Love

Abby: "Mom, why do you look so sad?"

Me: "Because I really wanted this job and they didn't want me to have it.  And now I feel like they are playing games with me".

Abby (in a very angry, self righteous voice): "They are mean!  You don't need to play games with them anymore.  It's not fair! I don't like those mean ladies!"

The fierce love of a little girl.  We're raising her right.

"I wanna take a picture with my mad face"

15

This little man can not wait to be big.  He wants to do everything his big sister does whether he can or not.

He says so many words it's hard to remember how young he really is.  His favorite word right now is "mines".  I just heard you say awww.  But it is NOT cute when you hear it 100 times a day.  He also says banana, apple, kitty, Jordy, Abby, Daddy, puppy, bye bye, baby, Mama, down, up, blankie, no, go-go, le's go, and bath.  Ba ba means blankie, nuk or a cup depending on the immediate need at that time.

He still keeps us guessing with sleep.  Sometimes he'll go down really nice but wake up hours later screaming.  Otherwise he'll be a nightmare to put to sleep and then sleep until 7:00 am.  Two weeks ago he cried for midnight until three AM for no identifiable reason.

He has 8 teeth and a couple we can feel may be trying to pop through.

Taking in the view of downtown Chicago.

His favorite food is bananas.  He could probably eat 4 at one sitting if we let him.  He is always hungry but is getting pickier.  But like his sister, there is no fruit he will turn away.  He also will never turn down cheese.

He doesn't really play with any one toy.  He did take to carrying around one of Abby's dolls for a few days but prefers to rip all her books now and break everything in our home including his skull.

At home he mostly screams mines and cries a lot but he does a really loud adorable fake laugh when Abby is laughing about something.  He has started giving kisses and hugs.  He loves to climb and snuggle.  He is a handful but at the end of the day he snuggles in so close when you read to him and it recharges your battery for the next day.  Love this little crying mess of a man.

Putting it out there.

People don't often tell their goals to others because then they will have to work on it.  How dumb do you feel when someone asks you how is such and such going and you haven't done a thing?  This year I finally followed through on a resolution.  I got to my goal weight and worked out 3 times a week nearly every week.  Sure I didn't really start until August but I did it.  Eventually.  And I found an activity that I can do to reduce stress and get the kids out of the house.  Friday nights is our new gym night where I go to Zumba and they "play with the kids".  Both kids love it.  It helps that one of the ladies at the Kid's Club is "Grandma Barb".  What better motivation then an hour away from the kids when they are enjoying themselves.

This year I want to:
1) work out 4 x a week to maintain my weight and reduce stress.
2) Get a 3.5 GPA to maintain my scholarship.
3) Become a better couponer and stick to the budget.  Otherwise I won't be able to do any of the other things I want to do in the list below.

Other things I would like to do:
4) Purge this house of excessive stuff which includes a joint rummage sale with a good friend.
5) Get the backyard presentable.  This includes getting a patio put in since the deck is falling apart.
6) Read the entire New Testament in one year.
7) Repaint Abby's room.
8) Repaint the kitchen.
9) Finish the toy room.
10)Stay on budget for our annual vacation.

I know it sounds like some of these "other" things could be down all together in one weekend but not in this household.  So if we accomplish 2 of thse "other" things I will be one happy lady.

What is the biggest goal for you this year?  Did you meet a goal last year?  Happy New Year!

My new skinny face.  12# down!

It's time

Dear Baby Person,

I wasn't this sad when your sister turned one.  I think because you were the second I don't feel like I had enough alone time with you so somehow your first year is "incomplete" to me or more accurately parts of it feel lost to me.  You adore Abby and your Daddy so I know you are getting all the love you need and from other people that really love you too.  I just wish I had more snuggle time with my little baby boy before he got so big.

You have amazed me in my so many ways in this first year of life.  Your first word was book when you were about 8-9 months old.  It was perfect to me because you will fit right into this little book loving, reading family.  You haven't said again in several months but if we don't read at least 3 books at bed you get real mad and wiggle off my lap to get more.  You say daddy, hi, and up perfectly.  You can say Abby sometimes and baba means bottle - any bottle, but especially Daddy's water bottle that you really like.  You also continue to roar and growl but have caught on to saying uh oh and wow.

You were kind of late crawling, meaning you did it later then Abby, which had us a little worried.  Not for any good reason, Dr Cornell says it's not even a mile stone.  However, 1 month after you started crawling you were walking everywhere.  You have been walking for at least 6 weeks now but everyday I just watch you for minutes at a time and smile.  It's so cute and amazing to me to see such a little guy walking.  You are so confident and determined to get where ever it is you want to go.  I hope that this will always be part of your character.

You love all food - ALL FOOD.  You love all fruits, all vegetables, all cheeses, all meats you have ever tried, all noodles, all cereals and all breads.  You have gotten over your distaste of yogurt.  Like your sister you will always eat the fruit first.  When someone is eating something you want, you point to their food and then to yourself and loudly make it known you want some.  Of course you still can't eat a lot of things with only your 5 little teeth which causes some very loud tantrums.  You have become very dramatic in the last month, throwing your head down into your arms and sobbing.  But you are still really quick to smile and laugh.

You're favorite games right now are peek a bo, hide and seek, and monster.  You like to chase and be chased until you laugh so hard you fall down.  You love trucks, books, Little People toys, and balls.  You have just started trying matching puzzles.  You also love to wrestle which isn't always good because Abby doesn't always remember how little you are right now.  It is so fun for me to see her sharing with you and playing with you.  I know in the years to come you will become even better playmates.

It's time for me to accept you are a toddler now and get ready for all the big changes you will hit this year.  It will be an exciting year, filled with new words, food and motor skills. You started this first year of life at 7# 4 oz and I think 21 inches.  At your 12 month appointment you were 20# 9 oz and 29.5 inches.  You're our big little man.  I love you so much Emerson.  I dreamed about you for so long and you are even more handsome and sweet then I ever hoped.  You are a sweet little snuggle bug with a big personality.  Happy Birthday Son.
Love,
Mommy

12 months

I still haven't been able to find the words for his 1 year post.  Here's the first year photo edition.

First day home

1 month

2 months

3 months

4 months

5 months

6 months

7 months

8 months

9 months

10 months

11 months

1 year - cool as a cucumber.

I love this girl

We should be looking for a 4K for her but I'm not ready to let her out of my sight.  I want to soak up everything about her.  Her love of music, drawing, dancing, and dress up.  The way she laughs so hard when she can get Emerson to laugh.  Her smiles and giggles and repetitive knock knock joke: "Knock Knock. Who's there? Ice cream - you're favorite.  Every time I see a ghost."  She doesn't have the joke quite right but she things it's hilarious.

She is sassy like her Mama but has a huge heart like her mama too.  If anyone is ever crying, even strangers, she wants to help make it better.  She tries so hard to get Emerson to stop crying by singing and reassuring him "I'm right here Emerson, I'm right here".  She's quick with hugs and kisses.  And keeps telling me that she is really friendly.  Preschool is going great and Mrs. Francis says Abby is sweet and outgoing.  She loves her teacher and her friend "Broccoli".

 She loves Sunday school and we have been working on prayers.  The top of her prayer list is Daddy, Uncle Jay, Kai, Tricia and the grandparents - "God Blah Daddy, God Blah Uncle Jay":)

Her memory is astonishing to me.  After reading a new book 3 times she knows most of it by heart.  I am excited for her to learn to read, it's going to be so amazing to her.  She remembers places we have been only once, like a restaurant for Tim's birthday and can tell you everyone that was at the party.

She really loves dress up right now of any kind - princesses, fireman, zebras, whatever she can find.  She has several imaginary friends including Swiper, Fozzie and Kermit.  Quiet time has become her favorite time of day, no battles anymore.  She'll play in her room for 2 hours!!

Every day I feel her slipping away from us into big kid land.  I absolutely love you Abigator, I hope you are always this sweet, funny and sassy.

**Photos by Theresa Hermus Photography.

11 months!!!

A typical day for little man at 11 months old:

6-6:30 am wake up for the day. Usually joyful.
Shortly after we give him breakfast.  His favorites are bagels, any fruit and cheerios.  He hates toast right now and throws it directly on the floor.  He also hates yogurt.  Hates it.  Like it's poison.  We don't even try it anymore.

9am -10:30/11:00 am morning nap.
Then we rush off to the library, preschool, the zoo or the store.



Noon (ish) Lunch.  He loves cheese quesadillas, pasta, brown rice, chicken, leftovers.

1-3/3:30 afternoon nap

Play time or time at the gym.


5/5:30 Dinner.  He'll eat pretty much anything we eat except yogurt.

6:30/7:00 bedtime.  It's really hard to get him to stay up until even 7pm.  At 6:30 like clockwork he starts fussy.  If it hits 645 and there is no evidence that we are getting ready for bed he really starts crying.

He is standing well on is own but panics and squats down to crawl.  He can cruise along furniture but prefers to crawl.  His favorite toys right now are ones that he can push along the ground.  He took his first steps on 9/26.

He's still a much more emotional baby than Abby and often wakes once in the night but can usually settle himself these days.  Guess he's just a light sleeper like his mama.

 I'm looking forward to his 1 year pictures this weekend with Theresa Hermus Photography and his 1 year Halloween themed birthday party.  It's going to be a real fun month.