The Coombs Family

The weather did not cooperate with us the first evening we tried taking pictures- shortly after we started the winds really picked up and it started to rain. So we rescheduled for another day. The following week it was really chilly when we retook their pictures- but I think we got some good ones. Big families are tough to get everyone looking good at the same time. I also took one of their sons senior pictures. Here's one of my favorites.

Alicia Senior Photos

Alicia was such a trooper. After 10 minutes of shooting, it started pouring rain. A few of these photos were taken when it just started raining. This I'm sure was my shortest photo shoot.

17 months

I was trying to get a couple pictures of him at about 17 months- but he didn't really cooperate.

Needing to be picked up.

Checking out the Christmas tree.

Shaking the lamp.

Trying on mom's shoes.

Doing some measuring.

Looking under the couch for treasures- notice his pretty drawing on the floor.

Beckett is just about 17 months now and I think is kind of starting to talk. We are just realizing that some of his babbles might actually be words. So now I think he says (which they still don't sound too much like the word): dad, ball, go, dip (he says this one the best), shoes, tissue, hi, bye, grandpa, Reese (my friend's cute little girl), and nothing like mom- but Dan says "ba ba" means mom. I think he knows the face parts now too. He definitely knows his belly button. He's also sometimes kinda sings to himself. He also is making noises when he plays with toys or objects- i.e. car noises.

It's amazing how quickly little kids learn things. He'll see us do something once and copy everything we do. Like he had a play screwdriver and was trying to unscrew the screws in the toys, he tries to tweeze his eyebrows, remove the lint from the dryer, sweep, use the broom to get things from under the couch... things you don't realize he's even see you do. He also loves trying to walk in our shoes. He's such an observant, inquisitive little boy. He's now also starting to notice and react to others emotions... well we're working on it. He'll slap me in the face and watch to see if I think it's funny or sad. Then respond according to my face. If I don't act sad- he'll want to do it again. Usually if I'm sad- he'll stroke my face and rest his head on my shoulder.

He is finally getting cuddly. He'll put his head on my shoulder (which he didn't even do as a baby), gives hugs and kisses (to any unsuspecting victim). Unfortunately, he thinks it is hilarious to lick instead of kiss normal. He's still a great spitter. Since mastering running, climbing, and pretty much being able to get to almost any place he wants, he now wants to be picked up and carried. Maybe this is another normal stage babies go through. I'm just wondering, why now? He will reach out and go to almost anyone- even strangers- but not Santa. He freaked this year when we put him on Santa's lap. He also has figured out how to walk up my legs. He also is more willing to hold my hand, and does so voluntarily. He's also frightened by many noises and things that weren't scary before. I think that's why he's more willing to hold me hand now.

We are trying to figure out how to keep him off the kitchen table and from unplugging and plugging things in the electric outlet. He loves to close doors- but thankfully is too short to open them. He loves to draw. We just need to keep training him on appropriate places to draw.

I have finally weened Beckett. I went out of town for a cheerleading competition for a couple of days and let that be the extra motivator to get him weened. However, he still won't drink milk. He used to like the 2% chocolate milk in the box with a straw- but has not wanted to drink that recently. While I was out of town, Dan's parents came and helped watch Beckett. Beckett sure loves his grandpa! Beckett is also starting to grow fonder of Dan. He loves playing with him. Still hide and seek, peek-a-boo, and chase are his favorites. When playing peek-a-boo Beckett now likes to cover his eyes with his hands (and peek through the holes). Beckett is also getting good at throwing balls and other things- he hardly ever kicks a ball anymore. We just need to work on him catching a ball. Beckett is getting better at interacting with other kids and is definitely getting to be more and more fun.

Thanksgiving

For Thanksgiving this year we stayed in Rifle. However, we had our friends Kim and Mark (and Ty) that were so nice to come and stay with us for a few days. We had a good time, even though it was too cold for the guys to get out and do a ride. We let the little boys play at our new library and hung out like old people, eating dinner at 5 pm and playing lots of pinochle. Good times! Here are a couple pics we took while they were over.

I love the crumbs on his face and of course his beautiful blue eyes. He's also got the cutest little smile and dimples. The boys had fun playing together, especially hanging out in the bathroom- throwing stuff in the tub and trying to turn on the water.

12 new posts... finally!

So I finally have caught up on blogging. I have done 11 posts after this one- and they are all mixed up- not in chronological order. All of them are dated around November 8th except for the one I finally posted about Beckett's first birthday- that was a post from July 20. I didn't want to take the extra time to organize it well. I'll now try to keep up with it- so it's not as hard.

For some reason some of the things I wrote about Beckett at fifteen months didn't save- so I'll write it again here. He now has 10 teeth- all of his first molars but still not one of his lower lateral incisors. He is better at eating now that I'm not nursing him during the day. He now will drink chocolate milk- but none of the others. He loves dipping his food in sauces. He loves playing peek-a-boo and hide-and-seek. Dan will hide and Beckett will find him- everyonce in awhile Beckett will hide- but usually he just puts a cloth over his head. He also loves to hide objects from us (usually behind his back). He is always putting his arms in the air and essentially asking "Where'd it go?" Then he'll bring it out and show us and then repeat over and over. He has even hid his BBQ sauce covered chicken nugget at dinner time- behind his back, on his shoulder...

He loves balls, dancing, stomping, climbing- he has finally figured out how to get on our kitchen chairs then on the kitchen table. He puts everything on his head or around his neck. He is starting to imitate everything we do. He tries on our shoes, turns on electronics, puts a DVD in and out of the player (unfortunately), wears hair ties on his wrist, blows his nose in a tissue, swats flies out of the air with a book, and spits on the floor like a champ. The last two- he didn't learn from me.

He's becoming pretty chatty- but still not many real words. He says dad, ball and maybe go (he always says oh when he raises his arms when something is "hidden"). Dan's dad swears he says grandpa. I do think Beckett likes grandpa more than me. He still doesn't say anything like ma.

Some more old summer pics

Beckett loves to play with the dishes. He'll sit and pretend he's mixing something in the bowl. He's also figured out how to get off some of these child locks.

So before Beckett was born we switched our office into the guest room and painted the walls blue (with stripes on one wall). Then we just recently had to switch beckett's room with our office/guest room for the internet hook-ups and Beckett's old room gets pretty cold. So now our office is lovely blue-striped! But I'm not going to repaint that room for awhile.

Upon doing some tests we discovered our home has extremely high levels of mold in it. So we have been keeping busy trying to remove it (even though it is not visable). We ripped up the carpet, put in wood floors, painted the walls (went from a peach color to a light grey), installed new baseboards, closet doors, etc in our bedroom. We had all of bedroom furniture in our living room and we slept in the guest room for like a month while we got it done. I love it. We also are working on our bathroom- we took off the mirror. We're going to paint, put in framed mirrors, and install new hardware.

We took Beckett swimming for the first time- he did not like it. I think he would do better now. He loves playing in water. We haven't tried but the one time though.

parade of homes

A friend of mine and I went to Summit County Parade of Homes. It was fun to get out and do something different. We only had time to see some of the homes. I love this kitchen! (not that rug though). I love Sumitt county especially in September, when we went, with all the beautiful fall colors. I'd love to live there!

One of the homes we looked at had a three story rock climbing wall and a hibachi grill.