A Mother's Love

It's My Birthday!

2007-02-01T09:28:00.000-05:00

Yep today is the day. I am 31. Wow I am getting old.

Kevin took off today and tomorrow, not quite sure why, but he did. LOL We will be going to my in-law's on Saturday and my Mom's on Sunday to celebrate.

On Monday the ladies at Lambikins Hideaway Yarn and Stitchery had a party for me. I got some nice things. It was so nice of them to do that for me. I was quite surprised.

So far Kevin had planned to give me breakfast in bed. Well the silly man didn't think to turn off the baby monitor so I didn't hear James when he woke up. So I got up to attend to the diaper change and all the fun morning stuff. Kevin was already in James' room taking care of him and trying to keep him quiet, but that didn't work. Haha. Kevin made me chocolate chip pancakes. Yummm. I also got a card that he and James drew. The rest of my gift went to fixing the furnace. I would much rather have heat than something that was bought in the store.

Well that is all I have to say for this morning. Have a great day.

When the Weather Out Side is Cold

2007-01-26T14:42:00.000-05:00

UPDATE: Kevin was able to fix the furnace. He was able to get it fixed Friday night. So we are warm again. Thanks for all the warm wishes. Keep your fingers crossed that it is fixed.

Well winter has defiantly hit here. We have snow, we have the cold, and we have had the cloudy days to go along with it. I am happy about winter being here and I do like the snow, but I don't like what has come with it.

What is it I don't like, you may ask.?

Our furnace decided to stop last night. 16 freaking degrees out side last night! It is only 50 degrees in the house! Glad that we have the oil filled heater in James' room. At least he can be one toasty little man.

So far Kevin has got a part that cost $7 last year, but this year cost $75! And I thought that the gas prices were bad. The man at the heating and air store even called his distributor to see if he was charged wrong. He couldn't believe it either. So far it isn't working. Kevin got it going once, but when it shuts off it won't restart itself. I know that gas heat is warmer than electric, but this pilot light thing really gets on my nerves.

Oh did I mention that we don't have the $$ to call some one in to fix it? I am afraid that Kevin will need to go back and get more parts. I really hope that he can fix it and we don't have to call some one in. If we do have to I know it is going to cost a heck of a lot more than $75.

Think warm and toasty thoughts for us please. I would send warm hugs your way, but all I can give are some cold shivering ones. I am huddled up to my lap top to stay warm. LOL

The Haul at Grandma's

2007-01-16T22:00:00.000-05:00

We returned to my Mom's house after the Trick or Treating extravaganza. We filled our bellies with food and she got out the stuff that she bought for James.

Can I say SPOILED?! I kid you not, it looked like Christmas!

He absolutely LOVED the fire truck. As I have always said.... anything with wheels he likes. He was trying to be so patient while Kevin wrangled it from the packaging.

Here are the books, puzzles, horses and coloring/activity books that my Mom got him. Just a few there hu?

James allowed me to get a picture of his fire truck while he was napping. LOL It is pretty cool though.

Next we have the beginning of the clothing pictures. Yes I said beginning. I told you it was like Christmas instead of Halloween. They are all really cute!

You guessed it more clothes. The outfits are just too cute. I am so glad that there are really cute clothes for boys now.

My Mom told me that she just couldn't resist this next outfit. How cute is this?! It is too big for him at the moment, but rest assured once it fits him it will get plenty of wear.

Can you say too cute?!

This is the back of the Jacket. I will have to get a picture of him in it when fits.

Just gotta love the Grandma spoiling the wee one.

Trick or Treating

2007-01-16T21:45:00.000-05:00

Man I have neglected this blog far too long. Let me put in a few posts here that will finally finish up Halloween.

James was a Koala Bear. Loved the costume so much I had to get it. It won't be too much longer that I will be able to dress him all cute like this, so I am getting it in while I get the chance. :)

We went to my Mom's house for Trick or Treating. Of course when we got there my Mom had to take a bunch of pictures before we went out.

James didn't seem to care. He just wanted to play with the toys.

He would much rather be out of the outfit and having Kevin reading to him. He just didn't understand what all the fuss was about.

I had to get a picture of the Bear butt. :)

Of course I love the pictures of James and Kevin walking holding hands. I had to get one of them too. Yep that is an Elmo bucket. Kevin found it and James loves it. He had a death grip on it all night.

Most of the houses in my Mom's neighborhood have steps to get up to the door. Kevin or I would carry James up since it was rather dark and we didn't want him getting hurt or trampled by the over zealous older kids.

He made quite a haul and had a great time. After the first few houses he caught on that people put things into his bucket, so he began holding it out waiting for the goodies to flow in.

Halloween at Home

2007-01-16T21:41:00.000-05:00

The morning of Halloween James got his bucket full of things from us. He had a blast digging through it and finding all kinds of stuff.

He seemed to like the bugs the best. Yep he is all boy. I am waiting for the day that he comes in with worms and all things creepy crawly in his pockets for me to find. Then I will hear my laughing and saying that I deserve all the fuzzy slimy things that I find for doing it to her when I was younger.

He also liked the little finger puppets that I found. Oh and of course the little bags of snacks.

SALE!! SALE!! SALE!! SALE!! SALE!! SALE!! SALE!! SALE!! SALE!! SALE!! SALE!! SALE!!

2006-12-01T01:00:00.000-05:00

Yep you read it right. I am having my first sale at my Etsy store. It begins December 1 and will run until Christmas. So please stop buy and if you feel so inclined purchase a sweet little hat for that little one that could use it this winter. Most hats have been marked down at least $5.00!!!!

Just click on the link above or the picture in the sidebar or below to get there.

Thanks so much!

ETA: I will leave this post at the top of the blog until the sale is over. For new posts look below this one.

Cookie Makin'

2006-11-13T01:51:00.000-05:00

Yeah I know this is late, but better late than never right?.

I have quite a few pictures to share with you all from Halloween so I will do it in multiple posts over the next few days.

I cheated and bought some pre-made cookies for James to decorate. He snagged two of them before I could even get the icing on them, so I let him munch on those so all the others wouldn't have a bite out of each of them.

He did a really good job at decorating and seemed to enjoy himself. I had a great time watching him. I don't know what I was thinking letting him play with the black icing, but it came off for the most part and was gone by the time we had to go out for Trick or Treating.

I can say that the cookies were good. :)

My Etsy Store

2006-11-06T13:50:00.000-05:00

I have been knitting for just over a year now and have been told by quite a few people that I should sell some of my stuff. Well I have taken their advice and have opened my first Etsy store.

My SIL and her boyfriend made my logo. Isn't it GREAT!? I just LOVE it. It helps to know someone that knows graphic design. Since I know that I could NEVER have done anything like it.

Currently I only have knitted hats listed. I am hoping to get some more items listed in the near future. Of course that requires having the time to knit said items and figuring out what I want to list. If you have any suggestions please let me know. I am open to anything.

If you click on the graffic below it will take you to my store. Thanks for looking.

Happy Birthday Hubby

2006-10-10T00:42:00.000-04:00

Today is Kevin's 33rd birthday.

This weekend we went to his parent's house to celebrate. He got a few gift cards that he was really happy with, a new belt and some $$.

James and I gave him the gift from us in the morning and he decided that he wanted to go out and work on the riding mower. It threw a rod through the engine and he is putting a new engine on it. He got the engine at his Dad's and it has been sitting for quite a few years, so we are hoping that it will work. A free engine is much better than having to dish out the $$ for a new one. Hopefully tonight he will get a chance to see if it works.

All in all I would say that he had a happy birthday.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SWEETIE!!!

House Update

2006-09-23T23:48:00.000-04:00

The house is slowly coming along. One of these days we will finally be finished and able to move in. I really wish it was sooner than later, but what can you do.?

So far we have the hardwood floors sanded and resealed. They look so much better than they did before. Granted we didn't get them completely pristine, but the major problems are gone. I do like some of the scratches, dings, wear marks etc. left in them. It gives them character and lets you know that they have been around for a while.

We are very pleased with the way that they turned out. I just hope that they wear well and we don't have to do it for quite a long time to come. The sealant that we used is used for bowling alleys, so hopefully it will wear well. Now I need to find out how to clean them and such to keep their shine and not to break down the sealant.

So the next projects were the be the priming, painting, carpet install and kitchen floor redo. So we are getting there. Everything is complete except for the kitchen. The tile is down, but needs to be grouted in and sealed. I will post pictures of these things in the next few days. I didn't want to completely over whelm you with pictures.

Here are some before and after pictures of the floors.

Living Room Before....

Living Room After...

Dining Room Before...

Dining Room After...

Hallway Before...

Hallway After...

Family Room After...

Master Bed Room After...

A Haunting???

2006-09-16T21:40:00.000-04:00

Ok a bit of a creepy story about our new house.

Well as you know in my last post, we have purchased a house. It was built in the 50's and has 2 additions on it. We have been working on the floors and painting recently which has put either Kevin or myself there late at night alone. This is because some one has to go home or stay at home to put James to bed and make sure he eats a good dinner and gets to bed at a decent time.

Any way, we each have experienced something that neither of us has shared with each other until today. Kevin experienced it before I brought a radio over. He was there by himself and said it was around 11 pm. I experienced it after the radio was there. I too was alone and it was around 9:30.

So I am sure you are now wondering what the "experience" was. We both heard music playing. It wasn't the radio because when Kevin heard it there was no radio. When I heard it I ran and checked the radio and it wasn't on. I wasn't just any music like you would hear on the radio either. It sounded like a music box. We know that each other was telling the truth because we were finishing each other's sentences. Not only did we hear the music, but we also heard people talking. These voices were younger, child like voices. The only children close enough to hear are the neighbors across the street. Kevin said that the family was well in bed and their and our windows were closed when he heard it. When I was there the neighbors weren't even home. I looked around and all the neighbors homes were closed up for the night and there wasn't anyone outside as far as I could see. It had creeped us both out now knowing that each other has experienced it and we weren't just hearing things.

The cemetery next to the house does have a few kids buried there. It is a family plot for what I am guessing was the original owners of the land. So we are wondering if it might be the kids.

I know that some of you are thinking we are complete crazies for believing that there might be ghosts or spirits in the new house. Then there are others that are open to this and thing it interesting. I am a believer in this. We currently live in a house that is haunted. We have had too many unexplained things happen here that we can't just dismiss. Nothing violent or dangerous has happened, but we have had things fall, loud noises, being touched etc. Kevin came downstairs one late evening to a really loud noise that woke him from a sound sleep. He swore that someone had broke into the house. He got downstairs and there was nothing. The doors were locked and everything was in it's place.

Another example is from last night. I had locked up for the evening and went to bed. Kevin got up during the evening to go to the bathroom because he wasn't feeling well. He decided to sleep on the couch just in case he has to make another trip. When James and I got up that morning I saw that the front door was cracked open. I asked Kevin if he had gone out to get something and he said "no". He hadn't touched the front door and it wasn't cracked when he laid down on the couch. He would have seen the porch light coming through it. So now they are unlocking and opening doors on us. Wonderful!

I am not opposed to having ghosts, or whatever you want to call them, in the new place. I just hope that they are friendly and we can all get along. You might see us on an episode of Ghost Hunters if things aren't friendly. As long as they don't bother James and aren't violent toward us then we can live with them. Heck we do now.

Kevin just told me that he experienced a shadow while in the extra bed room taking the tape off the walls. He said that he saw it in the hallway and it headed toward our bedroom. He said that when he ran to look for it, it was gone. Great! This could be quite and interesting house.

I think I will have to do some digging on the history of the land, house and cemetery and see if I can come up with anything. Maybe I can talk to my Father-In-Law and see where I should start. He has done research on the property that we are currently living in. So I am sure that he has some idea where to begin.

Wish us luck.

Where I Have Been

2006-09-14T13:58:00.000-04:00

Boy has it been busy around here. My Grandma has been in town for a month and we purchased our first house!

It was really good to see my Grandma again. It was also nice to be able to spend some time with her and not have to rush to see her. We could have her for a day and then let her rest for a day. She gets really tired quickly, so we mostly spent time sitting and talking. Which is fine with me. I just enjoy the time with her. I know she really had fun watching James play. I hope that she will be able to come back soon for another month or so. Sadly we spend our time with her thinking that it might be our last. She will be 90 this year, so she has lived a long life. I just hope that she lives a lot longer.

Now to the house. We signed the papers on August 22. It isn't anything spectacular or anything, but it is ours. It is a ranch with 3 beds, 1 bath, kitchen, dining, living room, family room, partial basement with a 3 ft high crawl space under the rest, a 3 car garage and sits on 1/2 acre. I am very excited and James seems to love it when we are there. Currently we are working on it before we move in. We have to redo the floors in all the rooms except James' bedroom and the bathroom, then primer and paint the walls. It is taking longer than we want it to, but we know that we will be happy with it once it is finished. We need to do some work on the outside of it as well, but that will come after we move in.

Here are some pictures of it just after we purchased it.

Exterior Pictures......

Standing in the drive way.

The 3 car garage (3rd one is in the back)

Part of the back/covered porch

Side from Church parking lot

Quiet neighbors (yep that is a cemetery that you see)

Side Back

Now for the interior pictures......

View of the living room from the dining room

More of the living room

Dining room

Bath room

Family Room

Family room and a view of the "Magic Closet"

Interior of the "Magic Closet"

Hall way to the extra bedroom and master bedroom

Extra bedroom

Extra bedroom

Hall way leading to master bedroom

Master bedroom

Master bedroom

James' bedroom

James' bedroom looking at the "Magic Closet"

Kitchen

Kitchen

That concludes the tour of our new home. We hope that you enjoyed yourself. As you can see there is work that needs to be done and that is what we have been working on. I can't wait to get into it.

Wedding #2

2006-08-29T12:48:00.000-04:00

This was the summer of weddings for us. We had 3 of them to go to. It is always so neat to see how different each one is.

This one is my BIL and his fiance. They were married at their farm and it was a surprise to my BIL. I know what you are thinking. What? How and why would you surprise the groom?

They had already gotten a marriage license and had planned on getting married, they just never set a date and such. So his fiance decided to make it a surprise and have it on their first date anniversary. All the immediate family was invited and a few close friends. Can you believe that he had no clue?! One of his co-workers married them even. LOL

It threatened to storm all that afternoon, but it held off until after they were married to start raining. We were all lucky on that one. It was a beautiful wedding and I am glad that it all turned out so well.

I wish them a happy and long marriage.

Book Worm

2006-08-24T00:42:00.000-04:00

James is my little book worm. He absolutely LOVES his books. We have a stack of about 20 or so that we go through multiple times a day. He will go through his stack, pick out the one that he wants, bring it to me and I read it. Then the process starts over with the next book. We go through this all day until he decides that he wants to play with his toys. I am glad that he likes books so much, but some times I would like to get a few things done around the house. Oh well the dust isn't going anywhere so it can wait.

He will even sit and read to himself. I just love it when he does that. He really looks like he is reading and he will ramble like he is reading out loud. It is way too cute. In the pictured below he has his Dick and Jane books that he likes to read himself. (Anyone remember them?) Those expressions on his face are priceless. He is completely concentrating on his books.

I am so glad that he likes books so well. I hope that reading as much as I do to him will help him in the future. I also read at least 3 books to him before his nap and bed. So I would say that he gets a good dose of story time a day. LOL

Kitten is Growing and Growing

2006-08-21T13:21:00.000-04:00

A while back I had mentioned that we had a new member in the family. Well I was a bit afraid to post about it in fear that she wouldn't make it. Fortunately that isn't the case and I have been wanting to share all the pictures of her.

I found the little one when she was 2 days old! She was crying in our front flower bed. I could hear her crying while I was in our living room with the t.v. going. She had flies all over her and they had been laying eggs. She had mostly white spots on her from all the eggs. Needless to say it was GROSS. When I picked her up she was completely cold. I couldn't just lever her out there like that to suffer and die that way. I brought her in and warmed her up. Then I gave her a bath to get rid of all the eggs. Once that was done I knew that she should eat. I know not to give cow milk or formula. I remembered that I still had some breast milk frozen and thought that had to be better than nothing until I could get to the pet store. So that is what she ate. Once Kevin came home I ran to the store for bottles and formula. Unfortunately she was so young the bottles were too big for her mouth. I took her to the vet the next day and they gave me some syringes to feed her with. I figured if she was going to die at least she would have a warm comfortable place with her belly full. I didn't have too much hope that she would make it, but I didn't give up. I played mom to her so that she would potty and all that fun stuff. She ended up with an eye infection before her eyes were open. I felt so bad for her. I will spare you the gross details on that. Once it was taken care of she hasn't stopped.

She is a wild one with a sweet spirit. She loves to cuddle and be with you. I am so glad that I didn't wait to bring her in because I don't think she would have made it much longer. So she is now ours and I really think she belongs. James loves her and likes to play with her. She is very playful and loves to chase your feet when you are walking. Our other cat is even getting along with her and he is very antisocial. He will actually play with her, which has surprised me. I think she was a gift from God. I found her 6 days before Leon passed away. So I really think she was meant for me to find her.

I have yet to actually give her a name. I am leaning toward Salem. What do you think?

Day She was Found

Day She was Found

14 Days Old

14 Days Old

Remington and Kitten 23 Days Old

Remington and Kitten 23 Days Old

Kitten Sleeping on Pillow 1 Month Old

Kitten Sleeping 1 Month Old

Cousin's Wedding

2006-08-18T00:11:00.000-04:00

On June 10th my cousin Heather was married. She had planned on having her wedding out doors, but the weather had other plans for her. She has always dreamed of having an outside wedding and I really felt bad that her dream was crushed.

Even with the weather not being perfect the wedding was still beautiful. Her dress was gorgeous! I loved the purple trim that was added to it. She made a very pretty bride.

The food was delicious. James was sitting on my lap mooching food from all of us. Later he found out that my cousin's kids had fries and ketchup. That was quite a mess. LOL

All in all the wedding went well and we had a great time. I was just sorry that we had to leave before they cut the cake and all that fun stuff. Unfortunately James was already up past his bed time and we still had a good drive ahead of us.

The Wedding...

James with my cousin's kids. I am not sure if that would make them 2nd cousins or what. If you know leave it in the comments so I will know what to call them. :)

James after taking the ketchup and fries. Looks like he really enjoyed them doesn't it.?

Most Belated 4th of July Post

2006-08-16T23:52:00.000-04:00

Yeah I know it is August, but I figured that it is better late than never. Right?

We had a great 4th like we always do. James had a lot of fun running around and playing. Of course he was sucking everyone into his cuteness.

I wanted to get pictures of James playing and such, but Kevin had absconded with the camera. Guess he thought that the gun range was more important than getting pictures of James. Grrrr. Nothing that I can do about it now. I did get some nice fireworks pictures that night after the camera was returned to me.

We also got this.......

It is my Sister-in-Law, her boyfriend. The second they have added a friend of theirs. This tent is James' so it isn't huge by any stretch of the imagination. Who says that we can't have fun.

Now on to the fireworks. James did really well. He didn't seem fazed by them in the least. I was afraid that the loud booming would scare him, but he didn't jump or cry once. I was really proud of him. He seemed to really like them.

Busy Momma

2006-07-16T00:33:00.000-04:00

I can safely say that I have been busy lately. I have little time to myself. I have been wanting to blog, but just haven't gotten much of a chance.

James has been keeping me on my toes. He is getting more adventurous and the terrible 2's are well on their way. He has learned the word "No". In a way it is good because he can tell me when he doesn't want something, but then on the other hand when he gets mad or upset he says it over and over again as he is throwing his fit. He has learned a few other words as well. He can say butterfly, bubble, cheeto, cheese, thank you, mom, dad, kitten, dog, choo choo, no, up, down and I am sure that there are more, but I just can't think of them at the moment.

He is understanding more and more what we ask him or tell him to do. It is so nice to be able to tell him to get something and he actually goes and gets the right thing. It is so cool that he knows what we are saying. We play a game where I will ask for something and have him bring it to me. Sometimes I will point in the direction of the item then other times I will look away and see if he understands. He amazes me at how smart he is.

His next well baby check-up is August 7. I can't believe that he will be 19 months then. Where did the time go. He is growing up way too fast! Has anyone out there found a pill to keep them small yet? As far as I know this check-up will just be for weight, height and development. I was told that he is finished with all his shots until 4 or 5 years of age. I am glad that they are over with. I really didn't like having to hold him down knowing that they were hurting him. I had to keep telling myself that it was for his own good and health. It still didn't make it any easier.

He is really into books now. He can't get enough of them. I am not at all opposed to this. I need to get to the book store though and get him some more. He is getting bored with the ones that we have and needs some new ones so I can rotate in some new and take out some old for a while. He would sit with me and let me read to him most of the day. I get my snuggle time in where I can, plus it is good for him to be read to and I hope it will help him when he is learning to read. The sad thing is I have quite a few of the books memorized! LOL

Well I think it is time for me to head to bed. Good Night.

I will leave you with a few pictures of James sitting at the tv. He has his moments where something catches his eye and he has to stop and watch it. For the most part he ignores it. :)

James' First Hair Cut

2006-05-31T00:05:00.000-04:00

I finally decided that it was time for James to have his hair cut. I wasn't looking forward to it. All his cute little curls would be gone.

So on April 27 we went and had it done. I was brave and held back my tears. James cried enough for the both of us. He was not at all happy with the experience.

Later I learned that there is a place that specializes in children. I believe that I will go there next time his hair needs cut. Maybe it won't be so traumatic for us both.

Needless to say we all lived through it. I have to say the new hair cut makes him look so much older. What did they do with my baby? Sniff, Sniff. I can't believe how much older he looks. He looks like a little man. I want my baby back.

Do you think that they can glue his curls back on?.

Hair Before

First Hair Cut

After Hair Cut

Easter at the In-Laws

2006-05-25T11:15:00.000-04:00

After hunting eggs at my Mom's James had a better idea of what to do. Of course the rocks are more important. LOL He is such a boy.

He really got into the groove of hunting the eggs and such. When he found them all he kept looking around for more. I am sure that next year is going to be so much fun.

He of course made out like a bandit in the gift department. It looked like Christmas instead of Easter. He got tons of things. 2 wagons and a storage basket full. You should have seen his eyes. He was so excited! It is such a shame that the child is so deprived and unloved LOL.

Sand Box Fun

2006-05-23T11:30:00.000-04:00

Isn't this a cool sand box?! My Mom got it for her house. James just loves it. When ever we go over there now he heads for the back door so he can go out and play in his sand box. He has more fun throwing the sand out and onto the water side than anything, but he is having fun - right?.

I can't wait until Kevin gets the one done here for him. He is making it out of wood. It is pretty much done. He needs to unload all the junk (yes I mean junk because it all is going to the scrap yard) off the trailer so he can go and get a load of sand for it. When that will happen I don't know, but it better be soon or he is going to hear about it more and more LOL.

I remember playing in the sand boxes that my Dad made for me. I always had the best time playing in them. O.k. so I admit that the sand box is for me too. You all know that I will be in it playing too. That is part of the fun isn't it? Isn't that one of the reasons to have kids? - So you can play with toys and have a legitimate reason to and people won't think you are crazy?.

I will leave you with some pictures of James and his sand box at my Mom's. Looks fun doesn't it?

Easter Pictures

2006-05-17T11:49:00.000-04:00

These much overdue pictures were taken at my Mom's house. It was James' first Easter egg hunt. It took a while for him to get the concept and he was tired (it was way beyond time for his nap). So it didn't go as well as we had hoped it would. He mostly sat and played with his trucks. Oh well he had fun none the less. The pictures made almost a flip book of his expressions so I had to share them all with you. I hope that you enjoy them.

Leon - You Will be Missed!

2006-05-15T22:27:00.000-04:00

Last night our Black Lab, Leon passed away in his sleep. He was almost 9 years old. He was such a sweet, caring, compassionate and loyal friend and family member.

Today he was laid to rest next to his friend on my In-Law's farm with his bed. He has a nice peaceful place to rest. I can just imagine him and my Dad together in heaven. My Dad is in his recliner with Leon laying at his feet. Take good care of him Dad - I know that you loved him too and he loved you.

The best that anyone can guess that happened is a heart attack while sleeping. He was in the same position that he always lays to sleep when we go to bed at night, so it just looked like he fell asleep and some time in the night slipped away. I just couldn't stand to take his body to the vet for an autopsy. I just wanted to let him rest in peace.

Remington is doing ok. He seems a little confused, but is alright. He isn't the sharpest tool in the shed, but he is really sweet and always happy, so I think he will do ok. He is liking the extra loving that I have been giving him. The cat couldn't care one way or the other, but the cat really isn't very social anyway.

I know that some people probably think that I am crazy. People are saying that he was only a dog. Our pets have always been raised as part of our family. I have always gotten attached to my animals and it is hard to see them go. Really hard sometime - like now. I have been crying off and on all day. I so wish that he wouldn't have passed away, but I am glad that he didn't suffer. My heart aches and my chest is so heavy with grief. I know that time will make it better, but it is just so hard to see the light right now. Guess I need to go through my grieving process and I will begin to feel better.

Please remember me in this time of sadness. Thanks.

L to R Leon (Black Lab), Winston (Black Cat) & Remington (White Lab)

Ahhh the Simple Things in Life

2006-05-09T18:49:00.000-04:00

Gee imagine that. He likes the rubbermaid tote better than his toys. LOL What is it with kids and boxes that just amaze them? I am glad that he is using his imagination. Why isn't it that easy to keep them entertained when they get older? I am going to enjoy the 'plays with/in box' stage while it lasts. I will have to have Kevin bring some boxes home so we can make a fort with them. I am sure that James would love that, especially if he gets to knock it down. :)

Has it Been Over a Month??!!

2006-05-07T11:46:00.000-04:00

I can't believe that it has been over a month since I have posted last. Where does the time go? I guess that the busier you are the faster the time goes. I can safely say that I have been keeping busy. James is keeping me on my toes along with my knitting and our newest member to the family. I will talk about the newest member later in another post, yes it is a baby, and NO it isn't human. I have more pictures, updates and such to post, but I have dishes to do at the moment. So I will post later.

These are some newer pictures of James in his cow boy gear.

Adventures in Laundry

2006-04-01T23:07:00.000-05:00

I just recently finished 25 loads of laundry! Yes I said 25!!

Laundry had piled up and needed to be done then something unforeseen happened. The dry well that we have for the washer, since we have septic, wasn't so dry. I found this out when I was working on felting my niece's clogs. You could hear the water spinning out of the washer, going out and down the drain pipe, then coming back up and onto the floor. Ahhhhhh!! That is never a good thing. At least there isn't carpet anywhere near.

Kevin dug up the dry well, replaced the drain pipe, dug the well deeper, added more rock and put it all back again in just a week. Note this was all done by hand so it did take a while. So now there was even more laundry adding up while the washer was out of commission.

I never thought that I would hear myself say that I am happy to be doing laundry. Granted we have a laundry mat just down the street and you can get it all done at once, but I really like the convenience of being able to do it at home at my own leisure. I am sure that James wouldn't appreciate having to make the trip to the laundry mat not being able to stay home to play with his toys and watch his shows. And besides he couldn't run into my chair to see what he can get into when I get up to check the laundry. It is so funny to see him try and get there before I get there to stop him. It is one of our games we play together.

Now I can get back to felting my niece's clogs and the Easter baskets that I have been working on. Depending on how busy tomorrow is I am hoping to get a little felting done. I still have 3 more Easter baskets to make and time is running short. I so far have James' knit and felted, my niece's knit - just needs felted, my Mom's knit - needs ends wove in and felted. I still need to knit Kevin's, Kevin's Parent's and mine. I am not really worried about mine, but I would like to get the other 2 done.

Well since we are springing forward an hour tonight I am heading to bed. Maybe this year I won't completely loose and hour of sleep like I usually do. Hahaha I know it is wishful thinking.

Here We Go Again

2006-03-23T14:28:00.000-05:00

James is cutting more teeth. He has the 1 top right molar popping through and you can feel the one on the left just below the skin. I can also feel the top right canine that seems to be swollen and wanting to come through as well. I can't say for sure what all he is cutting since you can't keep your finger in his mouth very long without getting bit. He has been quite the fussy gus lately and is drooling like a mad man. I hope that these decide to come through faster than the others did. It seemed like the other molars took forever and tormented him the entire time. I can't wait for the teething process to be over. My poor little man is in pain and there isn't too much that I can do to help. Hopefully he gets a good nap in today and it will help him feel better.

100th Thinking of the Past, Present and Future

2006-03-15T21:47:00.000-05:00

This is my 100th post. I can't believe that I have posted 100 different things in such a short time. I guess that there has been quite a bit to say about James and all the little things that he does.

He is such an amazing little guy. He is growing so fast, I just can't believe how fast the time has flown by. Just this evening Kevin was saying how fast James is growing and that it is going by too fast. I thought that was so sweet. I can safely say that he has his Daddy wrapped around his little finger. Of course he has me wrapped around all his fingers, but isn't that what the Mommy is for?.

I caught myself thinking today about how our lives were before he was born. I never realized how empty the house was before him. Now there is James here to fill that hole. I love the laughter that he brings to all of us, not to mention the little laughs that come out of him when he thinks something is just so funny. There are also the tears that we shed when he was born, all the sticks and pricks that he had to go through to clear up his jaundice, every time that he has had to have shots because I just can't stand it when he is hurting and those that we have rolling down our cheeks from laughing so hard at the funny things he does. I am sure that there will be more tears and laughter to come as the years go by.

I love him more than life itself. I always will.

Not too Much

2006-03-09T21:12:00.000-05:00

There hasn't been too much going on here lately.

James is doing well and growing well like a little weed, nothing new there. He now has his 2 bottom molars and seems to be cutting more since he is chewing on everything like a mad man. I don't dare to put my fingers in his mouth unless I want them bit off.

He still isn't walking yet. He is getting braver by the day, but still won't completely let go. This is fine with me, that is just less I have to chase him and more time for me to build my stamina to chase him later.

A good thing is he seems to have weaned himself from the bottle. He really doesn't want anything to do with it any more, but on the down side is he isn't wanting much to do with milk either. I have tried multiple things trying to get him to drink it, but he only wants his cup of water. He seems to be a water baby. I have tried to mix a little juice in with it, but that was a no go too. As long as he keeps himself hydrated, which by the diapers that I have changed doesn't seem to be a problem, then I guess I can't complain too much. He is eating yogurt and eating loads of cheese so I guess he is getting his calcium. Unfortunately at this age I can't make him sit until he drinks all his milk.

For those of you who live in the tri-state area you might appreciate this. James LOVES Skyline/Cincinnati style chili. If he smells it he goes nuts until we give him some. The other day we got him a small 3 way (that is spaghetti, chili and cheese for those of you who don't know). He ate the entire thing! I couldn't believe it, he was such a pig and wanted more. I think we have created a little chili monster. I just hope that I can get him to eat all his food like this.

That is all that I have to report for now. If I can think of anything else I will come back and tell ya.

Have a great weekend.

14 Months

2006-03-01T23:47:00.000-05:00

Today James turned 14 months old. He is growing up so fast!

He seems to be feeling better. I hope that the meds. do their job and get rid of all of his cold and ear trouble. He is still a bit stuffy and also with a runny nose, but it is getting better. I just hope that it takes his crankies with it when it does finally go.

I can safely say that we have been lucky. This is the first time that he has been really sick and the first time that he has had to be on any meds. So we have been blessed with a healthy baby up until now. The only troubles that he has had are with cutting teeth, especially the molars, and growing pains. I have had plenty of sleepless nights with his growing pains. It seems that once he gets to sleep he jerks and wakes himself. So I have spent plenty of nights holding and rocking him during the night after he has woke himself up.

He still isn't walking yet. He will walk from object to object, but just won't let go and walk on his own in the middle of the floor. He is so silly.

$$180.00$$!!

2006-02-26T10:14:00.000-05:00

Yesterday James and I went to the Urgent Care since we were both sick and our Dr. isn't in on Saturdays. Well our insurance changed without us knowing it and it was $50.00 each just to be seen at the Urgent Care. It wasn't like I could say that the $50.00 was too much to pay for the health of our Child.

Come to find out I have a sinus infection (gee go figure) and James has the beginnings of an ear infection. He said that it wasn't an ear infection yet, but the left ear was a little red and tight looking. So he gave us both a prescription and sent us on our way. I am just glad that we caught the ear infection early and he didn't have to suffer through the pain of one. I knew that he wasn't feeling well. He was coughing and sneezing the hole night before. I am glad that I took him in.

We went to Kroger to have the scrips filled. Come to find out mine cost $50.00 and James' cost $30.00, and that was with insurance! I about fell on the floor, but we couldn't really just say no. It's not like either of us would be getting any better if we skipped the meds.

So $180.00 later we were home with our meds, or should I say gold?! I took mine and gave James his. They are only once a day, so it makes it nice. We take them together around lunch and are done for the day.

I feel a wee bit better today and James seems to be acting a little better, so hopefully the drugs will do their job really soon and we will both be feeling back to normal (or as normal as can be).

Growing Pains, Cutting Teeth, and Shots ... Oh My!

2006-02-16T21:51:00.000-05:00

Yap you read it right. Poor little James is going through all of it at once. He is still working on cutting his molars, he is having growing pains and he had to have a shot on last Thursday and has to go back for 4 more tomorrow.

He is not doing well with the last shot that he had. I am afraid that these next 4 are really going to do a number on him. He is completely cranky all day, doesn't want to eat his solids or his milk, has been waking up in the middle of the night screaming wildly and inconsolable. I am guessing that it is from the growing pains. I have been giving him Tylenol during the day and Motrin at night to help him feel a little better. I really wish that there was more that I could do for him.

I am really not looking forward to the shots tomorrow. I have to go between 1 and 4 which is during his nap time. I am hoping that he will sleep in a little late in the morning so I can push back his nap. I just hope that he does well. I know that he is going to cry. I really don't like the entire shot process, but I know deep down that it is for his own good. I just wish they could take him, do the shots and bring him back to me so that I can slather him with hugs and kisses and he won't think that I had anything to do with it. Can you tell that I am dreading it?

I might stop in at Lambikin's afterward to see if my yarn is in that I need to finish my niece's shrug that I am making her. James just loves Christina (the owner) and she seems to really like him too. So it might help to get his and my mind off the traumatic event. Then we will head home for the nap, that is if he doesn't fall asleep on the way home.

Got to go do the dishes from this evening. I hope that you are all doing well.

Happy Valentines Day

2006-02-14T14:37:00.000-05:00

James and I would like to wish you a Happy Valentines Day !!! He even took time out of his busy day of play to take this picture for you. He is such a ham - isn't he.? :)

Happy Valentines Day

James got me this little Teddy Bear. Isn't it CUTE?? It has a knitted sweater and is so soft. Kevin thought that the knitted sweater was appropriate. Hummm I wonder why?? ;) I just LOVE it.

Valentine Bear

I really don't have much to tell you today. I have been busily working on my Knitting Olympic project, so every moment that I can that is what I have been doing. I will leave you with a picture of James peaking around the arm of the chair at me. This is from the other day. He thought that he was being sneaky. Teeheehee

Peek I See You

1 Year Check-Up and Other Misc.

2006-02-12T23:30:00.000-05:00

Thursday was James' 1 year check-up. Dr. A was really pleased with him. He said that he is right on track and is doing great. He really liked the fact that James didn't cry when he was checking his ears, eyes, stomach, etc. Dr. A said that most babies cry when you mess with them like that. I can say that James is a fairly easy going baby. All went well until he had to get a shot. Poor little guy cried until he couldn't breathe. I felt so bad for him. I really hate the shots, but I know it is for his well being. He had a bit of a bad day after that and the next day he was really whinny and wanted to be held. I really didn't mind the snuggle time, but I really felt bad that he was feeling so miserable. After Friday he was pretty much his old self again. The unfortunate thing is I have to take him back Friday to get 4 more shots! I can't believe that he has to get so many all at once. I am sure that the days following will be some fun ones. I am not looking forward to Friday to say the least. Think of me and wish me luck.

Ok on to James' stats......
Weight 23 lbs 50%
Height 33 in 99%
Head 19.25 in (I haven't looked up the percentile on this one yet)

So he is tall and skinny. Just like his Daddy. I hope that he stays that was and doesn't end up short and fat like me.

I have been watching the Olympics. Gotta love my Directv. I can watch it on all the channels that they are playing on, NBC, CNBC, USA, etc. I got to see the Flying Tomato win Gold. Way to go Tomato!! I just love to watch the Olympics, weather it is the Summer or Winter. I have been watching the Women's Hockey teams as well and the USA are doing really well so far. I am a little nervous if they end up having to play against Canada. I am sure that will be a good game if it happens. I really feel bad for Michelle Kwan. She has fought so hard to get a gold metal and a crazy injury is keeping her from it. I really admire her for stepping down and knowing her limits and letting Emily Hughes go for the dream. I just wish it could have turned out differently for her. So far we only have 3 metals, but 2 of them are gold and the other is silver, so that is good for only having 3. Go USA!!!

I have been working on some knitting lately. I am involved in the Knitting Olympics hosted by the Yarn Harlot. I am making a fair isle hat. I have all the info about it at my knitting blog Knits Galore. Stop by and take a look.

Well I need to get back to knitting my hat. I will *see* ya'll later.

Checking In

2006-02-08T13:57:00.000-05:00

Wow it has been busy around here lately. I finally have a few seconds to post while James is napping. I have the dishes done, the floor swept, lunch in my tummy (for once) and a few other things. I think it is time to sit down and take a break.

James has been really clingy today. Normally he will play by himself and come to me when he wants me to play with him. Not today! He wanted me to hold him the entire time that he was awake. I don't know if he is coming down with something, his teeth are bothering him or he is going through another attachment stage. We sat and watched all his shows together until it was his nap time. Not that I mind sitting and cuddling with him, but he was so whinny to go with it. He would decide that he wanted down and then turn right around and whine for me to pick him up. He is never like this, so something is going on with the little buckaroo.

He still isn't walking on his own yet. He just refuses to let go. He can do it of he would let go, but it just isn't something that he is willing to do right now. Believe me I am not complaining. He is hard enough to keep up with right now, I can just imagine what he will be like when he decides that walking is fun.

I still need to make an appointment for James' 1 year check up. I am really dreading it because it means more shots. I really disliked doing it when he was little. Now that he is bigger he will defiantly know what is going on. I guess I should get up the guts and call to make an appointment today.

I will leave you with a picture of our spoiled animals. They have such a rough life don't they?

Such Rough Lives

The Big 3 - 0

2006-02-01T13:59:00.000-05:00

Yep I am officially old today. I am now the big 3 - 0 today. Not only am I 30, but James is 13 months today as well. I can't believe that it has been 30 years for me, but I am really amazed that James is 13 months already.

I don't feel any different today than any other day. I have heard about all the people that have a hard time turning 30. Maybe I just don't think about it. I am blessed to have a beautiful baby boy, a loving husband, a roof over my head and everything that I need. I guess I have never really cared about my age. As long as I have the things that I need, my health and people that love me then why should I care how old I am?.

I hope everyone is having a lovely day.

James and His New Chair/Throne

2006-01-27T21:43:00.000-05:00

Here are the pictures of James' chair and him playing in it. He is really enjoying it. It is large enough to seat an adult comfortably. Yes, both Kevin and I have tried it out. Hahaha So do you think he likes it? :)

James' Chair

Happy James

This Chair is Comfortable

Watching Sesame Street

Lounging Watching Elmo's World

Fun New Toy

Clearing off Toys

It's Here!!

2006-01-25T12:19:00.000-05:00

James' chair just arrived a few minutes ago. I haven't opened the boxes yet, since I still need to rearrange the living room and still have to take down the Christmas tree. I have been putting off taking the tree down since there are toys piled all around it and in front of it. Now I am going to have to take it down. I guess the dishes will have to wait to get done until this evening and lunch is out unless I grab some chips while I work. I would really like to have everything done before James wakes from his nap, but that is quite optimistic of me.

I also still need to put the toy bins that I got to organize his toys in. I have been waiting on that until the tree was down too. LOL Guess I have no excuses now.

I am so excited to see what the chair looks like, but I am not opening it until I have everything done that I need to accomplish. Maybe it will give me the motivations to get it done faster.

Better get going. The more I get done now the better shape I will be in later.

Thought it was a Good Day...

2006-01-20T14:46:00.000-05:00

Things had been going well today. I got James out of bed, fed, played with, then down for a nap, a shower for my self, my prescriptions ordered, James' chair ordered, dishes done, all of James' 12 month clothes boxed along with all his old bibs, pacifiers, etc. that he isn't using anymore. I was on a roll. Things were going so well.

Then.......

I went to check on my little love bird. She was dead on the bottom of her cage! WTF!!!??? She was fine last night, just chirping and squawking away. This morning I heard her in her cage chirping away. This afternoon....bam....dead! I know that she was at least 5 years old. I got her from a friend of my Mom's, so I really don't know how long she had her before that. I guess it was just her time. I know that birds are very temperature sensitive so she was in the best room of the house and has done really well for 3 years there. I really loved having her as a pet. She was so sweet and gentle.

I am taking a break from birds for a while. They are so messy and I just don't think I can take another one dieing on me. It is so hard to find someone that you can trust to buy them from.

That is my sorry. I am going to go cry in mourning for my little bird now. :'(

A Throne of His Own

2006-01-20T10:18:00.000-05:00

I waited until after his birthday just in case someone got him one. I didn't expect anyone to, but you never know when a few people will go in together for an item.

Here is the picture of what I want to get him.

It is a bit pricy, but I have gone and checked out the smaller version and they are made really well and I believe that it should last him many years to come. I am thinking about getting the Denim slip cover since it will be the best to show the leas amount of dirt and stains. I just think that the solids will be bad at showing the least bit of drool, food, dog/cat hair, etc.

I really think that he will like it since he is continually leaning up against my bags, pillows, us, stuffed animals, etc. So now the next step is to finally get down to ordering it for him. Of course I am going to get it personalized as well. Maybe I will do that while he is naping today.

The Incredible Sleeping Baby

2006-01-19T23:52:00.000-05:00

I can say that James made me really happy this morning. He slept in until 10 am! You read it right. When I woke and looked at the clock I about fell out of the bed. Poor little guy is exhausted from all the hussle and bussel from this past week/weekend. Plus he is working on cutting at least 2 molars and is going through growing pains. Poor little man just can't get a break.

After the morning play and eating fest he wanted to go back down for a nap at 12:45 and didn't get back up until 4:15! I hope that he isn't getting sick. I know that the molars are driving him crazy, so I am hoping that is what most of the problem is.

If he wants to sleep that is fine with me. It is better that he sleeps through the pain than to be miserable while he is up. I know that getting sleep can do a person some good.

Just wanted to let you share in my amazement.

Party Success

2006-01-18T13:27:00.000-05:00

Well the double birthday party was a success. We had a birthday party for James and my Grandma this past weekend (they are the youngest and oldest in the family). We had 70 + people come. It was so nice to see so many people come out to surprise my Grandma. She had no clue that the party was for her too until we sang and brought out her cake. It was GREAT!

We asked that people write letters and bring pictures for my Grandma since she LOVES pictures and letters so much. My Aunt is planning on taking the letters and pictures and making my Grandma a scrap book so that she can walk down memory lane any time she wants. I thought it was a great idea.

James made out like a little bandit. He got enough clothes to fill a large mess laundry bag! He is going to be the best dresses kid around. All the outfits were really cute. He got quite a few toys as well. He got a few ride-ons, he got a bouncy horse, radio flyer rocket, mini atv, blocks, hokey pokey elmo, little people airplane and many more things. The poor kid is so unloved. LOL

I am so glad that the party went so well and that my Grandma had such a good time. It is always nice when a plan comes together.

Where Oh Where??

2006-01-11T12:16:00.000-05:00

I would love to know where James hides his toys. After he is down for his nap I go around matching and putting away all the toys that he has scattered about. Mysteriously there is always a few things missing. Where they go I have no clue. Later on when he is playing again they show up then others go missing. Where is this kid stashing them??? I never see him pull them out of anywhere or even put them anywhere for that matter. Poof they are gone and poof they reappear. It is a mystery to me. I think he just likes screwing with me and knows that it will drive me crazy. Little turkey. :)

Does anyone else have this problem? It isn't like he has full run of the house. He is confined to the living room to play and it isn't very big. Maybe it is ghosts or something. I have no clue.

What is the Temperature Where You Are?

2006-01-09T00:59:00.000-05:00

It is 1 am here and is still close to 60 degrees Fahrenheit! It is the middle of January. We are supposed to be having snow, not thunder storms. I just can't believe this weather that we've been having lately. I don't want a big snow storm until after the 14th so that we can still have the birthday party for James and his Great Grandma. I can't help but wonder where winter is. Granted we still have a month plus to go, but you just never know what to wear. Today we were running around outside in t-shirts. I guess I should be thankful that it isn't cold and snow up to the windows, but I would like to see some. I know, be careful what you wish for.

Guess I should get to bed before I get the screaming child again.

Good night all.

My Poor Little Man

2006-01-09T00:13:00.000-05:00

This evening while James was sitting in his high chair eating his snacks he began to projectile vomit. He almost filled the tray! Where he was storing all the food I don't know. I believe that it is his teeth. I know that he is working on at least 2 molars if not 4. Plus he is growing. So there are the growing pains that he is going through. Poor little man twitches the entire time he is trying to sleep, then he wakes up screaming. I have been giving him Tylenol during the day and Motrin during the night just to help him feel and sleep a little better.

I wish he could do 1 thing at a time. He always seems to grow at the same time as he is cutting teeth. What ever happened to cutting molars at 2 years old? I guess the sooner that he gets them all the sooner he will be out of the pain.

Well I just came back from him waking up screaming. I warmed up a bottle for him since nothing else seemed to work and so far so good. He is back in his bed resting. I am afraid that this is going to be another bad night and I am going to spend the night in the rocking chair with him. Not that I mind rocking, holding and snuggling him, but he needs his sleep as well as I do.

Wish us luck tonight.

1 Year Old

2006-01-04T19:30:00.000-05:00

Well it was official on the 1st of this month. My little man is now a year old! I can't believe how much he has grown. He has such a personality and can do so many things. He's not walking yet, but that is because he refuses to let go. He can do it, but he still needs the reassurance of holding on to something.

We went to Babies R Us to have his pictures done. Of course I had to have his picture done with the blocks.

I will leave you with one of his pictures for your enjoyment.

James' 1 Year Picture

Happy New Year!!!

2005-12-31T21:02:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year everyone!!!!

We will be spending our New Year's Eve at home. Nothing exciting or anything. Just hoping that at midnight James won't wake from all the fireworks and ruckus that normally goes on.

Speaking on midnight.... I can say that I will be reflecting back to a year a go. I spent last New Year's Eve in the hospital in anticipation of the arrival of our baby boy. I gave myself a gift at midnight and decided to finally take the epidural. I was told that there was no hope for me to have a vaginal birth so the Dr. would be coming in the morning to do a c-section. Since both baby and I were stable and doing fine my Dr. told them that he would come in the morning so that I could get some sleep after the epidural kicked in. I can say I was grateful for the sleep. After 30 plus hours of induced labor that was giving me contractions one on top of the other, I was ready for some serious sleep.

Tomorrow at 9:38 am will be James' 1st birthday. I can't believe it! What happened to the last year? Where did the time go?

I hope everyone has a safe, healthy, happy and prosperous New Year.

See you in 2006!

My Wish List

2005-12-30T15:18:00.000-05:00

Ok so, I have been asked by a few people what I want for my birthday. I really don't need anything. If you feel it necessary to get me something I would really like a gift card from LAMBIKIN'S HIDEAWAY . Christina makes it really easy on you. All you need to do is give her a call, tell her the $$ amount you want on it, give her your payment info and you can have it either mailed to you, me or have her keep it there for the next time I am in the shop.

PLEASE NOTE: Before clicking on the link below make sure that you are not signed in to Amazon or it will take you to some other page.

Or I have my WISH LIST of books.

Nothing to big and exciting, but that is what I would like to have.

Birthday Wish List for James

2005-12-30T12:32:00.000-05:00

Well James' 1st Birthday is here in a few days. 2 days to be exact. I can't believe that it has been a year already! I have been asked what too get him so here is the current info......

For clothing and such....

Tops and bottoms - 24 months and up
Pj's - 24 months and up
Socks - 24 months and up
Diapers - Sz 4 and up
Shoes - Sz 6 and up
Head Sz. 19 in - we have to get 24 months and up hats

I believe that is all for the body coverings.

PLEASE NOTE: Before clicking on the link below make sure that you are not signed in to Amazon or it will take you to some other page.

Here is the WISH LIST that I have set up for him.

We will be having a big Birthday bash for him for his 1st birthday and for his Great Grandma's 89th birthday on the 14th of January. The invites are in the mail so you should be getting one soon. It aught to be a great time. I can't wait and I am sure that James will have a great time playing in his cake.

Hope to see you there.

Christmas Loot

2005-12-30T12:06:00.000-05:00

Man was James' first Christmas a great one! He made out like a bandit. We have toys piled everywhere. I still need to get pictures of all of it. I can't believe all the stuff that he got. He is in his glory with all the toys. He goes from toy to toy every day to play with them all. I am planning on putting all the toys in the corner where the tree is at the moment. I guess that will be the toy corner from now on. LOL I am wanting to get him a chair from Pottery Barn Kids, either This One or This One. I am not sure which size to get. I think that I am leaning toward the larger one so that he can use it longer. I really like the fact that it is personalized. Maybe that is what I will do with the money that he got from his Grandma and Grandpa. They gave us money for him since they didn't know what to get him that others hadn't already done. I am planning on waiting to get it until after his birthday just in case someone gets him one.

I can safely say that he is one lucky boy getting all the loot that he got. I just love all the outfits that people got him as well. Once the tree is down I will go through it all and get pictures to put up.

Loot Loot every where and what to play with first. What a horrible dilemma. :)

Thank You to everyone that got him something. We really appreciate it.

3 Down 1 to Go

2005-12-25T16:37:00.000-05:00

We have done 3 Christmas' now and we have 1 more to go tomorrow. Well I can say that James made out so far like a little bandit. Just think his birthday is just around the corner. I can't even imagine what he will get for it. He is sleeping right now from all the excitement of the day. Poor little guy had to open his gifts in 2 shifts since he got hungry in between it all. Currently it looks like a toy store burped up all over our living room. I can safely say that he shouldn't be bored with all his new toys. He even got his first bike and just LOVES it! I can only imagine what he will get tomorrow. I hope that everyone is having as wonderful of a Christmas as we are.

Merry Christmas!!

2005-12-25T09:56:00.000-05:00

I just wanted to wish everyone....

Merry Christmas!!!!

I hope that Santa brings you everything that you wished for.

Teeth, Teeth and more Teeth

2005-12-13T12:19:00.000-05:00

The past week James has been miserable. The is chewing on everything that he can put into his mouth and drooling like a mad man. He has to be cutting more teeth. I am guessing that it is his molars, since he wasn't this bad with the front 8. He is waking in the night screaming and isn't taking very good naps. I have given him Tylenol to help him and let him chew on whatever he wants to help get them through as fast and painless as possible. Poor little guy has to suffer through it until they decide to finally make their appearance.

I think that his teeth are plotting to drive me crazy. Once I think that he is done for a while they start to come in again. I guess it is better that he does it now and gets as much of it done and over with as possible, but I wish they didn't hurt him so bad and he could get some decent sleep. I would like some sleep as well.

Well I need to get back to making some more Christmas presents.

This is it...

2005-12-01T11:09:00.000-05:00

This is the last month before James turns 1.

Where did the time go? It seems just like yesterday when we were in the hospital anticipating his arrival. I whole heartedly understood that time would go fast and I have done my best to soak up and enjoy every second of it, but it went by like a blink of an eye.

I can say that I am blessed to be able to stay at home with James and not have to take him to a day care while I go to work. Not that there is anything wrong with working mothers, please don't get me wrong. I just think that this was the best situation for our family. Honestly there are some days that I wish I could get away, but they have been very few.

I know that this month will fly by with Christmas coming up and all. I just wish I could make time stand still for a little while longer.

I never knew that I could love someone so much. It is just amazing! The little hugs and cuddles, just melt my heart (he knows how to get his way:) ) I love it when he gets excited and proud of himself when he has accomplished something new. There is way that he shows how much he missed us when one of us has been gone (he screams with delight and smiles so big then wants to be held and hugged). He is such an explorer now. He gets into everything, but that is ok with me as long as it isn't things he isn't allowed to get into. I love to watch him discover new things, the way they feel, what they do, who they work, the noise they make, etc.

I am going to stop here and go hug and cuddle my little baby while I can before I blink again and he is getting married.

Christmas Cards Almost Complete

2005-12-01T00:53:00.000-05:00

James was such a good boy for me today and I was able to work on the Christmas cards that need to go out soon. All the cards are filled out, all have their return address labels on them, all but one have their postage (1 has to go over seas so the postage will be determined at the post office) and all but 2 have their address label on them (I forgot to add 1 of them to the list and the 2nd I am waiting on because of address change and now married) so I will print them out together.

Thursday evening we will be taking James to have his 11 month pictures done. While we are there we will be having family pictures to put in the cards. So I will have to fill them out and in each card then the normal seal and stack. I plan to send them out in the mail as soon as I get them done. So if I get 10 finished then they will go out in the mail and the rest will wait until the next day.

I can day that the cards we have this year are so much nicer than the ones that we have had in the past. Thanks to Costco! Their cards were so pretty and really cheap as well. Hopefully they will have them next year too. I will have to get them there from now on.

Wish me luck that I will have them all out by the weekend.

Christmas Card Chaos

2005-11-30T00:33:00.000-05:00

So 60 plus cards might not be a lot for many people to send out, but it is when you have a baby in the house that won't give you a minute of rest. I have had my cards for over a month now, but never got them out to work on them. Now that I want to work on them, James has other plans. Should have started them before he began being so mobile. I guess I will just have to do a few at a time. Thank goodness for a computer and printable labels.

Ok so that might be cheating you say. I say it is saving me time. I had to take the time to put them all in and make them pretty to begin with, so I did spend quite a bit of time setting it all up a few years back. Now all I have to do each year is to make any changes then print them out. Another plus is there should be no question on what the address says. The labels are clear to read and shouldn't have any confusion at the post office.

I went today and got stamps for all of them that way I had all my supplies ready for when I get the chance to sit down and work on them. Hopefully I will get a few moments tomorrow to start them. I guess only time will tell. I want to get them done soon so that they will reach their recipient before a few days before Christmas.

Wish me luck.

Crazy Shopping

2005-11-28T00:55:00.000-05:00

Yes we were one of the crazies out the day after Thanksgiving shopping. Actually Kevin was the one that went out early that morning to get a few things for James. We both agreed that one of us would go and the other stay home so that we didn't have to wake and drag James out in the mess.

Kevin was successful in getting everything that he went out for. So that was good and he said that the people really weren't bad. He was pleasantly surprised. I was happy that he had a good experience. He did say that the Wal*Mart on Colrain had police in riot gear. Can you imagine? It just amazes me that they have to do that because of the crazy people out there. I worked at a Wal*Mart and was there to witness the madness that ensues for the sales. I am sorry, but there is nothing worth knocking and trampling some one for.

Later that day we all went back out because one of the toys didn't work so we went to do an exchange. I was surprised that there weren't more people out shopping. I guess the idea of money or gift cards are becoming quite popular.

I think that we have everything for James now for Christmas and his Birthday, unless I can find a few smaller things to fit in his stocking.

I can't wait for Christmas this year. Now I have to persuade Kevin into getting the Christmas decorations out of the garage. Any suggestions?

Happy Turkey Day

2005-11-24T12:09:00.000-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone

Have a safe and happy holiday. I plan to eat my fill today, then tomorrow go out and get a few bargins. Good Luck to those of you who are going out to brave the crowds early in the morning.

Meeting Friends

2005-11-22T21:32:00.000-05:00

Today James and I went to meet my friend Lori and her daughter Anna. We met at Babies R Us in Cincinnati Mills for lunch and an afternoon stroll around the mall. James and I had a great time.

I really wished that they lived closer, I am sure James would have a blast being able to play with Anna more. Poor little guy only has me. :)

I can't believe how big Anna has gotten. She is doing so much more since the last time that we met. It was also fun to see Lori's pregnant belly. I am so excited that she is going to have a boy this time. I can't wait to meet the little guy.

{Lori - this doesn't mean that you need to have him any earlier than 38 weeks, and tell that little guy to cooperate and not to be trouble like his big sister was :) I wish you a happy, healthy, full term pregnancy.}

I hope that we will be able to get a chance to do it again soon. It is always nice to be able to get out of the house and let James play with some one his own age.

Lori - if you are reading this we need to plan another get together. :)

Add Yourself to My Map

2005-11-18T12:31:00.000-05:00

Ok I am getting in on this too. I think it would be really neat to see everyone that visits my blog. Please add yourself to my map by clicking on the button bellow or the one in the side bar.

Have a Great Day Everyone.

10 Month Check Up

2005-11-17T08:52:00.000-05:00

Today is James' 10 month check up. I am excited to see how much he has grown. His stats the last time on 9-19-05 were..... Weight: 20lbs 12oz, Length 29in and Head 18.5in. So in just a few hours we will see what has changed. I believe that he has grown in height since some of his 12 month sleepers don't seem to fit him any more. I am really hoping for no shots this time, but I am sure that there is at least 1 coming. Oh I hate the shots. I feel so bad for him and they make me hold him down for them. I try and think on the positive side of things, knowing that he is getting protected from so many horrible diseases, but it still really hurts me inside to know that it is hurting him, even though it is just a few seconds.

Well it is time to go and get him out of bed, so I can get him dressed, fed and we can get on the road. Unfortunately I have to stop and get gas on the way and it is COLD out. Oh well I guess I shouldn't complain too much, it could be colder.

Quiet Time

2005-11-16T00:35:00.000-05:00

Well I was able to get some this evening so I was able to start the update on James' LJ. I am so happy that I have gotten this far. I only have 1 more entry to go and it will be as updated as I can get it. I am waiting for tomorrow to finish since it is so late and I need to get to bed. Next will be to add some pictures here. That will have to wait until at least tomorrow if not later. Being caught up is always a really nice feeling that I don't get much of, so when I do I like to enjoy it.

I am tired and am going to turn in for the night. Good Night All. Sweet Dreams.

Ahead of the Game

2005-11-15T19:43:00.000-05:00

Well I have now finished resizing the pictures in both sizes that I use along with putting the ones that I want for James' LJ on Photobucket. Now I have to get some quiet time and add, add, add to his LJ. There are so many pictures from Halloween and such that it was hard to narrow it down. So if all goes well I will get the LJ done before the weekend and I can post some here as well. Yeah for being ahead of schedule.

Plus while I was waiting for Adobe to resize the different sets of pictures I got to work on my gloves. So I am a little farther on the second one now. I only have 1 more load of laundry to do and the whopping 12 loads will be done. Yeah!!

1, 2, 3, 4, 5,......193!

2005-11-15T14:56:00.000-05:00

Well it is closer than it was before. I have finally down loaded the 193 pictures in my camera to the computer. I have them all named now as well. Whew was that a job to do. Now I still have to resize them all in 2 different sizes, so that means that I have touched each picture in some form at least 3 times. That makes 579 pictures. WOW! Guess I need to try and get them down loaded more often. After I get a chance to resize and pick out the ones I want for James' LJ I will work on it and get it updated finally. Don't get me wrong I love my pictures. Heck if I didn't I wouldn't take so many. I love my digital camera for the fact that I can erase a bad picture and don't have to wait until the end of a roll of film to see my pictures, but some time I just wish all I had to do was to drop off the roll at the store then an hour later pick it up. I just wish that there was an easier way to do it all. I am hoping by the weekend to have everything done enough to be able to work on updating the LJ. Keep your fingers crossed for me.

Tooth #8

2005-11-14T22:54:00.000-05:00

James finally has his 4th tooth on the bottom. Now totaling 8 teeth. It popped through some time yesterday. I am hoping that he will get some relief now, but I think that he is still cutting more. He is still chewing on things quite a bit and drooling like a mad man. So I am guessing that he might just be working on some of the molars too.

He is going to have quite a bit to show the Dr. this time when we go for his checkup. He will have almost a full mouth of teeth, is crawling and setting himself up, pulling himself up on things and thinks that he can just take off walking. (I am just waiting for him to walk one day out of the blue.) I can safely say that he has accomplished quite a bit in the last month.

Boy is he growing up quick.

"Done"

2005-11-09T14:12:00.000-05:00

That is the word of the day. DONE!! James was just in his high chair eating some snacks and decided that he was finished. The word "done" came from his mouth clear as day! He even said it a few times, so it wasn't a fluke. We have been working on sign language and saying the words as well and I guess this one just finally clicked. I know that I would normally get "Doooo Doooo" and I knew that he was trying, but I can't believe that he said it already!

He does the sign for milk as well. I have added a few more signs into our daily routine since he seems to be picking up on them. He understands what all the ones that I have been doing, but doesn't do all of them himself yet. I am sure that it is just a matter of time.

I am so proud right now! Yeah for my little man!!!

Cranky Crabby Baby Boy

2005-11-09T12:44:00.000-05:00

The past few days James has been a crabby, cranky little man. I don't know what is wrong to make it better. I am guessing that it is his teeth or growing pains. I know that he has been chewing on everything again, so I am guessing that is the culprit. He has been wanting to sleep more too. I just hope that he isn't getting sick. That is the last thing that I want. Poor little man. I wish he could tell me what is wrong so I could make it better. I really don't like to play the guessing game. I hope whatever it is it goes away soon and my happy little guy comes back to me.

Cow Boy Club

2005-11-07T22:59:00.000-05:00

I believe that James has been accepted into the cow boy club at our church. No it isn't a real club. It is a few young boys at our church that wear cow boy boot, hats, belts with buckle, etc. Actually all the boys are cousins. Anyway this past Sunday when we went to church we had James dressed in his western attire. The boys didn't see him with his hat, but during the "meet and greet" where everyone walks around and shakes hands they saw him in his boots. My Mom was holding James at the time. They all came up and were talking to him and looking at his boots. One of them even patted him on the head and said "All right". I believe that he is one of them now. He really seemed to like them as well. I am sure that it didn't hurt that they were dressed like his Daddy. They really seemed to accept him even though he is small. I thought that it was just so cute. I am glad that he is already fitting in even though he is so much younger than most of the kids at the church.

Happy Anniversary!!

2005-11-03T21:39:00.000-05:00

Happy Anniversary to my darling Husband. Today we have been married for 4 years. I know it doesn't sound like much, but now days if you last a year you are doing good. We have actually been together for 11 years.
I met Kevin at my Halloween party in 1994 and the rest is history. We now have a beautiful baby boy together and have spent 4 wonderful years in marriage. I know that I am always saying this, but it just doesn't seem like we have been married for 4 years, let alone together for 11. Man does time fly when you are having fun.
I can say that we have had our good times and bad, rough and smooth, easy and hard, etc., but we are here today still together and have been able to work through things. No one ever said that it would be easy and boy were they right, yet I wouldn't trade those experiences for the world. We have learned a lot about each other over these past years. For example we both went into the marriage with the agreement that neither of us wanted children. Hummm we now have a baby boy. Some where along the line we both changed our minds, had a discussion and decided to go for it. I believe that it was the best decision that we made.
Well I won't bore you with any more of my reminiscing.
Happy Anniversary Darling!!

10 Months Old

2005-11-02T13:06:00.000-05:00

Yesterday James turned 10 Months old!! Can you believe it? Only 2 more months to go before he is the big 1! Wahhhhhh!!!!! He did great for his pictures. They turned out so cute, if I do say so myself. I just love him in his cow boy get up and so far the sweater that he is wearing is my favorite sweater of his. I think I have to go to Lambikins to see if they have the colors close to them so I can make him one in a bigger size (no I didn't make the one that he is wearing, but I just love it).

Here are the pictures..... I hope you enjoy them.

Our Little Cow Boy

Ride Um' Cow Boy

Sitting in the Rocking Chair

Sitting Tall

Just Relaxing

Sunny Day Sweeping the Clouds Away.....

2005-11-02T12:51:00.000-05:00

Well after a gloomy rainy day yesterday today is making up for it. It is sunny and beautiful out! It is a little on the cool side, but that is ok. I can always add another layer, at least I am not wringing wet from the rain. I understand that we need the rain and all I just wish it didn't have to be so gloomy with it. I need my daily dose of vitamin D from the sun.

I do love fall for all the colors, the cooler temperatures, the sunny days, and the count down to winter.

I am actually looking forward to winter this year. Can you believe it? I can't wait to show James his first snow, to take him sled riding, building snow people, and making forts and angels. He is well equipped for the snow since I have 2 different snow suits for him (one from each Grandma and many layers of clothes, plus gloves and snow boots. He probably won't be able to move, but he will be warm. I am sure that Kevin feels the same. I know he seems to like the winter and I know that his Dad does (he is a sled riding fool). I am sure that Grandpa will have James on a sled at the first good snow fall.

I am not trying to wish the year away by no means. I just get excited when I can show and do new things with James.

Halloween Update

2005-11-02T12:39:00.000-05:00

We had a great time Halloween evening. My SIL and her boyfriend did end up coming over to my Moms to take James out trick or treating with us. She went as death and Brian went at Lupo the Butcher. Kevin, James and Myself were told that we had the best family costumes at every house we went to. James did really well. I was pleasantly surprised that he wasn't cared of any of the costumes, decorations, or music and noises that people had playing. After an hour into it James was tired so we headed back home. He made a pretty good haul in that short time. He seemed like he had a good time. I know that I did. Kevin has already been through the candy to see what James got and separated out what James could have and couldn't. Poor little guy is stuck with suckers, not like he will really get them anyway, maybe a lick or two but that is about it.

I will have pictures posted later once I get them from the camera to the computer and all that fun stuff.

Halloween

2005-10-31T15:17:00.000-05:00

First of all Happy Halloween !!!! I am really looking forward to taking James out for trick or treat tonight. Yesterday we picked out some pumpkins and that evening we carved them. I will try and get some pictures of them this evening. I hope that James does well. He is currently taking a nap so hopefully he will be ready to head out for all the trick or treat fun.

My SIL just called. Her and her boyfriend might come over too. I think it will be fun to have them along as well. This could turn out to be a very fun night.

I will have someone get pictures of James, Kevin and I together on our camera so I can post it here. I just hope the costumes look ok.

Well I have more to do before we leave for the evening. So I will write more when I get the chance.

OMG!!! He Just Sat Up on His Own!!!

2005-10-27T14:52:00.000-05:00

James was on the floor practicing his crawling and just sat up on his own! Whooo hoo what a day for milestones. He is growing up too fast :'( Where did the time go? In just a little over 2 months he will be a year old! Can you believe it? A year! I am so glad that I am here to be able to see things like this. I just don't see how working Moms do it. It would break my heart knowing that some stranger got to see most of my child's firsts. I know that staying at home isn't the perfect solution to everyone's lives and some have to work to make ends meet. I am just thankful that I can stay at home. I personally wouldn't want to to be anywhere else.

This Head Colds has Got to Go

2005-10-27T14:27:00.000-05:00

Man is this head cold kicking my butt. I am continually exhausted, ache all over, cough all the time, nose is either stuffed up or running, and I can go on, but I won't. The medication that the Dr. had me get isn't helping either. It is supposed to help you to stop coughing, hahahaha.... who are they kidding?! All it is succeeding in doing is making me dizzy, tired, drying out my mouth, and just making me feel like crap. It doesn't help that I am supposed to stay away from James and he is wanting no part of that. He wants to be glued to my side and I don't want him to get this. I have yet to get my voice back yet so that has been interesting as well. James just looks at me with a confused face. Poor little guy just doesn't know what is going on. Hopefully the 7 day prediction is true and this will be coming to an end soon. It has to! We have Halloween on Monday and are taking James out to my Mom's neighborhood. It should be a good time. James will be dressed as the lion, Kevin as the scare crow and me as Dorothy.

Tooth #7

2005-10-27T14:18:00.000-05:00

We now have James' 7th tooth poking through! So #6 and 7 are his 2 front teeth. We will no longer have the vampire child. I am a bit sad about that, I thought that he looked cute with his little fangs handing out. Now if we could get that other tooth on the bottom. I thought it was odd it came through. I guess it's partner just isn't willing to make its appearance yet. I hope that once the other bottom one comes in that he will be done for a while. It seems like he is constantly cutting teeth. Poor little guy just can't seem to catch a break. He is going to want steak for his first birthday. LOL

Off to the Dr. I Went

2005-10-26T17:35:00.000-05:00

Well today I gave in to the coughing, sore throat, body aches, mucus filled head that I have been enjoying since Saturday. I made a call to my Dr. and they got me in this morning. I was told that it should last around 7 days. So I am 4 days in so far and I can safely say it sucks. I was supposed to go to my knitting glove class this evening, but with also being contagious I thought it better for all involved to stay home. I was put on a prescription for my coughing and mucus. It is kicking my but. It has an antihistamine in it and boy do they normally make me loopy. I am supposed to keep my distance from James and Kevin. Ok I can do that with Kevin, but I don't see how this is going to work with James. With staying at home with him and having to take care of him during the day, I have to have contact with him. Poor little buckaroo just doesn't understand why I won't play with him like normal. I wish I could make him understand why. I really don't want him to get this. I am currently only able to squeak out a few words then my voice is completely gone. No needless to say, I am having to be quite. I am sure that Kevin is loving it. LOL

Everyone loved James in his brown corduroy pants, brown, blue, green, tan, beige horizontal stripe sweater, off white turtle neck and little brown dress shoes. He did look really cute. He looked so grown up. Of course he was flirting with all the nurses and the people at the store while we were waiting for my prescription to be filled. He is such a turd sometimes, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

Gotta Love the Mother-in-Law

2005-10-25T21:47:00.000-05:00

Seriously I love my Mother-in-Law. You hear so many horror stories about people having these evil women as Mother-in-Laws and how horrible that they are. I can say that I have been blessed with a Great one. She is the sweetest, most caring and sincere person you would ever want to meet. She would do anything for anyone that needs it.

Today Kevin called her to tell her I was sick and could possibly use some help with James today. So she was on her way over once she got off the phone with him. I have some sort of head, congestion, sore throat, lack of voice, body ache, etc. thing going on. Well she didn't have any chicken soup made, so she stopped at a local restaurant that has really good home cookin' and got me some. I wish I would have known that she was going to do that because I would have waited and not have ate the canned soup that I had. Oh well I can always eat it tomorrow. :)

She played with and watched James so that I could sit back and relax. She said that she felt like she didn't do anything, but I told her she did a lot. Just trying to entertain a baby while being sick takes quite a bit out of you. She was hear until Kevin came home. As she left she told me to call if I need her again. Yeah it was such a hard sale for her to come over and play with her Grandson :).

I just have to love my MIL!!! Thanks for all the help today.

Bath Time Fun

2005-10-23T20:51:00.000-05:00

Tonight I had Kevin give James a bath since I wasn't feeling very good. But of course I had to take some pictures while I wasn't in the line of fire from the splashing that ensues when a bath is going on.

I thought that these two were really cute and as James said I did keep it G rated. He just loves his bath time and especially in his duck tub. I am glad that he likes a bath. It makes that part of the day that much easier for everyone involved.

Keep it G Rated Mom!!

James Relaxing in His Tub

Sweet Sweet Baby James

2005-10-17T20:49:00.000-05:00

Today after working on his crawling James collapsed into a pile. He looked so darn cute that I couldn't pass up getting a picture of it. He never ceases to steal my heart. If you have never had a child you probably think I am nuts, but if you have then you know exactly what I am talking about.

It is amazing how you never knew that there was something missing in your life until a little one comes along.
It is amazing how they can do something new everyday.
It is amazing how fast they grow.
It is amazing how I can love him more every day.
It is amazing how he can do so much on his own already.
It is amazing how he fast he can make Kevin into a pile of mush.

I can safely say I don't know what I ever did without James. I feel like there is something missing every time I leave him. I am sure that is probably something that I will never get over. :)

Sweet Baby James

Minges Pumpkin Festival

2005-10-16T20:45:00.000-05:00

This weekend we went to Minges Pumpkin Festival. We have been going for quite a few years. We set up a marquee in the primitive section. Normally we both dress the part, but since I left Kevin home to bring James out after they have both woke up and were ready to go for the day, Kevin was only partially dressed the way she should have been and we didn't have anything to dress James in, so he came in his normal clothes.

I had a really good time with Kevin, James my Dad's side of the family, my Mom and all the people that I hadn't gotten to see in about a year. James seemed to have fun as well. He really seemed to like it when the planes would fly over (since we were set up at the end of a run way). James did much better than I thought he would and even took a nap there both days! I really think he enjoyed himself. It didn't hurt that my Mom was there Saturday to spoil him rotten. Of course she had to buy him some new toys, so we came home with a wooden truck and a wooden helicopter. Plus she bought him a wooden train for Christmas that was sent home with us already for him to play with. What do you do with Grandparents? LOL

All in all it was a beautiful weekend. It was a little cold during the wee morning hours, but the rest of the day was sunny and pleasant. We couldn't have asked for a better weekend.

Part of the Family

James and Kevin

James Watching all the Action

Just a Little Peak from Under the Hat

Tooth #6

2005-10-15T20:40:00.000-05:00

Well last night about 2 am James' 6th tooth made its appearance. All was fine and he was sleeping peacefully as were we until 2 am. I was woke up by a screaming baby. I went and warmed a bottle that he drank quite a bit of and changed him so he was sure to be dry then put him back in bed. Every time I would walk a way he would cry. I finally got him calmed and he drifted back to dream land. This morning you could see the little bit of the tooth that so rudely came in so early in the morning. It is one of his front ones. It looks as if its partner will be in soon. I think he is ready for steak LOL. The kid juat can't seem to get a break in cutting teeth. Once one comes in another isn't too far behind. I can say that he is such a good trooper through it all. So we now have 3 on top and 3 on the bottom.

Our Little Cow Boy

2005-10-11T15:09:00.000-05:00

Last night I had gone to Lambikins to work on some knitting. While I was gone Kevin and James went out shopping and came back with James' first Cow Boy hat. I was very surprised that he was able to find one that fit him. James seems to like it and is proud to wear it. I think he looks so cute in his hat. I have to say that he looks good in pretty much any hat that I have put him in. I really need to get on the ball and make him some knitted ones for this winter.

So here are some pictures of our cute little cow boy.

Yeee Haaaa!!!

How Cute is This!?

Happy Little Cow Boy

Clothing From Grandma

2005-10-10T15:07:00.000-05:00

Well yesterday at Kevin's birthday my Mom had new clothes for James. Not that I don't appreciate it, I really do - he is in need of pants since he seems to grow out of them in just a few weeks. I told her it was Kevin's birthday not James', but you know how Grandparents are. LOL I just love the little rubber boots that she found. They are too cute. It is pretty bad that my baby dresses better than I do. LOL Oh well that is ok with me. I really have fun dressing him so cute.

Clothing

Kevin's Birthday

2005-10-09T14:53:00.000-05:00

Today we celebrated Kevin's birthday at my Mom's. Of course with James there the focus was mostly on him. Isn't that what happens when you have a baby?. LOL Kevin got some nice clothes and my Mom fixed him a really nice meal then we had cake and ice cream afterward. James really had fun with his little piece of cake that I let him have. He is always such a riot. I believe that Kevin had a good birthday, or at least I hope that he did. He said that he had a good time, so I guess that is true.

James got Kevin the hat that he is wearing. He really likes it. :)

Riding the Fire Truck

Thinking about Getting Off

Whee This is Fun!!

Kevin and James

Ohhhhh!!!

Wheeeee!!!

Happy Boy

Kevin's Cake

Kevin Eating His Cake

Sugar Overload

Cute Grin

It's Fun to Play in Cake

Cake Eating Grin

Cake Go-Tee

Cake Covered Biter Biscuit

Fleece Hat Kevin Bought

2005-10-06T14:52:00.000-05:00

This evening Kevin came home with a fleece hat that he thought we could use for this winter on James. It is labeled for 18 to 24 month olds. The hat barely fit on his head. Either he has a fat head, the hat was labeled wrong, or the maker has no idea about the size of an average baby's head. Of course we had to get a picture of it and James had to put in his 2 cents as well. LOL The second picture was too good not to share. I hope it brings a good laugh to you as it did to us.

Daddy Bought this Hat

This is What I Think of It

Blue Grass Festival

2005-10-01T14:51:00.000-05:00

Tonight we went to the Blue Grass Festival at Versailles Park. There were a bunch of bands there playing. We had a really good time after James chilled out. Kevin's parents were there and his Dad grabbed James and stuck him under the tent flap to Kevin's Mom. Well with James just waking up and all he freaked! It took him over an hour to relax enough to come sit with us in the tent. I wanted to take him out so he could get some experience with crowds, but I didn't want to scare him to death. After he calmed down he seemed to have a good time dancing to the music and such. He would stop and look every time the crowd would clap. We clap here, but he isn't used to so many doing it at the same time.

Kevin tried to get James to sleep while we were still there and the music was playing. Hahaha like he really thought that was going to work. Needless to say, James didn't go to sleep, so Kevin gave up. I told him not to worry about it, he will sleep on the way home, which he did.

All in all we had a really good time and I think it was good for James to be introduced to large crowds. Other than the scare that he had all wet well.

What's Over there Grandma??

Something Caught Their Attention

Yummy Keys

Daddy Trying to Get James to Sleep

Me and Grandma

Playing on the Blanket

Wash Rag in Bag

Watching the Band

Cheerio Eater

James' 9 Month Pictures

2005-10-01T14:39:00.000-05:00

Today we went and had James' 9 month pictures done. He did so good for them. We had to wait over an hour and he was quite tired, plus the outfit changes. He was such a trooper. Of course I had to have his pictures done in the 2 Halloween outfits that I got. Since there is no way that he will fit in the cow for Halloween I figured that I could at least get a little use out of it and have a picture done in it. In the package that I got they are taking the one in the lion outfit and changing it from color to sepia then highlighting some of the oranges in his mane, the pumpkin, paw print etc. It should be quite interesting to see how they turn out.

Only 3 months to go before by baby is the big 1. I can't believe how fast he is growing and changing every day. *Sigh* I just wish I could keep him little longer, but I know that isn't a reality. Some one really needs to make a pill to keep my baby small.

Isn't He a Cutie?!

Sitting Tall

James Standing 9 Months Old

Mooooooo

Look I am a Lion

Well... Here They Are....

2005-09-30T13:10:00.000-05:00

I finally got James into the Halloween Costumes that I got. The Cow just fits and the Lion is a little big, so I am guessing that the lion will be just right by Halloween. He seemed to have a really good time dressed up. I can't wait to see how he does at Halloween. I hope he has fun and doesn't get scared. Now we have to get our costumes. I want to be Dorthy and I want Kevin to be the Scare Crow. I guess we need to head down to ye' ol' costume store to get them soon.

Well here are the pictures. What do you think???

Cow Toes

Moo Moo Moo

Cutie Pie Cow

Who Needs Courage?.

Cool Tail

I Can Eat it Too

Drum Roll Please....

2005-09-29T12:42:00.000-05:00

James now has his 5th tooth!! It broke through some time last night. I felt his gums last night and there was nothing through yet and this morning viola there it is. So he now has 2 teeth on top and 3 on the bottom. I am now just waiting for the 4th one on the bottom to come through. There are no signs of the bottom one showing its face any time soon, but they can fool you.

He is doing much better at feeding and eating on his own. I haven't gotten brave enough yet to let him have a go at his cereal or any jarred type foods, but the finger foods he is doing really well. He really likes Vegie Crisps. I bought a bag the other day just to see if he would eat them and he scarfed down 3 helpings of them. I am glad that he likes them since they are better than cheetoes and such. He has always been good at liking the things that are good for him. I just hope that he keeps that up.

Head Colds Suck

2005-09-24T20:30:00.000-05:00

I now have a head cold - whoo hoo. Kevin had something that he thought was allergies last week, but apparently it wasn't. I now have some sort of head cold. I went through an entire box of Kleenex yesterday (no joke I went through an entire new box!!). I swear that I am going to be dehydrated from loosing so much fluid. My throat is soar, my nose is sore, my ears are clogged, I am running a fever, my body aches, I am exhausted, light headed, stuffed up and can't sleep. I can't wait for whatever this is to go away. I hope that James doesn't get it. He has a little bit of a runny nose today, but that could be from cutting teeth too. I don't wish this on anyone.

I still need to get a list of things done before I head to bed. So I will say good night for now and I hope this cold doesn't pass your way.

8 Month Check-Up

2005-09-22T11:56:00.000-05:00

Monday was James' 8 month well baby check-up. Everything went really well and he got a clean bill of health. The Dr. said that he looks like Bob off the Quiznos commercials. I could wish he made money like that little baby lol. He ended up having to get 1 shot this time :(. I thought that we were done with them, but this one is for pneumonia and since they are so expensive the place he was sending us to have all his other shots wouldn't give it to him because it wasn't a requirement for school. He cried for the shot, but stopped once I picked him up. I really dislike the shots.

After the Dr. we stopped at Lambikin's Hideaway to look at the new yarn that came in. While we were at the counter and I had James on my hip I felt something warm. Come to find out the 3rd year student Dr. that was in with the Dr. didn't put James' diaper on right. So now I am wet and so is James. Out to the car we go to change him completely and to clean me up since I didn't have any spare clothes. After the clean and change we went back into the store and James played on a quilt I brought to put on the floor. He was so good. We were there for 2 hours and he played the entire time. I couldn't believe it.

Before we left for home a call came in. Someone was canceling for the knitted clog class that night. Since I was there she asked if I still wanted to take it. Of course I did! So I called Kevin to see what his plans were for the evening. He had made plans already so I called my Mom and she was more than willing to watch James. So I had to run home get things together for James then it was off to my Moms and to class. I know that Mom and James both had a good time together since when I got there to pick him up James was crashed out in my Mom's arms.

Finally here are his current stats.....

Weight - - 20lbs 12oz
Height - - 29in
Head - - 18.5in

Tooth #4!!!!

2005-09-16T21:45:00.000-05:00

What is going on?? James now has his 4th tooth. This one is on the bottom. There was no swelling or anything suggesting that a tooth was going to make an appearance there, but none the less it has peaked through. I am guessing that the other one isn't too far behind. If that is the case then we will soon have tooth #5 and #6.

It just amazes me how one day there is nothing there and the next there can be a tooth poking through the skin. Man do they grow so fast. I swear that I can see him growing while he is sleeping.

I figure that he wants to get in as many teeth as he can by Monday, since that is when we have his 8 month well baby check-up. He has to show the Dr. how many teeth he has and that he is a big boy :).

I hope that all is ok when we go for his check up. I believe that everything is ok, but you just never know what they might find. So far all his past check-ups have been perfect, so I am hoping for another perfect visit. Keep your fingers crossed for us.

Tooth #3

2005-09-14T12:58:00.000-05:00

It's here! It's finally here! James has tooth number 3. It looks to be the one next to the top front ones. So now he has the 2 front bottom teeth and one top next to where the front teeth should be. He is working on its partner in crime too so I expect to see the next one soon.

I guess this explains why he was so cranky the last few days. I knew that he was working on cutting the top 2 teeth, but wasn't sure how far along they really were. The poor little swollen gums can only tell you so much. He is in a much better mood today so he had to be very uncomfortable while that tooth had to poke through the skin. I really wish that there was more I could do for him. I am sure that he is happy to have that pain over with. So I have my cute, happy little boy back for a while until the other tooth is close to coming in. He is still chewing quite a bit so I hope that will help it come in faster.

Maybe tonight James and Kevin will have a better night together. Kevin did get a bit of a taste of what I go through on a daily basis - teeheehee. I think he has a better appreciation of what I do in a day.

2nd Time on My Own

2005-09-13T14:55:00.000-05:00

Well last night was only the 2nd time that I have been without James since he was born. In a way it was nice to get out and have adult conversation, but on the other hand I missed him so much. It was quite a lonely drive to Hamilton last night without him. I caught myself talking to the back seat and there was no one there :(. I even stopped at McDonald's on the way and didn't have him to share my french fries with. It was good for me to get out of the house and for James to spend time with Kevin, but it was hard for me to walk out the door and drive off. Now I know why Mothers are so protective of their children.

The class was really nice. I learned a lot and now know why I should make sure I continually check the gauge of whatever I am making to be sure that it will come out the size and shape that I want. Plus it is harder to pick a sweater pattern with a yarn that I like and for it to fit me than I thought that it would be. I guess that will be something that I will have to try later after I do some other things.

I have to say that the highlight of my evening was when I walked in the door when I got home. Kevin and James were sitting watching cartoons and when James saw me he got a huge smile on his face and reached for me. Once I picked him up he laid his head on me and patted me. Talk about heart melting. Boy he knows how to make me feel good. I was so glad to hold and snuggle him again. You would think I was gone forever, but hey it felt like a long time even though it was only a total of 4 hours. I am sure that it will get easier the more that I leave him. I think I am the one with the separation anxiety. LOL

Tomorrow is my next class. I will be making a felted pumpkin. This one has 2 sessions. I am excited to see what it will look like.

New Knitting Blog

2005-09-10T11:30:00.000-05:00

I have created a new blog for all my knitting adventures. Stop by and take a look. There isn't too much there yet, just some picture of things I made for presents last Christmas. I am hoping that with taking classes I will be able to create some new and interesting things.

The blog is Mrs. Knitter's Knitty Gritty. I will add other crafts as well, but it will mainly be my knitting. I have some good links on it as well.

I hope that you enjoy your visit there and take away a little knowledge as well.

Taking Knitting Classes

2005-09-08T17:12:00.000-05:00

Yesterday James and I went to Hamilton to run some errands. We had to go to the Hobby Lobby to pick up a special ordered mat for one of James pictures, stop and give my Mom James' newest pictures, and stop at Lambikin's Hideaway Yarn and Stichery.

I just love Lambikin's! The people are so nice and helpful. I have had nothing but a really good time every time I go. Plus they are so sweet to James. Christina and Sara are always letting James touch the new yarns that they think he might like the feel of. He always has fun when we go. I have a bad addiction there. I guess if you didn't knit or don't have anything to do with yarn then it wouldn't be a place for you. They have yarn, yarn and more yarn. There are so many styles, textures, brands etc. that a girl could go broke very easily in there. This time I was there to sign up for some classes. This is something that I have been wanting to do for a while.

I need to get out of the house for some adult conversation. I am going stir crazy and even though I LOVE James to death, I just need to have some "Me" time. Some people go to work, some go to school, mine just happens to be knitting classes. I feel that it will be good for myself and my family. I am hoping that getting out of the house will lower the stress that I have been feeling. I know that I am going to miss James while I am gone, but it is only for 2 hours a class, so it really isn't long. On the other hand I can't even go up the street to the store without missing him and feeling like a piece of me is missing. I am sure that I will enjoy my time and will be a better Mommy for taking some time for myself and not letting the tension build.

Now the fun this is that the classes are from 6 - 8 pm. This means that Kevin is going to have to perform the nightly routine for James. I am a bit scared for James LOL. I am not sure how this is going to go for either of them, but this will be good for both of them. Kevin learning how to do the nightly routine and James letting someone else put him to bed. I just hope that it goes well for the both of them because I really want to be able to take the rest of the classes that I have signed up for.

My first class will be Monday. I have "homework" to be done before I even take the class. I have to make swatches so we can measure the gauge of each swatch.

The Classes that I am taking are:

Importance of Knitting on Gauge (September 12th)
Square of the Month (Every 3rd Wednesday of each month for a year)
Pick Your Own Pumpkin in Lambikin's Pumpkin Patch (September 14th & 28th)
Scarf Styles (October 4th)
Deck the Halls with Your Knitting (October 5th)
Language of Knitting (October 10th)
Fair Isle-Two Handed, Two Color Knitting (November 30th, December 7th & 14th)

I wanted to take the Felted Slippers/Clogs, but the class was already full. I guess that is what I get for waiting. Maybe the next set of classes they will offer it or maybe with it being so popular they will open another one. Here is keeping my fingers crossed.

I am thinking of starting another blog on just my knitting and other crafts that I do. That way I will have some sort of record of my progress. What do you think?

Pictures Added

2005-09-07T18:35:00.000-05:00

I have added James' 8 month pictures along with a few other to the flickr badge on the left side of the page. Unfortunately he just wasn't into it this month. I think it was because the girls that were working had never taken his picture before. It takes him quite a while to warm up to someone. I guess that could be from me staying home with him and not exposing him to many people. I have been trying to get better about that and he is getting better about not crying as much around other people unless he has never seen them before. I guess you could say he is still a work in progress. :)

Halloween Costumes are Here

2005-09-02T17:05:00.000-05:00

The Cow and Lion costumes that I ordered have arrived! Now I need to see how well that they fit. I will get him in them and get pictures as soon as I can. I will probably need Kevin here to be able to rangle James into them. He is such a worm now. I am sure that we will have a fun Halloween, even though James probably won't understand and know what is going on. I figure that next year he will have a better time, but at least he is old enough to somewhat enjoy it this year. I can't wait to see what he looks like in them. :)

8 Months Old

2005-09-01T21:29:00.000-05:00

Well my little guy is 8 months old today. I still can't believe that he is that old already. I know that I say this every month, but man does time fly. It just seems like yesterday I was lying in the hospital with him still in me excited, scared, nervously awaiting his arrival. Only 4 more months until he will be a year old! An entire year!

I am so glad that I can be a SAHM for him. If I had to work out side the home I know that I would miss so much that I have been able to be at home to see. Admittingly it isn't for everyone, but I think I would personally regret going back to work if I didn't have to. I am so thankful that I am able to be here to see all his firsts.

We went to BRU today to have his pictures done. The normal girls that have been taking his picture since he was born weren't there, so he really wasn't into it this time. We tried everything and he just didn't want to smile much. Of course after we were done he was all smiles and was babbling away. Little turd. Oh well what can you do if they don't want to cooperate?. There is nothing that I know of at this age. I will post his new pictures when I can get onto the other computer and get them resized so it will be a few days before that can happen.

I found James some outfits that were one clearance. They are all for 18 months and older, but the way that he is growing it won't be long before he is in them. He is very close to being out of is 6-9 month sleepers, so I will have to be moving him up to his 12 month ones soon. I really think he is going to be tall like Kevin. Heck even if he compromises between us he will be at least 6 ft. I also expect him to have large feet like Kevin too, heck he is already in a size 3 and is almost out of them (he is wearing a size 4 tennis shoe from Wal*Mart and they fit him really well). I think we are going to be in for a real adventure for clothing for James as he gets older. This could be an impossible quest.

I also got him the Roll-a-Rounds: Drop and Roar Dinosaur. He really seems to like it and I know that it is hours of entertainment for adults. It has kept Kevin, his parents and myself all amused for quite a while. Isn't that why we buy toys for kids? You figure that you like it so your kid should too. They have so many neat toys out there now. It just amazes me that kids can get bored.

Well I am getting off the subject and am rambling. All in all it was an eventful day. After BRU we stopped at Kroger to pick up James' prescription. The Dr. has him on vitamins with fluoride in them. He really only needs the fluoride that is in them since we have well water and he gets breast milk, but he has to take the vitamins as well since that is the only way that it comes. I figure that the extra vitamins can't hurt. Maybe it will keep him from getting sick. I also picked up some more jar foods for when we are out he will have something to eat just in case. The homemade foods are not easily portable since they are all frozen. There are some new ones that I got I can't wait to see if he likes them. Of course I always try a jar at home before I take it out with us. I am always afraid that if I take something that he has never had before he won't like it and I will be stuck with nothing to give him and a hungry and angry baby. I try and prevent that as much as I can.

Well I have gone on long enough. If you are still reading this you must be bored and thanks for listening to me ramble.