Our Christmas letter

Instead of doing the typical letter that we send out to everyone, we thought we’d be a little more eco-friendly this year (i.e. by the time we realized we needed holiday paper and more ink so we could print, the whole letter thing just wasn’t making the cut) and let everyone know what we’ve been up to in 2013 by posting our letter online! We’ll just put some highlights from each month as well as a few pictures that captured a few of our favorite moments:

January

·         Phil’s work at the airport continued into 2013. The Brookings Airport is going through some major construction and Phil has to make sure things run smoothly with the multi-million dollar project.

·         Two of the other coaches on the swim club, along with some swim club parents, helped organize a surprise baby shower for me. My mom was actually in town that weekend and was in on the secret, so it was a wonderful afternoon of games, food and fun!

February

·         Phil celebrated his 2-year anniversary working with the City of Brookings.

·         I began having some medical issues with my pregnancy about half-way through the month (high blood pressure, elevated labs, pain in my abdominal area). On Sunday, February 24 around 9pm, I got a call from the on-call doctor saying that we should make our way down to the hospital. Turns out, I was a very sick girl and had a condition called HELLP, which is severe pre-eclampsia, and the only solution was to deliver our little girl. About 12 hours after starting the Pitocin, Phil and I welcomed Olivia Grace Tiedeman into this world!

Our little family

·         In her first week in the NICU, Olivia got to meet all of the Tiedeman clan, as well as my mom and aunt, and some other Tiedeman and Hollander family members and friends.

March



Just thinking about the day I can go home...

·         Phil and I spent the majority of March driving to and from Sioux Falls to see Olivia. Thankfully, Phil was able to work part-time, and I was on a break from swimming, so we were able to spend a lot of time in Sioux Falls. We were blessed to have Phil’s sister’s family welcome us into their spare bedroom (as Phil’s nephew called it, we got to go on ‘vacation’), so we had a bed and familiar environment to sleep in on the nights we stayed in Sioux Falls.

·         Phil’s sisters threw us a baby shower in George. Olivia was still in the hospital, but through Facetime, she was able to make an appearance.

·         Finally, on March 28, we were able to take Olivia home to Aurora! We loved being able to take her to church with us on Easter.

April

·         After two years of being the head coach for the swim club, I stepped down and became an assistant coach. I still continue to be the deck supervisor for our swim lesson program. 

Olivia's godparents

 
 



·         This month we had lots of visitors to the our household. Some college friends were able to come for a weekend, and then the next weekend, we had some more college friends visit us. My mom and dad were also here (Poppi Bob finally got to meet Olivia), as well as my Nana and Papa. Olivia was baptized on April 28, and we had about 18 people come for the special occasion!

Great-Grandma Hollander, Grandma Sheryl, Grandpa Warren at Olivia's baptism

 




May



Joel and Kristi's wedding

·         The big event this month was Phil’s brother, Joel, got married. Phil hosted the bachelor party in Minneapolis a few weeks before the wedding, so Olivia and I got to have a mommy-daughter weekend while daddy was away with the boys.



 

 

 

June

Meeting Uncle Tom

·         My dad and brother drove out for a visit, and this was my brother’s first time meeting Olivia. We were able to do a few tourist things around here and Sioux Falls.

·         One weekend, the Tiedeman clan came up here and we spent a day at Lake Campbell fishing.

 

 

July

At the 4th of July celebration in George

·         We had multiple 4^th of July celebrations. Phil’s family came up to see Phil drive the airport fire truck in the parade and be here for the celebrations in Brookings. That weekend, we went to George to be there for their town celebrations.



·         Phil, Olivia and I drove to my uncle’s cabin in Minnesota to meet up with the Chmielewski family. This was Olivia’s first big road trip (it took us about 5.5 hours), but we had a lot of fun on the lake for the two days we were there.



At Uncle Geary's cabin with my family, including Great-Nana and Great-Papa

·         The biggest news of the month was that I finally finished graduate school! On July 2, I completed my two hour oral examination and passed, so I now have my Masters of Science in Sports and Recreation Studies.

 

August

·         Phil was an usher for a high school friend’s wedding in George.

Poppi Bob, Mimi Jean and Uncle Tom

·         Olivia and I went on a 12-day trip to Colorado. Unfortunately, Phil had to keep an eye on the airport, but we made sure to Facetime with him as often as possible while we were gone. We had a great time seeing friends, old neighbors and co-workers and seeing the sights around Colorado Springs.

 

September



·         Phil and I celebrated our 5-year anniversary with a trip to Minneapolis for the weekend. We went to Mall of America and rode some rides at Nickelodeon Universe and took in a Vikings game as well. It was Olivia’s first night away from both mommy and daddy, but she had a good time staying at Grandma and Grandpa Tiedeman’s house.

At the Vikings game

·         Phil traveled to Bismarck for a few days for a business trip, and was able to see a few friends from college.



Katie and Olivia

October

·         Olivia and I drove to Bismarck and spent the weekend with the friends that Phil had seen a few weeks prior.



At Aunt Mag's party

·         My mom came to visit and we spent a weekend in Rochester, MN. My mom put together a surprise birthday party for my aunt, so it was fun to meet my aunt’s friends, and see some of my uncles and aunts.



 

November

·         Phil turned 30!

·         I got a part-time job as a recreation therapist at a nursing home and work just a few hours a month (mainly holidays). I also accepted a position as an adjunct professor at South Dakota State University for the spring 2014 semester.  I will be the professor of PE 352 ‘Adapted Physical Education.’

·         We celebrated Thanksgiving in Aurora and it was so special to have just the three of us. The weekend after, we traveled to Middleburg, Iowa to have a meal with Phil’s extended family.

Phil and Olivia

December

·         I turned 30! And to kick start my birthday, I broke my index finger on my left hand the day before my birthday.

·         We traveled to Colorado for a week to celebrate ‘Thanksmas’ with my family. It was fun to see Olivia attempt to open her presents, and have fun playing with the wrapping paper or bag, instead of the actual gift.

·         For Christmas, we celebrated in Aurora, as Phil was on-call and I worked Christmas day. It was fun helping her celebrate this special day and she looked adorable in her church dress last night. This weekend, we will travel to George to celebrate with Phil’s family.

Merry Christmas!

 

 We can’t believe how quickly the year has flown by! We continue to be in awe at how much love Olivia brings into our lives and we can’t imagine life any other way. She continues to make us smile and laugh, and we are so thankful for her wonderful personality. We hope that you have a very Merry Christmas and a happy New Year! 

A heart of thanks

I love the month of December. I love the lights and the decorations. I love the smells of baked goods and eating delicious food that only comes around this time of year. I am one of those crazy people that truly and honestly love my birthday, so December is a pretty happy month for me J While you hear stories of the stress and hustle and bustle of the season, I love that December means that Phil and I can both have a day off to truly just be with each other. It seems like he is either on-call or I am going to practice or finishing school work (no more- thank goodness). For most people, December also means a time for family. Thankfully, that was true for my family this year. Phil and I spent almost a week in Colorado earlier this month. I have said it and will continue to say it… Colorado is the absolute best. I love the clean air and delicious water. I love the mountains and the beauty of the cities. And of course, I love it because that was my first home and that is where my family is. We spent our visit last week in Colorado Springs with my parents and thankfully Tom was able to be there for a few days. It was six short, fun-filled days and it continues to warm my heart to see how happy Olivia is when she visits and gets to see my family and friends.

With the happiness though, comes some sad emotions. Even though it was a great trip, eventually we had to say goodbye. Thankfully, my parents will fly here to be a part of Olivia’s first birthday celebrations in February. So, I can have a countdown to when I see them. Not so lucky is when I will get to see my brother again. With his job, his weekends are pretty booked from October through April or May. So, I’m hoping that he’ll be able to make it to our cousin’s wedding in May and we’ll be able to see each other then. I know 5 months doesn’t seem that long, but I have a pretty close family. This is the family that can sit around the dinner table and talk about anything. My family is the one that ends all phone conversations with ‘I love you.’ The family that gives hugs and laughs and jokes around. I have yet to not cry when I have to say goodbye to any one of my family members after a trip. I am so blessed to have a family that is that close. And I am also so very blessed to have parents that love me more than words can ever explain. 

Mommy and me

Daddy and me

To a typical person, my parents look like any other parents. My mom works full-time as a nurse in a clinic that treats children with cancer and other blood disorders. My dad just started working as a high school math teacher. For the past um-teen years, their weekends have been spent watching hockey games (they have season tickets to Air Force and Colorado College). They are members of their local Catholic church and are part of a few of the ministries. They get together with their friends for dinner and game nights. In their spare time, my mom enjoys scrapbooking and my dad referees hockey games. But to me, they are not typical people, so I see so much more. I see a mom that rarely missed a swim meet while I was growing up. A mom that used to leave me notes in my lunch bag or backpack (and in fact left notes at our house the last time she visited). The mom that drove 12+ hours in the dark of night to get to Sioux Falls when I went into labor. And the dad that had to stay in Colorado and anxiously wait to hear any news of my mom’s travel, as well as my labor. My dad was the one to spend countless hours at night helping me with my math homework (and goodness knows I did NOT make it easy on him… let’s just say that crying was a pretty common occurrence).  He was the one to write me a letter when I was just a few days old and gave it to me on the day that I graduated high school. Both parents took time off of work and were there for my last collegiate swim meet (it was during that meet that they got to experience extremely freezing temps and cars that wouldn’t start due to the temperature). While I was crying on the day they dropped me off at college, I know they were crying as well. These are the parents that did the polka at our wedding, since we got married on their 28^th wedding anniversary. And these are the parents that have supported me and loved me, no matter what.

December 2012

Most people joke around that you only have to deal with the problems associated with your kiddo until s/he turns 18. My parents have, and continue, to support and encourage me to this day. And today, I turn 30. So, that is 30 years of holding my hand when I needed guidance. Thirty years of cheering me when I accomplish a goal. In those 30 years, there have been tears, laughter, and hugs. Stories have been told around the dinner table, over the phone and via FaceTime. In those 30 years, there have been sacrifices that they have made in order to provide things for my brother and me. It’s funny how you don’t notice or think about certain things until you become a parent. I wish I could go back and tell the younger me to say ‘thank you’ more often. So, while I know it’s not a lot, I would like to thank my parents for all of their sacrifices. Thank you most of all for helping Phil and I this year. It’s been a difficult year financially, but my parents have gone above and beyond. Thank you. Thank you for raising me in a house with love and kindness. Thank you for encouraging me and pushing me to be a better person. Thank you for showing me that there is no limit on the amount of love you can give someone. Thank you for the prayers, wishes and ‘finking lofty cots.’ And thank you for loving me, each and every day.

Mom and Dad at our wedding (9/6/08)

Lessons from a 9 month old

Our amazing 9 month old

Every parent says that their child is the cutest or the brightest or the most adorable. I can be grouped into that parent club. In addition to those ‘awards’ that she has won, my daughter is also the smartest. She has taught me more about how to live life to the fullest than anything. Olivia turned 9 months old on Monday. Nine whole amazing big girl months. In a flash, she has gone from a five pound little peanut to a sixteen pound little piglet. And she has done so with smiles, laughter, tears, grins, screams, and babbles. I can tell some days that I am a first time parent. I had a freak out when she was putting some paper in her mouth and the ink rubbed off and got on her face. I called my mom when she had a cough. I wake up in a sweat if she sleeps for more than 4 hours at a time at night. But for other things, I feel like I’m a pro. I have sat her on the counter (with me standing behind her) and let her bang with plastic cooking spoons and plastic containers.  When she was 2 or 3 months old, I dropped her pacifier and rubbed it off (not washed it off) before giving it back to her.  Yeah, sometimes I live life on the edge.

Each day, we have a routine. Right now, I am staying at home with her for most of the day, and then she goes to daycare for about 2-3 hours each day. So for most of the day, I am the one in charge of teaching her things. My current project is teaching her baby sign language, but I’m not being the best teacher. But, every day, I show her different numbers and shapes. We talk about colors and animals. I read books about Jesus and family. I get so wrapped up in being the teacher that I forget sometimes that our roles are reversed and I am the student. So, here are a few things that I have learned from my daughter:

·         The world is an amazing place

o   Olivia has taught me to always look around. She is constantly looking around when we go walking or when we’re just standing somewhere. There is always something to see or something to do. As an adult, I get so caught up in doing my task and moving on to the next thing. Olivia reminds me that it’s okay to stop and smell the roses. You never know when God is going to place a rainbow in the sky if you’re always looking down.

Olivia at the pumpkin patch

·         A smile goes a long way

o   Seriously, who doesn’t love a baby’s smile?  And yes, Olivia has one that can light up the room. She can be just sitting there and then all of a sudden look up and smile and it still catches me off guard and just warms my hear. When she has a little meltdown, she can go from full out crying to smiling and giggling.  I typically drop off Olivia at daycare on my way to swim practice and Phil typically picks her up when he gets off at 5. He says the best part of his day is walking into daycare and having Olivia smile at him when she sees him enter the room. Seriously people, smiles are the best.

·         If you want something different, let someone know

o   While our house isn’t completely overtaken with toys, it is well on its way. I have a basket in the living room that we put some of her toys in, so at night, I pick them up and put them away. The next morning, Olivia is back to pick out each toy, play with it and then move on to the next one. There are definitely some that she enjoys more than others, but she loves playing with each one of them. She has made it known on some days that the toy that I give her is not the one that she wants. Or if I’m holding her and she wants to face the other way, she makes that decision known. And if she's not happy with what she hears or who she sees, yep, she'll let you know. I have the habit of holding things in and feeling like I can change things. But she has taught me that it is okay to let someone know. If it’s not right, someone can help.

Olivia letting me know she doesn't like the sound of the horn on the fire truck that daddy was driving.

·         Take time to enjoy new experiences


Enjoying the new experience of eating mashed potatoes!

o   As I mentioned, sometimes I just get caught in the monotony of things and don’t really look around. To Olivia, almost everything is new. I try to introduce new textures and sights whenever I can. She loves doing things that I used to find boring or not really pay attention to. Staring out the window is one of her favorite things. If it’s windy when we go outside, she opens her mouth and almost tries to eat the wind. She closes her eyes and just sits and it’s almost like she’s trying to take in every sense that she can. I need to remember to love the small things about life.

·         Sometimes a hug is all you need

o   Again, who doesn’t love hugs? Especially from an adorable 16 pound little girl. While she hasn’t mastered a hug, we can tell that she is showing her love. We hug every time we drop her off somewhere. We hug every time we pick her up. We hug before bed. And we hug whenever we can. I’ve heard something about the power of a hug, but I can’t remember the specifics. But I know that hugs are magical. After Olivia gets shots or anything painful done, we immediately hug her. I think the first 24 hours after she got home from the NICU was one long and extended hug.

Olivia giving my Uncle Thom a big hug when she met him

Olivia and one of her favorite dolls

·         It’s okay to get lost in the world of fun

o   Like I said earlier, she has a basket of toys. She also has a little play area in our basement. She can sit independently and I can be a few feet away and she can just play. She shakes all of her toys to hear if they make noise. She puts everything in her mouth. She tries to hit some of the plastic balls with her hands to see if they go forward. And she can do this for a long time. When I sit with her and play and make noises for each of the animals, it still amazes me how much time can pass.

·         Simple things make the best things

o   Phil and I have discussed what we should get Olivia for Christmas. We know that she won’t be spoiled at all by her grandparents (J), so we have been tossing around different ideas. The other night, she got a card in the mail and she played with that thing for quite a bit. Who knew that flapping a card up and down could be so much fun?!? She also loves seeing water move in a plastic water bottle. And the sound that a cardboard box makes when you bang on it, and how mommy looks funny when she puts it on her head… well, that’s just pure fun. So, for this first year, we’re not worried about buying the most expensive things. Olivia has reminded us that simple gifts are the best.

·         Every day is a new adventure

o   Each morning brings a new light. I may plan out a day of playing, eating, sleeping and continuing with our routine, but she may decide to change the direction of things. I have learned that that’s okay. I can laugh about the morning that I finally got to shower after three days only to have her throw up on me and the kitchen floor. While I was putting her in the tub, I told Phil not to walk in that area. As I was getting new clothes for her, she had a blowout in the tub. So, I’m cleaning her, myself and the tub.  Phil comes downstairs and avoids the wet area, grabs her clothes to put in the wash and forgets about the area and steps in it. So here we are, at 7:30am, with a rocking start to our day. And honestly, I think that is one of my happiest memories. So, who knows what tomorrow may bring. But, I can’t wait for that new adventure with my favorite little girl.

What do you think about?

My dancing partner in 2008

Everyone has a story when they hear a certain song. When I hear 'Cecilia' by Simon and Garfunkel, I think about my junior year in college at the NCC meet. The song 'Better Together' by Jack Johnson is my song with Phil (our first dance at our wedding). 'Livin' on a Prayer' by Bon Jovi makes me remember anatomy with Mr. Aufderheide in high school (he would sing 'whoa, we're half way there!' when we were half way through class). And now '5 Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed' (as well as any other children's song on our Pandora stations) brings an image of Olivia to my mind. But the other day while driving, I had another great memory when I heard a song. I was on my way home from swim practice and Steven Curtis Chapman's song 'Cinderella' started playing. That song was the daddy-daughter song at my wedding and so I will always remember that special dance. I will remember taking dancing lessons with my dad, then practicing the dance in Grandma Katie's basement a few days before the wedding and then the actual dance on that special day. While I was remembering all of these special moments, I started to think about another daddy-daughter dance that will happen in 20 or 30 years. Yes, I know that milestone is many moons from now. But our little girl continues to grow up and I know that day will be here all too soon.

Precious little love

It's just fun to think of the new memories that will be made in the next 5, 10, 20 years. It will be fun to talk about our stories and memories with Olivia. And then to add in more memories.
I can't believe she's already 8 months. I can't believe that she is a rolling little star and can sit up like a big girl. She continues to develop a personality and makes us laugh. In 4 short months, we'll celebrate her 1st birthday. While many songs make me think of Olivia and my ridiculously funny dances and faces that I do to make her smile, the tune of 'happy birthday' will now have new stories and memories. And I'm so excited to think about the other songs in our life that will have some wonderful stories. 

Crazy Eight!

Our little girl is 8 months old! Olivia has been growing and living life to the fullest. I mean, she is so excited about everything, that she even has difficulty sleeping at night :) We've been busy keeping up with our little rolling girl, so before we know it, we will have to be baby-proofing rooms and making sure things are picked up and put away (only to be taken out and messed with a few moments later)! Olivia is about 15.5 pounds (she was 15 pounds 5 ounces on 10/16) and has been continuing to grow every day. She enjoys eating corn, avocado, sweet potato, squash and green beans and does okay with peas, plums, apples, bananas, mangoes and pears. Her favorite toy is anything she can chew on! She sprouted her first tooth a few days ago, so she's been gnawing and chewing on anything she can get her hands on. While she hasn't started crawling yet, she is rolling like crazy. And she has been a camp champ at sitting up by herself. Her night time habits are still random, as some nights, she will sleep for 4-5 hours at a time while other nights she is up every 2-3. We have dealt with her first round of sickness, and the three of us were not a fan. She has a few more days doing a nebulizer treatment for a cough, so we're hoping that helps.
In the past month, we've done some traveling, spent time with family and just enjoyed the day to day experiences of growing up! Olivia spent the night with her Grandma and Grandpa Tiedeman earlier this month while Phil and I were able to organize the lower level and make it 'Olivia friendly.' Then last weekend, we drove to Rochester to see my Aunt Mag and surprise her for a birthday party. Mimi Jean was also able to sneak in a quick visit to hang out with us. This weekend, we are finally enjoying some family time with just us 3, as we are quickly realizing that those moments are few and precious, due to the hectic schedules of life.
Phil continues to stay busy with his work at the airport. Construction continues and they are trying to wrap up things for the year, before weather starts being an issue. I am still looking for a job with more hours, and continue to be an assistant swim coach about 10 hours a week. Olivia is loving her daycare and it has been great for her to go and socialize with other babies for a few hours a week.
We are planning for a quiet Halloween, but are excited for the little trick or treaters to come and visit. Our project for today is to work on our costumes, which will be very simple (we're going to be the sweetest family and go as candy bars)! We can't wait to see what everyone else will be dressed as this week!

My beautiful mess

Last week, I started attending our local MOPS program. It was 2 hours of talking with other moms, seeing other kids, and realizing that I am not alone in this journey of motherhood (not that I've felt alone, but it is something else to have about 50 other moms in the same room sharing the same struggles and joys). The message for this year is going to be 'Beautiful Mess' and we listened to a clip of one of my favorite songs by Francesca Battistelli called 'This is the Stuff.' I encourage everyone to listen to the words and know that while things may be crazy and hectic, this is the life you were meant to have and the life that God has lovingly given to you. It is so easy for me to sit here and say 'of course you will always love the craziness and the stress and the ups and downs of life!' But something really struck me at the meeting and has stayed with me for the week... God made you with a purpose, for a purpose. That was a message I was meant to hear at that time. I have been struggling with not being able to find a job and then the debate of if I should just remain a part-time stay at home mom or what I am meant to do. I struggle with what I need to do to help Olivia develop and what we need to eat and how we should be with our schedule. But, for right now, God has me placed in this situation for a specific reason. I don't know the big picture yet, but I do know that there have been some 'ah-ha' moments where I just smile and nod and know that this is the reason.

The topic for the meeting was about how we, as moms, tend to compare ourselves to others. As I have previously written, I do that frequently. I judge myself based on if I can cook as well as other moms, if I can have as clean of a house as others, if I'm raising my child on the right track and so on. One of the big issues we talked about was social media and the affect it has on us. We tend to look at social media pages when we are in a vulnerable place... when we have down time or a little break in a day. I have never sat to look through my facebook account immediately after something amazing or exciting has happened. I may post something right away, but my initial thought after giving birth or getting engaged wasn't 'I wonder what is going on in the world of facebook.' That is my thought when I am feeding Olivia at 2am or sitting on the couch after an exhausting day. And when I see everyone post pictures of their amazing vacations or the flowers they got from their significant other or the successes that they had for the day, I begin to doubt myself and my success. One of the ladies that I know, who also attends MOPS, decided to go on a 'social media diet' for a week, after the meeting.  We discussed that people post things on social media in a filtered fashion. Rarely do people post pictures right after they are in a car accident, or spill red wine on their carpet, or have spit up on their business outfit before leaving for work.
So, here I am a few days later with the discussion from MOPS still fresh in my mind. We had just gotten back from our weekend away (Phil and I went to Minneapolis for an anniversary trip and Olivia stayed the night at Grandma and Grandpa's house), so things were a bit messy. As I'm giving Olivia a delicious breakfast of rice cereal, there is a knock on the door and it is someone from the City that needs to do some work in the basement.  And the first thing that pops out of my mouth is 'sorry the place is a mess. We just got back from being out of town for a few days.' Then it struck me... why am I apologizing for the way MY house is? Why would it matter to him how MY house looks when he is there to do his job. I'm sure his first thought wasn't 'man, this house is a disaster.'  So, I decided that this would be the time to show my 'unfiltered' life. This is the view of our living room and kitchen the morning of his visit. Olivia's room was also a bit crowded, since we had her two bags from the trip, plus I was putting away all of her 3 month clothes, so there was a big Rubbermaid tub in her room. (She was napping when I took the picture, and my mommy-brain forgot to take a picture once she got up).

 

Yes, there are electronics scattered around and toys out of place. Yes there are bags still unpacked and jackets laying around. And yes, the kitchen countertops have multiple bottles, pumping items and utensils.  And in our master bedroom, there is a pile of laundry that needs to be folded and another load that needs to be put away.  On the staircase, there are multiple little piles of items that need to be filed away, magazines that need to be read and little pieces of paper that could probably be thrown away. And I guarantee that there hasn't been a good dusting in at least 2 weeks. But, this is my beautiful mess and I am proud of it.

Sweet Home Colorado!

It is said that you can take the girl out of Colorado, but you can never take the Colorado out of the girl. I love going back to Colorado and just sitting and drinking in the pure beauty of everything. It is sad that I didn't appreciate it more growing up, but absence makes the heart grow fonder, I guess!

Olivia and I ventured to Colorado for 12 days earlier this month. I was a nervous wreck leading up to the flight, as this would be Olivia's first time flying. Phil was in a wedding the weekend that Olivia and I left, so he drove us to the Sioux Falls airport and helped get us checked in. Then he had a little daddy-daughter time and told Olivia about airplanes and airports and how excited she should be to be getting on an airplane. She and I went through the very quick and painless security (seriously, I love smaller airports) and then waited awhile to board the plane. I had strategically dressed Olivia in a most precious outfit so that when we got on the plane, I would hear people comment on the adorable baby, instead of groan that an infant was joining their flight. Thankfully, there were plenty of other children on the flight, so Olivia had company. Unfortunately, our flight was delayed 30 minutes and we didn't find out until we were all boarded. Olivia fell asleep for 50 minutes and was not a happy camper when she woke up. Being the frantic and anxious mother, I tried multiple things to calm her down. Thankfully, I had a woman sitting next to me that is a mother to a 10 year-old boy and she told me to relax and that everyone who has children understands that you simply can't control a 6 month-old baby. Olivia did calm down about 20 minutes later and ended up showing off her adorable dimples to everyone, so all in all, she did much better than I did!

My parents picked us up at the Denver airport and then we drove to meet up with Tom and his girlfriend, Brooke. I had crazily agreed to be in a triathlon relay with Tom on Saturday morning, so it was time to meet up with him and discuss the plan of attack. After dinner, it was off to bed and up with the 4:45am wake up call! I did the 1100 swim and then Tom completed the bike and the 10K run. Team Chimo was victorious in the Olympic Distance relay!

The next few days were full of catching up with friends, taking walks that kicked my butt (seriously, I forget that I live in a land of flatness and that every neighborhood in Colorado Springs has hills and that the Springs has the altitude factor), breathing in the fresh mountain air and just relaxing. The joke was that this vacation was my maternity leave, since I didn't really get a maternity leave after Olivia was born. Olivia had a blast getting to see the house that I grew up in, hanging out with her Uncle Tom, Mimi Jean and Poppi Bob as well as meeting her mommy's friends and previous co-workers. While we were in CO, we were able to walk around the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, visit the Downtown Aquarium in Denver, eat at delicious restaurants, walk around Prospect Lake, play at the Penny Arcade, visit Poppi Bob's classroom and make many trips to Mimi Jean's work to visit her.

On one of our last days there, my parents hosted a get-together at their house, so that friends could meet Olivia as well as celebrate Tom and my recent accomplishments. As most of you know, Tom is the newest employee of the National Hockey League as a referee and I completed my M.S. in Sport and Recreation in July (and had baby Olivia in February)! It was a wonderful afternoon and I am so blessed to have so many loving people in my life!

Sadly, the 12 days passed entirely too quickly and it was time for us to head back. I was having a lot of anxiety again about the trip, especially with going through the crazy security at DIA. Thankfully, I called and asked if my mom could get a gate pass and help me through security. So, she was able to come with me through security and to our gate before seeing us off. Olivia was a rock star on the flight back and did so well. I learned that I just needed to breathe and everything would be okay. Again, I was blessed to sit next to a wonderful couple that helped me with Olivia when I was getting settled, so I need to remind myself to not stress over silly things. Phil was there to pick us up from the airport and Olivia was so happy to be reunited with her daddy (and I guess I was pretty happy to see my hubby)!
Now we're back and trying to get into our own routine. Olivia just started rice cereal tonight, so now we are quickly heading into 'big girl' territory. She will always be our little girl, but tonight was one of those moments when we both thought, 'wow, she's growing up so quickly.' Olivia has her 6 month well-baby appointment on Tuesday morning, so we'll see how our little piglet is growing!