We have a Nature Center about five minutes from our house and Holden LOVES going there. He will shout out “yippee” when he hears that we are going. It’s a great way to get some fresh air and to tire Holden out as well!
Checking out the Turtles
He spotted this one faster than i did!
Cougars!
I’m a Bobcat!
“Are you doing Sheep?”
Lunchtime!
Driving the tractor on the way out!
Until next time…
I turned around tonight and found out that Holden set himself up on the computer.
After one year, Holden finally decided it was ok, and actually fun, to wear a painting smock. Now he really enjoys sitting at his table to paint!
Holden saw his first rainbow the other day. He thought it was pretty cool so we pulled over so he could see it better.
Holden got to experience his first baseball game here in Asheville! He LOVED it! We took him to see the local minor league team named the Asheville Tourists. It was a nice place to watch a game and we had cheap, fabulous seats! Holden loved watching the game. He would often echo what the umpire would say or even what the hecklers that were sitting behind us would shout out! It was so neat. One of the funniest things that Holden has commented in the subsequent games that we have attended was: “That girl’s eating dog hair!” Truth is, dog hair, no…….Cotton Candy, yes!!!
He was able to make it through all 7 innings too! Impressive for such a little guy. It didn’t hurt that he was able to hang out with both of the two mascots: Teddy Tourist and Mr. Moon! To top it all off he was given a baseball at the end of the game by one of the players! He was in heaven! Enjoy the pictures!
Here are two videos of Holden enjoying baseball!
Until next time…
It is amazing how fast kids grow up. It wasn’t all that long ago that our lives were blessed with the birth of Holden. He has grown and changed SO much over the past two years. As time goes on, my love for him continues to grow. Just when I think I can’t possibly love him any more, I do. It’s absolutely incredible!
Holden reminds me every day to stop and appreciate all that I am surrounded by. He 
notices so many little details that I, over the past 30 years, have begun to overlook. Life is so simple and uncomplicated for him right now and it is so incredible to watch him navigate through it. His words and ability to communicate have grown exponentially in the past 6 months. He is speaking in sentences and will repeat himself until I clearly understand what he is trying to express to me.
Holden is full of life! He LOVES music. His favorite bands right now are Weezer and Peter, Paul, and Mary. Quite the combo right? Since we have moved to Asheville he has seen a ton of live music. He really enjoys Bluegrass and his favorite instrument, hands down, is the Banjo. One of the local Bluegrass bands recognizes him by name now and always greet him with a big smile. The Bass player actually gave Holden a CD of music that he recorded because it had a fun beat and he thought Holden would really enjoy it. In our new house we also have Matt’s drum set and Holden’s set up next to each other in the garage so that they can practice and perform together. It’s a real treat for Holden!
Holden also LOVES sports! He has been obsessed with balls ever since he was very young 
but now that his motor skills have developed, he really enjoys playing football, basketball, baseball, and hockey! He is happy to do anything outdoors including hiking along the trail in our neighborhood or on the biking and running trails that we go to frequently. He gets super excited to get in the backpack and always makes sure to bring either his lizard or his motorcycle with him. He doesn’t want his best buddies to miss out on the fun! When we are in the woods he wants to know what everything is from the acorn that fell on the trail to the woodpecker sound that he hears off in the distance.
We have a very special boy in our lives. He’s so intelligent, funny, fun-loving, and caring. We had a great time celebrating his 2nd birthday with Grandmom Vickie. We had a baseball cake of course and just enjoyed being together to celebrate Holden’s 2nd Birthday. Check out the pictures below of his special day! Oh and a special thanks to Santa Clause for bringing the presents (that’s what Holden came up with!)
Check out these videos:
He’s amazing!
Until next time…
The past month has been a whirlwind for sure! We uprooted everything and moved south 
to Asheville, NC. The move has, of course, come with mixed feelings. So far we LOVE Asheville! There is so much going on here, it is so family friendly, and it really is much more in line with our lifestyle than Bel Air. Luckily, as you can see, the dogs have had no problem settling in. What are the drawbacks? The hardest part for me has been missing my family, friends, and co-workers in Maryland! I have been doing a lot of video chatting since we left because it gives me a feeling of being right there with you! It helps a lot! But luckily, many of our family and friends have already started visiting and/or are booking trips to visit! I am so happy to be able to share our lives here in Asheville with everyone. It will be a great growing experience for us as individuals and as a family!
So many people have asked us about the cool things we have done since we arrived… Well we have seen a TON of live music from Bluegrass to Rock. There are street performers all over town that we love to watch. One of our favorite stops is to a local spot where they have a Bluegrass Jam every Thursday night! We can catch the first set with Holden before he has to go to bed. He absolutely LOVES watching the musicians. His favorite instrument so far is the Banjo!
We have done a lot of great hiking! Holden thinks going in the backpack is awesome! He is 
so observant and each day really serves as a great reminder to take it all in! From the ant that crosses on the path in front of you to the moon that is just showing itself “up up high” ( as Holden would say).
We have also had some delicious food since we have been here! Pretty much every place that we have gone has had a Vegan option on their menu! We find that we have to refrain from eating out too much here, which is a welcome change for us! Tempeh is made locally and it is absolutely delicious compared to what you get in the store. You can usually pick it up at any of the Farmer’s Markets! Plus they have a Farmer’s Market pretty much every day of the week!
There’s a festival pretty much every weekend. We went to a “Healthy Kids Festival” 
which Holden loved! He got to sample smoothies, make a macaroni necklace, and listen to a Jazz band all at the same time! At each event we get to learn more about what the area has to offer which is great. Our calendar is full of activities for all of us to participate in! It’s almost too much!
Finally, the people here are some of the nicest people you will ever meet. So kind, so polite, and so approachable. I have never experienced anything like it. I keep thinking it is my imagination but it has been going on for a month now so I think it is real!
So we are off to a good start! Between the blog and video chatting on the phone, I hope to be able to share with all of you some of the wonderful experiences that we are fortunate to have while living here in Asheville! Come visit! The door is always open!
After all of the many activities that we try to squeeze in a day we get…………..
A VERY sleepy Holden!
Until next time….
Hey guys! Motherhood became very busy right around the time when Holden started 
walking and so the website had to take a backseat. After about a year and a half break, I am ready to get back into it!
Now that we have moved to Asheville, NC, I thought that this would be a great way to let everyone know what we are up to! So stay tuned for updates on Life With The Fraziers! Remember you can sign up for email updates if you would prefer so that you are notified when I post something.
Enjoy!
Holden’s first Christmas was magical! It all started in the end of November when Matt, Pop, Holden, Lucy, Charlie, and I went to a local tree farm in the motor home and cut down two trees! Holden got to meet Santa for the first time at the tree farm which was a plus! He didn’t even cry. We went on a hay ride to get to the trees which was fun too! Then we got to spend Christmas Eve-Eve at Matt’s cousin’s house for thee annual Christmas Party. Then we had a great dinner with Grandmom Vickie, Bud, Aunt Elinore, and Aunt Christine on Christmas Eve! On Christmas day we found out that Santa decided not to wrap his presents at our house because Holden wasn’t really into opening them. He’s a pretty smart guy! Instead, he just place them under the tree so that when Holden woke up, he would see new toys that he could play with. He seemed very happy coming down the stairs on Christmas morning. Then, once we came into the living room, we placed him on the floor and he immediately crawled to the tree and began playing with his new toys! He seemed so happy. We had a great morning with him enjoying time together and his new toys! Then we stopped by to visit Nan and Pop for Christmas. Holden is the first and currently, the only, great grandchild so anytime he can spend with his great grandparents is pretty special. He brought them many smiles which was great! We went over to Pop and Gigis and got to open presents with them, then headed back to our house to meet Aunt Colleen and Uncle Joel. We had a great dinner with our family on Christmas night in our house! Holden was a very lucky little guy this Christmas! He got lots of really special and fun gifts! Check out the amazing stocking that Holden’s Aunt Tiny and Uncle Al made for him! I have had one since I was born and now the tradition continues! Holden sure is loved by many!
The day after Christmas was Matt’s 30th birthday! We had a great time spending the day with Daddy and celebrating his birthday. It is amazing that after only 3o years of life, we both have been blessed with such an amazing little son.
As the year comes to a close I think a lot about how fortunate we have been in the past year. This time last year we were awaiting the arrival of Baby Fraz in just a few short months. We had a feeling that 2010 would be a good year but I don’t think we truly grasped how our lives would be touched by the arrival of Baby Fraz. I find it challenging to find the right words to describe to you how much better our lives have become since Holden was born. He has brought us tremendous joy and hope for an amazing future. He has shown us how incredibly deep your love for your child can be. We continue to fall in love with him over and over again. We love watching him grow and develop.
So, looking back on 2010, we have had our share of ups and downs. We have had many sleepless nights and times where we have been challenged to make tough decisions as parents. In doing so, we have grown and changed in many ways and have experienced a most amazing and different kind of love. The love that you have for your child is powerful, life-changing. We are so thankful for all that we have experienced in 2010 and look forward to many more amazing and wonderful experiences in the year ahead.
Wishing you all a happy and healthy 2011!
Until next time…
Erin 🙂
Hi everyone! I am so sorry that I have been delinquent in my posts. I could give you a list of reasons why, but rather than hearing all of that, why don’t I update you on the past 3 months. Holden has changed so much and continues to bring us so much joy!
6 Months:
We had a blast! We found ourselves on another great road trip with friends. In the end of September Matt was signed up to run his second 50 mile race of the year in Vermont. He was heading up with three of his friends and I had planned to stay behind with Holden. At the last minute I decided to hop in the car with Holden and make the trek up to Vermont to join everyone! Yikes, an 8 hour trip with a 6 month old?!?!? What was I thinking? Well luckily I have an amazingly well behaved son and a great friend in upstate NY who let me stay at his house after driving about 6 hours rather than driving all the way to VT in one night. So we hit some bumps along the way with Holden crying on the NJ Turnpike with no exit in sight (turns out he had a major poop in his diaper:)). But we made it. I did not lose my sanity and was very happy to have my friends Mike and Susie meet Holden for the first time. The next morning Holden and I hit the road to VT and we had a great weekend cheering on our friends and Matt in the Vermont 50 miler!
If that trip wasn’t enough of a challenge, I also decided to take Holden’s first plane ride 
this month! Rather than taking a quick flight to visit someone on the east coast, we decided to go all out and travel to California! Why not make our first flight together across the country:) Again, what was I thinking?!?!??! Well I was thinking that I had two wonderful friends that I missed dearly and an amazing brother in California that Holden was dying to meet! So off I went, flying solo with Holden to Los Angeles. I must have an amazing guardian angel because the flight out as well as the flight back were amazing! Holden was so well behaved and calm. We had a whole row to ourselves on both flights and, since he had just started trying to sit up by himself at this point, he really enjoyed the space to play.
We had an amazing trip visiting Kim, Kelly, Adam, and Sofia. Holden learned a lot by 
watching Sofia on the move. She is about 5 months older than Holden. He watched her crawl and pull herself to standing. He also used her as a support to hold himself up when he was trying to sit! Ha ha, he is a smart little guy:) While we were there I got an awful stomach bug but was so happy to be there with wonderful friends who were able to take care of me as well as Holden for the 24 hours that I was ill. Unfortunately though we were unable to see Kevin during the visit for fear that we would get him sick too! But we had plans to see him in the end of October so at least we had something to look forward to! We hope that we can make another trip out to California soon!
7 Months:
Another great month! Matt and I celebrated our 3rd anniversary together and took 
Holden out to a fancy dinner at Chiangale in Baltimore. Yum! Uncle Matty and Aunt Gerri came to Baltimore for the weekend to spend time with us and meet Holden for the first time too! We had a great time as always with them and really enjoyed some great quality time. Holden loved them! Also Uncle Kevin flew out to DC to run the 35th annual Marine Corps Marathon with Matt! Plus, as a bonus, we got to introduce Holden to his Uncle Kevin! Yay! Finally:) We couldn’t wait. We had a great weekend. Matt and Kevin ran the marathon very well and finished it in 3 hours and 33 minutes. They were amazing! Joel, Colleen and I spectated along the course and were really excited to be able to share in Matt and Kevin’s first marathon together! They raised a ton of money for the Injured Marines Fund. It was a great day and a great cause! Oh and it was also Halloween so Holden got dressed up for the first time in a costume made by me! Going along with the No Meat Athlete theme, we decided that Holden should be a carrot this year! He was as cute as can be! We had a fabulous time!
Just when you think that the month couldn’t get any better we had another visitor! Meghan and Will came to visit Holden for the first time too! Will was born just 5 days before Holden so we were so excited for the two to meet! The boys were so cute together, learning from each other, sharing and stealing toys from each other! Plus it was great for Meghan and I to be able to spend time together. We look forward to our next visit with them!
Oh, by the way, Holden just started trying to crawl! What a big boy!
8 Months:
Can you believe he is 8 months old? I sure can’t! I also was shocked to see that in the 8th 
month, so much would change! Holden progressed from crawling very awkwardly to being proficient at crawling across the room. He can now transition from laying down to sitting. He is able to pull himself up to stand at pretty much any surface including his crib! One day I got a text from Matt showing me Holden standing up in his crib. I almost had a heart attack because I was afraid he would launch himself out so I came home and dropped the mattress down to the lowest level possible. Also Holden can crawl up about 4-5 stairs, claps with both hands, and he has TWO TEETH!!!!!!!!! On top of that he is now starting to eat some solid foods and is making tons of sounds like “mama” and “dada.” He also has found a new love…Linus and Sascha! He thinks the dogs are absolutely hilarious! He crawls after them in the house, grabs their toys and plays with them! The dogs are really great with him and very tolerant.
So our lives continue to be blessed every day by Holden’s presence. He continues to amaze us every day and brings us so much happiness. We are so very lucky to have him in our lives!
Until next time…
Erin 🙂
