Hoppy Easter!

What a wonderful day to celebrate life, love and hope! It started with a bath with Daddy and a yummy breakfast of egg bake and melon. Augie didn't love sitting through the Easter church service but danced in the back. Then we Skyped with Grammy, Papa and Auntie Tata sharing their kitchen remodel and a box of Easter-fun! Then we visited with Godpapa Matt before loading up the stroller and strolling over to Jon's apartment for a scrumptious dinner with friends. Returning home, Jacob prepared for his first day back to work and we finally got around to opening our Easter basket. Sweet memories with our sweet baby boy!

Darling bunny boy!

What did the bunny bring our boy?

Augustus took another "big adventure" (according to Grandma Sharon) to Pocatello to meet our dear friends, the Ministers. We wanted to see them before they take their own new adventure moving to Oregon this summer. Augie's overwhelming cuteness convinced Malanie to make the trek up to Jackson Hole for our Memorial Day baptism celebration. Will you be joining us?

So good to meet you!

Augie boy!

No sweat!

Augustus loves to attend our Stroller Strides exercise classes, and last week, we were surprised to find a photographer (the fabulous Katy Gray) at our workout session. She was there to snap a few photos for the June issue of Wyoming Woman magazine. At least the baby was bathed and dressed!



Who wouldn't want to kiss him?

Yep, we always smile during our workouts!

Check out that drool!

Left: 5 months old, Right: 2.5 months old

Burn baby, burn!

Home, Home on the Ranch!

Augustus and I were missing Jacob while he was busy with baby calves, broken tractors and bumpy fields, so we skipped out to Blackfoot to spend a couple days on the ranch. Our biggest discovery was how much Augie loves his cousin Ryker, who was the first to get a full laugh out of the baby!

Great Granny and Grandpa Great's basement bedroom

makeshift changing table

Baby A hanging with Daddy and cousin Stratton

Meet and Greet Great Grandma Strom

Thanks to Papa Strom, we were able to introduce Augustus to his Great Grandma Strom via Skype. Tesha, Elaine, Greg and Gary all joined in on the fun! ASH is the first great grandchild and a treasure.

Classy as ever . . . we love you Great Grandma!

Augie's Chicago fan club!

Rub a dub dub . . .

. . . TWO men in a tub! On Sunday, Augustus took advantage of having his Daddy in town, and they took their first bath together. Daddy was all business with the green frog washcloth, but ASH was in it for the laughs!

Don't forget the netheregions!

Happy baby!

To the young bidder in the back!

We culminated our latest trip to the ranch with a visit to the weekly Blackfoot Livestock Auction. Augustus was a perfect gentleman (rancher) and bought one black calf to bring back to the farm with us!

No really, we find all those heifers to be super exciting.
(But can you even stand his outfit!?)

Mami and me in the stockyard!

Daddy and Grandpa Joe loaded the one little calf into their big trailer.
(Better than the back of our car, I guess.)

Bear.

There really are no words to mark the passing of Bear. There are just tears and a haunting emptiness in our home. Tufts of Carhartt-colored fur are melting out of the front yard snowbank, and the vacuuming of our big red rug brings no joy. She lived her 14 and half years at Jacob's side never once knowing she was a dog, and she was right. She was so much more than a dog, to Jacob and everyone else she met. She told vivid stories and understood fluent English. Our memories of her run deep, and our only peace is knowing that she is not in pain and is sent off with our purest love. Godspeed Bear.

:)

Thanks to Godpapa Matt for coming to hang out with ASH while Kjera hit the stage with her improv group, The Laff Staff, for the first time post-baby. The real laughs have been around our house as Augustus loves to chatter and giggle and will frequently grace us with a smile that lights up our whole lives . . . see for yourself . . .

They read the paper and drank whiskey.

Kjera's true audience!

Seriously?! Can you even stand it?!

Walking in a (winterish) wonderland!

We're doing our best to stick to our Lenten goal of walking every day, and this past weekend, Jacob and Bear were home too! We took advantage of, what the local's call, a "sucker hole" to grab a quick walk before the snow and wind kicked up again. Ah, spring in the mountains!

Ah, the bike path is (finally) cleared!

Two-headed (adorable!) beast

Bear!

Sort it out!

We have been sooo blessed with the generosity of so many folks that Augustus not only has all the "hand-me-ups" he needs, but he also has many fun outfits just waiting for him to grow (while I'm encouraging him to take him time and stay a baby as long as he wants!). With Jacob away at the Henrie ranch, Rio stepped up to help with the sorting project. We now have all the 3-6 month clothes washed and ready, a bin of 6-12 month clothes and one tub of 12+ month clothes with all the brand new stuff hung by size in the closet! Whew. Good thing I had good help.

Organization?

Rio loves a nice bed of cloth diapers!

Mami's lil' helpers.

month 2

As we breezed into ASH's second month, the advice for us is to "Stay home as much as possible. Sleep when the blueberry sleeps. Let others bring you food." Hmmm, we haven't been doing so well with that, but Augustus continues to grow into such a sweet, happy, curious boy.

Such a handsome little chap!

Two months old!

Work it, baby!

Augustus joined Mami in jumping back into fitness classes. So far, we've worked out at two Stroller Strides classes. During the first class, Augie dosed in his car seat and woke up to giggle at the ab workout at the end of class. Today, he wanted to be a part of the action and worked hard as my "free weight" for the arm work-out and rested on my knees to help with core strength. He's the best exercise buddy!

Who wears Carhartt's to the gym?

Recovery Room

After Grandma Sharon got released from the hospital, we carried on the healing at the Henrie house. Augustus continued to enjoy his afternoons snuggling with Grandpa Joe (and snoozing!).

Both "on call" for Grandma Sharon!

Daddy even came back into town from the ranch for 1 day!

Room #108

While Grandma Sharon has been recovering from emergency surgery to remove a portion of her intestine, Augustus used his baby-charm to sneak into the ICU. Later we spent afternoons with her in room #108. ASH was such a good boy to hang out and do everything he could to help his grandma feel better. Augustus also relished the opportunity to get to know his Aunt Ruby through shared giggles and deep conversations.

Lots of happy snuggling time!

Ahh, and a little infant massage!