Summer 2015 - completing year Two

I arrived in Ketchum on Thursday June 18. Gabe and I flew in from Salt Lake on the same flight. Huxley and I have been having fun especially playing in the backyard. He has a special cape with his name on the back. He kept asking me to fly.

                                    Huxley loves trucks and cars and all kinds of vehicles.

Today when we were in Chateau, Huxley saw a Turtle Mower that he had seen there previously, but this time since it is almost his birthday, his Sweet P bought it for him for an early present.

                                   Huxley also likes riding his bike with his Smith helmet on. 

More adventures in year Two.

Of course, Huxley had his first experience on skis when he was 18 months old. Dad held him as Huxley soared down the hill.

Katherine and Huxley came to Florida again in March and we spent time at the beach. Huxley loves the ocean.

                                 On this visit to the Science Center, Huxley got to fly the plane.
                                             And he had a fun visit with Auntie Em.

We spent time in Neptune Beach visiting Aunt Kati and Uncle Davey and got to see their new home.

Learning to identify all of the body parts is an important part of this developmental stage.

Also coming to accept that Mom will sometimes go on fun trips (this time to New York City) without him is an important, although difficult, step toward maturity. This picture was from Easter Sunday so he has a tie, but Katherine said the grimace was his way of communicating, "Mom, you have been gone for three nights without me, so you better not stray too far today."  

Time to be two!

It is hard for me to believe that the last time I made an entry to this blog was on the occasion of Huxley's first birthday, and now I am in Idaho to celebrate his second birthday. The year went by so fast and he has grown and changed so much. The most noticeable physical change is all of his glorious blonde hair. He is also talking a lot and telling me new things every day.

Here are some of the highlights of year two. We were fortunate that Katherine and Gabe and Huxley got to visit us in Florida a few times through the year.

One major event was Kati and David's wedding just before Huxley's birthday. Huxley was very fashionable in his shades.

                                 


I traveled to Ketchum in late July to help Katherine and Gabe celebrate their fifth anniversary. They had a wonderful backyard party to share their joy with friends.

                                 Huxley was a frequent visitor to the ice chest during the party.

                                This is one of my favorite pictures of my favorite little guy.

                          Dad is eager to teach Huxley about all of the fun things to do in the world.

                                     Katherine and Huxley came to visit us in Florida too.

                                                       He likes his Uncle Davey too.

                                  On one of the visits we toured the Orlando Science Center.

                             Huxley loved conducting the train, especially pulling the whistle.

                             David, Kati, Andrea, Stephen and I all came to Ketchum for Christmas.

                                     We all had a great time celebrating Christmas with the little guy, who was        really more aware of what was going on than his first Christmas. Trains and wagons and trucks were the favorite gifts. 

Happy First Birthday, Huxley.

Katherine, Gabe and Huxley returned home on June 23, so we were not actually with them to celebrate Huxley's birthday on the day itself - June 24.

But Katherine and Gabe planned a party - a cookout in their own back yard - and invited their friends over to celebrate Huxley's first birthday.

Wedding visit at Fernandina Beach

Gabe, Katherine and Huxley came to Florida for David and Kati's wedding. We spent several days before the wedding enjoying Fernandina Beach and Amelia Island.

We had a great view of the beach from our balcony. We really enjoyed Amelia Island where there were no cars on on the beach and where they left much of the natural sand dunes in tact.

This time at the beach Huxley got to play in the waves with both his Daddy and his Poppy 

This furrowed brow was a new facial expression for Huxley. He looks so much like Stephen in this picture.

Huxley loved the water and laughed when the waves lapped against his face. 

Spring visit

I can't believe I never wrote anything about the spring visit we had when Katherine and Huxley came to Florida. The original plan was for them to come when Gabe was on an Alaska ski trip, which was to be part of his fortieth birthday celebration. But this year the snow where Gabe planned to go was not safe (I later learned that there had been a fatality due to an avalanche). But since we had already purchased a ticket for Katherine and Huxley to come, Gabe did a ski trip but closer to home and Katherine still came with Huxley so that family in Florida could meet him and we could celebrate Katherine's 32nd birthday. Eating avocado was till high on Huxley's favorite things to do.

It also was Huxley's first visit to the beach.

It's clear that Huxley's first love is his Momma.

Huxley does everything with such passion and commitment.

The little guy was definitely working on standing up and moving around on two legs, not four. 

I love this picture. His eyes and beautiful angelic face are perfection.

The best moments

Before I left Idaho in January, Katherine took some great pictures of me with Huxley. He is such a happy little guy it is easy to get him to smile. Someone asked me, how do you get him to smile, and I had to laugh. For our little guy, it just happens automatically.

Not sure if Huxley's face indicates that all of the kisses I want to shower on him are welcome or not. But I know this is the best time to get as many in as I can.