Mmmm....pasta

Usually, we do dinner first and then a bath. Tonight, unfortunately, I had decided to do a bath early b/c AJ had been outside playing and was pretty dirty. I think it is safe to say he was just as dirty after his dinner. I gave him a few pieces of my pasta and was going to get him more veggies/fruit for his dinner. Before I could even get anything else out, he had eaten ALL of the pasta I had given him and was begging for more! Like mother, like son.




But, like a good little boy, he brushed his teeth afterwards. Did I mention he has another tooth? That's 7 now!

Does he look a like a big brother?

He doesn't to me- he still looks like my baby. But, in about seven months, he's going to be one!! Yep, we're expecting #2 in early December! We've seen and heard the heartbeat twice now. Starting in July, I'll be starting in a pre-term labor prevention program. They'll do progesterone and frequent "checks" to help ensure we don't have another preemie. Aidric is going to have to share "his" blog as I keep you all updated here. I think it will be just the first of many things he will need to get used to sharing!

But, in honor of the big brother, here are some cute videos from the last few weeks. A month or two ago, we noticed that whenever you give Aidric a soft blanket or stuffed animal, he cuddles up with it and his thumb immediately goes in his mouth. It is so cute! (and also very helpful when we need to distract him)



He got this toy for Christmas from my friend Bonnie. He's always liked playing with the balls and taking the rings off, but he's just figured out how to put the balls in the funnel. I'd say he's pretty proud of this discovery.

We've upgraded...

Huge thanks to the Brent, Gretchen, Ryder and Claudia Nord for sending Aidric's first birthday present! No more bowl of water in the backyard for us- he has a water table now! He absolutely loves it- thanks so much!!!!




He had to get serious for a few minutes as he was checking out what was happening in the neighbor's yard. It turned out they were workers there to chop down a tree. He freaked out and leaped into my arms. Water table time was over early for the day.


And this picture has nothing to do with his water table, but how cute is he in his first TWO PIECE pjs? And no, we don't let him watch tv like this. In fact, we don't usually even let him watch tv at night. But playing outside in the evening required an early bath, which led to time to kill before bed!

Happy Mother's Day!!

I was pregnant last May, but this is my first real Mother's Day and so far, it is WONDERFUL. I got to sleep in, and when I came downstairs, Aidric and Chris had my Mother's Day cards and gift waiting for me. They gave me a gorgeous silver bead bangle bracelet. I love it!!! We had Einstein's bagels for breakfast and then went to church. The service was perfect- all about Mother's and the sacrifices that mothers make. After church, we stuffed ourselves at the Cheesecake Factory- yum!

Here are a few pictures of Aidric and me from today.




I know I've always called my mom in the past and said, "Happy Mother's Day", but until now, I didn't recognize it and her enough.

Now that I am a mom, I am just starting to "get it". I'm sure it will take many more years before I can say I've really "got it". But, now that I am on my way, I want to thank and recognize my mom for all she has done for me. My mom stayed home with my brothers and I until I was in 5th grade. She did the room mom thing and the field trips. I remember in 2nd grade, she even brought in a baby goat for my whole class to see and pet! (from my grandma and grandpa's farm) In high school, she drove me and pack of my friends around town so we could "TP" all the guys we had crushes on. As I grew up, she supported me through all of the decisions I made, good and bad. I see now that when I hurt, she hurt too. So, mom, thank you for everything you've done and sacrificed for me!!! (And as the pastor said in church today, "Grandchildren are the reward you receive for not killing your own children", so all of your dedication is paying off now!)

I wish I had a good pic of us when I was a baby, but those are all in Indiana, so here is a picture from my wedding in 2005.


I also want to recognize my wonderful mother-in-law. Thank you for raising a wonderful son (and let's face it, a wonderful daughter who is now my wonderful sister-in-law too). Thank you for being a caring, thoughtful, always nonjudgmental but loving presence in our lives.

Here is a good one of Mary and Chris the day he was born.



I want to end with the lyrics to an amazing song that was sung in church today. There weren't many dry eyes from the women in the congregation.

One Heartbeat at a Time

You're up all night with a screaming baby
You run all day at the speed of life
And every day you feel a little bit less
Like the beautiful woman you are

So you fall into bed when you run out of hours
And you wonder if anything worth doing got done
Oh, maybe you just don't know
Or maybe you've forgotten

You, you are changing the world
One little heartbeat at a time
Making history with every touch and every smile
Oh, you, you may not see it now
But I believe that time will tell
How you, you are changing the world
One little heartbeat at a time

With every "I know you can do it"
Every tear that you kiss away
So many little things that seem to go unnoticed
They're just like the drops of rain over time
They become a river

And you, you are changing the world
One little heartbeat at a time
Making history with every touch and every smile
Oh, you, you may not see it now
But I believe that time will tell
How you, you are changing the world
One little heartbeat at a time

You're beautiful
You're beautiful
How you're changing the world
You're changing the world

You, you are changing the world
One little heartbeat at a time
Making history with every touch and every smile
Oh, you, you may not see it now
But I believe that time will tell
How you, you are changing the world
Oh, I believe that you
You are changing the world
One little heartbeat
At a time

And you're changing the world

The countdown begins...

...the countdown to the BIG ONE, that is!!! I can't believe we have less than a month to go. We're late on the 11 month pics b/c it is so hard to get him to sit still. He wants to eat the paper; he wants to tear the paper; he does NOT want to be photographed next to the paper!