Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Top 10 of Twenty-Ten
>Before I dive into this fun post, please take a moment to visit Butterflies, a blog about a sweet-cheeked baby girl who is barely two months old. Sadly, she has a very aggressive brain tumor and is going in for surgery early next week. Say some prayers and lift them up. Thank you.
Now, onto the fun stuff! Miss Andrea over at Worley House had the brilliant idea to recap the top ten posts of the year based on how you, my readers, commented. So here they are! Enjoy and have fun! Link up in comments if you want to play along...you know who nostalgic I am!
xoxo,
Sarah
Now, onto the fun stuff! Miss Andrea over at Worley House had the brilliant idea to recap the top ten posts of the year based on how you, my readers, commented. So here they are! Enjoy and have fun! Link up in comments if you want to play along...you know who nostalgic I am!
xoxo,
Sarah
- I Am Ashamed
- Logan Has Arrived
- My Boy is Home
- He Knows the Plan
- My Precious
- Name Reveal-I Just Can't Wait!
- All I Wanna Do is Poo
- Anniversary Weekend
- A Picture I Love
- i heart faces photo contest
Sorry if those last two links don't work...not sure why they are going through. Anyway, I clearly had a lot better posts at the beginning of the year which just confirms my need to just really do things differently. Stay tuned!
Monday, December 27, 2010
Christmas in Pictures
>
(Logan & Grandma Ruthie--he loves her!)
(Giving Auntie M hugs!)
(Celebrating our 3rd Christmas together--so special!)
(We ALL got a new stroller and we NEEDED it so badly! Thanks Gma & Gpa!)
(Bundle up! Logan got a snow suite.)
(Logan and Uncle K hanging out!)
(Christmas Eve-Logan took several ornaments off the tree.)
(Eating paper was way more interesting that the new toys! Silly Man)
Self-Improvement
>A new year is just days away and I find myself reflecting on how I want next year to be. This year, 2010, was amazing in so many different ways, however, it has also been very challenging. I cannot think of a time in my life when I truly felt depressed. I never imagined I could ever feel so low while being so blessed at the same time. I feel gulity for all the negativity my blog has sucummed to in the last few months which is a clear reflection of my readership. If you're reading, thanks. As I have said before, I love writing for an audiance but I do know that if I was following a blog that was sad and whiny all the time I might not be following much longer.
I have always been a fan of New Years Resolutions, though like most I have a hard time following through on them. So I am going to set myself up here with a list of goals for myself and this blog. I want people to enjoy reading about my life. I had no idea this blog would turn into a full blown baby blog, but that is what happens when you have a baby! Logan is my world and I am so thankful to have him in my life. I would not change a thing for one second. So lets raise our glasses and celebrate this new persepctive on life for 2011! It's going to be a GREAT YEAR!!!
I have always been a fan of New Years Resolutions, though like most I have a hard time following through on them. So I am going to set myself up here with a list of goals for myself and this blog. I want people to enjoy reading about my life. I had no idea this blog would turn into a full blown baby blog, but that is what happens when you have a baby! Logan is my world and I am so thankful to have him in my life. I would not change a thing for one second. So lets raise our glasses and celebrate this new persepctive on life for 2011! It's going to be a GREAT YEAR!!!
- Smile no matter what.
- Think positivily, write positivly.
- Think about others too, not just my family (I find myself forgetting to do this, and I'm getting my ass kicked for it).
- RELAX!
- Run twice a week.
- BUY A HOUSE!
- Read the Bible.
- Figure out what I'm supposed to do career-wise (just in case I don't get into the teaching program).
- Be the best mommy I can be to Logan.
- Be the best wife I can be to B.
- Ignore the small stuff.
- Be more graceful while still being assertive.
- RELAX!
- Appreciate EVERYTHING in my life.
- Hug a non-family member everyday.
- Find something I enjoy doing alone (other than writing)
Sunday, December 26, 2010
The Day After Christmas
>I'm busy rearranging our tiny apartment. We have accumulated a lot of new fun toys for Logan and well, we barely have 800 square feet for all of us and our things, oh yeah and the dogs too. ;) But guess what? That's gonna change reallllllly soon! More on that later...
I'm having a hard time writing something decent. We had a great Christmas weekend, but our evening did not end how I would have liked and sadly, I'm still trying to run that conversation through my head without feeling bitter about it. We were able to wake up Christmas morning with my parents and B's mom at her place. We had yummy French Bread and sipped on hot coffee. It was lovely.We Logan waited patiently to open his presents and boy is he spoiled! I only had to return two things today, one which had a crack in the wood and another which we already had. After Logan went down for a nap and all the morning festivities came to a close, I took a nap. It felt great! Then B and I went to the movies and saw Black Swan. It was AWESOME! Logan got to spend some quality one on one time with his Grandma and I know they both loved that. Then we headed up to my parents house for Christmas dinner. Dinner was super yummy and my mom made excellent green bean casserole, my fav! Later we watched The Big Lebowski. Aside from a sour conversation I had, we did exactly what we wanted on our first Christmas together.
FYI Logan's cough is still hanging around. Not getting better, not really getting worse either. It's frustrating.
I'm having a hard time writing something decent. We had a great Christmas weekend, but our evening did not end how I would have liked and sadly, I'm still trying to run that conversation through my head without feeling bitter about it. We were able to wake up Christmas morning with my parents and B's mom at her place. We had yummy French Bread and sipped on hot coffee. It was lovely.
FYI Logan's cough is still hanging around. Not getting better, not really getting worse either. It's frustrating.
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
When you don't have anything nice to say..
>steal something. I saw this on a message board I frequent and the person who posted it was also just passing it on, not the author. I got a huge kick out of it. Enjoy!
Sleep Training Advice From a Baby to a Baby:
OK, here's my situation. My Mommy has had me for almost 7 months. The first few months were great-- I cried, she picked me up and fed me, anytime, day or night. Then something happened. Over the last few weeks, she has been trying to STTN (sleep thru the night).
At first, I thought it was just a phase, but it is only getting worse. I've talked to other babies, and it seems like it's pretty common after Mommies have had us for around 6 months.
Here's the thing: these Mommies don't really need to sleep. It's just a habit. Many of them have had some 30 years to sleep--they just don't need it anymore. So I am implementing a plan. I call it the Crybaby Shuffle.
It goes like this:
Night 1--cry every 3 hours until you get fed. I know, it's hard. It's hard to see your Mommy upset over your crying. Just keep reminding yourself, it's for her own good.
Night 2--cry every 2 hours until you get fed.
Night 3--every hour.
Most Mommies will start to respond more quickly after about 3 nights. Some Mommies are more alert, and may resist the change longer. These Mommies may stand in your doorway for hours, shhhh-ing. Don't give in. I cannot stress this enough: CONSISTENCY IS KEY!! If you let her STTN (sleep through the night), just once, she will expect it every night. I KNOW IT'S HARD! But she really does not need the sleep, she is just resisting the change.
If you have an especially alert Mommy, you can stop crying for about 10 minutes, just long enough for her to go back to bed and start to fall asleep. Then cry again. It WILL eventually work. My Mommy once stayed awake for 10 hours straight, so I know she can do it.
Last night, I cried every hour. You just have to decide to stick to it and just go for it. BE CONSISTENT! I cried for anyreason I could come up with. My sleep sack tickled my foot. I felt a wrinkle under the sheet. My mobile made a shadow on the wall. I burped, and it tasted like pears. I hadn't eaten pears since lunch, what's up with that? The cat said "meow". I should know. My Mommy reminds me of this about 20 times a day. LOL. Once I cried just because I liked how it sounded when it echoed on the monitor in the other room. Too hot, too cold, just right--doesn' t matter! Keep crying!!
It took awhile, but it worked. She fed me at 4am. Tomorrow night, my goal is 3:30am. You need to slowly shorten the interval between feedings in order to reset your Mommies' internal clocks.
P.S. Don't let those rubber things fool you, no matter how long you suck on them, no milk will come out. Trust me.
Sleep Training Advice From a Baby to a Baby:
OK, here's my situation. My Mommy has had me for almost 7 months. The first few months were great-- I cried, she picked me up and fed me, anytime, day or night. Then something happened. Over the last few weeks, she has been trying to STTN (sleep thru the night).
At first, I thought it was just a phase, but it is only getting worse. I've talked to other babies, and it seems like it's pretty common after Mommies have had us for around 6 months.
Here's the thing: these Mommies don't really need to sleep. It's just a habit. Many of them have had some 30 years to sleep--they just don't need it anymore. So I am implementing a plan. I call it the Crybaby Shuffle.
It goes like this:
Night 1--cry every 3 hours until you get fed. I know, it's hard. It's hard to see your Mommy upset over your crying. Just keep reminding yourself, it's for her own good.
Night 2--cry every 2 hours until you get fed.
Night 3--every hour.
Most Mommies will start to respond more quickly after about 3 nights. Some Mommies are more alert, and may resist the change longer. These Mommies may stand in your doorway for hours, shhhh-ing. Don't give in. I cannot stress this enough: CONSISTENCY IS KEY!! If you let her STTN (sleep through the night), just once, she will expect it every night. I KNOW IT'S HARD! But she really does not need the sleep, she is just resisting the change.
If you have an especially alert Mommy, you can stop crying for about 10 minutes, just long enough for her to go back to bed and start to fall asleep. Then cry again. It WILL eventually work. My Mommy once stayed awake for 10 hours straight, so I know she can do it.
Last night, I cried every hour. You just have to decide to stick to it and just go for it. BE CONSISTENT! I cried for anyreason I could come up with. My sleep sack tickled my foot. I felt a wrinkle under the sheet. My mobile made a shadow on the wall. I burped, and it tasted like pears. I hadn't eaten pears since lunch, what's up with that? The cat said "meow". I should know. My Mommy reminds me of this about 20 times a day. LOL. Once I cried just because I liked how it sounded when it echoed on the monitor in the other room. Too hot, too cold, just right--doesn' t matter! Keep crying!!
It took awhile, but it worked. She fed me at 4am. Tomorrow night, my goal is 3:30am. You need to slowly shorten the interval between feedings in order to reset your Mommies' internal clocks.
P.S. Don't let those rubber things fool you, no matter how long you suck on them, no milk will come out. Trust me.
Monday, December 20, 2010
2010 Year in Review
>
Wow. I cannot believe it is that time of year again. This is the third year I have posted my year in review and there are a few more picture per month this year because I could not just chose one. It goes without saying that our lives have completely changed, for the better, in the last year and BOY what a year that has been.
The last part of this year has been tough, for many reasons, but it is clear that 2011 is going to be something brand new, something to look forward to, and with out a doubt full of AWESOME changes, some of which will stay under wraps until then. So, join me in remembering one of the best, most rewarding, and most challenging year I have ever experienced. Being here to write and share this with you is such a privilege and I love you all!
January 2010
I started off my year 9 months pregnant, still working 4 days a week, and anxiously preparing our little family for a new addition. It is so fun to remember and think back to this time last year and all the anticipation that waiting for a baby causes. On the day before my due date, B used his mad skillz and created out little space baby. It was one of the very last fun things we did as just us and I'll never forget that Sunday afternoon.
February 2010
Exactly one week after his due date and the day after the Super Bowl, Logan Jack joined us, screaming so hard he popped a hole in his lung and spent 5 days in the NICU. I will never forget the day Logan stole our hearts.
This was nearly 15 hours after Logan was born and the first time I was able to hold him.
March 2010
Logan and I took a trip to Steamboat Springs to visit his great aunt and uncle, as well as his Great-grandma Boots. She would have loved little Logan!
April 2011
On April 25th, Logan was welcomed into our church on the day he was baptized. The ceremony was perfect and we had our family with us.
May 2010
My 1st Mother's Day.
June 2010
We took Logan to his first Rockies game. It was a perfect day, having rained earlier and then clearing up for the Rockies to win big!
July 2010
Logan's first 4th of July celebration. It poured that night, so we did not see any fireworks...maybe next year!
A few of our July summer days were spent with miss H, Logan's girlfriend.
August 2010
B and I celebrated 2 years of marriage and I turned 26! We had a great time driving over the mountains, having left Logan for the first time with Gamma and Pop.
We took Logan to his first concert and it was great! He loves music, especially the Gorillaz.
September 2010
I continued working full time and one morning Logan wanted to take pics with me all glammed up. I love this little ham!
October 2010
Our first ever family vacation was to Michigan and Logan is a great traveler. He could not have asked for better Michigan weather in October and better people to have spent that time with! It was a fantastic trip!
November 2010
November was a pretty mellow month for our family. We played a lot and I continued to stress out about working and being a mom. So tough.
December 2010
This month, like November, has just been crazy. To begin, I cannot believe it is almost Christmas! We are so excited to celebrate this special holiday with our little man. He is mostly into the ribbons, bows, and bells that come with all the presents he keeps seeing around. He loves all the lights on the Christmas trees and wants to eat the ornaments on the tree. Typical little boy. Just today I watched him destroy the room, pulling everything off the shelves and out of the drawers. He was so happy and I was entertained by his independence. I want nothing more than for this little person to celebrate 98 more Christmases.
I'm lacking on posts this week, so I wish each of you a very Merry Christmas.
Cheers!
Friday, December 17, 2010
Holding Back
>Ahh. I feel like I need to word vomit all over this page, for everyone to hear and feel what I'm going through, for someone to understand and walk beside me. But I can't. I mean...I won't. That is one of the downsides of having a public blog. I know I could very well get a private blog or just journal wherever, but I get so much joy out of actually sharing me with all of you, that writing for no one would not feel nearly as fulfilling or meaningful as to why I need to write.
A lot is going on. It's more than just being a working mom and more than leaving Logan. It's more than wanting to go back to school and more than finding other momma friends. So much more that if I allow myself to delve into it here and now, I may be making myself vulnerable to readers (unknown IRL readers, of course) who may not be ready for what I have to say.
What I WILL say, is that I am healthy. Am I happy? Not really...am I depressed? A little... am I going to be okay? Yes. It breaks my heart to say that I know more than a handfull of people who are struggling so much right now, for whatever reason, that it makes me wonder if the appocolypse is right around the corner (I kid...kind). But really...WTF God! I mean...EVERYONE has it hard right now and if you don't, I sure as heck hope you don't take anything for granted. My prayers are with everyone who has been going through tough spots and I thank you for praying over us. The bloggie bond is real and I feel so close to you, my readers. But there is a line I must not cross...not yet. HOWEVER, I would be more than happy to discuss things in a private email (in profile).
I want to lift each of you up this weekend as we head into the week before Christmas. I pray we are humbled by the reason, our Jesus Christ, and that we're all given peace in our troubles. Sometimes, I feel like all I do in my free time is pray and if you have ever felt like that, it's just as exhasuting as working! lol... Please have a wonderful weekend...we are heading out tonight on a DATE NIGHT to our company Christmas party. Today I have prayed that I will win a Kindle...shoot one up there for me! :)
A lot is going on. It's more than just being a working mom and more than leaving Logan. It's more than wanting to go back to school and more than finding other momma friends. So much more that if I allow myself to delve into it here and now, I may be making myself vulnerable to readers (unknown IRL readers, of course) who may not be ready for what I have to say.
What I WILL say, is that I am healthy. Am I happy? Not really...am I depressed? A little... am I going to be okay? Yes. It breaks my heart to say that I know more than a handfull of people who are struggling so much right now, for whatever reason, that it makes me wonder if the appocolypse is right around the corner (I kid...kind). But really...WTF God! I mean...EVERYONE has it hard right now and if you don't, I sure as heck hope you don't take anything for granted. My prayers are with everyone who has been going through tough spots and I thank you for praying over us. The bloggie bond is real and I feel so close to you, my readers. But there is a line I must not cross...not yet. HOWEVER, I would be more than happy to discuss things in a private email (in profile).
I want to lift each of you up this weekend as we head into the week before Christmas. I pray we are humbled by the reason, our Jesus Christ, and that we're all given peace in our troubles. Sometimes, I feel like all I do in my free time is pray and if you have ever felt like that, it's just as exhasuting as working! lol... Please have a wonderful weekend...we are heading out tonight on a DATE NIGHT to our company Christmas party. Today I have prayed that I will win a Kindle...shoot one up there for me! :)
Thursday, December 16, 2010
New
>Little man has learned some new things recently.
I mentioned that on our trip Logan was bored and we came up with a game with his paci, how he gives it to me...so cute.
He has also learned to smack his lips and give kisses! He really gears up for the lip smacking by licking his lips and sucking his bottom lip in far enough to really make his lip smack loudly. Ah-freakin-dorable! His kisses are funny...I ask for a kiss and move in, puckered up while he opens his mouth as wide as he can. He eats my lips and giggles. This kid is so friggin amazing. I love him more each day. Tonight I was supposed to meet a few of our residents and co-workers at dinner tonight but I have been so busy tutoring this week that all I watned to do was spend what little time we had playing together before he went to bed.
I did try to go and find a new dress for our christmas party and it was a big fat FAIL. I want red heals and a dress that is not black. Problem is that most of the dresses are either too short or too young looking and heck yes, Heidi, I do want to make sure my legs are looking hot, but these things barely covered my tush! I hate shopping so much. If you love shopping, then you must have a lot of money and not try it on before you buy it. I don't get it.
I mentioned that on our trip Logan was bored and we came up with a game with his paci, how he gives it to me...so cute.
He has also learned to smack his lips and give kisses! He really gears up for the lip smacking by licking his lips and sucking his bottom lip in far enough to really make his lip smack loudly. Ah-freakin-dorable! His kisses are funny...I ask for a kiss and move in, puckered up while he opens his mouth as wide as he can. He eats my lips and giggles. This kid is so friggin amazing. I love him more each day. Tonight I was supposed to meet a few of our residents and co-workers at dinner tonight but I have been so busy tutoring this week that all I watned to do was spend what little time we had playing together before he went to bed.
I did try to go and find a new dress for our christmas party and it was a big fat FAIL. I want red heals and a dress that is not black. Problem is that most of the dresses are either too short or too young looking and heck yes, Heidi, I do want to make sure my legs are looking hot, but these things barely covered my tush! I hate shopping so much. If you love shopping, then you must have a lot of money and not try it on before you buy it. I don't get it.
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Faker
>Today was one of those days where I just wished I could have walked away or pushed my "easy" button and been done with it.
I am faking the nice, smiley, happy-to-help, willing to bend over backwards, etc. face and should win an Oscar for it. I hate what I'm doing right now and I just want to stay home with my baby.
Hey, but at least I'm faking it, right?
I am faking the nice, smiley, happy-to-help, willing to bend over backwards, etc. face and should win an Oscar for it. I hate what I'm doing right now and I just want to stay home with my baby.
Hey, but at least I'm faking it, right?
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Ey-eye-ey-oh!
>Super fast.
I have like 48 seconds to type this out before I have to go hop in the shower and get ready for work.
How is everyone?! I miss y'all over the weekend! We had a blast in Junction and I was not my normal picture taking self so shoot me. No pics. However we did get some awesome videos of Logan being a goof. He and I have a new game. The paci game. I stick it in my mouth, he giggles uncontrollably, he takes it back puts it in his mouth and then 20 seconds later he takes it out and offers it back to me. So stinkin cute!
The drive was beautiful and last night we spent the evening with my parents trimming their awesome Christmas tree they cut down. It is so not a Charlie Brown tree (even though we love those!). Logan loves checking out all the lights and ornaments. We wants to still eat everything!
I am doing great. I felt like I was maybe getting a sinus infection for a day or so but I think it's just allergies. My girlfriend Ash informed me of a great way to squeeze a few runs in during the week: listen to a book on tape! Although they are now on MP3 Players...great idea! I just finished Water For Elephants b Sara Gruen and it was great! I had a hard time with some of the subjects of animal abuse but the story was very well written and I'd recommend it to anyone!
This week we have a few things going on: I start tutoring a new kiddo today, I have another new student tomorrow and Thursday night, and then our staff Christmas party is on Friday. YAY!!
Have a good one!
I have like 48 seconds to type this out before I have to go hop in the shower and get ready for work.
How is everyone?! I miss y'all over the weekend! We had a blast in Junction and I was not my normal picture taking self so shoot me. No pics. However we did get some awesome videos of Logan being a goof. He and I have a new game. The paci game. I stick it in my mouth, he giggles uncontrollably, he takes it back puts it in his mouth and then 20 seconds later he takes it out and offers it back to me. So stinkin cute!
The drive was beautiful and last night we spent the evening with my parents trimming their awesome Christmas tree they cut down. It is so not a Charlie Brown tree (even though we love those!). Logan loves checking out all the lights and ornaments. We wants to still eat everything!
I am doing great. I felt like I was maybe getting a sinus infection for a day or so but I think it's just allergies. My girlfriend Ash informed me of a great way to squeeze a few runs in during the week: listen to a book on tape! Although they are now on MP3 Players...great idea! I just finished Water For Elephants b Sara Gruen and it was great! I had a hard time with some of the subjects of animal abuse but the story was very well written and I'd recommend it to anyone!
This week we have a few things going on: I start tutoring a new kiddo today, I have another new student tomorrow and Thursday night, and then our staff Christmas party is on Friday. YAY!!
Have a good one!
Friday, December 10, 2010
Holiday Card from Shutterfly
>
Oh Holy Night Religious Christmas Card
Visit Shutterfly.com for classic photo Christmas cards.
View the entire collection of cards.
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
10 Months Old: Letter to Logan
>Dear Logan,
The last ten months with you in our lives has been nothing short of beautiful. Your daily smiles and babble fill our hearts with so much joy we had no idea there would ever be enough room for it, but our hearts have grown and with you in our lives, they continue to burst. As each day passes and as you learn new skills, we become even more engrossed in you as you turn into a little person. I would hardly consider you a baby anymore, however, you will always be my sweet cheeked, milky breathed baby.
Communicating with you has become one of the most fun things we share each day. You are using your mouth to make all kinds of vowel and constant sounds. You especially enjoy the sound "o" makes and when you do your lips purse and the expression on your face is priceless. You're speaking to us in all seriousness and we cannot help but giggle at your efforts to do so. You are clearly understanding a number of things, including your name, "no", "eat", "outside", and "nap". You can wave, clinching your fingers in a claw formation to say "hello" or "bye-bye". Not to mention the set of lungs to have to clearly express your distaste, sadness, pain, and frustration with us. You are not a fan of your changing table, being redirected from things you want, or waiting for your food. Ha, sounds like your momma. ;)
Your motor skills improve everyday. You are a champion crawler. There are times I find myself racing you to the kitchen gate to get it shut before you clobber your way to the dog dishes. You can sit and stand with ease with the help of the couch, chair, or coffee table. You can walk with your car walker or with the help of our fingers. You are also moving around furniture and even balancing with one had at times. These skills baffle us and we cannot wipe the grin of our faces when you look at us for approval and we clap with positive reinforcement.
Your fine motor skills are developing nicely. Your pincer grasp (fore-finger and thumb) is almost perfect. You eat cherrios with ease. You can turn pages in a book, press buttons on some of your toys, and get your paci in your mouth just right no matter what position you happen to start out in.
Ahh, your paci. If I was not around, I am sure that your love addiction with your paci would suffice. You are so attached to it that I am sure it is a sin now if we happen to walk out the door without it. You also sleep with your lovie (a monkey/blankie) and a blanket. You love being all snuggled in and now that the weather is much colder, you are soaking up all the comforts we provide you.
You have a very new fasination with doors. You like to swing them shut and only on two occasions has this ended badly. You caught your fingers once and another time, you nearly trapped yourself in your room behind the door and I could not get in because you were blocking the door! Silly man. Although, you were not happy about that one bit!
We have transitioned you into a convertable carseat. You are so much more comfortable in it! We are taking your longest road trip (In Colorado) this weekend to visit our friends. I cannot wait for them to meet you!
Your eyes are still blue. This is also very surprising as neigher momma or daddy have blue eyes. Lately, we have noticed a hint of green and I truly hope they don't get greener! You get the most compliments on your big blue eyes and bright blonde hair.
You are exclusivly in 12 month clothes now. I am not certain of your height, but I am sure you are pushing 31", nearly 11" taller than the day you were born! And weight wise you are just under 20 pounds. Still my little peanut!
Meal time is always enjoyable. You seem to like whatever is put on your plate and usually have no problem finishing and even having seconds. Just the other night you ate 3/4 of a gormet mac & cheese dish from Rustic Oven. We were so proud!
Amazment does not come close to the word I would chose to describe how the last 10 months has been with you in our lives and watching you grow and change into your own person has been the number one greatest gift God has ever blessed us with. We are so in love with you and cannot wait to see what you'll accomplish in the next month!
Loads of Love,
Momma & Daddy
The last ten months with you in our lives has been nothing short of beautiful. Your daily smiles and babble fill our hearts with so much joy we had no idea there would ever be enough room for it, but our hearts have grown and with you in our lives, they continue to burst. As each day passes and as you learn new skills, we become even more engrossed in you as you turn into a little person. I would hardly consider you a baby anymore, however, you will always be my sweet cheeked, milky breathed baby.
Communicating with you has become one of the most fun things we share each day. You are using your mouth to make all kinds of vowel and constant sounds. You especially enjoy the sound "o" makes and when you do your lips purse and the expression on your face is priceless. You're speaking to us in all seriousness and we cannot help but giggle at your efforts to do so. You are clearly understanding a number of things, including your name, "no", "eat", "outside", and "nap". You can wave, clinching your fingers in a claw formation to say "hello" or "bye-bye". Not to mention the set of lungs to have to clearly express your distaste, sadness, pain, and frustration with us. You are not a fan of your changing table, being redirected from things you want, or waiting for your food. Ha, sounds like your momma. ;)
Your motor skills improve everyday. You are a champion crawler. There are times I find myself racing you to the kitchen gate to get it shut before you clobber your way to the dog dishes. You can sit and stand with ease with the help of the couch, chair, or coffee table. You can walk with your car walker or with the help of our fingers. You are also moving around furniture and even balancing with one had at times. These skills baffle us and we cannot wipe the grin of our faces when you look at us for approval and we clap with positive reinforcement.
Your fine motor skills are developing nicely. Your pincer grasp (fore-finger and thumb) is almost perfect. You eat cherrios with ease. You can turn pages in a book, press buttons on some of your toys, and get your paci in your mouth just right no matter what position you happen to start out in.
Ahh, your paci. If I was not around, I am sure that your love addiction with your paci would suffice. You are so attached to it that I am sure it is a sin now if we happen to walk out the door without it. You also sleep with your lovie (a monkey/blankie) and a blanket. You love being all snuggled in and now that the weather is much colder, you are soaking up all the comforts we provide you.
You have a very new fasination with doors. You like to swing them shut and only on two occasions has this ended badly. You caught your fingers once and another time, you nearly trapped yourself in your room behind the door and I could not get in because you were blocking the door! Silly man. Although, you were not happy about that one bit!
We have transitioned you into a convertable carseat. You are so much more comfortable in it! We are taking your longest road trip (In Colorado) this weekend to visit our friends. I cannot wait for them to meet you!
Your eyes are still blue. This is also very surprising as neigher momma or daddy have blue eyes. Lately, we have noticed a hint of green and I truly hope they don't get greener! You get the most compliments on your big blue eyes and bright blonde hair.
You are exclusivly in 12 month clothes now. I am not certain of your height, but I am sure you are pushing 31", nearly 11" taller than the day you were born! And weight wise you are just under 20 pounds. Still my little peanut!
Meal time is always enjoyable. You seem to like whatever is put on your plate and usually have no problem finishing and even having seconds. Just the other night you ate 3/4 of a gormet mac & cheese dish from Rustic Oven. We were so proud!
Amazment does not come close to the word I would chose to describe how the last 10 months has been with you in our lives and watching you grow and change into your own person has been the number one greatest gift God has ever blessed us with. We are so in love with you and cannot wait to see what you'll accomplish in the next month!
Loads of Love,
Momma & Daddy
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Of Croup and Losing Weight
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Last I wrote I had mentioned that Logan was trying to kick some kind of cold. I took him to the doc on Friday and by Saturday it was clear he was starting to feel better. We kept our plans to go to Denver on Sunday and we had a great time at the party. Again, Logan still had a stuffy nose but was otherwise in good spirits. He went to bed fine and slept through the night just fine (although I can't say the same for B who enjoyed himself a little too much at the party...).
Monday morning we left early to head home and Logan kept coughing. He's done this before with the 1-2 minor colds he has had in his short life, however, by noon it was clear that this was not the same thing. He wouldn't sleep, and if he did he wouldn't lay down. He cried for 2 hours straight. I had to hold and rock him. He didn't want to eat hardly anything and playing was out of the question. I tried feeding him dinner at one point and he was shaking. Yes, shaking. Like he was cold. I had just changed his clothes and he was in a warm sleeper. He began to spit his food out so I called my dear friend Megan asking for counsel on what to do. She is a veteran momma of 3 beautiful boys and I knew she would know what to do. Thing is, I had been doing just about everything she had suggested and still no luck.
I gave Logan some Motrin and took his temp. He was 98.6 and not even a half hour later (just before I gave him the meds) he was up to 101.4. He was coughing so bad he could hardly catch his breath. I was quickly thrown into mommy freak out mode and called my mom. I then called the Urgent Care nurse and she said to just keep an eye on him and if his fever got worse or he started puking, to bring him in. Thankfully, he fell asleep and only woke up twice in the night.
This morning, same story. He was coughing and just kept crying. He just cried and cried until he fell asleep. I called my mom again since B had the car and she agreed to come pick us up so I could take him to the doc. Good thing I did! He has the start of croup. We caught it early enough that I think the meds will kick in soon and he will feel much better tomorrow. He is on an antibiotic and a steroid. Poor guy. Having a sick baby is so hard. I am exhausted and not to mention that both B and I have sore throats. Something is going around.
In other news, I have been a little MIA not only because I am nursing a sick baby but because said baby chewed our charge cord and it died. So I grabbed some extra cash we had and bought a new one. Note to self: hide everything!
ALSO, I need to brag a minute. When I went into L&D to give birth to Logan, I weighed 181. YES! Can you believe that?! Then it took me a good 5 months to go down to about 135. 131 was my prepreg weight and the month before I conceived, I was 130. On Sunday while in Denver I took a shower and my MIL has a scale in her bathroom. I was naked and wanted a true, just-had-a-poo-weight and....**drumroll please** I weigh 127!!! I have not been under 130 in I cannot even tell you how long! At least since before I was married. I think I was right around 128-130 when we got married. I am so effing happy. I thank my genes for being so gracious to me. Because honestly, eating salads everyday for lunch and only having my meats and protein for dinners, along with the occasional run (see side bar), I did not do much to get there. HOWEVER, I will say that just because I am that weight, there is quite a bit of jig going on in the thigh/ass area. Indeed, there is some toning up to do. But now I know what I need to do! Ahh, feels great!
And lastly, I have so many friends who are pregnant or just having new babies and it is giving me serious baby fever. Yet, I just realized today that it is not the little baby that I want right now (yes, later on, but not NOW). It's the experience of making a baby and giving birth that I want again. So, now that I know that I know that I can wait another year or so before we try for another. Some friend of my MIL told me on Sunday: "Don't ever let your financial status rule your need to grow a family. Your needs WILL be met. You must trust in Him. He will provide." Wow. Talk about profound advice! While I am a little hesitant to throw all caution to the wind, I appreciated hearing it.
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Out of Order
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Logan does not even have a solid routine. I've tried. If I cannot commit to it, then it won't happen.
So this morning, I was taking a shower and I am sure there are many of you out there like me in that you have a routine in the shower. I for one, have very few routines in general and the fact that I actually stick to one in the shower is seriously saying something about how important it is for me to stick to it.
Logan does not even have a solid routine. I've tried. If I cannot commit to it, then it won't happen.
Anyway, I woke up completely exhausted. Logan had a super rough night with his cold, waking up every 2 hours or so crying. (And then this morning, B reminded me that we never fed him dinner, just a bottle before bed last night. Cue guilty mommy tears!) Poor kid is so stuffy he can't even suck on his paci.
I hopped in the shower and kept cranking up the heat. I love a hot shower on cold mornings. For whatever reason, I grabbed my lufa to scrub down first without even thinking. SO NOT APART OF MY ROUTINE! Because I did that, I almost forgot to even wash my hair. And now my whole day has been screwy all because my morning shower routine was screwed up. WTF? I am never like that.
So what is my routine, you ask? I'll tell you:
1) Get in, rinse down
2) Lather and wash hair, rinse
3) Lather and condition hair
4) Wash body, rinse conditioner out
5) Wash face
Now here is where it's okay to do things differently. I absolutly hate shaving. It is by far the biggest waste of time and for what? Two days of softies. Not worth it to me OR B. I'm lucky like that. However, this is the time when I would shave, if I felt inclinded to. And if not, then I might just stand in the shower a minute or two longer warming up before turning the water off and stepping into the brisk, steamy air. I almost always make the mistake of forgeting to turn the heat off so that when I get out of the shower dripping wet I am not met by a breeze of air coming through the vent. AND I hate leaving the vent on in the bathroom. For one, it is too loud. It freaks me out to think that it might muffle a noise I should be listening for (what noise? a burgler or my crying baby, of course!). And two, it makes me cold. Once I pat down, I then brush my teeth and my hair, naked of course, and proceed to get ready for my day.
All this to say that when the one thing I practice routinely is out of whack, my whole day follows. It's not been bad, just off. So tonight we are going to spend the night in and, fingers crossed, we'll all get good sleep tonight. I just have to remember to feed Logan dinner... ;)
All this to say that when the one thing I practice routinely is out of whack, my whole day follows. It's not been bad, just off. So tonight we are going to spend the night in and, fingers crossed, we'll all get good sleep tonight. I just have to remember to feed Logan dinner... ;)
Thursday, December 2, 2010
A Little Random
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It's probably a good thing that I have not had a lot to write about lately. That means things are getting better around here. However, just because things are better does not mean I should only write about stuff when life sucks. So here is what we have been up to:
** We found a sitter! She is actually a friend and has a little boy just a few months younger than Logan and today they played hard! I also found a home daycare that I have put Logans name down on a the waitlist for May when I go back to school. I have learned my lesson of not waiting until the last minute to find RELIABLE childcare.
** Logan has been up and down the last few days. My mom had him on Wednesday and said he had a screaming fit for nearly a half hour. Just totally inconsolable. That night he did that twice after he had been in bed already. Screaming, not wanting to eat, etc. On and off for the last few nights, we've had to get up to console him. We dropped Logan off at his sitters house (more on that later) and after an hour I got a text that he had been screaming for almost an hour. She could not console him and he was tugging on his ears. Oh dear. So I left work and took him to urgent care. Turns out he does not have an ear infection (THANK GOD!), however, he does have a cold and his stuffy nose has caused his eustatian tube (runs between your ear and nose) to swell and is now causing obvious discomfort. There is no way for this to go away without the cold going away. So I am home with my clingy, snotty, weepy baby. I can't lie that I would much rather be here than work, even if it is to take care of a sick baby.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Monday, November 29, 2010
Identity Crisis
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I am pulling my hair out over the way my blog looks right now. I hate it. I hate all the options that blogger has and I just want something fresh and new. SOOOoo I am trying to adjust it right now and I am not sure if it is my Mac or blogger or firefox, but I can't change anything right now. Ugh. I would love to have a super cute blog like most of you have, but I have no mulah so how about I ask Santa to gift me a pretty blog?? Sounds good to me!
Oh and as you can see, there is a little preview of our Christmas pictures! More to come, as tonight we are taking Logan AND our doggies to see Santa tonight. SO FUN!
Oh and as you can see, there is a little preview of our Christmas pictures! More to come, as tonight we are taking Logan AND our doggies to see Santa tonight. SO FUN!
i heart faces-b&w photo contest
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So folks, this is my very first time entering in the "i heart faces" photo contest. I have been following their blog for a very long time and have never been brave or confident enough to enter a photo--until today.
I LOVE black and white photography. My parents gifted me a coolpix camera back in 07 when I graduated from college and I was THRILLED to learn all the fun features. Black and white and sepia were both options and I often switch back and forth.
I would love own a more professional camera someday, however, I think my little camera does a damn good job when it wants to! Check out that photo of my wee man! This pic was taken on the beach of Lake Huron while on our visit to Michigan. Logan had been having a particularly bad day and taking him outside always cheers him up. It was unusually nice for an October day in Michigan so we all spent some time camped out on the beach relaxing and playing bocce ball. It was lovely.
If you want to follow the contest or see what this photo site is all about, click the button below. Enjoy!
Friday, November 26, 2010
This one time, on Thanksgiving Day...
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So yesterday I worked all day. It was actually fun. And I was able to eat some yummy food. Our plan, after I got off work, was to go to Denver to my aunts house. We arived around 4:30 and we had a great time.
My cousin is 17 and OMG I cannot believe how grown up she trying to be. I say trying because she's still a kid people!! Anyway, she and her best friend had apparently been hitting up the bar all night long under the supervision of their parents, of course. Both B and I were shocked, to say the least. I was not allowed to drink AT ALL with my parents until I was 21. The first time I got drunk I was 20! So needless to say I never drank in high school.
So around 7, the girls started to talk about how the get TPed all the time. We pulled up and there was TP all over their yard. My cousin was still pretty drunk and really wanted someone sober to drive them to the store to buy TP so they can go get their neighbors back. She, however, was not 100% certain that her neighbors were the culprit, but screw it. Let's do it anyway!
So my uncle (not her father) drove them to Rite Aid and they bought 40 rolls of TP! Mind you, it was barely 20 degrees outside! B was drunk as well at this point and he was in no way going to miss out on the fun. So they ran across the street at 7:30pm(!!!) and proceded to TP this house with huge trees. B did not inform me until we were on our way home that he had my camera all along but did not take one picture. Bummer. It was a fine job. I won't lie. The best part was that we (the more mature, sober adults) could see everything they were doing right out the front window. At one point, a car slowed down and yelled at them. B said they were just giving them high fives for doing such an awesome job. LOL
They were not home from the escapade for 20 minutes before the mother called my aunt up and proceeded to tell her that her girls had been in Chicago all week. OOPS!
My cousin is 17 and OMG I cannot believe how grown up she trying to be. I say trying because she's still a kid people!! Anyway, she and her best friend had apparently been hitting up the bar all night long under the supervision of their parents, of course. Both B and I were shocked, to say the least. I was not allowed to drink AT ALL with my parents until I was 21. The first time I got drunk I was 20! So needless to say I never drank in high school.
So around 7, the girls started to talk about how the get TPed all the time. We pulled up and there was TP all over their yard. My cousin was still pretty drunk and really wanted someone sober to drive them to the store to buy TP so they can go get their neighbors back. She, however, was not 100% certain that her neighbors were the culprit, but screw it. Let's do it anyway!
So my uncle (not her father) drove them to Rite Aid and they bought 40 rolls of TP! Mind you, it was barely 20 degrees outside! B was drunk as well at this point and he was in no way going to miss out on the fun. So they ran across the street at 7:30pm(!!!) and proceded to TP this house with huge trees. B did not inform me until we were on our way home that he had my camera all along but did not take one picture. Bummer. It was a fine job. I won't lie. The best part was that we (the more mature, sober adults) could see everything they were doing right out the front window. At one point, a car slowed down and yelled at them. B said they were just giving them high fives for doing such an awesome job. LOL
They were not home from the escapade for 20 minutes before the mother called my aunt up and proceeded to tell her that her girls had been in Chicago all week. OOPS!
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Thankful Thursday
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There is nothing on this green earth I am more thankful for than my family. I am beyond blessed and today I thank Jesus for blessing me with a husband who is my best friend first, lover second. And who gave me the gift of motherhood. That face up there is priceless. His cheeks are so delicious and his "ra-ra-ra-ra" chatter is one of the best conversations I have all day.
Happy Thanksgiving!
There is nothing on this green earth I am more thankful for than my family. I am beyond blessed and today I thank Jesus for blessing me with a husband who is my best friend first, lover second. And who gave me the gift of motherhood. That face up there is priceless. His cheeks are so delicious and his "ra-ra-ra-ra" chatter is one of the best conversations I have all day.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
SOL
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Yeah.
So long story short: we have no child care starting on Tuesday. Our sitter did not accept the changes we needed to make to our schedule because it means one less day for her and saves us $200 a week and so her last day was yesterday. I have been trying everything to find child care. Home daycares in town have no space for a child under 1, daycare centers are too expensive, and I cannot find one decent human being on craigslist.
I called a home daycare this morning and wanted to meet her this afternoon. I dragged my mom along with me as she has been in the early childhood business for 20+ years and would know what kind of "red" flags to look for. Well, the simple fact that as we drove up to her "house", a mobile home, should have been the first obvious red flag, but I did not want to instantly judge the situation and give it the benefit of the doubt. Bad move. We walked inside and the TV was blaring Hannah Montana. There was an older boy in a chair, a girl (maybe 5) running around with make up all over her face, an infant in a car seat that another older child was rocking on the kitchen floor with their foot....it smelled. Bad. Like a mix of smoke and just plain old dirt. The lighting was terrible. There were no infant toys and in no way was this place even close to child proof.
Then there was the so-called provider. She's not licensed. In Colorado, if you do not have a license to have a home daycare, you are only allowed to care for one FAMILY. The licensing in CO is pretty strict. There are two different types but the same rule applies that you cannot have more than 2 under 2 or 2 under 1. I asked her what she fed the kids and she said chicken nuggets and hot dogs. Ummm hot dogs are a huge choking hazard! How many years had she been doing this? 10 years of course. She did not offer to show us around (not that we wanted to see any more!). I sat on the couch and THERE WAS NO COUSHIN! My tush landed on the wood in the seat. Yeah, that was nice.
So I guess that was longish. I have no idea what I am going to do. I may just have to take some time off next week to figure things out. Who knows. Please pray I can find someone, or, something for me. This is so frustrating. Although, after walking away from this so-called daycare today, I was actually laughing. I could not believe anyone would take their children to this home! Even out of desperation would be just too much. OMG...
Anyway, have a HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!
So long story short: we have no child care starting on Tuesday. Our sitter did not accept the changes we needed to make to our schedule because it means one less day for her and saves us $200 a week and so her last day was yesterday. I have been trying everything to find child care. Home daycares in town have no space for a child under 1, daycare centers are too expensive, and I cannot find one decent human being on craigslist.
I called a home daycare this morning and wanted to meet her this afternoon. I dragged my mom along with me as she has been in the early childhood business for 20+ years and would know what kind of "red" flags to look for. Well, the simple fact that as we drove up to her "house", a mobile home, should have been the first obvious red flag, but I did not want to instantly judge the situation and give it the benefit of the doubt. Bad move. We walked inside and the TV was blaring Hannah Montana. There was an older boy in a chair, a girl (maybe 5) running around with make up all over her face, an infant in a car seat that another older child was rocking on the kitchen floor with their foot....it smelled. Bad. Like a mix of smoke and just plain old dirt. The lighting was terrible. There were no infant toys and in no way was this place even close to child proof.
Then there was the so-called provider. She's not licensed. In Colorado, if you do not have a license to have a home daycare, you are only allowed to care for one FAMILY. The licensing in CO is pretty strict. There are two different types but the same rule applies that you cannot have more than 2 under 2 or 2 under 1. I asked her what she fed the kids and she said chicken nuggets and hot dogs. Ummm hot dogs are a huge choking hazard! How many years had she been doing this? 10 years of course. She did not offer to show us around (not that we wanted to see any more!). I sat on the couch and THERE WAS NO COUSHIN! My tush landed on the wood in the seat. Yeah, that was nice.
So I guess that was longish. I have no idea what I am going to do. I may just have to take some time off next week to figure things out. Who knows. Please pray I can find someone, or, something for me. This is so frustrating. Although, after walking away from this so-called daycare today, I was actually laughing. I could not believe anyone would take their children to this home! Even out of desperation would be just too much. OMG...
Anyway, have a HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!
Monday, November 22, 2010
41 weeks Old
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For some reason, motherhood has made me incredible nostalgic. This is me 41 weeks ago. I am posting it because I was pregnant with Logan for exactly 41 weeks. I went into labor at 12:01am on February 8th, one week after my due date. So hard to believe that the last 9.5 months have gone so fast! Pregnancy sure was not that quick. I know I posted something similar a week ago, but I just had to note it with a lovely pic of me drugged up with the epi. Ahhh heaven!
Please notice how nice my nails look in this picture. My nails are nothing close to that now!
So if you're reading this and are nearing the end of your pregnancy, just remember that I have been pregnant longer than just about anyone I know (minus H with A @ 11 days) and YOU WILL HAVE YOUR BABY! I swear I began to think I would be pregnant forever.
So anyway...Happy Monday!
For some reason, motherhood has made me incredible nostalgic. This is me 41 weeks ago. I am posting it because I was pregnant with Logan for exactly 41 weeks. I went into labor at 12:01am on February 8th, one week after my due date. So hard to believe that the last 9.5 months have gone so fast! Pregnancy sure was not that quick. I know I posted something similar a week ago, but I just had to note it with a lovely pic of me drugged up with the epi. Ahhh heaven!
Please notice how nice my nails look in this picture. My nails are nothing close to that now!
So if you're reading this and are nearing the end of your pregnancy, just remember that I have been pregnant longer than just about anyone I know (minus H with A @ 11 days) and YOU WILL HAVE YOUR BABY! I swear I began to think I would be pregnant forever.
So anyway...Happy Monday!
Thanksgiving, my fav.
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Thanksgiving is my most favorite holiday. Not because we are celebrating our so-called victory over those Indians (chill..I'm Cherokee!!). No, I love the holiday because two of my most favorite things come together one one day:
1) Family
2) FOOD!
I realize that these things come together quite often, but not in the same way and not with the same food. I am a Green Bean Casserole junkie. I happen to enjoy watching football and the smells! Oh the smells of baking pies and gravy flooding the house is just so delish. OMG.
Thanksgiving also happens to be one of the only holidays in which I have never really had a "bad" day from. It was almost ruined back in '04 when I was a junior in college. The weekend before I fell terribly ill. I had been dating this guy and I later found out he was playin me--loser. Anyway, he insisted that we go out on the Thursday night prior so I gave in and as he was dropping me off at my house (yes, house. not a dorm!) he wanted to kiss me. I had been having the most horrible sore throat all night but I did not complain about it once. I told him how I felt and that I didn't want to get him sick. I think he thought I was playing him so I never heard from him again. That's a good thing.
The next day (Friday) I woke up and could not swallow. My skin hurt to the tough. I had that nasty white shit on my tonsils. And my glands were so swollen I had no neck. This is one of the only times in my adult life that I truly wished my mommy was there to take care of me! But no, I was a good 5 hour drive away on the other side of the mountains.
So I went to the doc and was diagnosed with mono & tonsillitis. Double win! I can't remember if she gave me antibiotics or not, but by that evening I had not eaten anything all day. One of my roomies ran out to the store to buy me some pedialite because I could not eat or drink anything. I sipped on in through a straw. I tried to take a bath and my skin hurt so bad. That was the weirdest symptom...
Saturday morning I was beyond miserable and my roomie drove me back to the doc (campus docs on Sat-gotta love it!). She prescribed me vicodin and sent me on my way. The pain relief helped and by Tuesday I was eating normally. Thursday I was eating my beloved Green Bean Casserole, drugged up, but enjoyed it nonetheless. This is also how I found out I am allergic to vicodin.
So what is your favorite holiday?
Sunday, November 21, 2010
A Pic...or Ten
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This is one of the two most amazing sunrises we had this week. And yes, we get up that early.
Happy guy on his car! He loves being pushed around on it!
Look at those EYES!!
Sometimes he pushes his car all by himself!
This is the set up for our impromptu photo shoot. I tried to get some pics of Logan in his Santa suite...
The kid does not sit still!
See his pearly white??
Had to keep him happy somehow!
Because there were some tears...
I can't wait to celebrate his first Christmas!
B took this pic on Wed night. It was the day I was super sad and Logan decided to go to bed super early so I woke him up in an attempt to feed him and put his pjs on but he was not having it. Instead, he opted to fall asleep on me, something he rarely ever does. My heart melted the moment his little fist clutched at the collar of my shirt (other hand you cannot see) and I just cried with joy. Now this is my new fav pic of us and looking at it makes me so thankful and so happy.
This is one of the two most amazing sunrises we had this week. And yes, we get up that early.
Happy guy on his car! He loves being pushed around on it!
Look at those EYES!!
Sometimes he pushes his car all by himself!
This is the set up for our impromptu photo shoot. I tried to get some pics of Logan in his Santa suite...
The kid does not sit still!
See his pearly white??
Had to keep him happy somehow!
Because there were some tears...
I can't wait to celebrate his first Christmas!
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