Dear 2009,

I'm sure I'll look back and be in awe of all the things I learned from you, but right now.....PLEASE pack your things and GO!

Dear 2010,

I'm looking forward to your arrival......but please be a kinder, gentler year.....I'm worn out!

Annise

Hey! Merry Christmas to ya!

Family Photo Day:

Auntie Jen took beautiful photos of the family at a local park.....can you believe the smiles?
We LOVE having Grandma and Grandpa close by.....not only for the help but for the FUN. With a quick phone call we are all having dinner together, or telling jokes or getting an extra hand with projects around the house or to chase down our little RUNNER!

Our little man is in LOVE with his grandparents, he squeals when they arrive....it's so much fun to watch. We feel truly blessed by their arrival in Texas. We know it's been a sacrifice to leave family, friends and steady jobs....but I just can't thank them enough.

Yes, we really are this handsome in person too! HA HA HA!

The little man is getting FASTER and FASTER every day.....he tells us "get set, GO!" almost every morning......we used to giggle at his new words and now we take it for the WARNING that it is......

One Year Check Up Today!We have come a LONG way from the tiny infant stage.....

JJ is 23 pounds, 30 inches long and has a nice big head (his doc says he has a big brain like mommy and daddy)

JJ started walking at 10 months, to date he has 18 words, two signs (finished and bye bye).....Doc says he is PERFECT....doesn't want to see us for six months!

No more formula, Doc suggested we switch to milk (which I hate to do....wish we were done with bottles all together...at least I can get organic milk).....JJ has been VERY slow to go to solid foods...we think this is because of his very high metabolism (just like another Jason in our family) and his lack of teeth (he has only four, the average is 10 at one year of age). He is still drinking 32-40 ounces per day.

So this week I am going to switch to milk in the day (formula at night, for sleepy parents who can't walk to the kitchen) and encourage more solids.....maybe we'll be bottle free by 18 months? Gotta have a goal eh?

Doc says for a baby who "coded" at birth, he is amazing.....and I must agree!

More Birthday Photos:

JJ had lots of help opening gifts :-)

Gluten Free Cupcakes......yum!

Babies!

Happy Birthday Little One!

On JJ's birthday, we spent the morning remembering his labor, birth and exciting delivery. It was our great honor to go back and visit the fireman who saved our baby's life....to thank them and let them see how their quick action and wonderful training not only saved our baby but how well he is doing.

They were surprised, touched and so thankful to see us. Here we are sitting in the ambulance and of course JJ was thrilled to stand on the firetruck.
We also went to the birth center to show JJ where he was born. When we got to room, JJ started pointing and babbling on.....as if he was telling us the story of his birth.

Here is the BIRTHDAY BOY!

We celebrated "Yo Gabba Gabba" style! (thanks to www.nickjr.com and their downloads)

Happy Birthday, sweet baby boy!

Peek a BOO! I see you!

Thank you cousins for outgrowing such an awesome outdoor toy! WE LOVE IT!

Thanksgiving 2009: no camping this year......a heavy dose of life set in.....hopefully we'll be back camping next year......we threw together a Thanksgiving dinner in 12 hours! it was delicious!

Baby's First Thanksgiving! and yes, we forgot to take photos DURING dinner.....can you believe that? He loved the squash but not the potatoes......no turkey for him this year daddy fried it in peanut oil.....yummy for us, not good for babies.

One Year Ago today: prelabor had begun....we didn't know it but all the classic signs were there: eating a big meal (breakfast at Cracker Barrel after Black Friday Shopping), burst of energy (made a big meal and invited friends) and preparing the nest (insisted that Jason decorate the ENTIRE house for Christmas).....

I can't believe we are HERE, talking about "one year ago today". This year truly has FLOWN by....and we would not be here with a...baby is who is talking, walking (running), eating solids and still not sleeping thru the night... if it were not for our family and friends who surrounded us with LOVE and SUPPORT, brought us food, helped us care for our baby when we needed it, told us that we were doing a good job (even when it felt like we were failing) and reminded us that babies will survive and thrive with LOVE even if you mess up the small stuff. It really does take a village to raise a child and we live in an AWESOME village......THANK YOU!

Coming up: Baby's FIRST Birthday! Please come celebrate with us: Sat. Dec. 5th, 10am

Rotovirus is disgusting!

I had hoped to have lovely photos and hilarious video for you this week.....but instead I have spent the past six days taking care of a sick little baby.

It started out with what I thought was "teething" (low grade fever, fussy baby with loose stools) and progressed in two days to "SICK". Turned out it was Rotavirus/Gasteroenteritis.........and let me tell you....it's was DISGUSTING! (I'll spare you the details).

I did feel blessed to be able to be HOME with my baby.....to hold him and cuddle him and let him sleep in my arms until he was better.

It was a slow recovery but he is finally on the mend.......just in time for Thanksgiving and his BIG BIRTHDAY PARTY!!!!

Photos soon!

One More Photo:
My beautiful sister, her beautiful daughters, me and my little man......at the local pumpkin festival.....

Sorry for the delay:

We MOVED! and I lost my camera charger.....so for the past several weeks I have had no camera, except in my phone.....but I'll share some photos that family has emailed to me :-)

We have moved back to our "old" house (where my mom has been living for the past year), which many of you remember fondly. We had to make the decision quickly. So we canceled our dream vacation to Sedona, and started packing and fixing up our house to get it on the market.

We got most of mom's things packed and into storage, packed our entire house, and got it on the market all in less than 10 days. And all of that with a 10.5 month old who decided to start WALKING half way thru the week!

So we are all here: me, Jay, JJ and mom in our old house.

And my in laws have finally arrived. They are officially "snow birds".....staying here in DFW for the winter. We are OVERJOYED!

It's been an interesting month to say the least. We are all still adjusting. JJ could not be happier.....he has all of his grandparents around him and he is walking......or more accurately running everywhere he wants to go.

We are making preparations for the holiday season as well as a party to celebrate the successful completion of our FIRST YEAR AS PARENTS!

Many thanks to family and friends for helping us to move, keeping JJ happy while we moved and helping us to keep our sense of humor about the changing seasons of life.

Why it's been so long since the last post:Good Bye Dear Melon,

You were the best dog EVER! You were our first "baby". We became a family the day we picked you up. We will always remember how you used to boss us around, tell everyone who entered the house "the rules", cuddle when we needed it, protect us from everything you could hear, see or smell, try to sit on mamma's lap and S-T-R-E-T-C-H to put your head on dad's arm when we were in the car, chase every ball you could get your mouth around, find wiggle-giggle even if we hid it in the washing machine, and mostly how you made us feel important. We were "your people".

I know you told us in the best way that you could that you were sick and tired. We did everything we could to keep you happy and comfortable and in the end you made the hardest decision for us, a comfortable one.....you are our angel and you are missed.....

And as always: Life Goes On.....

and for us that means CAMPING......

Canoe ride.....on beautiful Broken Bow Lake.
Train Ride....at the park

The river is amazing. Only trout OVER 20 inches are "keepers" here. We can't wait to come back and have more time for fishing....

Melon was missed on this trip, she would have loved the car ride, the squirrels, the sleeping in the camper......Micron did enough napping for them both :-)

We saw a Golden Eagle and a Bald Eagle flew back and forth across the river near our campsite ALL weekend. They are amazing creatures!

And finally a video:

The next few weeks are filled with changes for us.....might be a while before I can post but I will soon!

On September 15th JJ took his first step!!!!!

Camera was not on but it looked something like this:

He has yet to do it again :-D

Thanks to Auntie Liz, JJ looked ADORABLE at Stroller Skate today. Hawaiian Shirt and Cargo Shorts on a 9 month old are just TOO CUTE!

JJ's favorite toys right now are WHEELS (cars, trucks and strollers), he loves to spin them and eat them. I had no idea that wheels were so amazing.....

We LOVE camping!

Our first camping trip, was hard....JJ was teething and we were not sleeping.....but this time....we had a BALL! JJ loved being with his family, especially his cousin Maddie.

Uncle Stephen caught a catfish!

There is nothing like a nap in the camper!

We're off camping again this weekend......in the rain......JJ is sleeping REALLY well.....we just might all move into the camper in the driveway if he keeps this up :-D

Nine Month Check Up:

Wt: 20.4 pounds (46%)

Length: 30 inches (92%)

Head Circ: 18inches (68%)

He has hit all his milestones and then some :-) Yes, I know I was concerned about a few of them but all is well now (as soon as you say it out loud, they do it). JJ is standing on his own for a moment here and there.....walking is just around the corner.

Look for camping photos soon! We had a lovely labor day weekend of camping. JJ did just wonderfully! he LOVED his canoe ride, playing with his cousin, auntie, and uncle. Going for walks and a ride to walmart to take a nap :-D

We are hoping to continue Stroller Skating and add Kindermusic soon. The busy fall season is upon us: Camping, Camping, Trip to Sedona, More Camping, Halloween, Family Birthdays, Our 13th Anniversary, Thanksgiving, FIRST BIRTHDAY, Hanukkah, Christmas and New Years!

It's the most wonderful time of the year.....

What's so funny??

Tomorrow we are going to a Stroller Skate Off......not sure what to expect but I hope it involves me in roller skates and JJ in the stroller....I think we will BOTH enjoy that :-) The other way around would be just too silly!

On the work front: I am doing LOTS of research on how to build my own website/blog. I am so excited to work on this. Since I have cut back on my hours to see patients, I wanted to make sure I was still "working". The website has needed updating for over a year....and I have been dying to add a blog on PRACTICAL tips for healthy families. There are some wonderful resources available but I think many of the gurus are so over the top that families don't have the time/money/fortitude to stick it out. .....that's my two cents.....

On the Knitting Front: I am knitting a few hours here and there. Working on the Great American Aran Afghan. I have started the first square and am about 20 rows in....only 60-ish to go :-) I also need 19 more squares.....my goal is to have it done in time for JJ to take to college with him ;-D

I am also knitting on a shawl that is to be a gift to the midwife who delivered JJ. .....any other ABC mamma's out there....SHHhhhhhhhh! It's a surprise!

Well, that's it! Just had to share another LOVELY photo of my boy!

Family Picture Day-

JJ will be 9 months old in just seven days.......my how time flies.....and how full our hearts!

Growing, Growing...

and for your viewing pleasure:

Photo Day!Today we went to get photos of JJ with his cousins. It was fun! Chaos.....but fun!

Do I have the most beautiful nieces or what?

Here is Mr. JJ just as cute as can be!

EIGHT MONTH UPDATE!

Jj is officially 8 months, he is more amusing and adventurous every day.

He is over 20 pounds and so we have taken out the infant car seat and upgraded to the Britix rear-facing. It's SO much easier to move him in and out and not that huge carrier...I got tendonitis from lifting it in and out of the car...so it HAD to go!.....but I do miss how easily he used to sleep in the infant carrier and how it attached to the stroller.....but we are moving into "big baby" toys and activities now which is good for all of us.

JJ loves to crawl, explore and pull to standing on EVERYTHING. We still struggle with sleeping but it is SO much better than it was a few months ago and I am sure in a few months this will be behind us as well....replaced by new challenges.

As parents we are struggling to balance our new life (work, baby, marriage, friends, hobbies). But I feel we are doing great. JJ hasn't had to go to daycare or a babysitter. He is cared for by loving family always. I hope we can continue this for him as long as possible. It's such a blessing for all of us.

My practice continues to grow and JJ is now enjoying coming along with me a few hours a week:

Mommy! I'm helping out at the office!

And we try to get in a family adventure at least once a month. This time we picked Peaches and made homemade jam:
Yeah, yeah, that one on the left....Peaches for me and a few for mom and dad.

YUM! Fresh from the orchard

Oh No! He has been corrupted forever......ice cream.....

We are making other adjustments as well in response to JJ's growing capabilities:
Time to lower the crib! We also had to move some furniture, remove the changing table from the pack-n-play, remove the diaper organizer from the pack-n-play, move baby toys out of the playroom to make room for bigger toys, remove the fireplace tools from the hearth......there are new things each day that have to be moved or adjusted.....it's awesome! he is growing so fast.

Little Explorer

I LOVE bathtime.....FINALLY! JJ was afraid of the pool and bath for a few weeks but now he giggles and plays with his ducks. We haven't been in the pool in a while...it's been so rainy. Hopefully this weekend we'll swim with the cousins.

Miss Ellie, wearing the dress I knit for her......isn't she precious?!