Domestically Disabled

Napping

2012-02-28T10:39:00.002-05:00

This little guy is really wearing me out lately! Its currently nap time so I snuck in and snapped this pic. I'm starting to fear that Kolton is getting spoiled by having me around all of the time. He has started SCREAMING every time he wants something. I read that through age 2 a child thinks that the world revolves around him. I wonder if he didn't always have my undivided attention if he would still be so demanding? Don't get me wrong, the kid can play by himself for a while so I'm not constantly at his beck and call. This screaming thing is somewhat new and I hope he grows out of it quickly. I miss my sweet little baby!

Pause

2012-02-23T12:05:00.001-05:00

For quite some time now I've been feeling a little bit of a baby fever. I think it's because my brother and I are 2 years apart and I feel that's proper spacing between siblings. But now I've come to a point where I feel pretty comfortable pressing the pause button on life changes for a while. I'm still struggling to find my groove in Richmond and I think I need to be comfortable to tackle the challenge of having 2 kids. Not to mention that since Mike travels a lot now I'd be on my own with those 2 kids. I was super spoiled with Kolton because since Mike wasn't working we were able to share duties a lot during both day and night. The thought of having a 3 year old and a new born seems less daunting than if Kolton were only 2. We are also considering moving in the summer. We are still going to rent but maybe get something a little better suited to our tastes. There are way more 3 bedroom places out there than 4 bedroom; although having a separate space as a toy room is kind of a must for me too.

I'm not sure why I felt so pressured to hop back on the baby train. Honestly my age has a lot to do with it. I'll be 34 this summer. I got pregnant so easily the first time its scary to think that might not be the case when we want to have another. But I'm feeling more at ease now. Waiting is definitely the right decision. Plus, I think Mike and I need to take a proper adult vacation later this year. I'm actually a little giddy thinking about it!

Je m'appelle Traci

2012-02-21T11:04:00.002-05:00

In high school I cheated my way through two years of French thanks to my good friend Jen. Our teacher inexplicably hated me. But now that I look back on it her ex-husband, also a teacher at our school, used to hit on me in the weight room. As a high school girl I guess I was a little oblivious =)

Anyway, I'm currently obsessed with reading Bringing Up BeBe by Pamela Duckerman. Pamela is a native New Yorker who found herself living and raising her children in Paris. The book provides insight into the differences between the French and American way of parenting. She observed that French kids were overall more well behaved than American kids. They sit patiently in restaurants, eat a wide variety of foods and meals in courses, acknowledge adults politely, and even have more respect for authority. Of course kids will be kids but overall this seemed to be the case. She also observed that French mothers seemed more at ease and put together compared to the disheveled American mother stereotype. I love this book! I can't get enough! And honestly it just sounds like a lot of common sense. I can't say that it'll become my parenting bible but I'm definitely going to give some of the strategies a go.

Hangnail

2012-02-16T19:56:00.000-05:00

Wow! I have really been off my game lately. I don't even have a good picture of little man today. I hate it when a bunch of little things go wrong. It's nothing to be upset about I'm just not handling things very well. For example today I let Sophie out into the back yard just like every other morning. When she didn't appear at the door to be let back in after a few minutes I panicked; the lawn people had been here a little earlier and once before they had forgotten to shut the gate. I ran back through the house to grab a coat, I was still in my pj's, and flew out the front door. Thankfully she was in my neighbor's yard. She knew she'd done a bad thing too because she actually came running when I called her. Then OMG panic really struck. Our front door is locked only you can open it from the inside and it had shut behind me!!!! Kolton was inside on the living room floor!!!! I held my breath as I went around to the back. Praise the Lord I did not lock the slider when I rushed back through the house. This all seems like something that could be an honest mistake right? Wrong! I had just locked myself out of the house in almost the same manner last week but that time Kolton was with me. I had to go to a neighbor to call the owner who called her realtor who had an extra key. That just happened! Now here's me losing my head and not thinking again. It could have been disastrous. If I had locked myself out with Kolton unattended inside I probably would have grabbed a rock to smash the window. There was no way I could have waited 20 minutes for a locksmith.

But this is how things have been going lately. A bunch of little, almost unnoticable misteps leading up to a big hot mess that is me right now! It's definitely time to get my nails done. I don't know why it matters but whenever I'm unraveling its usually time for a manicure.

My Little Valentine

2012-02-15T21:16:00.001-05:00

For Valentine's Day I thought Kolton might want to take another crack at smashing frosting on a big cupcake. I feel really bad but it was probably the least romantic V-Day ever. I am still pretty sick...I don't know what gives! And although I did make some crock pot chicken for dinner I didn't even shower or do my hair. My sweetie surprised me with some perfume which, now that I think about it, may have been a hint =)

Those People

2012-02-13T22:39:00.001-05:00

We went out to eat at the Olive Garden tonight. When I lived in Baltimore I'd sometimes drag my friends out to the suburbs just to go there! Hey, those delicious commercials really get to me. But the scene was always the same...crying babies, wait staff breaking out in "Happy Birthday", and a menu with the Tour of Italy. It just seemed slightly tragic to the oh so ever glamorous life in the city. Mike and I have now become "Those People". Those People who take their baby out to dinner at a chain restaurant and leave behind a big mess. Aaaaaah! But you know what? I had a really good time =)

Mind Reader

2012-02-08T21:42:00.000-05:00

Sorry for the lack of posts lately. After a busy weekend in Baltimore I was rewarded with a nasty cold. Ugh! I'm so sick of being sick. This has been bad winter on the sickness front for me. I didn't even watch the Super Bowl because the minute we got back I took a Nyquil Nap. The hardest part about being sick now is that I can't call out of work. But, I think Kolton can read my mind! Monday morning I was fearing how I was going to get through the day with him feeling like hell. My little darling napped from 9:15 AM to 12:30 PM and then again from 4-5:00. I felt a lot better yesterday but by last night I couldn't wait to plop into bed. I like to shower before going to bed but just couldn't do it last night. I fell asleep wondering if there was any way I could wake up before Kolton to shower in the morning. Kolton decided it was the perfect morning to sleep in until 8:45!!!!!! I had plenty of time to shower, eat breakfast, and have a cup of coffee. Of course I checked to make sure the little guy was still breathing! On top of that he took a 3 hour nap as well so I could rest some more =) How does he know exactly what I need???

Demolish

2012-02-03T19:51:00.001-05:00

Kolton has just learned that if he crumples food in his hands it makes a big fantastic mess! Too bad he missed the opportunity to demolish his birthday cupcake. He's also been wanting to feed himself which leads to longer meal times (sometimes 40 min) and the need to do more laundry. I noticed he tends to use his left hand during meal times but favors his right during play time.

I realized I haven't said much lately about how things are going in Richmond. I've fallen in with a nice group of moms that meet weekly. Sometimes it is a large group gathering and sometimes just a few of us. These ladies are very nice and serve as true inspiration as the kind of mom I want to be. And their homes are spotless! Not that it matters..Have you noticed that in every picture I take my house is a complete disaster?!?! I swear its clean sometimes =) The hard part is, I wouldn't exactly classify these women as friends yet. We don't call each other just to gab or do anything without the kids. I know it takes time and I'm just thankful to have some company during the day!

And after 6 months I've decided that its time to set up the house. I've been rearranging furniture and I have some grand plans to hang pictures as well. We just don't know what we are going to do when our lease is up. I can see us living in this house for another year OR finding a different rental that better suits our needs for less money OR purchasing a home. So I'm feeling a little unsettled just being unsettled. I'm a planner and I like to know things.

The awful truth is its still hard to find the good in Richmond. We absolutely loved our lives in Baltimore and we're having a really hard time letting go. We are actually going back again this weekend to celebrate Kristin & Alec's engagement AND Annmarie's 1st Birthday. Can't Wait!!!

Pushing Buttons

2012-02-01T08:09:00.000-05:00

I'm really missing our wall mounted TV right about now! We even had all of the components wired into a closet. Kolton loves to push buttons and has definitely learned that they do something. Well how do I get across that he shouldn't push this particular button? I say "no" and "don't touch" and he'll look back at me and smile. So he knows he's getting a rise out of me already! The problem is I laugh. I can't help it =) Last night I watched an episode of Super Nanny where they featured a family with 4 boys. The mom couldn't deal with her sons' unruly behavior (and let me tell you it was awful!!!!) so she just laughed it off....uh oh, I'm in trouble!

Kolton 2.0

2012-01-29T22:52:00.000-05:00

You knew it would happen. I have been going on and on and on for a year now about what a good baby I have. Well let me introduce you to Kolton 2.0 Don't get me wrong, he's still a sweet little boy. HOWEVER, Kolton 2.0 can throw a pretty major tantrum! He had two major meltdowns this week. Both took place in the car so there was nothing I could do. He cried and thrashed around for a good 20 minutes each time. Totally working himself up to the point that when I finally was able to get him out he was completely drenched; and completely fine. Obviously something is going on with the car seat but holy Hannah-never had he ever threw a fit like that!

Kolton 2.0 is on the go so much more now. All he wants to do is cruise furniture. It's so funny to see him go from couch, to ottoman, to other couch, to end table and back again. He still reaches out to me for support, which I love. Thus far he hasn't really tested the waters of letting go. Apparently he was standing in his crib when Mike went to get him after his nap today. And I missed it! I've totally been waiting for that moment and I missed it...I was out shopping. I'm sure there will be firsts that Mike will miss so it was kind of cool that he got to see that.

I got pretty used to being able to take him places. Whether it was shopping, a nice restaurant, or an AOII meeting he was such a content little guy. Kolton 2.0 is not content, not for long anyway!
And don't even get me started on Kolton 2.0's refusal to eat vegetables!

I still believe I have the best little baby in the world and I'll continue to brag about him! I can't help myself; just look at that face =)

Thank You Grandma & Grandpa Junkans for the awesome birthday present!

Rant: Waiting

2012-01-25T21:51:00.000-05:00

I even took off his pants to save time. A lot of good it did me!

I have a small rant today. Is it so wrong to think its perfectly acceptable for a mother to be slightly late for an appointment and at the same time be completely ludicrous, borderline cruel, to make that mother wait for over 1/2 hour beyond the set appointment time????? Kolton had an urology follow up appointment today. I arrived exactly on time; 2:20. We checked in and were shown to or exam room very quickly. Then we waited, and waited, and waited, Just as I was hitting my boiling point and getting ready to walk out at 3:05 the doc came in. Was I being punished for being exactly on time? It was a children's urology center so they should know that #1) its hard to get any where on time with a child and #2) its even harder to entertain said child for a 1/2 hour in an exam room!!!!!!! Ugh! OK, I'm done...Of course I had no reason to be late; i just had to stop and get gas =) Oh yeah, and the reason that angel face in the picture had a meltdown was because I wouldn't let him eat the chair! Has anyone ever stormed out of a doctor's office for having to wait too long?

One Year STATS

2012-01-24T20:46:00.000-05:00

I've been playing around with an app on my iPhone that allows me to edit my pictures. I'm really trying to decide whether or not I want to get a fancy, nice, camera like the one Megan used for Kolton's birthday party. I think the bottom line is I definitely want one for special events. But I doubt I will carry it with me every where. So everyday photos will continue to be taken with my phone...which is just crazy in itself =)

Here is another one

Kolton had is one year old check up yesterday. Here are his STATS

Weight: 20 lbs 2 oz 30%

Height: 30.5 Inches 75%

Head: 18.5 Inches 75%

At this appointment they did a little finger prick. I expected Kolton to cry hysterically. Nope, not a peep. He watched with interest as the nurse continued to squeeze his finger to get enough drops of blood to fill a little test tube. What a brave boy! Of course he screamed his head off when he got his shots but he was still completely fine by the time we left the office. I'm still not quite sure how I feel about this pediatrician. Nothing is really wrong with her. I guess I just don't find her incredibly warm and cuddly. She made some comment about Kolton being a really allergic kid. Um what? That's news to me. When I asked her what she meant by that she said that she can tell by looking into his nose that he'll have some allergy issues...GREAT!

The Big One

2012-01-23T21:39:00.001-05:00

Kolton's birthday party was on Saturday. It turned out better than I ever could have dreamed; or been able to pull off at home. We held it at one of our favorite gathering spots in Baltimore. It was so great not to have to worry about running out of anything, restocking, or serving. All of our friends in the Baltimore/DC area came to celebrate with us...around 30 people or so. We felt incredibly loved!

The theme was cupcakes. I ordered a giant cupcake for Kolton's smash cake along with regular cupcakes for the adults from a woman from my MOMS Club here in Richmond. Thank you Marci Foote from Sugarfoote Custom Cakes!

I found awesome cupcake balloons, plates, napkins, etc at Party City.

He wasn't so into getting his hands messy but he did eat all of those little sugar buttons from around the bottom. Yes...all of them!

I'm not exactly planning on throwing a big bash like this for him every year. Just milestones with smaller celebrations in between. So the next one will be when Kolton turns 5. The scary thing is Mike will be turning 40 (Mike's Birthday was on the 15th). Hmmmm, I'm sure I'll figure out a fun way to combine the two! Because everyone knows I love to throw a good party.

So what am I going to do with myself now you ask? Well the other big news to come out of the weekend was Kristin & Alec got engaged!!!!! The two are like family to me. Bring on the wedding planning =)

1 Year Old!

2012-01-19T22:58:00.000-05:00

My Darling Baby Boy,

Today is your very first birthday. I've been thinking a lot about what I wanted to say to you today. I feel like it should be something profound; putting into words how much you mean to me and changed my life for the better. The thing is I'm just starting to scratch the surface of those feelings and can barely understand them myself let alone describe all of them. So today I'm going to keep things short and sweet because as I've been thinking there has been one message coming through loud and clear. The simple truth is that you make my life make sense. All of the ups and downs, twists and turns, highs and lows, somehow it all lead me to you. I am beyond blessed to be your mama. I Love You...more than words can say.

Birthday Eve

2012-01-18T22:20:00.000-05:00

One year ago tonight I packed my bags and set out on a night that would change my world forever. The funny thing about a planned induction is it feels a lot like checking into a hotel. You have your suitcase, confirm your reservation, and "check in". I was told to eat a really good meal as I wouldn't be allowed food until the baby was born and would need enough to sustain a good 24 hours without eating. So prior to checking in at Mercy Hospital in Baltimore, Mike and I had dinner with friends at Outback. I know, not the most glamorous of choices but I really wanted steak as my last meal! I remember feeling nervous and excited but mostly calm. I'm a planner and this arrangement of knowing when my baby boy would be born totally agreed with me. Well, like most things in life, karma has a funny way of kicking you in the ass. Because I really had no idea what I was in for!

We were shown to our room and I was hooked up to the fetal monitor. In passing the nurse mentioned that it was a full moon and the staff was eagerly anticipating what the night might bring. I thought I remembered hearing some sort of urban legend about maternity wards and full moons but really, what could really happen???? A lot, it turns out. After I was admitted a slew of women came in already in labor. I was scheduled to be there but these women were having their babies and having them quickly while I waited and waited for the doctor to come in to start the induction process. We probably waited for a good 3 hours before the Dr. had time to get to me. Without getting too graphic a substance was applied to soften my cervix. The nurse told me that although rare, sometimes thats all it takes to get the labor process moving. More than likely Pitocin would be administered in the morning and my baby would be born 24 hours from now (11:00 pm).

Between the damn IV and the fetal monitor I was extremely uncomfortable. Especially because I had to pee every 5 minutes and had to unplug myself and navigate the IV thingy every time I had to go. I started to realize I must be having contractions. The nurse assured me I wasn't in labor as labor contractions occur in measurable sections of time; not all over the place as I seemed to be. Of course it was hard to get any answers because the doctor was still up to her elbows in deliveries.

Once the pain started all bets were off the table. I had no idea what was going on. Why was I in so much pain if I wasn't in labor? I was given something to take the edge off, and again told I was not in labor and should sleep while I can. I rested for maybe 10 minutes before the pain really started. Ummmm, I thought I was going to be able to sleep? I just couldn't wrap my mind around what was happening? I ended up being THAT GIRL screaming in pain. Mike was finally able to wrangle a nurse in my room and although they were hesitant to check me (at the risk of infection) they did. Somehow I had managed to dilate from a 3 to like a 7 in a matter of hours...I honestly don't remember the exact number but my epidural was ordered. Before getting an epidural you have to get a whole bag of IV fluids...it took FOREVER!!!! By the time the anesthesiologist came in with the giant needle I was in so much pain I had trouble sitting still. "You'll be able to sleep now" the nurse said. Where have I heard that before????

Once again no more than 10 minutes later I started to feel what I can only describe has PRESSURE. Ever try to hold in a fart? This was like 100 million times worse. I called the nurse in and told her what I was feeling. "Well don't push" she said. "I don't think I really have a choice!" I replied. So again there was concern over checking my dilation but once they did they started setting up for the birth. The baby was coming in the next hour! It was about 6:30 AM.

The on-call doctor, whom I had met, showed up. My doc was on her way in. I got my legs up in the stirrups...OMG how is this going to feel??? I was kind of scared! This is where things get really scary/fast/hectic. The doctor broke my water and showed signs of concern. Something was beeping near by, my son's heart rate monitor. She said, "Traci, we are going to do a C-section otherwise I'm afraid the baby will die. We need to get him out now!" I was screaming in pain, the nurses were frantically trying to convert the bed back down and unplug me while someone shouted "somebody cover her up!" WHAT WAS HAPPENING?!?!?!

As I'm being wheeled to the OR the Dr. is demanding the anesthesiologist. A different one than the one that administered my epidural shows up and they exchange words. I wish I were making this up but they were literally having an argument over me about whether or not I should be put out. My Dr. was pretty adamant she wanted me under ASAP while the anesthesiologist insisted he could get me numb or whatever. Well for what ever reason it didn't work...I think she tested it by nicking me with a scalpel. They were going to put me under and when they do that Mike could not come in the delivery room. A nurse grabbed my hand and I remember hearing "Propofol on board" and all I could think was "Oh, Michael Jackson!" I looked to the sky and thought, this is either going to turn out OK or it is not and at this point I just have no control. However, I will admit that I had confidence that everything was going to be fine. Maybe I just didn't want to admit the alternative was just as likely.

Before I opened my eyes I heard Mike on the phone with my Dad. Letting him know Kolton had arrived and was fine. He filled him in on some other details and said he would send out pictures as soon as I had a chance to meet him.

Kolton Michael Junkans was born at 7:51 AM on January 19th. A mere 9 hours or so after the induction process began without me ever actually getting pitocin. So much for 24 hours! And life would never be the same...

51 Weeks!

2012-01-16T09:54:00.002-05:00

My plan for perfectly posed weekly photos went out the window a long time ago. Like a lot of things with motherhood I'm finding it best just to let go and capture moments as they truly are. Note: Kolton's bare feet. We've been practicing walking every chance we get. It makes a big difference for him to be able to feel the floor beneath his toes. He reaches out for Mike and me to sturdy him and it just melts us both. It's the realization that we are there to help him through life's struggles. I bet Aaron Rodgers called his mom after that terrible loss last night!

It's the Cheesiest

2012-01-11T21:18:00.000-05:00

Feeding a toddler. Why is it so hard? I'm seriously considering stocking up on purees again. Kolton was a champion puree eater. It made me feel good knowing he was getting all of the recommended vitamins and then some. Now, I am getting so sick of wasting food! And I feel like he isn't getting enough. Of course he loves his mac n cheese. But I can't give him mac n cheese at every meal...can I?

Oh, and what sort of time limit do you impose? On one hand I worry about him eating enough but on the other once we've reached about a 1/2 hour of picking at it I think we're both done!

Date Night

2012-01-07T22:41:00.001-05:00

All week I was looking forward to my first official date night with Mike. Our 4 year wedding anniversary was on December 29th. It seems like every year one of us has been sick plus it always manages to get swept up into the holiday rat race. So we've never really done anything to celebrate. This year was going to be different! Yeah, right... This year Kolton decided tonight was the perfect night to get his first fever. We had been out shopping for a few hours and outside of being a little cranky here and there, presumably from being tied down to the stroller, he was relatively fine. But when we got home a little later than expected and he refused to eat or take a bottle I started to wonder if something else was wrong. Instead he wimpered and cuddled into me as I rocked him down for a nap. I was just getting into the shower when I heard he was awake. When Mike came into the bathroom and told me he still wouldn't take a bottle I just knew we were not going to make it out tonight. Sure enough Kolton was burning up. His temp read 101.3 but it was the way he was acting more than anything that let me know there was no was we could leave him with a sitter who was due to arrive in a 1/2 hour! Thankfully she doesn't live too far away so I was able to cancel before she left the house. A short while later Kolton threw up. Oh boy, here we go I thought. Then he wimpered more and cuddled more and went to sleep some more. I was soooooo worried! But after a dose of Little Fevers and another hour of sleep Kolton woke up and took a bottle. Although not all of it stayed down most of it did and he smiled, laughed, played, and was his overall normal self. I wish I could have gotten him to look up for a photo because nothing thrilled me more than to see the sparkle back in his eyes! Happy Anniversary Sweetie! We are the luckiest parents in the world to have such a sweet baby boy!

50 Weeks!

2012-01-06T20:55:00.000-05:00

Crap! With all of the holiday craziness I totally dropped the ball on taking weekly pictures! Shoot, shoot, shoot! I almost made it the entire year taking photos of him in that chair. Oh well...I'm not really sure what I was planning to do with all of them. I was thinking of making a photo book on shutterfly or something like that. Whoops! I'll probably still do that even though there is this 2 week gap now.

This week has been all about finding new things for Kolton to eat. It's actually been a lot of fun experimenting. Today was the first time I went to the grocery store and did not buy any baby food. Instead I bought regular things like applesauce, cottage cheese, yogurt, and bananas. I'm struggling with the protein though. So I got these single serve chicken breasts and figured I'd cook it like I do for Sophie when I give her chicken and rice for an upset stomach. So if anyone has any suggestions I'm all ears! Today was the first time I gave him corn & peas...yes I found some whole ones in his diaper tonight =)

Almost Perfect

2012-01-05T22:39:00.000-05:00

Today was one of those almost perfect days. Kolton slept in until nearly 9:00! Then, after running a quick errand, we went to Panera for breakfast where an older couple oohed and aahed over my little guy. After they departed I looked up to find a young boy also waiting to tell me what a cute baby I have. Meanwhile Kolton experimented with musk mellon and seemed to enjoyed it quite a bit. Back at home he went down for a nap and I caught up on my internet musings. Time really flies that way! Before I knew it it was time to head to our afternoon play date that consisted of 4 boys and 2 girls. Nothing like coffee and conversation to pass the afternoon. For dinner I gave my little guy a shot at my favorite food...Mexican! He ate almost a whole cheese quesadilla from Qdoba and applesauce. I would have liked to give him a little more play time before his bath but something in his diaper told me it was time. Bath time was a joy complete with squeals of laughter and splashing.

So am I making you gag yet????

After being in WI for almost two weeks I'm working on getting Kolton back in his normal routine. Think daylight savings and quitting smoking at the same time. After being completely coddled and spoiled by the Grandma's I'm sure there are some withdraw symptoms. The payback for his late wake time was that he was not ready to go to bed at 7:30 and I don't rock him until he falls asleep. I know, I'm a big meany!!! So I instituted the ingenious rule set up by my friends the Kirkhams. You let the baby wail and cry for as many minutes as he is months old. It helped that I had dishes to do so the running water drowned out what I didn't want to hear. Guess how many minutes it took Kolton to stop crying? Exactly 11! After 10 minutes 50 seconds of bottle washing I turned on the monitor and still heard sobs. In the 10 or so seconds it took me to get up the stairs he had stopped. I almost ruined it when I poked my head into his room but no joke he was asleep! I hate having him fall asleep that way. I guess I just think being upset will carry over into his dreams. But I just checked on him and he's snoring peacefully. So outside of those 10 minutes we had a great day!

2011: A Year In Review

2012-01-02T18:19:00.000-05:00

JANUARY

Kolton Michael Junkans was born January 19th, 2011 at 7:51am

8lbs 7ounces, 21 inches

His birth was pretty traumatic. I ended up having an emergency C section and was even put under for the procedure. I didn't meet my little man for a few hours after he was born as I had to come out of anesthesia and be moved to the maternity floor. I was instantly in love from the moment Mike put him in my arms

I'm not going to lie; that first month was tough. I had trouble breast feeding and Kolton wasn't gaining weight. In the end I pumped and supplemented with formula. I'll be honest I had no idea exactly how to care for him. Mike and squabbled a little here and there about what we thought was right. And Oh, those sleepless nights! My advice to any new mom...take some birthing classes but also take some infant care classes! The nurses will help you through the birth but no one is there to tell you what to do at home.

FEBRUARY

Hanging out in the "Green Jungle" as we called it. At this point I really thought we were in for a dark haired, brown eyed, little spitting image of his mama. Can't you see why?

MARCH

I think this photo was taken around 5am as that was his usual rise time. We would go downstairs and watch country music videos...there isn't much on at 5am! I love this one because it pretty much shows that Sophie is never far away and looks after him constantly. I laugh because I also see the pacifier which her never really latched on to.

APRIL

Looking back I can't believe how much he changed in just 3 short months. But I remember that time seemed to go by very slowly. April was when Mike told me it was very likely we were going to have to move away from Baltimore.

MAY

At 4 months Kolton started jamming his hands in his mouth. I just thought he had discovered his hands. Little did I know he was already cutting two teeth! I feel like he hasn't stopped cutting teeth since then. He has 8 now and constantly chews his fingers which I'm guessing means those molars are coming soon.

JUNE

Time for Kolton's surgery. When he was born we were told that he only had one testicle and even that one hadn't descended. The surgery was successful and we brought our little guy home with 2 perfectly normal testis. He also had two hernias repaired and the circumcision done at the same time. It was an outpatient procedure and he quickly recovered at home. This was also when I quit working to be a stay at home mom.

JULY

Probably one of my all time favorite photos! Kolton's 1st trip to Ocean City.

AUGUST

By August we were living in Richmond, VA

SEPTEMBER

In the south summer lasts for a lot longer than in WI!

OCTOBER

I couldn't get enough of this cute tiger costume.

NOVEMBER

Kolton crawled for the first time right before Thanksgiving. The allure of Sophie's dishes are like moths to a flame =)

DECEMBER

Santa's first visit to Kolton. We are still in WI for our holiday visit and cherishing this time spent with family.

Looking back at the year like this makes it seem ridiculously short! I also realize that 2011 was all about me learning how to care for an infant. Kolton's needs were relatively basic the whole year...eat, sleep, and poop. With the strides he's made this past week alone I know that 2012 will be all about him...walking, talking, learning, and growing. OMG I can't wait! Happy New Year!!!

Christmas Reflections

2011-12-27T10:46:00.001-05:00

What a whirl wind that was! And note to self...take more pictures early, and often. I'm kind of crazed that I didn't get a really good family photo on Kolton's 1st Christmas. Oh well, I definitely captured the spirit of the holiday, including a Green Bay Packer Win! All of the guys in my family got Jersey's so this holiday Green and Gold were the colors of choice =)

It was definitely a new experience opening gifts for both Kolton and myself this year. Just a lot to keep track of while trying to maintain Kolton's needs that didn't always allow me to totally concentrate and make sure appropriate "Thank Yous" were said to the gift giver. I quickly accepted that timing was never going to be perfect. Kolton wanted to nap when it was time to eat, then he wanted to eat when it was time to open gifts. I can tell my sister in laws were pros because they had their family's piles opened, cleaned up, and cleared out of the living room while I still had gifts to open. My area didn't get organized until the next day!

Christmas Eve at My Mom's (Grandma Barb's) who supposedly cut back this year...missing from the photo are the piles of presents that had to be stacked in another room.

Hi Santa!

Christmas Day at our Dad's. It was very surreal to sit with my brother Tony with our children on our laps.

For some reason Kolton likes to wait until we are in Wisconsin to hit some milestones. You might remember he started sitting while we were here in August. As of Christmas Eve he will now eat anything and everything AND he also started feeding himself. I have been trying to introduce regular solid food for weeks and have always been met with resistance. I guess he just figured the holiday meals were too good to pass up! He's had chilli, turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, carrots, pot roast, and cheese just to name a few. I can't begin to tell you how this new development scares me because now I HAVE TO COOK!!!!!

Overall the holiday really was wonderful. For me part of the nostalgia is reflecting on past, present, and future Christmases to come. This year the religious part was definitely passed over and I hope to keep that at the forefront from now on. Last night I was thinking about the birth of Christ and the emerging toddler I now have. I wonder if the Son of God was a good baby?

Santa Claus Traditions

2011-12-23T15:51:00.003-05:00

Santa Came! Santa Came! Santa Came

Last night was my first night playing Santa. We have to leave for the airport in the middle of the night to make our 6am flight tomorrow so Santa had to come to our house a little early. Even though I didn't really have to be stealthy about it this year I do so anyway just for practice. Boy am I glad I did! I learned very quickly that you do not leave the assembly of toys for the night before. At least anything that requires a hammer anyway. I also started to think about exactly what Santa Claus traditions I would like to establish. My parents divorced when I was a very young so I always got 2 Christmas mornings. My parents played Santa a little differently and it never occurred to me to question it. For example my mom didn't wrap stocking stuffers while my dad did. At my Mom's my brother and I opened stockings on our own while at my Dad's we opened stockings after gifts and after breakfast. Mom left wrapping paper out for Santa to use...so that we wouldn't wonder why gifts from her and him were wrapped in the same paper. Dad used different paper. I knew a girl in school whose Santa gifts were never wrapped at all. Do you allow gifts from Santa to come in the original packaging or does Santa make all the toys? Wow! I never thought it would be so complicated!!! Here are a couple of ground rules that I think work best for me.

1. All gifts from Santa should be wrapped in glittery red and white wrapping paper.
2. Stockings are filled with unwrapped candy and other trinkets with a wrapped gift or two.
3. Its OK to leave toys in original packaging but bigger items, like the trike, should be removed from the box and assembled.
4. Don't forget to eat the milk and cookies and leave crumbs!
5. Leave a snow globe from Santa. I thought of this after watching the Polar Express and The Santa Clause the other night.
6. Sneak in to leave a gift by the bedside if possible. My mom did this and it was so fun to wake up to!

I'm sure I'll think of more as I go along. The key is to stay consistent. The really hard part is that I'm sure we'll have to arrange for Santa to come a little early every year like this. But again, as a kid, I never questioned my parent's ability to communicate with the big guy. That's part of the magic in believing! Merry Christmas everyone!

The scene before I went to bed after midnight.

Love that kid!

Boss

2011-12-21T21:58:00.001-05:00

Ever work for someone younger than you? Kolton had definitely been letting me know whose the boss lately! If I step out of line he lets me know it, pronto. I've been pressing my luck taking him shopping later than I should. He gives me a couple of warning cries which I'm grateful for before deciding to lose it completely. I try to hold my head high but I feel myself cowering and talking out loud to him more for the benefit for those that might be judging me. Saying things like "OK, you've made your point, we're heading home now!" And realistically its only like 7:00 so it really isn't that late. But like I've mentioned before last year at this time I couldn't walk through a store without stares and comments from strangers about how big I was. There was a particular incident in Target where Kristin had to act as my body guard keeping the crazies away and stopping them from saying anything else before we high tailed it out of there. But I think the experience scarred me a little...I know complete strangers will judge me and have no shame letting me know what they are thinking. However, as I was discussing the story with a Richmond mom yesterday-we were finally able to make a play date!- she mused that perhaps it was a north vs south thing. That people here would never be so rude. It crazy how moving only 3 hours south of Baltimore means I've really crossed this cultural line!

For some reason I thought this holiday season would be easy peasy and that I'd have no problem getting things done. But with the boss calling the shots and being sick and losing two weeks I'm still in the rat race. Oh, Amazon.com how I love thee. How did moms ever survive without it?

11 Months!

2011-12-19T21:43:00.000-05:00

Finally, finally, we are feeling better! We ended up taking Kolton back to the doctor on Friday after the nurse expressed concern that he was getting worse even after being on antibiotics. Well turns out he got a viral infection on top of his bacterial cold infection. And there is nothing that can be done for the virus at his age. The doc told us that usually there is a 2 day period where the viral thing is really bad then it calms down. Thankfully that seems to be the case. I still have to wipe little man's nose through out the day but it pales in comparison to last week.

To celebrate the passing of the sickness and Kolton's 11 monthiversary we saw Santa Claus today. I was totally freaked because the mall parking lot was packed! But there was virtually no line to see the man in red and Kolton was on Santa's lap within minutes of arriving. He didn't cry but he gave his trademark blank stare. He's definitely a little more on the serious side. Of course they no longer let you take your own pics so $40 later I have some of my last minute Christmas shopping done...sorry to ruin the surprise Mom!

One other fun thing that happened today was when I heard that Kolton was up from his nap I went in to find him in the sitting position in his crib! So freakin cute! He doesn't really change position that easily so it was a really fun sight to see =) Happy 11 Months Little Buddy! Mommy loves you very much and I can't wait to spend our first Christmas and New Years together as a family!

I swear he really is a happy kid =)

Still Sick!

2011-12-15T08:33:00.002-05:00

I tried to stage a holiday portrait session with little man but this was the only expression I could get! We are both still sick!!!! On Monday we went to the doctor and got antibiotics. Kolton's of course coming in the form of the great pink cure all-Amoxicillian. I couldn't help but sneak a taste....Mmmmmm! Its just been a ridiculously long time for a cold to hang on. Mine morphed into a sinus infection and the pressure between my eyes nearly drove me insane. I am feeling much better but Kolton still has a never ending running nose. Ugh! We haven't even been to see Santa yet because I don't want him being the snot nosed kid sitting on Santa's knee!

So I hate to admit it but since we've basically been shut ins we've been watching a lot of TV. I still try to have it off for the greater part of the day while Kolton is awake but (sigh) I'm not always successful. Anyway, since I've been watching a lot there are a couple of commercials that I have issues with. Have you seen these?

1) Foldgers-the one where the brother comes home from Africa or whatever. There is the most awkward exchange I've ever seen between a brother and a sister! This one has been running for a few years. Take it off the air! It's Creepy!!!!!

2) Digiorono Pizza-the hip hop party. A teenager poses as a pizza delivery guy to gain access to the party. He rings the door bell...Sophie loses her shit EVERY TIME and starts barking at the door! I wonder if the ad execs did any research on the effects this commercial would have on dogs???? While it does get my attention I'm boycotting them just because I'm so annoyed!

Just had to get that out there! Hope everyone is having a happy, healthy, count down to Christmas =)

46 Weeks!

2011-12-11T20:01:00.001-05:00

I need my Mommy! Only now I'm the Mommy and feel kind of helpless. This cold has been relentless...for both Kolton and I. It's just been round after round. I've never experienced anything like this before. Thankfully its somewhat manageable but we're almost out of toilet paper! And I'm not kidding about the Charmin. Seriously, the next time you get a cold get some Charmin. I've been wiping my nose all day for a week and my skin still feels soft and smooth without any weird lotion tissues.

My poor baby is doing OK. Thankfully his appetite returned over the weekend but I'm worried because he'll no longer stand. Is he weak? Or does he simply just want to crawl all the time now? In a slight panic I called the on-call pediatrician over the weekend who told me that sometimes during a cold a baby's hip can get sore. If things aren't remarkably better by the morning I'm going to take Kolton in to be examined. Then maybe depending on his diagnosis I'll have to go in myself.

What really, really, sucks is I feel like I have to cancel yet another play date we had scheduled for tomorrow. Ugh! And just when I felt like I was starting to find some gals to hang out with. But I just can't imagine exposing anyone to this thing.

Hangin On

2011-12-09T08:09:00.001-05:00

Sorry for the lack of posts this week. Kolton and I have bad colds that keep hangin on and just won't let go. It feels like just when we're about to get better another round starts. I have some holiday shopping and stuff left to do and it doesn't help that I've lost an entire week. But hopefully this means we'll be able to make it through the holidays germ free.

Does anyone else find that using a roll of Charmin toilet paper for wiping runny noses works much better than Kleenex?

45 Weeks!

2011-12-05T18:50:00.001-05:00

Whoops! I took this photo a few days ago but didn't have time to post. With all of the fun we've been having Kolton got a little run down and came down with a cold. Unfortunately that forced us to miss the birthday party yesterday. I still find the consequences of having a sickly child kind of funny. Canceling plans, which I'd hardly ever do in the past, just can't be helped; especially if there are other children involved. Then there is the inevitability that I will get what ever he's got. Thankfully he just has a runny nose but otherwise seems to be in good spirits. But he won't let me anywhere near him with the snot sucker thingy! However, he is already in bed for the night. Poor little guy.

This weekend I was able to do a little holiday shopping. I even went out after putting Kolton to bed last night. I can't help but think about last year. I was super duper pregnant and was realizing my limitations for the first time. Instead of marathon shopping days I was only able to last and hour or so. I'm almost done but not quite. I'm always looking for a good bargain that's why it takes me so long!

Oh what fun!

2011-12-01T08:56:00.001-05:00

I feel like the holiday season is in full swing and we've been having a lot of fun lately. The Wilson family is in town visiting from Minneapolis. John and Mike went to college together, Jen is one of the coolest moms ever, and their two girls are simply adorable. They actually used to live in Richmond before moving back to MN a few years ago. So they had a lot of fun insight on our new town. Oh, how I wished they still lived here! I think Mike and I would be settling in much better if they had. We went to the Children's Museum on Tuesday followed by a pizza party back at our place. Then last night we got a babysitter for all three kids while the adults attended a VCU basketball game. It was the first time I've ever left Kolton with a non-friend babysitter. I admit I was slightly nervous about it. But, I ended up finding an amazing sitter through a referral from the realtor/property manager of the house we are renting. Megan came with glowing references and completely put me at ease. She is a full time nanny and babysits on the side as well. She reported that Kolton is the best baby ever and I can't say that I disagree =)

Tonight its back to VCU for an AOII meeting then tomorrow we are cruising back to Baltimore for the night. Saturday I have an AOII 25th Anniversary gala to go to celebrating 25 years of the sorority at VCU. Then Sunday is the 1st birthday party for one of Kolton's Romp and Roll buddies. Busy, yes, but oh what fun!

44 Weeks!

2011-11-28T22:48:00.001-05:00

I almost forgot to take this weeks' picture! There is Kolton with his most prized posession at this point. I am being totally honest when I say he is sleeping with it right now. Of course Mike couldn't be more proud =) But, OMG, we had such a hard time getting him down tonight that I was actually exhausted when it was all over. I think I'm entering the temper tantrum danger zone. Over the past 2 days I've noticed that Kolton will fake cry when he doesn't get his way. This usually involves Sophie taking her bone and playing elsewhere or the ball rolling too far out of reach. Tonight was a entirely new level. Little man did not want to go to bed. It worries me because I think he's been having some bad dreams lately as he's crying without really being awake. But then again, after this evenings failed bedtime I got him up and put him in the high chair with a graham cracker while Mike and I ate dinner. Then he threw up a little but went right back to eating the cracker. Aaaaahhhhh! If only he could tell me WHAT IS WRONG?!??!?!?

Thanksgiving

2011-11-27T19:45:00.001-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone! I hope you all stuffed yourselves silly. Special thanks to Kristin for Kolton's adorable holiday outfit. We were lucky enough to spend the holiday with good friends. And, in case you haven't heard, Kolton is now a crawler =) Whoo Hoo! We've been waiting for this. He's still army crawling but can move from one room to another. He doesn't do it willy nilly though. It's all about the basketball at this point.

The funny thing is it rolls so easily across the floor that just the slightest touch will send it spinning. So now I really have to get some serious baby proofing done. We are currently using the loft as Kolton's play area. I have a gate that I use to block the hall so I can do other things around the house while he plays. The other day I was on the phone downstairs when I heard giggling. I looked up and saw this....

I've been using the breathable bumper as a way to enclose the space; thinking arms and legs won't get stuck through the spindles. But now that he likes to pull it down and peak through it might be a lost cause.

So my holiday decorating is in full swing! I know I've mentioned before that I absolutely L-O-V-E Christmas and decorating has always been a family tradition. It's always interesting decorating a new space for the first time. I always try to do things a little different every year. This year I'm using colored lights on the small tree...oh, yes; I put up multiple trees. Don't worry Kristin I'm using white lights on the big tree, the mantle, and the staircase. But there is something fun about colored lights and I love the soft glow! My real worry this year is trying to figure out how Kolton's new crawling status will effect where I can put things.

Leaves

2011-11-22T08:44:00.001-05:00

We've been having some beautiful fall weather here in Richmond. As much as I miss fall in Minneapolis it also comes early and is short lived. I've really gotten used to the fact that I can go outside without a coat and even wear flip flops into late November. But this is the first year I've experienced fall in the suburbs. On my daily walk I usually hear no less than 7 leaf blowers, doesn't anybody use a rake anymore? Its frankly hilarious to see people in their yards trying to blow all of their leaves into a neat pile. Then yesterday I witnessed an operation unlike anything I've ever seen. The house we're renting comes with lawn service. Well they came yesterday to do the leaves....

I'm standing in front of our garage so this is the side view of the front yard. I was just coming back from a walk so I missed them in the back. I assume those are all the leaves from the back yard where most of the trees are.

They suck up the huge pile from the street into that truck you see.

What your left with is this! Awesome! All complete in about 1/2 hour.

Of course today more leaves have fallen. Whats really funny is as I walk through the neighborhood I see completely clean yards right next to a yard full of leaves. All it takes is a little wind to really piss someone off!

43 Weeks!

2011-11-20T21:17:00.001-05:00

Weekends go by so fast, even for a stay at home Mom. We had another weekend of just laying low. I spent a large part of Saturday curled up in a chair reading The Hunger Games. I know I'm a little behind on this band wagon but I couldn't put it down...yet another young adult love triangle... bring it on! I'm dying to see Breaking Dawn Part 1 but I'm waiting to see it with Kristin in a couple weeks. I'm team Jacob in case you were wondering =) I've read all 4 Twilight books twice; they were that good!!! I can't say I'd read The Hunger Games again but I can't wait to grab the second book in the trilogy tomorrow.

This week Kolton made a little progress in the crawling department. He actually army crawled forward a few feet. Now more than ever he cries when he gets frustrated by not being able to do it. However he usually just rolls to the spot he wants to be in instead of trying to get up on hands and knees.
We've also had a few frustrating nights which is highly unusual for him. One night I even ended up giving him a bottle at 3:30 AM!

On a positive note he is taking to solids a bit better. He'll eat pieces of real banana and today he ate scrambled eggs for the first time. I may have snuck him a little taste of McDonald's french fries but don't tell my husband that =)

Living Carefree

2011-11-16T08:25:00.001-05:00

The past couple few days have been gorgeous. It's raining today of course. But Monday was a spectacular sunny day. We took an extra long walk and I started to think about how carefree my life truly is. I mean what do I have to be worried about? Making friends? That's nothing! Plus I have wonderful friends who are just a phone call or a short car ride away. So really I have nothing to worry about! I'm not trying to brag I'm just saying that sometimes it takes something as simple as a pretty fall day to remind me just how lucky I am.

I don't think I've mentioned too much about my involvement with my college sorority, Alpha Omicron Pi (AOII). I was involved with the alumnae advisory committee in Baltimore at Towson university and now at VCU. Basically we help oversee that the current chapter doesn't get themselves into too much trouble! Anyway, I was on campus Sunday night and was hit with a sense of nostalgia. Talk about living care free! Aaah, those were the days. I'd like to think that I still look young enough to pass for a college student. But the baby in the stroller kind of hinders that!

42 Weeks!

2011-11-14T09:05:00.001-05:00

I love that I was able to capture Kolton sticking his tongue out in this weeks' pic. He's been all about it lately. So at 42 Weeks we are still waiting for him to crawl. I will admit that I am getting very anxious about it. Kids his age are pulling themselves up on things, nearly walking and yet our little guy seems no where near that. I know, I know, all babies develop at their own pace but this seems kind of crazy. Whats even crazier still is I've asked countless moms what they did or how their children did it and they all say the same thing "the kid just did it on their own".

I need to interject that as I'm writing this post I'm suffering stay at home mom embarrassment. The guy is here to winterize the sprinkler system. I knew he was coming but I didn't get around to changing out of my pj's, brushing my hair, or even getting a bra on! Granted his work is all outside but I had to answer the door this way. Ooops!

Part of the reason why I haven't gotten around to taking care of myself yet, besides checking emails and doing this of course =), is that Kolton has already taken a 7oz bottle, ate breakfast (oatmeal & bananas), and pooped twice! He is a really poopy kid! Every morning is a little like this. A lot happens then he'll nap around 10. Around noon he may be ready for 4oz of formula. I say may because he doesn't always take it. By noon its been 5 hours since he's had a bottle and 4 since he's had anything. It just always surprises me that he still feels full from the morning.

Well I better go pull myself together a little...is going to be a beautiful day here in Richmond and I hope to spend a little bit of it outside while we still can =)

Bliss

2011-11-10T21:54:00.001-05:00

Today was bliss. My bliss is doing nothing all day but playing and snuggling my little guy. We didn't go to the gym or a mom meet up; I didn't feel the need to clean or get anything else done even though there was tons I could have been doing; we hardly left the house actually. I loved every minute of it and found myself wishing Kolton didn't have to go to bed at 7:30.

Why is the world we live in so crazy? Why do we have to be confronted with things like child sex abuse scandals and kidnappings? Why do kids get serious illnesses? Why do accidents happen and bad things happen to good people? Ugh! Why do we ever leave the house? Sorry to get all serious and gloom and doom =) Sometimes I just wonder how anybody ever makes it through unscathed.

I'll admit that at least once a week I still get a little down about having to move. I miss Baltimore! I miss Minneapolis! But, one look into the big brown eyes of my beautiful baby boy and I'm thankful and happy!

Bait

2011-11-09T11:34:00.001-05:00

The other day Kolton, Sophie, and I were out for our morning walk when a stray dog came up to us. It was about the size of a German Shepard. My first reaction was to yell at the dog but then I'd be the crazy lady yelling in the street. So against my better judgement I let the stray come up to us. He followed as I started walking again. Within minutes I saw a man walking towards me with an empty collar and leash. He told me that the stray had been seen in the neighborhood for a while now and recently killed his cat. The dog had obviously been trained at one point because he was responding to commands to sit but wouldn't sit still long enough for the man to put the collar on him. The guy even had doggie treats and still couldn't get collar around his neck. So we continued on and the guy headed home. Well the stray was obviously very interested in my dear little Sophie. Then the man asked if I wouldn't mind walking Sophie to his fenced back yard so that we could trap the stray and call animal control. Basically using Sophie as bait. It seemed logical enough so I did it. Yes, I am that stupid!!!!!

Once we got to the yard I quickly realized that I was putting myself, my baby, and my fur baby in potential danger. What the hell was I thinking?!?! The man had to run around the yard to close the other gate. So while he did that I anxiously watched as the stray cornered my little girl at my feet. Um, this dog had just killed a cat and Sophie is not that much bigger than a feline! I yelled for the man and he came around to help. Now the dog wasn't showing real signs of aggression but I think that's besides the point. I breathed a sigh a relief and walked away quickly. That stay was back at my feet in 10 seconds flat. He had jumped the fence!!! So Sophie was used as bait yet again to get close enough to put the collar on. My heart was pounding all the way home. What is it about the suburbs that makes me so suspicious of people? I should have just walked home and called animal control. But of course I didn't have my cell phone on me. Don't you just hate it when life finds a way to teach you lesson? Thankfully nothing bad happened and hopefully the dog was microchipped or something and will be returned to its owners. But I will carry my cell phone on my walks from now on!

Oyster Festival

2011-11-06T19:13:00.000-05:00

OMG, what a fun weekend! You can't get more pituresuqe than the above photo. That was the scene at our friend's river house on the Rappahannock. We hung out around a fire for a while on Friday night before the swirling winds forced us inside. Saturday was beautiful, sunny and cool yet still warm in the sun. The Urbana Oyster festival was so much fun. We basically made it as far as the wine tasting area and parked it for a few hours =) But we also sampled fried, steamed, and raw oysters as well as a multitude of other fried yumminess. Kolton was pleasant as usual and took in all of the sights and sounds with curious wonder. Special thanks to Amy for being the group photographer! We are so lucky to have such wonderful friends and gracious hosts.

I loved those sunglasses which unfortunately Kolton broke later in the day. Best $10 I ever spent!

Chilaxin in his ride

Due to daylight savings time Kolton went down just after 6pm tonight. I'm also feeling a little cold coming on. Tomorrow morning might be very interesting. It wouldn't be unheard of for him to sleep in until around 6:30. Oh please, please, please! I may be turning in shortly myself. It's 7:45!

41 Weeks!

2011-11-04T09:54:00.001-04:00

You know how when you're on vacation and the week just seems to fly by? Honestly thats how I feel almost every week! Whats crazy is that I don't accomplish much. Just days filled with hanging out with my little guy making sure all of his basic needs are met. I love it! I wonder how much things will change once I have to chase after him?

Of course he repaid me for all of my bragging in the last post by having a couple rough nights this week. Nothing big but he does this thing where he cries but isn't really awake. I'm a little confused on how to handle it. If I pick him up to soothe him he will wake up but rubbing his back doesn't seem to work either. Is he dreaming or feeling teething pain? I think the last time he went through a stretch like this he was teething but then I also recently read something about a 10 month sleep regression. So who knows what I'm in for? But he slept well last night except for the fact that he got up at 6 this morning. Daylight savings should be fun =)

We've got another fun filled weekend planned! Heading to Deltaville, VA to attend an Oyster festival with friends from Baltimore. So excited!

9 Month Check Up

2011-11-01T21:12:00.000-04:00

Kolton had his 9 month check up today. He did great! He only cried for a minute after getting his shots and was quite the happy little guy during the entire appointment. I want to be modest but sometimes I have to be a proud mama bear. The nurse kept saying "Is he always this good? Seriously, this is not normal!"

He is 19 pounds and 29 inches. She did comment that he has more teeth than a typical 9 month old...8 in front and the molars are coming in as well. Speaking of teething; whats the correlation with teething and pooping anyway? Kolton pood 4 times today! But I digress...

He did so good at the Dr. that I thought he deserved a new toy. I couldn't resist the classic ring stack em toy. I was surprised at the delight he took in playing with it for the first time. Love that kid!

Happy Halloween!!!

2011-10-31T10:34:00.001-04:00

Happy Halloween! Last week got really really busy. Kolton and I ended up hanging out with the Innsbrook MOMS twice. Once in the park; where I discovered that he will eat muffins, and that I have to start looking at preschools soon after he turns one so he can start at 2.5. WHAT???? My baby in school at 2.5?!?! Then we attended a Trunk or Treat event. We met in a parking lot and the little ones got dressed up in their costumes to trick or treat at each car. The moms that were on top of things had decorations and everything. I of course was not prepared and just had a bowl of candy sitting in my empty trunk. So the mom dating is going OK and I now have 5 new Facebook friends =)

The one thing I have to watch myself on is dissing Richmond. When ever someone asks how I like it I can feel myself making a face. Then I quickly explain that we are still adjusting to the change in lifestyle from the city to the suburbs; our family lives in Wisconsin; we have a big group of friends in Baltimore, etc etc. However, I realize I'm talking smack about their town and many people love, love, love it here. So I think I need to watch it or else I'm going to come off as a big bitch!

But of course we spent the weekend celebrating Halloween with friends in Baltimore. Friday night I had dinner with the girls & Kolton. We went to Roy's which is a pretty nice restaurant. Kolton did wonderfully and sat quietly through the 2 hour meal. I think the waitress assumed we wanted to eat and run because of him because she seemed to hurry us a little. But we took our time and even though we had to eat so early (6:00) because it was already dark it still felt like a night out.

The weather was so cold and rainy on Saturday that all of the day's Halloween activities were cancelled. Oh well, that just meant we had to stay through Sunday! But we did get to celebrate Marshall's birthday Saturday night. I've thought so much about how much I miss our friends that one thing thats escaped me is how much Kolton misses them. It was so great to see the babies interact with each other now that they are all starting to become more aware. We stayed to watch football and attend the lantern parade on Sunday. The babies didn't quite make it long enough to actually see the parade. But Kolton was able to jam to some drumming for a bit. We ended up coming back late Sunday night. I figured Kolton could just sleep in the car. He didn't make a peep the whole way home but was wide awake when we walked into the house. I flew home making it back in just under 2.5 hours! I swear I wasn't speeding that bad! But it took me an hour or so to get Kolton to settle back down so I'm still feeling a little sluggish today.

Here are some pics from the great weekend! Special thanks to Kristin & Alec and Megan & Marshall for letting us crash at their place =)

These two are only 3 weeks apart. Note: Annmare is crawling and Kolton is still just chillin.

Ready for some football! The Packers were on a bye so little K is dressed for the Ravens.

Getting all set to head to Patterson Park for the lantern parade.

Stroller Strides...Wow, am I short or what?!?!

Snack Time!

Amy & Tiger warming up back at the house. Kolton's new thing lately is sticking out his tongue ;)

I hope everyone has a happy & safe Halloween tonight! I think we're all a little tuckered out from the weekend we'll just stay in. And from what I've heard we don't really get trick or treaters. So you know what time it is? Time to start planning for Christmas and 1st Birthday Party!

I just re-read this and realized it seemed like Mike wasn't there, which he totally was!

Buffers

2011-10-24T22:17:00.000-04:00

Still leaning...not cruising furniture yet!

We had a wonderful weekend! Outside of that outrageous Badgers loss...Seriously did you watch it? In case you missed it; we were all tied up and lost on a last second desperation Hail Mary pass. I ended up having to lock myself and Sophie in the bedroom to watch the 2nd half because Sophie was barking frantically as Mike yelled at the TV. Watching a football game with my husband can be a little intense;)

So besides that we went out to eat a couple times, got a new area rug for the family room, and got to spend some quality family time. I know, I know, super boring! But this was the first full week in a very long time that Mike was home every night and it made a huge difference.

Personally I'm starting to reach out more socially. I already spend some time helping out with my sorority's alumnae advisory committee for VCU. But now I've joined a MOMS club that is targeted specifically at stay at home moms in my area. Meetings and events are held during the day giving us something to do. For me, making new friends is not that far off from dating. There are first impressions to worry about and then weeding out those I can really connect with from those that I'll be simply friendly with. So far, based on first impressions, I think I could really be friends with a few of these girls. We've already elevated our relationship to Facebook Friends! But as much as I like to be social I definitely get doused with a big case of social anxiety. I'm that new kid in the 3rd grade at Elk Mound all over again. And yes I suffered from this when first meeting all of you great Baltimore girls! I just worry about saying the wrong thing, saying too much or not enough, and often worrying about it before, during, and after the date, er; meeting; oh you know what I mean! So tomorrow I'm going to a brunch that the MOMS club is having for us new members. I've gone to one meeting by myself so tomorrow will be the first time they'll meet Kolton. Unlike dating the kids will make terrific buffers!

9 Months!

2011-10-19T21:42:00.000-04:00

To my darling baby boy,

You have existed in this world almost as long as you lived in my belly. And look how far you've come! At 9 months you are just the most hansom little guy. We get stopped a lot when we are out and about so that people can marvel at your cuteness. You are still so incredibly happy and content; I must be doing something right! I'm just not quite sure how to motivate you to crawl. But that's OK, because you can stay my baby for a little longer. You're definitely on the verge so I know it won't be long. I feel so bad because you've been teething like a maniac for months. You are now up to 8 and have to be cutting more because you are still constantly putting your fingers in your mouth. But you're definitely tough because I haven't had to give you anything for the pain outside of a few drops of Oragel here or there. The funny thing is you don't really like to put them to use. You hate eating anything with texture; puffs, cheerios, yogurt melts...forget about it! You put up your hands to block the offensive things I try to feed you or immediately spit out those I sneak on your spoon. Thankfully you still love your baby food so I feel like you're getting your nutrients. And just last week Grandma Barb got you to eat a graham cracker for the first time. I'll tell you one thing, those little buggers are sharp! I've been on the receiving end of a bite or two from you=)

We've been living in Richmond for about 4 months now. I can't say that we are totally loving it-mostly because we miss our friends and family so much! But I am so incredibly happy because I get to spend every day with you. You just light up my life and I have not a care in the world when you smile at me. We spend our days eating, playing, pooping, napping, and watching a little Grey's Anatomy. I'm making strides at getting into a gym routine and you are perfectly happy to go to the daycare there. I spend a lot of time thinking about how I'm going to be the kind of mother you deserve. My greatest hope is that you will grow up knowing how absolutely and completely I love you. I'm not perfect and a little silly at times. There are probably a lot of things that I'm not doing right. I know for sure you'll never love my cooking-that's why you have two wonderful Grandmas and a Papa that are great cooks! But I promise there is nothing you could ever do to change my love for you. I will always be there for you and I will constantly strive to be the best Mommy I can be for you.

Love You & Like You,
Mama

ps: You still sleep like a champ! Please, please, please make that last =)

Scary

2011-10-13T23:01:00.003-04:00

Halloween is coming up fast. I'm not really a big fan. I just feel like there is so much pressure to have a fun & creative costume. Now that I'm a mom I feel the pressure to make sure Kolton has a fun & memorable holiday. Yes, I know he won't exactly remember it but I feel like all of his firsts need to be special because one day he might want to see pictures. Our new neighborhood in Richmond doesn't have that many kids in it so I'm not exactly sure what we'll be doing. But I do have a costume for him so he's definitely getting dressed up at one point.

I've never really liked Halloween. It just represents all things that I, well, am TERRIFIED of...spiders and ghosts for example. UGH! That and the fact that my dad used to scare the crap out of me every Halloween. He and my brother would take me into the scary mask isle at Shopko put on the masks and then change their mannerisms to creep me out. These trips always ended up with me in tears and them laughing hysterically. I'm sure this isn't exactly the way it happened but it's how I remember it. Oh, and I got kicked out of kindergarten because I wasn't mature enough to understand that a principal dressed up in full gorilla costume wasn't an actual gorilla. Hey, I was 5 and I was scared!! But since I cried at school I was labeled immature and my mom had to take me out. Yup, I was one of those kids who got held back.

I wasn't sure how Kolton would react when I took him to see my Dad's scary Halloween decorations. He gets really into it and has a pretty loyal trick or treating population. Kolton seemed unfazed.

There was one monster that had him scared to tears.....................................................................

The Elmo head goes side to side and sings when you push any of the buttons. When we first set Kolton in front of it he wailed and sobbed these huge crocodile tears. I felt so bad for him! But it was later in the evening on Sunday and since then the kid is seriously addicted. Oh, Elmo you and your wicked ways.

Busy

2011-10-11T11:45:00.000-04:00

Since we've arrived in Minnesota Kolton has been a very busy boy!

I think I know what to get him for Christmas.

It's Indian Summer with temps in the 70's and 80's. Simply gorgeous out!

Learning to feed himself...not really just cutting more teeth;)

Visiting Great-Grandma Swoboda

We visited with Anna, my good friend from college and former roommate, and her son.

Kolton (8 months) & Jameson (6 weeks).

We visited with Julie, a friend since the 3rd grade, and her family.

Kolton & Rowan are only 4 days apart. I stole this picture from Julie's husband's blog...thanks Dan!

Visiting with more college besties, Heather & Jamie, and their kids.

Eva (3) and Nicholas (1 1/2)

37 Weeks!

2011-10-07T22:57:00.001-04:00

We're leaving bright and early for a week back in MN/WI. I absolutely love Minneapolis in the fall and can't wait to see family and friends once again. I know it seems like we were just there but Kolton is at such a fun age right now and I need to share him with people I love. Last time we were home he learned to sit. Maybe he'll hit another milestone during this visit!

Only leaning; but he can do that for a while.

I'm sure he'll miss his slumber buddy, as will I =)

Foreign Land

2011-10-06T21:37:00.001-04:00

As I'm sure most of you know I don't really cook. I sweat at the word Broil because I honestly have no idea what that means. I think it's just an oven setting but, don't you need a special pan or something? Anyway, given that fact I inexplicably love grocery stores! I found a really great brand new Kroger's the other day and I could have spent hours just perusing the isles. It's like a foreign land where everything is shiny, new, and interesting. Of course I don't speak the language so I wonder aimlessly and eventually feel anxious by my own inadequacy. This one even had an entire merchandise section. I stare longingly at pots, pans, and utensils all of which I have no idea how to use but still find fascinating. I just love grocery stores. Especially nice, fancy ones like this....you'll find me purchasing pre-made meals in the deli section=)

36 Weeks!

2011-10-03T19:47:00.000-04:00

I've been slacking on taking Kolton's weekly photos. He was born on a Wednesday so ideally I would take the picture every Wednesday. But its been more like Friday, or this week it was Saturday. His latest development is more babbles than ever. He now says "Da, da, da" which of course Mike loves.

We had a wonderful weekend. Our friends Megan & Marshall were in town for a wedding and stayed with us. Our first house guests! Friday night Megan and I went out for a girls dinner with some of her friends while the guys stayed home with the boys (Harrison is 1). I'm pretty sure we were running out of the house! Dinner was awesome. We ate at a very cool non-chain restaurant in the Fan. Had we taken more time in finding a place we probably should have looked in this neighborhood. It still strikes me as funny how much Mike and I both love living the city life style given we both grew up in the country! I definitely enjoyed getting out...that's two weeks in a row! Wow!

On Saturday we tailgated at Megan & Marshall's Alma Mater; Randolph-Macon with Megan's family. Yes, I dressed Kolton like a little frat boy. Thanks for the white hat Megan=) He was so cute! What a great way to spend a Saturday afternoon. We got some great photos of the BFF's playing as well.

The key to any sport is to always keep your eye on the ball.

Sucka!

Medicated

2011-09-29T23:00:00.001-04:00

Little man has been a tad under the weather lately. Just a very minor runny nose. He doesn't seem to be bothered too much by it. It's kind of funny to see his reaction. I hate to admit this but I have no idea what to do. Do they make baby cold medicine? I don't even have a pediatrician for him yet! I have an appt to meet with one next week but oy, what have I been doing with myself?!?! Outside of his surgery I have not given Kolton much in terms of medication. This is only his 2nd cold and the kid has never even had a fever. With teething he is often comforted just by me holding him so I don't give him medication just to give it to him. I'm actually kind of fearful about giving it to him because there isn't a lot of dosing information for infants. Have I mentioned how lucky I am to have such a good baby?

5 Minutes

2011-09-26T17:00:00.002-04:00

We went back to Baltimore on Saturday to attend a 1st birthday party for the son of very dear friends of ours. It was so, so, so, nice to get back and feel normal. Kind of like we were back where we belonged instead of feeling somewhat displaced. The party was a ton of fun as we spent most of it in the back patio area catching up with friends. The back area is fenced in and backs to an alley where some people were playing corn hole. There is a door leading from the patio to the alley. When we first arrived we were very aware that Sophie was wondering back n forth between the fenced and non-fenced in areas. But after a few hours we got lazy! I'm sure you can see where I am going with this... She was being so good. At one point I saw her in the arms of another guest and then she headed back out to the alley to chase bean bags. 5 minutes later I headed in to feed Kolton. A minute or two before Mike had gone to the hotel to check us in. Imagine my surprise to see him at the door holding Sophie! She had wandered out of the alley and into the arms of strangers. Thankfully those kind people called the phone number (Mike's Cell) on her tag. Mike initially thought it was one of our friends playing a joke and hung up on the guy. But then as he was turning the corner he saw her in the stranger's arms!!! It's hard not to think about all of the things that could have gone differently. She could have been stolen or hit by a car. It was 5 minute lapse in judgement on my part and a very scary reminder that it only takes 5 minutes for something bad to happen if you're not being vigilant with your kids of both the two and four legged variety.

It cracks me up to see how small he is sitting in our back yard!

35 Weeks!

2011-09-22T21:53:00.000-04:00

It's been pretty hot & humid here in Richmond. The problem is all of Kolton's 9 month shorts are fitting a little snug. I probably should bite the bullet and buy him some new ones. Especially since they are on sale. But I can't help feeling like colder weather is going to be here to stay shortly. As a Wisconsonite I'm always fooled by the warmer temps throughout September and October on the East Coast. It's supposed to be fall people! But it doesn't come until November here. ANYWAY, that's the reason why Kolton isn't wearing any bottoms. It's also the reason he's had these cute little curls lately. And the curls are probably the reason he got mistaken for a girl today! I'll admit the onsie is a little cutesy for a boy as well but it is still blue. But more than anything I can't believe the random strange lady who said "He looks like a girl!" WTF....I can't believe the things that come out of people's mouths sometimes.

8 Months Old!!!!

2011-09-19T21:42:00.000-04:00

Make it stop! He's growing up too fast!! Kolton is 8 months old today. I look around his nursery and play area and marvel at the things he's outgrown already. I used the swing for the first time in a while the other day and he looked extremely bored. Now that he can sit up on his own the Bumbo, bouncy chair, and baby bathtub are things of the past. I'll still use them now and then of course but these used to be daily staples. AND how sad that the green jungle gym, once his absolute favorite, now just sits in the corner of the play area collecting dust. I'm starting to become very aware that I will soon have a toddler and not a baby!

I love that I feel I'm getting to know him a little more each day. It's easy to generalize babies into one big group. We've been to only 2 Romp N Roll classes for 3-12 month olds and I can definitely differentiate some personalities. More than anything Kolton is curious and observant. I mentioned months ago in this post that he takes 3 times to get used to an activity. You can just see the wheels turning in his mind when ever he has a new encounter. But he doesn't respond the best if a new thing is introduced too fast. He's definitely a thinker before you leaper. Let's hope that continues! But once he decides to do something there is no half way. I'm predicting that he's going to be very focused and determined through out his life.

But of course he is still just the sweetest thing ever. He now has 6 teeth; four on the bottom and two on top. He still sleeps through the night (love that!) but is down to only two naps a day. Although he is careful in general he is still a tremendous flirt; quick to give up the smile to the ladies that ooh and aah over him when we're out and about. I can take him out shopping or take him out for lunch or dinner without too much hassle. Target is his favorite destination! I'm not sure if he's more attached to me or I'm more attached to him. Probably the latter. I love him more and more every day.

Demanding

2011-09-13T21:41:00.000-04:00

As a followup to yesterday's post I thought of another D-word that's been on my mind lately. Kolton has certainly learned how to be DEMANDING. I suppose it was inevitable but I think we've entered the scary zone where he knows to cry when he's not getting his way. And how could I not give in to this face!

He's especially vocal during meal times. If I try to sneak in too much oatmeal without the appropriate amount of fruit he lets me know it.

Not much is new here in Richmond. I'm kind of anticipating the cooler weather we will be receiving at the end of the week. However, I discovered that living in comfy dresses all summer has come at a price. I don't think I can easily zip up any of my jeans. And these were jeans I wore post baby! Ouch! I hope leggings are still in style=)

The D word

2011-09-12T16:35:00.000-04:00

The things that are on my mind today both seems to start with the letter D. And of course it only makes sense that both words in my blog title do as well. I hope this isn't an indicator that I'm earning a D in life!

Kolton is really a fun little guy right now. I won't keep going on and on about what a good baby he is because as I said in the previous post Murphy's Law sucks. But he really is the best! I know I'll remember these days for the rest of my life; the funny thing is he won't. I think that's a little sad yet I almost wish it could go on like this too. Just knowing that he can't ever be DISAPPOINTED in life right now gives me a lot of comfort. It breaks my heart to think about the things that might not go his way one day. Maybe he won't make the team, won't get to play, or he'll get picked on at school. We all have these moments and I DREAD the day when I'll have to be strong for him. I could cry just thinking about it! I saw an episode of How I Met Your Mother that looked back on all the lies Barney's mom told him to cover up DISAPPOINTING him. I'm wondering if I'll do that one day too. It just really bothers me to know that he'll get his feelings hurt one day and there is nothing I can do to stop it from happening. Ugh! Sorry for the DOWNER so on to funnier things.

Over the past several weeks I've been struggling a little bit with DIAPER changes. With every poopy DIAPER change Kolton wants to reach DOWN and scratch his butt. He's quick and I can never wipe fast enough. Icky, icky, icky. Then today it just DAWNED on me...give the kid something to play with! DUH!

33 Weeks!

2011-09-08T20:53:00.001-04:00

Notice anything missing? Yup, I couldn't get the sign in the picture without Kolton wanting to grab and crunch the paper. I might have to rethink the setup. And yes he is wearing a Pink Floyd Dark Side of the Moon long sleeve T-shirt. I love this skater look on him! I know the album was recorded in the 70's but it reminds me so very much of college in the mid 90's. Anyone else try to sinc up the album while watching The Wizard of Oz?

Last week I was complaining to a few friends about how much Kolton slept. Well isn't Murphy's Law a funny, vindictive little thing. This week he has dropped his naps down to one. It's still a good 2 hour nap but he's taking it in the middle of the day. I'm not quite sure how to remedy this. I'm thinking I'll try waking him up after one hour in the hopes that he'll want to go down again later in the afternoon. The problem is he's becoming a bit of a disaster in the evening hysterically crying from being over tired as I try to get him to bed. Maybe the other remedy is to just put him to bed earlier...but then I can't have him waking up at 5AM either. What a conundrum!

Tomorrow is our first class at Romp N Roll. I'm excited to get out of the house and meet some other moms!

Zoo

2011-09-06T20:19:00.000-04:00

I've been feeling incredibly guilty that Kolton is over 7 months old and never visited a zoo. So on Labor Day we decided to visit the Metro Richmond Zoo. It wasn't the biggest zoo I've ever been to and Kolton wasn't as interested as I thought. But it was still the high light of my weekend. We've also been using the big boy stroller which he seems to enjoy.

Turtle Power!

No Tiger?

Tiger Time!

Mano e mano Mr. Tiger

Feeding the Giraffes: Yum, Yum Pellets

In The Muck

2011-09-03T21:00:00.000-04:00

Remember when a few weeks ago I wrote about being in a lull? Well things definitely shifted very quickly. After being out of town for over a week I was back in Richmond for only one night before heading back out to Baltimore. The fun part was seeing all of my girls at our fantasy football draft. I am the commissioner of a ladies only fantasy league. We have 14 teams and sometimes girls even pair up and share a team. This is our 3rd year and I think we're starting to get the hang of it! I'm not too thrilled about my team this year because I was too busy to prepare. But with the third overall pick I was able to obtain my main man, the anchor of my team for the 3rd year in a row....Packers Quarterback Aaron Rodgers! LOVE!

The bad part of my Baltimore visit was dealing with this...

Damage to the townhouse from Hurricane Irene!

The winter before last Baltimore experienced 3 massive snow storms. Two took place only 2 days a part. At that time we notice a small water stain in our master bedroom ceiling. I guess we didn't think too much of it. Just figuring with all of that snow of course some had melted and settled, where else could it go? We never had a problem. Well unfortunately the tenant who is now living in our town home woke up to water pouring out of the ceiling. There is more damage than just this but this is one of the worst areas. The really sucky part is there is no glaring reason where or why this is happening. I met with our property manager and project manager who pointed out small cracks surrounding the door leading to the rooftop deck. I can't believe that that much water could get in through those cracks but apparently the carpet pad underneath the carpet on the landing is soaked even though the carpet remains dry so that has to be the spot. Now we are going to have to cut out a big chunk of the ceiling and probably replace some carpet. What we don't know at this point is the true extent of the damage. I guess we won't know until we cut the hole. Ugh! So frustrating!!!!

So I ended up staying in Baltimore longer than expected so I could deal with the town home. On the way back to VA I hoped Kolton would sleep. No such luck. I had to pull over 3 times! At one point I decided to feed him hoping a full belly would knock him out. Even though I had fed him just before we left. As he was sucking down the bottle I felt relief sensing I had figured out the reason for his fussiness. He promptly threw it all up soaking himself and his car seat! I had pulled over at a rest stop but was hesitant to bring him into the rest room because I didn't want to leave Sophie in the car by herself. I can't believe I managed to keep my cool. But I got him changed in the backseat of the car, got the car seat wiped out as best I could, and got back on the road. Que hysterical crying! So bad I had to pull over again to make sure he was OK. He just smiled at me=) Sometimes my boy just wants attention. Thankfully after a few more miles he cried himself to sleep. My trip home took over 4 hours!

I'm thankful to be home with Mike and out of the muck I thought I'd never get out of!

1st Time Sitting in the Grass

Baptism

2011-08-30T21:16:00.000-04:00

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

2011-08-29T10:00:00.000-04:00

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"

2011-08-25T23:09:00.001-04:00

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)

2011-08-17T22:41:00.001-04:00

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

2011-08-15T13:27:00.000-04:00

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!

2011-08-11T21:57:00.000-04:00

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

2011-08-08T15:17:00.000-04:00

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

2011-08-05T11:03:00.000-04:00

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!

2011-08-03T09:42:00.000-04:00

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

2011-08-02T11:28:00.000-04:00

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...

27 Weeks!

2011-07-29T08:55:00.000-04:00

This week was a big week. Kolton handled the move so well. He transitioned to his new room smoothly. Although he has been waking up and making a bunch of racket a bit more than usual. So maybe he is very aware that this is a new place even though he has his crib and his buddies from the mobile. BTW, I love this mobile and would totally recommend it to any new mom. There are three different sounds to choose from; music, nature, heartbeat, and it lasts a really long time. Kolton isn't sitting up on his own yet so I still have the canopy on. But even when we have to take it off I'm sure he'll continue to love the projector feature.

The other thing that's causing the night time outbursts is he gets his arm stuck through the slats of his crib. This is why they invented bumpers. I know it's recommended that no bumper be used at all but whatever, I use a breathable one. I haven't unpacked Kolton's room yet so the bumper is MIA.
Or, maybe he realizes the color of the walls is different? Don't get me wrong he's still sleeping through the night like a champ. Just making a bunch of noise is all.

The other thing he started doing this week is playing with his hair during bottles. So sometimes it's still hands over the eyes and sometimes he's pulling his hair...hilarious!

So while Kolton is doing relatively well my other baby isn't doing too hot. We ended up taking Sophie to the vet yesterday because she started throwing up all over the kitchen floor. She hasn't really had much of an appetite since the diarrhea episode the other day so we thought we better take her in just to be safe. Mostly we were worried that she got into something in the yard. Even though I've been watching her to make sure that doesn't happen! Well $170 later; yeah you read that right $170!!!! they told us to feed her chicken and rice. Well, duh; I know. However, she puked again after we got home so I'm glad to know she's physically OK; this is all related to stress from the move.

In other news, I turn 33 today! I'm going to spend the day avoiding boxes and taking care of my two babies:)

Settling In

2011-07-27T10:33:00.000-04:00

Things in Richmond are going pretty well so far. I'm actually loving the convenience to all my favorites: Starbucks, Panera, KFC, McDonlad's, Chipotle, etc. All within a few miles! Maybe I'll end up liking the suburbs after all! The house is still a mess. OMG, who knew we had so much crap?!?! And I haven't even started on the bedrooms yet. The kitchen is taking FOREVER and it ain't pretty. I'm excited to pull it all together. Of course I haven't been completely devoted to the house when I have such a cute little guy to play with.

(please excuse the mess!)

The Friday we left Kolton had his 6 month well baby check up. He weighs 16 lbs and is 27 inches long. I really didn't think things through because he received some shots at the check up. As we were trying to get everything out of the townhouse he started to get really fussy. I wasn't sure if we were going to be able to leave! But I figured once we got in the car he would knock out and I was right, once again he slept the whole way. I'm a little worried because since then he has been sleeping a lot. Sunday night he fell asleep in our bed at around 5:00. I tried waking him up at one point but he wasn't interested and I didn't have the heart to force it. So, I just carried him up to his crib where he slept until almost 7 am the next day. He's been taking long naps too. Yesterday I woke him up from both the morning and afternoon once he exceeded 1.5 hours. Then today he slept in until 8:30! But when he is awake he is playful and bright eyed. I don't know what to think!

Sophie is actually having a little bit of a hard time adjusting. In the townhouse we had carpet in the great room and she could jump up on the couches just fine. In this house there is more hardwood and that confuses her. She whines to get picked up and I always find her lounging on the rug in the foyer; the only piece of carpet downstairs outside of our bedroom. Then last night she got diarrhea. I just dealt with this with her after we picked her up from the kennel we had her in while we were in Ocean City. I was up a lot last night with her, even taking her out at 2:30am. This morning she left me a wonderful surprise (on the hardwood thank God). I have been watching her in the back yard and I haven't seen her eat anything so I'm starting to think her problem may be emotional.

I'll post pics of the new digs once everything is in order!

So Hard To Say Goodbye

2011-07-22T15:19:00.000-04:00

How do you say goodbye? We say it by drinking wine from coffee mugs! The movers were here yesterday to pack up our stuff. I was afraid to take of my sandals because surely they would have ended up in a box somewhere. The funny part about having someone else do the packing is that they have no idea what is junk and what isn't. Or what doesn't belong in one room and should go in another. They just start packing. Believe me, it is the best way to move! But we didn't really think things through when we invited a couple friends over last night. We ordered Chinese but neglected to request silverware. It just so happened that the movers missed my good set that is stored above the kitchen cabinets. So we ate Chinese takeout with shiny forks and drank wine from the random glasses that were in the sink from earlier that day.

I'm a pretty sentimental person and this move has been pretty hard. We've had the time of our lives living in Baltimore the past 5 years! Its crazy how much I've grown to love this town. It all hasn't quite set in yet. But I guess this is what life is all about. Things happen and life changes, moving you forward to the next phase.

26 Weeks!

2011-07-20T12:20:00.000-04:00

This will be the last weekly photo taken in the red room. Of course the chair is coming with us. I've never really thought about it but I've had that chair since shortly after college. I love it!

6 Months!

2011-07-19T12:22:00.002-04:00

Dear Kolton,

My darling baby boy, I am simply in awe of you. Love doesn't even start to describe how I feel. Every time I catch a glimpse of you my heart bursts with pride and joy. Your Daddy and I just can't believe how lucky we are to have you in our lives.

You are such a good boy! Seriously, legendary. You are setting the bar awfully high for any future siblings you may one day have. Even during the first 3 months when you weren't sleeping through the night you were such an easy baby during the day. That's why we were baffled by your sleep issues. When ever you fed at night and I laid you back down it was as if you couldn't breathe. By the time I would get you back to sleep it was almost time for you to eat again. Then, at 10 weeks inexplicably, you grew out of it and have been sleeping through the night ever since. Now the only times you cry is if you are hungry or overly tired.

Speaking of tired; when you get sleepy you rub your eyes and sometime your ear. You still need quite a lot of sleep. On top of sleeping 11 hours at night you take 3 naps during the day. With the morning nap coming only an hour or so after you wake up. It's my favorite time of day. I bring you into Mommy and Daddy's bedroom and give you your bottle in our bed. Then we play and before long you are rubbing your eyes. I let you take that nap in the bed. Sometimes I nap with you and sometimes I just watch you sleep. You must love the bed because that first nap lasts an hour or two!

The thing that makes you the most happy is the sight of your bottle. You get so excited and reach out for it. I thought you were going to be feeding yourself a while ago. Now I realize you love to relax while you eat and holding the bottle is just too much effort. You lean back and put your hands over your eyes. It's too cute for words.

I could go on and on about how cute you are and all the cute things you do. Like laugh when you see Sophie. Who never leaves your side by the way. I can't wait to see how the relationship between the two of you grows.

You actually like to eat your vegetables! You can polish off a whole container of carrots, peas, or green beans. The funny thing is you will no longer eat rice cereal. I assume because it has no taste.

For being only 6 months old you've already accomplished so much! You've done things like fly on a plane, vacationed at the beach, and even had a surgery. You have 2 teeth, the bottom ones, and a lot of hair for a 6 month old. Strangers will often comment on how big you are. You are actually not a big boy but all that hair and your bright smile make you look so handsome. Now we are getting ready for yet another adventure; moving! You and I are going to have so much fun exploring Richmond together. I am so grateful that I get to spend all of my days with you so that I don't miss a thing in the next 6 months!

Love,

Mommy

Christmas in July

2011-07-14T12:44:00.000-04:00

Those that know me well know that I absolutely love Christmas. I love the celebration and spirit, I love the lights, I love the decorations, I love the food, and of course the shopping! It's so much fun finding that perfect gift for someone...or sometimes myself:-) Well July happens to be my second favorite month. I love the hot sunny days and warm nights, I love that July always starts out with excitement over the 4th and ends with my birthday no matter how old I get. Then there is the shopping; Nordstrom's Anniversary Sale! I hope you are aware that every July Nordstrom puts many of their hot fall items on sale first before they even hit the shelves. When the catalogue arrives in the mail I rip into it with eager anticipation much like I did the toy catalog as a child. I will say that I was a little disappointed at the items in this years sale at first but sometimes you just have to see it in person. My friend Kristin and I went yesterday and both ended up picking up these.

Enzo Angiolini black platform "Sully" heel

Only $60!

I will admit no that I'm not working I have no idea when and where I will wear these. Hey, old habits die hard! AND when I tried them on they were so comfortable. I'm not kidding!!! These are black leather but they also have a few different suede colors. I love Enzo's. They are ridiculously great looking, comfy, and very affordable. Love, Love, Love. Merry Christmas in July to me:-)

OK, I know this is mostly a baby blog so here is a fun pic of Kolton too.

25 Weeks!

2011-07-14T12:18:00.000-04:00

I can't believe he'll be 6 months old next week! I'm starting to compose a letter in my head and will post it on here with all of his updates.

Ocean City 2011

2011-07-11T21:24:00.000-04:00

All Packed Up

Just Chillin

One of Many Naps

Very Preppy

Sand Monster

Another Nap

Don't worry I moved him immediately after snapping this pic!

Dude

Fishtales With Daddy

Life is So Hard!

Da Beeeeach!

2011-07-09T16:02:00.000-04:00

We had a wonderful trip to Ocean City! And I think I may have a beach bum on my hands. Kolton loved it! I couldn't believe how much he liked his sunglasses. He never really tried to get them off his head or anything. He was a little confused when we first put them on him but after that he was completely chill as the picture suggests. The ocean completely calmed him. If he would get a little fussy all I had to do was take him down by the water and he was out in a matter of minutes. Everyday he took a two hour nap and slept pretty well at night too. I'll post some more pictures once I can get them downloaded from my camera.

I forgot to pack the 24 Week sign so here it is a few days late. Kolton has become quite the little ham. He always has a smile or a curious grin on his face.

Today we are busy getting the house ready to list for rent. The movers are coming to pack us up on July 21st. That's less than two weeks away! We're making pretty good progress so far so I better get back to it!

Vacation

2011-07-02T08:18:00.000-04:00

Sorry for the lack of posts once again. We are headed to the beach for the week! I'll make sure to take lots of pictures of Kolton's first official vacation. Happy 4th to everyone!

23 Weeks!

2011-06-30T07:15:00.000-04:00

Yesterday's photo session did not go very well. I had a hard time getting Kolton to look at the camera. Usually he is quite the ham. Well, when I went to pick him up I discovered why. Poop everywhere! Hey, what would a mommy blog be without a little poop discussion every once in a while. Baby poop is devilishly tricky. It shoots out the side for no reason at all. You think there is going to be a load in there but no, sometimes even just a little decides it has no room for containment. I know I'm stooping kind of low discussing this but this week I have had to change my clothes at least once a day, EVERY DAY! Mike pointed out that I should be putting pants on him instead of these short outfits because it allows for the escape out the leg. But it's summer....and shorts are so cute:-)

We had a big day out. It was absolutely gorgeous outside; not a cloud in the sky. First we met friends out for lunch at the Wine Market my absolute favorite Baltimore restaurant. It is just down the street from my house with plenty of parking at outdoor seating. We had a great lunch just lounging outside. Then we went to the pool at our gym. I didn't take Kolton into the water because I'm not quite sure about the rules regarding babies. However, there were babies younger than Kolton at both places. I'm always surprised by younger babies. I think it's because I feel like time has stood still and I am a new mom yet. But seeing a younger baby reminds me of all we've been through and everything we've figured out a long the way. It's crazy to think I might actually have useful advice on motherhood! Me, and experienced Mom? OMG, that rocks my world!

Comfort Zone

2011-06-28T20:48:00.000-04:00

I know I have a lot to catch up on. Let me start out by saying the wedding of Meghan Fannin and Greg Vogt was simply fantastic! I am so happy for them. If you've never been to the Peabody Library you absolutely have to go. It was breathtaking! And I love the fact that wearing a bridesmaid dress gives you license to act like a dancing fool:-)

Kolton got his first cold, and it was completely my fault! Earlier last week I had dinner plans and my friend's boyfriend, Alec, agreed to babysit. Mostly because I told him he wouldn't have to do anything but hang out at my house. Usually I put Kolton to bed at 7 and then that's it. So when Alec informed me that he had a cold I thought it would be no big deal since they wouldn't have any contact. Well wouldn't you know it was the one day things fell out of step. For some reason Kolton fell asleep at 6:00 or so as he was taking his last bottle before he finished it. So one hour into dinner Alec called to say the little guy was up and crying. Although Alec said he could handle it I headed back to the house. It was slightly hilarious to discover them both on the couch with Kolton drenched from half the bottle leaking on him. I use the Avent bottles which have a small ring that goes into the bottle first to prevent too much air consumption. I'm well aware that baby stuff can be quite confusing. After all that was me less than 6 months ago! Well whatever he managed to get down worked because he went right back to sleep. But the damage was done and Kolton came down with a runny nose a couple days later. Now both Mike and I have it. It's a little miserable taking care of a baby when you don't feel so good yourself. I am so glad that we're not sharing the germs of a daycare center!

So, I've been thinking a lot lately about my comfort zone and how I'll be leaving it soon. I'm wondering if it's not so much the four walls but the collection of the things in my home that I love so much. Will I be able to recreate this awesome feeling of home someplace new? Speaking of which, I know I said I was taking a break but we may have found our house this weekend! More details on that soon. Mike is out of his comfort zone too working for a new company in a new territory and selling new products. It's no wonder we're both slightly tense these days.

Do you ever wonder why you find certain things comforting? Take that ugly quilt in the picture. It's Mike's and I know someone made it with a lot of love. But the thing is not pretty. However, I love it and have been sleeping with it lately while Mike's gone. My mom's tuna casserole, clean bathrooms, and freshly washed sheets are other things I find comfort in. I wonder what things Kolton will find comforting? Unless something drastic happens it will never be home cooking that's for sure!

22 Weeks!

2011-06-23T19:08:00.001-04:00

I made the mistake of feeding him right before this picture was taken. His shirt is just drenched in spit up! Oh well, that's life with a baby:-)

Kolton's big developments this week are the voice thing and sleeping on his side. He even moves from side to side through out the night so hopefully his head will round out a little. I've decided to stop swaddling him because I fear he will flip over but be too restricted to flip back. There I go with that fear factor again. Tummy time is still not his favorite thing in the world but he is able to hold his head up for a longer period of time. Plus he looks so stinkin cute!

I'm giving myself a little time out from worrying about finding a place to live in Richmond. I'm in a wedding this weekend and I want to be free to have fun and celebrate without the weight of this move bearing down on my shoulders!

The Voice

2011-06-21T22:24:00.001-04:00

Kolton spent the day working his pipes. Maybe some day he will be on The Voice...love that show!

So I ultimately decided not to drive to Richmond. I tossed and turned all night thinking about getting down there and seeing a place listed on Craig's List by myself with my infant son. Then having to stay in a hotel by myself as well. It just didn't sit well with me. Some of my mommy friends have been discussing their change in attitude since becoming mothers. I know I have become way more paranoid! My mind sometimes goes to dark places it probably shouldn't. I think it's a protective instinct that I've never experienced before. Basically thinking about situations and worse possible scenarios so that I can protect my offspring.

The other reason I decided not to go is Kolton is still waking up crying hysterically. I miss the nights we put him down at 7pm and didn't hear a peep until 6am. I'm not quite sure what is wrong. I really try not to pick him up because I feel like it just opens a flood gate. However, when the kid cries that hard I can't help myself. He is instantly comforted and stops, falling back asleep within seconds. So, I figure he can't be hungry and if he was in any teething pain wouldn't he continue to cry? The good news is the number of times he has gotten up has reduced to only once last night.

On a random note I recently read a post on BabyCenter about C section scars and the feelings women have about their own. I honestly haven't given mine much thought. But it is kind of crazy to have a forever physical reminder of the events of the day Kolton was born. And it's still a little itchy and numb which is slightly weird!

Richmond Recap

2011-06-20T21:25:00.000-04:00

Hi! Sorry for the lack of posts lately. We went to Richmond for the weekend to start the home search. Mike's parents flew in from Minneapolis to help us with Kolton. Thank God they did because we ended up on a whirl wind 8 hour tour on Saturday that we couldn't have done if we had to attend to the baby.

The weekend was frustrating to say the least. Oy, we just could not find anything we liked. We are the first to admit that we are extremely spoiled. We built our town house new in 2007 with all of the space and features that we wanted. We've become accustomed to a certain standard of living. Now to back track and look at rental is such a harsh slap of reality. We found a couple of places that would work space wise but neither were in communities that we liked. The one community that we felt the most comfortable in didn't have the space that we need. Ideally we would like a 3BR + den: 1 BR for us, one for Kolton, Mike's office, then a guest room. It just does not exist in apartment world. So now we are looking at private single family or town home rentals. Basically, someone just like us who bought their home at the wrong time and can't sell.

The other thing we are struggling with is the realization that the suburbs are probably a better fit for us than the city. Don't get me wrong the Short Pump area is very, very, nice but wholly suburbia! I actually broke out in a fit of giggles. But the fact remains that even though we love our urban lifestyle I find myself having to drive 20 minutes to Target a couple of times a week. It will be nice to have all of that stuff within a few miles. It also sounds like the Richmond neighborhoods attract a lot of college kids (VCU is there) that ultimately move out shortly after school. So while we could probably make it work if we really wanted to; I'm not sure how many young families live there.

Kolton was a diabolical disaster! I made the mistake of not bringing our pack n play because the hotel could provide one. Well the thing was a piece of sh*t! He cried through out the night, both nights. Then he repeated the same pattern last night even though we were home. I hope and pray that things return to normal tonight. He is starting to roll a lot at night and sleep on his side.

I feel bad that Father's Day was a little uneventful. Although I think it was nice for Mike to be with both Kolton and his dad that day. We all went out for breakfast before we hit the road leaving Mike behind in Richmond. We maybe should have stayed the extra night but I'm so glad Mike was able to get some sleep before his first meeting today.

I know I'm playing with fire but I'm going to drive down to Richmond again tomorrow night to check out a couple of houses. Mike is busy with work and not in the area and I don't want to miss out on something that might really work for us. Kolton did really well on both the drive down and the drive back so fingers crossed he can do it again. Although I'll probably be spending the night; I'm definitely bringing our pack n play.

21 Weeks!

2011-06-15T20:03:00.000-04:00

We had Kolton's surgery follow up appointment this morning. The surgeon examined him for approx 30 seconds and everything looks good! But let me just tell you how much work had to go into getting those 30 seconds. I ended up having to wake the little man from a nap. Load him into his carrier. Take him and Sophie out for a walk with the stroller so Sophie could do her business. Take carrier out of the stroller and into the car then load stroller into the trunk. Drive to the appt (thankfully that took less than 15 min). Find parking, unload the stroller out of the trunk, take carrier out of the car and into the stroller. Walk two blocks to the appointment. Check in and confirm info. Get called in. Unload Kolton and get him undressed. See doctor for 30 seconds. Then do everything in reverse! Jeez! I know it's just a lot of loading and unloading but he is getting HEAVY! Oh and Pratt St was a disaster coming back home and Kolton was wailing the entire time because he was hungry. I'm so lucky that the kid doesn't cry like that too often:-)

3rd Time's the Charm

2011-06-14T20:52:00.000-04:00

I'm learning when it comes to babies if at first you don't succeed try, try, again. It takes Kolton roughly 3 times to get used to a new activity. Take the Baby Bjorn for example. This week I put him forward facing for the first time. He cried for a little while, settled down a bit, then got fussy again. The second walk went a little better but we still didn't make it out very long before we had to come back. Today, he chilled for the entire circuit I usually take Sophie on. Not a peep from him. Even when our neighbor greeted us. This week he has also been experiencing the stranger danger feeling. Tonight I tried feeding him rice cereal for the first time in 2 months. I experimented with it before we had him sleeping through the night. He actually did much better then than he did tonight. He ended up sucking on his fingers as a way to remedy the confusion over swallowing without a nipple in his mouth. But I have high hopes that 3 days from now he'll get it figured out.

Dramatic

2011-06-13T08:27:00.000-04:00

This is how Kolton takes his bottles now. Always hands over the eyes. I think he's being overly dramatic, don't you?

This weekend end up being really fun. Friday night I rented Just Go With It, which was incredibly cheesy and probably got horrible reviews. But I found myself both laughing and crying so in my book it was alright. Saturday we met some friends out for a fund raiser, hung out at another friend's house for a bit, then I went out to Boordy Vinards for their Saturday night concert series followed by dancing in Federal Hill! Um, yeah I didn't really think that day through. It was a lot, but I want to soak up everything I love about living in Baltimore while I can:-) Then we went out to breakfast on Sunday before just relaxing for the rest of the day.

So the search is on for a new home/apartment. We are going to Richmond this weekend to check things out. It's going to be really hard to go from a new home that we built to a rental. Ugh!

Better Day

2011-06-09T21:45:00.000-04:00

Last night Kolton woke up at 2:30 am. Against my better judgement I picked him up and oh boy did the flood gates open. He screamed and I eventually had to give him a bottle. I'm crossing my fingers that it was just a fluke!

Today was a better day. He took 2 long naps and 1 really short one. It makes such a difference to get a couple of long stretches to myself. I did receive my 1st rude comment however. After the multiple comments from strangers on how HUGE I got during my pregnancy I guess I am a little used to it but it pissed me off all the same. Mike has been in Minneapolis training all week (he gets back tonight!) so I've been on my own morning, noon, and night. This means I had to manage getting Sophie out for potty breaks with Kolton. It gets kind of tricky at night because I put him down around 7:00 which means I have to take them both out around 6:30. That's a little earlier than I would like to take her especially since its been so hot here. Well today the heat was oppressive! As I'm walking down the sidewalk (in the shade BTW) a couple of women passed me and said, "A baby and a dog! What are you thinking?" "Well my husband is out of town so I have no choice" I replied. "What was HE thinking?!?"they said. I hope they were just trying to comment on how tough it must be to juggle both but it came off kind of snide all the same.

So I'm finding it kind of tough to stay away from having the TV on all day. Especially on days like today where I spent all of it in the house. I managed to keep it off until around 1:00pm. Anybody have any suggestions?

Redo, Baby Lesson #2

2011-06-08T20:38:00.000-04:00

Have I mentioned what a good boy Kolton is? Well besides being ridiculously cute he is also a ridiculously good baby. Of course there is the occasional crying when he is tired or hungry but for the most part he is super chill. There is no way I will have another like him so if I want more kids in my future I know I am doomed. Today was a little out of the ordinary. He was definitely more fussy than usual but you know what? All I had to do was put him on my lap facing me and he was all smiles again. He just wanted to chat and play. It's really that simple with him! I will say that it was a little exhausting for me but I can't complain too much. What I've learned is that sometimes he needs a redo; to basically start the day over. Did you ever redo you school pictures as a kid? I really don't like myself in pictures so every year I would opt for the redo. Change my outfit, change my hairstyle, and just start over. The redo is my baby lesson #2. If I can't figure out why Kolton is crying I take him upstairs strip him down, change his diaper and his outfit. This has worked for me a few times and takes only minutes!

Today was a HOT one. I spent most of it indoors with the shades down. I did venture to Target though. Before I had Kolton a trip to Target always meant I spent $100. Now, it's upwards of $150. I think I need to stop going...

20 Weeks!

2011-06-08T20:04:00.002-04:00

TLC

2011-06-06T16:59:00.000-04:00

Kolton has been recovering quite nicely from his surgery. He's been getting a lot of TLC, Tv Laying around Cuddling. His appetite still isn't back to normal though. What stinks about it is because he consumes less during the day he is now waking up to feed. He wakes up around 10 pm to eat and then at least one more time to be comforted. I've stopped giving him pain medication because he no longer seems to really need it. I just hope he doesn't develop any bad habits and we can get back to his 11 hours of continuous sleep soon.

Sophie has also been giving a little TLC herself, as in Toe Licking Creature! Since I've been paying even MORE attention to Kolton over the past few days she has taken to licking my feet when she needs seems fit. Oh boy! I love her so much as well but I'm not quite sure how to give her what she needs. She still gets to sleep with us and maybe now that I'll be home all day everyday she won't feel left out.

Surgi

2011-06-04T07:23:00.000-04:00

The surgery was a great success! It was done at the University of Maryland Pediatric Surgi Center in downtown Baltimore. Is "surgi" just a cute way to spell surgery for the kids? I'm not sure. Beautiful hospital by the way. But, I'm not going to lie, yesterday was a rough one. I wish doctors didn't glaze over what you'll experience either during or after a procedure. They use words like "you'll experience pressure" or "some mild discomfort". What they really mean is you'll experience PAIN and then some more PAIN. Kolton was not a happy camper after we brought him home. He just stared at us with a blank stare and then cried. It was a "I'm hurting Mommy!" cry and it just broke my heart. He slept in someones arms most of the day. My mom is wonderful with babies and I don't know how we would have made it through the day without her. Finally, around 7pm, he started to get playful. Of course 7pm is usually his bedtime but since he had been sleeping all day I decided just to run with it. We managed to get a couple little smiles but he still hasn't broken out into a huge grin as was his nature. Hopefully today gets him back into his routine. I'm so worried that he is going to break from his awesome sleeping habits!

One thing that struck both Mike and I as the surgical team introduced themselves to us was just how YOUNG everyone was. It was slightly hilarious watching the intern introduce himself to the surgeon. Can someone say awkward! We grabbed a coffee in the cafeteria and I found myself thinking that maybe Grey's Anatomy isn't too far off base. I'm so thankful to everyone that looked out for our little guy but hopefully we'll never have to go back there:-)

Curve Ball

2011-06-02T20:27:00.000-04:00

If the word curve ball is ever used in conversation as it applies to life and I shriek then hide under the table rocking myself in the fetal position you'll know why... We are not moving to Florida! No, but we are moving to Richmond, VA!!! For those of you who still care the relocation drama continued this week and threw us another "curve ball"!

Tuesday morning as I turned in my computer and keys I told everyone at work we were officially moving to Florida. About 8 hours later it was Richmond! Apparently the person they offered the VA job to didn't pan out so they gave Mike the choice of where he wanted to go. I'm sorry but I was not too happy. I guess I should have been but enough is enough. I had to psych myself up each time the location of our move changed. If you're keeping score we were first told FL, then VA, FL for sure, no wait VA if you want it. Ugh! Then in the middle of everything there was a position with another company that wouldn't have required us to move at all. I'm sure you can guess what I was rooting for! Even though Mike had a solid shot at all of the positions I think things have worked out for the best. I'm happy to be staying in the Mid Atlantic region and I think Kolton is going to have an amazing childhood.

I hate to ask but if you think about it please say a little prayer for us tomorrow. The surgery is early in the morning so by the time you get to work it'll probably be over. I know it's completely routine and I've done my best to remain calm. But I did make Mike do a dry run to the hospital just so we know exactly where we're going. Hey, I'm a planner:) It's an outpatient procedure so we should be home tomorrow afternoon. I'll update as soon as I can.

19 Weeks!

2011-06-02T20:08:00.000-04:00

Happiest Baby on the Block!

Lesson #1

2011-05-30T21:44:00.000-04:00

WOW is it HOT here in Baltimore! I had a great time dancing the night away on Saturday...out until 2 am! I have not done that in a very looooong time. Happy Bachelorette Meghan!

My mom flew in on Sunday night. She is so happy in all of her Grandma glory. I love having her here. My mom is the best and I know there is so much I can learn from her. I'm going to try keeping track of my domestic lessons. Lesson #1, Remember how I mentioned Kolton likes to eat his fists lately? Well apparantly he has a tooth and I didn't even know! I was expecting all sorts of drooling, crying, fevering, etc. Nope, the kid cut his first tooth without so much as a wimper. And I totally missed it! I guess I should have been running my fingers along his gum line to check. Whoops! Thanks Mom:)

Retirement Day

2011-05-27T11:26:00.000-04:00

Today is my last day of work for the foreseeable future. Crazy! AND we are moving to Florida. Crazy! So I am retiring and moving to Naples, FL at age 32. Life is funny sometimes:) Gotta say, I'm feeling a little guilty about all of that money I spent on getting a college education only to stay at home. But, I'm a better person and I'll be a better mother for it. Plus, the friendships and memories are priceless!

I don't think I can say anything more regarding my feelings about moving to Florida...it is what it is. I know I'm being quite the Debbie Downer about it. I am just a person that thrives on friendships and moving to a place where I have none is hard for me. But I need to focus on the positive...this is a great opportunity for Mike and our family. What an incredible adventure it will be!

In Kolton news he's starting to really reach and grasp for things now. All of the little toys that hang from his car seat and bouncy chair have new life now that he can reach them. He's accidentally rolled from belly to back a few times and is sitting much better in his Bumbo chair. I think the next couple of weeks are going to be very exciting. In all the craziness that has been my life lately I haven't had too much time to worry about Kolton's upcoming surgery. A week from today he will be having a minor surgery to repair a hernia. Since we knew from day 1 that he would require surgery the hospital refused to circumcise him because it'll be better to do it under anesthesia, so he's getting that done too. I'm really hoping it doesn't disrupt his sleep schedule too much. Thankfully my mom will be here to help us make him as comfortable as possible. She comes in on Sunday for a weeks visit and I am so excited for her to spend time with him.

Happy Memorial Day Weekend! I have a bachelorette party to go to in Ocean City on Saturday. Hope everyone has a fun and safe weekend:)

18 Weeks!

2011-05-25T13:20:00.000-04:00

I admit I am totally one of those freaks who now count the passage of time in weeks instead of months! This used to completely confuse me. Now, whenever someone asks me how old Kolton is I usually consider my audience before responding. If it's someone I either know or assume to be a mother I reply in weeks. If it's a man or younger person asking I reply in months:)

Last Friday Kolton had his 4 month well baby checkup.

weight=14lbs, 8.50z birth weight=8lbs,7oz
height=25in birth height=20in...is it height or length, same thing I suppose????

He is measuring in the 50 percentile for both height and weight but 75 percentile for head size...I wonder if that's why he still can't quite hold it up for a long time yet! He still hasn't rolled over yet and although I'm eagerly anticipating it I'll just enjoy his immobility while it lasts! His favorite things to do are still hang out in his green jungle activity mat or eat his fists. And the best part; he sleeps 11 hours / night on average. Yippee!!

It's The End Of The World As We Know It

2011-05-23T15:40:00.000-04:00

So we all survived; to be honest I didn't really pay the end of the world that much attention. It did make me stop and think though. My world, as I know it, is about to end. This week will be my last week of work for the foreseeable future. I would be lying if I said I wasn't excited. However, I also feel very anxious and a little weirded out. I know change is inevitable and I don't necessarily fear it. I just hate the transition phase; the in between time. For me change is a lot easier to deal with when it's fast. That way there really is nothing to think about. You adapt because there are no other choices. Mike and I are both emotionally exhausted from thinking and talking about Florida vs Richmond. The decision really isn't up to us and we are just ready to know. I guess the one thing we know for sure is life will be different, and that still makes me a little sad. But then all I have to do is look at my sweet baby boy and I know where ever we'll be, we'll be happy!

17 Weeks!

2011-05-19T10:51:00.000-04:00

Last night I had an awards dinner for work. Basically, it was an excuse to buy a new pretty dress:) Although these events can sometimes feel daunting it actually ended up being a pretty fun time. Some of us even rented a limo to get the party started and keep it going after the event was over. I have to say it did feel a little like we were going to a prom for grown ups. So it was fun to let lose a little. I did not stay out too late (around midnight) because no matter what happens the night before it's time to be Mommy again at 6 am.

But something happened when I got home that made it a pretty significant night for me. I woke up around 3am to go to the bathroom and decided to use the hall one instead of our master so that I didn't wake Mike up. Like I said yesterday we've been having trouble sleeping through the night ourselves. I was kind of in a half sleep daze -you know just go, wash up, and crawl back into bed. I then realized that for that brief minute or two I completely forgot about Kolton! It wasn't so much that I forgot about him he just didn't cross my mind until I got back into bed and heard the wooshing sound from the monitor. Usually I would have taken that opportunity to check in on him but I didn't even think about it. I knew that I had checked on him when I got home so at least that made me feel a little better. It's not like I'm getting the worst mom award here I just felt soooo guilty.

Another thing I often think about is the whole concept of being on automatic pilot and forgetting about your child in the car or something like that. I've read such tragic stories about this happening to good people and good parents. I've started to keep my purse in the back seat so that I have to actually look back there every time I get out. Mike always keeps his suit jacket hanging behind the drivers side so he also has a good habit of physically looking in the back seat every time. Last night I definitely was on auto and it just freaked me out a little when I realized that for that brief minute it was just like any other night I had before Kolton was born. I guess I've just been so worried for so long that the lack of worry felt strange and wrong somehow!

Sleep Training

2011-05-18T11:11:00.000-04:00

I let Kolton watch TV in the morning after his bottle. I know, I know, I'm rotting his brain but he's just so darn cute!

Mike's interviews went really well! Basically he has the job but they are just not 100% sure which territory they want him in. We are both really sick of being in limbo. I don't want to even think about packing up and moving; ugh! So for now I'll just enjoy what ever time we have left in Baltimore. There are so many fun events coming up. The real silver lining in Mike getting this job is that I get to be a stay at home Mommy! I'm pretty excited to throw myself into the role. I've been thinking a lot about activities I want to sign up for but of course that will also have to wait until we get set up in our new city. It's been real frustrating getting home only in time to put Kolton to bed. Last night I got home at 6:45 and he was asleep by 7:25. But hey, I'm not going to complain too much because right now he's a champion sleeper. Mike and I however, are not.

Do they offer sleep training for adults because we could really use some. Without fail we are both up in the middle of the night. I don't know why?!?! It started happening a few weeks before Kolton was even born. I thought it was our bodies way of preparing ourselves for what was to come. Then, getting through those first few months was no picnic but we made it. Now Kolton sleeps for 11 hours/night on average. Why can't we?

Since contemplating the possibility of moving to Florida I haven't been able to stop thinking about bugs and spiders. Most of you know that I am TERRIFIED of spiders. Well last night during The Voice the most awful commercial aired. I don't think I imagined it but I was half asleep so I'm not sure which company the commercial was for exactly. But it was for a smart phone that had such a clear picture that when they showed a picture of a giant tarantula a woman thought one was actually on her table. Eeeek! Who came up with this crap? I get the hebie jebies just thinking about it! Did anyone else see this? So of course I was tossing and turning because of that. Then a train kept coming through and blaring the horn (we live really close to tracks). Mike likes to sleep with the windows open, I don't. Etc, etc. Anyway, I feel like its been a long time since Ive had a night of true quality restful sleep. I once heard that after you become a parent you always sleep with one eye open. I hope that's not true!!!!

Change

2011-05-15T21:32:00.000-04:00

When we brought Kolton home from the hospital he HATED when we changed his diaper. It was really the only time he cried outside of being hungry. He just did not like to be naked; made obvious by the kicking and screaming. I suppose it had something to do with feeling safe and warm and then suddenly exposed and unfamiliar. However, by the time he was 1 month old he didn't cry during changes anymore. By two months he down right loved it because he figured out he could stretch his legs without being restricted. Now days he might be crying and fussy then the minute I set him on the changing table he starts to smile and laugh! Or eat his hands now that he discovered them.

Everyone says your life changes when you have a baby. And while that is absolutely true we have been dealing with even more changes than most. As I've mentioned before Mike was laid off shortly before Thanksgiving. I take that back, he wasn't laid off, the company he was working for simply stopped doing business in the channel he was working in. So along with having a newborn we adjusted to the fact that Mike wasn't working. It was stressful but it was OK because I wasn't left to figure things out on my own day in and day out. But things were not easy or simple. We went from a secure place to one that felt exposed and unfamiliar.

10 weeks after Kolton was born life changed again as I went back to work. Now Mike really was primary care giver. I rushed home to get the moments in that I could. But sometimes I had things I wanted to do at night as well. Que guilt and total role reversal. Is it fair that Mike has to spend all day looking after the little man and then all night too? Is it fair that I don't get to have a life outside of work and my child? This road is getting a little bumpy...

Now things are changing again in a major way. Mike is currently in Minneapolis interviewing for a position that would mean another relocation for us. For the past 3 weeks we thought it was going to be in Southern Florida. I have been kicking and screaming. I love our life in Baltimore; we have a great house and amazing friends here. It's our home now. Southern Florida would mean a completely new way of life. I have been freaking out about everything from bugs to putting Christmas lights on a palm tree. I haven't exactly been making things easy on Mike; like I said, kicking and screaming.

As of Friday we found out that a territory in Virginia might be a possibility...just as I was starting to warm up to the Florida idea a little. But it still means we have to move. While we would only be about 3 hours from Baltimore it still means major change. New place to live, new friends to make, new roads to become familiar with. We don't know anything for sure yet. But I can blog about it because the guilt was tearing me up so I told my sales manager at work what was happening. If this happens it will happen quick. But if it falls through I still need to work. Since I'm not the one looking outside the company I figured it would be OK and it was.

I'm still not that happy about having to leave Baltimore. In fact, I'm heartbroken. But I can't help but remember that I felt the same way leaving Minneapolis 5 years ago. I think about Kolton and how fast he is growing, learning, and adapting. Change is definitely a roller coaster. It's downright scary sometimes but, once you get to the end you can't help but smile and laugh at the thrill of it all.