8 months and a quick mountain escape

I have been meaning to post this for a week but this last week was not one of my finest. I pulled a muscle in my lower back on the weekend and literally couldn't walk for part of the day. I was doing laundry! The injury earned me a pre-natal massage mid week, no complaints there! I am not sure how people with chronic back pain do it...no fun. Glad it was just a muscle. I also was lucky enough to get strep throat as was Mason. Thank goodness you can take antibiotics in pregnancy! We are all back and on the move....Onward and Upward.

I am 32 weeks in the first photo and 20 weeks in the second. Poor purple shirt is getting stretched out;-) And on a side note doesn't the hardwood look better than the white carpet? I need to do a one year later post of our house, hard to believe we have been here a year already.

I am feeling well and honestly if my pregnancy with Mason had been this easy I might have had them closer. Even with the sickness I am sleeping well, my Husband not so much. SNORE SNORE SNORE when you can't breathe through your nose...but he is good sport. I tell him its training for what lies ahead.

At almost 34 weeks, Max is still breech and his head is in my stomach and ribs most of the time with his feet in my pelvis. He is my yoga baby. My doctor thinks he will turn in the coming weeks and I think that will be quite the adventure if he does. This little man is a circus acrobat and loves to stretch out...sometimes his movements take my breath away because they hurt. I don't remember that with Mason. Overall the blessing of feeling a baby in your body is like nothing else, miraculous and awesome.  Matt and Mason love to talk to him and he moves. Mason says "Hi Max I am your big brother Mason the Spiderman!" and than he giggles! A great bond already starting in the womb.


I can't believe I have only 5 1/2 weeks to go before the big C-section.  That doesn't seem like very much time to me when I look at the list I have compiled of things to do before Mr. Max arrives. Or should I say the list I have compiled for Matt and I to do before Max arrives! He did get the nursery painted this past weekend. Photos to come soon...

We did manage a little weekend getaway a few weekends ago.

We decided to drive Trail Ridge Road over from the Grand Lake side to Estes Park

This is the highest road in North America and Matt and I had never driven it.

The views were spectacular as we made our way over the Continental Divide. We saw a few Moose, some Elk and Deer. No Bears:-(

The Geology was intriguing as well....but the crowds, not so much!

Mason did great in the car so we decided a little Old School Carnival fun was needed once we reached Estes. He and Matt raced the "rainbow slide" seven times before we headed into the town of Estes for a bite and some ice cream. Estes on the weekends also = LOTS OF PEOPLE...

We booked a night at a little lodge about 8 miles out from Estes, Aspen Lodge. It reminded me of the Lodge on Dirty Dancing. Recently renovated but with that same 1950's family feel. I tried to get Matt to be Patrick and me Baby but my dance moves are struggling a little right now!

The grounds had a steep metal slide that must have been from the 50's!  Mason loved it because it launched him about 5-ft when he hit the bottom.

They also had a stocked trout pond...perfect for Mason's first time fishing with his Dad.

Matt loves to fish and I mean loves! He has since he was a little kid. I respect his patience for this because I am good after an hour.

It was one of those simple moments in life shared between a father and a son

that I only hope will continue on through the years with both boys.

Life really is beautiful!

The 4th, a birthday tri-fecta and goodbye

 The 4th of July

Our 4th was uneventful this year...with our state burning up, all fireworks were banned and local shows cancelled. Our air was full of smoke from the fires and the thermometers topped off near 100. So we took the day to do some house stuff and buy Mason a new dresser so we could move his (with changing table) to Max's room. The evening gave way to BBQ and the ice cream man, who had SPIDER MAN POPSICLES!!! We watched the televised Macy's fireworks and felt grateful to live Free in this awesome country we call home...

We have a lot of July Birthdays and last weekend we had three in a row!!!

Party#1 

We started Friday with Cormic's. He turned 3! We went to a local place called BIG time Trampoline for some energy burning fun.

These three monkeys had a blast on the ropes, trampolines,

and slides...so much fun to watch them play together!

Than we headed over to Beau Jo's for a slice, man they have the best pizza EVER!

Cuz'ns Hugg'n

Future Olympians and because this is my blog and that is my kid I might have to say "Special" Olympians:-)  

Our birthday Policeman 

If you are an Armstead grand kid and you have a birthday all the other kids there get gifts too! I have gone toe-toe with my Mom on this and finally given up! Presents for all...woohoo.

Party#2

Saturday was my Hubby's birthday, he is our lucky charm 7/7!

And per usual I did a bad job with the picture taking because I was entertaining...

 

but I did manage to take a few....like this lucky 88-year old with my beautiful sister-in-law

And this crazy group and my oh so creative fruit pizza...it was a nice dinner party of close friends and family and RAIN, which I loved! Happy 31st Birthday to the funniest, sexiest, hardest working guy I know.

Party#3

Sunday we headed over to Jack's 3rd birthday at Rolling Hills Country Club

And Matt got in on some diving board action

and his mini-clone did too! Mason has been dying to go off a diving board and the pool we do lessons at won't let him because he is not a strong swimmer yet...so he went off this one about 150 times....

The birthday was lovely and my sweet friend Ruthie (Jack's mom) let all the kids sit down and open Jack's gifts. We were a little worried how this would go but you have to know Ruthie and her demeanor to know it went off without a glitch...love that girl!

GOODBYES....

after Jack's party we decided to head up to my parents for some more cousin time. The kids and Emily were heading back to PA the next day.  We thought we had them back in CO for good but unfortunately the new job my brother took didn't hold up to their end of the deal. I am a professional so I am not going to bash this company's name but I have never heard of an individual being treated as poorly as my brother and his family were after all the promises that were made to them. Too make a long story short this company sent Cade back to PA for a job a few weeks after they got here, while Em and the kids tried to do their best living out of a hotel and with family, uncertain of what the future held for them. After a month and some seriously unprofessional things happening to my bro, they decided it was best to bring the kids back to PA to re-group and decide what is best for their family. Poor Emily had to pack the boys back in the truck for the long drive only a month after they drove out here!  I am crying as I write this because it was so much harder to say goodbye this time and Mason took it really hard. They are hoping to be back by December and all we are doing is asking God to do what is best for their family....

7 months and 80 years young

Its hard to believe 10 weeks from today (when this picture was taken) Max will be arriving. I am huge, I just have to accept that is how I do pregnancy:-) I feel good. I am sleeping well. I am working out. I am getting indigestion every now and than. I am swelling every now and than. The heat is not my favorite but honestly it hasn't been unbearable. So the next 10 weeks are like doing any long workout...a marathon if you will and that requires mental toughness to get your body through...so here we go 3rd Tri, Lets do this!

We decided to host Grandma Bert's 80th at our house on June 16th and I knew I would be tired after all the GO GO it takes to throw a party this size. I was seriously wiped the next day....that is one thing that frustrates me about pregnancy:-) Thank God for my Sister in Law Angie and Aunt MJ and of course the guys (Matt, Nick and Uncle Charlie)...we worked our tails off and the party was a hit. 

It was a neighborhood event! People who have know G and G for 30+ years. It warms my heart to think of all the people who came to share in her day. People bringing delicious food to accompanying all the food we already had...people sharing stories of the house we live in and childhood friends of Grandma's sharing bits and pieces of a young girl we never knew. It brought us back to a simpler time that we don't see a lot these days...and reminded us again how blessed we are to live in our own personal "Mayberry!"

Here are a few photos from the day.

 

I made this guy from Martha Stewart template

and hung a series of photos and quotes over the buffet line

Angie and Nick made a special Summer Beer...I hear it was delish

I made some sugary treats. I have finally found a seriously good chocolate cake recipe and I like Barefoot contessa's white cake in the box so I made cupcakes with cream cheese frosting. Whole foods made some fun sugar cookies. Our neighbors, The Lufts, made homemade ice cream.

Friends, neighbors, and family

Husbands of 60+ years

furry kids

and the kiddos who call her GG

all came to celebrate this beautiful lady (right)! She has touched so many lives in her 80 years with her loving and wild spirit...we are so thankful to God for giving us our sweet Bertie Jean!

The hottest summer on record

Our state is burning up and we have been in the 100's for the past five days....We are all praying for rain and relief for those firefighters and people loosing their homes. It really has been a memorable summer for good and bad reasons. I get a lot of sympathy being 7 months preggers in this heat (I don't like sympathy) but I have to say it hasn't been too bad...but I will post more about that and Grandma B's 80th soon.

Mason's cousin's Cormic

and Keegan (and their parents) are back in Colorado and we have been having so much fun up at Camp Grandma and Papa.

Grandma and Papa's bed is always a favorite spot, dogs included.

We all tried to escape to the mountains hoping for cooler temps...but nope it was still freaking hot!!!

A mid-day siesta is all you can do until the sun starts to set.  

The hammock is another fun spot...however it always turns into someone getting thrown out.

Its been interesting watching these friendships continue to form. My child is SO COMPETITIVE and not very good at loosing! We are continually working on it and trying to beat him at games but I think he is the mold of his father...and them boys is hard to break.

These boys are good helpers especially when you throw some friendly compition into the mix..."Boy you betta shuck your corn faster than your cuz'n"

Last weekend with Denver in the 100's we gladly headed up to the folks to celebrate our beautiful Mother and Grandmother! It is cool to watch my Mom as a Grandma, nothing makes her happier than being with her boys. They were all up on the trampoline rolling and giggling for an hour.

The Grandboys were very excited to make their Grandma's birthday special!

Mason likes to say "prayer" before every meal and he has everyone around the table say what they are thankful for.

He said "He was thankful for his Grandma!"

 Keegan said "He was thankful to be back with all his family"

and

Cormic said "he was thankful for the cake"...That kid cracks me up!

Such sweet and caring boys we are trying to raise:-)

Mason at 3 1/2

A typical daily conversation with Mason goes like this:

Mason: Mom, Mom, Mom....when can I go to big boy school?

Me: When you are 5

Mason: Ok. I will be 5 tomorrow!

Me: No you will be 3 tomorrow and 4 in November!

Mason: No Mom! I will be 5 tomorrow and I will be bigger than you. Last night when I went to sleep I already grew more. And my birthday is in July because me and Dad have to have our birthdays in July.

He talks a lot and most of our conversations are him arguing with me. I try to laugh a lot about it but some days I ask him "to please not talk until he is 5!"

Why do you want to grow up so fast when you are little? Doesn't he realize how good he has it...how easy life is at this age;-)?!?!

Mason at 3 1/2 is:

constantly "constructing" imaginative things...this day he made a pool and repeatedly shouted  "cannon ball" while jumping into it.

He climbs everything. He has done this for a while but the new really fun part is jumping off EVERYTHING! I will be amazed if we make it to "big boy" school with out a broken bone.

He is very determined to win

and will not give up without a fight

he didn't win this battle but he sure tried.  

He is sensitive and thankful and will often tell me "Mom, me and my belly thank you for that delicious meal!"

He manages and plays all the positions on his own baseball team, called the Rockies. There are no girls allowed on the team. This pisses me off because I am a girl and I can play ball. We are not sure where he has come up with this "Girls can't do what boys do" but be darn sure that his Grandma and I are helping to straighten him out!

Most tasks are a fight or an argument and we try hard to find the humor in them, bedtime is the biggest challenge.

He is convinced his Dad is the strongest, smartest, and fastest person on earth! They are best friends and I love that.

He has just begun the stage of  "seeing a shadow in his room or hearing a monster" and of course Dad is the superhero to rid his room of such things.

He loves to play make believe, has imaginary friends, is not shy about belting out a made up song or dancing in front of you.

He loves the letter "W" and the number 5 (go figure)! His favorite superhero is Spiderman, even though we won't let him watch it. His favorite disney character is Mickey and no one else is allowed to like him. He loves Lego's and trucks and building forts. His Grandma and Papa own a mountain and he likes to go there. He loves the outdoors and would sleep out there if we let him (until the shadows come). 

 He is a good eater and loves Chicken, rice, broccoli, and blackberries more than anything. He is a self confessed Chipoltle addict. Deli Lays and Baked cheetos are his vices. He despises chocolate and milk (totally not my kid when it comes to that!)

He is still so innocent! He has moments when he is sweet and cuddly and we gobble up those moments any chance we get. He is a good kid. He is buckets of fun.

He is our hearts!