Well, here it is.

The New Years Resolution post.

I looked back at my posts from this January because I wanted to see if I had met any of my goals. I didn’t make any resolutions for 2012. I think I figured at the time I was pregnant and my one goal was to survive the first year of being a Mom.

Well, check.

Look at that! I achieved a New Year’s resolution!!

Gliding on my high from achieving a goal, I decided make some 2013 resolutions……

1.       Care Less

And I don’t mean care less about other people, or myself, or that I’m going to start dressing like a slob and telling Neal that he married me and now he just has to deal with it… I mean care less of what I (most likely wrongfully) assume other people think. As a new Mom I already am pretty unsure of half of what I do or decide because I haven’t done or decided before, but I have a hard time shaking off the feeling that I’m being judged by others. For example, I love and look forward to my “me time” of being away from Austin. But then I almost immediately beat myself up about it and think “what is wrong with you? Every other Mom out there is obsessed with her baby and can’t stand being away from them to even go to the bathroom… what must they think about you cherishing a whole afternoon away?” People can think what they want… the world will keep spinning, my baby will keep growing and being happy, so it doesn’t matter one lick what others “might” think about me.

2.       Be a Nicer Wife

I’m not that awesome sometimes. I yell. I get pissed off. I take my frustrations out on Neal. I’m selfish. I’m irrational. I’m a gem, huh? Just like every other human out there, I’m not always the best partner to my husband. So this coming year I’m going to be more mindful of the times that I am not so awesome. I’ll be more rational. I’ll be less selfish. I’ll listen more. I’ll love him harder. I’ll will remember to turn on the fan while I’m taking a shower so I don’t steam up the bathroom.

3.       Take Two Trips…. One Baby-Free

Because of a mix-up with our San Diego tickets, Neal and I have vouchers for any domestic location within the next year. Those we are going to use to travel with Austin to Wisconsin next summer for Neal’s cousin’s wedding. We also finally got smart and got a credit card that gives us miles. We charge daycare to that every month and pay it off. And because of the astronomical price of daycare, we are racking up the miles quickly. So our goal is go someplace baby-free next year. Boston? Hawaii? New York? Decisions, decisions… in fact, going on one baby-free trip a year is going to be our long-term goal. It’s good for Mom and Dad to get away and be Neal and Jessica for a bit… instead of always Mom and Dad, you know? Travel for Austin will be good for his development and experiences, and travel for just me and Neal will be very good for our marriage and sanity. Win-Win, baby!

And you know… that’s it. I’m not going to set myself up with 12 goals or anything like that and then not meet them, or forget about them. I think I covered the bases here…. Live a more confident worry-free life, love a little bit more, and have fun traveling.

Live, Love, Laugh.

Isn’t that what we’ve been told it’s all about?

That and the hokey-pokey, of course.

Happy 2013 everyone!

Hissy Fits

So did you all know that kids start having tantrums and throwing fits way before the “terrible twos”?

I sure didn’t.

But guess what?????

They do!!!!!!!!!!!! Tantrums (or as I like to call them, hissy fits) in the Glynn household started around 9 months old and I’m already starting to feel like a pro when it comes to dealing with them.

Ignore.

Take child (or object) away.

Tell them they are fine but don’t coddle.

I am an expert because my kid is a major little fit-thrower. I don’t think we go an hour without him throwing a fit about something.

He stamps his feet back and forth (like running in place) and cries his big alligator tears and looks at you with a big “waaaaaaaahhhhh…..” Its pretty funny, really.

Note to self, don’t laugh.. don’t laugh.

Among the things that will make him throw a fit are:

-being led away from the electrical sockets

-being led away from the dog food

-having the remote taken away from him

-having cell phones take away from him

-making him sit to put on his shoes

-making him sit still to put on his jacket

-buckling him into his carseat

-taking away his cup when his water is all gone

-not getting  him out of his highchair fast enough

-wiping his nose

-wiping his mouth

-holding or constraining him in any way, even for a second

-laying him down to dress him or undress him

-being in his way if he’s trying to walk around you

Maybe the early in life fits will mean that by the time he is two, it will have all worked out of him and he’ll be one super chill toddler? Or am I wishful thinking and y’all are laughing at me behind my back in thinking this?

At least from chatting with other Moms, this is very normal and Austin is just a normal almost-toddler. Exerting his independence and opinion about things.. testing his limits and figuring out what he can get away with.

Oh joy.. the coming months should be fun!

If I Were to Write a Christmas Letter

Dear Family and Friends,

Well first off, Merry Christmas! I know we all can’t believe it’s that time of year again, and I hope this letter finds you well!

Well, nothing much happened in 2012 for the Glynn’s… it was kinda null and void of anything life-changing.

Oh wait, that is my Christmas Letter if I was living in an alternate universe. Never mind, “scratch that, reverse it”… (can anyone name that movie??)

This year has been the epitome of life-changing for our family, because we officially became a family on January 24^th! Austin James Glynn was born at 3:34pm on a rainy, cold day and brought us all a little sunshine (and sleepless nights). Neal and I are adjusting to being parents, and after 11 months of practicing, I think we finally have it somewhat-kinda-almost figured out.

Austin is a happy, healthy, strong almost-toddler! He started walking at 10 months old and moved from the Infant Room to the Wobbler Room at Daycare and spends his days playing in the playhouse, climbing up the ramp and through the tunnel, visiting with Mommy at lunch and taking off and hiding his shoes around the room.

We are very fortunate, and very, very blessed to have such a rambunctious, smiley little man in our lives. He loves to rough-house with Daddy and share his binkie with Mommy and makes us laugh and pull our hair out from frustration every day!

Neal started his fifth year teaching in the Silver Falls School District- his third year at the high school. He’s still the head baseball coach, and this year welcomed two new coaches to his staff. He is excited about the upcoming season and what his new coaches will add to his program! He continues to teach weights/PE and make his students run laps and play dodge ball. He loves it and his students very much love him. Neal played for his fourth year on The Outlaws, his men’s baseball league team, this past summer. His team was league champions (yeah!) so there was a lot of excitement and celebration among the guys. Austin went to a few of Daddy’s games this past summer and can’t wait to get out there and play with him! Neal also enjoyed a golf weekend with some buddies, and kept busy working around our house.

As for me, I just marked my sixth year employed with the Kroger Co. and feel very lucky to work for a such a great company. After an exhausting 14 weeks maternity leave (maternity leave is NOT a vacation, in case anyone was wondering) I was promoted within my department from Assistant to Procurement Buyer for Seasonal (my world is filled with Santas and Easter Bunnies- year round). It’s been a stressful 7 months of learning how to be a good leader, guide my own Assistant, and be a working Mom. Many bottles of wine have lost their lives over these last few months… so a moment of silence for their sacrifice is in order…

In my non-existent spare time I hang out with my amazing friends, read, cook, and keep up this blog of our little adventures. Writing is my passion and my blog has become such an important part of my life. I also got to take a much-needed girls weekend up to Seattle to see one of my besties, Amanda, graduate from Sonography school! We are hoping to make a girls' weekend an annual event now.

Unfortunately, there were some horrible tragedies at the end of 2012 with the shooting at Clackamas Town Center mall, and the shooting in Newtown, CT. My heart goes out to all the families affected by this, and it makes me want hold onto my loved ones just a little bit tighter.

I hope 2013 brings you happiness, peace and a lot of good wine with good friends!

Our 2012 Christmas Card

How We Almost Went to L.A.

I realized my blog needs more tales of the funny little things that happen in our lives… because I’m treating this as a journal and I know there are some things I’m going to want to remember years later.

So… here is a funny story…

A few months back after our “when are we doing something fun?” talk that resulted in a decision to go to San Diego, Neal started looking at flights. I think it was the summer at the time so I let him handle finding flights since he had more free time than I did.

He found an amazing deal, booked them and I confirmed my time off from work!

We were set to jet! Literally.

About two months go by… its October and my Aunt and I had been excitedly emailing back and forth about our trip down there and I forward her our flight itinerary so she knew our airline, and arrival times, etc.

As I was forwarding her the info, something caught my eye.

We were booked to arrive in SNA- John Wayne Airport, Orange County.

Huh?

Shouldn’t it be SAN? For San Diego?

My mind started racing. Was San Diego in Orange County? No, I swear that was just L.A… was San Diego’s airport actually called John Wayne? Before I sent the info to my Aunt, I Googled John Wayne Airport.

Yep. It was in L.A. We were flying into L.A. John Wayne Airport was about 3 hours away from my Aunt’s house.

I tell Neal was happens and he is like “WHAT????????? I SWEAR I searched for SAN. How did I get an L.A. flight???????”

As much as these types of things tend to stress me out, I had to laugh… the poor guy searched for SAN, and got duped by a pesky SNA flight that slipped in there.

So what to do?

You know those situations where you try and figure something out and its like “well, if we do “A”, then “B, C, and D” will happen, but if we do “E”, then “F, G, and H” will happen, but if we want to do “B”, can we do it if we chose “E”?

That was us trying to figure out what to do… if we flew into L.A, we could immediately spend a day in Disneyland, but that would require us to get a hotel, which we didn’t want to do. And we’d have to rent a car, which is an expense we didn’t want.. but we wanted to go to Disneyland, so wouldn’t it make more sense to fly into L.A. then? So we weren’t driving back and forth a ton?

Or we could have my Aunt come pick us up, but with gas prices how they are, we didn’t want to make her do that. Or we could rent a car one way, and have my Aunt drive us just one way…Or we could try and cancel these flights and get routed into San Diego.

Neal calls the airline and they are super nice about, even though we can’t fully cancel our flights. We turn our flights into vouchers that can used on any flight in the Domestic U.S. over the next year.

I go online and find flights (that were actually cheaper than our original flights) for San Diego and book them. So the only downside is that we were out double the money, since we had to buy flights twice, but now we have a reason to go on a trip next year since we already have airline credits.

So.. win/win kinda? We got cheaper flights to San Diego, and a reason to get our butts on a plane next year and travel again… something I want to incorporate into our life more anyway. 

Adventures in Christmas Tree Hunting!!

I was really excited to take Austin out to find his first Christmas tree!

Our neighbor's brother owns a tree farm in our area so we headed out there on a rainy Saturday to find the perfect little tree.

Me and my little! Austin is nervous that we won't find the right tree. I told him not to worry

Trying his first Christmas Cookie. The highlight of his day!

"That cookie sure was good.. you got more Mommy??"

Checking out all the trees... not sure what to do with himself. 

Cookie face

"This one's nice guys! I like this one."

Daddy cutting down Austin's choice

"Hi Daddy!!!!"

First Christmas Tree Adventure!

"We're home now Daddy. You don't need that hat. Here, lemme help you"

Checking out the cute little tree!

"You got that Dad? Can I help? I have muscles, you know. You just let me know. I'll hold it up. I'm right here, Dad. If you need me"

The Thing I Didn't Want Anyone to Know About

Neal and I are going to San Diego for New Year’s.

For a week.

By OURSELVES.

As in, we are leaving Austin here with my Mom.

FOR A WEEK.

Let me backpedal…. When Neal and I were married in September 2010, he had just started his school year. It was not a good time for us to go on a honeymoon, plus we were pretty broke after all the wedding stuff. We planned on a summer 2011 grand honeymoon. We were thinking Mediterranean cruise type grand.

Whoops. I got pregnant in May 2011.

So traveling somewhere grand obviously went out the window. We had to start saving up for a baby and medical bills.

So one date night back over the summer (after a few drinks) Neal asked me when was the next time we were going to do something fun? Because let’s not kid ourselves… midnight crying, poop flying everywhere and 24/7 baby demands aren’t exactly fun, ya know?

Our marriage suffered a bit this year. We bickered a lot. Tensions were high, stress was high, we were thrown into this role we never experienced before and had to sludge our way through it. We felt disconnected. We felt like Austin slaves and not husband and wife anymore, or best friends anymore.

Flash back to that dinner date over the summer and Neal’s question of when we were going to do something fun, because we needed it. I suggested a trip to San Diego to see my Aunt. She’s had an open-door invite to us for years.

Perfect! Let’s do New Years! Its slow at my work, Neal is out of school, the weather should be nice and it would be just what we need! A honeymoon we never got.

Tickets were booked before I knew it…

And then I panicked.

OH MY EFFING GOD. WHAT ON EARTH IS EVERYONE GOING TO THINK WHEN THEY FIND OUT I AM LEAVING MY BABY FOR AN ENTIRE WEEK TO GO OFF AND HAVE FUN? WHAT KIND OF SELFISH COW AM I??????????????????????

I panicked big time. I told Neal to cancel our tickets. I researched if babies forgot who their Moms were, I asked his Doctor if I was evil for leaving him for a week. I asked my Mom the same. I asked my closest friends.

And I didn't tell many people about our trip at all… or if they asked, I let them think we were taking Austin with us.

Because I could not handle the thought of being judged for wanting to take a much-needed trip without my almost-toddler.

Neal convinced me that he would be fine…as did my Mom, my good friends, Austin’s Dr… He would not forget who I was, or be damaged for life. He probably wouldn't even notice I was gone (insert big thank you here for birthing a VERY independent secure little person).

Plus he would be with my Mom, who quite possibly loves him more than I do and will devote every waking moment to playing, laughing, and interacting with him.

So there it is folks. I am going on a week-long vacation with my husband and leaving my kiddo behind.

Judge away if you want.

This is one of my New Year’s resolutions… to stop caring what other people will think of me and my Mom decisions. I’m a people pleaser, which isn’t a bad thing… but it was getting to the point where my fear of being judged by others was crippling. Enough is enough. 

So on that note… watch out San Diego! Here come the Glynn’s!!!

He's Comin' to Town....

Santa, that is!

We couldn't pass up taking Austin to meet Santa for the very first time, so off we went to the mall and it's hour long wait-to-see-Santa line last weekend:

(pardon all the blurry photos.... phone camera +child tornado)

"We've been in line like, FOREVER guys......"

"I think I see him! Santa! Damn these fences!!"

"Oh, hey... what's over here? More stuff to get into??"

"Sigh. This lady makes me pose for too many pictures"

"See Austin? Wave to the people, just like this.."

"Hiiiiiiii peoples!!!" 

"We're at Santa's door! Hmm. Rich mahogany. Santa has good taste."

"Let me down. Down. DOWN!!!!!!!!!"

"oh hi there camera. Yes, all all cute and sweet, aren't I???"

"'Sup dude. I've been good. I swear. Other than that time I peed on the floor..."

"See Santa? See? Are you watching? I can stretch my arms out cuz I'm so big. Santa? You seeing this?"

"Oh hey there Dad! Yes, I'm still being sweet and cute.."

"I like your sleeves, Santa."

"Cool! A coloring book! Cuz Mommy won't let me color in her princess coloring book. She says its all hers. Not mine. Mean."

"Ok Santa.. I want lots of toys and milk and cookies and more Henry's to play with. Ok, Byyyyyeeeee" 

10 months of Austin!

Wow.

It seems like just a few weeks ago I had a fussy newborn and now I have a ridiculously cute 10 month old!

Suddenly he seems less baby and more toddler…

Sad…

Here is what Mr. So-Big-Now has been up to!

-Weighs 23lbs

-Wears a range of 12 month to 24 month sized clothes. His clothes always seem to be either a bit too small or a bit too big….

-Is walking!!!!!!!!! 

-Got his first pair of shoes and wears them every day

-Sleeps through the night but is in another “will-not-nap-at-school” phase. A lot of days I pick him up and he’s struggling and goes to bed almost as soon as we get home. He naps great on the weekends; so I know it’s because school is too fun and he just wants to play.

-Got his first tummy bug and we got our first experience with baby vomit spewing everywhere.

-Uses the sign for “more” when eating

-claps for himself a lot…usually when eating or standing

-Can high five!!

-Loves to wrestle with Neal and rough-house.

-Is in a Daddy phase and whines when Neal leaves the room, and wants to be held by Neal most of the time.

-Still eats about 6 bottles a day

-started to drink whole milk and chugs it down

-Shakes his head “no” and knows what it means. He’ll shake his head in response to questions.

-Nods his head “yes”… it’s so cute, he’ll tilt his head all the way back and then bring it forward in one big nod.

-has already STARTED THROWING FITS!!!!!!!! So it begins… he’ll flail his legs, fling his body, whine and cry when he doesn't get his way, or what he wants.

-Plays with Henry… he’ll hold a toy out to Henry, let him nibble at it, then pull it away; teasing him. He’ll also grab the toy Henry is chewing on and play tug-o-war with him.

-Babbles all the time. If he’s mad or frustrated the babbling is reflective of that and it comes out sounding like baby-cursing.

-Loves books and will sit quietly and page through them. He doesn't sit still very well for stories read to him usually, because he wants to be in control of the page turning.

-Has discovered himself in the reflective knob in the tub. He has a great time laughing and screeching at himself during baths!

-has had two bloody noses from falling, one finger caught in the bathroom door, one goose egg on his head and countless scratches and bruises.

-Likes to have his teeth brushed at night

-Loves to push things… stools, boxes, lids, his binky… anything that can be pushed along the floor he’ll push. He also makes motor sounds while pushing things.

-Will mimic you when you make noises at him- raspberries, grunts, and other sounds.

-Loves to pick up two toys and shake them around at the same time

-Can feed himself with a spoon. This floored me when I saw him do it at school the other day!

Advice I'd Give Myself

I have a 10-month-old, therefore I am an expert in childcare.

Ha.

Never has a more untrue statement been stated…

But… I do feel like I can offer some advice to all the new Moms, soon-to-be Moms, and hope-to-be-Moms who might do me the honor of reading my blog..

If I could go back and do it all over again, here is what I’d tell myself:

Dads Do it Different

Your husband or partner is not going to parent like you do. And you have to just be ok with this, or deal with nick-picking and arguing with your husband over every little thing from what they dress your baby in to how they rock them to sleep. A friend of mine has the mantra “Dads do it different” and this is SO true. Neal used to let Austin cry a bit when he was a newborn because he thought it was cute, he’d talk and coo to him, and I would get so mad at him because I wanted to just hurry up and feed him/change him/rock him and get him to calm down. And sometimes Neal puts Austin in outfits that don’t quite match, or aren't really that “cute.” I want to say something, or just change him so he looks cuter.. but I've learned to just live and let live. So don’t stress Mommas… Dads do it different, but at the end of the day, it still gets done.

Don’t Sweep, Babies Don’t Keep (for long)

I had such a hard time on my maternity leave because I expected a baby who would sleep all day. I thought I’d have no trouble keeping up my at-home lifestyle of cooking, baking, organizing and cleaning. Then reality sets in and I realized what a fool I was. I would agonize and stress over dishes that were in the sink, or the fact that some closet was soooo messy and I didn't have time to clean it out. Mommas- who the hell cares???????? Hold your baby. All day if they need it. The dishes will wait, close the closet door and just enjoy the baby time, because it does go by really fast and they aren't tiny babies for very long. Sadly I spent a lot of mine being upset because I didn't have time to prepare gourmet meals each evening. This is why God invented fast food and freezers. Use them.

Throw the Books Out

OMG. The parenting books/websites/forums/blogs that exist out there are enough to smother any new Mom. And of course they are all full of judgmental Moms who think their way is best, their technique will raise the next Einstein… and they don’t do you any good other than making you feel like a failure because your kid isn't identifying animals by 9 months old. THROW THE BOOKS OUT AND STAY OFF MOMMY WEBSITES!!!! Seriously. Trust me. Just listen to your gut and do what you want to do. Want to be an attachment parent? Awesome. Be the best damn attachment parent you can be and to hell with anyone who wants to criticize you. Want to feed your kid Gerber food and not spend hours chopping, peeling and steaming organic farm raised veggies? Do it and do not feel like less of a Mom because you do. I read way too many Mommy blogs and websites and would feel horrible about myself in one way or the other because of something I was doing or not doing every single time. I cried over them so many times I lost count. It is your baby and you do what you feel is best.. and don’t let anyone make you feel bad or guilty because of it.

How Now, Milk Cow?

It has been no secret on this blog that my boobies decided not to produce copious amounts of milk. Oh how I cried, and researched, and yelled and agonized over this. So many resources out there for Moms that not only support breast feeding, but actually put down formula and call it “poison” and basically tell you that you are a failure if you formula feed because if you were only a little more “dedicated” you could have breast fed too (another reason to listen to my Advice #3 above!). YOU ARE NOT A FAILURE BECAUSE YOU DON’T PRODUCE MILK. Now repeat that 100 times if need be. My Dr. said it best- your body is going to do what it is going to do, and there is very little you can do to control that. If you don’t make much milk and feed your baby formula, then you are a good Mom for feeding your baby and doing everything necessary to give your baby the food it needs. Some people produce gallons of milk a day, and some just a few drops. Some people are tall, and some are short. This is just the way the cookie crumbles.

The Light at the End of the 14 Week Tunnel

Ask any new Mom about the “4^th Trimester (the first 12-14 weeks after birth) and you will probably get one response back- “it was hell.” Yep. Yep it is. I can’t disagree with that. You are learning how to take care of a baby, trying to nurse, waking every 2 hours (or less) and your whole world turns upside down. Remember those days pre-baby where you got to shower and put on deodorant every day? Yeah.. say bye-bye to those days. You have no idea until you have a baby how it CONSUMES your every second, and this is hardest adjustment to make post-birth. Oh, and did I mention babies cry and fuss A LOT in these 14 weeks, and don’t sleep well? Yeah, you can see why new Moms lose their shit at the beginning, me included. But guess what? IT GETS BETTER. Like much, much better… you hit 14 weeks and suddenly you baby just kinda… settles. Chills out. Sleeps a bit longer. Eats a bit better. Smiles. Interacts. Coos. And your heart bursts with love for this little… And suddenly you have time to put on deodorant again and you feel human once more. So know you’ll be fine.. just have a 14 week supply of wine on hand, and you’ll power through.

Love At First Sight is for the Movies

Ok, so my experience may not be everyone’s, but when Austin was born, I loved him for sure. No doubt. But I remember being the hospital, looking at him and wondering when the rush of “oh my god I love you SO DAMN MUCH MY BODY HURTS” kind of consuming love everyone claims happens at birth. It never happened. I thought something was wrong with me. I told Neal something was wrong with me. I researched post-partum depression.. why wasn't I head over heels in love with my baby? Am I that much of a cold-hearted bitch?? Is my son going to grow up to be a psycho because Mommy didn't love him from birth? To answer to all of this is a big fat “no.” This brand new person came into your life, and it takes time to get to know them, bond with them, and fall in love with them. I now get that heart-fluttering, punch-in-the-gut feeling of love toward Austin, but it took some time to get there. So don’t despair if it isn't instant Mommas.. just enjoy falling in love.

I know Neal is going to read this and go "thank god she is FINALLY listening to all the good sense I tried to shove down her throat throughout this whole process." 

I know honey, you were right. 

There. I said it. 

Now let me show you what Austin's 'cute' outfits are... 

My Cup Floweth Over...

I saw a lot of people doing a month of thanks, and I thought this was a great idea to jot down something that you are thankful for each day. What a great way to reflect back on how very fortunate we all are:

I am thankful.....

Nov. 1^st- for a hubby who is always appreciate of my cooking, no matter how fast and simple dinner is.

Nov. 2^nd- for a supportive work environment with helpful co-workers who boost my spirit and morale.

Nov. 3^rd- for good friends and a night of girl time!

Nov. 4^th- for a reliable car that gets me to where I need to go, and brings me home to my family

Nov. 5^th- that no matter how tight things are, we can always afford groceries and will never be hungry

Nov. 6^th- that women fought so hard to give me and all women the right to vote and be heard. Election Day 2012!

Nov. 7^th- for another 4 years from a President who is a good man and a compassionate human being! Yeah  Obama!!!

Nov. 8^th- El Sol Mexican food… it always lifts my spirits!

Nov. 9^th- my parents and all they do… even when its as simple as buying Austin some new pajamas

Nov. 10^th- for full baby tummies and long naps in the car on the drive from Eugene

Nov. 11^th- a wonderful group of friends

Nov. 12^th- for a baby snuggles… even if they are caused by Austin being sick and just wanting to lay on my chest.

Nov. 13^th- for loving Daycare providers who care for my baby with all their hearts

Nov. 14^th- for the convenience of fast food and how it just sometimes is oh so damn good.

Nov. 15^th- for working for a company that freely praises their employees and recognizes a job well done

Nov. 16^th- for in-laws who want to spend time with their grandson and are always willing to give Neal and I a break for a date night!

Nov. 17^th- for a chivalrous husband who goes and gets the car way back in the parking lot so me and Austin don’t have to walk out in the rain

Nov. 18^th- to be married to my best friend, who I can tell anything and always be myself around. Even when I’m not being the best version of me.

Nov. 19^th- for warm melty chocolate chip cookies

Nov. 20^th- for Kyle and Angie Glynn for bringing Neal into this world

Nov. 21^st- for sick days and being able to stay home when I have the flu

Nov. 22^nd- Thanksgiving 2012. I’m thankful for every breath I take and all the love that is in my world

Nov. 23^rd- for a fantastic Mom and Grandma who spoil me and make me feel special every time I’m around them.

Nov. 24^th- for warm soup on a cold day

Nov. 25^th- for hot coffee and lazy mornings with my family

Nov. 26^th- for rare quiet evenings when Austin goes to bed early

Nov. 27^th- for a healthy, thriving, bright, amazing baby boy

Nov. 28^th- for a comfortable warm bed to crawl into every night

Nov. 29^th- for that evening glass of wine

Nov. 30^th- for everything… life, family, friends, love, laughter and happily ever after.

A Little of You... a Little of Me

As Austin gets older his personality becomes more apparent and I have to admit it’s a lot of fun to see what kind of person he is becoming.

In some ways he is just like Neal:

-He has a gap in his front two teeth, just like most of the people in Neal’s family

-He is laid-back in the sense that nothing in his environment seems to agitate him (loud noises, unexpected movements, dogs barking, etc). He just keeps going about his business.

-He likes sports (seriously, it’s the only thing that actually captures his attention on TV)

-He is social and loves to be around people

-He is magnetic. People are drawn to Neal naturally and the same goes for Austin. One day at school I noticed that wherever Austin went, the other babies followed. They want to be around him and do what he does.

-He’s always up for a good time. Even if he is tired as hell, he’ll perk up when we get to a party and laugh and have fun and crash later.

-He is quick to get over things and moves on quickly if he gets hurt.

-He has a cowlick that has a mind of its own on the back of his head. His is in the exact same spot as Neal’s, just on the opposite side of his head!

And in some ways he is just like me:

-He needs steady reassurance. While he is playing or exploring he comes back to me or Neal quite often to ‘check in’, get a hug or a touch and then he is good and takes off again.

-He gets easily frustrated with things out of his control. 

-He is amused easily and finds the fun in even the most simple things.

-He is stubborn and will not do something if forced. I am stubborn to a fault sometimes and Austin seems to have gotten that from me.

-He smiles with his whole face and his nose and eyes crinkle up. One of the best compliments I ever got was that Austin looks like me when he smiles.

-He is an early riser. No matter what time he goes to bed, he is bright and awake by 7am. I think he’s only slept past 7am a few times… no sleeping in on weekends fur us!

-Dislikes bananas. I don’t blame the kid. Ick.

-He likes to snack and dances around when he has Cheerios.

Talkin' Turkey

Thanksgiving is my very favorite holiday.

I love the food (I mean, who doesn't? the food is the whole point)... I love getting together with family without the stress of gift buying and decorating.. and I love having a long weekend!

We spent Thanksgiving this year down with my family in Springfield, and Austin could not have had a better time!

So excited for all the food! 

The progression of  Austin's first Thanksgiving dinner. From hesitation to full blown joy!

Henry is not dumb. He knows where to be. 

Messy hair after Grandma gave him a washcloth bath!

Neal knows the true way to spend this glorious holiday- lounging

Helping great-Grandmama with the dishes!!

"Uncle B, why is your head naked??"

Peek-a-boo after dinner is so much fun!

Pumpkin pie... so delicious..... 

Austin particularly loved cranberries, sweet potatoes and pumpkin pie. All Mommy's favorites. I knew I liked that kid for a reason!

I can't wait until Austin is older and I can start teaching him how to be thankful, and to see how we are blessed in so many ways.

I hope he will grow up to love this holiday of thanks as much as I do!

30 Awesome Shades of Nealo!!!

Dear Neal, 

You are 30! Holy cow! You are finally in the same decade as me finally, so I feel a little less old… even though I did enjoy telling people I had a 20-something husband and I was his cougar. :-)

To celebrate you on this AWESOME 30th anniversary of your birth, here are 30 AWESOME things about you. 

Your smile 

The way you make people feel at ease the minute they meet you. 

How you are a trust-worthy advisor and mentor to many of your high school students and they feel safe   coming to you with issues

Your passion for your students

How you always compliment my cooking and thank me for making meals

The way you snuggle up against me in bed and warm me up

How you always get up first to let the dog out in the morning and give me 10 extra mins of sleep

You get Austin giggling so hard with all the ways you play with him

You never complain about changing dirty diapers. Ok, well.. unless it’s a disaster of a blow-out. :-)

You make the best pancakes I’ve ever tasted

Your laugh makes me laugh

The time and commitment you devote to your baseball program proves you are a dedicated coach who   wants the best for his players. 

Baseball pants look good on you. :-)

Everything is more fun with you… even folding laundry and grocery shopping

You always think I’m beautiful and tell me so… especially when I need to hear it the most

You continually surprise me with little gifts and always put so much effort into making me feel special

You can see the good in every situation, and be happy even when times are tough

You are so affectionate with Austin and never shy about kissing him or cuddling with him, even around your buddies. 

Speaking of…you have no ego and are the most humble, gracious man I’ve ever known. 

You would give the shirt off your back to someone you care about 

The way you hold my hand when you drive, or when we are laying in bed. I love that. 

Everything you do, you do for the good of our family

You are a good kisser. *wink wink*

You always try and make our relationship even.. the chores we do, the parenting responsibilities… you always take burdens off my shoulders. 

You let me pick on you because it amuses me… and you pick on me right back, which forces me to laugh at myself and remember that life doesn’t have to be serious (and yes, I swear one day I will figure out which light switch operates which light!!)

You let me have the better half of our closet, with all the shelves. Brownie points!!!

You love my friends as much as I do and force me to take time for myself to hang out with them, which is always needed and much appreciated. 

The way you still give me butterflies

I know that you will always have my back and always be true to me… I couldn’t ask for a more devoted man. 

You are amazing just because you are you, babe. 

Here’s to a new decade my love! Its going to be the best one yet, I just know it!!! 

Happy Birthday!

Life on this Wednesday...

-I broke my cell phone last week. The first time I’ve ever broken a phone. It fell off the back of the couch and hit a dumbbell (hazards of living with a PE teacher) that was on the floor. Poor thing didn’t stand a chance. Shattered screen and a hole punched in it. A new phone awaits me today, after a week with a lame loaner phone.

-Baked “poached” eggs are the greatest thing ever and my new obsession. Wanna try them and love them too?

Spray non-stick spray into a muffin pan

Crack an egg into each muffin spot

Fill up the rest of the way with a bit of water (this is how they “poach”)

Bake at 400 degrees for 9 mins (runny yolk) to 12 mins (hard yolk)

You’re welcome

-Neal and I survived our first Vomit-topia, courtesy of Austin. I always wondered how you would tell the difference between a baby spitting up and a baby throwing up, and now I know. MAJOR difference. Poor dude had some kind of tummy upset on Monday and threw up all evening. It was everywhere. The only upside was my little crazy active baby actually laid on my chest on the couch for almost 2 hours just cuddling.

-I think I’m finally at peace with the fact that my house will never be clutter-free again. For every toy I pick up, 3 more multiple upstairs.. and I think Austin’s dirty clothes actually crawl around at night and deposit themselves in different areas.

-I am suddenly very into nail polish. I never was one to paint my nails, but suddenly I’m all about. Anyone want to buy me cool nail polish so I don’t have to keep telling Neal it’s a “necessity” when grocery shopping?

-I am also at peace with my tummy. I’m still 7lbs more than my “goal” weight (but back to my pre-pregnancy weight) and the tummy skin is just a little looser than it was before. I mean, I only grew a human… and I could spend hours a week working out… but my baby is only a baby for so long. So for now, I choose baby and husband time over gym time. And you know what? The world doesn’t stop spinning just because my tummy is a bit jiggly.

-I don’t want.. I NEED pumpkin pie. Like, seriously. This will not help the jiggly tummy situation, but ask me if I care. 

-Dang I really need these 4 days off coming up for Thanksgiving. Crazy stress at work lately. 

Little Brave-Heart

Dear Austin,

While there are so many things I just love about you… the way you lay your head on me when you are tired, the way you babble “Mama” every time I’m around, the way you shake your little tushy to music… one of the things I love the most about you is how brave you are.

I know it sounds silly to tell a 9-month old baby that he is brave, but trust me honey… I’ve known you from Day 1 and I know there is one tiny brave heart beating inside your chest.

You aren’t afraid of anything- whether it be people, or situations, or elements. Everything to you is exciting and new.

What is this great big crashing mass of water? An ocean? Ok, let me dive right in and touch it and taste it and know it.

What is this new experience of standing up? Ok, I’m going to just walk and move and venture out on my own… but I’m still going to glance behind me sometimes, Mom.. just to make sure you’re still there.

Wherever I take you, Austin… you greet the change with smiles and curious little hands. You go right to your Doctor and trust that she is there to help you and make you feel better.

You light up stranger's days with smiles and giggles, and put a little sunshine into their lives.

You are starting to walk and have no fear of letting go of objects and launching yourself forward to get to your destination. Sure, you fall down sometimes, but you get dusted off, get a kiss of reassurance, and then you are right back at it!

Soon you will move into a new room at school, but I know you won’t be sad, but rather excited. New kids to make friends with, and new teachers to learn from!

Honestly, I wish I could be more like you, and even though you are just a baby, I am learning so much from you about how to be brave and meet everything with a smile. I’ve always been so cautious and so weary to try anything out of my comfort zone. Having you in my life is a daily reminder that life is an adventure, and should be treated as one.  

Thank you for being my little brave-heart… for being so curious and so strong. We all need reminders to smile whenever we are scared, to get right back up after we fall, and to dive right in to new experiences with enthusiasm.

So keep exploring my little one! Me and Daddy will always be behind you whenever you need to glance back for reassurance.