Mom created a sugarless as healthy as they come cupcakes and a birthday cake for the little stud's 1st birthday! What a hit they were, he started at the lion cake by picking off the cheerio mane before getting the courage to dig right into the cake and make that first birthday cake mess :) Thanks to all the family and friends for hanging out and making Liam's first birthday such a memorable one!
The Lioness & her Creation
Dig In
Happy 1st Birthday Buddy
December was an exciting month...well busy is perhaps a better description. Liam decided overnight that he was tired of sitting and preferred to be standing or walking (with assistance). He holds onto your fingers for balance and explores by walking in and out of every room possible. Its hard to keep up with him now....oh man what happens when he is truly walking :)
I can't believe our little guy is almost a year old! Only a few more weeks. Will he walk by Jan 16? :) oh he is so close
Holding On
Almost a year old...just around the corner!
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8 months old and already getting demanding
cousin Riley, the campfire guru, showing off his hot ember smoke designs
Naylor lake with Mt Bierstadt and Mt Evans (14ers) looming overhead
Waking up from a nap at the crag
cousin Ryan in the middle of some arete dancing on Dough Boys, - Shelf Road
camp chair comforts , hanging out at camp
alien, coffee beans, monster eating coffee beans?
Grammy D (Grandma McQuade) came up for a few weeks of fun and hanging with the Grandson:). Part of her visit we traveled to Crested Butte and spent 5 days mountain biking and hiking several of the areas classics. Including a jaunt up Scarp Ridge...what an amazing hike this little Gem is:)
Loving him some Crayon colored bricks
Daddy's Happy Camper
Scarp Ridge and its 2000' cliffs
GPS tracks up the Scarp Rdige
These two are non stop giggles when they hangout
Enjoying the plush comforts of our mountain-side condo in Crested Butte
Two crazy ladies we happened to come across on our hike of Scarp Ridge (Grammy D and Lynn)
Staying warm at the Secret Stash, waiting on our Pizza
Entertaining the cooks preparing the mornings breakfast
The dudes getting it done on Scarp Ridge
Now that's some great mountain scenery :):):)
, not only memorable craft cocktails but some great tapas
The Anthracite's
Some great subject material
Thanks Grammy D for a great 2 weeks!!!!!!
We all had such a great time climbing for 5 days!....that I failed to take a single climbing pic :) Well not true Liam got on the rock for the first time:) He also appeared to be endlessly amused with our attempts to beatbox around the campfire...."Bouncing Cats" is a common phrase used to create vocal percussion...lets just say the phrase got over used and was even used during crux moves and red point attempts.
Starting the day at the crack of noon...one of the reason we love climbing in ten sleep...sleep in (til ten) eat breakfast lounge around camp til noon then climb til dark. The majority of the climbing sectors dont go into the shade til noon.
Liam first climb...looks like he is hooked:)
back at camp eating hid pre climbing carrots.....or is it wearing?
Holding down the fort as we set up camp
A little creek side bath time after 5 days of camping
Liam rocked... 4 days of hanging out at the crag for 6-8 hours each day. Usually with a big smile on his face...the perfect crag baby!
Grammy D (McQuade) is back in CO for a few weeks to hangout with our little "Poster Boy". Yeh
A little Peeka..........
.....Boo
Look at that large bowl of avocados all gone! He eats like a champ for Grammy D
We've been working on getting "little man" out of our vocab....its just not fitting anymore:) 14 pounder these days! And eating pureed bananas, carrots, sweet potatoes, and avocados. Liam also recently had his first Lake Sylvia experience hanging out at great grandmas in Minnesota.
Historic Manitou Springs, CO. Sandbags still remain after last falls flooding
All laughs with Gpa in Albuquerque, NM
Great grandma "GiGi" and Grandma sandwich
The alleyway leading from the outside patio at our favorite wine bar (
) in Manitou Springs. Chef Seth Jaray creatively brilliant, for example our favorite desert is the Lavender Pana Cotta served with goat cheese foam and lemon sorbet
Playing at the end of GiGi's dock
Swimming this time next year:) ?
Moon rise as seen from GiGi's deck
Checking out the 2014 MLB All-Star game festivities in the Twin Cities
Liam livening up the scene at the Mountain Toad Brewery in Golden, CO
Bananas :)
AK baby! What a great trip with our little buddy. He was a trooper and a perfect traveler, not a peep out of him on the 6 hour plane flight! And camping and hiking what a stud. And cant wait for our next adventure with him:) ICELAND
Mr. Man happy to be exploring his moms favorite place on the planet in his Peruvian hoody brought home by Wes and Di from their recent venture to Peru. It seems Liam has started to outgrow the hoody, at least he put it to use this trip.
Our room with a view strategically placed at the tip of the Homer spit. One of our adventures involved taking a boat across Kachemak Bay to Kayaker's Cove and hiking Grace Ridge ( the long ridge line seen dead center of above pic)
One of several old boats along the Homer spit road
Exposure: 20 sec Aperture: f/16 Focal Length: 12 mm ISO Speed: 200
Virgin Falls found after a short hike right out of the town of Girdwood, AK. I waited a few days to get this shot due to almost 36 hours of continuous rain. The image was captured using a ND filter (
LEE Filters Sev5n System. How do ND filters work....
Mr. Man waiting for daddy to get back to the dinner table at Captain Pattie's Fish House on the Homer Spit
This curious little fella blocked our trail for awhile before raising his quills and sauntering off
Shortly after this capture this darned blackbird persistently dive bombed and chased my down a side street at the end of the homer spit ( hence the name of the street Lands End)
One of my favorites taken along the Grace Ridge Trail. The mushrooms just barely staying out of the suns rays. The undersides of the shrooms seem to be illuminated by the lights reflection off the green ferns.
Early morning while K and Liam slept in, I took a stroll along the harbor at the tip of the spit. Things were quiet enough so I secretly opened a gate and took some interesting shot of these land lost buoys. I love the spray paint on the bottoms; kind of a glimpse into each buoys past
Exposure: 0.6 sec Aperture: f/8 Focal Length: 12 mm ISO Speed: 200
Virgin Falls again, only this time a 0.6 sec exposure vs the 20 sec exposure above. Notice with less exposure time the waters path/movement is easier noted
Liam and Kelly watching her son Paul energetically bouncing around in his bouncing swing
Paul :)
A boat bringing in the mornings catch to be unloaded via crane. Halibut perhaps? Homer is called the "Halibut Fishing Capital of the World"
Some fellas casting off the tip of the spit. These guys caught a fish every few minutes. If you look closely you can see they have each landed one.
The boardwalk along the spit. a good place to find some fresh fish caught right there within Kachemak Bay
Taking a break at treeline, Liam getting out of his pack for a snack and some stretches
K and Liam aboard the Mulligan, the boat in charge of taking us across Kachemak Bay over to Tutka Bay and landing us on Kayaker's Cove to start the hike of Grace Ridge
Engulfed by the dense forest of lower Grace Ridge
Comfy enough to sleep
Views just exiting treeline on Grace Ridge
Getting out for some rain drenched hiking during a 2 day stretch of continuous rain in Girdwood. The only thing wet under Liam's rain fly was his blanket from sucking on it:)
Mount Iliamna is a glacier-covered stratovolcano in the largely volcanic Aleutian Range in southwest Alaska
After our 6 hour adventure along Grace Ridge we wait patiently for our boat pickup at Kayaker's Cove
Buoy Graveyard
The high-tide and lack of clamming opportunities had bored him to sleep during a trip to Clam Gulch near Kenai, Ak
One tired AKer....til next years Alaska ski trip and sea kayaking trips
A road trip down to New Mexico last off week resulted in Liam's first camping experience at one of my favorite climbing destinations, the Enchanted Tower, near Datil, NM. The 110' iconic tower boasts approx 20 routes on the steep severely pocketed 110' wall. Joyous pocket pulling at its best. Liam loved camping!....good thing, because I'm not sure he has much choice :) Grammy-D also came camping with us and she too had a blast...thanks mom for joining and helping with Mr. Man, what a blast!
The 110'
near
. Home to some of the best steep pocket pulling around!
Liam and Grammy-D pulling the rope for pops after an ascent of
Granmmy-D's riding buddy Maestro showing off his new barn remodel
Settling for the night in our new "condo" style tent - Liam seemed to love camping!
Aiden and and his pops Robin packing up after a good weekend of climbing and camping with the crew
Grammy-D's youngest horse Haideh
A small figurine standing among the garden in Peralta, NM
The man holding down the fort
Who needs the mono with that reach
Dara utilizing the rope after an ascent of Shipwrecked to do some crazy silk aerials
Dara flying off the tower
Steph and Henry
Best Buds
Best'er Buds
Liam assisting mommy with her knot
This past off week was great. Liam and I had some bonding time as mom worked 4 shifts. The most in a week since her return to work. Although Grandma and Grandpa Casey so kindly agreed to watch the little guy while I camped and climbed at Shelf Road over the weekend:) Great Time! Liam, K and I also got to squeeze in a hike prior to these down pours CO has been receiving. Liam loves to be outside....good thing right:) He is always very smiley and curious when were are outside.
He is turning into quite the funny guy always laughing and smiling up a storm
The Cactus Cliff and Spiney Ridge zones as seen from the Bank camp ground
Liam playing in the garden
He used to sleep tucked down in the ergobaby carrier, now he prefers sticking his head out to keep an eye on everything
The springs last snow storm with the Coor's Factory Wastewater treatment plant in the foreground. Had to pass some no trespassing signs to get this pic:)
A few random shots from around Golden. And of course a few Liam shots:)
Along the Coors Factory train tracks showing our middle of May snowstorm
Liam's first selfie taken in a mirror
There are cowboys who use this here gate
Auntie Shelley meets Liam
Happy 1st Mother's Day Beautiful:)
My brother in route to Coor's Field for a Rox game
This past off week the Wodraska's from AZ visited. We all got to meet their lovely daughter Willow for the first time. We spent several days hanging around golden, got in some climbing, hiking, and BBQ'n. Cant wait til the next time....either can Liam:)
Josie introduces Willow and Liam
Eric hanging with the kiddos
Liam's first day of climbing at Clear Creek Canyon, CO. The PeaPod rocks
Spring Fever - things were starting to green up nicely for our desert visitors from Tucson
Willow has applied sunscreen and is ready to check out Eldorado Canyon
Runoff is getting good
Playing in the grass at Eldo
Willow trusting her new best buddy with her finger
The key to keeping up with the little ones
Future best buddies? :)
Uncle Sean, Grammy D and Grandpops, came up from New Mexico to hang out with Liam for the week.
Liam's personality is starting to emerge :)
Liam hung out with the Casey clan down in Manitou Springs while K and I skied and climbed:) What a great weekend, Thanks Casey's! So the little chunker weighs over 9 pounds right now. He has come a long way from his 3 lbs at birth:) He does push ups and holds his head up, strong guy, Im afraid he will be crawling around the house here before too long:)
Old barn near fourmile creek on our way to climb at Shelf Road
On a hike with Grandma Debbie - Red Rocks Canyon - Manitou Springs, CO
Passed Out! on Grandma Debbie
Skiing in the Tenmile Range then climbing at Shelf Road "the CO double"
Liam hangs out with Grandma McQuade "Grammy D" in Ouray, CO for several days taking in the local scenery and waterfall hikes while K, Drew, Todd and I get some quality splitboarding time in the San Juan's. Our evenings consisted of making gourmet dinners in our rented house in the heart of downtown Ouray, followed by soaking in the Orvis Hotsprings.
After several days of hanging out with Grammy D in Ouray, Liam then got to meet his Great Grandma "GiGi" from Minnesota for the first time. As well as his auntie Ruth. What a lucky dude getting to hang with all these amazing ladies:)
Great Grandma GiGi
Yesterday's Hike
Cuddle time with Grammy D in Ouray, CO
Roaring like his Polar Bear
Home made rocking horse brought to Ouray with Grammy D. Thanks Toni and Greg for the beautifully made horsey!
Since increasing his milk from 60cc to 80cc every 3 hours, the little guy now weighs 6 pounds
Maybe it was the beer not the increase to 80cc:)
She's a beauty
Uncle Drew and Auntie SB at Barrels and Bottles
Mavis and Ryan hanging at the Toad with Liam
Mom gets the green light in a few days (6 weeks post C-section) , a ski perhaps:) Well deserved I'd say:) Although Liam might have to sit on the pine when it comes to skiing. That hasn't been the case this past week when its come to hiking in the winter sun:) He has been hiking several times as and managed to fit in his first micro brewery at Golden's Mountain Toad Brewing along with auntie Kirsten and cousin Magnolia.
Aside from Liam's busy outdoor activities schedule he continues to feed and grow. We had an appointment with the lactation nurse yesterday and to our surprise he was "only" weighing in at 5.5 pounds, mom and dad expected more of a weight gain over the past week, so after Nicky the lactation nurse gave some pointers on breast feeding little Liam took in 76cc's there in her office. Our first major breast feeding accomplishment. Not only did he successfully breast feed but he also showed us that the 60cc's we had been feeding him every 3 hours wasnt enough. So we bumped his feeds up he now takes 75-80cc's every 3 hours. He is a pig:) If you're wondering how we were able to quantify the amount of milk consumed while breast feeding.......we weighed him on a scale naked before and after the breast feed:) Thank goodness no one weighs me before and after a meal :)
Standing on top of Golden's iconic Table Mountain soaking up the sun in mid February
Apres hike brewery - Liam about to pound his milk:)
Mag's showing me her hands aren't cold
Snuggling with my boy at the Toad
Mag's and her gang up to no good
Kid swap:)
Sharing some of papa's papas
Our little angel flew the coop today! Way ahead of schedule (36 weeks and 3 days vs the staffs suggested 38 weeks). Over the weekend little Liam decided to surprise the medical staff and start taking all his feeds himself on his own schedule. So once again Liam is early:) and leaves the hospital way ahead of schedule.
Liam's first car seat voyage. What a huge car seat:)
Liam's portable crib for now, next to mom and dad
Asleep at home - finally:)
