Just the Three of Us

Busy little guy

2010-01-29T12:52:00.000-08:00

Evan after his surgery.

I am a big boy!

Can I be a model?

How can one little boy have so much personality? Man, he cracks us up. We have all been doing great. Evan had surgery in December to have tubes put in his ears and have his adenoids reduced. We've seen a big change in his overall demeanor since then. He's less fussy and his health is better. Hopefully this will slow down those nasty sinus infections. Evan is all over the place, he runs like a little mad man, and climbs like a monkey. He loves to go outside and play on the slide and the swing. The neighbor kids love him and knock on the door to see if Evan can come out and play. I think it's hilarious that a 12 year old girl and two 9 year old boys want to play with a one year old. Even if we tell them that Evan is taking a nap, they will still knock on the door every 15 minutes. I feel the need to document things a lot more because, man, they change every day, every minute. Here are some of the words that Mr. Chatterbox says (or attempts to say): water, juice, milk, ray-ray (raisins), sock, shoe, bath, yos (cheerios), Buddy, Daddy, Mama, Pawpaw, Ranma (Grandma), swing, slide, diaper, boo-poo (poo-poo), gin (again), cheese toast, yoke (yogurt), An (Andrew), eye, nose, mouth, airplane, ride, bye-bye, side (outside), ticklebug, please, more, button, teeth. There are probably a few I'm forgetting.

Anyway, we are off to a busy but fun year. Tax season is in full swing for me. Phillip is super busy at work as usual. We are both trying to find time to get in runs and workouts because they definitely keep us sane and kind to each other. Evan goes with the flow like a trooper. We are very thankful for our many blessings.

2009-10-26T08:14:00.000-07:00

I am ONE!

Evan turned one on October 13. This year has definitely flown by. Our lives are so very different than they were a little over a year ago. We are loving every minute of it, and we wonder what we used to do with all of our free time. We love our little buddy more and more every day. He is truly a gift. What a difference a year makes, indeed!

Six months

2009-04-21T11:38:00.000-07:00

Our little buddy is six months old. He is so much fun, and he does something new every single day. He weighs over 15 pounds now, and I can tell. He brings so much joy to our lives. Once upon a time, we were always on the go, but now we are content just staying home and playing with Evan. I am often overwhelmed by the amount of love I have for this little guy. It sometimes still amazes me that he is ours, that we brought this person into the world, that a little over a year ago he didn't exist. It is so neat to watch his little personality unfolding. I think that he is going to take after his daddy and be a mischievous, daring little thing. He is a little piggy and will yell at us if we don't feed him quickly enough. I've yet to find a food that he doesn't like (probably jinxing myself here). He loves oatmeal, pears, applesauce, bananas, carrots, sweet potatoes, and squash. He tries to mooch off our plates too. He doesn't have any teeth yet, but everyday we sing a tooth song that I made up. Daddy used to roll his eyes at my tooth song, but now he sings it too. Evan loves toys and books and of course every toy or book gets a taste/slobber test first. He is quite the little snuggle bunny, and the highlight of our week is the three of us laying in bed on Saturday morning playing and snuggling.

We love you, little man!

2009-02-12T07:23:00.000-08:00

Dear Baby Bear,

You sure are lucky. We sure are lucky. Your daddy right there is pretty awesome, and if you turn out to be half as awesome as he is--well, that's just a lot of awesome-ness. That daddy right there is the one who dropped everything to come hold my hand when we thought you were gone and who cried with me when we found out you were still there. That was one of the saddest and happiest days ever--all wrapped up in one. That was last Valentine's Day. We will never forget that day.

Love,
Mama

Just a little note

2009-02-09T11:56:00.001-08:00

I am proud of myself today for eating a roasted chicken breast sandwich and Baked Lays for lunch instead of the fast food that I was really craving. I will overcome eating as a response to stress. I'm not quite sure when I developed that habit, but I know that it's a bad one. I am learning that in order to nurture the other relationships in my life, I have to really take care of myself first. What is that saying? 'If mama's not happy, nobody's happy.' Mama needs to take control of her life and her emotions and be happy and go with the flow. I am getting there---slowly but surely.

For my buddy Debbie...

2009-01-31T21:32:00.000-08:00

I am three months old. Boy, do my hands taste good.

This toy tastes good, too.

Changes

2009-01-29T08:45:00.000-08:00

The past few weeks have been full of changes for us. I switched jobs, returning to public accounting and the world of tax season. So you say I'm crazy? Maybe I am, but it is nice to use my skills again. I basically put my life on hold for almost two years while studying and sitting for the CPA exam, and I'll be darned if I stop putting my certificate to good use. I worked hard for that thing, and I should be proud of it. The firm I came back to is the same one where I worked before for almost four years. The job is definitely a lot busier than the one I just left, but in a good way. It is also ten minutes from home and about six minutes from where Evan is during the day. It's one of those things where 'you don't know what you got 'til it's gone.' I really enjoy working in a smaller setting and in one that offers flexibility. Sounds like I'm trying to justify the change to myself, doesn't it?

Phillip is also facing changes at work, as his COTA is preparing to move to Washington, DC. Phillip really has an awesome team at work, and that also offers him a lot of flexibility with his schedule. I know he is a little nervous about how things will have to be re-worked once CJ leaves. I think he and I both have a hard time at first with any kind of change, but after a little while, we just make it work. You have to. It will probably be difficult at first, but in a year from now we'll all look back and wonder what we were so worried about. Plus, CJ already told us that we can come visit her in Washington, DC. I've been bugging Phillip for a while about going to DC---now we have the perfect excuse. As more and more of our friends move away, our list of places to visit becomes longer and longer.

Of course, Evan changes daily. It is really amazing how quickly he moves through the different stages. Every single time Evan does something new, Phillip and I just beam with pride. He really has made us slow down and enjoy life more. We are so excited to show him new things and new places and to have a hand in helping him be the best person he can be. It is awesome to think that he has such a blank slate----that he can be whatever he wants to be and go wherever he wants to go. We have lots of fun (and challenging) years ahead of us.

I am learning that change is a good, if not great, thing.

2009-01-10T08:06:00.000-08:00

1. What did you do in 2008 that you’d never done before? became a mother

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year? Last year, my one resolution was to not be so lazy. I think I kept it for the most part. I missed only two days of work during my entire pregnancy, so I think that alone qualifies me as not-lazy. I don't ususally make many resolutions. My resolutions this year are just to enjoy life and be healthy and to keep in better touch with my friends.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth? Phillip's cousin Brandy had a baby boy on 12/26/08. She timed that tax deduction just right. :) Kristin had a baby girl---Emma. Tara had a baby boy---Noah.

4. Did anyone close to you die? yes

5. What countries did you visit? Ummm....that would be zero.

6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008? Sense of accomplishment at work

7. What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? October 13, the day Evan was born.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? Being able to (mostly) carve out space in my life for parenthood, marriage, work, and friendships.

9. What was your biggest failure? I can't think of any failures per se, but I can think of a few instances where I'd like a 'do-over'

10. Did you suffer illness or injury? No.

11. What was the best thing you bought? I didn't really buy myself anything last year. What's wrong with me?

12. Whose behavior merited celebration? Dr Erin Dawkins. She is the best doctor ever.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? not sure....

14. Where did most of your money go? bills and groceries

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? pregnancy and childbirth and sharing these awesome times with Phillip

16. What song will always remind you of 2008? Chicken Fried by the Zac Brown Band

17. Compared to this time last year, are you: a) happier or sadder? Happier  b) thinner or fatter? fatter c) richer or poorer? Both, I think. More money coming in, more expenses going out.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of? Staying more fully connected in the moment

19. What do you wish you’d done less of? Snapping at people around me when my patience was stretched too thin. (sorry, Phillip)

20. How did you spend Christmas? with lots and lots of family

21. Did you fall in love in 2008? Yes, yes. With Evan, of course, and more with Phillip as I have watched him become an awesome daddy.

22. What was your favorite TV program? I don't really watch TV much. If I have to pick----Dirty Jobs.

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year? No.

24. What was the best book you read? A Thousand Splendid Suns

25. What was your greatest musical discovery? not sure about this one...

26. What did you want and get? A perfectly healthy, beautiful baby.

27. What did you want and not get? Nothing major comes to mind, which tells me how lucky I really am.

28. What was your favorite film of this year? Body of Lies

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? Phillip and I went to the New Orleans Zoo and to Cafe du Monde. I turned 3-0.

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Better work-life balance.

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008? big belly and big booty called for 'wear whatever fits'

32. What kept you sane? sleep, Phillip, friends

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? none---I don't really care

34. What political issue stirred you the most? Sarah Palin drove me crazy, bless her heart

35. Who did you miss? my grandmothers

36. Who was the best new person you met? Dr Dawkins and her nurses Susie and Denise

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008. Enjoy every moment and don't sweat the small stuff.

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year. "Baby, baby, you're the world to me"

So you'd like some pictures, you say?

2009-01-08T17:15:00.001-08:00

Oh, hello. Have you been waiting on me?So very nice to meet you.

Daddy is emotional.

What's going on here?

I guess I need to update.

2009-01-08T10:48:00.000-08:00

Norma and Debbie have inspired me to update my blog. Way to go, Debbie and Norma! Let's see...what have we been up to since I last posted? Oh, yeah. We had a baby--a precious little bouncing, er, screaming baby boy. That was almost three months ago. Everyone says that parenthood flies by, and so far they are right. I love this quote: "The days are long, but the years are short." Mr. Evan is growing like a weed. He is finally getting the sweet meat that is very pinchable. I'm sure he loves it when I do that. He weighs over 12 pounds now and has grown about five inches. When I checked on him yesterday morning, he was sound asleep on his tummy (I put him to sleep on his back), and I thought, "Where is my itty-bitty baby?" I often walk by the nursery windows at work hoping to catch a glimpse of the newborns. I love to see the babies and their giddy families lining up against the viewing windows. It takes me back to that most awesome day when we first met our little one. The past three months have been full of blissful, exhausting days and nights---let's not forget the nights. Actually, the nights have not been too bad. Thank you, Evan. He really is a pleasant baby. If he cries, it is usually because he is tired or hungry or because he wants mama to get up out of his face already, dang! He is sweet and funny and cracks us up on a daily basis. We are so very blessed and so very thankful. Our proverbial cup doth run over.

We are (patiently) waiting....

2008-09-29T07:50:00.000-07:00

All I can think of these days is, well, when is this crazy little baby gonna get here already? I'm not trying to rush him --- I'm just getting really, really anxious. I think Phillip is even getting a little anxious. He has been truly awesome throughout this whole adventure. I'm sure he has seen sides of my personality that he had only imagined in his worst nightmares. I've surprised myself quite a few times. It has truly been a roller coaster ride of emotions for me. I am so thankful and feel so blessed to have been able to experience the joy of carrying our child. At the same time, I can't remember what it feels like to not be pregnant, to not have this extra weight and swollen feet and heartburn and sleepless nights. I keep saying that I am ready to be 'normal' again, but I know that our lives are about to change in a HUGE way. We'll just have to find our new normal, and that is very exciting to us.

Trying this thing out...again

2008-09-23T14:12:00.000-07:00

I used to post to a Myspace blog fairly regularly, and then I deleted the account. I kind of miss blogging. There are several blogs that I now read regularly. All of the blogs I read are those of people I've never met --- I don't even really remember how I got started reading their blogs. I'm not really sure what purpose I want this blog to serve. I of course want to keep people updated on the status of this baby boy that's been kicking me for nine months, but I also want to use it to discuss other topics such as current events, music, etc ---- just life in general. Hopefully this will be a way to keep my brain out of the 'all baby, all the time' mode. We'll just see about that.