Baptism

Kolton's baptism was truly a very special event.  We flew home so that we could share the celebration with  our families.  My mom and step dad hosted a luncheon beforehand.  They even rented a tent!  Then all 30 or so of us attended the 4:30 mass before the actual baptism took place.  There was another little girl getting baptised at the same time.  After church was over and I saw how many people were there for her as well as our crew I figured there may have been about 10 people that left.  The only hiccup was that the priest could not remember the names of the kids.  When first asked his name I simply said "Kolton" and was startled when he asked me what his Christian name was.  I wasn't exactly prepared for that.  Thankfully I heard my mom say "Michael!".  But even then he could not remember Kolton Michael or the little girls name either.  Kolton was a little fussy because I didn't time his bottles right and all I kept thinking was thankfully this isn't his wedding!  But in the end we received his official certificate and hopefully God knows who he is!  Here are some of my favorite photos...

We didn't change into our good clothes until right before church.

The Godparents; my good friend Kristin and my brother Tony

Family Photo.  Probably the first one in months =)

My Dad

Getting hosed down

Like I said, fussy baby

The Great Grandparents

Grandparents

Kolton and Kristin

Daddy Time!

Afterwards Kolton had fun with my mom's glasses

I just love this one!

Sitter

I have a sitter!!!!  Look at my big boy!

Kolton and I are STILL in WI but planning to fly back to Richmond tonight.  Apparently our power is out but Mike told me the power company says it will be on between 5pm-11pm. Lets hope so!  I've considered delaying my flight yet again but being at my Mom's is making me lazy=) 

Come On "Irene"

Sorry I have been MIA.  We had Kolton's baptism last weekend which I will post photos of soon.  Then, it was off to the Bahamas for me and a couple of girl friends from Ryan Homes.  Well if you've seen the news you know that Hurricane Irene came barreling through in the middle of our scheduled time there; Mon-Thursday.  We DID arrive in paradise on Monday after approx 12 hours of traveling only to be told we would be leaving the next day.  This is the only photo I have of our trip.

 I actually have no idea how this got on my phone.  Yes I left my phone on because I just couldn't bring myself to turn it off completely now that I'm a mom!

We did manage to get a decent pool day in on Tuesday before we left the resort at 5pm.  Ryan Homes actually chartered in planes to get us off the island.  The really funny thing was within the hour of being informed we would all be flying to DC the earthquake hit.  It would have felt like the end of the world except for the fact that we were still in paradise.  But we made it back safe and sound.

Now I'm back at my mom's house in Wisconsin.  My flight back to Richmond is scheduled for Saturday night.  Just when Irene is scheduled to hit Virginia.  Oy!

30 Weeks! (7 months)

Kolton's 7th monthaversary is on Friday.  Wow!

He's teething like a maniac.  Remember he cut his two bottom center at about 4 months.  Now the top center two are peeking through.  My poor little guy is doing OK.  He actually doesn't drool too much which I've heard is very common.  But he does seem to be in some pain.  Especially at night.  Over the past two weeks he has been waking up at night screaming.  But all it takes is a little comforting and a lullaby from the frog Slumber Buddy and we're good to go.

I'm still trying very hard not to get all wrapped up in comparing Kolton's development.  After all, I don't want my baby to grow up too quickly!

Oh, yeah...the love affair with Sophie continues!

Lull

After all of the excitement/turmoil that the past 8 months have been our lives now seem relentlessly boring. We've definitely hit a lull.  The place is mostly unpacked still needing just a few tweaks here or there.  I promise to post pics this week!  Mike and I just look at ourselves thinking what do we do now?  It's a good thing football season is just around the corner.

It's all OK though because we are getting ready for a big weekend and week ahead.  Kolton will be Baptised on Saturday back home in WI.  We are really excited to spend time with family.  It's definitely a little different being so far away now that we have a baby.  Then I'm off to the Bahamas for a few days while Kolton stays with my mom!  I AM SO EXCITED!!!!  It's a girls trip so Mike is flying back to Richmond.  My friends Kristin and Britney both won trips through their jobs as Ryan Homes Sales Reps.  They get to bring a guest and because Kristin's boyfriend can't go she's bringing me!!!!  Kristin also happens to be Kolton's Godmother so we have a lot to celebrate.  It just worked out so perfectly that we were going to be home so that Kolton can spend some 1 on 1 time with the Grandmas while Mama gets a well deserved break.

Whoo Hoo!   Can't Wait!

29 Weeks!

I know I'm a day late and this was the best I could do!  It's becoming more difficult to get the shot with the weekly sign in it because Kolton is all about crumpling paper...can you tell?!?!

Here are a couple more fun photos from yesterday and today.

Sophie is behind me digging a spot out in the chair.  I love the look on Kolton's face!

He'll never learn to crawl using Sophie as a role model.

Speaking of crawling, we are no where near it.  I'm trying really hard not to get all caught up in comparing development but my friend Julie's son, Rowan, is 4 days younger than Kolton and crawling already.  Outside of tummy time is there anything else I should be doing to help him?

Buddies

Kolton has a favorite family member and it isn't Mike or me.  These two become more and more inseparable everyday.  Kolton looks for Sophie, especially when eating and it's incredibly distracting.  Sophie stays in his room during nap times or perches at the top of the stairs where she can keep any eye on the whole house.  They already have a bond and it warms my heart.

The reality of being a suburban stay at home mom is starting to settle in.  My days seem both wide open with endless opportunities and somewhat restricted at the same time.  I think developing a routine will help me get a handle on this lifestyle a little bit better.  We joined a gym this weekend so I hope to make going to a class a daily occurrence.  It'll be good for me and fun for Kolton to get out of the house and play in a different surrounding.  It was complete chaos in the kid zone this morning.  I looked around and saw the other parents either dropping off or picking up their kids and you know what I thought?  Am I really this old?  I know it sounds terrible but living in Baltimore city extended my youth.  Our old gym had an outdoor pool area with a bar!  It was the kind of place that was some what see and be seen.  Although I will say that Canton had more of that sense than our little Fort Ave. but still...  As I looked around today I didn't see head to toe Under Armour and some how felt out of place.  Granted it was 10:00 in the morning!  As my friends just please please please be honest with me if I ever start wearing mom jeans.

Clones and Calamity

When I was pregnant I pictured that my son would have dark eyes, dark hair, and olive skin.  Basically a male mini-me.  Even in those first few months many people said that Kolton undeniably looked like me.  Now he is morphing into a mini-Mike!  We joke all the time that if we had known this is what he was going to look like we should have just gone with Mike Jr.

After the great poop incident the other day I have been puked on twice (it just has that lovely smell) and spilled almost a whole tub of baby food (carrots) down the front of me.  Meanwhile navigating the baby toy mine field that our family room has become.  You know, I always thought the movies exaggerated the calamity of having a baby.  Nope, they are pretty much right on.  But I'm having a blast!  And doing a lot of laundry:)

28 Weeks!

Right after this picture was snapped this morning I put Kolton in the Jumparoo while I went to grab a cup of coffee from my awesome new Keurig coffee maker that I got for my birthday.  Upon my return I thought I smelled something pretty offensive.  I wasn't sure if it was him or Sophie who was nearby as usual.  (For those of you who have had the pleasure of experiencing Sophie farts you know why it was questionable.)  I sat down on the floor to encourage the jumping process.  Then Kolton made a concentrated grunt face.  If I had only known...

First, I saw poo running down his leg as it hung from the Jumparoo.  Oh No!  How the hell was I going to deal with this?!?  I'm not sure how it happened but when I looked down I already had poo on my shirt.  Thankfully Mike was home to lend a hand but he was already dressed in a suit for work.  He lifted Kolton out of the Jumparoo while I tried to catch remnants from reaching the carpet; I missed a couple drips!  At the changing table Mike backed away as quickly as possible.  I had a small hope that maybe this was just a case of a lose diaper.  I was so, so, so, very wrong!

There was poo EVERYWHERE!  To make matters worse Kolton was crying.  Either from me having to hold his legs up as I went through wipe after wipe after wipe (gagging), me screaming at Mike to get a plastic bag, or perhaps just the sheer volume of poo that was produced!  The amount that landed on the changing pad from his back was enough to fill a diaper alone.  OK, bath time!  I got him cleaned, changed, and in the crib.  Then I went out to deal with the drips on the carpet ASAP.  Well Sophie, being the good big sister that she is, was already trying to cover Kolton's tracks.  I don't know why but she was licking up the poo spots! This was both disgusting and endearing to me at the same time. It actually helped quite a bit so all I had to do was spray carpet cleaner.  I sat there marveling at her animal instincts when I saw this...

Oh, yeah; that's Kolton's poo all over Sophie's head!  As he was dangling in the Jumparoo she must have got up and under him to investigate.  At this point Mike is bolting out the door!  I couldn't help but just laugh.  OK, bath time for Sophie too!  I hate to admit it but I haven't given Sophie a bath in years, I usually take her to the groomers so I wasn't sure how it would go.

Kolton has been napping since the incident.  I think it really took it all out of him!

Feet Up

At Kolton's 6 month check up the pediatrician observed that he doesn't put weight on his legs and feet like he should.  What's funny is he has always been very active with his feet.  Even in the womb he kicked up a storm.  He loves to have his feet up in the air!  My friend Megan generously lent us her Jumparoo.  I don't think he gets it...