It was a weekend of firsts for Michael James

This weekend was a weekend of several firsts for our little Michael James. Thanks to a Christmas gift from Santa Clause, our whole family had the opportunity to stay the weekend in Keystone, CO and take Michael skiing. It was an amazing mini-vacation...

And to finish the weekend off, Michael had his first soccer game as a "Little Dribbler" Sunday afternoon w/ his buddies Jacob and Keira from Highlands Ranch Learning Center. And... he kicked-in his first goal!!!

It was a wonderful, non-stop weekend...

It Started w/ a Fitting

Michael was SO excited and SO cute trying on his ski gear...

Here he is getting measured for his "robot" or "Iron Man" boots - as he called them.

And his helmet, which he had no interest in taking off after trying it on...

Taking his boots for a test drive - he walked surprisingly well in them.

And then we settled in to our awesome studio! 

Our studio was in an area of Keystone, CO called Lakeside Village, about a mile from the resort and we LOVED the heated indoor/outdoor pool where we swam under the stars every night.

We made it our own Friday night, Saturday and Sunday morning. The complex also had a heated indoor/outdoor pool that we enjoyed Friday and Saturday nights under the stars.

It had amazing views of what is usually an ice skating rink in the winter and a pond w/ water activities in the summer. We were there in the "in between" season, but we look forward to going back and checking this area of town out again.

Michael wanted to lay/relax like Daddy when we first got into the condo but his legs aren't quite long enough... yet.

 

Time to go skiing!

We put Michael in ski school Saturday where he and a few other 3 and 4 year olds were trying their hand at skiing for the first time. Michael had a wonderful time and apparently missed all his ski school friends when it was over - and he learned a lot! Can't wait to take him skiing again.

 

Here we go - on his way to his Ski and Ride School.

But first, a giant Adirondack chair that we HAD to sit in...

 

He is the little guy on the right of the instructor, in the blue helmet.

And now it's Michael's turn...

He did SO good!

And now up the magic carpet (these are SO cool!)

On the gondola Sunday morning w/ Mommy and Daddy to show off what he learned in ski school.

Daddy and Mommy helped him as he showed us what he learned in Ski & Ride School in the Learning Area atop Keystone Mountain.

Obviously I wasn't skiing but I did try and help too.

And a BIG high five because he did SO good!

And look at that view...

It was VERY windy Sunday and I was able to capture it here.

And enclosed magic carpet - he did SO good getting on and off this.

Time to head home, but first... slush pond races!

These were pretty cool. It was the last weekend Keystone was open and since it was the last weekend, kids and adults competed in slush pond races where they skied or snowboarded down and then over (if they made it) a small pond. Only a few brave souls made it successfully through the pond, while several walked away VERY cold.

 

Time to head to the car and back home for his first soccer game.

And finally, Michael's first soccer game as a "Little Dribbler"

Michael and his buddies Jacob and Keira all play together on the "Little Dribblers" - a 3/4 year old soccer team based out of Highlands Ranch, CO. And today was his very first game! They played the "Little Defenders" and although they didn't win, Michael scores his FIRST GOAL!

 

Such a GREAT in the moment shot - he was SO proud of himself.

Michael and Keira running some drills.

Keira, Michael and Jacob waiting to run some drills.

Lined up, about the start the game.

And he got to throw the ball back onto the soccer field - he did a GREAT job.

 

And on a pregnancy update front, I had a doctor's appointment last week and while I thought I was 31 weeks along, turns out I was 32 weeks along and baby girl is measuring 33 weeks along. She is in position, though, head down and her heart beat, my blood pressure, etc. - everything is looking great so far. About 7 weeks and counting...