Milo's Eighth Month

This month's post has taken me too long to get to so I hope that I haven't forgotten everything! It has been yet another super fun month with Milo. The more things that he learns how to do the happier he gets so, naturally, the happier we are! 

Milo is jabbering like crazy! He says da da and ba ba all the time. Whenever he goes quiet I wonder that something is wrong or he is getting into some sort of trouble. 

Milo loves holding onto books now and looking at all the pictures. He has even started to play Peek a boo with the pictures in his books and he makes himself chuckle everytime he does it. He also has his all time favorite book, which is a pop-up dinosaur book. Sometimes that book is the only thing that will help him settle down. 

Milo's cousins came to visit. Him and Elsie had lots of time to play together. He really liked to take her toys and food unfortunately... I guess we will have to work on that! :)

He learned how to sit up totally on his own this month and does it with no sweat. He also loves to eat these crackers called Mum Mums. 

He discovered how to pull the wipes out of the package- that was fun!

He has a two-middle-fingers-sucking best friend- Elle. 

He has mastered this seriously sad expression when he is traumatized. I of course have to get pictures of it :)

Here is his famous dinosaur pop up book that he loves so much. 

He is the smiliest little person ever, especially when I pull out my phone to take a picture. 

He also figured out how to take all the cards and other various asundry out of my wallet within the two seconds that I was looking away. 

He learned how to get up on his knees and rock back and forth. Then he will flop and kind of do an army crawl!

He loves playing with toys...

And he loves Mr. Sharky

He got to eat some of the first cucumber from our garden and he loved it!

He poses really well when I take pictures of him and sleepy dad in the mornings. 

He (much to my excitement!) started making this adorable face again that he used to make when he was just a month old, Except now he blows air with it. 

He likes to take breaks when he is learning to crawl. They usually consist of laying on his tummy and sucking his fingers. 

Mom and dad love to eat at a taqueria at Station Park mall and Milo loves it because it's right by the fountains that he gets to watch go off while we eat. 

I hope that I never forget this story about milo captured in this picture here. One night I had just put milo to bed, came downstairs, and turned our video monitor on. To my surprise I saw Milo's legs and bum in the monitor and that was it because he was standing up in his crib! What?! So I ran upstairs, scared that he would just crawl right out, but not scared enough to slowly open the door so he wouldn't notice me peeking in on him so I could see what he was doing. Well, remember that fan in his room that he loves so much? He was standing up, watching his fan and just smiling so big at it! Then Tyler and my mom came in the room and Ty got this picture of him :) needless to say we had to lower his crib. 

See what I mean about loving looking at books? Even magazines count!

The Chrastils Moved to Colorado!

I never thought this day would come! I thought that I would be Owen and Elle's nanny for life- even go  off to college with Owen ;) These kids have been my whole life for almost 4 years and now they have moved to Colorado and I miss them so much!

I started with Elle when she was just 5 months old and Owen had just turned 3. It has been so amazing for me to watch how much they have grown and I am so blessed to have been in their lives. They have taught me many things and prepared me to be a mom.

Look at how little they are! And this was after I had been their nanny for over a year!

Elle has been my girl. Me and her butt heads many times, I think because she was a little mini me and knew just how to push my buttons. But, my goodness, I had the best times with her. I remember that I couldn't wait for her to start talking because I wanted to know all the things that she wanted to say. And does she have things to say! I will miss our daily conversations and her telling me how to play dolls and asking to put on makeup. I will miss our mornings making deals on who gets to pick out her outfit for the day. I especially will miss her morning snuggles that I always got and her brushing my hair.

Owen has been the angel child that I could always count on. He is the sweetest boy in the world and was always such a help to me. He had to put up with a crazy sister but he also had to put up with a crazy nanny :) I don't think that I could have gotten through those first months of watching three kids without his help. I will miss his saying that he loves me about 6 times a day and asking if we could snuggle while he watches a move. I will miss playing Sorry with him and both of us getting super competitive with each other. I will miss his kind and forgiving heart. 

This post totally sounds depressing and like I will never see these kids again, which is not the case! We are going to visit them in a few days and I am so lucky that Hillary and Jesse are letting us do that! We will visit many times and all of us are moving on to new adventures.

I was really worried about what I would do for work when they left, especially with having Milo now. But, just like it always does, everything worked out! I now will be teacher at Foxtales Preschool in my neighborhood and will be working part time as a nanny for another family. While teaching preschool my mom will get to watch Milo and the new family that I am nannying for will let me bring Milo. I am so excited to do both jobs and can't wait to start with the new school year. 

I am so thankful to the Chrastil family for putting up with me for many years and always being patient with me as their nanny. I am so thankful to Hillary and Jesse for letting me be such a big part in their kids lives. We will never forget all that they have done for us and I am so glad that we have become family and that, even though they have moved to a different state, that we will always be in touch. 

In Memory of Grandpa Higginson

I have been meaning to post about Grandpa Higginson's funeral for awhile. I can't believe that both of Tyler's grandparents on his dad's side are gone and, as much as we will miss them, we are glad that they are both together now and that they didn't have to be apart for long.

Tyler was asked to speak again at Grandpa's funeral so he spoke on Grandpa's childhood.

Dustin continued with talking about Grandpa's adult/professional life.

Uncle Jim talked about Grandpa's kindness.

Aaron talked about a day fishing with Grandpa.

And the three grandson's spoke on "Grandpa-isms"- the many things that Grandpa would always say.

It was a very special funeral for Grandpa and I feel like it was just what he would have wanted. We are going to miss Grandpa Higginson and I will never forget his kindness towards me.

Island Park Vacation

We had the wonderful opportunity to go up to Island Park, Idaho in July to visit my mom's cousin, Lee, and his wife, Bonnie, and their granddaughter, Maggie. They were so generous to let all of us stay in their cabin and they showed us an amazing time! This was Milo's first vacation and he was amazing in the four hour drive there and back. It was a good thing we had Nana sitting in the back to entertain him!

Right as soon as we got there in the afternoon, Lee took us out four wheeling. I was too afraid to drive my own (no surprise), and was originally going to ride with Ty, but ended up going with Lexi. I think that was a better choice, Lexi is a much safer driver :)

We rode over to Johnny Sacks Cabin that is right on the river. 

The next day Lee took this crew out to fly his airplane. He is a pilot and gave each of them their very first lesson in flight!

Still can't get over that Ty flew a plane.

After everyone got back from flying we went to float down the river. This was a whole adventure! The last time I was on a river with my mom and my aunt Karen, we were in a canoe going around in circles. I think we may have done just a bit better this time!

Ty and Lexi took the kayaks, Connor and Lora were in the canoe, and I was with the rowdy bunch in the raft :) I was in a bit of a time crunch to get down the river because we left Milo with Bonnie, David, and Mckenzie. He is currently going through major stranger danger and I knew that he would be giving them a rough go. I also didn't have any milk to leave for him so I was desperate to get down that river quick. No time to enjoy the scenery :)

After we got Milo down for bed and ate some dinner, Ty and I headed out on our bikes to explore some trails. 

The next day Ty, my mom, Milo and I drove up to see Old Faithful in Yellowstone. This was my first time in Yellowstone and I definitely want to go back more so that I can see a lot more of it. Old Faithful was beautiful and Milo loved all the old ladies who were gushing over how adorable he is.

On the way back to the cabin, there was a line up of cars. We weren't sure what was holding everybody up til I saw a buffalo just walking along down the road. By the time we got up to him he had crossed the street and was heading into the parking lot below.

We got back just in time to head out to dinner at a yummy joint that I can't remember the name of :)

Milo enjoyed sitting in the high chair and being able to talk to everybody at the table.

The last adventure of the trip was heading to the Playmill Theatre where they were performing Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat. This was so much fun and for it being a small theatre they did an amazing job! It definitely brought back old memories of being in my high school performance of this :)

We are so grateful to Bonnie and Lee for letting us come and stay with them! This was a much needed trip for all of us and I was glad that Milo could go on his first little vacation :) We hope to go back and see them again soon.