It's hard to be a parent

I've been having a bit of a rough time lately transitioning from 2 kids to 3. Especially now that Philly is back at work. After a full week of being on my own with 3 kids I must say I'm exhausted mentally and physically. Now I know there are a lot of moms out there who have been through the ringer with 3 or more kids, but it feels like it has been especially difficult so far on me. So to all you moms, way to go, you rock and are awesome, I admire those who survive intact. I'm going to attempt to vent and lay out there how I feel. Hopefully this wont be too polarizing for some people. I just need to get this off my chest and this is my only real outlet.
I'll start by painting a picture. I try to do my best to give everyone equal attention. Logan and Nyah are used to being on the go and doing lots of things. We go to the gymnastics center, the Colorado Railroad Museum, the Denver Zoo, etc.. So in an attempt to keep a bit of normalcy in their lives and to give them what they need, I attempted the Railroad museum with 3 kids in my first week. Our new daughter Zoe likes to sleep and really needs her naps. However, she sleeps a lot so sometimes she must be carried in either the Ergo or the baby Bjorn. On this particular day the sun was shining and I chose the ergo since it has the hood to cover her head. Zoe has been a bit different than both Logan and Nyah as well, in that she gets cold much easier than the other two. So things started out somewhat okay, the kids ran to their usual spot on Wednesdays which is the garden train exhibit outside. Then Zoe decided she didn't want to stay asleep or to have her binki (pacifier for some). She started to get fussy, really fussy. Now some people might see this as a normal thing, especially for an infant. Infants get fussy from time to time and it usually means one of 4 things they are trying to communicate. I'm tired, I'm hungry, I pooped or I need to poop. Zoe is really pretty easy as far as all that goes and I feel like I understand her cries fairly well. So moving on, Zoe is fussy, she wont take her binki. She just had a bottle before we left the house and she had already had her regular poop, so this pretty much leaves sleep. In order to console her, I pulled her out of the Ergo and held her normally. Zoe kept fussing and increased a little bit. All the while there were a few older ladies watching this whole thing unfold. Logan and Nyah were chasing the trains around the track like normal and I could see them the whole time. For reference, we usually go the the Railroad museum at least once a week. We know most of the employees on a first name basis and they know us. So these older ladies decided to be very obvious with their glare. At one point I happened to be within ear shot and one of them decided to offer some kindly advice to this obviously struggling dad who has no idea what he's doing. "You know honey, that baby is probably mad because she's too hot in those long sleeve and that fancy contraption you're wearing." Seems innocent and simple enough I'm sure. But there in resides the problem for me. I'm by no means a rookie at the stay at home dad thing and I am very confident in my abilities with 2 kids out in the world. However, here I am struggling to keep it together while trying to give my kiddos what they all need and dealing with a screaming child at this point. So this had a big impact on me. I felt shattered and inferior. Any confidence I had, any shred of knowing that I can handle 3 kids was gone. I somehow held it together and didn't burst into the tears that I could feel welling up. If I did that I'm sure it would have been a total sign of weakness and I would have seemed even less competent. I am by no means saying that I'm perfect, but I try really hard every single moment of every day to do the best job I can. This simple offering of advice, set me back to when I was first a stay at home dad with Logan over 4 years ago. When I first took him to the public library for story time and I was the only dad at story time. It took weeks before I realized I was a bit of an odd sight. These ladies, with their simple motherly advice, crushed this dad in a matter of seconds. Why?!? Why did it matter that some stranger thought I needed advice or that I couldn't handle my own children. I know I'm not alone in this and that many other parents, both men and women, have experienced this same thing. Being judged by a stranger and feeling horrible for it.

I guess the point of this rant is that I thought I had it together. I thought I had a thick skin and could handle anything my kids or anyone could throw at me. Yet this simple comment by a total stranger destabilized my whole being. I felt like I wasn't able to do my job because somehow being a man, I don't know how to handle kids. I realize I'm likely just super sensitive right now, but hey, wouldn't a woman be as well on her first week out with 3 kids? I guess I shouldn't really complain, but I really needed get this out there. In fact I already feel much better just typing this out. Even if I didn't post this for public consumption, I feel better.

Now I'm also not claiming to be perfect by any means. I have been guilty of judging others as well. However, I try to be mindful and realize that I don't know what their situation is or what is going on in their life or their day. It just really sucks when you can feel the judging coming from a complete stranger and especially when they say something.

So please people, even if you think you are being helpful, think before you speak. Please, please, please, make sure your internal filter is turned on. If there is any doubt that maybe your advice or comment could be damaging, keep it to yourself. Otherwise you might just make someone cry or worse.

I did manage to muster up the courage and brave the Children's Museum of Denver with the kids yesterday as well, but that is a tale for another day.

Cheers for now,
Aaron

Family Update 9-10-13

Hello there, a lot sure has been going on since the last one of these updates. Obviously from my last post we've added a new kiddo and a new vehicle to the family. It seems like only yesterday things were getting easier and the kids and I were settling into routine. I guess Philly and I are never content to have things be easy or calm. We like to have things going on. We like to be busy and I suppose we thrive on stress. I'm not sure why. I guess it is a way to ensure we never get lazy or complacent. So here we are with a big boy of 4 and a half, a fireball of a daughter of 2 and 4 months and a bundle of cuddle who is almost 2 months old. I never thought I would be the proud and tired father of 3 amazing kids, but here I am. Logan has really grown up the past 7 months and has become quite the Lego master. It's been really nice to have afternoon building sessions with him on the odd occasion that Nyah will still take a nap. He has also done really well on his bike this year. We went to the Frisco bike park in the mountains and he did great for the first time with no training wheels. He is now so big, we had to get him a 16" wheel bike with a hand brake. It is so great to see someone else fall in love with biking. The boy absolutely loves mud and digging in the dirt. I know all boys do, but Logan seems to take it to the next level, smearing it all over himself and running around the back yard. He's like a wild animal some days and it is awesome. We've talked to him about school on occasion and he's given us the same great answer "I'm not quite big enough, maybe when I'm 5 and a half, I'll be ready". I certainly won't rush the boy, I know he'll do great when he does go, but I know I'll miss him like crazy when he is ready. He and I certainly have our moments of disagreement, but I think it's just because we are so similar. Even when we have a hard day, I still love him like crazy and I know I'll cry when he officially starts school next year.

Nyah has really grown over the last few months as well. She has continued to be such a fireball and her personality has only gotten stronger. She is so confident and strong willed, its both a blessing and a curse. On the one hand she can do so many things on her own and seems to learn things very quickly. On the other hand she makes one heck of a mess and gets more bumps and bruises than if she would just let Philly or I help. "NO, I do it my own", seems to be her favorite phrase. I feel like I'm raising a little Philly. That's not a bad thing, it actually helps me understand both Nyah and Philly just a little bit more. Don't get me wrong, I'll never get either one of them figured out. No matter how hard I try, I'll still never understand the mind of a woman. I just get little clues here and there about why they might do certain things that I don't understand. Nyah has also been doing amazing on her balance bike. The girl has no fear or concept of limitations. It's good and bad, but she has some amazing skills. She now has her own pedal bike with training wheels and figured out how to pedal and use the brake on the first day. I'm sure it will only be a matter of time before she and Logan try to have races on the way to our neighborhood park. They already have on balance bikes, but with pedals I'll be sprinting to keep up. The sibling rivalry has been brutal at times and they battle pretty hard. I will say this girl is super strong and gives Logan a run for his money. I know it will likely never end, but we do our best to keep things civil. I think when Logan starts school next year she will enjoy the freedom of having toys and space to herself. I know she'll miss her big brother at that point, but at least she will have her new little sister to play with. I'm so happy for her that she will have a sister so close in age. It already seems like they were born in the right order, Nyah is already a great big sister and cares so much. She gives the best hugs and kisses and loves her little sister very much. I'm sure when they are teenagers, that might change a little.

Zoe is our new little bundle of awesome. She gave us a little scare in the beginning by not wanting to nurse and sometimes she won't take a bottle. But when she's hungry the girl will eat. I think it has just been very interesting to see how very different all 3 kids are. Logan was our attachment baby, I carried him for the first 2 years of his life. Nyah was little miss independent from the beginning and couldn't be contained, actually she still can't be contained. Zoe is a mix of the two, she loves to be held at times, yet she has her moments of just being content to lay there and look at us all. I'm sure she is wondering what she got herself into, "who are these crazy people?" I know it is partially because we've already had two other kids, but Zoe has been the easiest baby in some ways. She is the first of our kids that actually calms down when you put her in the car seat. She also doesn't even want a pacifier or "binki" as we call them. That is fine with us since Nyah has been very reluctant to give hers up yet. Her smile can brighten any day.

I'm doing my best to enjoy the time we have together right now and not worry about what daily life will be like once Philly goes back to work full time. I guess I'm just scared and a little worried how I'll do with 3 kids. I know I'll be fine, I just have mini panic sessions here and there. I know there are many women out there who do this all the time, my mother being one of them. I think all stay at home parents go through moments of doubt and fear, some express it, some suppress it and others just sit down and cry. At the moment I'm not going to admit to crying, but talk to me in 3 weeks and we'll see how I'm holding up.
Cheers for now,
Aaron

Frist Impressions: 2014 Honda Odyssey EX-L

As promised there is my intro to the new Honda Odyssey. We picked the van up on Friday night at about 6:00 and promptly took it home to start prepping for a road trip.  The roof box and Bike rack were added within the first few minutes and the endless search for the proper car seat locations began. What better way to get an impression of a new vehicle than to start out fully loaded on a family vacation. We decided to load up our 3 kids, my mother in law Ellie, 3 adult bikes and 4 kid bikes. Not to mention all the usual stuff that is needed to care for the occupants of the vehicle. Needless to say the van was maxed out saturday morning when it was time to roll out.

Okay lets be honest here it was saturday afternoon by the time we were actually packed and leaving our driveway. I don't want anyone to get the impression that we are some super family that can actually be loaded up and headed out on schedule. We left almost 3 and a half hours later than our goal. The destination was just a short jaunt up I-70 over the mountains to Grand Junction. This location offers some of the best biking in the state in my opinion. Only problem is when we rolled into town about 5:30 it was still 99 degrees out, not really ideal for lots of riding. The good news is the inside of the van was perfectly comfortable thanks to the air conditioning.

So here I sit on Monday looking out at the cold rainy morning thinking how lucky my wife and I are to have ridden some trails last night. The weather is a big part of the fun of living in Colorado. 99 deg one day and in the 60's and raining within 48 hours.

The new Odyssey now has just over 300 miles on the clock as of this morning. I have to say, it has been an eye opening first trip. I was amazed at how well, with 3 car seats installed it was able to swallow up all our bags and "stuff". Granted the poor suspension was sagged a bit and had me a little worried, but it made the trip just fine. For those of you who have either visited Colorado or live here you know about Eisenhower tunnel and the "race track" that is I-70. The Odyssey was impressive to say the least in its ability to go over the mountains fully loaded, with the AC on. We were able to maintain a good speed without the engine revving high or the transmission searching for gears. Apparently the V-6 and 6 speed auto are well matched, good job Honda.

Despite the heat we have been having, we never needed to really crank the AC, just a low setting seemed to be perfect. I run really hot personally so this was a nice revelation to say the least. Everyone seemed to have plenty of space and we realized how nice it was to have such a large windshield. We've driven in the mountains a lot over the years and we have had a number of vehicles. The Odyssey is the first one to actually impress with the amount of mountains and sky you can actually view while driving. It's not distracting at all, just very nice to be able to see when you have a chance. The gas mileage was a nice discovery as we would normally have needed to stop and fill up our old SUV upon getting here. Not this trip, in fact we did a few day trips on Sunday and still could have held off filling up until tomorrow. My wife and I have decided this van has been really well thought out and refined in terms of how a family uses a vehicle. Everything seems to be in just the right place, from buttons to storage, things just work. I'm certainly not saying its perfect, but it does come close.

The seating flexibility and configurations are a very nice feature as well. When we come to Grand Junction we are lucky enough to stay with family. So Sunday we loaded them up in the van as well and headed to the farmers market in Palisade along with a few other stops. The ability to carry 3 kids in car seats and 5 adults comfortably is wonderful. The power doors and rear lift gate have been a luxury. To be honest almost everything on this van seems like a luxury. Coming from a 13 year old car everything feels fresh and amazing, from the steering wheels controls to the backup camera.

When Philly and I were able to sneak away for a quick mountain bike ride we were able to test the audio capabilities a bit more in depth and I have to say we were impressed. I'm sure the sight of two old kids rocking out in a minivan was probably hilarious for the locals. The van really does handle like a car when its not loaded down with half our house inside. The steering is precise and the engine has more than enough power to get you in trouble. 

So it may sound like everything is perfect and as it should be, but there are a few little things that could be better.

Really my biggest issue is that of the suspension not handling a large load very well. It handles okay, but you could feel the weight and a little extra sway. Granted I know we had the van almost to capacity on the way here. I think we may need to add some airbags to the rear springs, otherwise the tires will take a lot of extra wear on the inside corners. I know the bike rack is probably the culprit of the sagging suspension, but we are a biking family. So the van is not a truck, but it has done amazingly well and I have to say it gets praise form all members of the family so far.

I plan on doing a more in depth review and writing updates as things come up or opinions change in the future. After all we have only put about 300 miles on the van and I fully expect to have at least 20k miles on the clock by this time next year.

So for now "Ody" and I will say goodbye for this morning, I'm sure we'll be writing more about our adventures soon.

Cheers for now!

Aaron

3 Kids and a Minivan

Goodness how time does fly. It has been far too long since my last post and so much has changed since then. We now have our third child, a wonderful bundle of joy and calm named Zoe Mae Winterowd. My job is about to get really interesting once Philly goes back to work. I know there are a lot of people out there with 3 or more kids, and I applaud you and your ability to maintain your sanity. I'm sure I will be just fine, but I'm allowed to panic, right?!?
This brings me to an interesting place, the switch from 2 kids to 3 kids is a game changer. As many of my football loving friends have joked, "Oh wow, you're switching from man to man coverage to zone defense, good luck with that". Well, it definitely is different having more kids than hands. I know it will be more challenging in the coming months when I'm out on the town with 3 kids by myself. This is about the time we realized another change in the dynamic of having a 3rd child. The car seat dynamic. Now a few years back I wrote about 6 kids and a minivan. I also wrote about my "Daddy Wagon", a large Lexus SUV with a 3rd row seat. To refresh your memory, I expressed my disdain for the minivan. I am happy to say I no longer can cling to that narrow minded view. I realized even with the massive vehicle I've been driving, I cannot fit 3 convertible car seats in the second row, it was time to look for another option.
I don't consider myself a particularly prideful person, who is unwilling to admit my mistakes. An SUV or a crossover is a great option when you have two young children. When you have 3 kids under 5 years old and need to fit their car seats comfortably, they just don't cut it. If you have kids that are more spread in age, I think it would be possible to maintain driving an SUV, but I'm not so sure. Another thing that has prompted this change is the dynamic Logan and Nyah have developed, kicking and hitting while being restrained next to each other. I can remember how my parents dealt with the situation all those years ago. We had a full size van. Each kid was separated into their own row of seats and I had a platform in the back with a mattress on it. These days that would have resulted in my parents being pulled over and given a ticket since I didn't have a seat belt back there. In fact if we had ever been in an accident I would have likely gone straight though the windshield. Alas, times were different back then and vehicle safety wasn't really discussed.
Fast forward to modern day again and realize that today's minivan is not what it once was. They are now a rolling computer with all the modern conveniences and goodies a tech junkie like myself could want. Not to mention the safety features that are packed into even the most basic models in the lineup are impressive. It's amazing how much things can change in just 2 years, let alone the 25 years since my parents had that old van.
So, I'm ready to say I have changed my mind on the minivan thing. In fact, we are picking up our new van later today. We are picking up a new 2014 Honda Odyssey EX-L in smokey topaz with truffle leather. We are then loading it to the gills and heading for a biking trip to Grand Junction with the 3 kids, 7 bikes and Grandma Ellie in the 3rd row. I'll be posting a quick impression soon and then follow it up with a full review shortly after that. I promise to write the follow ups, really.
Now for what I never thought I'd say just two short years ago.

I like Minivans.

There, I said it.

As for the old nightmare of having 6 kids, that has been permanently taken care of. However, that is a story and article for another time.

Cheers for now!






As a side note, It has been far to long since I've written. I pledge to anyone who actually reads this blog that I am coming back with more articles and content. Life can get a little crazy and I think it's now settling back down. I forgot how good of an outlet writing is for me, this is my therapy : )

Family Update 2/24/13

Wow, where does the time go? One minute it's the end of December and the next minute January is already gone and so is February. So here we are in 2013, with the first two months already gone and I still haven't written an update. It goes without saying it's been a bit of a busy time around here. Having some sniffles and stomach bugs run amok through the house doesn't help much either. After a little over two months of not feeling good I finally went to the doctor and discovered I had the Flu, strep throat and a sinus infection all at the same time. No wonder I didn't much feel like writing. Nyah seems to be getting all the rest of her teeth all in a continuous string while maintaining a bit of the sniffles. Potty training Logan has been a real adventure for sure. At least we have had many trips to the Colorado Railroad Museum, the Denver Zoo and the Children's Museum of Denver. Add to this some Story times at the Golden Public Library and we have not been at rest very much. I almost forgot to mention both kids are now in Gymnastics on Saturday morning so Philly gets to enjoy some very active time with the kiddos. We even had the chance to enjoy the warm January we've been having and take the kids for a hike a Chautauqua in Boulder with Grandma Ellie. As I'm working on this update it seems we are finally having a decent snow storm for once. Heavy thick flakes are falling and we could get a decent amount on the ground. Philly and Logan built a cool snowman yesterday as the previous snow melted to the perfect consistency for packing. Today is the perfect day to make yummy blueberry pancakes and banana bread from scratch. I just wanted to do a quick update today so people knew we are still here. I'll try to stay back in the swing of things with the updates.
Cheers for now,
Aaron

It's Complicated

I think the title is a bit of an understatement. Here we are with spring rapidly approaching and we are again faced with interesting life decisions. We seem to have the same discussion each year about this time for the past 3 years. Do we move or do we stay. It sounds simple enough on its own. Then you start to add in the variables, 2 kids with another on the way. We own two very different properties in the same basic area. We are about to find out if we are having a boy or girl join us in July. If we do move, do we rent or sell this current house. Should this kind of decision be purely financial or emotional or both. Being in a state of flux can be stressful at times and at this moment, detrimental to my sleep patterns. 
As I write this in the middle of the night since I can't sleep, I wonder at how complicated things have become over the years. I'm talking about over the past few decades and in a much broader scope than just my personal situation. What is it that has changed the family dynamic, or has it even changed. Are homes and the way we live so different from the 60's and 70's to today. What made closed style floor plans effective back then. Is an open floor plan in a house undesirable for any reason? Do we really need a massive house with a room for each person? As a still new parent who is trying to figure it all out I wonder about this when I can't sleep at night. I lay in bed and evaluate how things are going. Did I make the correct decision about nap time today? Did the kids eat a well rounded variety of foods today? Are they happy? Are they learning what they need in order to be great adults some day? 
I'm sure many other parents out there have similar thoughts. Or at least I hope they do, if not than I really feel silly. Is the lack of sleep showing yet?
It seems like each generation tries to find their way the best they can. I feel like my wife and I have a very different parenting style than our parents. They likely had a very different style than their parents and their grandparents before them. I'm not sure exactly what I'm trying to get at here, but at the core its all the same. As parents we try to do the best job we can while trying to maintain a calm outward demeanor and let our kids know that they are safe, loved and have nothing to worry about. While inside we have multiple worries and doubts about ourselves and our impact on our children. I wonder if the information age and technology have changed the family dynamic. I also wonder if we just over analyze every little thing we do, just because we were taught to always question. Is our constant state of flux do to some internal desire to grow and change or is it something else? I don't think now is the time to try and answer all these questions. It is just thought provoking and a constant theme in the back of my mind. It will be many years until we discover if we made the right moves as parents. Well in reality we will never know.
Back to the complicated bit, the housing decision. We are currently dealing with the thought of moving back into our townhouse which is currently a rental. We need to refinance the property and due to the market conditions we need to live in it to do so. In addition our current home would sell quickly if we put it on the market. But it would also rent very well. Where we live now we have a large yard and more internal square footage. Our townhouse has less space inside but it is more usable. Plus it just "feels" better and makes you smile while you're there. However there is no yard. It probably sounds silly to someone who lives in New York or another city but the yard seems to be our biggest guilt trip. This kind of goes back to the whole best intentions of parenting thing. Is a yard important for kids. In our daily routine, the kids and I get out a lot. Sometimes depending on weather we do get stuck in the house. But the funny thing is we are rarely in the back yard. It sort of serves as a place for the kids to be contained when we need to do yard work. I realize I'm being quite immature at the moment and essentially looking for some outside validation that its okay to not have a yard. I feel like we will be judged as parents if we deny our kids the privilege of having a back yard. But at the same time I try to think of my upbringing. We moved a lot when I was growing up. Every year in fact until I was in high school. In my younger years we always had a yard. Funny thing is I don't remember the times I spent in my yard. I more remember the times I was away from my house. Interesting how that works. 
To sum up, I have no idea what I'm doing as a parent. I have the best of intentions and a lot of hope and love. Regardless of whether or not the family dynamic has changed over the years, there are constants that remain. Parents will always worry about their kids but they will also always love them.

Cheers for now,
Aaron

Family Update 12/29/12

Well, here's the last family update for the year.  It has been a fun filled very packed week with Philly being on vacation.  Christmas eve was amazing this year, especially since it actually snowed and we were able to have a very white Christmas for once.  It seems like for the past several years its been in the 50's with no snow on Christmas day.  This year was nice and cold with wonderful fluffy white snow.  We had a fun family outing at the Unity holiday music performance which was a great chance to get the kids all dressed up in some cute Christmas clothes.  I know I'm biased but we have some really cute kids.

A little laughter goes a long way.

Some great smiles.

Melting Daddy's heart!

Christmas day was a lot of fun this year, Logan is starting to really get into it and Nyah was able to open her own gifts.  Seeing the looks on their faces is just priceless.  Philly and I were feeling a little guilty that we don't have a proper fireplace to hang the stockings from.  We had to tell Logan that we left the door unlocked for Santa since we don't have a chimney.  He believed us, this time.

The new bike studio decorated for the Holidays.

Tux checking out the tree.

Nyah trying to ride her new horses. The girl is awesome!

Logan excited with new watercolors.

Anticipation........

A new truck!

Nyah loved her new car.

My beautiful ladies, I'm so lucky.

You might have noticed I'm putting a lot of pictures in the family updates.  Since I dropped Facebook, this is now the family source for photos at the moment.  I may find a different way of doing it but for now this is actually a lot of fun.
Well, after the fun holiday parties Philly and the kids got a chance to play in the snow together.  We are loving the cold weather and the fact the snow is sticking around for once instead of melting right away.  

Snow sliding instead of sledding.

Proof that Logan can be a little angel when he wants to be.

This has been a really fun vacation so far, we even braved the crowds and headed to the Children's Museum of Denver.  It's such a great place and has something for everyone.  I'm a little nervous about when I have 3 little ones to take there by myself.  I'm sure I'll figure it out one way or another.

Our budding little artists ; )

It's a mad dash to fill the carts!

Well I think that brings us up to speed, its time to wind down a little and get ready for the new year.  It is a little hard to imagine that this year is already wrapping up.  It feels like just yesterday Nyah was born and now we are going to welcome another little life into the family.  Crazy how fast time flies, make sure to enjoy every second.  See you next year!

Cheers for now,

Aaron

Family Update 12/22/12

It's been such busy time I didn't even get to post last Saturday. We've had a great time so far this holiday season.  It started off with a whole lot of cooking and baking.  From Gingerbread cookie with butter cream frosting to Homemade Chili and cornbread.  The house has been smelling great lately, especially with a fresh cut tree in the living room.  In addition to the cooking we have had lots of activities to keep us moving.  Logan had his first Gymnastics "mini-meet", a great gathering for all the families to watch their little ones perform in front of everyone.  This was followed by a cold but very fun time watching the Olde Time parade in historic downtown Golden.  We also were able to enjoy the wonderful holiday sign along at the golden recreation center together as a family.  Unfortunately we have also all been battling the sniffles, coughs and associated health joys that come this time of year.  A big thanks to Grandpa Mo for a wonderful trip to the Children's Museum of Denver and the awesome gift of a family membership.  Logan and Nyah really enjoyed the afternoon with Grandpa Mo and we will really get great use out of the membership.  Thanks Mo!  
We were fortunate enough to finally get some snow and amazingly there is still a little bit left on the ground as I'm typing.  Logan made his first snow angel of the year.  Unfortunately the snow was too fluffy for snowman construction.  Here's a little visual sample of the past 2 weeks:

Gingerbread cookies fresh out of the oven!

The cornbread went crazy in the pan.

Perfect meal for a cold winter evening.

Time to sugar up before brushing our teeth ; )

My little cutie ready for some snow.

He had been talking about snow angels all morning, Love it!

Today is a great day because it means Philly is officially on break from work.  A much needed break I might add for the whole family.  As we head towards Christmas day and New Years it is always so important for us to slow down a little bit and enjoy each others company and reflect on the year we've had.  What a year its been too, lots of activity and news to share.
On that note, we recently sent out our family holiday cards.  Now this may seem like a random transition, which it is. (If you've read many of my posts you're likely used to it.)  Our holiday cards this year included a hidden message.  To us it is obvious, but for others it has taken a little time to realize the meaning.  I have put a picture below for reference:

Logan picked the snowman for the occasion.

Wait for it....

Wait for it.....

That's right, our third bundle of fun will be joining the party in July of next year!!

I think we really caught some people off guard with this surprise.  I was lucky enough to be on the phone with my mom when she actually figured out what the picture meant.  Lets just say she was so shocked I can't repeat the actual first words she used. : ) (Sorry mom but it was too funny not to mention)  After that initial reaction she was clearly happy about her extra little gift.  I know some people are ready for anything from us at this point.  After all we are the couple who said, "We'll never have kids".  Well we made those statements while we were young and foolish.  Once you have one kid it's hard to explain the absolute joy and wonder you experience every single day.  Even on the really hard days there is always at least some little tiny moment that melts your heart.  Now that we have number three on the way our family feels like it will finally be complete.  I was one of three kids and I personally feel like that is a good number.  We are only slightly outnumbered now.  As one of my best friends pointed out, "You're going from man to man defense to zone defense now."  It was an interesting way of looking at it.  
And for any of you out there who are saying, "Next comes a minivan".  Not so fast, I've already test fit 3 car-seats in the second row of my truck and they fit perfectly.  Now if for some crazy turn of events we end up with twins, then I guess I'll have to think hard about it.  No the twins reference doesn't mean anything, it's just kind of a running inside joke.

I think that pretty much sums up the past two weeks.  I'm hoping to get into a rhythm and actually post every Saturday morning.  But plans change with kids I guess.
Cheers for now,
Aaron

Family Update 12/8/12

What a week we have had!  Logan is doing great in gymnastics these days and is almost ready for the second level class.  He has come a long way in the past 8 weeks, from not even getting off the bleachers, to excelling at almost every skill.  Grandma Ellie has been taking him each week.  Next Saturday is his "Mini-Meet" so we should have some good pictures to post later.

Both kids are doing amazing in their music classes as well.  Nyah is getting more brave every class and loves cleaning up after each different activity.  

Nyah and her PomPom

Logan has been doing really well in his 2-4yr classes as well.  He is doing great with his sharing and has really begun to develop some rythym.  He is also getting more involved in the group activities.  It's crazy to see Logan as one of the biggest kids in class.  I'm not really sure where he gets his height from, but he's getting so tall.  I am so proud of both of them and how much they are growing and changing each day.  It seems like only yesterday Logan was barely speaking and Nyah was still just crawling.  They grow and change at such a fast rate.  

It's moments like this when I get to sit down and write that I can reflect on what has been happening.  All too often the daily routine is all I can think of.  I run my mental checklist everyday and check the calendar, do the laundry, dishes and so on. I think as parents (all parents) we are so worried about making sure the kids are in activities and giving them all the experiences possible.  We worry over whether or not they hit the "developmental milestones".  We try to ensure their success in the future by helping them become well rounded.  Early on, we worry about them not saying enough words by the time they are 18 months, only to realize that they don't stop talking by the time they hit three and a half.  As parents we worry a lot and usually about everything, even if we have absolutely no control over it.

In doing this we almost miss experiencing our own kids.  We might miss that sweet moment when brother and sister share a quiet moment playing nicely together.  Or we might miss the chaos resulting from turning a box of tissues into snow.

Tissues becoming "snow"

I think kids are teaching us the most important lesson of all, slow down and enjoy the little things.

That will do for now as breakfast needs to be made and we all need to get ready for the kids holiday party at Philly's work.  There we go running off again : )

Cheers for now,

Aaron

Our passion of bikes

I count myself as one seriously lucky guy. Not only did I get to marry my best friend, who happens to be both beautiful and intelligent. I also married the best riding partner I've ever had. Mountain biking is a large part of who we are as a couple. Going back to the beginning of our relationship, it's always been at the core. I remember trying to impress Philly by talking up all the trail riding I had done over the years. Little did I know how foolish I was at that point. I was a decent BMX racer, but really knew almost nothing about mountain biking in Colorado. She was nice enough to introduce me to a new trail for our first ride together, a little trail called Dakota Ridge. Now up to this point in my life, I thought I had a concept of what mountain biking was. I was very wrong indeed. Dakota Ridge for those who are not from Colorado is a highly technical, rocky, rough and steep trail in parts. Perfect for putting inexperienced loud mouth mountain bikers in their place. After the first climb I thought I could be in trouble. During the ride Philly was nice enough to put up with my whining and complaining. Over the course of the ride I broke a pedal, cracked my helmet and received various scrapes, bumps and bruises. I was in love. I really had no idea what mountain biking was, nor did I really know who this amazing woman was who had just put me in my place. I was humbled to say the least. Luckily I was a far better mechanic than I was a rider, so she put up with me. Over time our relationship grew stronger and so did my riding abilities. I became her bike mechanic, we shared the same personal trainer, she even introduced me to sushi.

 Over the years I've become a better rider, due in large part to following Philly down some crazy terrain. Over the years we have ridden countless trails and even numerous miles on the road. Two things have always been the same, our passion for bikes and our passion for each other. The future is very bright for us and our riding, especially now that we have kids. We have the unique and special opportunity to share our joint passion with two of the most amazing kids. Logan is currently 3 years old and is already an amazing little rider. He rips around on his balance bike as though its second nature. Which in reality, I guess it might be. He has been on his balance bike since before he could sit on the seat. Being the gadget guy I am I took off the seat and zip tied a piece of pipe insulation to the top tube so he had something to sit on. In the early days we had to help him out a lot. We still have to help him a little bit, but it's mainly due to what he wants to ride. You see, Logan is not bound by the normal ideas of what is and is not rideable. He just sees possibilities everywhere. For example, we were at a park near our house he had ridden almost 2 miles to. There was your typical playground equipment with a slide and stairs, etc. Logan wanted to go up the stairs with his bike, so Philly and I looked at each other, shrugged and I helped him up the stairs. Logan's next step was to try and ride down the slide, why not right, he has no limits or fear at this point. So I got in position behind him and while he rode I slid down on my feet while holding him upright. He hasn't stopped exploring on his bike yet.

 So here I sit typing away while we are on vacation in Grand Junction Colorado. We have been riding everyday since we got here including Logan. The boy amazes me every time we go out. He has ridden half way up a trail called kestle run, ridden a trail called kids meal, pump tracks, dirt jumps (just over them, not really jumping yet) and anywhere else he can think of. Our passion of bikes is something very hard to describe, but hopefully it comes across a little bit here. The fact that we can share it with the next generation of riders is just that much sweeter.
Remember to keep the bike rubber side down.
Cheers for now!
Aaron

 Logan Heading up "Kestle Run"

Nyah checking out the old Yeti

 Editorial note: I wrote this while we were on vacation in Grand Junction in May, I had lost the post for a while and finally had a chance to finish editing it.

The Daddy Wagon

Well, I thought it was time to get back to this topic. I had joked previously that I had a fear of minivans. It's not really a fear, just a general dislike. I had originally thought of doing a clever comparison with a spreadsheet detailing mileage, cubic feet of space, vehicle capabilities etc. I even started to think of the finer points of the debate and strategized how to justify one or the other. Then I realized it doesn't matter one bit. You see, I realized that you are either in one camp or the other and nothing is going to change your mind. It's like politics or religion. If you are deep seated in your opinion you'll do one of two things. Either you'll agree with my opinion and like me even more or you'll disagree and hate me, never to read another post again. I also realized this is my blog and my opinion so there is no point justifying it. On that note, I'll move on to my opinion piece.

My "daddy wagon" as I like to sometimes call it is a, drumroll please, 2000 Lexus LX 470. If you are not familiar with this vehicle, I'll give you the highlights. This massive SUV weighs over 5400 pounds, has full time 4wd, not very good gas mileage and the ability to go where most minivans could not imagine. I feel totally confident in the fact that my kids are very safe in this thing. When the kids get older and want friends to come along there is a 3rd row of seats ready for them. There is a ridiculous amount of leather and some much loved heated front seats. There is both AC and heat all the way back to the 3rd row. We have actually already had 7 adults and one kid in a car seat in this thing and everyone was nice and comfy. I could keep going, but I think I made my point. I like it a lot and that is really all that matters. That is not true, my opinion is not the only one that matters. My wife loves this thing as well. She can even sit in the back seat in between the two kids and be comfortable. She feels safe in it and loves how it drives in the snow. Her opinion carries just as much weight as mine if not more.

Now I'm sure some people out there would call it excessive and it might be. However I could not be happier with the piece of mind it provides while driving in the snow with my two little kiddos nice and cozy in the back seat. I know minivans can come with AWD and a lot of the other things this truck has. But that is just it, when push comes to shove this thing is a truck. Big and tough ready for whatever I or mother nature can throw at it. The LX470 is basically a fancier version of the Toyota Landcruiser that is legendary around the world for being near unstoppable in even some of the most remote places.

So there you have it, a quick rundown of what I drive. I didn't give every little detail or capability, but I don't have a ton of time to write. Nor do I think people would have the attention span to hear me drone on about technical details. I'm just happy with one last simple fact. I will never own a minivan, period.

Cheers for now,
Aaron

Back to Normal?!?

A few weeks ago we experienced a momentous occasion in our house.  Logan moved out of our bedroom and into his own room.  You see we have all shared a family bed except for a few times when we tried to have him in a crib.  For good or bad the boy always had to be held to sleep.  If you read my review of the Ergo baby carrier you know that is the only way the boy ever napped until he was to big to fit in it.  After the Ergo he eventually napped in a bed, but he always had to be surrounded by pillows.  He eventually started to grow out of that and a while back we bought him his own twin sized mattress which we just pushed next to ours.  This helped with the space issue a little since things were getting cramped when Philly was very pregnant with Nyah.  We eventually created a gap between the two mattresses and put up a toddler rail so he wouldn't fall out of bed.  At this point he still had to hold my hand to fall asleep, as a result my arm fell asleep every night before I did.  It's crazy to think of what parents are willing to do for their kids.  So this kept up for some time until about a 5 or 6 weeks ago.  We asked Logan if he wanted his own room to sleep in and play in.  A space of his own that he could decorate any way he wanted and keep his toys away from his little sister.  He said yes, so we moved his across the hall and all was well for a few weeks.

During this time, Nyah has been trying to figure out if she wants to get teeth first or walk first.  I really feel like this girl has been teething for at least a few months now.  The mobility has been fun to watch progress from barely on her hands and knees rocking to now standing and just letting go to see what happens.  Keep in mind this girl is only 8 months old, Logan walked at 13 months.  I joke that she is trying to walk so fast for one of two reasons.  The first is to keep up with her big brother, the other is to run away from him.  In addition to her teething woes and her increased mobility, this girl fidgets.  I'm not talking an occasional movement of a foot or something, I'm talking her whole body needs to move to be happy.  Her nickname is "little miss squigles", she is cute but trying to hold her for long periods of time is rough to say the least.  So after both Philly and I have been severely sleep deprived for longer than I can recall, we decided on a course of action.  A crib.  kind of a foreign concept to use given the way Logan always was.  I guess that is part of the wonder and challenge that comes with having more than one kid, the are completely different.  So we tried the crib thing in our room and then in another room.  We are kind of new to the idea so we were not sure what would work for us.  So where does that put us now?

What can I say, our kids are back in our room to sleep at night again.  Tonight we officially moved Logan's mattress back in next to ours.  I have heard that toddlers go through this stage of having bad dreams and waking up in the middle of the night screaming.  Well, we have been going through that for a bit now.  Last night I had to actually sleep in his bed with him to keep him settled down.  As comfortable as his mattress is, his blankets are meant for him.  I was actually cold last night for the first time I can remember.  So we are hoping that by being back in our room it will help to know we are right there.  So Logan is hopefully sorted, what about Nyah?  

Well, we are trying something new there too.  She has been successfully napping in her crib during the day.  Granted the naps have been a little shorter than they used to be, who knows maybe its a stage.  Anyway, the new pattern has become very interesting.  Philly puts Nyah to bed in her crib in Nyah's room while I read stories to Logan and put him to bed in another room.  Then a few hours later Nyah will wake up crying and usually just need her pacifier put back in.  Then some time around midnight she wakes up.  At this point, I get up and check to see if she needs a fresh diaper.  Then I pull her into our bed and hand her off to Philly so Nyah can feed and settle back down.  This seemed to work great until last night when I was in Logan's bed.  Who knew sleeping could be so complicated.  

So that is where we are as of tonight.  A complicated sleep system that we hope will work going forward.  Both Philly and I have been operating at about 25% brain capacity since Nyah was about 4 months old.  I'm not sure I even understand what it means to sleep for a full 8 hours anymore.  I like to joke that I'll finally start sleeping when I turn 50.  I just hope I can make it that long.  After all, Philly just noticed the other day, I am starting to get some white hairs in my beard.

Cheers for now,
Aaron

A Good Day (1/18/12)

You know those days when everything just falls into place and it's just a great day.  Not to say everything is perfect, that only happens in the movies.  Today (1/18/12) was a good day.  The kids and I had the chance to take my wife to work this morning, while this rarely happens, it's always a welcome start to the day.  We all get to see Philly for a little longer than normal and it gets Logan, Nyah and I out the door.  I enjoy the time as we get to chat as a family for a few minutes.  Okay so really Philly and I get to chat while Logan tries to communicate with Nyah in the back seat, always entertaining.  The kids and I planned on going to the aquarium today, but plans change.  If I've learned one thing so far as a parent, it is not to force things.  I just need to go with the flow and check in with the kids as we roll through the day.  Today was no different.  We parked in between the aquarium and the giant REI store in downtown Denver.  We headed to REI for a new top to Logan's water bottle (the last one got melted in our old dishwasher, not fun) and to look for a new hat for Nyah (no luck, the girl hates hats).  Logan loves to walk on the old rail road tracks that are not used this time of year.  I'm not sure what it is with boys and trains but all little boys seem to have that in common.  The REI flagship store happens to have a play area on the third floor, right next to were the kids hats are, that is where we stayed for a long time.  It's always interesting to meet new parents and kids and talk to complete strangers who are connected purely on the basis of being a fellow parent.  It's refreshing since I have been slow to venture out with two kids at the same time.  I think I am finally over my fear of how to get out with Logan and Nyah even on a windy brisk day.  Granted I still pack like I'm going to be gone for a week, but I would rather have food, clothes and toys for any situation.  I have been saved by this tactic many a time.  From blow outs and full outfit changes to an unexpected requests for 4 packets of applesauce in a row, I am glad I pack heavy.  (As a side note I'm still searching for a daddy/diaper back that can handle my preparedness or over preparedness level.  I have a new one in my sights but it is a little pricey as it is not a diaper bag but a piece of tactical gear.)  Anyway back to the good day.  After our play time we roamed the store and picked up a few things we needed.  We then walked back to our truck and met up with Philly for lunch.    

Meeting my wife for lunch since she returned from maternity leave has been a daily occurrence.  I get the kids packed up and we drive to her office which is a short trip from our house.  Then we get to eat lunch together and talk while Philly feeds Nyah.  I feel very lucky that we live so close to her office.  We feel strongly about breastfeeding for as long as possible and I feel this has also helped keep our family tight.  With the hustle and bustle of daily life it is hard to keep the important things in perspective.  After lunch the kids and I bid a fond farewell to Philly and head home.  On this particular day, I have to change plans on the fly again.  Both kids pass out within minutes of driving towards home.  So what does a daddy do when the kids pass out in the truck?  Starbucks!  That's right, I went to my local drive-thru Starbucks and recharged my batteries.  After a few hours driving up and down local roads and a little trip into the hills Logan woke up followed by Nyah.  Our wonderful day continued with the kids playing nice enough together on the kitchen floor, I was able to start dinner.  

Wow, what a day.  These days are few and far between, but when they happen I try to hold on to how well things turned out.  I remind myself that plans change, schedules are flexible and the laundry and house cleaning can wait for another time.

Cheers for now,
Aaron

Ahh! The joys of parenting

It has been a great and interesting year so far in 2012.  Swim lessons for both kids start this Saturday, Logan Nyah and I have resumed going to the public library for baby/story time.  Due to the cold windy weather I have crawled into the back of our Lexus and changed Nyah's diaper multiple times, including locking myself in there, we even made a trip to downtown Denver.  Wait, did I just admit I locked myself in the back of the Lexus while changing a diaper?  Yup that sure happened.  I love child locks, unless I'm the child who can't operate them properly.  

So this little bit of entertainment happened in the Whole Foods parking lot in Superior, CO.  We do our weekly grocery shopping there as a family.  On this occasion, Philly and Logan headed to the store due to the cold wind and not wanting to wait while I changed Nyah's diaper.  You see, for the most part, Philly is in charge of the input and I take care of the output.  She does due her fair share, but I always seem to get more of the big ones.  Yes I actually agreed to the arrangement, I really do love my wife.  Anyway back to the diaper change.  Upon closer inspection, this was not going to be a quick thing.  Let's just say it required a full outfit change.  Now normally with nice weather I would just open the back of the Lexus and change her on the back deck.  Due to the wind I had to do this inside the truck.  No big deal right, I mean the third row seat is not in there at the moment.  Unfortunately we had just finished up at Costco.  So here I am in the back with the wind whipping outside and I decided to pull down the hatch a little bit.  It was great until the wind blew the door the rest of the way closed.  I proceeded to finish the diaper and outfit change and tried to get out the back.  Oops, the latch didn't work.  I forgot I had engaged the child-lock to keep Logan contained on occasion. (more on that another time.)  So I decided to see if I could get someone to help me open the door from the outside by tapping on the glass and mildly yelling help.  Wow was I wrong, that truck is not only soundproof but with the tinted privacy glass people can't really see in.  Long story short I reached over the back seat and popped open a side door.  Another family had just parked next to us and the dad was nice enough to pop open the back for me.  His simple comment is the title for this post.  Kind sir, if you are out there somewhere reading this, Thank you!  Now granted I could have called Philly and had her and Logan come back to the truck and let me out.

  

However this brings up another joy of parenting: grocery shopping with kids.  Depending on the day Logan may or may not behave nicely in the store.  It usually works best to have the whole family go shopping.  This way Philly can run around with Logan and his own little shopping cart grabbing a few things and trying to make sure he is not going to ram into anyone's ankles.  Meanwhile, I have the shopping list and our little Nyah usually in the baby Bjorn, trying to make sure we get everything and avoid a midweek trip.  On Logan's bad days we have to resort to full on bribery.  The good part of shopping at whole foods is at least whatever he picks, it's usually somewhat healthy.

Sometimes it seems that the bad or rough spots of parenting are the best to write about because I figure every parent has been there at some point and I find a great release in throwing them out here to be laughed at by my fellow parents.  But there are plenty of high points as well.  The true joys of parenting come in the simple things, the things that make having kids totally worth it.  Like the fact that Logan is doing so well with his language lately.  He makes me laugh and smile with his little "No thank you daddy" anytime I ask him if he needs to use the potty or if he has pooped and needs a diaper change.  Even when he has pooped he still says it.  We are trying to work on the potty thing, key word here is trying.  He is really sweet with his little sister on occasion and I really look forward to the day they can play together.  Another great thing is the completely random hugs or kisses I get from him.  Or the way my daughter does this little nuzzle thing in the crook of my neck, I melt and feel so proud of being a dad every time.  I'm so in trouble when she is older, she will get away with anything I'm sure.  "I love you mommy and daddy, by the way I wrecked your car"  Haha, I know the day will come as sure as I'm sitting here.

Well, I hope you enjoyed another rambling from my day job.  I hope to write again soon.

Cheers for now,

Aaron

Of cats and kids

Cats are very interesting in many ways.  They can be loyal or defiant, cuddly or independent but they always want attention and love you unconditionally.  Even though I've always had cats throughout my life they are still mostly a mystery.  Kids are very much the same way.  At least as far as attention goes and the unconditional love thing, until they are teenagers from what I understand.  Okay so I haven't always had a kid in my life and they are very much still a mystery.  The second you think you have kids figured out, they go and change the way they were doing things or learn something new.  I know it probably sounds a little harsh comparing my kids to cats but it's true.  My son Logan is currently 2 years and almost 10 months old and he is a big brother.  This puts him in a very difficult position.  He is getting ready to finish up the terrible 2's and tackle the horrible 3's (disclaimer: I have never had a 3 year old, but most of the parents I've talked to tell me the 3's are way worse than the 2's).  He is no longer the sole center of our universe, he must share our attention with his little sister.  This is where the similarity to cats comes in.  Our cat Tux will do whatever it takes to get your attention, whether that attention comes in the form of a gentle pet or a forceful shove.  He just wants your attention and usually food.  He has a real knack for getting his claws stuck in my thigh while I'm typing (like right now), I push him away and keep going.  So he claws me again and again and again until I finally pet him, shove him away or give him more food.  He figures out what is most effective in getting your attention and sometimes negative behavior gets it quicker than positive behavior.
Logan is really starting to talk more and more everyday, this is my preferred form of communication.  I'm glad he is talking and it's a huge help most of the time.  We have had an issue with him saying yes to absolutely everything.  This includes when trying to determine if he hit his little sister behind my back or knocked her over (she is determined to walk at 9 months).  The conversation goes something like this:  Me- "Logan, did Nyah fall down"  Logan- "Yes"  Me-"She is crying a lot, did you push her down?"  Logan-"Yes (with a coy smile)"  Me-"Did she fall over on her own?"  Logan- "Ya"  Me-"Logan did you hit her?" Logan-"Ya-huh"  It goes on like this for a little bit without a different result.  Asking what he wants for dinner is the same thing, yes to everything regardless of what is asked.  I know that was a little far from my comparison of cats and kids but I thought it was an interesting phenomena.  Maybe this is normal, but I'm only on one kid talking so far, I'll see if Nyah is similar.
So back to the grabbing attention part, Logan has figured out the quickest away to get my undivided attention.  Unfortunately this usually involves finding something to chuck at his sisters head or to push her over.  Even if we are all playing together, if he wants attention on just him, he will try it.  I'm not sure if this is just a thing with little boys or if little girls do the same thing.  I'm sure I'll find out in the future once Nyah is big enough to defend herself.  So far it doesn't seem like girls are as destructive as boys, but Nyah is only 9 months old right now and she has a good teacher in Logan.  I love both of my kids more than I ever thought possible, but there are those times when I wonder what I got myself into.  Logan is a good little guy for the most part, but on occasion he does stuff that just baffles my mind.  The interaction between the two has been fun to watch and I'm looking forward to the future of our play sessions while trying not to miss the present moments we have.  Take this morning for instance, Logan was in his high chair eating breakfast, Nyah was scaling the back of his chair.  Logan turned around and said "I'm so happy to see you Nyah".  So cute!  I was so proud of them, then Logan decided to spit bacon on top of her head, laughing the whole time.  I'm afraid to know his thought processes.

I think it's time I introduce the cast of characters so you can all have a visual to associate with my stories and ramblings.

First up is Tux the super cat, he is our last surviving pet and goes by many names.  He spends most of his time running away and hiding from Logan.

Next up is Nyah, our 9 month old cutie also known as "little miss squiggles" since she is constantly in motion and has been since in the womb.

Then we have Logan, currently 2 years and 10 months.  He is all boy and at least two handfuls of trouble.

My wife Philly and I are very uninteresting but I threw in a picture for reference : )  The photo is from a few years ago but probably one of our best.

Now for the whole family from our holiday photo session, minus Tux, he would not be caught in the same room as two kids.

Cheers for now,
Aaron