Three Great Grandkids

Today we celebrated my grandpa's 87th birthday!  Family gatherings with my family are always huge and always lots of fun.  As the oldest of 18 cousins, it's fun to see my little cousins all grown up and now that we're having babies, there are little ones "running" around again!  We snapped this picture of my sister with Little Guy and Baby Brayden, and including Baby Mirch who's slated to make his/her apperance in March, we've got a photo with all three great grandchildren!

Little Guy OBVIOUSLY loved taking this picture!

Little Guy had a few scuffles with the treadmill and toy top...a face plant on a powered down treadmill left him with a little bloody lip and a self inflicted jab to the eye with a toy left him with a little shiner...poor baby's first mini black eye!  I could barely handle the dribble of blood from him biting his lip, I am not sure how I am supposed to handle future injuries!?!?

Climbing on Up

What a day...I had cleaned up baby puke, dog poop, and the entire contents of a playroom closet before 9am...and to be fair, the playroom closet debacle was a result of my shelf hanging skills (not Little Guy's "cleaning" help) and I haven't cleaned it up yet, I just closed the door and called it good!  After what may be deemed a rocky start for our day, we ventured to the pediatric speech specialist for our last consult concerning Little Guy's potential food aversions- it's been decided he's actually fine and just a slow starter when it comes to eating.  We were dismissed from her case load (after I drilled her for hints/suggestions on raising a strong-willed/independent baby boy!) and headed to the mall for some retail therapy...which actually looks like speed shopping when you're with a walking one year old.  We exchanged Little Guy's Air Jordan's for a size 5, and let me tell you, he was looking ghetto fabulous in his high tops and flat brimmed hat they tried to sell me...needless to say, we passed on the hat...

We're staying with g'ma and g'pa for the night since Daddy is out of town- Little Guy tolerated loved playing in the sprinklers and achieved another milestone that will ensure I get even less rest in the future...he successfully climbed up onto the platform in his playhouse, first with the help of grandpa's arm (using it to pull himself up), then simply on his own...AHHHHH, HE CAN CLIMB NOW!!  A few months ago someone said to me, "First they crawl and you think you're busy.  Then they walk, and you're even busier.  Then they start to run and you think that's the busiest you can be...then they learn how to climb..."  I have a feeling they are SOOOO right...

Taking out the Trash

Being a single mommy is T.O.U.G.H!!!  The hubby is out of town for the week and Little Guy is feeling a bit clingy and battling some serious teething pain.  So aside from calming the sporadic hysterics throughout the day, I spent a chunk of time digging treasures out of the trash.  Little Guy is really into "helping" these days, including throwing out what he deems to be trash and reorganizing any basket/drawer/shelf he can reach.  Today I rescued a carbon monoxide detector, one TV remote (the other one is still missing!), a full tube of lip gloss, and a comb.  Any other treasures I missed will be gone for good, tomorrow is trash day!

World Traveler

Little Guy and I hit up the beach today...in Vacaville!  We were lucky to get invited with some playgroup friends to a private beach, complete with water trampolines, paddle boats, canoes, sandy shores, and clear blue water.  Rumor has it a few weddings have taken place there, I am hoping we may be able to get something on the books for my sister...

Landon, Wesley, Noah, Evan, and Ryan...what a cute group of boys!

While we love the Vacaville beach, we're hoping to one day take our travels a little further.  So, in preparation for our next international adventure, Little Guy took his passport photos...I wasn't planning on him looking like a hippy baby, but the tie-dye and amber necklace are quite the fashion statement...

Just to make you smile

As you gear up for a new work week, here's a quick 17 second to make you smile...the ecstatic expression and pure light-heartedness of this clip just make my heart happy.

Another One Year Old On the Loose

Everywhere we look, friends are turning O-N-E! and this weekend was no exception.  We went to Mr. Landon's first birthday today, complete with wild peacocks, a toy tractor, and our favorite, a photo booth!!  After a great time at the party, we got home just in time to catch the last two rounds of Daddy's fantasy football draft, let's hope he's a big winner this year!  Happy Birthday and Happy Footballin' to two pretty awesome fellas! 

Toof-ums

We may have been a little quick to count the five teeth we mentioned on Little Guy's birthday board.  He had a bottom tooth breaking through and I was SURE it would be in by the time he turned one...well it still hasn't come in, but Little Guy saved me by cutting his top left eye tooth, and let me say, we can officially say "He has FIVE teeth!"...

And this five-toothed kiddo is quite the tomato snatcher!  Daddy says he worse than a rabbit (must be the similarity they share in tooth size!), so Daddy has been at least trying to teach him to only pick the red ones!  I proudly announced he must know his colors since he has only been picking red ones of late, and then, it seems just to crush my gloating spirit, Daddy informed me that there are no more greens left to pick, so by default, Little Guy is only picking red.

Adventures at Mary's

Today we had a very late lunch date with Noah and his mommy.  Little Guy decided that he needed a two hour nap from 11-1, so after napping and a quick shopping stop, we headed to Mary's for, what we have come to expect, an eventful lunch.  Let's just say, it was a small blessing that not many people dine out at 2:30 in the afternoon...Lunch included two boys NOT tolerating their high chairs, one boy desperately trying to dash into the kitchen and bathroom and escape his mommy by hiding behind booths, chairs, or any other obstacle he could find (guess which sweet boy that was...), and two boys finding immense joy in the LOUD noises the chairs made when they were pushed across the floor...yes this all took place in the restaurant in about a five minute span...we quickly paid our bill and moved on to torture patrons in the neighboring yogurt joint.

Tikes and Grub

We had a fun play date today with our favorite 17 month old buddy, Baby Jackson!  Little Guy LOVES having his friends over, and he especially LOVES when they let him push them on his toys.  I may regret saying this, but it's ALMOST, yes ALMOST, easier to have two little ones running around, since they are so entertained by one another...again, ALMOST easier, until you get to meal time or nap time, then one is easier...but two is certainly LOTS of FUN!

We're working on packing on a few pounds, and when I say we, I really mean Little Guy, and it looks like he's FINALLY starting to like food!  If you haven't had the unfortunate privilege of following along with our food challenges/struggles adventures, Little Guy has not been too keen on chewing and actually swallowing his food on a regular basis, so it's something we've been working on...I am happy to report we've had success this past week (it must be since he's ONE now!) and along with getting his grub on, he's gotten pretty good at the "all done" sign- it's  a win, win in our house!

Dinner time= messy fun...followed up with bath time!

Worms

Worms.Everywhere.Gross.

 

those are ALL worms...every little black line=worms!

 

That is all...Hubby says it's something to do with our grass...I told him he needs to deal with it, since he's the boy, and they're all dead...Gross!

Noon...High Time for Wine

What's not to love when your Monday involves the following:  an old childhood friend, a new international friend, a midday family BBQ, and wine at noon...answer, NOTHING!!  Lyndsay, Scott, Judah and Lorena came to visit today.  It was the first time any of them had met Wesley and the first time Lorena, coming all the way from Guatemala, had been to Vacaville or our house.  Judah and Little Guy had a blast playing together in the pool- I always think Little Guy is getting so big, and then I see him with "real" toddlers and it makes him seem smaller (YES!!).  Unfortunately, our day had to end with a trip to the doctor for the one year well baby check.  Happy to report Little Guy is thriving and meeting all milestones, and he braved through those pesky shots; in fact, he walked out of the injection clinic on his own, three little pokes was not about to stop him.  All in all, I think we're off to a good start of a new week...

Party Animals

It's a party weekend over in our house!  We woke up bright and early and headed to Black Bear Diner for Little Guy's first official breakfast as a one year old...I had had high hopes we would go out to breakfast yesterday, but I was a little off with my time management and that birthday party I was throwing...Lizzy Bug and her mommy and daddy joined us and then we set off for Mr. Noah's first birthday party.  Noah turned one on the 15th, but today was the day we all got to celebrate him!  His mommy went all out on the Dr. Seuss theme and it was T.D.F!!!!  Here is a cute shot of Noah with his mommy and daddy before he got to dig in to his own personal cake:

The Big Day

Little Guy turned one today, so we had to celebrate!!  You can head over to Teaspoons & Twine to check out a full recap of the party.  Here's our little family, growing up way too fast!

One Year

One year ago I became a mother...I always knew I wanted to be a mom, I just never knew how much I would love being a mommy!  I have been trying to keep up on documenting all of Little Guy's milestones and adventures, never wanting to forget anything and hoping to keep him little just a tiny bit longer.  I have done a top ten list and  a fun fact list, so what to do now that he is ONE!?!  I am not even sure I can capture the feelings I have or the love I know with a list, song or poem, so instead, all I can say is WOW...if this is how fast year one goes, I m not sure I can handle the rest...We love you Little Guy, Happy Birthday to the best gift we could have ever asked for!

Here's Little Guy at exactly one year old- August 18, 2011 @ 12:55 AM and August 18, 2012 @ 12:55 AM

Little Guy and his "stats" board

Party People

Today was MADNESS!!  I may have accidentally told my dear husband that I planned on relaxing every August 18th for the rest of my life since I worked so hard last year...the accidental part being he is now mocking how insanely OPPOSITE of relaxed I am right now...that being said, we have made it to the big day...not just Little Guy's party, but the high fiving parental accomplishment of raising a child for a whole year!!  While I was congratulating us on this not so small feat (in my eyes at least), my husband QUICKLY informed me we still have a long way to go...and while he may be right (okay, he is for sure right), I will be happily celebrating this milestone tomorrow, and I wouldn't have it any other way!

What a difference a year makes...

August 16, 2011- I was three days over due and ready to meet our little guy...

 

As I was looking at the calendar, wondering how a year has almost passed, I realized that one year ago today was our last day as just a couple before we set off for the hospital and 27 hours of labor that would eventually make us a family.  What a difference a year makes.

 August 16, 2012- Little Guy is enjoying his lunch with Emmeline.

  

He's eating at the table, on the bench, no high chair in sight?!?  HOW?DID?THIS?HAPPEN?

 A few milestone markers to record:  Today Little Guy brought me his shoe and put his foot out to put it on- he then wore just one shoe around his room since the other one was downstairs...I am pretty sure he's discovered a word for "book"- he makes the same sound/noise every time he picks up a book and the noise begins with a "b" sound....Little Guy can officially wrestle and rough house-he likes to practice on me...

Happy Birthday Noah

The countdown continues with THREE days left and we got a little pre-birthday birthday action today with our friend Noah...he is officially ONE (and his mommy is officially sad!), we can't believe it!!  We met Noah this past spring in play group- his mommy and I instantly bonded over our almost shared due dates, our love for playing beauty shop & dress up, and our joys of mommyhood!  Today we celebrated Noah with a little swinging and sliding at the park...naturally, they rode the bike together (Little Guy's doing!) and oohhed over the balloon.  Happy Birthday Baby Noah, we can't wait to celebrate many more with you!

Climbing

Little Guy is ALMOST ONE YEAR OLD!!!  We have FIVE more days until the big 0-1, I am not even sure how to handle it.  Today Alyssa and I worked on some treats for playgroup, we're celebrating the boys' birthdays tomorrow since Noah's birthday is this Wednesday!  While we were baking, the boys got to play together and "catch up" since we were out of town.  At one point I looked over and Little Guy was climbing into the bookshelf...it's better than tackling/climbing on/pulling/pushing Noah, but we're going to need to work on finding something else to play with.

We're back!

We made it home after three FULL days of fun and sun...and an ENORMOUS amount of HEAT!!  We spent the weekend in San Diego for my college roommate's wedding with a side of the zoo, beach, and museum!  Here's a recap of the weekend, complete with the good, the bad, and the ugly!

We started our weekend with a trip to the San Diego Zoo...it was AMAZING and I've decided we need to go 800 times, so only 799 more times before we reach that goal.  Little Guy was into it all, even if it was 110 degrees out...okay, it was maybe 90, but the humidity made it seem a whole lot hotter!

After the zoo, we headed to the hotel, rehearsal dinner, and then our beds...note we didn't have much time for a decent nap- that became a running theme for the weekend.  Saturday we spent the morning at the beach, then headed out for Natalia and Kyle's wedding.   It was HOT and the hotel lost power and the AC went out, then the church wasn't air conditioned...the reception was at a yacht club, so we had a little breeze, but when we returned to our hotel, the AC was STILL broken...it never came back on before we left the next morning.  We hit up the New Children's Museum for Free Sunday and guess what??? It was really entertaining and NOT air conditioned!  So after a fun filled weekend with great friends and wonderful adventure, it was nice to get back to Nor Cal, with our air conditioners and nap schedule.  Until next time San Diego...

We always LOVE a photo booth!

What an entrance!?!  Natalia, Kyle, and their wedding party arrived via yacht!

Little Guy rocking some head phones at NCM.

 He loved the bouncy donkey!

A rock wall made from cardboard, painters tape, and artificial rocks, FUN!

Tip Toeing

We're getting ready to head to San Diego for Miss Natalia's wedding and we couldn't be more excited to spend some time with my college roommates AND escape the predicted 106 degree heat...While I was packing, Little Guy was "helping"- His version of helping involves emptying all contents from my make-up drawer, the end.  Sometimes (okay, maybe he's done it twice) he'll finish helping by putting it all back, but usually he stops at the emptying stage.  I love that my makeup drawer is just that much too tall for him so he needs his tippy toes to reach it, presh!

Full Circle

I knew after our play date with Michael that the tone of today's post would be humorous...then after I snapped a photo of Little Guy playing with his new potty, the tone changed to excitement...and finally, while I was rocking him in my arms, his head on my shoulders and his feet dangling past my waist, a shift to complete peace and gratefulness (with a hint of sadness, this baby is growing up!)...With that, I have to recap my conversation with our first grade buddy Michael and then there will be a photo on the potty...

Michael is my mom's teaching partner's son.  He is going into first grade and has two older siblings, a brother heading to Chico and a sister heading into high school.  He is very well spoken and QUITE observant of everything around him.  His favorite show these days is Little Bill,  a cartoon based on a young Bill Cosby.  So while Michael and Little Guy were playing in the pool, Michael says this:

"Baby Wesley looks just like Little Bill...(pause)...except he's [pointing to Wesley] bigger...(pause)...and kinda white...(pause)...and Little Bill is bald."


Here's a little side by side of these look alikes:

 

And if that's not precious enough (you have to love how kids think!), here's Little Guy playing with his new potty:

Daddy tried to stage the picture with a magazine, but Little Guy wouldn't have it :)

 

Watch Out Lance Armstrong

Mommy's got a bike with a bike seat for Little Guy and she's ready to race...or at least bike downtown for some fro-yo!  Today was our main voyage with the bike seat, and let me tell you, Little Guy loved it!!  Daddy doesn't have a bike, so he jogged next to us (I was pretty amazed that it only took a little bribing to get him to jog the whole way!), and Little Guy couldn't get enough of it.  I am thinking we need to get Daddy a bike, since this is DEFINITELY going to be our new family fun activity!  I was contemplating a bike tune up since the bike is almost two years old, but then my dear husband reminded me that I've only put two miles on it in those two years, so it's probably good for another season...This was the bike I received for Christmas in 2010, which was also the Christmas when I was 8 weeks pregnant...and to think I haven't found time (or energy!) since receiving it to take up riding, crazy huh??  I didn't snap a photo, always keeping two hands on the bar, but I'll get one tomorrow- Little Guy looks presh in his helmet!

Laying Low

We decided to lay low this weekend.  Daddy was out of town and Little Guy seemed to be fighting some teething pain, complete with A LOT of drool and a runny nose.  Needless to say, it was nice for both of us to just play at home and to make a much needed dent in the birthday party crafting decor!  We're looking forward to a jam packed week complete with a trip to San Diego for my college roommate's wedding!  Sun, sand, and fun here we come!  The countdown is definitely on...12 more days until my baby is a toddler (is that the cut off for babyhood, one year old??!!??)...I may petition for toddlerhood to start at two; I am still just trying to wrap my mind around the fact that at this time last year Little Guy was still inside my VERY swollen body and we had NO IDEA how our lives would change in the most amazing ways possible...

We did a trial run with his birthday shirt today...how cute is that???

Harry the Hippo

Every Friday we head to swim lessons with Noah and his mommy...it is precious ( have I said that before?!?) and the boys are really excelling in the water!  At the end of class they bring in a huge floating hippo and the babies make their way from one end of the hippo to the other and "jump" off to mommy.  Every week Little Guy has crawled to the end and then needed to be coaxed to get off the hippo (he loves being the center of attention!).  He's continued crawling on the hippo, even though he's been walking on land for a month now...well, not today!!  He WALKED across the hippo!!  He was all smiles and I was one proud mama!!  After swim lessons we had a mini play date with Noah...Little Guy wanted to ride the bike with Noah....poor Noah, he was riding along nicely, by himself, before Little Guy climbed IN FRONT of him and took over the steering...oye!

All Smiles

We took a little stroll over to visit Auntie Erin and see her new classroom.  I know I still have FIVE years until Little Guy will be there, but it was little surreal to be walking to school with him.  He LOVED the kindergarten playground, just his size.  Doesn't this smile just say it all???

I can't believe we are t-minus 16 days until his first birthday!!  I am in double crazytown mode...emotional meltdown/roller coaster with my baby turning one and crafting overload with rainbow party decor...

Make Shift Safety Net

Little Guy was occupying himself with foam letters this morning when I heard him start to cry...I assumed he was upset that he had let his letters fall through the banister and down to the first floor...well he was upset about that, and the fact he had his head stuck between the banister rails.  By the time I got to him, and I was in a full sprint, he was able to pull his head out, but he had the scratches and marks to show for it.  8 hours later, we're all upstairs playing, when he did it AGAIN (should I be worried?!?).  I wanted Daddy to see how he did it and upon further inspection, Daddy became worried he MAY be able to get his whole body through...we decided that was probably being an over-paranoid parent, but just in case, this is what we're rocking now...

This picture doesn't do the fabric justice, it's the chic simple bird pattern from Little Guy's nursery...I know, I know, how stylish of us to carry his nursery decor throughout the upstairs...