Christmas & End of 2012

I hope you had a wonderful Christmas! I know we did. Christmas was more exciting this year because Max was an active participant! Max very carefully ripped each piece of wrapping paper and was slightly confused when he realized that he was finally ALLOWED to open the presents! Santa came early and delivered a rocking chair for my chair loving boy and a play kitchen. Oh and I got an iPad mini that I LOVE! Max got his "big gifts" early because he and I were supposed to leave in a few days while Mike left for training. BUT 2 days after Christmas Mike dropped a concrete pole on his hand at work and shattered 2 fingers. This incident requires surgery in 2 days and so our plans have been postponed. It will most likely be March before Mike gets to participate in his cross-training class. We were slightly disappointed but at least our plans are just postponed and not ruined altogether. It has been an eventful week but I must say, I am happy to be able to spend a little more time just the 3 of us before Mike takes off to Texas for 2 months. 

It's New Year's Eve!! Another year has flown by. 2012 has been such an exciting year for us and the people close to us:

-I gained a sister in law in March when my brother got married. Love you Caitlin!! 

-Max flew on a plane 8 times!

-Mike turned 27, I turned 25 and MAX TURNED ONE!!

-Max took swimming lessons and went to his first professional sporting event

-Mike & I got tattoos (his first)

-My best friend had a baby!!!!!! We love Roman sooooooo much! 

-3 of my friends got engaged 

Looking forward to what 2013 holds:

-Mike will attend job training classes for 2 months

-This will lead to a NEW LOCATION for us!!!!! We are so excited to find out where! 

-We will (hopefully) move somewhere that we enjoy a little more than here ;-)

-We will attend and participate in weddings

-Max will turn 2! And we plan to start the potty training process around that time. 

My goals:

-Get fit! And shed these pounds that I have accumulated over the course of 2012.

-Have more patience. Some days I have the patience of a saint and others I want to shoot someone just for looking in my direction.

-Start some at home preschool activities for Max. Now that he is becoming a toddler I am looking forward to working with him and watching him learn even more! 

We have been and continue to be so very blessed! I hope you do too. Happy New Year!!!!!

 

Guilty Pleasures

Here are my guilty pleasures: (in no particular order)

-Bubble baths. I have always loved taking baths but since having Max I have found a new appreciation for that wonderful tub full of suds. It is sooooo relaxing and peaceful. Have you ever noticed that showering takes actual effort?? Baths do not. They are fantastic. It is also fantastic because when I take a bath, I do not wash my hair which equals less work for me again. Anything that is quiet and requires little effort gets an A+ in my book!

-Shopping for MYSELF. It is a rare occasion. 99.9% of the time when I am shopping I am purchasing things for Max. Even if I just buy myself a scarf or some nail polish, it's a little treat and I get much pleasure from it. Also, I am a shopaholic but that's besides the point.

-Saturday mornings. Husband is home on Saturday mornings and he will (and does) wake up with Max so I can get an extra hour of sleep. Sometimes during the week when I am exhausted, I fantasize about that soon approaching Saturday morning and suddenly I feel a sense of calmness wash over me. Seriously.

-Pintrest. Ohhh do I LOVE Pintrest! Pintrest on the lap top when Max is in bed, even the Pintrest app on the iPhone when I am in bed. LOVE LOVE LOVE it. I can laugh for hours at e-cards, find recipes to try and sometimes fail, look at clothes that I wish I owned, and decorate my dream house that I will only have if we someday win the lottery. MegaMillions aside, I really would kill for a massive jacuzzi tub..... (see first guilty pleasure above)

-Fleece pajama pants, fuzzy socks, and no bra. Enough said.

Tell me these things do not sounds fantastic?!??!

Merry Christmas Eve! I hope that your day consists of one of the above mentioned pleasures. Plus lots of food, friends, and family. Tis the season! :-)

Playing Catch Up & Blog Birthday

Hello. Yes, we are still alive! This has been my longest hiatus from blogging. We have been extremely busy and have been traveling like CRAZY! And I have to do it again in another 2 weeks....................... but for now, we are at home in our house anticipating Christmas in just 5 days!! Yay!!!

We have experienced quite a bit these last couple of months:
-Max went to a pumpkin patch for the first time. He saw animals in a petting zoo (he thinks chickens are hilarious), went on a hayride, played in a corn box (instead of sand), and picked out his own pumpkin!
-Max was a T-Rex for Halloween
-He attended his first parade and decided that we needed to be IN said parade. So we were. We walked in the parade and he waved at people like the little ham that he is!
-He participated in his first sleepover at a fraunt's apartment. The outcome? 4 hours of sleep for mommy and a 6 a.m. drive back to nana's. Never again.
-He went to the St. Louis Magic House which was lots of fun! He loved exploring and of course, put EVERYTHING into his mouth.... which I will blame for why he got sick the following week.
-He got his first ear infection. A double ear infection. Which took a month to get over after 1 failed antibiotic and one (so far) successful antibiotic.
-He got to play with his 2 year old cousin Mabrie. Mabrie taught him how to open doors and how to jump on beds. She attempted to teach him how to hide behind Aunt Vanessa's bed and shove 10-12 Hershey's kisses into your mouth before getting caught.... but, surprisingly, he did not participate.
-We celebrated Christmas with the grandparents and Max got lots of goodies! He was spoiled, as usual.
-Max flew on a plane for the 7th and 8th time. Both, thankfully, uneventful yet again. I believe he is getting used to this!
-He met his "cousin" Roman. Fraunt Bailey's adorable baby boy. Max was VERY gentle and would pet and hug Roman oh so carefully. He would point and whisper "bebe". Cutest thing ever.
-Max can say: mama, dada/daddy (dah-dee), bye bye, baby (bebe), hush! (when he hears a dog bark), more (which he used to say when he wanted more food to eat, now more just means he wants whatever he is pointing to), uh huh (means yes), mo mo (Elmo), if I count "1....2..." he will finish with "gee" (three), oof! (woof is what a dog says), today we were singing about ducks and he said "kack" (quack) and I believe that covers it for now...
-He knows the motions to "Wheels On The Bus" and "If You're Happy And You Know It..."
-We are making progress eating with utensils! Now, he usually just bangs them on his plate BUT he does get a few bites in before he gives up and uses his hands.
-He is becoming increasingly more interested in books! Up until recently, he wouldn't sit still for me to read to him. I would read a page or 2 and he would grab the book from me and run off. Now, I read a book and I have to do it "gen" (again).
-He LOVES Barney. Barney, I would dare to say, may be taking Elmo's place as favorite character. Just maybe!
-Yesterday he played in the snow for the first time. And by "play" I mean he ran around for maybe 10 minutes until I made him come inside because it was just TOO COLD. Even bundled in his snowsuit, it was just too much! He loved it though! He didn't like when he fell and it got on his face, but otherwise snow in Max's book is pretty cool!

I think that's all as of now! I feel like he has grown up soo much these past few months. He is becoming such a little boy now! We are looking forward to spending Christmas together- just the 3 of us :-) before Mike takes off for 2 months of training and we head back to the midwest..............

OH! AND HAPPY 1 YEAR TO MY BLOG!!!!!!!! Thanks SO much for reading and keeping up with us! I started this last year as a way to express my feelings, talk about my favorite boy, share stories and experiences, and just a way to document my little guy's life. Even if no one reads what I write, it has been so great for me to keep track of all the happenings in Max's life. I often go back and read some of the beginning entries and think "wow! I forgot about that!" I have thoroughly enjoyed it! On a couple of occasions I have had a couple girls message me and say "thanks for writing that. I have felt the same way!" which makes me feel awesome and semi-normal. Semi. Anyway, thank you for reading. Thank you for encouraging me. And thank you for not scolding me when you disagree with my choices :-) I'll be back in a few days with a Christmas post!

 

 

 

Adventures in Pooping

Today was one of the grossest days that I've had thus far in Mommyland. There have been a lot of gross days.......... The night I was so exhausted that I didn't realize brand new Max had pooped in my bed and I slept in it; the day Max spit up IN my mouth; or the day his little booty turned into a cannon and his projectile poo shot out like a rocket over the edge of the changing table and all over the floor and myself. All of these mentioned incidents happened very early on so nothing of that nature has happened in a while.

Until today.

Once a day I let Max run around for a bit in the nude. It airs out his booty, he giggles and squeals as he embraces his "freedom" and I just love to see that cute little tush running around. Anyway, this afternoon naked Max walked into the kitchen. I called for him and as he rounded the corner he started crying. That's odd, I thought. Nothing touched him and he didn't fall. Hmm. Oh well. He took a few steps into the living room and I noticed that he had something in his mouth. Before you could say "what's he chewing on?" I was kneeling next to him doing the finger sweep. A mushy brown substance fell onto my finger. "What is it?" Husband asks. "Dog food" I tell him. Max has been known to eat a kibble or two. I walk into the kitchen to discard the "dog food" and wash my hands when I see it. A turd. A turd and a tiny puddle of pee on the kitchen floor.

Oh. Em. Gee.
"Umm... it wasn't dog food" I yell to hubby. He enters the kitchen. "It's poop!" He exclaims. Why yes, husband, yes it is poop. I clean up the poop, wash my hands, and SERIOUSLY fight back the urge to vomit. My sweet little baby had poo in his mouth. GAG GAG GAG. I put a diaper on Max and I go to town brushing his teeth and scrubbing his tongue with his toothbrush. In my mind I am wishing he was old enough for mouthwash. Max cries. He does not like the tongue scrubbing. "Too bad," I tell him, "maybe if you weren't being freaking disgusting I wouldn't have to do this!" As if he knows what I'm saying. Then I remember... he was crying after he put it into his mouth. Hmm... maybe he had the sense to realize that it was nasty and he didn't like the taste. But probably not. I am hoping I caught him before he swallowed any but who knows.

Later this evening after I recovered from the poo in mouth incident- and "recovered" is not an exaggeration... I think husband is still traumatized. I didn't see him go near Max's mouth for the rest of the day- I put Max in the tub and emptied his net of bath toys. I stepped out for MAYBE 2 seconds to grab a wash cloth and when I knelt by the tub I noticed it. Turds.

Are you kidding me?? Not again. I know all kids poop in the tub at least once but Max had yet to do this and frankly, I had had enough poop for the day. Max looked at me, grinned, and tried to drink his bath water out of his bucket. Umm, no. Not again. I get Max out of the tub, get rid of the floaties, drain the water and refill. I quickly wash Max and do not let him play out of fear that more floaties will soon appear. Fortunately, they do not and I was not subject to poo for the rest of the evening.

YUCK. What a day. I could go without dealing with that for the rest of my life... but I'm sure that is not the last of our adventures in pooping. And THAT, ladies and gentlemen, is why (among other reasons) we vaccinate! But I won't elaborate on that...... that's a whole nother can of worms.

Paging Merry Maids

Am I the only one whose house isn't clean???? I mean, really... am I?

Having a 13 month old who gets into EVERYTHING and empties his living room toy box numerous times a day does not help my already in-need-of-a-good-scrub-down house. My house is a constant wreck! And not just from clutter... although I HATE clutter. It would be really awesome to have a play room.......... ah, maybe someday....

Seriously my kitchen floor hadn't been mopped in who knows how long until I finally got fed up and did it at 8:30 last night once Max was snoozing. I really try to keep up on it and give my house a good cleaning once a week. Wellllllllllll, it seems like I get it half clean once a week and then I am interrupted by Max waking up or trying to get into the cabinet with the cleaning products or throwing food onto my freshly cleaned floor. It seems nearly impossible to keep it clean! Let me tell you, when I get a free hour, the last thing I want to do is pick up a sponge and some 409. I wanna take a bath... or catch up on my recorded shows in peace.... or drink my coffee while browsing pintrest without worrying about Max supermanning it off of the couch, again. Since I don't have a "real job" it's my job to not only take care of Max but the cooking and cleaning as well. I freaking hate cleaning. And cooking for that matter. I actually only enjoy playing with Max. That's it. I wish that was my only responsibility....... unfortunately we all need to eat. And not live in filth. Bah humbug.

Here is a list of what needs to be done around my house:
-Clean mudroom
-Vacuum & dust living room
-Organize the junk & clutter that has gathered on the computer desk
-Clean bathroom
-Vacuum & dust both bedrooms
-Start laundry

Here is a list of what's going to get done today:
-Play with Max
-Fix Max lunch, dinner, and snacks since breakfast is already out of the way
-Take shower when Max naps

Oh and maybe cook husband dinner too. Or he can eat leftovers. Yes, leftovers. Are all of you other SAHM's living in a clean organized home?? If your answer is yes, keep it to yourself. No one likes braggers. Plus the rest of us may feel like punching you in the throat.

Birthday

Oh.. hello, September. August was a blur! Frankly, the whole summer was... but especially August! We spent half of the month in the midwest visiting family and celebrating Max's FIRST BIRTHDAY!!!!!! YAY!!

So hard to believe that my baby boy is 1! He had a FANTASTIC birthday and party. We did a Sesame Street theme since he is a big fan :-) He had a great time eating cake and opening his presents... even though he was more interested in the tape and tissue paper... typical! He got more toys and books and clothes than he possibly needed but we are very grateful for our family and friends who came and made his day so special! While we were home, Max learned to walk!!!!!!!! He had been taking 2-3 steps since June but 1 week after his birthday he let go of the couch, walked across the room and hasn't looked back! We are so proud of our big boy! And now that I took forever since my last post...... he is actually 13 months tomorrow. Where does the time go????
Here are some pictures from his party:

A day in the life

6:15- I wake up to the sound of Max crying through the monitor. Upon entering his room, I see that his paci and pajama bottoms are on the floor. Max's diaper is hanging part way off. He has obviously been pulling at it. Luckily it is only a wet one! I get him up, change his diaper, & take him into the bathroom with me. I stand him up against the tub so I can pee. While doing so, I try to distract him from diving head first into the tub. It's a wonder I don't pee on the floor. I brush my teeth with him on my hip... swatting his hand away from my toothbrush and dripping toothpaste on my shirt and the floor. We go downstairs and I make Max a bottle of milk. While he drinks his bottle I make coffee and take Leo outside. I try to drink my coffee without spilling while Max climbs on me and uses my legs as a see saw. I lay a few pillows on the floor against the couch to prevent yet another bloody lip... although after his fall last week when he bloodied his top lip and ripped the connector skin from gum to lip, he has been going off the couch backwards, feet first. Talk about learning the hard way!
I spend the next 45 minutes or so shooing Max away from the TV stand, getting onto him for being mean to the dog, soothing him when he falls or pinches his finger in a toy, getting climbed on and smacked, and singing an assortment of songs to entertain him.
7:15- Max goes into the high chair and I make him breakfast. I clean him up and we go back to the living room to play. Well, not exactly play.... more like Max gets into anything and everything and I chase him around. He's under the computer desk, he's trying to climb on the TV stand and smack the TV, he has found a random crumb of paper or leaf or something and I fish it out of his mouth. Oops, mommy left a glass of water in reach.... He's climbing over the couch, trying to pull down the curtains when.... oh wait, was that a yawn??? Yep! Yawn and an eye rub and a little whine. Could it be??? NAP TIME!!!!!!!
9:00- I change Max's diaper, give him his paci, and lay him in his crib. He whines for about 15 seconds and then silence. I make myself another cup of coffee. I drink it in peace while browsing facebook on my phone. I go upstairs and grab a pair of socks and a sports bra--work out time! Uh oh, I realize I haven't eaten yet. I quickly eat a banana, grab a bottle of water and head to the basement. I turn on Pandora and sweat my butt off on my elliptical for the next 30 minutes. I stand in front of the a/c unit to cool myself off for a few minutes... Then I realize I need to shower before a certain someone wakes up. I take the dog outside and then shower. I peek in at Max who is still snoozing and get dressed. I unload and load the dishwasher and go to sit on the couch.... I have no more sat down and turned the channel from Sprout to Bravo and I hear Max.
10:30- Max is up from his nap. I change his diaper and get him dressed. He comes downstairs and has a snack in his high chair. We go to the living room and I get Max's tunnel out.. Maybe that will entertain him for a bit. He and Leo crawl through the tunnel and Max laughs hysterically. He thinks Leo is hilarious. Silence. I peek in the tunnel and Max is sitting still and grunting. I change his dirty diaper. Sesame Street is on! The only TV show he even kind of likes so we watch for a few minutes here and there. He has a short attention span but is an Elmo fan! We are bored of being inside so we go outside and Max plays on his climber and slide. We retire once he starts trying to eat dirt and bear crawl towards the driveway. What time is it? It's time for lunch! What time is it? It's time for lunch! Yes, I am singing this to Max. Thank you, Bubble Guppies.
12:00- I make Max & I lunch. While I've got him contained in the high chair I decide to vacuum the rugs in the living room. He screams. He hates the vacuum. I soothe Max from the traumatizing vacuum experience and clean up the lunch dishes while Max climbs on and pinches my legs. Max eats a piece of dog food and gets in trouble for splashing in Leo's water. Back to the living room we go! Max throws a fit because he wants to play in the kitchen.. aka. he wants to eat more dog food and play in the tiny water bath. Max finds a shoe-I'm not sure where since I strategically place them out of his reach- and cries when I wont let him chew on it. I run upstairs to quickly use the bathroom and Max bangs on the gate to the stairs, yelling and giggling and saying "mamama". I bring a book downstairs and we read said book 3 times until he is bored of sitting still. Max opens the wipe caddy and before I know it he has approximately 15 wipes pulled out and one in his mouth. I take it away and he cries and flaps his arms at me (his way of really letting me have it). Once he is over being mad at me- 30 seconds later- he climbs onto my lap and rubs his eyes. Nap time #2!
1:20- Max gets changed and goes down for nap #2. While he is sleeping I wash bottles/sippy cups, start a load of laundry, fold the clothes that have been in the dryer for who knows how many days, take the dog out, I throw something in the crock pot for dinner, call a friend from home for a quick chat and then I hear Max.
3:00-Max is up, changed, and in his high chair for a snack. I clean him up and we go outside for a change of scenery. He plays on his climber for a bit. I get the bubbles out which fascinate him for a while. He can't quite figure out where they go when they pop. We go back inside. I put Max in his play pen so I can switch the laundry. Once back upstairs, Max "helps" me fold the laundry... Ha! By "helps" I mean he destroys my organized piles and tries to climb into the basket. He cries when the basket tips over and he falls. I set Max in the basket on top of the folded clothes and carry the basket upstairs to the bedrooms. Max giggles. He loves riding in the basket. I set Max in front of his toy box in his bedroom so I can put his clothes away. He tries to escape from the bedroom so I close the door. He cries when his access to the hallway and stairs are denied. Max pulls his blankets and towels off of his changing table while I hang his clothes in his closet. I look over and he has a handful of q-tips. I take them away and he flaps his arms and yells at me. I am so mean. We go back to the living room to play. Max throws the remote control and the batteries fly out. He goes after them and whines when I beat him to it. It's that whiny time of the evening- ugh!
5:00- Max goes into his high chair for dinner. I switch the laundry and clean Max up from dinner. Max climbs and wallers on me while I fold this load. Okay, husband, you can come home aaaaaaanytime now. Like an answered prayer, the back door opens and Max squeals and crawls as fast as his knees will allow him toward his daddy.
6:30 (on a good day)- Husband is home! He changes clothes and plays with Max.
6:50- Bath time. I undress Max while he tries to climb into the tub. He yells and jabbers at his duck and boats while I wash him. I let Max play in the tub until he starts
attempting to climb out. I lather Max in lotion and put his pajamas on him. He gets his teeth brushed and we go back downstairs. He plays with daddy a little more and I make him a bottle.
7:30-Max drinks his milk and then is off to bed. After putting Max to bed, I pick the toys up from the living room and toss them into my makeshift toy box (play pen).
Hubby & I eat dinner. I clean up the dinner dishes, put away left overs, and fold the rest of the laundry.
8:15- Hubby & I sit down to watch TV and relax until bedtime.

This is a regular day at home without errands, appointments, or play dates. 5 out of 7 days a week are typically like this one. I say typically because husband is not always home before Max goes to bed, I don't do laundry daily, and Max sometimes wakes before 6:15, sometimes after. Each day is different but similar! Being a mommy is tiring business! I can't imagine working full time outside of the home while trying to get all of this done too. I love being a stay at home mom but breaks away from the house -ALONE- are much needed and appreciated! Contrary to popular belief, stay at home moms don't just lay on the couch in their pajamas all day watching soap operas and shopping online...
Although I am quite the online shopper ;-)

Introducing Max!

Lately I have been thinking a lot about last year at this time when I was pregnant. One year ago I was approximately 32 weeks pregnant and was anxiously awaiting Max's arrival. As we will soon be approaching Max's 1st birthday this summer, I have often been thinking back to that day..........

Sunday August 7
-1:00 a.m. I am sent home from the Medical Center of the Rockies. The 3rd time I was sent home from a hospital in 3 days as my contractions were steady but I was having no dilation progress. I am dilated to 2 cm... which I had been dilated to for almost 2 weeks. I am having contractions 2-5 minutes apart and they are getting much more intense. I took 2 baths which eased my discomfort momentarily but as soon as I was out of the tub, it was back. I finally told my mom through tears that we had to go.
-5:30 a.m. I am admitted to Cheyenne Regional after discovering that I was now at 3 cm so I was making progress! I cried tears of joy--finally! Contractions are 2-5 minutes apart.
-7:30 a.m. ish My mother in law and sister in law arrive at the hospital because they just so happened to be visiting hubby's other sister in Denver. Very convenient timing! I am breathing through the contractions. I am STARVING because I haven't eaten since 5 p.m. the night before and have been up all night. I am on a clear liquid diet so I can only have chicken broth and popsicles-ugh! I am being checked and monitored. Everything looks great.. we are just waiting!
-12:30 p.m. I am dilated to 5 cm and I can no longer hold off on the epidural. Pain is steady and I am having no relief between contractions. My anxiety about the epidural disappears as I am just ready to have some relief from the pain. Epidural takes effect immediately and I feel like a new woman! I am talking and laughing and able to play on my phone. My AMAZING nurse Victoria encourages me to take a nap but I am just too excited. No nap for me.
-4:00 p.m. I am dilated to 8 cm and the doctor breaks my water. We are thinking that in the next hour or 2, Max will be gracing us with his presence! I keep telling everyone that I am feeling a lot of pressure in my butt and they just laugh and say "that's good!"
-6:00 p.m. I am still at 8 cm. What?! My progress has halted....... but I keep telling everyone about the pressure I feel
-8:00 p.m. Dr. Foley is off and Dr. Nelson takes over
-8:30 p.m. I am dilated to 9.5 cm and feeling lots of pressure. My new nurse, Sandy, says "Dr. Nelson is putting on his pajamas and then it's baby time!" YAY! Dr. Nelson and several nurses including a pediatrician enter my room. It's party time! I push once. I push twice. I push three times. Dr. Nelson checks Max and says that he is face up... he needs to try and turn him. Umm... OUCH! He is unsuccessful and unknown to me, has discovered that the cord is wrapped around his neck and his heart rate drops a little. He says, "Mallory, you are not going to be able to get him out. We are going to have to use forceps or prep you for an emergency c-section." I cry. "No! Neither one!" I look at my mom helplessly. All I can think of is what if the forceps catch his eye or his ear and like rip it off or something?! Dr. Nelson says, "We have to do one. And you need to decide right now." He is sweet and calm but it doesn't ease my anxiety. Both my mom and mother in law tell me that it's okay to choose forceps, it will be fine. "You don't want a c-section after all of this" they tell me. I agree to forceps. Before I know it, Dr. Nelson has inserted the forceps and I push one last time.
-9:10 p.m. Max Henry is born weighing 7 lbs, 15 oz and is 21.5 inches long. He came out face up with his eyes open (weird!) with a blue face and the worst conehead that I have ever seen! His cord was wrapped around his neck and knotted twice. He didn't cry immediately and I didn't cry until I heard him scream. As soon as I realized that he was okay... waterworks! Both of Max's grandmas are ooh-ing and ahh-ing as he is getting cleaned up and I call my hubby while I am getting stitched up to deliver the news. Once clean, Max is handed to me and I get to take a good look at him. His color has come back and he is very alert. He is absolutely perfect and looks very much like my newborn pictures! We cuddle and he keeps trying to eat my face. He's hungry??? He's hungry!
-10:00 p.m. I nurse Max for the first time. My little piglet latches right on and nurses for 6 minutes which apparently is a lot! I have no idea what is going on. It is a whirlwind!
Monday August 8 (Max's due date!)
-1:00 a.m. Mother in law and sister in law leave the hospital and spend the night at my house. After 2 bags of fluid and after my epidural wears off, I am able to shower (with my nurse Sandy standing outside of the door... I think I made her nervous) and my mom, Max, and I make our way to the nursery where Sandy shows me how to bathe Max.
-2:00 a.m. We settle into our postpartum room and after Nana snuggles Max for a bit, I take him from her and she gets some much needed rest. I spend the rest of the night staring at him. I am overwhelmed with joy and the love that I have for this little boy. I only wish that his dad was here with us.
-3:00 a.m. Max & I now share a nurse and I call her twice that night to pump the fluid out of Max's stomach because he keeps gagging. I guess coming out face up caused him to swallow quite a bit of fluid.
-7:00 a.m. After being awake for 46 hours, I fall asleep cuddling my baby.

It was a crazy day but it was the best day of my life. I am blessed to be the mother of a perfect and healthy little boy. The wait and the pain and recovering from delivery and a cracked tailbone (the pressure that I felt was the back of his head bearing down on my tailbone. Combine that with the use of forceps... and Mallory had to sit on a pillow until Max was 1 month old) it was 100% worth it and I would do it a million times over in order to have my Max. I think back to that day and last summer and how far we have come and how much has changed and I am blown away. I can't imagine our lives without him. He is the most precious gift that I have ever been given.

"You will never know the depth of my love for you. After all, you're the only person that knows what my heart sounds like from the inside." <3

Max @ 10

Blog slacker? Yep, that's me. 2 MONTHS since my last post-yikes!

Max is now 10 months old. It blows my mind that I am the mother of a 10 month old little boy! He is ornery as ever and into absolutely EVERYTHING. He thinks he is part monkey and he climbs all over everything ie. mommy & daddy, the couch, the tv stand, attempts to do chin-ups on the computer desk and pack n play, etc. He is crazy! He refuses pureed food and insists on only feeding himself. He has mastered the sippy cup and can (and does!) remove his pants whenever he feels like it. He has TWELVE teeth, 8 on top and 4 on bottom. He is sleeping through the night again as of 2 weeks ago once his molars came in-- hallelujah! So I am no longer scary mommy with the dark eyes, crazy hair, and caffeine twitches. He goes to bed at a decent time.. 7:45-8 p.m. which leaves me & hubby with some adult time for us and our sanity--again, hallelujah! He is still taking 2 naps a day... when he decides to only take 1 I will probably cry for weeks. Nap time for Max is NECESSARY for mommy! He can stand alone and does frequently, but after about 10-15 seconds he realizes that he is standing by himself and quickly sits down. 2 weeks ago he took one step toward me but that was it and he hasn't attempted it since. I am glad that he isn't walking yet (too early for mommy to have a walker!) but I did assume that he would be walking by now simply because he has been crawling and pulling himself up for nearly 4 months. No walking is okay with me though!! He LOVES mommy & daddy but is unsure of pretty much everyone else. He is in the stranger-danger phase and will lose his mind if someone else tries to hold him. So don't take it personally if Max looks at you and screams.... you're not the only one! He used to let anyone and everyone hold him but not anymore! He has a TEMPER. Boy, does he have a temper. He hates being told no and you can bet that if told no numerous times (because he is persistent) he will arch his back, throw his head and meltdown. Or growl until his face gets red. Or try to claw me. Yeah, I know......... he is going to be a handful. I try not to let him get away with it because I refuse to have the bratty kid but sometimes I can't help but laugh. That's just Max. He is sweet and mean and nothing in between! He is wild and entertaining and keeps us on our toes! He will only sit still when he is drinking his bottle or if he hears Elmo's voice. I wish he still loved to cuddle but he is too busy for cuddling. He is constantly on the go until he hits the wall of exhaustion and then he just wants to be put in his crib with his paci and left alone. He no longer wants to cuddle or be rocked. He just wants to be in his bed... which is really nice! I'm glad he loves his bed... but I do miss my cuddle bug!! Hopefully someday he will want to cuddle with mommy again. Until then I will chase him around and take whatever slobbery open mouth kisses I can get!

 

He's a maniac, maniac on the floor

I'm such a blog slacker. I will blame it on Max. Anyway, it's been a month since my last post and we've just been trucking along. Max is now 8.5 months old...... I still can't believe he's that old. He is ornery as ever. He is into EVERYTHING. I can't take my eyes off of him for 1 minute without him getting into something or hurting himself. He is currently taking his morning nap and that is the only reason that I am able to sit down and write this. At any given time, there are at least two bruises on his head/face and there may or may not be a scratch or two as well. He is a maniac! He crawls sooo fast and pulls up onto EVERYTHING. He cruises along the furniture and sometimes gets REALLY brave and lets go............. and then WHAM! He has fallen over and added to his bruise collection. He is getting better about catching himself as he falls though and lately will fall on his butt or brace himself with his hands so that breaks his fall for the most part. He is a dare devil and tries to kamikaze dive off of the couch and ottoman all the time. He listens REALLY WELL let me tell you.................. when I tell him no he crawls faster towards the object he is not supposed to have or he throws a fit. He thinks it's a game when I say "Max, no!" He smiles and ignores me. When I go after him, he crawls as fast as he can, usually laughing along the way. He loves to drag out all of our DVD's and scatter them about. He thinks he is part puppy and I am constantly taking shoes out of his mouth and trying to keep him from eating Leo's dog food and splashing in his water. One night he figured out how to unscrew his bottle and dumped a full bottle of formula on my new rug. Earlier this week I pulled him away from the tv stand approximately 5 times and then on the 6th I gave his hand a little swat and he started spitting. Yes, spitting. When I pull him away from something and sit him back on the rug with his toys he usually arches his back and starts whining. Yeah, it's pretty awesome. We have our hands full that is for sure. He is stubborn and strong willed and very persistent. I say he has 2 personalities: sweet and mean. There is no in between. He doesn't care when I tell him no or attempt to discipline him. It doesn't seem to phase him at all. However, when daddy tells him no... the world is ending. I am going to be the mom that has to threaten "I'm going to call your dad!" on a daily basis. I can already tell. Apparently daddy is more intimidating than mommy. That, or he has just become immune to me and my attempts to corral him since he is with me 24/7.

I thought that babies got easier as they got older?? I am an idiot. It is much more difficult now than when he was a stationary newborn. But also, much more fun! Some days I miss when he was teeny tiny and wanted to cuddle all day.... but I do love his ornery personality and the fact that we can play and really interact now. I hear him upstairs squealing right now... not crying, squealing. He loves to squeal and scream. Guess that means he's ready to get up. Let's see if we can make it through the day without acquiring a new bruise or bloody lip.... but I'm going to go out on a limb and say no, that won't be possible...

Travel & Adjustments

Max & I were out of town for a couple of weeks so I haven't posted in a while! Our trip to the Midwest was nice. Exhausting as usual, but it is always nice to go back and see friends and family. I really do not want to travel alone with Max for a LONG LONG time after this trip though. It is just so much work! We check in at the airport, tell hubby goodbye, and I locate a bathroom for myself and Max. Max screams the entire time we are in said bathroom because the hand dryers are going off every 15 seconds and he is not a fan of loud noises. After juggling Max, the stroller, and diaper bag through security, I am sweating and in need of a nap! Max was great (again, thank you Lord!) on the flight and we are so excited to see our family! The first few nights Max was cranky and didn't sleep well... I blame it on travel, change of time zones, and change in altitude. Oh, and he happened to be cutting yet another tooth. Having help from his grandparents was extremely nice and I even took a nap or two! Yay! The flight back out west was good too. We sat next to a couple nice ladies who were "happy to be sitting next to the GOOD baby on the plane"... I felt for the mom in the back with the 1 year old screamer. Poor thing. This has been the only flight that Max didn't sleep on so I was nervous. He did great though! He got restless at the end and kept trying to steal our neighbor's iPad... mommy's iPhone wasn't nearly as cool as that! The only hiccup was at the very end after we had landed and were waiting for another plane to leave the gate so we could take its place. In the 20 minutes that we sat there, I was having hot flashes from having to urinate so bad and trying to hold my breath because Max pooped while we were waiting. The 20 minutes seemed to last a lot longer but soon enough, we were moving again. He also made friends with an older man as we were in the aisle waiting to exit the plane and Max bent over and started rubbing the man's bald head. I'm not sure how long he was doing it before I noticed... but the man thought he was funny. We were happy to be home and so happy to see Mike!

We have been home for a few days now and it has been quite a struggle trying to get Max back into his routine. He is readjusting to his sleep schedule and was up all night the first 2 nights. He also cut another tooth (#7) which I didn't realize until husband saw the tiny sliver of white that had come through his gums yesterday. Last night was a little better as far as sleeping goes. I am hopeful that he will go back to his normal 8-9 hours a night. I had gotten used to that and it was glorious!  He has been into EVERYTHING because he has become a full blown crawler in the past few weeks... no more scooting army style! And while he has only been crawling for a couple of weeks, he is now pulling up and constantly trying to stand. Apparently he is over this crawling business and is eager to move on to the next thing.... standing.... and then comes walking. Yikes! When did he become such a big boy??? He needs to slow down! Anyway, we are happy to be home... and doubly happy that the weather seems to be warming up a bit. YAY! Mike, Max, Leo & I all went for a walk yesterday and are planning to go again later today. Max loves being outside and so do I! It's nice to get out.. plus a little ENJOYABLE exercise for mommy? I'll take it!

The Ugly Truth

I just have to be totally honest in this post. Sometimes I need a break for my sanity. Even if it's just an hour to myself, I need a break. Mommyhood is tough. It's the hardest thing I've ever done and I feel like a lot of moms don't say that because if they do, they feel like they have failed in some way. Myself included. I have joked in previous posts about being "supermom".. but in reality, supermom does not exist. We can't do everything for everyone. We need help once in a while whether it is from a spouse, family member, or friend.. even the best of parents need help. I pride myself in being a good mom. Not to toot my own horn, but I feel like I am. I do have my moments though. Every parent does. Sometimes I want to lock myself in a room alone and just sit for 5 minutes. Or put in my ear plugs when baby is screaming unconsolibly and cry too. It's hard being a mom. A lot harder than I thought (as I've said before). Whether it is an hour away, or a night out with my hubby or girlfriends, I need time away. Not often, but every once in a while I need to just spend some Mallory time... after all, I've been Mallory for almost 25 years, and mommy for less than 1. While my son is my number one priority, I can't neglect Mallory altogether. The funny thing is, I say that I need time away but as soon as I am away from Max for an hour, I miss him and can't wait to get back to him. Admitting that you need a break before you pull your hair out is not a weakness and does not make you a failure. It's hard to ask for help... especially when you are a mom and if you are anything like me, you think that it is your job to do everything yourself. My poor hubby sometimes gets the worst of it when I'm exhausted and frustrated and I take it out on him and then I feel bad.... but it's the truth. Being far away from family makes it hard because I would love for Max to spend a couple hours with a grandma once or twice a week not only for them to spend time together, but for me to get a break or a nap or whatever. Maybe someday.....

I also get annoyed when people say "it's totally worth it!" Of course it is worth it. DUH. I would do anything for my baby. He is worth every minute I lose of sleep and every ounce of frustration.... THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT IT IS WRONG to vent or need a break. It does not mean that you don't appreciate your baby. If anything, it makes me appreciate him more. I am a better mommy when I am rested and I am a better mommy when I get much needed alone time. I am not a failure and I am not a bad parent for needing a break or a girls night out every once in a blue moon. Anyway, Max & I are going to visit family on Monday for 2 weeks and I am not only looking forward to seeing them, I am looking forward to giving the grandmas some Max time so I can have some mommy time. Maybe I'll even catch up on sleep! This was on my mind today (as I have been very tired lately from traveling and Max's lack of napping/early rising) and I just needed to be honest and maybe vent a little. It makes me feel better. I am not supermom and I am not perfect. But I am not a failure. Sometimes, only sometimes, though I hate to admit it, Max gets the best of me and I realize that I can't do it all. I find it refreshing when other moms admit that too. I feel like I am not crazy and I am not alone. I feel ya, sister!

Lying Mommy

Max makes a liar out of me on a daily basis. I say "he only takes 45 minute naps" and then he naps for 2 hours. I say "he only falls asleep when I rock him" and then he prefers to be left alone in his crib and gets himself to sleep. I say "he can only sit up alone for a minute and then loses his balance" and then he sits up alone for 10-15 minutes reaching for toys without falling over once. I say "he sleeps until 8:30 a.m.!" and then he wakes up at 6 a.m. for a week straight. I say "he refuses baby food purees" and then he scarfs down 2 jars. The list goes on and on. I guess I should stop saying what he likes and dislikes because he is fickle and changes his mind frequently!


CURRENTLY, he is doing a great job of sleeping in his crib at night and I LOVE it. Napping this week has been a struggle. From the insane wind blowing and howling, to the movers next door banging and clanging, naps have been short. Or maybe it has nothing to do with those things and he just doesn't feel like napping for more than 20 minutes. Who knows, that's my theory. Anyway, short naps result in a cranky baby... Fun! On the plus side, he has been going to bed earlier which gives me and husband more quality time.... but then he wakes up around 6:15 a.m. Super fun! I am blaming teething (6 total now), weather, and movers. Or maybe he just decided to change his schedule. Agh! I don't know. He's the boss.


CURRENTLY, he has been loving baby food and I am so glad! We have been experimenting for 2 months now and he hasn't been much of a fan. That has changed in the past couple of weeks and I am happy to report that he likes: carrots, sweet potatoes, peas, peaches, bananas, and applesauce. He also seems to enjoy snacking on yogurt melts. Yay! He still loves his bottle more than anything else, but we are making progress! For now, anyway.


CURRENTLY, he is sitting up by himself for 10-15 minutes at a time without falling over. He can even reach for toys and then straighten up without losing his balance. I try not to hover and just let him do his thing on his own. He is doing great! He is right on track and I am so proud of my boy who will be 7 months old next week!

Pro Traveler

I have officially survived my first flight with Max! ALONE, might I add. Aside from juggling all of our crap that I have to pack in order to go ANYWHERE, let alone on a weekend getaway, it really wasn't as bad as I anticipated! After checking in and going through security, yes I was sweating, but it was easier than I thought it would be! People around me were helpful when I needed an extra hand to carry something, and Max was on his best behavior! After a couple minor hiccups... Max kicked off one of his shoes (the only pair that I packed) in Denver airport and I didn't notice it until after the fact, and our flight was delayed 45 minutes... we were ready to board! Pllllease Max, be good on the plane. It had been a long day and I was worried he would be super tired and fussy or cry because his ears were popping or whatever. I gave him a bottle during take off and he slept until the wheels hit the ground. Whew! Same went for the flight home--yay!!!! He was an excellent flyer!

We had a great weekend with my girlfriends and Max was an angel-- he has them all fooled ;) No, but really, Max is a great baby but he definitely has his moments.. just like anyone else. On this trip, he was perfect. I couldn't have asked for a better behaved child and travel companion :) He was a ham and soaked up every bit of attention that he got, he took 2-3 2 hour naps a day and slept for 11-12 hours at night. I was AMAZED! And happy! I'm glad he enjoyed the weekend and he allowed me to enjoy it as well. My girlfriends (and Bailey's mom) were finally able to spend more than an hour or two with him and we all loved being able to be together. It truly is rare that we ALL are together, especially for an entire weekend and I appreciated every second of it. I am still surprised that I was able to pull off the surprise of Max & I being there! I give myself a pat on the back for that! I also look forward to all of them having babies of their own so when we do a weekend getaway like this once or twice a year, all of the little "cousins" can play!

It was a great weekend but I am exhausted from traveling! No matter how well behaved they are, it is a lot of work to travel with a little one.. especially without my hubby! I am so relieved that he was good on the plane and even better all weekend... and I hope he continues to do that well while traveling because we are flying again in 2 weeks for my brother's wedding. Hopefully this good behavior on the plane wasn't a fluke. We shall see!

King of the Crib

Since my last post (2 weeks ago.. yikes!) both Max and I have made tremendous progress in the crib department! He officially naps and sleeps in his crib EVERYDAY and EVERY NIGHT. Can I get a woo hoo?! I ordered some new breathable bumpers for his crib and bought a softer crib sheet. I promised myself that since he was 6 months old, I would put him in his bed.The first night was rough (for me not him) and I was awake every hour checking on him. He was just fine and snoozed away for 9 hours. The second night was better for me and I only got up to check on him 3 times (ONLY 3...). Again, he slept in his crib without making a peep for about 9 hours. The third night I only checked on him once but I heard hubby get up several times to check on him. He never made a sound until morning. We have now all adjusted to him sleeping in his own room and I must say, we all seem to sleep much better. Yes, you can all say "I told you so". I don't hear every whimper he makes nor do I wake up everytime he rolls over and he has more room to roll and stretch out. After 6 months, I feel like I am finally getting some decent sleep at night!

Napping in his crib has been a little more of an adjustment for him. Some days I lay him in his crib and he closes those eyes immediately and goes right to sleep... other days I lay him down and he cries......... but I have forced myself to give him 5 minutes. If he is still crying or fussing after 5 minutes, I go into his room, make sure he has his beloved paci and pat his back for a minute or 2 and then walk out. If he starts to cry again, I give him another 5 minutes. And repeat. As much as I even hate for him to cry for 5 minutes.... after I go into his room once or twice, he falls asleep and naps in his crib in his room! YAY! No more of this "he only naps while I hold him and wakes up everytime I lay him down" business. YESSSS!!! Both he and I have adjusted and are doing well! Finally!

Half Birthday Update

Happy half birthday to my Max! It is hard to believe that he is 6 months old!! Makes me feel old...

At 6 months old, he currently:

-weighs over 20 lbs
-LOVES bananas
-can scoot backwards and sideways but has yet to crawl forward
-has 4 teeth
-sleeps through the night... HOLLA!!
-says "ma... mama... mamamama" all the time :)
-is getting more hair and it's getting darker... bout time that boy got brown hair!
-smiles and laughs ALL. THE. TIME. Unless he is tired, he is the happiest baby ever!
-when he's reaaally happy he opens his mouth as wide as he can and then gets bashful and buries his face in my chest
-prefers to sleep on his belly
-if he can grab it, it goes into his mouth immediately
-rolls all over the place. Don't leave him unsupervised unless contained in something ie. crib, jumperoo, pack n play
-he used to look identical to my baby pictures but he is looking more like his daddy... I really just think he is the perfect combination of us. He has his own look... he's just Max! And obviously I think he is the most beautiful thing I've ever seen!
-obsessed with feet and toes. Anyone's feet and toes, not just his own!
-has very very dry skin. I think he has eczema but the doc says he's too young to tell if it's that or just this dry mountain air
-grabs toys with his left hand more than his right. Lefty? Who knows!
-bathtime is one of his favorite times of the day
-has yet to sleep in his crib... I keep telling myself "tonight is the night" but I haven't done it thus far
-is still very much a mama's boy, but he seems to love his daddy more and more the older he gets
-has a TEMPER! The other night I was rocking him, well more like wrestling him, trying to get him to sleep and he was fighting me like he usually does and he stuck his hand down my v-neck shirt and pinched my nipple. Another night, he was fighting sleep and crying and I bent over him trying to talk to him to calm him down and he smacked me in the face. I said "no no!" firmly and he balled both of his fists and growled an "uggghhh!" at me until his face got red. Anger management needed!
-has a VERY short attention span
-since finding his voice, he squeals and screams all the time
-really enjoys playing in the floor now that he can scoot. He no longer despises being on his belly... I actually can't keep him on his back now!
-his favorite toys are his soccer ball rattle, Sophie giraffe, and soft blocks
-loves his pacifier and bah-bah (bottle) will not go to sleep without one of them
-is a cuddler!

He is healthy, happy, and absolutely beautiful. He is such a blessing to us and brings much joy to our lives! Happy 6 months to my baby! Mommy loves you!

Bragging Rights

When you become a parent, you inherit the right to brag about your child. My son now weighs __ lbs! My daughter peed on the potty today like a big girl! My son scored __ points at his basketball game! My daughter is on the Dean's list! It goes on and on and on. There is absolutely nothing wrong with being proud of your child and their accomplishments. You are a proud mama, you have bragging rights! However, I find it quite comical the extent to which some parents brag and/or stretch the truth when it comes to their kids.

I am guilty of bragging. We all are. We all believe that our child is the smartest most beautiful most talented being to exist. However, I do think it is hilarious how far this goes. A few friends and I were discussing recently how funny it is how moms make a competition out of parenthood.

"My daughter was potty trained by 6 months!" Really? Your daughter can't walk or crawl yet she can take herself to the bathroom? Hmm.

"My son could read by age 1!" No way. Your son knows approximately 5 words/phrases: mama, dada, bye bye, dog, and ball. He can't read. Don't kid yourself.

Kids are kids. And while you may be amazed at how smart your little one is, or their newly acquired skill, don't get too ahead of yourself. That oh so smart child will be doing something genius one second and then eating crayons the next. Because he is a KID and that's what they do. Have proud mama moments and brag when it's appropriate... exaggerating excessively and saying things that literally are not possible while hilarious and entertaining to those around you, gets sort of obnoxious.

....This morning Max climbed out of his bed, walked downstairs, made breakfast and vacuumed the living room. He got himself dressed, pottied on the potty, and turned on Sesame Street all without waking mommy. I have such a smart 6 month old!......... okay, I couldn't even type that with a straight face.

Follow the Leader

During some of my obsessive web research, I've stumbled across baby-led weaning (BLW) articles and information numerous times. I quickly browsed and dismissed the idea. BLW is just what it sounds like.. allowing baby to "lead" the process of introducing solid foods into their diet. No more purees. You simply allow baby to join into mealtime whenever they are ready (usually around 6 months-ish, say the experts)... or when they are trying to grab food and feed themselves. You allow them to eat what you eat and allow them to do it themselves. Obviously as a parent, you offer foods in sizes that they can handle and avoid the obvious hazards... peanuts, honey, etc. Just common sense. Anywho, I've read the information and thought nooo way. He will choke. Not interested, not happening. Like most things that I've responded to in that way, I have changed my mind. Well, actually, Max has changed it for me.

Aside from cereal, Max has not been a fan of purees. He seems to be more and more interested in our food daily. Yesterday I was holding a piece of banana bread and Max in the same arm/hand. Before I knew it, Max had grabbed a chunk of bread and shoved it into his mouth. I fished out the chunk but allowed a few crumbs to stay. He chewed and swallowed. Then leaned forward with his mouth open for more. I gave him a few more tiny pieces. Loved it. I thought hmmm.... maybe instead of puree-ing the green beans, I will cut them into pieces and let him feed himself. He smashed most of them onto his highchair tray. A couple pieces did make their way into his mouth. He chewed one by one, made a funny face, gagged a little, then swallowed. And repeated. Hmm... interesting. This morning as I was mixing some cereal I thought I wonder if he would eat a little toast.... I toasted bread, spread a little butter (unsalted, don't freak out on me) cut it into a triangle and handed it to him. He smacked the toast and began to claw it, getting butter under his nails... then picked up the toast and opened his mouth. I watched as he made a funny face at first, but then began to gnaw and suck on it... a few crumbs got into his mouth. He chewed and swallowed. He went back for more. I sat in astonishment watching my little baby feed himself toast like a big boy. Once he got the bread nice and soggy, he seemed to lose interest so I tore off a few small pieces and set them on the tray. One by one he picked them up and chewed and swallowed. There was a tiny gag and I held back my panic as he worked it around his mouth all by himself. He loved it!

I guess we will skip over most of the purees and allow him to eat actual food... since that seems to be what he prefers. It will be a mess and at the beginning he will be more into exploring the tastes and textures rather than consuming a large quantity... but that's okay, he is getting the nutrients he needs from his bottle anyway. In the meantime I will watch him and be amazed that he can do more and more things on his own. Just following his lead!

Mommy World

It amazes me how much my life has changed in the past year. I am definitely a different person with different interests and priorities. I no longer live in the "real" world... I live in "mommy world". I exist in mommy world with my little one and my mommy thoughts and worries. Things that used to be important no longer are and my day to day life is the opposite of what it was in my pre-mommy days. Aside from the obvious changes of caring for my baby 24/7, lack of sleep, blah blah blah... these are some of the changes that I have undergone since entering mommy world:

-Instead of browsing online for celebrity gossip and clothes for myself, I search the web for: car seat safety, car seat reviews, baby boy clothes, baby food purees, "is this rash normal", age appropriate toys, foam tile play mats, comparing diaper prices, new sheets for crib (even though he's never slept in there.. not sure why I look for new ones), teething remedies, tips on traveling with an infant on a plane, appropriate age for umbrella strollers, infant cpr, "I left my gas burner on low for 3 hours, will the gas leak hurt my baby"... I could go on and on and on.. but you get the point.

-I open Pandora on my phone and the last station is no longer Red Hot Chili Peppers or John Mayer... it's Nursery Rhymes or Lullabies.

-I now have mommy friends and 98% of the conversations I have with my other moms friends revolve around my son, their kids, sharing tips, swapping coupons for diapers or formula, and bragging about the new trick our oh-so-smart little ones picked up that week.

-While I do get amusement out of seeing people's pictures and posts from their "crazy weekend" on facebook, I would rather stalk my facebook friends pages with kids or that are pregnant. Looking at their newest pictures and reading their updates on their babies while commenting things like "she is getting so big! How much does she weigh now?" "Where did you find that ___? I've been looking all over!" "Oh no, he has a cold? This is what I did and it helped Max..." "I felt like that when I was pregnant too! Eating ___ worked!"

I adore my non-mom friends and I am very interested in what's going on in their lives and hearing their stories... however, I can now relate to a whole different group of people. And while we may not have been close friends before entering mommy world, now that we are permanent residents, we have a sort of bond and relationship with each other that would not have existed otherwise. I like mommy world. It has allowed me to experience another side of life. A very unselfish side that is rewarding beyond measure.

Say What?!

Last night, the only thing that would keep Max from whining was when his daddy would chase the dog while holding him. Max thought it was HILARIOUS. His little laugh is absolutely the most sweetest sound in the entire world. Husband would hold Max and stomp from the kitchen to the living room while the dog ran back and forth jumping up and down and Max was rolling. It was sooo funny! Mike handed a laughing Max to me and continued to act goofy, making Max laugh even harder. Once Max's laughter quieted, he started jibber-jabbering and I said "say Ma-Ma" into his ear. Approximately 5 seconds later, Max said "uh-ma... uh-ma". My jaw dropped. I looked at Mike, who's mouth was also hanging open. "Ma-Ma" I said to him. "Uh-ma... uh-ma" He said it AGAIN. Husband and I FREAKED OUT. He said it 3 more times. We freaked out some more. I whip out my phone and try to record him saying it... of course then he doesn't say a word and just stares at me. Go figure.

A few minutes later I am standing at the kitchen sink washing dishes and Mike walks into the kitchen holding Max. I turn a around and say a loud "Hi!" He grins the biggest grin and Mike says "who is that?" Max grins again. I say "Ma-Ma" to him and his little lips start moving like he's really trying to say something but no sound is coming out. After a few seconds of this he says "ma". We freak out again. Mike says to me "Turn around, do it again!" So I turn back to the sink and Mike steps out of the kitchen with Max. They walk back in and Mike says "who is that?" I turn around. Max grins. I say "Ma-Ma". A few seconds later Max says "Ma...... Ma.....". We flip out. Husband and I are squealing and jumping around from utter joy and excitement. Now, of course he's only 5.5 months old so he isn't really aware of what he was saying but still...... he did it. My little baby said it over and over last night. Husband and I were ecstatic. I'm sure he won't say it again for another 6 months now but that's okay! He said "Mama". And while I'm sure he didn't know what he meant, I like to think that maybe he did. I mean, he DID say it while looking at me.... so maybe he knew. Either way, I am so happy and proud of my smart little boy. He is getting so big!

No Sick Days

We've been so busy for the past couple of weeks and I have been slacking on my blog posts! So, today I will write 2. It was a LONNNG night last night and today I am absolutely exhausted. And sick. I have some sinus/throat thing going on and my head is pounding and my throat is scratchy and sore... and my poor sweet Max feels worse than I do :( It's so crazy how 1 month ago, my baby didn't have a single tooth. Today, he has 4. 2 on the bottom and his 2 "fang" teeth on top have broken through the skin in the past couple of days. I sent my mom a text message the other day and said "Max's fang teeth are coming in on the top before his front teeth. He is going to look so funny!" Her response? "That's okay, vampires are popular." My little baby currently looks like a miniature 7 year old that has lost their 2 front teeth. Or a hillbilly. But he is cute either way! I think the front 2 will be joining the other 4 shortly and that will make SIX!

These top ones have been harder on him than the bottom ones. He was so fussy yesterday afternoon and I noticed that he felt warm so I took his temperature. 100.4 degrees. Uh-oh. I called the clinic and there were no appointments available... GREAT. The nurse predicted that the fever was from teething and said to give him Tylenol and monitor it. Call back if it increases. 3 hours later, 101.4 degrees and more crabbiness. I call back. His nose has started to run a little now. "Even healthy babies get 5-6 colds a year, nothing to worry about. You're taking good care of him," she tells me. More Tylenol & as long as it stays below 104 degrees, we're good. ONE HUNDRED AND FOUR?! WHAAAT??? That's ridiculous. But I do what they say, I'm not the expert here. More tylenol, place cold rag on his neck, let him lay in his diaper for a bit..... my poor crabby baby. In the meantime, mommy is feeling worse as the night goes on.

11 p.m. and Max has fallen asleep laying on my chest on the couch so I take him upstairs to bed.
12 a.m. Max wakes up and starts crying. Up, change diaper, oh looks who's wide awake. SUPER. I take him downstairs as not to disturb sleeping husband who has to be at work at 6 a.m.
1:05 a.m. I take sleeping Max back upstairs and lay him down.
2:30 a.m. Max's is awake and crying again. My head is pounding and I moan "Ugh!" Husband gets up with him this time. Daddy rocks Max for the next hour then realizes that it's 3:30 a.m. and he has to be up in an hour and a half so he lays Max down and goes downstairs to sleep on the couch.
3:45 a.m. Max fusses in his pack n play next to me so I put him in the bed with me since husband is now sleeping downstairs. Max fusses and whines with his eyes closed while kicking me in the gut for the next 45 minutes and then finally falls asleep.
5:15 a.m. Max is awake and crying. I make him a bottle, change diaper, and rock him in the recliner. At this point, I may or may not have teared up from lack of sleep and a pounding headache which has gotten worse due to lack of sleep.
5:50 a.m. I lay a wide awake Max back in my bed with me. Husband leaves for work. Max whines and kicks again for another 30 minutes or so until finally falling back to sleep.
7:45 a.m. Max is crying and we are both up for the day.

Bah! I am so sick of teething and I hate that my baby doesn't feel well. I hate that I also don't feel well and all I want to do right now is sleep............. it sucks to feel like crap while taking care of a baby that also feels like crap. Mommies don't get sick days. I wish my body had gotten that memo. Too bad that both grandmas live 800 miles away. *Sigh*