. we spent most of saturday, preparing food for the reformation dinner that our church hosts every year.  once c woke up from her last nap we headed down to the springs to run errands and help set up/decorate the fellowship hall for the dinner.  once again, we didn't get c to bed until 7:30pm.  once again, she slept until 8am sunday morning. sunday rolled in, we went to church as usual.  we headed straight home af...

we made it to nebraska safe and sound.  we made it back home safe and mostly sound.  c does not want to go for car rides anymore.  we don't want to take her for car rides (at least not long ones for as long as we can avoid it). it was great to see everybody. it was a joy to see a dear friend happily married.  but... c is very happy to be home.  she loves her crib.  she loves her room.  she loves her toys.  she loves her daddy's toys.  she loves the doggie. c loves saying hi.  she practices all the time.  she especially loves saying hi to j's plush gandolf. c has also started crawling for real.  she was very excited to be able to crawl from one end of her bedroom to the opposite end of our bedroom.  she still reverts back to the inchworm on harder surfaces, but she's quite fast on the carpet. m's back still dislikes long car rides as much as c does.  forecast calling for 8-14 inches of snow tonight despite it ...

well, we thought a 1/2 pound + weight gain was good.  then the dr's office called and asked us to keep a food diary to make sure c's getting enough calories.  we did.  the girl eats almost a pound of food and nurses 6 times everyday --- well within the recommended intake for a baby her age.  she looks and acts healthy, but she's not where their magic charts say she should be so they're driving us crazy!  so for now, they suggested more meat & starch.  they want us to have her checked again in about a month, so we'll see where she's at when she's 1 year old ('cause that's only 1.5 months away). c's now proficient in pulling herself up to standing.  she simply needs improvement in getting back down.  so far she only knows how to get back down by falling, which she has not been doing very gracefully.  she got her 1st bruise during one of her many falls on friday.  she also bumped the side of her crib hard enough to get a bloody nose ...

we woke up to 3-4 inches of snow on saturday morning, and we probably saw another 1-2 inches fall before the sun came out in the afternoon.  c was absolutely fascinated by the falling white stuff.  she kept trying to grab it off the windows.  neither her or the dog have figured out the difference between what's inside the glass and what's outside.  we made sure c got her 1st taste of good clean, white snow.  we let huan eat whatever snow he wanted 'cause he also thought the snow was big fun.   c got a new toy this weekend, which has encouraged her to start pulling herself up from sitting to standing.  after a couple of days of banging on this bargain activity table, she's now able to pull herself up on her own.  the dog tries to help by nudging the buttons with his nose, which c thinks is hysterical but huan doesn't seem so sure.  c loves the doggy & we're pretty sure she's trying to say "doggy" both vocally and signing. our w...

the aspens are losing their leaves.  the pine needles are falling.  the temperature has dropped from the 80's to a high in the 50's today and 30's tomorrow.  boo.  thankfully, it's colorado though and we'll be back in the 70's late next week. c's cold is mostly gone, just a bit of lingering snot left.  now the battle to encourage more independence begins as she became very clingy while sick.  m's back simply can't handle a constant cling-on, even if she's a lightweight.  c likes to cling to j too so that helps, but we certainly are fond of her being able to play on her own when we're nearby.  more dishes and laundry get done that way:) c has discovered cheerios and loves their crunchy goodness.  crackers are pretty good too as long as we break them up for her.  (otherwise, she shoves the whole cracker in her mouth at once --- which she thinks is big fun until she chokes). she likes it when we move things up and down, and has finall...

this last week was a bit chaotic. m worked an extra day and had different hours on her normal 3 days. (m's school had field trips to the cliff dwellings all 3 days as there's a different group of kids all 3 days ---- m now has the whole tour memorized). well, little c does not like it when we mess with her routine!  she was extra clingy and fought naps extra hard at the beginning of the week, but by the end she had settled down.  she seemed to be completely back to normal by the weekend. m & j popped airborne in vain attempts to fight off the annual "back to school" germy sickness.  m seems to have hit the cold climax yesterday with the whole body achy fever yuck & feels a bit better today after the fever broke late last night.  j is still fighting.  c seems to be fighting as well, but she was full of cute energy yesterday while m just wanted to be in bed (it was a big bummer to have a happy baby after a hard week and not have the energy to encourage t...

Finally, we had a rather boring week/weekend.  we managed to do some more work on our never ending landscaping.  we did some random projects around the house: shelf-building, cleaning, laundry, etc. little c had her 9 month wellness check up.  she measured 28.5 inches long (leaving room for an inch and a half of growth before we need a new car seat).  she weighed in at only 14 pounds 12 ounces (much to m's surprise who definitely thinks she feels heavier than that).  since she didn't gain much, the "state" says we have to get another weight check in a month to make sure she's still growing (she's obviously malnourished)...  the dr said she was sure c's probably just slender due to genetics, but ... she recommended we start feeding her more protein.  c is no longer a vegetarian.  she tried turkey tonight and seemed to like it.  she gets very excited when she gets to eat things that m & j eat.  therefore, j's getting more daring ...

more fun!

We finally found enough time to sit down and watch Avatar.  Of course, we only had time because little c had to go to bed at 6 two nights in a row to catch up on lost sleep.  Little c lost a bit of sleep on Saturday, September 3 when we left for a hiking trip after her 4:30am feeding.  We still think it was better than camping with a little one, but we were all tired after hiking Mt. Bierstadt (j & m's 11th fourteener, c and h's 1st).  huan greatly enjoyed pulling us up the mountain until we reached the last scramble from boulder to boulder, and then he got a little scared.  apparently puppies aren't born with scrambling instincts.  c did okay, omitting a 20 minute freak out due to being an over-tired and maybe slightly cold baby (she calmed down after we added an extra layer).  huan gladly helped pull us back down after we got past the boulder field, and we managed to only lose one baby hat and pacifier. Due to Labor Day, we're caught up on sle...

the last couple of weeks have been a bit busy.  everyone has been adapting to m going back to work.  c loves her playmate and sitter.  we think huan likes them too...  huan has been settling down into a very nice family dog, making life much easier.  the only issue the sitter has had is learning to change cloth diapers on c who likes to taunt, "change me if you can!" last weekend, we rented a "billy goat" (http://www.billygoat.com/site/intro.aspx?pid=18) to mow down the weeds at our old house.  it was a heavy beast but it got the job done.  j then proceeded to level 3 tons of new gravel in the driveway.  m was busy with c and h and bagging the downed weeds. this last week was completely dedicated to preparing for our church's annual castle tea party (at our castle, of course).  carved panels were finished, trim was finished, touch up painting was finished, lots o food was made and enjoyed.  the party was voted "the best ever," at lea...

Life has been a little crazy as we continue to adjust to doggy, prepare for back-to-school, and deal with a 1st tooth.  M has had a lot more anxiety than imagined.  J is perfectly cool.  C is still bouncing despite cutting her first tooth.  M heads back to school tomorrow for a full day, and C still won't drink unless it's straight from the source.  For now, milk is being dumped into super thick homemade solid food, making it extra soupy, but at least C is getting a bit somehow.  We're still trying the sippy cup &  hoping she figures it out soon so that she can get what she really needs.  Alas, blogging must be cut short as it sounds as though someone needs some more baby Orajel...

The last 2 weeks have been totally stress-free (no sarcasm there at all, really... okay, maybe there was) as we attempted to get C to take a bottle, searched for a qualified & respectable babysitter, and adapted our lives around a new doggy.  Only one endeavor has been successful thus far.  We have found a stay-at-home-mom living on base at the Air Force Academy who simply wants a little extra spending money and a playmate for her little one (born a week after C).  She also does photography on the side and is more than willing to photograph any fun moments to share with us.  You can see some of her stuff at www.erinmariephotography.net . I've read that at this stage, getting baby to take milk from a sippy cup might be easier than a bottle so we might give that a go.  Thankfully, Erin just finished getting her little one to drink from a bottle last month and is less stressed about it than mommy is.  For now, C is content playing with the bottles and...

Another Colorado RCUS Family Camp has come and gone.  We headed out to Golden Bell Campground around 3pm on Thursday, and arrived with baby refusing any semblance of an afternoon nap.  We set up the tent, only to realize we once again didn't have any tent stakes (we think that's happened every time --- at least, every time that we've brought a tent since last year we forgot that our tent was in storage).  Thankfully, we were able to borrow some tent stakes.  With everything set up, we headed to the lodge where the non-campers stay to make dinner and attend services.  We finally got little c to take a short, short catnap during the worship service.  There was supposed to by a hymn sing after the service, but the crowd disappeared into the great outdoors so we ended up just  hanging out.  M took C back to the tent for bed around 9pm, and C gave in around 9:45.  J returned to the tent around 10, and we passed a relatively good night in the ten...

We went to the Colorado Renaissance Festival on Saturday.  We could not have asked for a better day.  It was partly cloudy with a few cool off sprinkles here and there.  Little c did great, even without naps.  We wandered around, going up hills in hopes of speeding our friend into labor (she's due on Wednesday).  J took a record number of photos with small children, and even got his armor fondled by a few of them...  M only managed to get a couple compliments from onlooking gentlemen, while little c got many compliments on her cuteness. And if one day without naps wasn't enough, we pushed little c's limits even farther on Sunday.  After church, we went to a new family's house out on the eastern plains.  J rode zip-lines, horses, climbed a homemade rock wall, and generally had an awesome 1st Father's Day.  M desperately tried to get c to nap in a playpen provided by the host family, and failed.  M finally gave up after c rolled arou...

all about c little c had her 6 month wellness check-up this morning.  she weighed in at 14 pounds, 26 inches long, and has a head circumference of 16.75 inches (it's like an orange on a toothpick --- no wonder the poor girl has a hard time keeping her head up).  she's now grabbing for everything within reach and "swimming" to try to get things just out of reach.  mom is very happy to be sporting short hair and has gone back to wearing contacts to avoid glasses getting shlobbered (yes, i really mean shlobbered).  teething looks as though it promises to be a long and slow process according to the doctor's analysis of c's gum line.  she's close to sitting on her own, but she prefers to practice standing.  she still doesn't talk to herself in the mirror but she does reach out to grab that cute baby staring at her with a wide open mouth.  she's healthy, growing, and mostly content (as long as she gets to do what she wants). she doesn't often...

forget lessons, little c is going straight to the concert hall! 

little c contemplating whether we should bother to plant our annuals or just let her eat them.  as we near the end of may and still seem to be getting white stuff on the ground at times, it's tempting to just put the annuals in pots so that they can be brought in and out according to our lovely co weather.  ahh, the joys of springtime in the rockies!

C attended Free Comic Book Day on Saturday, May 7 of 2011.  Super Baby C stole the show, but she probably won't be saving the world anytime too soon!  She's still too busy trying to put everything in her mouth.

We had fun finger painting and trying to keep little fingers out of a mouth 'cause where else does everything new go?  When you're 4.5 months old, everything goes to the mouth of course!  We had fun for about 5 minutes, and then it was naptime 'cause little c is fighting her 1st cold.

Welcome to Castle Chronicles.  We plan to give an update once a week.  Our lives simply aren't exciting enough to do more than that.  We may live in a castle, but it's a small one.  We don't even have a moat.  We do have a cute, cute baby that everyone wants to see.  Therefore, the content of our updates will be mostly about little c.