The Pre-Party

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SAGE!!!!

JULY 30TH, 2013

SAGE'S FIRST BIRTHDAY

We are smack in the middle of a birthday celebration today! You can look forward to all those photos next week. Today, I want to tell you all about our super fun weekend leading up to the big birthday. I like to think of it as the "pre-party." :)

On Friday afternoon the Carter clan (Susan, Bill, and Jack) arrived in Fort Collins to celebrate Sage's first birthday! It had been over 2 months since our last visit together.

It only took a couple minutes before the birthday gifts started to roll out.

"For me?!?!"

It was fun to watch Sage open the gifts on his own. (Something he was not capable of doing at Christmas.) He pulled the tissue paper out one sheet at a time. Then he slowly unveiled his super cool fedora hats!

Kind of looks like he is playing the harmonica....

As adorable as these hats look on him, Sage will allow them on his head for no more than 2.5 seconds. Then off it goes!

Another gift from the grandparents.

(Who we lovingly called GiGi and Captain all weekend. Still working on those names....)

This is Sage's new thing. We say "tilt your head." And he poses...on command... complete with an innocent smile and a bat of the eyelashes. He knows he's cute! He did this ALL weekend. To both family and strangers alike.

Gigi likes to use the flash on her camera!

Friday evening we dined in Old Town at one of our favorite places, Austins.

"Top o' the morning to ye."

Gigi and Sage drew a picture together. It's a challenge dining with a toddler. They need constant entertainment.

Just a half day with the grandparents, and Sage was pooped!

On Saturday morning, another present was unveiled! His very own riding car. Complete with a sun shade and handle for parent pushing.

This picture says it all. He loved it!

"Wrong way, buddy."

Saturday afternoon, we decided to take it for a stroll.

We headed to the neighborhood park.

We stopped to get some swing time in.

On Saturday evening, we attended a birth class reunion barbecue, hosted by our friends Lainey and Andy. We were the first guests to arrive.

Andy, Lainey, and Samuel surprised Sage with a birthday present. His very own adirondack chair! Complete with a celebratory balloon.

The other babies eventually arrived. It had been nearly 7 months since our last gathering. It was incredible to see the changes!

Parents preparing for a photo op....

We didn't think the babies would tolerate it... but they did! We got the photo!

Look familiar!?!?

 Here's the same "circle pose" from December of 2012. Look how they have grown! They were about 5 months old the first time around. And nearly 12 months old the second time.  

A group shot from the BBQ.

On Sunday, Sage woke up from a nap with this awesome hairdo. I think I need to get this kid some hair gel. Think of all the possibilities.  

On Monday, the Carter clan departed. Matt and I headed to work.

Captain loves Sage.

Uncle Jack loves Sage too.

So does Gigi!

It was a fabulous weekend with the family. Always sad to see them go, but we have plans to vacation in Aspen in September. We'll be reunited again soon!

I'll end with this lovely face. Another phase Sage is in. He likes scrunching his nose and mouth together. Accompanied with quick little breaths in and out. I don't know where he gets this stuff! And I never know how long it will stick around. His cute idiosyncrasies come and go quite quickly, hanging around for only a handful of weeks before they disappear. One reason I should keep my video camera close by.

Sage Meets Steve Martin

11 Months Old!!

(Again, these pictures were taken 2 weeks later than our target date.)

Getting this kid to sit still for a photo is incredibly challenging! It takes two adults, really good lighting, and lots of distractions. I have come to dread the monthly update photos....because they are so difficult to capture! Only one more to go....so I think we'll make it through the series. :)

On Friday, I was fortunate to get out of work early. So after running some errands, I picked up Sage from daycare to have some backyard fun. I thought a bucket of water full of ping pong balls sounded like an amazing idea! Sage, on the other hand was entertained for only minutes...

So we went inside and had a "pillow fight." This activity was a winner! Sage loves tumbling around on piles of pillows and blankets.

On Saturday morning, Matt made us lemon poppy seed mini muffins. I was comfy in bed and convinced Matt to serve us upstairs.

That was a bad idea. Don't let toddlers eat in your bed.

Around 3:30pm on Saturday, we packed up the car and headed to Littleton, Colorado for a special event! Steve Martin (the actor) is an excellent banjo player. And we had tickets for his show that evening. Unfortunately, the 1.5 hour drive took closer to 2.5 hours! We encountered heavy rain, hail, and bumper-to-bumper traffic. Matt and I decided we are no longer traveling to Denver for concerts. It's too stressful! After finally arriving, we found ourselves waiting in a long line of people. Just one obstacle after another.... Luckily, the venue realized that in order to get all of us in by the 7pm start time, they had to open up additional lines. Things moved quickly after that. 

One perk about the Denver Botanical Garden Chatfield concert site is that you are allowed to bring in blankets, chairs, and as much food as you want. That's particularly nice when you have a baby with you. We set up shop, and could have easily stayed all night!

I'm loving this "plaid on plaid" ensemble!

The concert was more mainstream than I was expecting. Most people were not dancing. The only dancers were found toward the front of the stage. So we abandoned our picnic area (far in the back) and went dancing up front.

We got really really close to Steve Martin!!

After a couple songs, we went back to home base for some chill time.

Sage made friends with all the neighbors around us. He was a huge hit! We even met another baby with the same birthday! July 30th, 2012. Incredible.

The show was over by 9pm and we were on the road home by 9:30pm. I was a little disappointed that we drove 4+ hours round trip for only 2 hours of music. And the tickets were not cheap! But we still had a fabulous time. I just don't see myself going on Steve Martin tour anytime soon....

On Sunday, we hit the pool! And we dragged Dad along with us! This was Matt's first time at the Fort Collins pool. I think he had as much fun as Sage.

The boys took a float around the lazy river.

Snack time!

Exploring the pool boundaries.

Back in the water for round #2!

That's Matt on the water slide! He went down the slide probably 5 times. A big kid at heart.

Exploring the fun water features.

Sage is so close to walking these days. I have seen him take up to 5 steps at one time. He of course then loses balance and tumbles to the ground. But he is just weeks, if not days, away from really taking off! We are getting ready to take a trip up to the National Redwood Forest in California next week, and I am really hoping Sage's walking skills improve before our departure. I want to be able to tell him that he "walked through the Redwood Forest." But I suppose seeing it from the comfort of your parents' arms is pretty good too.