Scottish-Irish Highland Festival

Cole, Tavian, and I went to the Highlands Festival in Estes Park on Saturday.  They have the festival every year and this is the second year in a row that Cole and I have participated.  My Aunt Fran and Uncle Larry always register our "clan" (Clan Rutherford) so that we actually get to walk in the parade.  My Rutherford side is my Scottish side, but my mom's side (McCormick) is all Irish so this parade is a great fit for me:)  My Native American/Italian hubby just comes along for the ride.  haha!  Cole and I have really enjoyed getting to participate!

The weather was perfect!  My Aunt Barb owns a condo in Estes so after the parade all of us ate lunch there.  It was such a fun, relaxing day spent with family.  I am hoping we will get to participate every year..and maybe next year we will dress a bit more festive.  Tavian would look adorable in a kilt! :)

Tavian is ready to start marching:)

What an amazing start to the day...beautiful weather, family, and a white mocha!

The start of the parade

Tavey and Daddy..  Tavian wasn't sleeping, it was just too bright out!

All of the family that marched in the parade.  It would have been fun to have a picture of us marching, but that would have been a difficult task!

Our family.  If only Tavian was looking!

When we got back to the car we had to change his diaper...the trunk seemed a reasonable place! lol..what a fun baby!

He's a Big Boy!

My little baby is growing up! 

On the 7th he turned 6 months old!  I can hardly believe he has already been here 6 months.  So much has happened but the time is just flying by!

And as he continues to grow, things continue to change.

*He started sitting up when he was just over 5 months old.  He is such a pro at it now and we love watching him learn to balance and reach for things

*At 5 1/2 months we started feeding him some solid foods.  We started with rice cereal.  His actual first solid was sweet potatoes, but since then he has had green beans, carrots, pears, and I have given him a few bites of grapes and watermelon in the mesh feeder!

*Days before he turned six months he got his first tooth.  This has been a change that came with much difficulties.  A little baby in a lot of pain, and two tired parents!  I think he is working on his other bottom tooth now...poor baby!  (i don't have pictures of the tooth because it is still pretty hard to see... but easy to feel!)

*He has started getting crazier with his rolling.  He has been rolling for a long time, but just today I put him on his blanket in his room to play so I could grab something from another room, and this is where I found him when I came back...

*And sometimes I think he is getting ready to crawl!

I get so excited for him with every change, but the mommy part of me gets a little sad.  I want to hold onto every moment of my journey with him, but it gets harder to remember things with everything changing so often.  I see newborn babies and it is hard for me to believe that Tavian was ever that small!

Another thing Tavian has started to do lately (which totally melts my heart) is he has started reaching for me.  When I put him into his crib for naps he gets up on his hands, cries, and lifts one arm out to me.  In this scenario it kind of breaks my heart.  But when we are sitting on the floor together, even when I am right behind him, it just isn't close enough and he throws his whole body into my lap so that I hold him.  L O V E it!  

And another first, one that could very easily turn into a bad habit...

I just couldn't resist.  And even though it isnt' something I plan on making a habit, I have to say our time together was very special. 

I'm so proud of my big boy!!!

A little game with Delilah

This has been a really rough week.  Tavian started teething really badly and got sick...again!  I am seriously getting so frustrated with taking care of a sick baby.  It isn't that he is horrible or anything like that, but I just get really down when I am constantly seeing that he doesn't feel well.
Last night was supposed to be a treat.  I arranged for my dad to come over around 7, and Cole and I could go out once Tavian fell asleep.  We have done this in the past and it has worked perfectly because Tavian never gives us any trouble going to bed at night.  That is until last night!  I know it is because he wasn't feeling well, but my stress level was growing by the second.  It isn't even that Cole and I had huge plans but the opportunity to get out of the house just the two of us doesn't present itself very often anymore.  I was so discouraged that we hadn't even left yet and things were going wrong.
Tavian didn't fall asleep until 8 leaving Cole and I only an hour.  I was somewhat convinced the night was already ruined and I was ready to just tell my dad to forget it and to go home.  Cole convinced me that it would still be nice to go out and have some alone time.  I was pretty emotional and suddenly going to eat at a restaurant in public wasn't something I was looking forward to.  Cole came up with the perfect plan.  We picked up McCalisters (which I love), parked in a remote part of the parking lot, and turned on Cozy 101 (i know, cheesy! lol).  We ate, relaxed, listened to music, and talked.  It was such a reminder of how wonderful the man sitting beside me really is.  My very best friend.
For years my family and I have played "the song game" whenever we  listen to Delilah (Delilah, love someone tonight..)  Cole and I couldn't pass up the fun.  Before hearing what the next song is going to be, you decide who it is going to be about.  Examples:  The next song is going to be about me and my sister.  The next song is going to be about Andrea and Luke. (Much more fun in high school when your crush changes daily!)
Anyway, Cole and I decided the next song would be about us.  The next song that played was "You Gotta Be" by Des'ree.  It actually ended up being more appropriate for me..whatev, you have to be a bit flexible with the song game :)  We had a good laugh listening to the lyrics!

 

Listen as your day unfolds
Challenge what the future holds
Try and keep your head up to the sky
Lovers, they may cause you tears
Go ahead release your fears
Stand up and be counted
Don't be ashamed to cry
You gotta be
You gotta be bad, you gotta be bold
You gotta be wiser, you gotta be hard
You gotta be tough, you gotta be stronger
You gotta be cool, you gotta be calm
You gotta stay together
All I know, all I know, love will save the day
Herald what your mother said
Readin' the books your father read
Try to solve the puzzles in your own sweet time
Some may have more cash than you
Others take a different view
My oh my heh, hey
You gotta be bad, you gotta be bold
You gotta be wiser, you gotta be hard
You gotta be tough, you gotta be stronger
You gotta be cool, you gotta be calm
You gotta stay together
All I know, all I know, love will save the day
Don't ask no questions, it goes on without you
Leaving you behind if you can't stand the pace
The world keeps on spinning
You can't stop it, if you try to
This time it's danger staring you in the face
Oh oh oh Remember
Listen as your day unfolds
Challenge what the future holds
Try and keep your head up to the sky
Lovers, they may cause you tears
Go ahead release your fears
My oh my heh, hey, hey
You gotta be
You gotta be bad, you gotta be bold
You gotta be wiser, you gotta be hard
You gotta be tough, you gotta be stronger
You gotta be cool, you gotta be calm
You gotta stay together
All I know, all I know, love will save the day
You gotta be bad, you gotta be bold
You gotta be wiser, you gotta be hard
You gotta be tough, you gotta be stronger
You gotta be cool, you gotta be calm
You gotta stay together
All I know, all I know, love will save the day

 

Too funny!  Even though the night didn't go perfectly, it had a perfect ending!  And, love really did save the day!