My mommy and me

Hey everyone,

This is the last full week of my maternity leave and I'm really going to miss my full days with our little man!   

On Monday, I'll start working part-time for the next two weeks and then will start full-time after that (yep, the tears are already flowing as I right this...) Jasper's Grandma Vicki is going to watch him while both Adam and I are at work for the next two weeks, so she'll gets lots of extra loving with him - that I know she's looking forward to.

I know when I return to work full-time Jasper is going to be in great hands and I've got a great job to go back to.  Paulette and Jody at the Chamber enjoy Jasper as much as I do, so I know they won't mind if I bring in a HUGE picture collage of Jasper to take over my desk and the one, maybe two.. or three...phone calls to daycare to check up on him!  (I'm only somewhat kidding!) :)

So, besides starting to get emotional over my maternity leave winding down, I smile looking back on how great spending all day, everyday with Jasper has been! He is so special and I just love him so much!  I can't wait for the many milestones that we still have ahead with him, but I will always treasure this time that he and I shared together! (in the photo - Jasper falling asleep in my arms)  

- Natalie 

Special Post for Erin Wilson...

As promised, here is our little Broncos fan.  He's laying on a beautiful blanket his great-grandma Trissel made for him, staying true to the colors of his favorite team!

Up or Down...

Jasper's favorite chair is his baby papasan 'bee' chair.  Cozmo also likes this chair because it's low to the ground and perfect to sneak a little lick of his baby brother.  As you can see in the photos he's chosen some funny positions for his hands while asleep...'up or down, which do I like better?'

I'm Smiling!

Jasper is officially a month old and has reached one of his first milestones - a smile! Actually, he has smiled plenty before, but now they are the result of lots of tickling and noise-making sessions by mom and dad rather than the pleasant feeling he got when he passed gas :)  He used to get very fussy on the changing table, but now it's one of his favorite hangouts and sure to bring about a smile. I was lucky enough to catch him in the act the other day with this photo and sent it to Adam at work. It's now one of our favorites!

- Natalie  

Go Broncos!!!

It's been a couple of days since I updated the blog, and I've heard about it from a few of you. (Some were a little bit louder than others.) Sorry it took so long.

It took some time, as you can see by the look on his face in a few of these shots, but Jasper eventually came around. He's now a die-hard fan of the two-time Super Bowl champion Denver Broncos. 

Our voices might still sound to Jasper like Charlie Brown's teacher (wawa-wa wawa wawa wa wawawa), but by the time the 2008 football season starts Jasper will be 6 months old or so, at the right age where he should sit next to me and listen to my stories about the greatest quarterback of all time, John Elway. I'll tell him about The Drive. I'll tell him how special it is to wear the No. 7 on a football jersey. And I'll tell him that it's wrong to hit, that is unless, in the conversation about great NFL QBs, someone actually brings up Dan Marino or Brett Fav-re. Then it's OK to hit.

After we got a couple of different Broncos outfits (Thanks Wilsons! Thanks Kristin!), I had to pose him in the gear. So, instead of some old, boring photo of Jasper just sitting there, I had him sit there surrounded by Elway collectibles, including jerseys from Elway's high school, college and professional career, found at various times on eBay.

At this point in my life I think I own something like 15 Elway jerseys, but who's counting. (Note: the one I'm wearing is my favorite; it's the one with the Super Bowl logo on it which, after suffering through some epic defeats, the Broncos won in 1998 ad 1999. Can't believe it's been 10 years since I was doused with silly string at John and Roni's after Denver won their first title!)

The best part about all this stuff? It'll all be Jasper's one day. And he'll have to find room for it.

Let's just hope he doesn't fall into the wrong crowd and become a Chiefs fan ... or Raiders ... or Chargers ... or Bears ... or Packers ... or Vikings. With my guidance, I'm sure he'll stick with the good guys.

Anyway, thanks all for visiting. Keep it up and I'll keep posting. Adam

The land of giants?

Wow ... amazing how they grow in just a few short months. Here's Jasper (almost 3 weeks old)  hanging with his friend Quinton Hall, son of Ben and Melissa (McCorkel) Hall on April 12. Q (4 months old now) weighed less than J did when he was born, but is making up for it now!

Growing, yes. Steady? Not quite, as you can see with J being propped up against the chair's arm and Ben balancing Q.

 They're sure to be good buddies. Adam

Who's holding me, II?

More people holding Jasper, including (starting top left after clicking the link), aunt Jody Weller, cousin Mallory Weller, cousin Autumn Swallow and aunt and uncle Sandy and Junior Swallow.

Who's holding me?

Starting in the hospital, Jasper has gotten to meet quite a few friends and family in his first two-plus weeks. Here's a look at a few of Jasper's first friends, with more similar posts to come. 

Starting at the top left of the post (you must click this post's link to see the photos the way I describe them), cousin Payton Smith, cousin Pryce Smith (top right), 'uncle' Nate Westre and Amy Duncan, my boss. Adam

Fun on daddy's birthday!

Here you'll find Jasper hanging out today (April 4) in mommy's donut cushion. Who's ready to go tubing?!?!?!

Also, you'll see a not-so-happy Jasper posed in the corner of our couch, where I have been trying to take daily photos to see how he grows and develops. Let's just say Jasper is not a fan of being undressed.

And just so you know I don't torture him by posing him for silly photos, there's also one attached from tonight of Jasper hanging in his boppy thing ... Adam

Grandmas!!!

What more can we say. Grandmas Debbie W and Vicki H and great-grandma Doris D just LOVE Jasper!

Big cousin Noah!!!

It took a week, but we were finally able to introduce Jasper to his big cousin Noah (Jason H's son). Noah took to Jasper quickly, and vice-versa, the two hanging out for an hour or so Monday night at our house. Noah, with a younger brother and a younger sister already in the mix, is great with kids!

Thanks Noah!

Back to work already?

I'll tell you, after a week off — spent doing nothing more than enjoying the company of Natalie, Jasper and Cozmo and our visitors, of course — it was tough heading back to work.

I found every excuse I could to stay home as long as I could, but eventually I knew I had to get back at it. (Not that they needed me; it looked like they had things under control when I returned.)

The best part about going back to work was knowing I'd come home to scenes like the ones pictured - Jasper all wrapped up and snuggly after a bath and him and Coz just hanging out.

Jasper and his mom are having all the fun, but at least she's taking photos for me to see what's going on.