swinging

Sunday afternoons are meant to be used to relax, watch football, do laundry and go to the park. We often forget that there is a park right up the street from our house. We took advantage of the warm, sunny weather yesterday and went swinging.

"Mama, I don't know about this!"

Liam was not all that excited when he first got in the swing...but that soon changed. He quickly learned to enjoy the swing and I think if it was possible, he would have been  shouting "Higher, Higher!" He didn't understand the part where he was suppose to pump his legs.

Us, on a Sunday.Olive is there, someplace.

Zeppy update.

We learned from Zeppelin's foster mom that he is adjusting well. He has made a new BFF, Vinny, who is also another black pug. From what she has shared, wherever Zeppelin goes, so does Vinny and vice versa. Zeppelin has also mastered the doggie door 75%. She told Andrew that Zeppelin's first night he cried a bit but once he was able to go into her old daughter's room, he was fine. The pugs there also get to sleep on the couch at night, so I am sure Zeppelin is in heaven. She wrote a really nice bio about Zepp on the Green Mountain Pug Rescue page. This past weekend there was a pug festival...so hopefully this helped with finding Zeppelin's forever family.

We will always look back on our time with Zeppelin with love.

 Surprisingly, Olive is adjusting really well. I think she enjoys being the only dog. We are able to give her more time and love and of course she has gotten way too many treats. Olive has turned into a calm dog. I know, I know, Olive, as a calm dog is an oxymoron. Andrew and I think that since she is the only dog, there is no more competition so she feels more comfortable. She doesn't seem depressed, either. Her mood is happy, playful and has a lot of love to share.

Scheming.

 

dinner time

Here is a little peak into what dinner time is like at our house. Lots of fun and lots of food, everywhere. Liam's newest favorite food is : grilled chicken mixed with brown rice and apple sauce.

crabby

snoozing!

watch out!

So, with some assistance, Liam has started to take some steps. He is a maniac with the walker...indoors, outdoors, whatever is in his way, he plows over. Don't mind how jacked up his pants are... either his waist on his pants fit and the length is way too short OR the length fits, but the waist is too big.

flash friday

I will be the first to admit, this blog has not been my top priority the past couple of weeks. Life the past couple of weeks have been a blur. Not to worry, things here are fine, we are all good. I have really been trying to spend as much time with my guys as possible since it seems like the few hours we have each day just aren't enough. Liam is at an age which is awesome. He really is just a little sponge picking up on stuff we do. He is also extremely curious, so that means danger if we don't have at least one eye on him at all times. We do give him independence; no helicopter parenting here.  Liam really likes to take Olive's water bowl and turn the kitchen into a pond. He thinks it is funny and I do too. Olive, not so much! He loves to stand and jump. He doesn't get much air, but it is entertaining to watch. He has also started to give hugs, especially in the morning. I guess I could go on and on about all the new things he has started to do or figured out, but I know that pre-Liam I would have found that to be a snooze fest. However, post-Liam, I just find all the things he does to be interesting and special.

I went down memory lane recently and looked through the photos of Liam when he was first born and the first few days of his life that we caught on camera. It  is really hard to believe how far he has come in the past 10 months and how far Andrew & I have come as parents. I love looking at those first few photos, but I also love looking at our little boy and watching him as he grows and learns...which happens so quickly!   I guess I am one proud mom who can't say enough how wonderful it is to have such an incredible little boy and an even more incredible man who supports me, loves me and can always make me laugh.

10 Months

Liam and S.M. 10 months later

Happy 10th Month, Liam! For some reason I keep on thinking today marks your 11th month of life. Maybe subconsciously  I want time to speed up a bit, but  I really like the rate at which time is passing right now. Ten months later and you still continue to amaze me. Your dad said to me the other day, "Don't you love having a little boy?" While I thought he was being sarcastic (because at the moment he said it, you were trying to tear apart open the cabinet that hold the pots) but he was just being honest. And of course my reply was "Yes, I love having a little boy!" because I truly do.

music time!

Here are some thing I learned about you this past month: you are ticklish, you like pickles, you still don't like shoes or socks on your feet, you like to give hugs (esp. in the morning), you really like to be outdoors, you still don't like blueberries, you prefer having your dad put you to bed at night, your favorite book of choice remains Alaska's Animals,  you enjoy snuggling with blankets, you have the best laugh when you get super excited (or when I tickle you), you still favor your left hand, and you don't like Macy's.

 I am so excited that we almost have a year under our belts, but it makes me a little teary that you will be turning one so soon. I think this month is going to be a good month for you...maybe a tooth, maybe a little walking or maybe even a first word.

As always, I love you and thank you for making me a better person!

Zeppelin

Today we became a one dog family. After a lot of tears and a lot of thinking, Andrew and I decided to surrender Zeppelin to the Green Mountain Pug Rescue. Since Liam has become part of our family, Zeppelin has acted a few times in an aggressive way either around or towards Liam. He did it again on Thursday. While Liam was never injured or attacked, I feared that it would eventually happen.

We are just heart broken over this. Devastated  He is at a foster home right now with other pugs. He will stay there until a forever home is found for him. We did ask that when he gets settled in with his new family, they send us an update to let us know how Z is doing. While our hearts ache for this loss, we could only begin to imagine how awful our hearts would ache if Liam was to ever get hurt by Zeppelin.

 We can call or stop by the foster home to see how Z is doing, but we have chosen not to.  Right now we are just trying to heal and hope for the best.  Please keep us & Zeppy in your thoughts as we struggle with this loss.

 

flash friday

We have all been battling some type of illness here in this house. Me- bronchitis, Liam- overcoming an ear infection, Andrew- some congestion and Olive- a sinus infection. It has been an ill week here at 60 Chestnut St. So not many photos were taken this week. Sorry y'all...but I do have a few more from Maine that I will share. I hope next week is a better week- health and photo wise.

Liam didn't sleep at daycare this day, was too busy catching up with his friends about vacation. As soon as he got home, he passed out.

The cottage's back yard.

Liam's $4 pancake. 

I got curious

snuggle?

motherhood

The moms & our boys.

dutch

Meet Dutch. Dutch came home with us from Maine. She belongs to Liam and presently is his favorite puppet.

Dutch the Puppet.

my maine boy

We survived our 1st family summer vacation. And let me tell you, we had a blast! Even though all three of us were sick the whole time, there was the threat of Hurricane Earl and 90 plus degree temperatures tried to stop us, we did not let it. The backyard of our cottage was the beach. I must admit, I was anxious that Andrew and I would be running around the beach chasing after Liam the whole time, rather than relaxing. I was wrong. I think Liam knew right away that the beach was meant for relaxing.

snoozing on the beach

I enjoyed Maine. I loved the beach & ocean. I loved swimming in the pool, ocean was too cold. I loved spending 24/7 with Andrew and Liam. I loved that Liam would say "mama" and reach for me. I loved that Liam laughed more than he cried (well, until the nasty ear infection joined us for vacation). I love that Liam adores his dad.  I love that Andrew can always make me laugh. even if it is laughing at him. I love that Liam can make Andrew and I laugh, more than we ever expected. Vacations are great,and now with Liam, vacations are just the best.

 

While we were disappointed that our trip ended a few days early, we had a lot of fun and were left with a lot of memories.