Wow

Wow is right what a year so far. The little guy is adjusting to life and letting everyone know that he has a set of lungs on him. Grandma and Grandpa Riley came in on New Year’s Eve somehow avoiding most of the bad weather. We had a rather calm New Years Eve celebration we toasted the New Year at 10:00 and then went to bed. We were all beat. Robin and Gloria had just driven 17 hours in two days and Christian and I really don't have that great of an excuse!! The next day we went out on the town in search of New Years day dinner. Christian made us a fabulous boneless lamb roast and roasted vegetable. One Sunday everyone went to Church, well except for Connor and I. He did not feel like doing much so we stayed home. Later that day Christian's cousin Travis and his wife Natalie stopped by on their way to the mountains. It was nice for Connor to meet some more of his Riley family. But of course he was rather fussy. I think that all the festivities has worn the little guy out. Connor is doing great otherwise. He is becoming more and more alert. He is able to focus on people’s faces when they hold him. Connor has also started smiling because he is reacting to the situation. He has always smiled but now he will smile on his own when you talk to him or snuggle him. He is growing and growing and growing. He turned 6 weeks on Sunday so we will be going to his two month check up in a few weeks! All is well here. Just getting ready for what looks to be a busy, but exciting year for the Colorado Riley’s. Hope everyone had a great New Year’s and has a prosperous 2011!!

Connor listening to the Night Before Christmas

Connor and Grandpa Riley

Opening gifts

Don't forget us!!

Goggi needs love to

The cat in Connors new toy

Travis and Connor

Another One Down

Christmas is over, and we are back in Colorado Springs. I would have to say that this was one of the best Christmas' yet. This year it felt like I celebrated Christmas from a different perspective. Don't get me wrong I got lots and lots of really cool toys, but what was neat was trying to make Connor's first Christmas as special as I could (not that he really will remember). I can't wait till next year. 

On Christmas Eve we participated in a Santa Fe tradition where we walked down one of the main streets of town. All of the shops had decorated their store fronts with luminaries (bag that have candles in them). There was hot apple cider, bonfires burning and people singing Christmas carols. Connor participated in the festivities as well. Paco rode in the bottom of the stroller, he barker at all the dogs that came near him. Everyone got a kick out of the fact that I had a barking child. There was also another first for Connor, he went to a few art galleries. According to the curator of one of the galleries he really appreciated the art that he saw. After the walk we came home to the traditional Nemec Christmas Eve feast of cold cuts, cheeses and seafood. The next morning we woke Nana and Papa up at 7:30 to open presents. It was so neat to have Connor there. Christian and I felt like a family. That evening we had a big dinner party at Mom and Dad's. Connor of course was of the hit of the party. Connor also got to hang out with his Aunt Erin and Uncle Ben. Lets just say they all bonded instantly. Connor seems to have taken a real liking to his Aunt, I see lots of visits to his Aunt and Uncle's in the future. I have a few videos of Christmas morning on the right side of the page.

Connor is doing great. It seems like he has changed so much in the last ten days. He has become so observant and seems to react to people. There are some pictures of Connor and Papa at the bottom and it is like he is actually playing with dad. Also we got to sleep 6 1/2 hours straight last night. The longest yet!!! Connor has also started making lot and lots of sounds. We think that Paco is teaching him to talk because sometimes you can not tell the different when the two of them start squeaking. Connor might look like his daddy but he loves the water like his mommy. Bath time has become a favorite here he absolutely loves it.

Like I said we got back to Colorado Springs this evening and await Grandpa Robin and Grandma Gloria's arrival. Thanks Mom and Dad (Nana and Papa) for a wonderful Christmas. Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and has a great New Year!!

Christmas morning with Nana

That his Uncle

Looking to the Stars

The Nemec Riley Family (Connor was sleeping)

Christmas Eve Walk

Daddy's Corner

Merry Christmas Everyone! So Sunday is here again. We had a wonderful Christmas and are very much looking forward to my parents coming to town for the New Years. Plus we get to have a second Christmas celebration. I know Connor can't wait. Though now it is time for us to pack up and get ready to leave Santa Fe, and I have stepped up to the fatherly duty of packing the vehicle. This task is not as simplistic as some would like to think and not as much of a honor to undertake. This task will be contemplated for several hours before undertaking. Long conversations to yourself about how it should be done will happen. Your family will look at you as if you have lost it. These things will happen because as with every good trip to new grand-parents house, we are leaving with more then we came with.

Not to say that we packed lite to start with. On the trip down packing the vehicle was filled with questions of, "Do we really need this," or "Why are you packing so many baby clothes?" These question were quickly answered by Megan with, "yes we need that," and "shut up and just pack it." So now I am left with packing everything we brought and more. After lots of sweat, anguish, pinched fingers, bumped heads, and of course choice words of encouragement to the inanimate objects being shoved in, I now stand there looking at our family vehicle, weighted down looking as if it could tip itself over, with a smile and a look of great accomplishment. I smile knowing that as the years go by, packing the vehicle will involve less grumbling under my breath, less wanting to smash boxes in to tiny pieces so they fit better, and more joy as I watch Connor struggle with the task. Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and will have a very Happy New Year! --Christian

Christmas Time

Well it has been a few days since I have been on here. Connor, Christian and I are having a very relaxing Christmas time at Nana's and Papa's. Our wonderful child has ramped up his feeding so that has been a little challenging but we are adjusting. He is in love with the light here at the house he stares and make noises at them for hours. Today he went to his first cocktail party. Connor enjoyed it for about two hours then it was time to go home. All of the people at the party loved to hold him and he was rather agreeable. He seems to be growing by the hour and getting cuter and cuter by the minute. Hope everyone has a great Christmas Eve. We miss you all. Memere and Pepere we will be thinking about you this Christmas Eve. Talk to you soon.

Love Megan

Connor hanging out

Nana helping out

Working hard

Nana reading a Christmas book

 Bath time

Good Morning

Well it is a beautiful morning. I woke up to the cooing of Connor.  I got up, brought him to the bed, and as he was lying on my chest falling back asleep, he reminded me that it was his one month birthday.  In honor of that I decided that I will treat myself, and my wife, to a dinner out tonight.  I would do something for him, but he is too young to know.  That is what is fun about him at this age right now.  I can tell him all sorts of stories and he just smiles, or farts, and doesn't ask any questions.  So when he is 16 and finds out some of the escapades of his father, I can say, "I already told you about that."  Plus I have already had the "birds and bees" talk with him.  It is so much less award when he can't really respond.  Boy am I glad I got that task checked off my daddy list.  Well, we are going to go enjoy our Tuesday.  Adios for now, Christian