TX VS CO

This is the view I see as I'm leaving the grocery store having paid too much for my groceries. The prices are inflated here from houses to mac & cheese, but so what? I am a Texan and I miss my home state. But I have to admit, those sentimental feelings are getting fewer a farther between. We moved to Colorado about 8 months ago for my husband's new job. At first, I could not even imagine leaving Texas. I am a creature of habit and all that is familiar. We were planning on moving to a new house anyway, but a new house in Texas. Then things happened and here we are. We went from an 85 year-old house on half an acre in a town of 1600 to a 5 year-old house with a postage stamp backyard in the largest master-planned community in the country. Just the kind of place we vowed we'd NEVER live. The tree in our front yard could be snapped in half by our 3 year old if we let him (and believe me, he's tried). It was quite a change. But now I'm getting used to it and I have to admit, Colorado is pretty awesome. For one, we didn't even have to use our air-conditioner last summer. Even in AUGUST. And when you're from Texas, that's just incomprehensible. Also, it seems like half the state is one public park. Unlike Texas, where everything is protected by barbed-wire and no trespassing signs, here you can just pull your car off the side of the road and go hiking up a mountain. And everyone does it! It seems like everywhere you look, people are walking, hiking, camping and every other outdoor activity you can imagine. And the winter has really not been that bad. They say this has been a mild winter but we could have handled a lot worse. When it snows it is beautiful. And it's almost always sunny. Should I go on? There are no bugs here. Well, almost no bugs. Even though we used to have a huge yard, it was practically useless because of the fire ants and mosquitoes. As far as we can tell, Colorodans (is that what they're called?) are sissies. They know nothing of suffocating humidity, oppressive heat and locusts. They are spoiled by the beauty, comfort and majesty that is Colorado. Of course, I still harbor hope in my heart that one day my boys will become Texas Aggies (Cole in the band/Corps, Clayton on the football team, and Cooper a yell leader), but I can wait for that. This, of course, is blatant propaganda to get my family to move up this way. The seed has been planted.

the belly

This, ladies and gentlemen, is why I keep having babies. This particular belly belongs to my youngest, Cooper, who is now 21 months old. He was born weighing 10 lb. 6 oz., 23" long, and he is j.u.i.c.y. He now weighs in at 33 lbs. Thankfully, his baby fat is still hanging on because his 2 big brothers are getting tall and sinewy. He is very proud of his belly and will show it to anyone who requests to see it. He even refers to it affectionately as his "buddy." It's like a baby yolksac. As soon as it starts to be absorbed to change his little baby body into a little boy body, I don't know what I'm going to do. I am willing to have another one. But my husband is maxed out on children. He has all these "concerns" and silly ideas about "how are we going to support all these people?" and "what about college costs?" Silly man. If we had worried about that kind of thing to start with, we would be alone in our cold, quiet house right now and may even be subjected to long periods of silence where we might even (dare I say it?) have a complete thought. I don't know how we could handle uninterrupted sleep or eating our meals sitting down. And all the extra cash in the bank would just be a burden. But of course, this is what it's all about, people. My name is Nicole and I'm addicted to babies. Especially baby bellies.