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Sunday, January 25, 2015

Lazy January

Thank goodness, last week was MUCH quieter and easier than the previous week. Everyone is in good health and we've had a back to normal week.

A quiet week has led into a quiet weekend. We've just ran errands and enjoyed eating out and NOT cooking. Luke did have his first fit about not getting a Thomas the Train book/toy yesterday in Target so it was to the car for a time out. Honestly, it's really hard to not get him everything he wants, but we're having to start those lessons early. We're also having to teach that throwing things isn't good to do. He's really into throwing everything. 

I'm starting to plan Luke's SECOND birthday party. Holy cow. I'm debating on how/where I want to throw the shindig. I do have some "pinteresting" ideas for a Thomas the Train party (I hope he's still into this by April).  Hopefully, the weather will be better than last year and we'll be able to let him run around outside!

Not much to report on the home front this week, but next week's post will be much more interesting, I promise!!! I just wanted to make sure that you all saw the sweet photos we took this week. Heart melting... :) 

We did cook at home Friday night, chicken wings!

Kisses!

And feeding mom his carrots that he didn't want.

Dad! (look at our messy chicken wing faces)


Bath time!

The many faces of Luke







Brush them teeth!

Cuddles with dad

Noodles for dinner! Woooo!



Saturday, January 17, 2015

21 Months

So I'm not going to lie... I usually try and keep the negatives out of the blog. No one wants to hear about how hard you have it (because when it comes down to it, we all think we've got it pretty hard), but this week has been tough and even though I'm exhausted, it's 11:20 pm and I can't sleep with thoughts whirring through my brain. 

Luke's 21st month ended with him being sick with a cold/ear infection/maybe strep? Anyways, he's been unwell all week. A cough that started Sunday turned into a fever on Monday and an ear infection by Wednesday, meaning that he was out of school all week. And it never seems to fail that illness comes to our family on the busiest work weeks ever. I worked from home on Monday, but it wasn't an option the rest of the week and Dillon took off with him on Tuesday. From there on out it was a juggling act of getting care for little Luke. Dillon's days were filled with emails and calls, working 12 hour days, bath giving, and tear wiping while I was juggling office visits, event planning, meetings with physicians, amoxicyllin giving, nose wiping and pediatrician visits. I've worked today and Dillon will be going in tomorrow morning at 5 to finish his work, and then we can have a complete day together. Many thanks to my parents who were willing to give up 2 days to come and watch a cranky toddler. 

On top of the craziness, Luke has been getting teeth, which as you may recall, turns him into an uncooperative, hellion of a child. It's about halfway through the rebellious time that I wonder why my sweet child has turned into this crazy kid that I think to look in his mouth to see which tooth is coming in and it never fails, there's always a bud of a tooth peeking through at me, mocking me for being this frazzled parent. Motrin helps, but it's always a few days until my sunny and loving boy returns. I worked this evening at a physician event and Dillon said that Luke just wouldn't listen to him, it was tantrum after tantrum. He gave him his antibiotic and some Motrin hoping it would help. And it did, an hour after the medicine, he had calmed down even though he was walking through the house saying "ma-ma" (cue my breaking heart...) 

 Even though it's been a little crazy, this month has offered some pretty cool developments for Luke, my favorite being that he puts sentences together now and says "I want cheese", "I want milk." (the best was when he woke up asking for cheese). Our Thomas the Train obsession is going strong. He calls Thomas "Na" for some reason and loves dancing to the intro song. He's crawling and climbing on everything. My parents and I were talking in the kitchen and when we turned around, he had climbed onto the bar stools and was sitting there like he was just part of the conversation. Dillon was working in the garage today and turned around for 5 seconds. At the same time, I looked out the front door and there was Luke coming up the stairs, ready to come in. His vocabulary is just growing by leaps and bounds, it's amazing.

So, my dear friends, I appreciate you letting me vent on my blog about the rough week. I know I sound like a complete whiner because we are so blessed. We are blessed with our jobs that keep us fed, keep us in a warm home, and provides us with fun times together. We are blessed with our baby boy who is teaching us patience and unending love. 

And to Luke - I love you. I love you when you have a tantrum in Lowes, or when you're in a time out, or when you just don't know how to communicate what you want and it comes out in screams and tears. I may be frustrated with you at times (and you frustrated with me), but I will always do my best to help you and to be the best mama I know how. 


At daddy's work this week!

Feeling better, except for teeth!

Friday, January 2, 2015

Hello 2015!

What a year! I feel like my head may be spinning from how fast it has gone by. 2014 was full of ups and downs, but overall I think it was pretty great! We got a few trips in, moved to a new house, and had fun watching Luke become a tried and true toddler. 

I always think that a new year is a good time to look back and see what we've done in the past year, but to also think ahead to things we'd like to accomplish. I'm not one to make "New Year's Resolutions" because I think that they are always destined to fail. By February we tend to forget about those resolutions and fall back into our regular patterns. That being said, I do have some goals that I'd like to at least attempt this year. Who knows if I'll actually accomplish any of this, but only time will tell!

1. Take a vacation
Like a real vacation. A week off from work. Me, Dillon and Luke. Last year, we had some vague plans for a vacation that revolved around a work trip to Florida, but we had a lot of sickness in our house last winter and vacation time was used up quickly. And, then we bought a new house which used up a lot of our money and time, too. So, this year, I want to go somewhere for a week. Dillon and I are up for suggestions on places to go that are kid friendly with a toddler. Of course, we'll take lots of weekend trips, too! 

2. Run a 5K
Ok, you can stop laughing now. Seriously. I am really out of shape. Badly. I've never made it back to my pre-baby weight which is really ok, but I'd like to be able to walk up a few flights of stairs without being winded. Since Luke's eating real people food now, we are doing better with less eating out and eating better meals at home, but it would be nice to be more active. I'm not quite sure how to work out a running schedule with our work schedule and having a rambunctious 2 year old, but there has to be a way to do it. I don't want to got to a gym and I don't want to run on a treadmill. I'm thinking about taking Luke in the stroller down to the high school track, but it gets dark at 5:00 now. Anyways, I'll work on it. I've got to put those tennis shoes Dillon got me for my birthday to use somehow. Suggestions on this are welcome, too. 

3. Get the house decorated all Southern Living Style-Like
So my house may never look like a Southern Living spread, there are too many Hot Wheels and toy train tracks about, but I'd at least like to get some decorations on the walls and have my screened in porch a place to relax and read a good book with a hot cup of coffee. I've been pinning like mad some ideas for the porch and am going to start looking at antique stores and estate sales for things I'd like to do. I'd also like to get more organized, but this is one of those goals I set every year that never seems to pan out. This also may be the year that Luke's room changes from nursery to big boy room. That should be fun!

4. Financials
I want to pay off some debts we owe and get student loans down, like way down. I've almost got my hospital bills paid off from when I had Luke (2 years later, plus we have good insurance. What's up with that America?) In addition to paying that off, I want to try and pay one extra mortgage payment next year. I've heard that if you do that, you can pay your mortgage off 15 years quicker and that's always a good thing! 

Maybe writing these down will help to accomplish our goals. Now that I'm done planning ahead we can take a look back at last year! I hope that everyone has a blessed 2015 with lots of fun and happiness!
Beginning of the 2014 and learning to stand!


The middle of us all being sick...

How we spent the first part of 2014


Valentine's Day with my loves!





1st Birthday Madness!

Easter!



Mother's Day




Father's Day!

Summer fun

And learning to walk





Birthday party with friends!










6 Years!










Happy 2015 Everyone!