Summer Vacation in the Rockies - Pt. 1

Kaden and I really enjoyed our month-long stay at my parent's house in Colorado Springs. Since we were there for such a long time, we didn't feel pressured to fill our days with activities in order to get the most out of our time. We were able to relax and just enjoy being together as a family. Nate came out and spent the first week with us. I treasured up a lot of sweet memories, watching them interact with Kaden and getting to know him. That was truly a luxury as a military family.

My mom loved reading to Kaden and playing with him on the living room floor

Two peas in a pod.

Kaden LOVED rough housing with his "Gim-pa"

One of my favorite memories - seeing Kaden play the piano with my mom. The pic on the left is me at that age.

It's not every day a baby gets to play a Steinway.

Of course, we didn't just stick around the house. We got out and enjoyed some of my favorite spots around the city. One of our first stops was the iconic Garden of the Gods. Our walk was interrupted by a typical Rocky Mountain thunderstorm. But the time we did spend outdoors was fun. Kaden really got a kick out of following all of the dogs on the path. He is such an animal lover!

We also sampled many of my favorite restaurants. Some of the meals were with family. Others were shared with special friends from my childhood and college days. I may have over-indulged a bit, but hey - I figured there would always be time to cook healthy meals and exercise when I got back to Korea. ;^)

Kaden's first trip to Chipotle!

Eating at Poor Richard's restaurant with dear friends, Dave and Claire Thorpe!

We tried to expose Kaden to new things and find stuff that he would enjoy doing. The zoo was a big hit. Unfortunately I forgot my memory card so we have no photos to document the day. But Kaden had fun walking around with me, my mom and Uncle Nate. He LOVED the giraffes and otters. We figured it would be worth going back again, so we planned to return when James' parents came out to visit toward the end of the trip.

If I had to pick one activity Kaden loved most, I'd have to say it was swinging at the park. Unfortunately, they do not have any baby swings on base here so this was his first time in a swing. I wasn't sure how he'd take it - but he couldn't get enough of that fast, high-soaring sensation! He is his father's child. ;^)

Of course, it's not a family reunion without a family portrait shoot. I couldn't think of a better background than Pikes Peak and Garden of the Gods. To prove that my baby has some Colorado in his blood, I put him in Broncos blue and orange for this shoot. Happy 10 month birthday to Kaden!

Very cute - even if he refused to sit still.

Kaden makes that face ALL-THE-TIME now.