Christmas 2012 Road Trip...

We decided to make the 1300 mile road trip to PA to spend the holidays with my family knowing that long trips would be put on hiatus until further notice with Bebe D on his/her way. So the week before our departure, Cole got to open one gift each evening from us or from Dave's family since we weren't about to lug everything in the truck with us. Relatively early (it was still dark) on December 22 we began our trek east. A huge snowstorm had just swung south of the Twin Cities and dumped on Madison, WI but the highways were clear as we passed through (the side roads we took to lunch were another story). It was a long day but we hit our destination outside Cleveland, OH about 13 hours after we left home. Tired and a wee crabby we all slept well before getting up and finishing the drive on Sunday. We got to my parents house around 3pm, ahead of schedule. :-)

Of course the holiday fairy had descended on my parent's house and it was decorated to the nines. Cole and Gigi counted her vast collection of Santa figures of all shapes and sizes (98!!) Dad had set-up his traditional two Christmas trees (one was in their living room and in honor of my Nana), the other one which was the size of a small shed (10 feet easily and just as round) was set up taking over the entire south corner of their sunroom. Santa hadn't even come yet and the packages were piled and stacked high. Christmas has always been an event in the Scull family. :-)

Cole helped put candy canes on the tree and bring even more gifts downstairs that my mom had stashed in the guest room. My sister and two nieces came over for Christmas Eve dinner just as the snow began to fall. We took a walk around my parent's neighborhood afterwards as all the houses put out candle luminaries. With the snow coming down and the streets lined with candlelight, it was a big magical. Off to bed for Cole with a last check on the Santa app to see where he was delivering in the world. Cole had a hard time falling asleep with his mind and body electric with excitement. We thought he was finally out, only to have his feet pitter patter down the stairs as Mom stuffed stockings, eekkk. Luckily, Pop Pop intercepted the sleepy boy just as he turned into my parent's kitchen and back upstairs I went to lay with him until his breathing told me he was truly OUT! Whew, close call!

Christmas morning dawned early (did we think that Cole would sleep in??? LOL) and he eagerly raced downstairs as I chased him with the camera attempting to capture his face as he witnessed that Santa had come! Everyone else was moving more slowly especially poor Dave who stayed up to put together a LEGO Ninjago set that took almost three hours to complete. An emptying of stockings and then a move to the sunroom where Santa had left more loot. My sister and kids were due to come over later that morning after experiencing their Santa gifts at home. We all took turns opening gift after generous gift. The sun finally rose and slowly we made our way through the piles. :-)


Cole was a happy camper with all his new stuff (and insistent on pulling everything out all at once to fill with batteries or piece together). Dad and Mom made breakfast and I attempted to clean up the aftermath of boxes and wrapping paper. Trish and the girls came over mid-morning and more unwrapping ensued. The kids played all afternoon while the adults recovered. A delicious dinner of Dad's famous rolled rib-roast was had and we all went to bed early, exhausted but happy.

We kicked around the next day, went for a walk in Tyler Park and helped Mom get ready for friends that were coming for dinner. Another storm was pending, this one a rain/mix event, by afternoon, the skies were angry and the rain pelted the windows. It was warm and cozy inside though with great conversation and eats with our guests. Thursday was another awful rainy day and not everyone was feeling great so we laid low and enjoyed the downtime. Dave packed up the truck as we would be leaving early Friday for our ride back to MN.

We pulled out of the driveway around 7am and began the drive west. Pennsylvania is a big state and I agreed with Cole when he kept asking if we were out of PA yet and we said "NO" and he sighed. Finally crossing into Ohio, we got a second wind. We ended up in South Bend, IN for the evening where the snow was falling. We considered driving straight thru but decided against it, it was just too much driving at night on dicey roads with me almost 5 months pregnant. We got up and going on Saturday (my 41st birthday), sailed through Chicago and ticked off the miles until we began to see signs for St. Paul. It was wonderful to get home, despite the frigid cold and snow that greeted us. We unloaded (and I put everything away as I just cannot relax until I do). We would be celebrating my birthday on Sunday instead so we all crashed early, grateful for a wonderful trip, generous family and a fun Christmas!

There are no words..

I'm not sure I can adequately express the utter shock and grief I have felt this past week over the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary. I was out running errands the afternoon of December 14, 2012, only to hear on the radio as I pulled into the garage a preliminary news report. I ran into the house and to my computer as I just couldn't process what I had heard. What I read confirmed the worst and yet my brain didn't want to accept such a horrid and tragic event. I phoned Dave and could barely get out an audible message between my uncontrollable sobs. Here I knew no one that had been affected and yet, I found myself grappling with the physical urge to vomit as the numbers of those killed continued to climb.

As the afternoon unfolded, I wanted to run to Cole's school and scoop him up, it was an almost primitive pull and yet the logical side of my brain was finally kicking in and overriding my every instinct telling me Cole was fine and safe and blissfully unaware of the evil that had presided over his peers in Connecticut that morning. The knot in my throat and the tightness in my chest as the past week's news has been dosing us 24/7 about what occurred has not lessened. The faces of those children, their teachers, their principal and their loved ones haunt me. I cannot wrap my head around anymore senseless of an act than taking the lives of so many innocent 1st graders and those in charge of taking care of them during their school day. The fact that Cole is so close in age to them has kept me up at night pondering that we send him off for a day of school, and may never see him alive again. It is just inconceivable and yet it has happened to 20 sets of parents. I am unable to even consider what life would be like without Cole, his smile, his goofy antics, his quirky eating habits, his lilting voice, his hugs...................................................................it is too much so I embrace and recognize that there may not be a tomorrow. It troubles me that it takes tragedy to uproot our stakes in the ground to adopt a more "live in the present" mindset and yet, I find myself doing just that with the hopes that those little angels with their new-found wings have all taught us a lesson about the importance of living/loving EVERY DAY.

My rascal turns six...

As I planned for Cole's sixth birthday this year, it really struck me, how quickly the years are passing. It sounds so cliche but the fact of the matter is that time has literally been on a faster pace than I ever remember. I find myself watching Cole as he continues to digest the world around him and figure out his place in it. He loves to learn, ask questions, and constantly inquires about things he hears or sees. I love that he shares with me what he does during his school day. I treasure our late afternoons as I know soon enough, he will be dropping off his backpack and running out the door to ice skate or sled with his buddies or with the spring thaw, out throwing a football/baseball with his friends rather than with his mom.

Cole wanted to have his birthday party at the SEALIFE aquarium this year. We had visited several times since they renovated and re-opened. I have to be honest that I was skeptical that an aquarium located in Minneapolis far from salt water would be anything to impress. I was wrong. It isn't huge and doesn't have seals, otters or whales but what they have done with the space they have is pretty darn cool. They have the touch-me and the seahorse/jelly fish exhibits but it is the glass surround walk-way that ups the wow factor. It is shaped like a tunnel with glass overhead and on the sides. The sharks, rays, sea turtles and massive and tiny fish swim and glide inches from you. To see their underbellies as they cruise over your head makes you go "look at that" every few seconds..

SEALIFE's birthday package included a private party room (deep down in the bowels of the aquarium, you felt like you were on a ship), make-your-own shark tooth necklace, a behind-the-scenes tour and full access to the aquarium itself. So Cole and 8 of his friends got to see (and smell) the off-exhibit area where new or sick sea animals were brought and treated. They got to see what they eat (yuck!) and got to walk above the tanks where the animals swum about as the public walked through the tunnels below. It was a fun afternoon for this birthday boy!

New status pending...

So the news is out...after several years of hoping and wishing, we will be adding to our family! The losses we have experienced have kept this joyful secret under wraps since late September until we were sure that Bebe D was growing and progressing. Our 12 week ultrasound was proof that we had gotten through our first trimester without issues (just a lot of monitoring) and we could finally breathe a sigh of relief.

I had been walking on eggshells these past weeks, wanting to be excited and yet attempting to keep my emotional state in check just in case. It is still hard to quite accept that another lil one will be joining our household come spring but I'm slowly coming around to it and thus, we thought it was time to share the news with Cole plus my "morning" sickness had increased and it was getting more difficult to hide that and my fatigue.

So with ultrasound pictures in hand, we told Cole we had something to tell him. His cautious nature had him glancing at us in concern. We told him that I had a baby growing in my tummy and that he was going to become a big brother. His eyes got big and he jumped up and down and said "there is a baby in your tummy right now?". I answered yes and showed him the photos, pointing to what was what as he wondered aloud "where are its eyes?". He then began to ask a whole bunch of questions, "when would it get here?", "was it a boy or a girl?", "would I have to go to the hospital to have it? to name just a few. We replied as honestly as we could. He wasn't happy to hear it would take until late spring to arrive "I'll be in first grade by then!", we laughed as we told him that no, he would still be in kindergarten. He reached out and put his hand on my belly, gave me a hug and said "I am so excited!". Tears welled up in my eyes at his gesture. With that, he jumped off the couch and went back to racing around like he had been before we stopped him to share the news. Dave and I know that he will be an involved and terrific big brother!

Annual visit with ole Saint Nick...

Cole was weeks old his first Christmas back in 2006 so we didn't make a trip to sit on Ole Saint Nick's lap but I knew that the following year that I wanted to find a special Santa Claus to visit each holiday season. Spring forward to November 2007 as we began getting ready for the season. I didn't want to go to a mall and have Cole sit on the lap of crappy costumed Claus with the fake beard and polyester get-up. I was on the hunt for a Santa that looked like Santa should. I hoped I could find one amidst the hundreds of ones that looked as if they were donning Halloween rentals. And then I got a postcard from our local nursery/greenery where I had bought our perennials and annuals shortly after we had moved in in May. There on the front was Old Saint Nick with a real beard, twinkling eyes and festive clothing/robe and boots. It was just a photograph but it spoke to me and at that point, it was settled, Tonkadale Nursery was where we were headed the weekend after Thanksgiving when Ole Saint Nick would be visiting for two days with the added bonus that pets were welcome in the pictures and a triple bonus that the pictures were FREE plus you could take your own.

We showed up early and only waited in line a short time. Santa arrived with a merry greeting and a magical presence and looked just like he had on the postcard. I felt giddy at such a find. Cole was not happy being placed on Santa's lap and a very upset kiddo with a smiling Santa was our photo that year and the next and the next and the next. Four years running, we went, same Santa, same scenario with a crying Cole and our favorite smiling Saint Nick. Last year, days shy from turning five, we went again, but this time, though slightly hesitant, Cole actually smiled and allowed Santa to talk with him. As the days neared this year and we began talking about our visit with Santa, Cole was all excited and wanted to make a Christmas wish list. He cut out pictures of the things he wanted and created a separate sheet for each of six items. We headed out the Saturday after Thanksgiving and again, though slightly reticent, he eagerly kept asking as we stood in line when Santa would get there. As a "HO, HO, HO" rung out, Cole's eye got big and he strained to see through the crowd. The same Santa as years past stopped and waved as he made his way to his seat. Cole looked at us and said "Mom, it is the real Santa, look!". When it was his turn, he hopped up onto the stage and began chatting away showing Santa his sheets. As he got down and began to walk away, he stopped and said "Santa, I'm going to be in Pennsylvania this year at my Gigi and Pop Pop's for Christmas". Santa replied "I know Cole, Santa knows these things". The expression on Cole's face was priceless. He ran over and told us that Santa already knew he would be in PA. So for another year, the magic of the holidays lives on thanks in part to our favorite Ole Saint Nick.

Visitors...

Grandma & Grandpa Fox came to visit us for a long weekend. Cole had fun playing games, throwing the football & watching games on TV, visiting the aquarium, drawing pictures, reading books & snuggling on the couch with both of them. Cole as usual had the energy of all of us combined and would have happily done a hundred more things. :-)

We have a true fan on our hands...

I mentioned just a mere few weeks ago, what a growing fan of the Vikings Cole was becoming. Needless to say, I have watched more football this fall than I have since my college or Boston days. Cole has re-educated me on the finer points of the various plays. He consumes highlight trailers and spits back out statistics with what seems to be a photographic memory. It has been unbelievable to see him learn so much about the game in just a few short months. He follows the plays with extreme precision, can "read" the scores of all the NFL teams as they scroll at the bottom of the TV screen just by the quick flash of the team symbols and intuitively seems to understand the multiple strategies used that are so dependent on time left, location of ball et al. When there are not games on he wants to know when they will be on. He likes to cut out the pictures from the newspaper when they show his favorite players and has begun posting them on his bedroom wall. He drew pictures of Christian Ponder and Adrian Peterson and want to send them to them. :-) He knows how many weeks are left in the regular season and that the Vikings need to win the remainder of their games to make it to the playoffs. It would be comical to some if it weren't actually truly spectacular to observe.

Cole had been asking to go to a game and Dave had only been hesitating with the concern of the raucous crowds. But, he caved after Cole requested for the 999th time and crossed his fingers that the rowdy fans would be sitting elsewhere. The Vikings were playing the Detroit Lions. Cole was more excited than I could ever describe. Wearing his new Vikings sweatshirt and visor, he and Dave headed to the Metro dome last Sunday. Great seats surrounded by great fans thankfully. And the Vikings WON! He hasn't stopped talking about it since.

Kindergarten School Photo...

After being spoiled for three years with photographs of Cole taken at his Montessori school by Lisa Buth, I was leery this year about how his LifeTouch pictures would turn out now that he was in public school. I have heard (and vaguely remember myself) that in order to get so many kiddos photographed, they rush the kids through like cattle and don't take the time to coax true smiles out of them. I've seen enough of these pictures from friends and family with the standard icky bright BLUE background that my expectations were very low. I did my best to get Cole to practice smiling without a forced expression and went with a more subdued (I hoped) gray background when I placed my order (it turned out more gray-blue). I was pleasantly surprised with the results as Cole's pics turned out pretty well! :-)

My superhero...

This Halloween, Cole definitively knew weeks ago what he wanted to be. I thought for sure when I first asked him back in early September that he would say a ninja or a football player but I was wrong. Without hesitation and to my surprise he said "Spiderman". He had gone through a superhero phase earlier this year but his accumulated action figures had begun collecting dust already and his interest in watching Superhero Squad Show was short-lived. We perused the internet looking for a great costume, because I hate cheap costumes. I know, I know, it is ridiculous to spend money on something they wear maybe twice for the season but I just have always cringed at crappy kid's flimsy Halloween gear. So we settled on the muscular (padded) Spiderman ensemble that we came across complete with gloves, a webshooter wand and socks (not just shoe covers). He had seen a "real" mask at SuperTarget the week before that he really wanted (it talked), so we added that (after he had earned it with good behavior) and voila, his Halloween 2012 get-up was complete.

He got to dress up during the school day for their holiday party and then again for trick or treating that evening. He isn't much of a "sweets" kid so asking for candy from strangers (though less intimidating for him than in year's past) was still not terribly exciting. I guarantee that we will have candy in the house until well past Christmas. We made it to 20-25 houses or so before he had had enough.

To date, he has been a monkey (2007), a devil (2008), a prince (2009), an airforce pilot (2010)and a race car driver (2011).

Cole's First Sleepover...

Cole had been asking to have a sleepover with a friend for weeks. I was all for it but I wanted to be sure that we choose a friend where both would be okay being with one another for 16 hours or so. At almost 6 years old, many times the kids want to do different activities and are willing to compromise for an hour or so but after that things can get dicey. Cole can be overly sensitive too when friends don't follow his "rules" or respect his toys so I wanted it to be a positive experience if I could.

Max is his long time friend and fellow kindergartner. Both Cole and Max are bright, inquisitive and relatively gentle with one another. We finally got a date on the calendar and Max came ready with his sleeping bag and hungry for pizza. They played well together and were excited to be sleeping downstairs in the basement "fort" on the air mattress. Dave hooked them up with headlamps and a movie and we let them unwind for awhile. They were laughing it up every time we ventured to check on them. Finally we had to say lights out and they drifted off. Cole off course woke up before dawn and wanted to know when Max would wake up. :-) We made chocolate chip pancakes and bacon, Max had two helpings. They were sad when it was time for Max to go home and we promised to do it again soon!

5 years and counting...

It is hard to believe that I have been regularly posting to this blog for five years! When Cole was 10 months old, I knew I wanted to find a way to capture in words more moments than I could ever find room to cram into a scrapbook or scribble in a journal. Beginning this blog allowed me to meld both the visual (photographs) with the commentary. To look back and read my earlier work is like taking a ride back in time. The things I wrote about back then seem so distant and yet so familiar. It is amazing how your mind remembers tidbits but not details so I am so grateful to know that I can peruse those adventures, emotions and awe of years ago, and not let them get tucked away to deeply in the recesses of my memory.

232 posts about motherhood, Cole's antics, growth and interests and our journey in navigating life's maze together...I look forward to the years ahead and all they hold (and the next 232 posts that tell about them).

Our Football Fanatic...

I posted back in late August about Cole's new and rapidly growing interest in football, specifically our Minnesota NFL team, the Vikings. Well, nearly seven weeks later, I am here to report that we have a full-fledged fan on our hands. I am not at all joking when I say that Cole is living and breathing football. He wants to play football in the afternoons after school and wear his Vikings helmet and jersey around the house at all times (even while brushing his teeth, see pic above). He stops mid-sentence when football highlights come on the TV. He inquires as soon as a game is over when the next game is, who are they playing, is it an away or home game and so on and so on.

He is beginning to know the players and their numbers. He is understanding more than just the basics of how the game is played. He provides a play-by-play analysis of his own which is quite spot-on. He already dislikes the Green Bay Packers, though I have no idea, seriously, why, because Dave and I are not fans or foes really of any team.

It is just beyond entertaining to see Cole embrace this sport without much previous exposure. Luckily for him, the season is long and hopefully our local team will do well this year. Stay tuned.

The Denhams...

We hadn't had any "formal" pictures taken of our family since our photo shoot during our vacation in the Outer Banks with my extended family back in September 2010. Two years later, it was time to update my frames and thus I needed someone to come and capture Dave, Cole, Tucker and I.

Cole's Montessori school had hired the talented photographer Lisa Buth the past several years to photograph the kids so we have been blessed with amazing pictures of Cole each fall. This year with Cole attending public schools, we would not have that opportunity so I coordinated with Lisa to come and photograph our family instead!

We chose Loring Park in Minneapolis as our backdrop with its gardens, towering oak and walnut trees, ponds, and cool architectural details (bridges, buildings, benches). It was a brilliant autumn afternoon, a bit breezy but with blue skies.

It was a casual hour or two of walking around and snapping photos as Lisa saw the perfect "setting" or lighting. Cole could run around and Tucker would be happy just being with us outside.

As we anticipated, Lisa's photographs came out and wowed us. Here are a few of the standouts!

Soccer 2.0

Cole had such an awesome experience with his summer soccer team that as soon as it was over in late July, he wanted to know when he could play again! So I registered him for the fall season, hoping that autumn weather would continue late into October. When we got our roster assignment, I was so excited to share with Cole that Will, a playdate pal of his from ECFE years ago was on his team and that Will's dad was his coach.

Cole is always a wee shy still when he starts something new but soon into his first practice, he was at ease. The St. Louis Park soccer association has held two drill sessions with talented instructors for Cole's age group which has been a nice change from his regular practices. Unlike with his summer team which were a group of VERY energetic personalities, the kids on his fall team really have begun to work as a unit (still with some comedic moments). Sometimes they win and sometimes they lose but Cole has certainly improved and become quite skilled with the ball. Of course like most almost-six year olds, he has been reluctant to pass the ball but when he does so he does so very well. One month into the season, we have spent some Saturdays watching games basking in near 70 degree sunshine and spent several Saturdays bundled up against a windchill. Welcome to Minnesota in the fall.

The fall soccer program is a shorter six week stint and I'm sure as we wrap things up, Cole will be asking about when he can play again. Unfortunately, it will be a long winter of waiting. Hopefully, his avid interest in football will placate him until the ground thaws in six months.

004 from David Denham on Vimeo.

My support team...

I have been so lucky the past three years to have such a fantastic support team as I trained and ran 11 half-marathons. It was important "therapy" for me back in 2010 to find something to dig my heels into as I recovered from our loss in January 2010. Though my body was recovering from the trauma of the ruptured ectopic, my mind still struggled. Hence, my decision to begin running again with these goals in mind.

That first summer, I registered and ran 3 half-marathons. Dave ran the first one with me (well, not WITH me but in the same race). I vividly remember hitting a wall at mile eight only to see his smile as he looped past me on the return path motivating me to continue on. I trained longer for subsequent races that year and felt strong and accomplished. Near the finish line for two of that year's races, Cole sitting atop Dave's shoulders cheered me on through the final shoot.

My first race of 2011 was a cold and blustery early May day. It felt more like March than May and the wind coming off Lake Minnetonka was unrelenting. Dave and Cole rode the route in the truck and found me about mid-way to give me a boost and found me again at the end where my cheeks were chapped and my feet cold but I was oh so happy that I finished. Three more races that summer with my loyal cheerleaders dropping me off early at the starting lines and meeting me with their waves and blown kisses as I completed another 13.1 miles.

My goal for 2012 is five races, consecutively building each year. I have tackled four of them thus far with my first B2B (back to back), two half-marathons with less than a week in-between. Surprisingly, despite some bruised toenails, my body has acquiesced and allowed me to conquer the mileage. I haven't been able to beat my best time of 2:04 but I am pretty happy with myself regardless that I have dedicated myself to this cause, myself. LOL

I think it has been good for Cole to see me committed to something that means a lot to me. He gets excited when it is race day and he even wants to be sure he wears something that will make it easier for me to see him (like a red shirt or hat). He has even asked me if there are kid races. There are and I'd be happy to get him involved next summer (most entries require them to be six years old).

Imagination...a life skill...

I know it is not easy on Cole being an only-child. He loves to play and wants someone to play with him! However, Dave and I cannot accept his every invitation to build, race, kick the ball or play hotel. Playdates as plentiful as I have tried to maintain them are more difficult now that everyone has varying activities and schedules. So sometimes grudgingly, Cole retreats to his playroom to find something to do. The guilt I feel when he frowns and stomps off is relieved when I hear him ten minutes later using his imagination and creativity to entertain himself. This is a crucial life skill which in my opinion is becoming lost in his generation with over scheduled kids and too much TV/computer/device time for many of them.

I believe Cole has a nice balance of alone time, sports/activity and electronic media. Sure, some days, it leans towards one more heavily but overall, I'm glad to know he can find his own way out of being bored. I love that he will run through the house playing various football positions giving a play-by-play analysis. I revel in the prolific artwork that adorns my desk, the refrigerator and his playroom walls. I smile when I hear him lower his voice in "conversation" as he talks to the "other" superhero/ninja.

I have no doubt that Cole would prefer to have a real person engage with him but I also have no doubt that the fact that he can't all the time makes him work different areas of his brain that would otherwise go dormant and that can only be a positive thing in this world that grabs for our attention 24/7. We all need a little "alone" time.

Another "first"...

I remember the moment you were born amidst the bright lights of the OR, hearing you yowl at being evicted after such a lengthy labor; all I could see were your feet since the drape was blocking my view, thus I commented on how large they were and to this day, that vision flashes before me...

I remember endlessly walking circles with you for almost four months in our Washington, DC brownstone's main level pleading with you to stop your colicky crying.

I remember watching you sleep so peacefully since it was such a rare event.

I remember your first smile, your first words, your first foods, your first steps, your first birthday. As your mom, I remember them all as they slowly weave together to form who you are and are yet to become.

I realize that each "first" means you are one step further away from depending on me and relying on yourself and that is how it should be.

As you got on the big yellow bus yesterday to embark on a new and exciting adventure, I was so thrilled to see you so excited. You showed no apprehension, just a curiosity and confidence that made me proud. I hugged you extra tight as the bus rounded the corner and you squirmed away as you wanted to watch it come down our block. Dad and I waved as you bounded aboard and took your seat, not looking back, just ahead. We waited as the bus turned and headed out of sight. My feet remained glued to the corner as the tears rolled down my face. I was so happy for you and yet felt such melancholy as the morning was such a bittersweet reminder to my psyche that things were changing.

Some of your "firsts" just etch themselves more vividly in my heart. Your "first" day of kindergarten will definitely be one of those.

Vikings Fan in the making...

Dave is not a football fanatic. He isn't even really a football fan nor could give a hoot about fantasy football unlike many of his friends and colleagues. Sure he'll watch highlights and the occasional ASU game but in the decade I have known him, I'd have to say that the Super Bowl is the only time I've seen him engaged for four quarters (and truly it is more about anticipating the advertisements).

That said, Cole has not been exposed much to professional football and yet, he has been fascinated with all the pre-season trailers that are playing on the TV inquiring about our hometown team, the VIKINGS and asking all kinds of questions about football teams and how the game is played.

Thanks to our next door neighbors who have season tickets, Cole and Dave got to attend a pre-season VIKINGS game last Friday. He was soooo excited to wear a VIKINGS t-shirt and sit in the stands at the Metrodome. It was loud and chaotic but he had a blast.

I have a feeling that his interest in the gridiron is just beginning...

Checked off the list...

Each summer for the past two years, Cole and I have crafted a to-do list of new places to go and see, things to do or try and of course some seasonal favorites such as "get ice cream" and "go to the beach". We did pretty well with crossing things off our sheet and had a ton of fun along the way. Each summer seems to pass faster and faster. I think we have a whole three months and wham, I'm stunned to realize it is mid-August already.

One of the last remaining items was "learn how to ride his bike without training wheels". Our neighbors had a bike the next size up in their garage and donated it to us for the cause. However, the bike was purple which Cole was not happy about. We explained that it was a perfectly great bike to learn from and once he could show us he could do it that a new bike was his! He made a few solid attempts with one awful crash and burn escapade where he lost control and veered off the trail and ended up careening DOWN HILL and literally catapulted over his handlebars into a bush. He shied away from the bike for weeks after that, luckily nothing broken or terribly bruised other than his ego.

We knew we would have to coax him to get back on it and try again knowing he was strong and coordinated enough to master it. Sure enough, with just a wee bit of hesitancy and Dave running along side, in a matter of 15 minutes, he was off to the races, his confidence returning and a huge smile beaming from his face. He will have to continue to practice but Santa will be bringing him a new bike this Christmas (blue and green as requested).

003 from David Denham on Vimeo.

A change of pace...

Cole finished up with Montessori at the very beginning of the month. I had signed him up for day camp for the month of August at LifeTime Fitness and the YMCA, four days a week. This was intentional as I wanted to shake things up a bit to help him transition from three days of preschool to five days of kindergarten which starts in a few weeks. Cole is not a fan of change or of new experiences. He still harbors a reluctance when entering unfamiliar territory. Once he has some time to acclimate, you can find him right in the thick of it but he just simply likes to ease into things.

Knowing my kiddo, I felt that having him participate in our gym's day camp first made a lot of sense. He already knew the facility and many of the childcare staff. He played shy at drop off the first several days but once he made friends and learned the routine, he was running off to meet his buddies and actually cried one afternoon when I picked up because he wasn't ready to leave.

When he switches to YMCA camp next week, it will be another few mornings of elongated goodbyes I'm sure though he'll be attending with three of his playdate pals with whom he'll be in kindergarten with!

It has been hard on me to lose my Mondays with him after all these years. When he begins school next month, we will lose our Fridays together too. I have been oh so lucky to have had that special time with him, working part-time allowing us that. He is growing up and we will inevitably spend less and less dedicated time with one another. That is just how life works, more independent, less dependent on his mom. I hope he has special memories of our "mommy days", I know I'll carry them in my heart always.

Cole the web-slinger...

As I have posted previously, Cole's interests change like the wind. I think we have gone through four or five "phases" this year where he immerses himself for weeks in all things X and then all of a sudden, something different becomes his focus. He still loves Wild Kratts, Ninjago and Super Heroes but he has graduated onto a more complex solo character, Spiderman.

Cole wanted EVERY book we could find at the library on Spiderman and his infamous enemies. We have read and re-read them. I finally found a book that is a compilation of them all (20 tales) and we have gone through reading one a night and now are in repeat mode. Eventually, the book will need to be returned (I can renew every 3 weeks three times). So doing the math, that gives him 84 days with said book and as such approximately 4 re-reads of each story within the book. He knows when you skip a line and will call you out on it. :-)

He loves flinging his wrists in spidey-fashion as he zips around the house. Every few weeks, he is able to make a purchase based on good behavior for something under $20 with the understanding that one of his current toys needs to be donated. He had been eyeing a Spiderman mask that talked and was more $$. I told him that if he wanted that that it would be equal to two items so that he would have to wait nearly six weeks for another "thing" even if he was well-behaved (as we are trying to teach him about cost and value). Initially he held off saying he wanted to think about it. Eventually he made his choice and went with it. He has only asked once since about how long it would be until he was able to receive something new.

So now, he wears his mask and jumps around web-slinging and talking in a low voice. The topic of Halloween came up and he immediately shared that he wanted Spiderman to be his costume and inquired if could he wear his mask. So unless he switches gears in September when I typically make a costume purchase, Spiderman it will be.

A bittersweet goodbye...

Cole began attending Orono Montessori school when he was 17 months old (May 2008). After months and months of him exhibiting severe separation anxiety, Dave and I made the decision that it was necessary for him to be socialized around others consistently. I knew it was going to be initially a very difficult change (for both of us). However, my best friend's kids had attended OMS and though it was a 15 minute one-way commute, I knew with her recommendation, the obvious and overwhelming happy energy I felt when we interviewed there, the awesome outdoor play areas, the Montessori method of learning and the smiles on the kid's faces, I knew that was the place for Cole to be.

I'll never forget the first morning I dropped him off in the toddler room into the capable and caring hands of Ms. Sara. Cole writhed and sobbed and looked at me with such confusion as I walked away. It had to be done but I sat in the parking lot, sobbing myself, knowing he would be fine but wondering how I would cope. It was a rough few weeks, Cole was not happy about the new arrangement. They told me he would settle down after I left each morning and I just had to trust them.

It was so odd coming home to a quiet house, I was off-balance and didn't quite know what to do with myself so I tackled numerous household projects to fill the time (3 days a week). Of course, eventually we fell into our new normal. Cole spent a year and half in Ms. Sara's room before moving to Ms. Leena's preschool classroom just shy of his 3rd birthday. Cole was not about to transition quietly. Thus began a new wave of tearful drop-offs as he adjusted to new teachers, friends and daily events. He remained hesitant to engage for months, choosing to observe from the sidelines much of the time. Cole readily took to the Montessori lessons but preferred not to take part in some of the more social aspects such as singing, face painting or any activity that was not his choice. Ms. Leena, Ms. Holly and Ms. Jenifer took him under their wings and gently coaxed him when he put on the brakes.

As he approached his 4th birthday, Cole began to come out of his shell. He knew what he liked and didn't like but was now able to communicate it instead of just welling up with tears. Cole still clung to Dave and I in the morning, reluctant to join in the chaos of 24 little voices clamoring to be heard. Who could blame him? LOL. He was becoming quite the chatterbox though and would talk your ear off about such random things!

Cole had several buddies at school with whom he would gravitate to at drop off and be with out on the playground at pick-up, running, chasing, pushing trucks, and building towers. Every afternoon I was greeted with a huge tackling hug. The kid's knew everyone's parents and made the announcements as we entered the building. I came in to help with art and science projects, reading, field trips and the photo shoot. I got to see how dedicated the OMS staff was in caring for 60 some children that weren't their own! Spending time on-site allowed me in an insider's view of how OMS handled discipline, respect, learning and growing. I was awed by what I saw!

It was a big year between his 4th and 5th birthdays. Cole had already shown us what a charming, funny, curious, goofy and bright kid he was but those traits had remained buttoned-up when he was in the company of others. He finally turned a corner somewhere in his 4th year and then Bam, all of a sudden he was making everyone laugh, he was expressing his silly side, he was more inclined to participate in group/team activity, he was randomly hugging his teachers. It was a huge and pivotal growth period. As he became more at ease, he was more apt to get involved on many levels which had a positive domino effect.

As he entered the 2011-2012 school year, he was one of the older students at OMS which meant he was asked to help out with the littler ones. He liked the responsibility. Cole continued to excel academically, amazing us with his aptitude with numbers and his overall ability with phonics. He was doing first grade work and he wasn't even in kindergarten.

We knew in the spring that he would be attending full-day kindergarten in St. Louis Park so his final months at OMS were drawing near. His most formative years have been under the guidance and loving care of the staff at OMS. Cole has thrived in this environment and it has been a joy to watch him grow into such a smart young lad. Much of that is his own doing, some of it ours as parents and much of it is attributable to the individuals at OMS which will forever be a part of Cole's history and we will forever hold the memories that were made here in our hearts.

The last morning I dropped him off yesterday, August 2, 2012, I had a huge lump in my throat and I held back tears as signed him in once last time. We gave gifts to his teachers and dished out lots of hugs. Dave and I had a mini-party for the kids at pick-up with popsicles and lollipops. Dave read "Oh the Places You Will Go" by Dr. Seuss. Soon it was time to pack up, take some pictures and say good-bye. We will visit often. Some things in life though necessary are so bittersweet.

My little fish's update...

I have posted a swim update every few months since it has been the one area that Cole has seemed to struggled with. Every session (12 weeks in length) he has made progress but this summer has been a breakthrough few months! He finally seems at ease and his limbs seem to be working with him as he coordinates his strokes rather than against him all willy nilly.


I have sat and observed for the better part of the past year as he attempted valiantly to keep up with his swim mates. He loves being competitive and he was frustrated that he wasn't going as fast and often tearful that his teachers had to keep assisting him. You could see as he got into the pool each week he was excited and ready to go and yet 10 minutes into class he would begin grimacing when he couldn't keep up. I had him begin practicing his arm movements in our big bathtub back in May and at some point he realized he was improving as he would practice without coaxing and the result was that his muscle memory began to kick in during lessons. His endurance has grown too which has helped him as well since he still has to work harder than the others. He now gets through the entire 30 minutes with a smile on his face. You can see he isn't "thinking" as much about his strokes, they are coming more naturally.


See below for videos of him doing both front and back stroke.

Front Stroke/Swim Lessons July 2012 from David Denham on Vimeo.

Back Stroke/Swim Lessons July 2012 from David Denham on Vimeo.

See ya at the lake...

This is our second summer with our boat "Time Out" and "she" truly is living up to her name. We have thoroughly enjoyed hopping on the lake almost every weekend, venturing out to find a quiet cove for my guys to fish in or a calm bay to float/swim/splash, getting away from the hustle/bustle of our daily routine.

It has been a HOT few weeks so Mr. Tucker has not been able to join us as often. Being in the water is fine but the boat deck just gets too uncomfortable for him as his brown coat soaks up the sun's rays despite the half-shade of the Bimini top.

We have acquired quite a few boat "toys", noodles, chair floats, water guns and the like but this year we decided it was time for a towable as Cole is strong and tall enough and he is swimming so much more confidently. So we bought a sturdy two-seater tube that serves as both a place to lounge and a place to ride. It has been a bit of a test to find the appropriate speed and angle that Cole is okay with. Too slow and he is putting his feet up to go faster, too fast and the fear shows immediately on his face. We cannot drive the boat on a straight-away for extended periods so having to circle is inevitable and hitting another boat's wake or a rogue wave makes the tube tip and dip which much like a roller coaster can make one's tummy do the same.

Mimi, Gunnar and Cole have ridden and Mimi was fearless, she would have gone 30 mph. Cole adores Gunnar and was all smiles as he sat next to him whirling around the lake. That is, until they both signaled to go faster and the tube hit a wake and out went Gunnar.

We recently took our next door neighbors out on the lake for the afternoon and Cole and Jesse had a blast riding together. Debbie and Jesse went for a couple of spins and then Dave and I got to ride with Jesse behind the wheel, he gunned it trying to dump us. Eventually, Dave went overboard (twice). I held on, LOL!

We are looking forward to several more weeks of "swimmable" days and realize how lucky we are to say "See ya at the lake..."

Batter Up...

The past six weeks we have had a calendar full of seasonal fun, fishing, boating, play dates, camping, backyard sprinklers, ice cream, and bike riding! Our evenings have been defined by swim lessons, soccer practice/games and T-ball (no practice just games).

No doubt, Cole loves to play with our various media devices, that is just part of the activity that his generation is growing up with but simply put Cole loves to move (like someone else I know, LOL). With him communicating interest in playing sports, he has had a busy summer trying some new things and doing a body good. Cole has learned a lot about teamwork, sportsmanship, and dedication and has gained an appreciation for what it takes to be a part of something.

He began T-ball the same week as soccer last month. The games each Wednesday are played a stone's throw from our front door in the park 50 yards away. His team is the Dodgers and they wear light blue t-shirts and hats sponsored by our local grocery, CUB Foods. Each week, he has excitedly put on his uniform and inquired what team they would be playing against.

T-ball with five year olds is even more comical than soccer with five year olds. The first few weeks, no one remained in position as they would all run for the ball. There are no outs, everyone gets multiple chances to bat so those kiddos out in the field after 5 minutes were bored, digging holes in the dirt, purposely kicking up clouds of fine dust, looking anywhere but from where the ball could be coming from. There were some close calls with balls whizzing by their heads and near collisions as four of them tackled the ball but they were laughing and having a grand ole time. Several weeks into the season, they are hitting stronger and paying a wee more attention. Everyone loves to play catcher and put the mask on.

Cole has played catch and hit balls many times with Dave and I previous to T-ball. He has a straight as an arrow throw and is a pretty good catcher. He keeps his eye on the ball and hits solidly. The very first time he went up to bat during a game, he strode up and batted left! The coaches were all surprised as he WHACKED it. They get three or four tries each time and Cole continued to hit pretty well. Though he throws right-handed, he has continued to bat left-handed and proficiently. Pop-Pop was very excited to hear that maybe he could be a switch-hitter someday!

Below is a video from his first game!

Cole's first T-Ball Practice from David Denham on Vimeo.

Our road trip to DREAM MAKER...

The Denhams were overdue to take a long road trip and by that I mean 400+ miles. They have become our signature family adventure. In recent years, we have trekked to Outer Banks (several times), Montana, Denver and Pennsylvania accumulating miles like status points. People think we are nuts for traveling with a young kiddo and a 85lb lab but we like to think that it makes the most sense. Yes, it may take longer for us to reach a destination but we have so much more under our control than if we were at the whim of an airplane/airport/pilot/weather that could alter our arrival in a heartbeat. We can eat/pee/rest whenever we want. There are far less people affected when meltdowns of the behavioral variety occur (that goes for me and Dave too) and best of all, Tucker can be with us as we vacation or visit; he and Cole are serious road warriors.

With a bit of planning, 99% of our trips have been a success (the one where we hit a blizzard and drove behind a semi because it was the only thing we could see for nearly two hours was the other 1%). Everything gets tucked into its accessible place, movies are downloaded, grab bag of surprises purchased, snacks at the ready and we are off.

Our most recent journey had us heading back east to Gigi and Pop Pop's new place down at the Jersey Shore. A hot forecast, refreshing pool, ocean air and family awaited us. Approximately 22 hours of drive time. It was an easy ride, good weather, nice dog-friendly hotel. We used to drive straight through but it just wears us all out so we decided to go as far as we think we can and stop for the night.

We arrived at Dream Maker late in the afternoon, a bit weary but excited. Tucker smelled the salty air and couldn't wait to get OUT of the Explorer. It was our first long trip in my car and though we thought things might be tight, it held more than we anticipated and gave Tucker more room than Dave's truck. After getting the tour of the house, the dock and the beautiful view of the inlet, we unloaded and got settled. Cole jumped into the pool and we started happy hour. Drinks continued to flow as we motored out of the inlet for a sunset cruise, the clouds mixing with a sky/sun that you can only see when you are near water.

We had a day to unwind before Trisha and the girls arrived for the week. Cole showed Pop Pop all about Ninjago and we enjoyed a day of sunshine, seafood and relaxing. Early morning out on the dock, a family of swans came down to drink from the fresh water outlet, babies in tow. We saw them many times that week since we were up as usual with the sunrise. The area Mom and Dad reside in is a working class neighborhood, unlike the glitz just up the road in LBI. Their neighbors were fun and friendly which was so nice to see. Dad had just put the pool in and it was quite the topic of conversation amongst the locals and because it literally is right off the water, random people were stopping to inquire about how Dad had gotten variances to put it in. :-)

Trish and the girls came down on Monday and Cole and his cousins spent hours in the pool and the lagoon. Every hour it seemed they were pulling up the crab trap or spraying each other with the hose. A pre-dinner boat cruise became our routine before feasting on mussels or fresh fish (or both). The kids played so well together and were exhausted at the end of the day, their cheeks pink from the sun.

Pop Pop had splurged on a three-seater tow tube so we took that out one afternoon in the bay. Trish and I rode for quite awhile as each kid took a turn. Our hands ached but Samantha, Cole and Makenna LOVED it. The bumpy waves of the ocean took tubing to a whole other level. The kids did some fishing too but no one was successful at catching anything. The evening before the 4th of July, the neighbors came over for drinks at dusk and we watched an early fireworks show from Mom and Dad's dock, what a great seat!

4th of July morning was HOT and sunny. Dad's assistant and family were coming down for the day. We swam, drank and ate all day! LOL. The kids floated in the raft, went on a boat ride and spent 95% of their time in the pool. The day flew by and before we knew it, we were heading out to watch the fireworks on Dad's boat out near Barnegat Light. The sun set and BOOM. A great light show anchored amongst hundreds of boats!

The next day dawned and we were all a little groggy. Tucker took his morning nap dockside as the rest of us eased into our morning. Our plan for the day was to all head to Tice's shoal where everyone "parked" their boat and then "walked" to the island where over a boardwalk you found the Atlantic Ocean. We headed out for a short boat ride where we then weaved our way carefully around the other hundred plus people who had the same idea, found a spot, then jumped into waist deep water holding coolers and gear over our heads and made our way to the beach on the other side. The kids had a blast jumping waves and building sandcastles. It was crowded but so odd because you could really only get there by boat. The people watching was at its best. After a few hours, we made our way back to the boat and headed to Dream Maker for more swimming and dock time. The sunsets over the inlet had been amazing all week and that evening didn't disappoint either.

On our last day of vacation, Trish, Dad, the kids and I headed over for an afternoon at the tidal pools near where Barnegat Bay enters the ocean. At low tide it was very cool to walk along but the wind and current were extremely dangerous so the kids couldn't swim. It was still loads of fun poking around and finding sand crabs and such. In all the years I had spent down the Jersey shore I had never seen or been to these nature preserves and beach parks. It was really a totally new perspective and experience for me! Cole crashed on the couch when we got home and didn't wake up for dinner or Pop Pop's birthday celebration. After a full week of sun and fun, he was down for the count.

It was a wonderful week spending time with my parents, sister and the girls. Dream Maker is an oasis in a little spit of the Jersey Shore I never knew existed. I'm so happy for my parents that they found it.

Cole's latest fascination...

For the past several years Cole's interests have remained within the category of "things with wheels", CARS 1 & 2 the movies (and their never ending inventory of figures), monster trucks, Hot Wheels, Matchbox cars, firetrucks, construction vehicles and even airplanes (they have wheels too!) He has a playroom full of racetracks,runways, raceways built out of blocks, even most of our tables have "zoom" marks etched in them from repetitive action.

Though they remain an integral part of his imaginary play, he has entered a new world with his love of Lego's NINJAGO. A friend of his from Montessori began talking about them and brought his in for show-n-tell and a seed was planted. Cole has since become immersed and keen on finding out everything about the five ninjas (one of whom ironically is named Cole, their master Sensei Wu and their army of enemies (skeleton warriors). We found an in-depth book about them and we read it over and over for weeks as he memorized very fine details about them ALL!

Over the past four months he has collected numerous spinners (the figurines nestle into orb shaped vessels that twirl and spin like tornadoes) and the ninjas and skeletons in varying garb. Cole earns a new "something" with good behavior every two weeks (having to donate something in return) and without fail he has chosen some NINJAGO item to supplement his growing fleet. Cole has also become quite the master of spinning as with a flick of his wrist, he has his ninjas and their nemesis "fighting" as they roll over the counter, the tile, any available hard surface. When I try to play with him, I have continually failed with my dismal attempts to make my spinner actually spin. He comforts me by saying "that is alright mom, at least you are practicing". LOL

He watches their TV show with the utmost focus and though I haven't sat through many of the episodes in their entirety, I do like that amongst the "battles" and the "good vs evil" plot, there are a ton of messages about hard work, dedication, concentration, doing the right thing, friendship, differences amongst individuals, how to stand up for oneself and so on. I hear Cole reenact what he hears when he is playing and love to listen to his interpretation.

The past several weeks, Cole has asked for the NINJAGO Lego kits. This means 250 plus pieces of small microscopic Lego parts that when painstakingly are put together following 42 pages of instructions morph into cool blade cycles, sword stations and flying aircraft. They have moving wings, wheels and other WOW factors. Cole circles me like a hawk as I attempt not to curse while working on aforementioned creations (one took me two hours to build). However, the toil is all worth it as his smile beams out at me and I get an "I love you Mom" as I hand him the latest vehicle. I then breathe a sigh of relief (at least for another two weeks).

My little Pele...

Last fall, Cole wanted to play soccer. Last fall, Cole broke his collarbone. So Cole had to wait patiently until this summer to fulfill his desire because the spring season in Minnesota is always variable; some years, it has arrived in mid-April, last year it barely showed itself until late-May. This year of course, it sprung in late March! So you can see why I was hesitant to sign him up until I knew the temperatures would be conducive for me to be sitting on the sidelines.

Cole began soccer and T-ball the same week earlier this month. With soccer on Monday nights, swim lessons on Tuesdays, T-ball on Wednesdays and soccer practice on Thursdays, it has been GO GOO GOOO! I worried it would be too much. However, much like me, Cole likes to be doing something, anything...he does love some down time which he gets every afternoon after school when he can veg out for two hours but then he gets all revved up and excited to have an activity.

He has LOVED playing soccer. It has been a blast observing him have a grand old time as he interacts with the other Lightning Bolt players! As a parent, watching a bunch of 5 and 6 years old on the field is straight out of a comedy sketch. Some kids are kicking the ball toward the wrong net, numerous times they all converge on the ball and are kicking wildly with the ball going nowhere, other times instead of passing the ball to their team mates, they steal it away from them. The amount of "almost goals" is a statistic all its own, LOL.

Coach Mike rocks. To coach this age group takes an inordinate amount of energy and patience. To get seven of them to focus on the game and control the ball the best they can, all the while trying to advance their skills takes a special person.

To emphasis sportsmanship and a team mentality while balancing the desire to have fun and get them to each score a few goals is the ultimate outcome. Cole has been a bit hesitant on the field, holding back from getting into the middle of things but once he gets the ball, he heads down the field with a fair amount of finesse and he has scored a few times. The smile on his face says it all.

Eight weeks is the length of the season which isn't that long especially with summer flying by so quickly already. He has been asking about playing again in the fall. We shall see if his interest holds but I'm all for him playing another season before the snow begins to pile up.