9 Months on 12.12.12!

Age: 9 months
Date of Appt.: Dec. 12th, 2012
Weight: 21lbs
Height:  29inches
Sleeping Patterns: Lately you have been sleeping from 8pm-8am, which I am very thankful for.  You still nap during the day, usually for about 2 hours.  If I really tire you out, you sometimes catch a 20 minute catnap in the evening.
Eating Patterns: You love to eat.  We got the go ahead from the doctor to slowly start cutting back with formula and increasing solid foods.  This explains why you NEVER finish a bottle anymore lol...time to stop wasting the formula!
Anything You'd Like to Add?:  You now have 4 teeth (2 top, 2 bottom) and I think you may have more coming since you are constantly chewing on your fingers.  This month you have started clapping your hands and saying "Yay" as you do it.  You also try to say "dog", "mama" and "dada".  You love dancing when music is on....and even when it isn't and you have also started waving to people when you see them.

Ho Ho Ho...

So I'm trying to be on the ball this year and decided to go and get our Santa pictures done as early as possible!  It was actually a bit of an adventure...I was excited to go to one mall to get the pictures done, but it turned out to be a big fail.  We weren't able to order any pictures and only received one photo, which didn't turn out very well.  My mom was with me, so I asked her if she didn't mind going down the street to a different mall.  We ended up having to wait for about half an hour in line, which wasn't that bad....and we got a few pictures done.  Cole wasn't afraid of Santa at all, more curious about him, he kept turning around and just staring at him.  Unfortunately we couldn't get him to smile...he had his serious "What are we doing?" face on the whole time, but that's ok.  So without further ado....here are our Santa pics for this year!!

8 Month Update

Age: 8 months
Date of Appt.: no appointment this month
Weight: 21lbs
Height:  29inches
Sleeping Patterns: Your sleeping has been all over the place this last month for a number of reasons...most days you only take one nap, but then every so often you take two....you've cut two more teeth this month, you are standing and coasting and were practicing a lot in the middle of the night lol....I think we finally have it under control again :)
Eating Patterns: Peanut Butter...check!!  Knock on wood...you seem to like everything you've tried so far and haven't shown any signs of having any allergies yet.  You are still eating 3 meals a day plus approx. four 8 oz bottles a day.
Anything You'd Like to Add?:  You are a coasting machine!!  You walk...well almost run along the couches and around the ottoman in the living room and pull yourself up on everything within reach, you've even attempted climbing recently (yay....).  This week your new trick is rolling to the edge of the couch and sliding yourself off onto the ground.  You've also cut your two top front teeth this month...look out for the land shark :)

Picking Our First Pumpkin

This past weekend I decided to take the Peanut on a trip to the farm to pick his first pumpkin.  It was a beautiful day out and the neighbours had decided that they wanted to come pick a pumpkin too.  Normally, Halloween is totally not my thing.  I don't enjoy dressing up or trick or treating or anything else that goes along with it, but this year is different....this year I start making traditions I hope to carry on.

Anyways...we all headed out to the farm down the street to start our pumpkin picking adventure.  It wasn't a very eventful pumpkin picking trip, but it was fun none the less.  We took all of the children over to look at the goats and geese and sat the children down for pictures in the rows of pumpkins located at the front of the farm.  I got a few really cute ones of Cole sitting with the pumpkins...

After taking pictures we went on a wagon ride to the pumpkin field and picked our own pumpkins and then headed home. It was fun and something I hope we get to do every year :)

7 Month Update

Age: 7 months
Date of Appt.: October 9th, 2012
Weight: 19lbs 2oz
Height:  28.5inches
Sleeping Patterns: The only thing that has changed is that you are dropping your second nap.  You've been fighting your naps for a couple of weeks now so I've decided to skip the morning nap and to just put you down around lunch time.  It seems to be working out for us :)
Eating Patterns: you are still eating 4 bottles a day, for a total of at minimum 24oz/day.  You eat pretty much everything.  We do a breakfast, lunch and dinner and you usually snack in between if we are out.  Our big thing this month was trying eggs for the first time!  Next weekend we move on to peanut butter.
Anything You'd Like to Add?:  You crawl everywhere and are always getting in to things you shouldn't be, but that is typical of a baby exploring his environment!  Shortly after you learned to crawl you also started pulling yourself up on everything.  I'm sure it's only a matter of time before you take your first steps!

6 Month Update

Age: 6 months
Date of Appt.: September 12th, 2012
Weight: 18lbs 5oz
Height:  28inches
Sleeping Patterns: You are still a great sleeper.  Lately you've started waking up around 6am and talking to yourself, we just leave you alone and you eventually fall back asleep for at least another hour or two.  You still take about two naps a day, one in the morning and one in the afternoon.
Eating Patterns: you usually eat about 4 bottles a day and you eat solids now!  well pureed solids anyways.  In the mornings we do cereal and a fruit, for lunch you have vegetables, fruits and a meat and then before bed we do cereal and a fruit right now.  Over the next month I am hoping you will eat more meals a day since you have been introduced to lots of foods already :)
Anything You'd Like to Add?:
You are a pro at sitting unassisted now, which is a position you like to be in a lot since you can see everything.  You have your two teeth and the doctor thinks you will get some more pretty soon!!  You are so much fun with your babbling and interacting....you grab EVERYTHING now and it usually ends up in your mouth or close to anyways lol.

Life Lessons of a (Some What) New Mom Cont'd...

Eating becomes a challenge...
...well at least eating hot food when you want it does lol.  It never fails, dinner is finally cooked and set out on the table, you sit down and as you are about to scoop that first bite into your mouth...the crying starts...or the fussing or just the general need for attention.  Most moms become pros at the one handed eating, you learn to master the knife and fork while entertaining baby at the same time!  It's not always easy but it can be done!  When the little one starts eating....that's a whole other story!  Right now I don't have to worry about that too much, but I know my days of eating while everyone else eats will soon be over, because for a while I will have to help Cole eat his dinner, until he gets the hang of feeding himself.  I enjoy this time though, so you won't catch me complaining.

You learn to love your new body...
....or you work extra hard to get your old one back.  Personally I am still working towards LOVING my new body....I like it, but can't say I love it.  I attend a bootcamp fitness class three times a week and enjoy spending that time on me and I am really liking the way my body is changing because of it.  You learn to just adjust to your new body, on the bright side it might mean a new wardrobe ;)

No one expects you to be "Super Mom" except for you...
I think a lot of new moms go through this...you expect yourself to be able to do everything...and you just can't! You can't expect to always have a super clean and tidy house, for dinner to be on the table by 5pm sharp, for your child to be well behaved, fed, cleaned and ready to go!  There is a lot to do as a new mom and eventually you get a schedule down, it might take a while, but you do.  I try to get cleaning in during nap times and food prep in while Cole is busy entertaining himself on the mats in the living room....and everything else will get done when it gets done.  My house never seems to be clean enough or tidy enough...but it's really all just baby stuff EVERYWHERE....and I'm ok with it!  If you spend too much time dwelling on everything you haven't got done or still need to do, you are going to run yourself into the ground.

My "Me" time often becomes thinking time...
Me time usually is comprised of going to bootcamp and coming home and taking a shower.  I should be spending most of this time focused on me, but instead I find myself running through every decision that needs to be made and making lists of things I need to do. When I'm in the shower I often find myself thinking about EVERYTHING....from what I should do with my hair to what I am going to make for dinner to all of the things that need to be done around the house!  I feel like my brain never shuts off.  Bootcamp usually takes my mind off everything for the hour that I'm doing it....it's the drive there and back that I spend thinking.  Lots of good decisions have been made in the shower....


Clean? What does that mean?!...
Nothing ever seems clean enough anymore.  I can vacuum, mop and tidy up and give it a day or two and everything seems in disarray again.  Most of the mess is baby stuff everywhere as I stated earlier.  Baby clothes, baby toys, books, blankets....everywhere lol.  I tidy everything up and then just have to take it all back out again when it's time to play (which is always).  I know it really shouldn't matter, I just miss having a semi-organized house.

Life Lessons of a (some what) New Mom

I'm sure all new mothers go through this...that eye opening experience that life has changed.  Now I'm not just talking about life in general...it's obvious that life is going to change once a baby enters your world, I'm talking about the less obvious life lessons you learn one you become a mom...the ones no one really talks about.

1. You learn who your "REAL" friends are...
Since having a baby, I apparently am not as much fun anymore....at least not in my friend's eyes...or that's how I see it, because it feels like everyone has dropped off the face of the Earth since giving birth.  The majority of my friends don't have children and probably won't for a while, so I get that having a baby around isn't always what they want.  A couple of weeks ago DH gave me the "you should call your friends" speech and to be honest...maybe I should...BUT I got tired of having to always be the one to initiate conversation and then having it die out quickly.  Friends that I thought would be around more aren't and others have surprised me and have made the effort to stick around.  It is kind of sad, but I have made so many new friends since giving birth that it doesn't really bother me!

2. There is NOT enough time in a day...
Some days seem to stretch on forever and other days you feel like you blink and it is over.  This week especially I just feel like I do not have enough time to get everything I need to get done done!  I wake up, give Cole breakfast, change his diaper and get him dressed, walk the dog, get myself some breakfast and then the day really gets started...chores need to be done! time to vacuum, sweep, mop and do the laundry! when that's done it's time to tidy up the toys and put Cole down for a nap.  While he is sleeping I prep his baby food for the freezer and tidy up a bit more, sometimes try to sneak in a nap of my own depending on how much sleep I got the night before.  Then we run and do our errands...our groceries, Wal-Mart trips and other adventures and then it's pretty much time for Daddy to return for work and for dinner to get started or for me to head out to bootcamp.  Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't trade it for the world...sometimes I just wish the day was longer or I was faster lol

3. I didn't think it was possible...but I love my husband MORE...
Everytime I watch hubby interact with Cole in any way...I love him more.  I love watching him play with Cole, feed him, make him laugh or go for his "Daddy Walk".  I go to bootcamp three times a week, it is my bit of time away, and Mike takes Cole while I go and they have a blast every single time!  Sometimes I come home and Cole doesn't want anything to do with me.  I love that they have a great relationship already and like the bolded sentence said....I didn't think it was possible but it makes me love him even more.

4. A baby's smile or laugh can make your whole day better....
I can be having the worst day or be at my wits end with something and then Cole smiles or laughs and the world seems right again.  There is no better sound than the sound of a baby laughing and baby smiles are just so genuine that you can't help but smile back.

There are a lot more lessons I have learned since becoming a mom...some of them big and some of them small.  This list is just a start of what I'm sure will be a LONG list :)

Growing up too quickly!

I started writing a new post a few days ago...then got totally side tracked.  I was reading it over today and realized that there was no point in even posting it any more, as things around here change so quickly with a baby!

My original post was about teething and baby food!  At the time I was writing it Cole was cutting his second tooth and had begun a food strike.  After our last doctors visit, we decided to move forward with solids since the little man was eating too many bottles a day.  We were doing really well with it too until that damned second tooth started to make its appearance!  All of a sudden Cole didn't want to eat anything anymore.  Thankfully as soon as his second tooth cut through the gums he began to eat again. 

Eating has been a fun little adventure.  When we first started more food ended up...well...anywhere BUT in his mouth!  After a couple of days he became a pro and was actually diving for the spoon before I could put it in his mouth.  We've had rice cereal, bananas, sweet potatoes, peas, carrots, apples and pears so far.  As of now, he likes everything!!  Every couple of days we try out a new fruit or veggie, and I have decided we are going to give meat a try in the very near future (trying meat grosses me out lol...have you seen what it looks like in a baby food jar?!).  Since I know that he likes quite a few fruits and veggies so far, I have started making up our own purees.  It's so quick and easy and so much cheaper than buying the jarred stuff.  I enjoy giving him new things to try and watching his little face for a reaction (some much funnier than others!).

Since we've started on solids, I can already that he has started putting on more weight than before, this and I think we are packing on the pudge before our 6 month growth spurt hits.  First we get all pudgy and then we get long and lean.

I can't believe how quickly time is flying by...in a couple of weeks my little Peanut is going to be 6 months old already...my maternity leave and time at home will be half over.  I'm so proud of the little person he is becoming and I'm excited for what is still yet to come!

5 Month Update

Age: 5 months
Date of Appt.: August 14th, 2012
Weight: 17lbs 6oz
Height:  27inches
Sleeping Patterns: You are still a great sleeper.  You take two long naps during the day and one short nap around dinner time.  At night you are going to bed around 9:30-10pm and you sleep until about 7am or later.  You have started sleeping on your tummy with your bum up in the air now...honestly it is one of the cutest things ever!  I'm also really proud of you because you have started taking your naps in your crib during the day and have learned to fall asleep on your own.
Eating Patterns: you are eating about 7.5oz every 4 hours or so...sometimes sooner
Anything You'd Like to Add?:
You've hit a few milestones this month!  You learned to roll belly to back this month, which got rid of a lot of the frustration of being on your tummy.  You have also started sitting on your own unassisted.  We've been practicing this a lot in the last couple of weeks and each week you seem to be a bit more stable on your own.  You have also started to prop yourself up on all fours...in no time you are going to be crawling!  In the last week you have started cutting your first tooth, I'm sure it is only a matter of days before we can see it!

Goodbye July, Hello August...

July seems to have just flown by!  It was a fun month though, spent mostly with friends and family.

Cole has grown up a lot this month as well, it's crazy to remember the little person that we brought home in March that slept all day long and couldn't do anything for himself and then look at the little man I have infront of me now :)  This month we have:

•  perfected rolling onto our tummy (which is how we prefer to be most of the time, sleeping on our tummy every night now...)
• learned to roll from belly to back (which isn't very graceful looking)
• perfected the baby push up and learned to army crawl
• are almost sitting up completely unassisted (but that's still going to take some practice!) 

It's amazing how fast they grow.  We also started swimming lessons this week.  These lessons consist of a lot of moving around in the pool and being dunked, but it's fun Mommy and Cole time.

 I look forward to all of the growth and changes that are going to happen this month.  It's going to be a busy month for Mommy and Daddy. Almost every weekend this month is already planned out.  This weekend we have our only wedding this year and friends are coming to visit.  We will probably end the weekend with a BBQ with the neighbours, since that seems to be our new weekly thing :)  Next weekend we are going up to a friend's cottage for 3 days, the weekend after that is our wedding anniversary and then the last weekend of August Mike has a volleyball tournament.  Lots of fun and exciting things happening!  Cole has his 5 month check up on the 14th, so that will most likely be the next time I update.  

4 Months Already!

Age: 4 months
Date of Appt.: July 12th, 2012
Weight: 16lbs 5oz
Height: 26.5 inches
Sleeping Patterns: Lately you have been sleeping even longer than before...you usually fall asleep around 10:30pm and sleep until about 8:30am.  You take 2-3 naps a day, sometimes more, sometimes less.  We had to stop swaddling you this month because you learned to roll onto your tummy, not being swaddled was a bit of an adjustment but now you are doing great :)
Eating Patterns: you are eating about 6.5-7oz every 3.5-4 hours
Anything You'd Like to Add?: This last month you learned to roll from back to belly...which can be interesting, as you get very frustrated once you are on your tummy!  You've also learned that if you "cry" mommy will come to see what is happening...only to find you with a big smile on your face!  Can't wait to see what you get up to this month :)

Watch Out! Baby on the Move!!

Our days of swaddling are now over...my child now enjoys rolling over!! 

On Saturday morning I woke up and went in to check on Cole, as he was still asleep, he was still nicely swaddled and deep in sleep....on his stomach *insert Mommy panic face here*.  When I realized he was on his tummy I quickly turned him over and was amazed that he had managed to do this without the help of his arms.  I figured it was just a one off since he didn't roll over at all that day while playing and swaddled him again for bedtime that night.  Swaddling is part of our bedtime routine, we usually do a diaper change, get naked and then get swaddled, followed by one last bottle for the night and he is out cold until the next morning.  Well that night I put him down in the crib and tilted his head to the left as I usually do....anddddd there went the rest of his body with it lol...rolled right over.  So I turned him back over....and again he rolls himself over.  Sadly (for Mommy's sleep's sake) I unswaddled him and put him into some PJs so that he would have the use of his arms if he needed to move himself during the night.  Within 5 minutes of being put to bed again he was on his tummy, as nervous as this made me, I knew it was a losing battle and let him sleep that way.  By the morning he was back on his back, so he knows how to roll both ways in the matter of one night. 

I'm very proud of him for accomplishing these two milestones (rolling back to belly and belly to back), but I will miss the days of swaddling!  He just does not sleep as soundly when he isn't swaddled...I usually have to get up a couple of times during the night and give him his soother so that he will go back to sleep.  I know there are moms who would still love to have that kind of a sleeper....I guess I was just spoiled for too long lol.  I love this little Peanut so much :) and I look forward to watching him meet many other milestones in the future!

Mommy Moments

The other night I had a serious "Mommy Moment"  while I was holding Cole.  I was holding him in my arms like a baby and kissing his cheeks over and over again because he was finding it quite amusing, smiling and giggling with every kiss, and then it hit me....there is going to come a day when he won't want me to do this anymore.  I know, I know...it's a reality that happens! but I didn't expect it to hit me like this already lol...I almost started crying!  I started thinking that one day he is going to be all grown up and won't want a kiss from his mom...one day he will have a wife and she will be more important...one day he isn't going to need me anymore.  Thankfully, that one day won't be anytime soon, so I am going to suck up every moment I have with him still enjoying my kisses and company while I can :)  I was reading "I'll Love You Forever" by Robert Munsch to him yesterday and I had to put it down before I could finish...that book now has more meaning to me than it ever has...great story but quite sad in the reality of things.

Anyways...that's my Mommy Moment for this week.  I'll try and post happier Mommy Moments in the future lol...

3 Months in Review...

I've decided I want to keep a monthly update of where Cole is at his check ups....only I'm 3 months late lol so I'm going to do the last 3 months in review in this post and start from here on in :)

Age: Newborn
Date of Appt.: You were born March 12, 2012

Weight: 7lbs 8oz

Height: 21 inches

Sleeping Patterns: You wake every 2-3 hours to eat and sleep most of the day
Eating Patterns: varies day to day because you are changing and growing so fast already!

Anything You'd Like to Add?: Mommy and Daddy love you so much.  We are so happy that we get to share our lives with you

Age: 1 month
Date of Appt.: April 12th, 2012
Weight: 9lbs 7oz
Height: 22.5 inches
Sleeping Patterns: You wake every 3-4 hours at night for a feeding and don't go to sleep until about 12am.  During the day you take several long naps...which lets mommy catch up on her sleep too!
Eating Patterns: you are eating about 2-3oz every 2.5-3 hours
Anything You'd Like to Add?: You are so tiny!!  It won't be long until you start outgrowing your newborn clothes though...such a tall little guy!

Age: 2 months
Date of Appt.: May 15th, 2012

Weight: 13lbs 2oz

Height: 25 inches

Sleeping Patterns: You have started sleeping pretty much through the night...you go to bed around 11pm and wake up no later than 6am at the moment.  You take some naps during the day but are spending a lot more of the day awake and playing :)
Eating Patterns: you are eating about 4-5oz every 3 hours

Anything You'd Like to Add?: You had a serious growth spurt in the last month!  I can't believe how fast you are growing...onto the 3 month clothing! 

Age: 3 months
Date of Appt.: June 12th, 2012

Weight: 14lbs 5 oz

Height: 26 inches

Sleeping Patterns: You sleep through the night and have really big sleeps...you usually sleep from about 11-7 but sometimes sleep longer if you've had a busy day
Eating Patterns: you eat 5-6oz every 3-4 hours during the day

Anything You'd Like to Add?: You are going to be one tall boy!!  We moved into size 2 diapers this week and our 6 month sleepers...Mommy's little man isn't so little anymore!  You also really enjoy jumping in your jumperoo!


I've started filling out all of the scrapbooks, baby books and baby calendars that I currently have as well...trying to keep on top of this stuff is hard work when you have a curious baby :)

Bootcamp: Surviving Week 2

Tonight is class 4 of bootcamp.  To be honest when Monday rolled around I was dreading going back soooo much.  It didn't help that it was a dreary cold and rainy day on Monday...that kind of weather does nothing for your motivation!  I dragged myself to class and actually pushed myself through the hardest one yet.  Those who know me know that I HATE running or anything that involves doing cardio...and Monday's class was all about the cardio!  We had to do like 6 sets of stairs, a warm up run, suicides and we ended the class with a run to the hill (or in my case what feels like a mountain) and had to run up it 3 times.  It was a great workout and I survived, I'm proud of myself! 

I may not be the fittest person in the world, but I am committed to sticking to this.  By the end of the 8 weeks my goal is to be able to make it up that hill all 3 times without stopping!

Besides bootcamp, I haven't really been up to much this past week.  Next week will be a busy one for me.  Cole has his 3 month check up, it is my birthday and I will be going to a BBQ at the child care centre that I work at :)

Hope everyone is doing well!  Feel free to leave me a comment!

My Favourites...

As a new mom, I wanted to share some of my favourite baby products over the last few months.  I am sure that I will add more to my list as Cole continues to get older!

Nursing Pillow
I use my nursing pillow for more than just nursing.  I used it when I first had Cole for nursing purposes, but when we switched over to formula, and even before then, I use it as a place to sleep....I know this may sound silly, but it was nice when he was first born.  I could put him in the pillow on the couch and not worry about him being too far, even still he often will fall asleep lounging in the pillow and is easily moved to the playard or crib upstairs.

Here is a picture of the peanut sleeping in the pillow:

Pack and Play with changing table
Below is the picture of the playard that I own.  I love the changing table being attached...it is honestly pretty much the only place we change  him when at home, unless we are upstairs.  I use the playard for naps during the day or if I need to put him somewhere safe while I am busy downstairs.  He loves watching the mobile spin round and round :)

Playmat
A bright and colourful playmat is essential!  Since he was a few weeks old I have been using his playmat as a source of fun and entertainment!  I own the exact one below....Cole enjoys swatting the toys, kicking and watching himself in the mirror.  I also use it for tummy time by placing a small pillow a little further back and that way he can see the hanging toys.  A good feature of this playmat is that the toys can be removed and changed with different ones if baby gets bored.

Bumbo Chair
In the last week or so I have fallen in love with the Bumbo chair!  Now that Cole has better control of his head, he enjoys being placed in the Bumbo.  I am never far away when he is in it at the moment...but it saves me from having to hold him in sitting position for long periods of time.  Cole enjoys sitting up and being able to look around and we read books while he sits in there as well :)

Soothies Pacifier
Cole isn't really too attached to his soother, but the Soothies pacifiers are the best!  We use it to help calm him when he is getting overtired.

Swaddleme Blankets
I LOVE these blankets.  They've actually come out with a zipper version as well since he was born, but we use the velcro version every night.  When he was first born they were useful in controlling the spastic movements of his arms and legs to help him sleep.  At 11 weeks old, Cole knows that when he is swaddled it is time to sleep for the night.  We've had a few funny instances where we've somehow managed to get our arms out (as depicted below lol)...but otherwise I LOVE LOVE LOVE them....they make swaddling so easy!

Colourful Books with big pictures
Cole loves looking at things with bright colours and being in the education field, I love reading and wanted to pass that on.  I've received a few fabric books and have slowly started building up a board book collection as well...I have tonnes of paper books for later as well.  When I look for books for right now, I look for big bright pictures.  The book below is currently Cole's favourite.  It scrunches and has peekaboo flaps with lots of great pictures and a cute storyline too!  

Bootcamp: Surviving Day 1

With having  a baby only a couple of months ago I've just been sort of unhappy with my body ever since.  I understand that your body doesn't completely bounce back to normal in the matter of a week or two...and I have lost all of my baby weight since having him, but things just don't look the same.  My pants still don't fit and my tummy just isn't what it used to be....soooo I decided to take things into my own hands...or errr the hands of a bootcamp instructor.  A couple of weeks ago I signed up for a fitness bootcamp in my area and yesterday was day 1.  I arrived feeling nervous, but excited and left feeling tired, sore and with the realization of how out of shape I am.  Seeing how out of shape I am only makes me want to push myself harder at tomorrow's class...and for the next 8 weeks.  I am hoping to see some changes in the next few weeks and I hope to use this class as a starting point to getting myself back in top shape.  I'm a bit scared lol...I only feel a dull ache today, which for me usually means that by tomorrow I won't be able to move, but I look forward to it!!  Wish me luck over these next 8 weeks!

May 2-4 Long Weekend Fun!

We had a very busy, but very fun long weekend!  Our weekend started off on Friday night.  Mike and I decided we felt comfortable leaving the Peanut with my mom for a couple of hours while we went to the movies to see the Avengers.  It was really nice to get out and just have adult time, since we haven't had that since he was born, but at the same time it felt weird for me to be out without the little man.  I surprisingly didn't have any anxiety about leaving him and was surprised with myself that I didn't call or text my mom to find out how he was doing.  I guess I knew that he was in great hands and he is such a good baby that I wasn't worried for my mom either.  The movie was really good and we enjoyed our night out and my mom enjoyed spending time with the Peanut, who was on his best behavior all night!

On Saturday Mike cleaned up the backyard and got it Summer ready.  That afternoon we went over to my friends house to hang out with her family and one of our other friends.  It was so cute!!  My friend had two daughters, one is 2.5 years and one is 10 months, both were obsessed with Cole!  The 2.5year old didn't leave him along the whole time, sitting beside him and talking to him, laying with him on his playmat and smothering him with kisses.  The 10 month old was very curious about him and continuously crawled/walked over to check him out.  It was nice to get out and see some of my friends and socialize :)

On Sunday I did some running around while Mike was golfing...picked up a UV net for the stroller and bought some bigger sized swaddles since Cole is growing so fast.  That night we had a joint BBQ with our next door neighbours and their children, which was nice.  The weather was so nice this weekend, haven't had good weather on the May 2-4 long weekend in a long time!  We were invited to watch fireworks as well, but Mike was too tired so we just stayed back and watched some TV.

Yesterday we were invited to a family BBQ/Pool Party.  Cole went swimming for the first time and surprisingly he enjoyed it!!  He only stayed in the water for a few minutes because he can't wear sunscreen yet and I didn't want him to get a sunburn.  When he came out of the water Grandma took him and I got to go for a swim, which was very much enjoyed.  We then had a big BBQ with all the family and came home and passed out!

It was nice to have a weekend filled with so much socialization...you tend to feel deprived of that when you are at home with a baby everyday (not that I care) so this weekend was very much enjoyed!

Showers of Happiness and 2 Month Checkups!

Hard to believe that the little Peanut is already 9 weeks old!! Yesterday we went for our 2 month checkup and vaccinations. We are now weighing in at 13.2lbs and measuring 25 inches long. That means he has almost doubled his birth weight and grown 4 inches since he was born, looks like I am going to have a big boy on my hands and explains why he is already starting to outgrow his 3 month clothing. We had to get our vaccinations as well yesterday...talk about heartbreaking! I have never heard him cry in pain yet and I hope I don't have to hear it again...and it's not like he even cried long, only for a minute or so. Otherwise the Peanut is doing well and looking healthy!

 It's crazy how much he has changed in the last 9 weeks...we've gone from sleeping all day and not really doing a whole lot to small catnaps during the day, lots of playing and TONS of smiling and babbling! He is developing quite the little personality already too...I suspect that he is most likely going to be a little troublemaker with a great sense of humour lol. We have been out and about a lot lately and people keep telling me the same thing everywhere I go.."I can't believe how alert and aware he is for 2 months"..people actually don't believe me when I say he is 2 months old because he pays so much attention to everything around him. I have truly been blessed with an amazing little man!

Last weekend we had our second baby shower and got lots of fun new things! Since I already had everything I needed for him as a newborn I updated my registry to make it more geared towards the first year. We received a lot of fun and colourful toys and books, a new stroller, a wagon and some other fun baby gear! I just have to organize everything and find a place for it, our house is slowly being overrun by baby items!!

Figuring It All Out...

I've been pretty busy lately...trying to fall into a routine with the peanut and keeping myself occupied so I don't go stir crazy. Being a mom is one of the best and most trying experiences ever...but not one that I would trade for the world. The peanut is 6 and a half weeks old now and I think we have pretty much established a schedule. Sometimes the schedule varies a bit, but for the most part we're doing well. The last couple of days Cole has been sleeping from about 12-6amish, which has allowed me 6 hours of straight blissful sleep. He usually then wakes up, eats and falls back to sleep for about 4 hours. When he wakes up we get changed, have a bath, eat again and then usually spend some time hanging out on our playmat and singing songs until we get fussy. Our afternoons are spent playing, eating and sleeping. Cole is usually awake from about 5pm every night until we get ready for bed at 11. Around 11:30 we do a top up and get swaddled then I put him into his crib for the night. This schedule seems to work out well for us. While he sleeps during the day I usually clean up around here, do some laundry and cook dinner when I can. I like to try and get out too...go shopping or for a walk. Last week I took him to get his pictures done...I'm really excited to see the finished products. They were super cute...but also super expensive lol...but again totally worth it! It's crazy how much he has grown since coming home from the hospital. He is now fitting into most of his 3 month clothes and I have had to pack away the majority of his newborn stuff. In a way I'm happy because he has a lot of really cute 3 month clothes that I've been waiting to put him in and in a way I'm sad that he is growing so fast. This last week or so I've started working out in an attempt to get my pre-baby body back! I'm curious to know how much weight I've lost. In total I gained about 24lbs when pregnant and I know that at 1.5 weeks postpartum I had already lost 12lbs. I've seen a bit of a change in my stomach already...it's not quite as jiggly as it was a week ago but I still have a little "pooch" that I want to get rid of. I'm hoping that if I continue the workouts, along with walks I intend to take once it's nicer out, that I will be bikini ready by the summer! I hope all of you pregnant mamas are doing well and that all of you that have recently had babies are enjoying every minute of it :)

It's Been A Month Already!

Cole will be exactly 1 month old tomorrow :) It's amazing how fast time flies by! We have our one month appointment at the pediatrician tomorrow, so we will get to see how much he has grown since he was born :) I know that he has definitely gained weight and has most likely gotten longer as well, since he is quickly getting too big for all of his newborn clothing. I'm happy to say that we have kind of established a routine over the last month and that our nights are not too bad!

I'm really excited to get my hair cut tomorrow as well! It's sooo long right now and I feel like it is always in my face or Cole's so it just needs to go! It will be a nice change for the Spring as well...it's been long for a long time...time to switch it up!

Anyways...I don't really have much to say at the moment..so guess this will be a short post!

On to week 2 of Mommyhood!

I can't believe my little Peanut is going to be 3 weeks old on Monday! Time feels like it is flying by already :(

This week has been a lot easier on us...I think we are finally settling into a routine, which is nice. I'm getting used to Cole's feeding schedule (which generally is about every 3 hours give or take a bit) and I'm learning how long it takes to get ready to head out with a baby. Breast feeding is still well...what it is lol...I've kind of come to terms with the fact that it just isn't meant to be with us and have resorted to pumping and feeding him that and the odd time throwing in a bottle of formula to give myself a rest. I figure I will continue this process for a few more months and then I might switch to formula exclusively. Cole will have benefited from my antibodies and other good stuff for a few months, so I don't feel like I've cheated him out of anything.

We met our pediatrician this week :) She seems really nice and was really happy with how Cole is doing so far. He is weighing in at just over 8lbs now, so he has surpassed his birth weight, which makes me happy! He has started staying awake for longer periods of time between feedings, especially in the evenings when Daddy gets home.

Sometimes when I am just sitting here by myself, Cole is sleeping and Mike is at work...I find the concept of me being a mom so crazy. I can't believe that I have reached this point in my life....it's so exciting and scary and wonderful all at the same time. I love this little person so much and I don't even really know him all that well yet. Well...until next weeks rambles...take care!

Week 1 of Mommyhood

So....after that last post I ended up going into labour and Cole arrived on Monday afternoon at 1:52pm. I honestly had no signs or symptoms all day long on Sunday. I painted my nails and toe nails, showered, went for a big walk with the dog and sat outside with the neighbours...then the minute I go to bed for the night, the contractions started! Overall it was a fairly quick labour for my first child. My water broke at 3:30am and I was fully dilated by 11:30ish but didn't start pushing until a bit later.

Cole is doing well...I had to stay an extra day in the hospital because his bilirubin was high, meaning he was at risk for phototherapy for jaundice. We ended up having to go back for 2 days for more blood tests and finally yesterday my family doctor said that as long as he was eating, sleeping and doing his business regularly that he should be fine, if I get worried to head in to see him right away. Cole weighed 7lbs 8oz when he was born and is sitting at 7lbs 3oz now.

Being a mom has been good so far. I've had a lot of help from Mike this past week with keeping the house together, cooking, shopping, etc. He has also been super supportive of everything...I've had a hard time with breast feeding and he has come to all of our appts at the hospital and doctors office so far. He has also gotten up with me a couple of nights this week when he knew I was having a hard time. I feel like the house has a revolving door these past few days and it has been quite tiring.

I'll try to keep this updated as much as possible...but things are going to get busy so I'll do my best!!

I can almost see the light...

So I'm about 39 weeks pregnant...the finish line is within sight, yet still feels so far away. This week is my last week of work. To be honest, I'm kind of hoping that he decided to show up one night or day this week so that I don't have to sit around waiting for him once work is finished. Everything is pretty much done around here while we await his arrival. I'm going to do some laundry today and Mike is going to vacuum and hang up the pictures in the nursery today and then we should be finished :) As anxious as I feel about meeting him finally, I'm looking forward to finally holding him in my arms and having the next year off to spend with him.

I went to a friend's b-day party last night...and I'm definitely paying for it this morning. My knees and calves feel swollen this morning and I kind of feel like I've been hit by a bus...but it was a fun night and one of the last I'll probably have before the baby is here....so I'm going to suck it up and head out for hangover breakfast with Mike this morning :) Then I won't lie...I'll probably spend the majority of the day on the couch watching movies on demand.

Hopefully my next blog will be announcing his arrival...if not then I'll keep you all posted!

Time is Ticking Away...

How far along? 38 weeks

Total weight gain/loss: haven't gained anymore since my last doctor's visit...sitting at the 23lb mark

Maternity clothes? sadly...all of my maternity clothes are becoming too small...my shirts all feel too short and my pant bands are too tight lol...yoga pants and oversized shirts it is!

Stretch marks? No

Sleep: some nights I sleep...other nights not so much...I toss and turn all night long trying to get comfortable

Best moment this week: finishing up the nursery!

Have you told family and friends: Yes!

Miss Anything? my sleep...but that's about it

Movement: he never stops lol...the OB asked how his movements were and I told her he is always moving (hasn't slowed down at all!!) and then she proceeded to take his heartbeat and had a hard time because he was moving around so much

Food cravings: sour cherry blasters and banana popcicles...andddd McDonald's french fries lol

Anything making you queasy or sick: letting myself get too hungry

Have you started to show yet: I feel like a house...lol...my belly is so big now...I go to do things and bump it on things

Gender: boy :)

Labor Signs: still head down...the Braxton Hick's contractions are picking up this week too

Belly Button in or out? kind of out? still kind of just flat...

Wedding rings on or off? off this week...the swelling has kicked in in both my legs and hands...guess I should feel lucky that I made it this far before it started

Happy or Moody most of the time: happy but uncomfortable

Weekly Wisdom: time to slow down...I can't move around like I used to and my body will hurt if I attempt to

Looking forward to: meeting our little guy :)

Not Much Longer Now...

So this weekend I hit the 37 week mark!! This means that I have carried to full-term, mind you it doesn't necessarily mean he is coming tomorrow or anything...but he could if he wanted to!! I can't believe how fast time has flown by. I feel like it was just yesterday Mike was telling me that I should take a test and I was arguing with him that there was no way I was pregnant.

Being so close to meeting him as me feeling a lot of mixed emotions. Don't get me wrong...I'm really excited to be a mom and to meet him and I'm going to love him more than anything! BUT...I'm also scared to death lol...and feeling a lot of anxiety lately. This baby is going to change my whole life...in a good way...and I really really want to meet him...but what if I have NOOO idea what to do? what if he cries non-stop and I can't calm him? theres so many what ifs...and I'm sure I will figure them all out as I go...but it's just what has been weighing on me this last week or so. I'm sure this is normal and that a lot of first time moms go through it.

On the plus side...our dresser gets delivered next weekend and my dad gave me the go ahead to go out and buy the mattress for the crib set..so we're going to go do that this weekend I think. Everything else is ready for this baby for the most part...which makes me feel more relieved!

The 36 week mark...

How far along? 36 weeks

Total weight gain/loss: 2 weeks ago I was up to 20 lbs...I get weighed again on Wednesday and I'm pretty sure I've put on a few more...

Maternity clothes? yes...everyday...and sadly even those aren't fitting me right all the time anymore...shirts are getting shorter aas this belly keeps on growing

Stretch marks? No

Sleep: I'm getting used to my new sleeping patterns...I wake up throughout the night to go to the bathroom (usually once or twice) and I toss and turn most of the night trying to get comfortable

Best moment this week: at the grocery store...there was a lady that went up to Mike and told her I was the cutest preggo person she has ever seen...and date night with Mike :)

Have you told family and friends: Yes!

Miss Anything? yesterday I really missed having a glass of wine...and I miss being comfortable...

Movement: he squirms all the time...feet are in the ribs...hiccups in my lady area lol...it's fun :)

Food cravings: We went to the Keg last night for our date night and I was craving it all week because I knew we were going

Anything making you queasy or sick: nope

Have you started to show yet: I'm huge!! I was just showing Mike the comparison of all the "bump" pictures I've taken...in the last week alone I've grown A LOT

Gender: boy :)

Labor Signs: he is head down and already starting to drop...but we've still got some time...a few Braxton Hicks contractions too...but meh...

Belly Button in or out? kind of out? lol...the top part has popped out a little in the last week but otherwise still smooth

Wedding rings on or off? On for the msot part but my hands started swelling this week

Happy or Moody most of the time: happy but uncomfortable

Weekly Wisdom: when it comes to your body and pregnancy...just go with it...theres nothing you can do to change it

Looking forward to: meeting our little guy :)

Pregnancy Survey

Totally stole this off a blog that I follow :) It;s one of those things I want to remember...so here it goes...

1. What name did you and your spouse call your baby before you knew the gender?
Mostly just baby...as soon as picked out a name we started calling him by that...at the very very beginning I called him my little jellybean :)

2. When did "Oh-my-gosh-we're-having-a-baby" really sink it?
I'd say in the last couple of weeks. I've had a lot of little moments...but no freak outs or anything throughout the pregnancy like "wow...there is a baby in there!"...but in the last couple of weeks I've been feeling anxious and excited all at the same time and just can't wait to meet him!

3. When you think of yourself as a mom, what's the first thing to come to mind?
that I can't believe I'm actually at this point in my life...and how I am going to love him sooooo much and try and be the best mom I possibly can be

4. Is your nursery complete? What's the theme and what do you have left to complete?
Almost done...we're waiting on a dresser that should arrive in the next week or so...crib is set up and the room is painted and decorated. We went with a blue and brown airplane theme...artwork can be seen in my previous post.

5. List 5 qualities you hope your baby will possess:
1. easy going 2. good sleeper 3. happy demeanour 4. snuggly 5. good eater

6. What's your ideal labor experience?
fast and painless lol...goodluck eh!?

7. List 5 things that have changed in your relationship with your spouse since you've been pregnant:
Not a whole lot has changed to be honest...we discuss being parents and how we want our son to be...hubby works a second job at the moment putting away some extra cash while we wait for him to arrive..

8. List 5 things you think will change once your baby arrives:
1. less sleep 2. My dog won't be the centre of attention annymore 3. no work for a year 4. lots of walking hopefully...get that pre-baby body back! 5. new most important person in DH and my life...

9. Where do you think you'll be when you go into labor? Why?
I'm hoping at home...and not at work...

10. Have you been talking to your baby? Playing music?
I talk to him sometimes...so does DH. I only play my regular music..which baby likes :) gets him moving all over on the drives home

11. In what ways do you hope your baby is like your spouse?
his eyes...his work ethic...his sports abilities since I have none lol...math skills

12. In what ways do you hope your baby is like you?
independent, easy going, calm, smart...

13. How long will you wait for the next baby, or if this is your last one, why/why not?
Probably a couple of years...we want to be done before I am 30..so that gives us 3 years and a bit after he is born...I figure within the next 2 baby #2 will come along

14. What kind of grandparents do you think your baby will have?
Ones that spoil him...well at least our mom's will. My Mom aka Nana has already bought pretty much every item of clothing I own for him plus all of the other extras she has bought...and she isn't stopping. DH's mom is super excited too so I know he'll be spoiled on that side too. My dad says he will be around...but we'll see how that goes.

15. Who will be with you during labor? Who will visit you in the hospital during your recovery?
DH will be with me...our parents and siblings will most likely come and visit while we're at the hospital.

16. How much will you tell your baby (child, teenager) about your past? Why/why not?
Whatever he wants to know...I don't have anything that I feel like I need to keep hidden

17. Do you have any hopes for your child's activities? (Sports, academics, school preference, activities, etc)
I want him to do well in school and we're hoping he will enjoy sports like his daddy...a little NHL player would be nice lol

18. When will you tell your baby about the birds and the bees?
when the time comes...

19. In what ways do you hope you'll parent like your parents did? In what ways do you hope you aren't like them?
I hope to instill the good values and independence my mom instilled in me...and the hard working ethic I have as well. My mom did the best she could and I hope to do the same. I really don't want to be a snoopy mom...but I have a feeling that when the time comes I won't be able to resist.

20. Which childhood memory do you hope your child will have (similar to one you fondly remember)?
Spending time together doing fun family things...trips to the park, skating, other things...reading together, playing together...lots of things...

21. And finally, Be annoying! What "advice" do you want newly pregnant women to know?
Do what is best for you (and baby obviously)...and enjoy being pregnant the best you can...don't sweat the small stuff...everything works out in the end!

Let's Talk About Nesting...

I've always heard that pregnant women get this nesting instinct...for each woman it kicks in at a different time. My thoughts on this were "PFFFFTTTTT....me nesting? yea right!!"....well....it's happened!! I thought I was starting to nest a while back when I had the urge to get the baby's room finished...but now it has kicked into overdrive! This last week to two weeks I have been obsessed with getting stuff for the baby done. Last weekend I made all the artwork using airplane decals that match the room theme and sticking them on paper to make awesome pictures...and we hung up the baby's name above his crib and added the airplane accents on both sides.

Here are a couple of pictures..

and...


Over the last couple of weeks I've also picked up a few things that were still needed for the baby...change pad covers, hooded towels, car seat toys, changing pad, crib bedding (which happens to be discontinued so I got it for 50% off :)), mobile, diapers, nursing bras for me...lots of stuff!! Having all this stuff...I've now started putting it all away...yesterday I put away all the bathroom/bath time items...diapers/wipes/soaps, etc. I've done some more baby laundry since I've received more clothes, we installed the carseat in my car, put away what was left of baby shower gifts and DH's mom ordered the dresser for the room.

Tonight is date night!! DH and I are going out for one last night out without baby. We are doing dinner at The Keg and then heading out to see a movie. I'm excited...kind of wishing I could enjoy a glass of wine...but looking forward to a good night. It's also the long weekend...so I have a feeling that I am going to be cleaning up around here and making sure that everything is in order for when baby comes...that or I will drive myself crazy thinking about all of the things that need to be done.

Anyways...until next time!!

34 weeks and counting!

How far along? 34 weeks

Total weight gain/loss: last time I went to the OB I was up to 14lbs

Maternity clothes? yes...all the time...my belly has gotten pretty big lately. Most of the time I wear mat. jeans and mat. shirts...weekends are reserved for track pants :)

Stretch marks? No

Sleep: I have good nights and bad nights..naps on the weekend :)

Best moment this week: hearing everyone tell me how tiny I still look for how far along I am...made me feel good since I feel HUGE

Have you told family and friends: Yes!

Miss Anything? my balance...being able to bend over properly...sleep lol

Movement: he is always kicking me in the ribs...and he constantly has hiccups...movements are starting to hurt sometimes

Food cravings: this week was ribs...which I satisfied tonight

Anything making you queasy or sick: not really...

Have you started to show yet: uh yes...lol...my belly is big compared to what it was and I've also started to drop already

Gender: boy :)

Labor Signs: he is head down and already starting to drop...but we've still got some time

Belly Button in or out? doesn't exist lol...its not in but it hasn't really popped out...its just smooth

Wedding rings on or off? On

Happy or Moody most of the time: Moody...but in a very emotional way not a snappy way

Weekly Wisdom: when 8 months pregnant do NOT wear heels...you will fall and scrape your knees and break your sunglasses lol

Looking forward to: meeting our little guy :)

Pregnancy Lessons Learned at a Wedding..

So yesterday I was at a wedding and learned some important pregnancy lessons as the day progressed...

1. Pregnant women should not wear 5 inch heals (well at least this one)....they cause swelling and numbness which will lead to falling and scraped knees, bruised hands and broken sunglasses

The above is pretty straight forward...after the church, I was walking back to my car...I'd honestly only been wearing the heels for maybe an hour...not even walking since the wedding was sitting in a pew at the church...and for some reason my whole foot went numb...I was mid-stride when this happened, so needless to say...I fell. I knew it was coming so I took the entire impact on my knee and hand. I scraped my knee nicely and my hand had a couple of cuts, a blood blister and is bruised where I landed on my sunglasses...which also didn't fare very well...and are broken :( BUT I'm ok and so is the baby...the fall really wasn't a big deal and if I wasn't pregnant no one would of even noticed...

2. Being sober at weddings isn't as much fun as being not sober...or at least partially not sober...

Enough said...

3. If I stay up until 2:30 am...I will still wake up at 8am...

Yea...thanks body...I appreciate the 5.5 hours of sleep...but it would of been nice to sleep a little bit longer...just a little bit.

4. Expect EVERYONE to touch your belly without your permission

EVERYONE wanted to touch my belly yesterday...I'm at the point where I just expect people to touch it now so it really didn't bother me...but at the same time I was just like "enough already!!" By the end of the night I was a bit tired of talking about my pregnancy...I felt like a broken record...but I know people are just curious so I didn't let it show...and I am excited...just not excited about repeating myself 100 times

The wedding was great...but I seriously have a pregnancy hangover today and I didn't even drink!...I feel like I've been hit by a truck...my knee hurts, my ankle is slightly swollen and may be slightly twisted from my fall...I'm all bruised lol...you'd think that I had spent a late night at a bar if you were to see me.

And then there was the Baby Shower...

I had my first baby shower (possibly my only one...but that's another story) this past weekend. My mom and my sisters held it here at my place...wasn't overly big..about 20 or so people, just close family and friends. It was really great to have all of my family and friends in one place to share in this special time with me :) We got tonnes of baby clothes and quite a few of the things I had registered for...including baby monitors, diaper bag, playmat, blankets, bibs, sheets, etc. I also received a gift card to Babies R Us...which I enjoyed spending very much. My child is pretty much dressed for the next 6 months with the amount of clothing we were given...and shoes lol...I swear this child has better shoes than I do!

Mike's family *might* throw me a baby shower...but that has yet to be decided. Apparently everyone is just too busy. I know that I probably sound really petty...but I've spent the last year watching everyone bend over backwards for Mike's cousin's wedding and I get that it's a special time for her right now...and I'm not trying to take any of that away...but it's also a special time for Mike and I and I feel like we've just been placed on the back burner. My mom had asked Mike's mom if she would like to have a joint shower...to which her offer was declined - the reason given was that "the wedding is so close by and with it being Winter...no one is going to want to travel out this way two times...if there's a snow storm then people won't come" - so whatever. I can't change the fact that the baby is going to be BORN in the Winter but whatever. We figured his family would throw us a shower once the wedding was over (first weekend in Feb) but now apparently things are too busy and no one knows when there will be time for a shower. They may throw one after the baby is born...which to me defeats the whole purpose of a baby shower - to get mother and baby the essentials to help welcome the new one....but again...whatever!! I've said that if this turns out to be the case then I will not be able to attend a shower until the baby is at least 3 months old...as I am not hauling a brand new baby to a party.

Anywayssssss....I went a little crazy this week buying some of the things that I hadn't received off my registry. I found some great deals at Babies R Us the night I went...the breast pump I registered for was on clearance for $15!!...plus I bought a couple of soothers, soother clip, car seat bag, Safety First essentials (thermometer, brushes, nail clippers, etc), and I bought a convertible car seat that was on sale for $70 off...so it will last until the baby weighs 65lbs. There are still some things I need to buy...mainly my crib bedding, glider and dresser. One of my really close friends is selling me a bunch of her stuff since she is done having children and hers will soon be too big to use the stuff (a jumperoo, bouncer and swing).

Hope that everyone is doing well!!

2011 in Review...

Happy New Year Everyone!!

I figured it was time to reflect a little on all of the things that have happened in the last year :) I have had some pretty amazing things happen and am really looking forward to what 2012 has in store for me...

...This year we bought our first house and moved in. We've spent the last few months really making this place our own and I look forward to continuing to add those touches over the next year. This weekend we will be prepping the babies room (painting and setting up the crib) and then we will move on to getting the rest of the house repainted to freshen it up. Mike did quite a bit of work on the basement and redid all the flooring and paint down there...looks amazing!

...We got pregnant! Much to my surprise we found out we were expecting in July. It happened a few months earlier than anticipated but we couldn't be happier and more excited. I look forward to finally getting to meet my little guy in the next couple of months. So far this pregnancy has been quite a journey but I wouldn't trade a second of it <3

...Spent time with some good friends during a lot of fun times. We've hosted quite a few parties here at our new place and have had lots of people over for visits. I look forward to spending more time like this in the next year.

I look forward to all that 2012 has to offer...and the much needed break that Mat. leave will bring :) Most of all I am looking forward to getting to meet our baby and spending some time with him!