1yr

Good Morning Birthday Boy!!

Birthday Balloons!

Ian, Buddy a year ago today you entered our lives and changed them forever. You are the light of lives, everything we do we do for you (I think that's a song or something like that). The past 12mos have been life changing, tearful, fun, comical, amazing, tiring and probably the best months of our lives. I know from here on out it's just going to get better and better. I loved each stage of your first 12mos I would love to combine a few though (constantly sleeping newborn with the ability to hold your own bottle...just tossing it out there). You are a great baby, very laid back, go with the flow, adjust to you surroundings quickly kind of baby. I wouldn't change anything about the past year, I'm thankful for the Memorial NICU team that took such great care of you the first few days of your life. I'm thankful you were not in the NICU for anything super serious but just needed some guidance from some very well-educated folks.

It's amazing to me how in just a year how one can go to being helpless and like a bowl of jello to a boy on the move. Who can basically do everything by yourself while making a huge mess.  When you come into a room you start to wave, in your world you are in a parade everyday. You generally get a bath everyday it's just trying to figure out after which meal though. You like to swing your arms or wave at the dogs just as I'm coming in with the spoon full of food. 

Time for some bullets of accomplishments:

• Teeth: you have 4 teeth (2 on bottom, 2 on top) and more coming in, that are causing you some grief and me lack of sleep.
• Health: had your first ear infection this month, which was another cause of lack of sleep.  You put up quite the fight with Dr C while he attempted to check you out.  It took him and mommy holding you down and he called you a tank. You are overall a very healthy baby.
• Mobility: you have the crawling thing down, as well as pulling yourself up and getting into things you shouldn't.  You were very disappointed when the child proof locks were installed.
• Food: you are becoming a bit more picky on your food options.  Overall you are a great eater, you have shown interest in taking over the spoon however it's never at the right time.  I give you your own spoon and you feed me as I feed you.  Keeps you occupied while I shovel in foods that you may not enjoy as much but your having fun feeding mommy so you don't care as much. You dislike wearing bibs during meal time and will pull them off any chance you get.  You managed to pull off a bib that snapped with a metal snap...strong lil guy.
• Words: Dada, bababa, rfgagfuiegf, kbckasehr,aldvlyrfvgal, and alshjfgse. I think that covers it.
• Interactions: you are very social and usually wave to everyone and anyone. You are also good at going to just about anyone, depends on your mood but very rarely are you shy.
• Hygiene: you enjoy bath time, dislike having your teeth brushed, nails clipped, or nose suckered out. Diaper changes have become a bit more interesting now that you want to roll over and sit up.  The other day I had the belt from the changing pad connected and tightened and you managed to roll over and then backed yourself out of it. 
• Stability: you stood on your own for a few seconds on Christmas day. You were standing in front of daddy and we were all talking when daddy said "I think he's standing cause he's not hanging onto me or the ottaman (the only things near you)" VIOLA way to go Buddy we then distracted you and you fell down...oops.
• Sleeping Habits: you nap beautifully usually 2 2-hour naps a day, night time has become a bit more challenging in the past 3 months or so.  Lately you've been sleeping through the night just waking up at 5:30 or so in the AM...a bit too early Buddy.
• Paci: I can't remember the last time you took a paci, you just decided you didn't want/need it anymore.  Have to say that was EASY!!!

As I said above this past year has been one of the best years of my life I wouldn't trade it for anything.  Happy 1st Birthday Ian Matthew!!!

Love you!

*I'm still trying to figure out this new blogger update...sorry about the pictures

Enjoying Birthday Cinnamon Rolls!!



mmm...good

cozy coupe cruising

Santa brought Ian a car!

hand to the head

Ian has become quite the tummy/butt in the air sleeper which can result in this happening if you fall asleep with your hand under your face  

fun with mom

Love being feed by my boy.  Please excuse my look I had just awoken about 15min prior to this.

Merry Christmas and Happy Birthday



From our house to yours, may you have a blessed holiday with the ones you love!

Ian's Baby's 1st Christmas ornament




Our Tree!!

Wishing my Aunt Judi a very Happy Birthday!!



Aunt Judi playing "dun da daaaaa" with Mr Nicholas




Ian sporting his Christmas outfit Aunt J got from him last year!

 

one person

If you could meet one person who would it be?  I know if I could meet someone it would be my oldest sister Jamie. I have seen pictures of her, hung her stocking on the mantle, helped decorate her pumpkin for Halloween, and have visited her at the cementry but never got to meet her in person.  Jamie came into my families lives on 12/24/1977, four weeks before her projected due date and in just 4 short months was taken to be with our Heavenly Father due to kidney failure. I think about this more after Ian came into our lives. Ian and Jamie shared the exact same due date 1/25, both came before their due date (Jamie 4wks, Ian 3.5wks) and both had a issues that required additional attention.  I honestly can't imagine what my parents went through I've heard the stories of their many trips to Riley and their stay there as well.  One time my Grandpa H arranged for a police escort for my dad and Grandparents W. to get down there to see my mom and sister.  But to think about having to bury your child at 4mos or any age at all breaks my heart into a million pieces and tears start to pour.

I have attempted to write this now about 5 times and all 5 times I have had to fight back the tears in order to keep typing.  No matter what I write I don't feel I'm doing her justice.  I have visited her grave in the baby land, the same grave that my parents and grandparents keep clean and place flowers at.  Growing up on her Birthday I remember going to the cementary and my parents would get out place the flowers, my dad would clean off the her name plate and then they would hold each other for a few moments before getting back into the car.  I think those moments touch me even more than ever before now Ian is here.  My parents are strong and have been knocked down more times but each time they have faced the issue head on and are amazing. 

So today on Jamie's birthday we will visit the cementry where my parents laid her to rest 32yrs ago. We will clean off her name plate if my parents or grandparents haven't gotten a chance too.  We will thank God for our baby boy who is healthy and happy and the light of our lives.


With all that and still suffering from blurred vision, I will wrap this up remember this Holiday season to give thanks for your healthy child/children and warp your arms around them and simply love on them, give thanks for their health, and remember God is in control.

Oh What Fun It Is To Ride In A....

Two Dog Open Sleigh!!!



No Animals were harmed



These pictured were featured on our Christmas Card that went out to our family and friends.  I will admit I was not a fan of this idea but it turned out great.  The orginal idea was for me to be in the pictured dressed as a Elf...I declined.  Marcus built the sleigh in about 3hrs on a Saturday morning from wood can you say...TALENT!?!

Merry Christmas from our house to yours!!

watch out for the carrot

Isn't it a sooo cute??

I know everyone is resisting the urge  of coming over to use my bathroom after seeing this gem.  I became the owner of this gem via a work gift exchange.  We do white elephant and I do enjoy white elephants as you never know what your gift is going to be something nice or something obnoxious/useless (snowman toilet seat cover). After our gathering I called Marcus to inform him of our new bathroom accessory and and as soon as he got home from work that thing went on our toilet.  I figured we give it a try and well folks, it didn't even last 24hrs.  The lid won't stay up for any type of business to occur...I gave it a try and it will now go in the re-gift closet.  Yes, I re-gift and I feel no guilt in doing so.  Might want to stay clear from my gift if we are ever at a white elephant gift exchange gathering together.

padded room

There is nothing like adding more to a do list in December to make a person go crazy.  Between work and home the to do list is never ending.  In order to wrap my head around these list I shall write them out.  This helps right, it's a move in the right direction for someone who may or may not be going crazy?

Home List:
cleaning- I swear it's like making a necklace that has not been tied off on the end.  Every week it's the same routine. Keep in mind I work 9.5-10hr days Mon, Wed, Fri
Mon: give both dogs bath (the are included in housework because it's because of them I have hairy floors and regular baths helps with the shedding) and clean bathroom, since cleaning supplies are out mind as well clean the kitchen sink. Sweep floors
Tues: Wash couch toss pillow covers, and sheet that is over couch cushions since the dogs insist on laying on couch, tackle floors, I'm talking hands and knees here folks. Vaccuum like a mad woman (I ran the vaccuum so long on Sunday it over heated and was on strike for a lil while). 
Wed: sweep floors again...and if they didn't get tackled on Tues then they get tackled this day
Thurs: pick-up bedrooms, dust, swiffer
Fri: if you're still standing swiffer
Sat: swiffer
Sun: swiffer
That is my weekly cleaning routine and on top of that we are in the month of December which means shopping, baking, wrapping, addressing/licking envelopes is also on the to do list.  We give out cookie plates as our gift to extended family and friends/co-workers I have 3 more batches of cookies that I want to do and then on Thursday I'm getting together with my MIL to bake more. Plan Ian's 1st Birthday Bash

Work:
Now I only work 3 days a week but I'm on call 5.5 days a week.  Meaning my phone is subject to go off at any time while in the middle of tackling at home to do list.  Anyways, at work we are getting a new operating system, not sure what happened to the saying "if it's not broke don't fix it" but the company thinks we need a new system. So, I've got 4wks to enter over 300 members into new system and then I found out that that is just the beginning of what has to happen and the real work starts once we launch on Jan 10th.  Keep in mind I manage 2 facilities meaning I have to do the above entry again only for more than 350 members and I have a bit more time but not much.  I spoke with the operating system support team yesterday and requested that a bottle of wine be included to assist in the data entry and launch phase (I'm not even a big wine person).  Luckily I can bring work home with me but it's trying to find the time to do it in at home to do list. 

If by the end of the month I turn up missing or you haven't heard from please check the padded rooms at the local hospitals as that is probably where I'm at.

word choice

Warning this is a rant post. It's nothing big but it irritated me so thought I would put it out there and see if I'm wrong for being irritated. Here goes:

I picked Ian up from the sitters yesterday and right away I noticed he was in his back-up clothes and can I just say I'm so glad I put new back-up clothes in his cubby.  On Friday he was in his back up clothes and oh my thank goodness we were headed straight home as if we had errands to run we would've gone home first before hand. Not sure what i was thinking when I put these pants in his cubby as back-up no boy should have these pants in their wardrobe


Sorry got off track back to ranting...as I was saying I picked Ian up and he was in his new back-up clothes and so I said the owner (M) of the daycare "oh he had another messy one?" M: yeah, I've got his other clothes in the washer (can I just say how lucky we are to have a sitter who will wash any clothes that end up getting messy while at daycare). Well M has some people who help here throughout the day and today was the day that the lady (K) who I'm not that fond of was there.  I only have one thing that ever happened that put that opinion in my mind.  And that is right after Ian got his helmet and every time when she was there and he was there she would say to me "so how much longer does he have to wear that thing" (while pointing to his helmet and making a god awful face).  Yeah, like I said not my favorite person.  Back to rant sorry...like I said Ian had a messy diaper again resulting in a entire outfit change down to the socks. Well, K said it like this "yeah, he made quite the crap". Really who says crap when referring to A) a human and B) a BABY.  After K just heard M and I talking about how he had another messy diaper.  I was caught completely off guard as I was not expecting that word used in the daycare setting.  It could because I have never used that word (I can't even type it anymore) to describe bodily functions in humans or animals. 

So there is my rant and can I just say even after writing the whole situation out it still gets to me.  I laugh about it as I'm still in shock over it.  Luckily she is not there very often (when she is there she is only there for about 2hrs) and Ian's only there 2 days a week so the occassions of her being there when Ian's there are very slim and rare.

Am I completely out there for finding this to be shocking, maybe I live under a rock and should come out every once a while? Oh who knows at least I'm laughing about it...right?

sounds

Today is...

My sister's BIRTHDAY!!!

And since I'm awful about buying and sending cards I figure what better way to say Happy Birthday than on the world wide web for all to see!!

Ian's Aunt CiCi

The person I talk to at least 3x a day.

My adventure seeking partner

My best friend!

We can bascially have a conversation without talking and can read each others mind.

Gee...you think we look alike??

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARCC (with a soft C)

Love ya!!