So I'm going to be 30

So I'm going to be 30 and I cannot lie
that number has made me scared.
There's just something final about being 30
That epitomizes life being unfair.
It's a sign I'm getting older -
That my "roaring 20s" are through.
Goodbye oh reckless vagabond years;
Now there's work to do.
Maintaining youth is a frivolous game
The mirror will never forgive.
So instead of worrying about my age
I'll try to move forward and live.
But please do not send me presents
And do not acknowledge with zeal
For the fact that I'm getting older
Is no longer holding appeal.
I'm dreading this day and it's really too bad
Because birthdays should be about fun
But the turning point is here; it's drawn very near
And as for celebrating-
I'm done.

The first of many days to celebrate

Dear James,

A year ago today @ 2:10am in the morning, I held you in my arms and my heart was filled with the greatest joy a mother could ever know. Now, you are no longer a tiny infant - but a little baby boy on the verge of toddlerhood. How could it all have happened so fast?

I want you to know that I love you so much, and that you are the most wonderful addition to my family and that every time I see your face in the morning, or look at you peacefully sleeping, that my heart still fills with that great joy - a celebration of your life with me and Daddy.

Today we took you to the zoo so you could see all the fun animals that you like to watch on TV or point at in your books. You had so much fun. I wish you could remember it - but don't worry, Mommy took plenty of pictures for you to look back on. You'll come to find that I've pretty much documented every wondrous moment of your life. I hope, someday, you'll find that endearing.

After we took you to the zoo, we had lunch at Panera (one of Mommy's favorite places to eat). You ate a grown up grilled cheese sandwich and whole milk out of your sippy cup. I'm still not used to watching you feed yourself, but trust me - you're getting to be a pro.

After that it was ZZZZZ time for you. You took a nice nap on the last hour back home. You were especially happy to note that your car seat was facing forward - a welcome change for you, I know.

At the gift shop we bought you a red stuffed monkey to remember your trip by. You cuddled with that monkey all the way home. You especially loved the monkey puppet show put on by Mommy during the drive.

We love you James. Every day is a blessing and we cherish it so much. We will always celebrate your growth and try to help you along each step of the way. You have given us so much to be thankful for. Today was a celebration of your birth and I can't wait for all the other years to come.

Love,
Mommy

Kansas Living: First Week!

Well, we made it! I have to say, I don't think I'd like to make a move halfway across the country ever again. But the ride was pretty smooth, and thanks to God's grace James was a complete angel. It also helped to have my Aunt Martie along for the ride. She spotted me, fed James from the backseat, and pretty much acted as a much-needed live in nanny for us the first few days in our home. We are all now pretty much experts in changing a diaper without ever moving James from the carseat, and James got pretty hooked on unsalted crackers and juice. Thankfully we arrived in town in the afternoon ( a day early, besides)..with enough time to eat at the only restaurant open past 7pm - The Lazy T Tavern. It's a bar/restaurant, and we met some interesting people while we were there, and got the low-down on half the people in the town. But the food was good, and although I was still a bit shocked by the fact that people could smoke inside the building, I was relieved that James was home asleep with my Aunt Martie watching him. Smoky bar + baby = not very happy Mama. So, it all worked out for the best.

The next day was a little crazy. We attempted to set up our phone (which was successful) but internet was a huge problem. Tim's parents and my Aunt were with us so there was a lot of hustle and bustle in the house. Our new neighbors up the street also dropped by to welcome us to the town. They brought us a crock pot of food to make Sloppy Joe's, deviled eggs, and cherry angelfood cake. It was delicious and very nice of them. It had been so long since I'd experienced such hospitality. It was a welcome change.

The next day was spent unpacking and moving yet more heavy items up the stairs. Having a 2 story house is wonderful - but whew! Quite an undertaking when moving. Our internet still wasn't working. And there was still so much we needed to do.

On Friday we finally had a chance to go down to the bank and open up an account there. There are no ATMs, so everything is done inside. Everyone there was really nice, though. We even got free popcorn! Apparently every Friday the bank makes popcorn in their old-fashioned popcorn machine. I couldn't believe this actually still happened somewhere! I felt a deep sense of relief - I was actually beginning to like it here!

Saturday of course was a whirlwind of activities being the 4th of July. We got up at the crack of dawn to make the 2 hour drive to Wichita to drop my Aunt off at the airport. Then from there on to Winfield to spend the day with Tim's family. We had a huge BBQ lunch, topped off by evening fireworks (we get a great view from the parking lot of the high school). James was pretty exhausted, but he made it through the fireworks and finally we both retired for the evening around 10pm.

Sunday we had another BBQ lunch and birthday party for Tim's brother Randy. It was a lot of fun but I was definitely ready to go home and have some quiet time...it had been such a crazy week of go-go-go...I was ready to sleep, sleep, sleep. :-)

Sunday evening we arrived at home and spent our very first night as a family in our home. It was really nice. James has been sleeping beautifully since we moved in and assembled his crib. Hardwood floors agree with him - he hasn't stopped crawling around since we got here. And he's getting fast! Kansas has definitely agreed with James. He is hugging us, kissing us, and now says "Da-da" to Tim. It's been an eventful week!

Monday we took our first trip up to Pratt as a family to go to Wal-Mart. It's a 45 minute drive, which is a bummer. But a very scenic drive, which is nice. The Wal-Mart there is super clean and not even crowded. I love it!



Yesterday the Dish Network guy came and ran a million miles of cable around the house so we could get hooked up in our bedroom. It was worth it. 4 hours later...voila! DVR and cable!!!! My life is complete.
Unfortunately, we never did get our internet to work. So we decided to buy one of those cards you stick in your laptop and you can take anywhere. This is a wonderful invention. Now we have internet no matter where we go in the country. I'll take it!
To top off our day, James took a wonderfully long nap, so he was awake in the evening. It doesn't get dark until 9pm, so we were able to take him to the park with both of us for the first time! The park is literally a one minute walk, and we had the place to ourselves. We're definitely not in Cali anymore!


After we put James to bed, we sat out on our porch, talked and watched the fireflies. There was a warm breeze blowing and we could hear the trees rustling above us. It's so nice to have so much greenery and nature right outside our doorstep. It was a great way to end our first week in Kansas!

The time has come

Well, suffice to say, it's been an interesting month so far. Apart from all the stress of packing up our entire lives and getting ready to saddle up our horses and wagons for our move to the Mid-West, things are going as smoothly as a major life transition can.

And in the midst of it all, our son turned 11 months old. I can't believe it - the time has finally come. James is no longer a tiny little newborn baby, or even helpless infant. He is full on turning into a little boy with a mind of his own, and believe me if he could voice his opinions - he'd have plenty.

Since of course our home is turned upside down from moving, James decided this would be a great time to start moving around. He is crawling everywhere (on his stomach) like the army man. He is pulling up and getting into things. He has discovered our coasters and will crawl to great lengths to get them. And he gets very very put out, if they happen to disappear. He has also discovered the grill on our gas fireplace. And computer wires. So, it's been an interesting experience trying to pack these past few days. But, we don't make the schedule...James does. So as we celebrate his new explorations and progression toward true mobility, we also mourn those quiet mornings where James would play with his toys without protest. And getting to our coasters was not a matter of life or death, complete with tantrums if they do not somehow make it into his hands - pronto.

James has also realized that what goes in, can also come out. So the new game is put everything on the table. Then push it all off. Put everything in the box. Take it all out. Stack everything up. Unstack it immediately. Lather, rinse, and repeat. He also likes to gives people his stuff, then get mad because they have it. Here he is playing with my friend Glenda.
Although the mess in the living room has gotten rather extensive as a result of these games, we love being able to interact with him so much more. Good thing we're moving to a house that has a loft upstairs. Having a playroom is looking better and better.



And after we (finally) realized that James was ready for graduate spoons, he has been more than happy to feed himself. Silly parents. However, the mess is terrific - so good thing we take stock in Pampers Bibsters (not shown here - Daddy doesn't mind messy clothes as much as me LOL)


James is going to miss his buddy Ben when we move. But we'll make sure to keep in touch, and maybe next year they can play together over the summer when we make our annual California visit, running around and leaving a path of destruction in their wake. (ah the things we look forward to!)



This is James' potential girlfriend, Grace. I guess they'll have to settle for a long distance relationship, but since I'm sure any average 5 year old will soon be able to navigate Facebook and operate a laptop, that won't be a problem.

This is James & his buddy Brandon. They are 8 months apart and they are not men of many words, but I'm sure in his own way, James will miss him too.




We love our little guy. Every milestone he reaches is one to celebrate. No matter what changes await us in our new life, He is always our sweet boy, and as he grows and changes, he never fails to take my breath away. Here's to 11 months!

10 months old :-)

In honor of James turning 10 months old, here are 10 reasons I love him so, so much...

1) your squeals of delight and laughter when you are amused
2) your cute way of waving "bye-bye"
3) when you say "Mama"
4) when you snuggle with me putting your arms around my neck
5) the content look on your face when you sleep with the blanket twisted around your head like a turban
6) the way you create 'art' with your food
7) your jiggle-wiggle dance
8) your grin that lights up the room and causes all the ladies in the nail salon to swoon
9) your wonderful way of making me smile without even doing anything
10) and last but not least, just being YOU!

Happy 10 months, James!

James & Oatmeal: Take 1

Self gratification: it's the best.

Jimmy Choo Choo is 9 months old!

Time has been going by way too fast these days. But in a good way; I am excited to watch James grow up and interact more and more as his world gets bigger and bigger. And today there is much to celebrate - he is a very healthy, happy 9 month old baby and I couldn't ask for anything more!

Today was his well baby checkup and everything went pretty well - (with the exception of me needing to duck out to the restroom for a couple minutes - that was not so good. But the pediatrician got to have a first-hand experience with James' separation anxiety, so hey - there you go).

Weight: 17.9 lbs, and Height: 29 inches. Yep, he's a little string bean still, even with the transition to formula. But it's looking to be more genetic than anything else. He certainly doesn't get his slim figure from myself, so I guess we have Daddy to thank. I definitely see basketball in James' future childhood....

And thank goodness for not having shots this time around. Good news is, James has been cleared to start citrus foods, since there are no allergies on either side of the family. More for his palate (as if he isn't eating enough!!!)

As for his development, everything is going well. Although still not crawling, I have been taking James to playgroup for the past 2 weeks and he is really blossoming from the experience. He is now getting on all fours from a sitting position and kicking his legs out in a desperate attempt to move forward. Sometimes he gets frustrated and actually ends up pushing himself backward, but I can tell that he is on a mission!

Other fun things that James likes to do:
*share his food with the dog
*throw his toys at the dog
*throw his pacifier out of the crib
*play with his busy box in the middle of the night
*say "Mama" and "BaBa"(to pretty much everything and everyone)
*laugh at nothing in particular
*roll a ball back and forth
*pull everything out of his toybox and put them back in

and of course, scream bloody murder when he doesn't feel like taking a nap.

But we still love you, James!!!!
Happy 9 months!

Long time, no blog

I know, I know...I haven't blogged in almost 6 weeks. But these things can happen when, say, in a span of 2 weeks you travel to Kansas, accept a job, realize now you're moving to Kansas, you have to somehow figure out what to do with your house, find a place to live, and start preparing for the biggest change of your life.

So, I missed James 8 month mark- but I have a good excuse. I was on a flight to Kansas late that morning.

Now he is almost 9 months old - and yes, I will blog about that on Thurs...:) but in the meantime, here are some of his recent photos...notably, from his first Easter (which was April 12th).

:)
Enjoy.

Playdate with James' best buddy, Ben - 4/04/09. James is going to miss him when we move!
Look Ma, no hands!

Happy Easter! We took this pic right before we left for Kansas, so he wouldn't miss his chance with the Easter Bunny. :)

At my Aunt's house on Easter. James has a thing for Mylar balloons, so we indulge him when we can. :)

Baby in a basket

Just some creative playing around...:)
James has this new game where he likes to put his finger in your mouth. And we are the lucky contestants.

Lucky number 7

Hey little guy,
I can't believe you are 7 months old. Already you are starting yet another transition into independence. I push the limits and before I know it you're ready for something else. What on earth am I going to do with you once you're completely mobile?!
It's great to see you blossoming out of your shell. Yesterday we went to Mommy and Me group for the first time and I've never seen you so animated. You played with peg board games, tried to stand by yourself and make yourself move as you jealously watched the older kids run around. I know it's hard, but you will get there soon. And then I'll have to be like the other Moms running around making sure they are not swallowing pencils or throwing beanbags at the smaller babies. So I'll cherish the fact that for now, you're more of an observer than a participant! :) You are growing up so fast my little man. And I'm cherishing every wonderful minute of it.

James and his "lovey", Elmo. He has to sleep with him every night now.



Attempting to eat finger food. Most of the time he just sucks on his hand until they turn to mush and then he eats them...but you gotta start somewhere. And of course our little Hoover (a.k.a. Pixie) is always waiting to gobble up any that are left behind.

James loves to eat his shapes.

Giggling with Pixie.

Having a Ball

James loves his newest toy that Daddy bought for him...so much that I can always get him smiling as soon as he has it in his grasp! He is also figuring out how to roll it back to us..and has so much fun with it that he shakes his whole body in anticipation whenever he sees it. He's so funny when he bends his whole body to pick it up. He scoops it up and tries to eat it first, then roll it. It's pretty cute. :)

Here's to you, James! Happy 6 months!

Well, the day has finally come. James has turned 1/2 year old. And it was quite an eventful day. First stop: the pediatrician's office, where James weighed in at 15 1/2 lbs, and 28 inches long. He's quite the string bean, as the nurse proclaimed. But the doctor told me not to worry, that he is in a perfectly normal weight range. He also told me that James not rolling over yet is fine. Since he is 'lunging' forward from his tummy, he is making progress and soon he'll be crawling around like everyone else on his own time. So, that was a relief.
After his shots (thank goodness, no screaming fits), James promptly fell asleep in his carrier. Later this evening, we cooked up some pureed carrots and gave James his first solid meal outside of cereal!

And his reaction? Gimme Gimme!!!!! He all but screamed it. This kid can't get enough of anything we put in his mouth. So...no funny face, or strange expressions. He just opened his mouth wide like "what are you waiting for? Give me that orange stuff!!!" And promptly made a mess all over the place :-)


Good job, James! You're such a big boy now at 6 months!! :) We love you little man!

Fun Stuff

just highlight the things you’ve done.

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelos David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Read an entire book in one day

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and much more...

Happy Holidays, everyone!Well it has been quite some time since I have posted anything, but let me tell you it's been quite the eventful past few weeks. First off, we had a huge storm on Wednesday, Dec. 17th. The high desert was literally covered in snow. It was very unusual..but a lot of fun to watch. Of course, not so much fun to dig the car out of the snow. But James was able to see his very first snow! And as an added bonus, tried out his new peacoat!


Then on December 21st, we had my Dad, my sister and my nephew up to our home for a pre-Christmas get together. My nephew Ian had fun playing in the snow and we got some nice family pics.


Whew! Next on our agenda: 3 day trip to Kansas. We left early on Mon. Dec. 22nd..and after 3 very long days, we made it to Winfield, where Tim's parents, grandmother and brothers all live. We rolled in Christmas Eve night and within minutes we were already starting Christmas by opening up presents! We continued to open presents all the way through Christmas Day! It was quite the event, but I've got to hand it to little James..he was a trooper. I was so proud of him. He had a very nice first Christmas. Here's James with Grandma:

And with Great-Grandma and cousins:



And of course, with Daddy:

Suffice to say, James was hooked up for Christmas. He received clothes, toys, books..everything! Thank you to Grandma and Grandpa! James loves his gifts..especially his Tugboat bath time. And yes, we even have a Tugboat bath time song for him now....:p

While we were in Kansas, James also started solid foods - for real this time! He downed some mashed potatoes on Christmas and never looked back. Now he's gone from rice cereal, to baby crackers, to oatmeal cereal. He loves it!

It's hard to believe that James is almost 6 months old now. The time has gone by so fast! It seems so surreal that we are now feeding him cereal and juice. He is also sitting up for long periods of time, and reaching/grabbing everything in sight...he's just grown up so much. And it's only the beginning!

All in all, we had a great time in Kansas. Here is little James with his grandparents and Daddy:


We stayed until New Year's Day, and then it was on the road again. This time, due to good weather, we were able to make it home in 2 days. I stayed in the back seat with James the whole time and that made the ride home a lot easier for him. For a baby, he did pretty awesome. He had a nice Christmas and a nice New Year's Eve (he did not stay up until midnight, alas..but he slept pretty well, better than he had the whole time he was in Kansas..and I was so happy for that!)

Now that we've been back home for a week and have somewhat recuperated, caught up on everything and have gotten back on a more or less regular schedule, things are getting back to normal (well as normal as can be with a 6 month old...!) Every day I feel so blessed to have the family that I have..I love little James with all my heart, and am so happy to share him with my incredible husband. Here's to a great 2009!

Rice, Rice, Baby

As Tim & I sat inside Farmer Boys munching on our burgers and sandwiches last night, we realized that James was eyeing our meals once again and looking like he wanted to sample some of our food. So, we took the plunge and decided to see if once and for all, James was ready to try some solids of his own.

After a whirlwind trip to Target, we set up the high chair and mixed a little bit of rice cereal in with his milk. And..voila!

Hmmm...what is this stuff?


Here comes the choo choo train!






Hey, this tastes kinda good!



Unfortunately, the cereal seemed to stimulate James' appetite even more, and instead of going to bed, he ended up wanting to eat more and more, until even I did not have enough for him and had to serve him up some stored milk from the freezer. The boy was insatiable!

So, as of now we think he can still wait a while until we make this a regular thing...but a momentous occasion, all the same. And yes, there is video, but haven't yet acquired the technology to hook our camcorder up to the computer for downloads. Someday, though..

:)