New Teeth

Cruz got some new teeth last night. HaHa! Our friends, Troy and Sherri, gave us this funny pacifier that has teeth on the outside. The pacifier is a little heavier than Cruz's others, so in the second picture it looks like Cruz is getting a little tired of trying to keep his teeth in!

A New Toy

Cruz got this door toy from Grandma and Grandpa Raddon. Leigh and Brian have one at their house and Cruz loved playing with it over Thanksgiving. Shawn set it up last night and the boys had fun playing with it. Shawn was trying to show Cruz how to go through the door, but Shawn got a little stuck. Cruz was (I think) trying to help his daddy through it! :)

The Chariot in Snow

On Saturday, December 22nd, we took Cruz out in his Chariot, but with the skies attached to the bottom. Shawn and I took turns pulling him up Temple Quarry. My mom joined us and we all had a blast cross country skiing. Cruz slept or looked out his little window at the snowy pine trees.

We had so much fun that on Sunday afternoon/evening we tried it again. This time we chose steeper terrain, so instead of our Cross Country skies we put skins on our tele gear and skinned up Mt. Aire. We made it about 3 miles and then got a lift on our friends snow cat. We saw a HUGE Elk a few minutes after we jumped in the snow cat. We joined our friends for some soup and then headed down. It was fun skiing downhill behind Cruz in the Chariot. Shawn was zipping him around corners. It was such a peaceful and bright night out due to the full moon.

Christmas Eve and Christmas Morning

Christmas Eve
The Girls on Christmas Eve (my sister and 2 of my cousins wives)

We had a wonderful Christmas. On Christmas Eve, we (Shawn, Kelly, Cruz, Rebecca, my mom, and my dad) drove up to Ogden to my Aunt and Uncles house. Some of my cousins were there with their kids. It was nice to have yummy soup and be around family. The weather wasn't great driving weather, snowing, blowing, conditions, so we headed home a little early.


Christmas morning we had with the 3 of us. Cruz didn't get this whole thing, but he sure had fun with the wrapping paper. He got some fun new toys to play with. The three of us went to my parents house for a late Christmas breakfast and to open more presents. It was a quiet Christmas for my parents, just the kids that live in SLC were in town (my family and Rebecca). We had a nice morning of family time and presents. My parents watched Cruz in the afternoon so Shawn, myself, and Rebecca could go skiing at Snowbird. It was a beautiful cold day. It was weird to be back on skies for me. I only skied a few times last season, so I felt like a beginner today. Hopefully it will come back quick!

I just want to take this moment and express my thanks for LIFE! One of my friends brother-in-laws passed away in his sleep one night right after Thanksgiving. He was only 30 years old and left behind a wife and child. I keep contemplated how fragile life really is. We need to take advantage of every minute and be so grateful for every minute we are given. So, this season, I am grateful for all the lives that touch me and help me be a better person.


My sister wearing Cruz's "First Christmas Hat"

Christmas Morning!

More details and photos to come, but here are a few for your viewing pleasure. Merry Christmas!

Who does he look like?

Shawn, 9 months

Cruz, 7.5 months

Kelly, 9 months


We will let you be the judge

Cool Guy

Cruz loves to stand up to anything....the couch, his little piano, in the crib, on the dresser, etc. He gets this look on his face like, "I am so cool, be proud of me!" And we are so proud of our little guy!

Snow Cat Pictures from Saturday Evening

The Real Deal

So Cruz has started to do the real crawl. He will still slip back into his army crawl, since it is quicker and more efficient for him, but for the most part he is crawling. Another thing he is doing is pulling himself up to a stand on everything. Today he figured out how to pull himself up to a stand outside of his exersaucer. The pictures below capture him pulling himself up on our table in the kitchen. He loves to play under there. Before his feet would slip out from under him, but now he has figured out how to position his feet so he doesn't slip so easily. It is amazing how bright these little creatures are. Hope you enjoy the photos.

A Snow Cat Ride

Cruz and I went on our first snow cat ride on Saturday evening. We have some friends that live up on a Mountain Side. The road to their house is a summer access only road......meaning, no plowing in the winter. Our friends either get to their house by snowmobile our their snow cat they just purchased. Cruz LOVED it. It was kind of bumpy and kinda loud and he just yelled (a happy yell) right along with the machine. Shawn drove it, which I am glad he did because it has funny steering. There are also some sketchy parts of the road where there are big drop offs beside the road. It was beautiful to get up into the mountains and away from everything else.... Snowcat pictures to come. At Marc and Cat's house they have this wood bear. Shawn put Cruz on it for a little ride.

Santa

Cruz met Santa today! My church was hosting breakfast with Santa, so we took Cruz over to sit on Santa's lap. He didn't cry, but he wasn't exactly sure who this stranger was. Cruz kept wanting to pull his beard. We dressed Cruz in his little "Santas helper outfit." I think we had more fun than he did. We are definitly proud first time parents.

Last night was Shawn's work party. It was fun for me to get dressed up and have a night out on the town. The party was at the Hilton downtown Salt Lake. My parents were kind enough to watch Cruz while we were out. The best part of the whole evening was the black jack table. His company hired a gaming place to come set up a casion atmoshere. I love playing "21" when you are playing with "fake" money.

Girls Night Out!

I have some wonderful friends who I do "GNO" with about once a month. It is great to be able to get together, have great food, and chat. The ladies involved in my girls night are Charlene Day, Melanie Kirkland, Victoria Brown, and my sister Rebecca Raddon. Charlene, Melanie, Victoria, and myself were all friends when we were in the singles scene in SLC. We all got married within a couple years of each other and each of us are starting families. Melanie has one little girl named Alexandra, and she is expecting another little girl in the spring. Charlene has a little boy named Connor and a little girl named Calista who is about Cruz's age. Victoria is expecting a little girl this spring. Most of our conversations revolve around pregnancy and children, but it is so fun to get together and share stories. Poor Rebecca is getting an ear full, but she will be alot more knowledgable about all of this stuff than I ever was. All of our lives are so hectic, it is hard to find time to meet up, but with our GNO, atleast I know I get to see my friends once a month.
This month Victoria hosted it at her house. The food was wonderful and her house looked amazing. She is one of my "creative" friends who I envy for her vision.

Thanks ladies for your wonderful friendship, I am blessed to have great friends.

Subbing

I substituted this week at Sandy Elementary. It was good to be back in my old school, but I missed being with Cruz. It just made me count my blessings that I get to be a stay at home mom with Cruz. The other thing I realized while substituting (not that I didn't know this from teaching) is that it is so important to read with your child and work with them on their numbers and letters.

I had to post these pictures of bath night. Cruz LOVES bath time. He giggles and plays and just has a grand old time!


The other thing he loves to do is climb. He figured out how to climb under the chair, he thought he was real cool! :)

Happy 7 month birthday Cruz!

Cruz is 7 months today. I can't believe how fast time flies. He is getting so big and he is into everything. Grandma and Grandpa Frye give him a birthday gift every month the first year. The picture above is Cruz opening his 7 month birthday gift from the Frye's. He got a very cute bib that says, "Daddy loves Me". That statement is very TRUE. Dad loves playing with Cruz. Today is also St. Nick's Day. I don't know too much about this holiday, but I believe it is a Milwaukee tradition. Cruz got a little reindeer book from Grandma and Grandpa Frye for St. Nicks day. It is an adorable book that has a little reindeer puppet in the middle of the book. I think Cruz had as much fun playing with the wrapping paper as he did the gifts....note to self for Christmas! Thank you Grandpa and Grandma Frye.

Cruz is also in a big boy car seat. He outgrew his infant car seat, so over the weekend I purchased a Britax car seat. Wow, those things are expensive, but I would pay anything to keep my baby safe.

Cruz trying to eat the wrapping paper

Big Boy Cruz playing with his toys

Curious Cruz

Cruz is a very curious little boy. He has figured out how to pull himself up to his knees on things. This morning, I laid him down for his morning nap....I could hear him in his room playing around and I peeked in and found him up on his knees in his crib playing with the blinds by his bed. I called Shawn and told him we need to lower Cruz's crib ASAP. Later I found him pulled up on his toy basket looking inside for toys. Then, I was on the computer and somehow he got up under my chair and started playing with my toes. He was very proud of himself!!!! After that he was on the floor playing and next thing I knew he was pulling himself up on our kitchen stand that we put some of our large appliances on. He was playing with some bowls and a chip bag. Check out our little guy below......I am so glad that he is a very curious child, but he keeps my on my toes!

What is this, snow?

We had a fun wintery weekend. We put up our Christmas decorations in our house on a snowy Saturday. It was interesting trying to figure out where and how to put the tree so Cruz wouldn't get into it. We are having a "baby proofing" Christmas. We ended up with our little tree on top of a table, and the table has foam padding around the corners.....needless to say, a little different from last year! :)
The three of us have been battling colds, but we did want to get Cruz out in the snow just a bit. We put him in some snow banks and he liked it at first, but then he tipped over and his face ended up getting a little wet from the snow, and then he wasn't so sure about it, as you will be able to tell in the picture below. We are excited to experience this Christmas season with our new little guy.

Chicago and Wisconsin

Wow, we had a great time in Chicago and Wisconsin. Cruz and I flew out with my mom and sister to Chicago on Wednesday night November 14th. Our flight left 2 hours later than it was supposed to, but Cruz did such a great job waiting and on the flight. The delay made for a late night though. On Thursday November 15th we spent the day on Michigan Avenue. It was so fun to shop, eat good food, and of course have Garrett Popcorn. On Friday November 16th my mom, Cruz, and I drove out to Northbrook to visit friends. We stayed in Northbrook on Friday and Saturday. It was great to see old friends and to be back in my old stomping grounds. I think I drove by my old house about 10 times in those 2 days (on purpose)! Ryan, my brother, was actually playing at a club in Chicago on Saturday night, but I was too tired to go. He usually plays from midnight until 2 a.m., ugh! On Sunday, we went to church. The building I went to church at when I was living there is currently being remodeled, so I went to my old ward in a building on Northwesterns Campus. It was fun to see old church friends. I definitely miss that ward. Monday November 19th, Kathy Frye drove down to Northbrook to pick up Cruz and myself. My mom and sister flew back, and Cruz and I went and spent the week with the Frye's. It is always amazing to me that Shawn and I got set up in Utah, but we actually grew up about an hour away from each other in the Midwest. Monday and Tuesday we hung out with Grandma and Grandpa Frye, Leigh, Shawn's sister, Brian, her husband, Nicholas (3.5 years), and Max (18 months). Cruz had so much fun playing with his cousins. They played together and we went on walks around the neighborhood and to visit the horses in the area. Grandma and Grandpa Frye gave the boys matching shirts and matching pj's for Christmas. Tuesday night we took the boys to get a professional picture taken in their matching shirts. It was so funny to watch the adults try to get three little boys to look at the camera at the same time, and hopefully smile. Shawn came into town Tuesday night. Thursday, November 22nd, was Cruz's first Thanksgiving. We had a very nice Thanksgiving with the Fryes and the Wilkens. On Friday, November 23rd, we had a get together with Kathy's side of the family. Leigh held the gathering at her house, and it was fun to see family and show off Cruz. Saturday November 24th, we had an early Christmas with Grandma Frye, Grandpa Frye, Leigh, Brian, Max, and Nicholas. We had a great time seeing friends and family!

The boys on a walk to visit the horses!


The boys in their pj's with the quilts Grandma Frye made for each one of them

Trying to get a picture of the boys, look at the choke hold on Cruz!

Cruz and Scout, Leigh and Brians dog. Cruz had no fear, he loved this dog!

Shawn and Nicholas playing

Cruz's first Thanksgiving meal

Family Photo on Thanksgiving

Family Picture-Shawn, Kelly, Cruz, Kathy Frye, Rick Frye, Brian Wilkens, Leigh Wilkens, Nicholas Wilkens, and Max Wilkens

Cruz in his Santa hat

Family "Early Christmas" photo