Dreams of Little Boys

When I was a little girl, I can remember my Nana tape recording my brother while he made different siren noises. Even when he was really little, he could distinguish between a police car, a fire engine, or an ambulance. At his third birthday party, we played "pin the wheel on the firetruck", and his room was filled with firemen stuff. It was always his dream to be a fireman.

You can imagine the excitement of two boys, one grown and one little, when my dad took Adam to the fire department on Friday while Uncle Scotty was working. Uncle Scotty gave Adam the grand tour, and Adam got to "drive" the big engines, try on the fire hats, and even see an ambulance and a fire call. Thanks Uncle Scotty! I am sure we will be back!

Preparing for Baby...

So yeah, its been awhile. When I first learned about this pregnancy, I was very excited but also a little scared about how we would manage with a busy little 19 month old (almost 20 now) and a new baby. As time went on, I allowed the encouragement I received from others to sink in and I became busy making plans and getting things ready for this baby. I have had a long list of things I wanted done before the baby came, and while most of these things are of utmost importance only to me, I have made a good dent in that list. Rooms are now painted (its a boy, by the way!!!) and I feel less pressured now that we have a few things replenished such as newborn diapers, thanks to my husband. So now, its starting to become real again that in a few short weeks, another sweet babe will be here taking over, ahem, sharing our home with us.

In all that busyness plus some time of just not feeling like it, I neglected writing even when I had ideas or things I wanted to share. So it will make me feel better to say that Christmas, Easter, Mother's Day, Father's day, our 4th anniversary, the big 3-0 for me, plus other milestones for Adam, all happened at our house even though I probably won't be uploading pictures. We're moving forward from here, friends!

I am now at 35 weeks as of tomorrow morning, thanks to many answered prayers, this little guy has stayed put. Its hard to believe that by this time in my pregnancy with Adam, he was home after spending a month in the hospital! How different this time has been! So now my friends who are moms can relax that I am experiencing many of those third trimester joys that I "missed out on" last time. Swollen feet and fingers-check, back pain-check, fatigue to rival the first trimester-check. You get the idea. Our little man is scheduled to come on July 27th unless he comes earlier.

Sixteen month update

My baby boy turned 16 months old this month, and in case I haven't said it before, he is such a blessing. Here are a few things I don't want to forget:
My baby boy turned 16 months old this month, and in case I haven't said it before, he is such a blessing. Here are a few things I don't want to forget:
• He's learning new words every day. I really struggle to pinpoint the day of his "first word" but I'd guess it has to be dada. He's been saying that forever and at some point along the way, is now sure of its meaning. Some other words he can say when he wants to are: Momma, ball, bye-bye, bobby (bottle), wo (hello, when he's talking on the phone), and baby. I know I'm missing a few… He babbles nonstop though, and has babbled "diddler, diddler, diddler" for quite some time. We're still working on that one, but I really think he just loves to work his tongue.
• He loves to pick out books to read, and while he doesn't always sit long enough for the entire book, he jumps up to get another one. His faves are "Night Night Little Pookie", "My First Truck Board Book", "Baby Einsten First Words", and "Mr. Brown Can Moo, Can you?"
• Adam currently wears about 12 month clothing. Sometimes a little smaller, sometimes 12-18 months. His 9 month pants are getting too short, but his 12 month pants are still a little big in the waist. We need baby belts or something. He wears size 4 shoes and size 4 diapers.
• Adam still loves to take a bath. He loves to splash and play with all his bath toys. He also has learned to let the water out of the tub.
• He loves putting lids on things now, so emptying and filling is a favorite.
• He loves to put the phone up by his head (read…on shoulder, elbow in air) and say "Wo", then babble into the phone
• He loves to climb stairs, go back down, get in his toy box, rock in his rocking chair, and give kisses and hugs to Mommy and Daddy. He also loves it when he gets a piggyback ride or when Daddy tosses him into the air.
• He eats whatever he can feed himself, plus whatever anyone around him is eating. He's like a little scavenger.
• He's a pretty good sleeper; not perfect, but pretty good.
• He loves to open our front window shutters and watch everyone outside. Since its been warm, he now cries when he has to come inside. He loves to ride in his wagon or walk around outside, and he loves the big snow scraper. We sometimes even have to bring it inside.

We can't wait for spring and more time outside!

Late Announcement

Well this announcement has been awhile coming...Adam is going to be a big brother! I say its taken awhile because we are nearly halfway to the arrival of this new little one! This upcoming Tuesday, the 16th, we find out if our lives will continue in baby blue, or add a little pink to our house. We are very excited!

So yes, we've known awhile. I actually found out the week of Thanksgiving, and we told our families at Christmas. Little Adam has no clue what is about to hit him, but we pray that Adam and this baby will be best buddies in no time!

So yes, we're excited, and yes, we're nervous about two babies in diapers, but its coming our way. We would really appreciate your prayers that we have a healthy baby and that this one will decide to stay put until closer to its due date!

Fifteen months

Adam is now 15 months old! He is a very happy, active little guy. He runs all over our house, and loves to empty things (think drawers, baskets, trash cans, etc) then fill them back up (at least a bit). He also loves anything he can push or pull. He pulls a little puppy on a string around, a pair of pants he finds in our bedroom, or an apron by the string that he finds in a kitchen drawer.

That's not all he finds in a kitchen drawer. And this is not even part of it...



The good news is that he does have a slight tendency toward cleaning up...or maybe this just falls under things that he likes to pull!

Fun in the Snow

On a snow day, its great to have a hill in your back yard! We stayed out until Adam's cheeks were really pink. He couldn't really move or walk because of all the layers of clothes he had on, but he was amused by his boots! And a couple of big kids might have tried the hill too, some having to bail out before they reached the creek.

Happy First Birthday!

Happy birthday Adam! One year ago today we held you in our arms for the first time and fell in love! You are our sweet, precious boy, a gift from our Father above. I know we didn't do anything to deserve you but we are sure thankful that God chose us to be your parents. You make us smile and laugh no matter what and have the face of an angel. Your giggles are infectious and your kisses are irresistible! We pray that all your dreams come true. We love you, sweet boy.

Love,
Mommy and Daddy

Halloween Boo and Flu

We had a great Halloween at our house. Well, sorta. The day before Halloween, we participated in a parade at Adam's daycare. This was not as huge of a production as it sounds, but all the kids and the daycare workers were dressed in their best Halloween costumes and we toured the offices and school nearby. While I can't really post pictures of the other kids at Adam's daycare, you can take my word for it that there were some cute kiddos!

Here is my sweet scarecrow.


My mom and I took Adam to a Fall Festival that night, which will have to become an annual tradition. I look forward to Adam being old enough to really enjoy all the fun and games.

We didn't really do trick or treat this year, but Adam was dressed in his scarecrow costume again for family that stopped by and for trick or treaters that came to our house.

Our interaction with the first trick or treater went something like this:
Costumed boy: Trick or Treat
Us: Well, hi there. Here ya go (dropping some candy in the bag)
Costumed boy: I'm allergic to peanuts...
Us: Uh...do we have anything that doesn't have peanut butter in it? Oh yeah, the sour patch kids. Here, take this.
Costumed boy: Ok...

Can't say that we really try to accommodate food allergies for trick or treat! This seriously puts some pressure on, you know? I realize food allergies are a serious thing and do not mean to make light of it, but you are going house to house asking for someone else to give you candy, you know? I'm hoping your mom is going to go through your bag and take care of this for me. But cheers to the kid for recognizing it himself, I guess. It just made me chuckle.


I was happy to get some costume time in for Adam because sickness settled in at our house starting Saturday night. Adam had a fever starting that evening through late Monday night, and though his flu test was negative, the doctor still felt like he had to have the flu. So he's been home all week but got secondary infections in both ears, so we were back at the doctor on Friday again. This was all following our scary ER visit due to croup about two weeks before, so we are praying for wellness at our house! He's already perked up after his second day of antibiotics and played much better today.

Fall Fun

Mr. Man got his first haircut last week! He was in a bit of shock by the whole thing, but he loved playing on the slides.



We had the best day on Thursday! This was Adam's first trip to Keeneland and to see horses. He is a people watcher! He flirted with a girl behind us most of the day.



"They're at the post..."



There's a few things I love about this picture.
1) It sorta looks like a photo-shop fake, doesn't it?
2) It was a pretty good way to get Adam close to a horse and
3) It easily shows David's mullet. (!?!)



Does this picture really need a caption?



We finally made it out to the orchard and couldn't have asked for a more beautiful day!

What's our 11 month old up to these days?

Adam is a little over 11 months now. Time flies! Here's a few things about our boy:

• He is a busy, curious (did I say busy?) boy! It feels like nothing is out of his reach.
• Adam crawls really well, and is FAST! My favorite new thing is chasing him, because now he will "run" from me. He stops to make sure I'm still following, squeals with laughter, then lunges forward to get moving again. It is infectious!
• He now weighs ~19 lbs, 4 ounces and is somewhere around 29 inches long. He wears clothes that are ~9 months (sometimes still 6 months) and a Size 3 diaper.
• Adam loves to eat, and he loves to try anything Mommy and Daddy are eating. He's better with his sippy cup now, though he doesn't care much for juice yet. He has four teeth now.
• His favorite toys are his blocks shape sorter, little singing wheel car thing, ring stacker, singing bear, and wooden spoon. Got all that?
• His motor skills get better every day.
• Adam can get into baskets or drawers and pull out every single thing, or can pull everything off a bookshelf within reach. Need I say more about his motor skills? I didn't even mention that every single thing makes its way into his mouth…well, until now.
• We have had a few pinched fingers in drawers, a few incidences of a bumped head, but lots of fun.
• He loves to clap, blow raspberries, bang on my table with his toys, laugh, play peek-a-boo, and get tickled by Daddy. He loves to watch cars go by and kids play outside.
• He becomes more brave every day, and has been known to let go while standing because he's busy doing something. No steps yet!
• He is a sweet, sweet boy.

Our Nation's Capital

Last month I had a last-minute trip to DC for a work conference with other VA pharmacists who do the same specific job that I do all across the country. It was fun to get to meet some people, share our work and ideas, etc. It was only for a couple of days, so David was able to switch a day and go with me! This was our first trip away from Adam, and our my first night away from him. Leaving him was difficult, but he was in good hands with David's parents, and from all accounts he had a great time and did a lot of visiting! I survived being away from him, though I convinced myself that he was upset with me the entire first 24 hours I was home. I'm sure now that it was all in my head.

David and I had a fun time, walked until our feet were blistered, and were able to enjoy a couple beautiful days seeing some sights, thinking of our nations's blessed history, and being thankful for those who have and those who are currently fighting for our country.


The Washington Monument, so pretty at night!


The World War II Memorial: This was "new" since I had last been in DC, and was so great to visit. Pictures do not do it justice.


There was one of these for each state and territory at the time of the war. I am sure there was a ton more symbolism behind the design, so click here for more info. Who said this blog couldn't be educational?





The White House from the top of the Washington Monument. I'm zoomed in, but I never knew it was so close to the Mall! I can't wait to go back one day when Adam is a little bigger.

Happenings...

I've been waiting for Adam to get big enough for his Transy onesie! Thanks Brandy - it looks so cute!



My friend Allyson and her family visited last weekend and brought her son Ryan. Allyson was my next door neighbor and best friend growing up. We spent many, many, many hours playing together, so we were excited for Ryan and Adam to meet. Had Adam been born on his due date, Ryan and Adam would be almost exactly a year apart. Aren't they cute?



We had quite a fun-filled weekend. I went to Cincinnati on Friday and was able to catch up with a good friend, Saturday was busy and Sunday I was able to co-host a shower for my friend Ashley from college. I had not seen many of the girls at the shower in quite awhile, and we had so much fun catching up. Here's Adam and me with Sara, Julia, and Ashley.



A little while later Adam and I had been playing and I started doing something else and then noticed that he had gotten awfully quiet... Now I ask, what kind of mom lets her little boy play with a tube of butt cream?



And what kind of Mom takes a picture before taking it away?



The mom of a little boy who cried when it was gone!

Happy Labor Day!

I have let the day pass without wishing David a Happy Birthday! We had a lot of fun last weekend celebrating David. We ate dinner out all three meals in one day!

Adam also wished his daddy a happy birthday. I forgot to factor in Adam's love for all things made of paper when I decided to do this! David had these pictures in his card from Adam.



The days of placing Adam in the floor and returning to find him in the same spot are long gone. It seems like he has now been mobile forever. Once he decided to go, he was gone. He can crawl really fast now, and even faster if he army crawls. He reminds me of a wind-up toy once he sets his sights on something. He is a ton of fun! He also pulls up on everything now, which has led to a few tears when he chooses things that aren't stable.



We were able to visit my grandfather two weeks ago, too, and we spent the night at Jenny Wiley State Park on our way back and worked in some hiking. Adam loved visiting Papaw Earl, and I think my Papaw enjoyed it a little bit too.



Our little guy also learned to clap on Saturday! It was so cute. He already loves for us to say, "Yea, Adam!" He smiles really big and we guess he's probably thinking, "I don't know what I did but I'll smile anyway". We were watching the Kentucky football game and he decided to clap too! What a true fan!

Finally, a couple more of Adam's crazy hair pics. This was seriously his look when he woke up from his nap. He plays REALLY hard now, but he apparently he sleeps really hard too!

Creepy Crawlies

We've had a couple of critters visit our house lately. We have a local groundhog who thankfully usually doesn't come past our neighbor's house. We have lots of birds, squirrels, and rabbits, a mole that I think may have finally kicked the bucket, an occasional chipmunk, and then our recent Mother Duck. You'd think we live in the woods or something. A few weeks ago, this little guy(?) had his nose up to our backdoor. I was worried that if I had come outside to water the flowers from that door, he could have scurried right on in, but David kept assuring me that "scurry", he would not.



We do not have a picture of our most recent critter, so you'll have to take my word for it. Adam was in the bed and I was doing some last minute things before going to bed myself when I looked down the stairs to see that a folded basket of laundry was dumped in the floor. I was getting a little worked up thinking that David was using the basket for other laundry so I yelled down to ask what he was doing. His prompt response was, "Uh, we have a problem". Thinking that the dryer must be broken, I asked what it was. David said, "We have a bat in the house." A what!!!???! I think I made him repeat it three times. David had me make sure Adam's room and the other rooms upstairs were closed, then I peered around through the dining room to watch through the glass swingy door as a bat was flying in circles in my kitchen. Lovely. David had it blocked off from going anywhere else in the house and he was using the laundry basket to keep it away after learning he was unlikely to catch it with the basket! This was not good.

I took the house key around to unlock and open the back door, then made a run for it back to the front of the house. I had plenty of time to get back inside and watch the dumb thing for another five minutes before it finally made its way out. I was really freaked out after that; I thought I was going to have to sleep with the lights on or something.

We think that I let the bat in when I went outside for a minute to water the plants on the back deck, but I didn't see or hear it when I came back inside. David was watching baseball in the basement and saw the shadow of it flying on the tv. Before he could shut the basement door to close it in down there, it had flown up to the main floor of our house. I am much more careful about closing doors now; actually, I am way less likely to walk outside after dark!