nov. 30

Last day of  na.blo.po.mo!
Now to conclude this, I will share a conversation that I had with Liam earlier tonight:

Liam's hand was in his the pocket of his pants-

Me: "Liam, what do you have in your pocket?"
Liam: "Tatos"
Me: "Oh, who are you giving potatoes to?"
Liam: "Lana" ( Elena, a friend from school)

Me: "Liam, what is in your other pocket?"
Liam: "Chicken pot pie"
Me: "Who are you giving your chicken pot pie to?"
Liam: "Grady" (another buddy at school)

Random conversations with a 2yr old.

pinch, ouch.

 There is this one lady who does check ins at Liam's pediatrician's office. Somehow she remembers him. Yesterday when we walked in she got all excited to see him and then proceeded to give him at least ten stickers. A good start to crappy doctor's visit- it was time for more shots.

He did well with his exam, according to Dr.D. he looks and sounds great, is on target for meeting all milestones and she also said to not get too concerned about the "w" sitting- as there are no other concerns with walking, running, sitting. She said we could certainly go ahead and put a request to have him evaluated by early intervention, but she thought he would not qualify for any services. He is also 26lbs!

He then had his finger pricked and two shots. Poor little guy. I recall how sad it was when he got shots as an infant, but now he is more aware and it was absolutely more sad yesterday than any other time. I gave him heads up that he would feel a pinch and it would be sore.  After it was done, and the tears had stopped and he had his Dora snacks in hand, the nurse said good bye, Liam looked at her and said "pinch!". I am sure he would have called her something else if his vocabulary was bigger.
  So the whole ride home I kept on hearing him say "Mommy, pinch, pinch, ouch".  Poor kid, but he did get an awesome DJ Lance Rock sticker from the nurse.

all you need is love

 click the link below for some super cuteness:


http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=2753456479231


oops.  For a dose of super cuteness try this one:

diet starts...

tomorrow. Seriously. After all the food that I have tore though in the past week...birthday sweets, Thanksgiving feast, travel snacks...I am ready to detox. I need to find the motivation and discipline. Not only find it, but keep it around this time.

Diet starts Monday.

welcome home

We enjoyed our visit to Delaware this week. We had a great time with family, many laughs, lots of shopping and a lot of delicious food. Needless to say, we came home stuffed. The car was stuffed and so were our bellies. Remember, there is no sales tax in Delaware, so I may have gone a little BF shopping crazy ( I did go!). It did not include any pepper spray or bows being thrown. HOWEVER, I may have stood near someone in Walmart, who pooped his/her pants. I suppose people get desperate and don't want to risk losing their place in line...I don't think any deal is worth pooping my pants over. I guess that is what I get for going to Walmart. 

So when we returned home today we found this guy hanging out on our banister...

Elf on a Shelf aks Santa's spy

 

 

 

Liam decided to name the spy, Bo-Bee.  He is here to keep track of every move Liam makes...so far Bo-Bee has been very helpful.  Liam is all about impressing Bo-Bee and wants to tell BB everything he does. Liam was disappointed when he learned that BB could not dance with him.

I hope his magic doesn't wear off too quick.

flash friday ( a day late)

Here you go...a day late. I was too busy hitting up black Friday deals yesterday...

Going to town on Grandma Nan's famous French Toast

Pre Feast nap

Veggies & dip

The Feast in Delaware

Liam's Cake...prepared by Aunt "Izzy".

Birthday morning!

2yrs!

be thankful

Happy Thanksgiving! Somehow along the way I got very fortunate.  And I have a lot to be thankful for.

Hope you are spending this day with the ones you love. Take some time today to stop and think about what you are thankful for...not just today, but everyday.

he's 2

It's official my baby is no longer a baby. His 2nd birthday went pretty well- big sign at daycare from his"buddies", cuppy cakes & party at daycare, dinner out, Dora snacks,staying up late and opening cards that he got in the mail...and all the phone calls! The boy is pretty popular at 2. Looking back at photos I can't believe how much life has changed. What started here:

Which led me to  Liam's birth

 & onto to this:

 Then to this:

 To now:

 

& these are the days of our lives...

11.22.11

Dear Liam,

Happy 2nd Birthday, my sweet boy.  I can't even begin to explain everything that you have tried, conquered and experienced this past year.  I think over night you transformed into a little boy. That baby you once were is just a figment of my imagination these days. Those days of holding your bottle, then your spoon for you are over. You are drinking from a cup and have mastered (for the most part) the use of utensils. The days of having to figure out why you were crying are mostly gone. The days of a gummy smile are far gone. I look at photos of you from just last year and can't believe how much you have changed: physically, emotionally and developmentally.

While I have enjoyed every moment of being a parent and learning how to be your mom, I truly think the past six months have been my favorite. Your vocabulary has exploded. You love to walk and hold my hand and your dad's hand. Your table manners are improving. You have started to use the potty. Your crib is a piece of your past. You sleep in to at least 7am. You love to read and be read to. You absolutely prefer your dad over me. You know who your gammas & pat-tas are. You know who your buddies are. You love to color and draw. You love to play with Olive. You love music and love to dance. You love Toy Story. You love to climb. You love to laugh out loud. You love to jump on the bed after a Saturday morning snuggle. You love to comb your own hair and put on your chappy.

I can't wait to see what the next year brings. Soon you will be riding a bike, starting kindergarten, graduating from school, starting your own life, maybe even starting your own family.  I am trying to soak up every minute of you and all our moments, as I know it all goes by so fast. I can't wait to see who you become and what paths you explore. I hope you always know that no matter what paths you choose, your dad and I are right there behind you, supporting and encouraging you all. the.way.


Thanks for making me one proud mom. Thanks for making me one blessed mom. Thanks for reminding me of how fun the simple things in life are. Thanks for giving me those hugs and smiles. Thanks for being you. I love you to infinity & beyond!


Love Always,

Mama

What would Liam look like with a beard or a mustache? Since he is not capable of growing facial hair for Movember, I thought I would improvise.

every gentleman loves himself some yogurt

hershey kiss seriousness

Stay Classy Toddlers

fail

So much for a blog post a day all month long...ugh. I missed yesterday.  I had good intentions, but that is about as far as it go.

I knew I needed to post a blog yesterday. Thought about it often throughout the day. Then came 6:45pm.We celebrated Liam's 2nd birthday yesterday with a party. The kid went all day long without a nap. I was ready for nap by the time 4 o'clock came around. He had a great time and I hope everyone who came to the party did, too. Root beer floats and whoopie pies later, we all were exhausted.  Liam was in his flannel, Elmo jammies and he fell asleep in my arms on the couch. Something that never happens any more. So I soaked it up and eventually Andrew brought Liam up to bed. Andrew and I  then ate dinner and watched a movie..without any interruptions. Something else that never happens anymore.  A good end to a great day.

A boy and his mom

flash friday

Liam gave me a great opportunity last night for a hilarious, yet cute, photo of him. However, something was going on with the camera and all the shots were ruined...so instead I invite you to check out Liam's 2nd year in photos (please click link below):

Liam's 2nd Year Book!

to BF shop or not

I am still on the fence whether or not I want to go Black Friday (BF) shopping this year. We  will be celebrating Thanksgiving in Delaware ...so I suppose if I do want to go, I should do a little homework...now!

I am not sure if I enjoy getting a really good deal on something that I feel like I should buy because it is such a good deal. OR if I enjoy watching people go crazy over a 4$ dvd even more.

So if you are on the fence, too, here are some websites that are suppose to reveal all the BF deals:

http://bfads.net/
http://2011blackfridayads.com/
http://blackfriday.info/

There is also an app for that...basically this app is like a GPS for a Mall. I may look into this, IF I do decide to go BF shopping. app: Point Inside Mall Map. Locates stores, bathrooms, coffee, and the nearest exit in case people get too.out.of.control. 

(websites & app courtesy of Kristi Gustafson Barlette)

blerg

This week can't go any slower. I woke up this morning thinking it was Thursday, until I realized that I was a day ahead of schedule. This week has been pure chaos.I am ready for my day off on Friday.  I am ready for pizza Friday. I am ready to celebrate Liam's birthday on Saturday. I am ready to take Liam to the library on Sunday.  I am ready to start next week, even though I am only half way through this week.One week to go until we have a mini vacation.

On a happier note: Liam's 2nd year in photos book arrived today *sigh*, the smoke alarm has not sounded since Andrew took over cooking (I thought he removed the battery, so I did a little test tonight, and the battery is still in it), we turned on the Christmas music station last night, we have been building blanket forts and next week is Thanksgiving!

I hope tomorrow is better than today! I am going to do some retail therapy and order some scentsy. 

 

new version of you

Last night I was reunited with Felicity Porter & Ben Covington & Noel Crane. Thanks to Netflix, I can now watch all of Felicity from start to end. I loved that show back in the day. My friend Jessica and I would watch that show when we lived on Green St.  I remember being so sad (legitimately sad) when it ended (don't judge). So you can only imagine how excited I was to see it available on Netflix. The great thing about this is that I really don't remember what happened on the show...I am in a constant state of deja vu while watching it.

Just a little preview of what Andrew and my dad did today...

kitchen back splash

More before and afters to come, once it is fully completed. I am so excited, it feels like I have a new kitchen.

2hrs

na.blo.po.mo. #12

Today Andrew and I had two hours to ourselves. We had one of Liam's former daycare teachers come in and hang with him. He got to spend some time with her and A & I got to spend some time together. It was amazing how much we got done in just two hours without a kiddo with us.
I can't write too much tonight because I overloaded on pumpkin whoopie pies....holy deliciousness!

flash friday

This is what happens when Liam realizes that he can't have everything he wants or that everything doesn't belong to him- Out of the hundreds of leaves, Olive took the one Liam wanted.

Ms. November

time to find a bigger froggie hat

Lesson learned, now it is time to share

Attitude!

Laser Beam and her pillow pet

post nap

Paul Bunyan in the making

ugh

na.blo.po.mo. #10

Today was a l-o-n-g day. I am currently experiencing heartburn from my lunch...skittles and coffee.  I am happy it is almost over. Where is the calgon and why hasn't it taken me away yet? Actually, I have never been taken away by calgon. Do people really do that?  Does it really work?

I am looking forward to tomorrow....working from home in the am, play date with my little one in the afternoon. I hope to catch some great photos tomorrow for my Friday post. And it is pizza Friday!- this week's edition is with friends.

I am off to be taken away by my pjs & some English chocolate- sorry calgon.

really

na.blo.po.mo. #9

So word on the street is that Michelle Duggar is pregnant with her 20th child...really?!?  Okay, I guess she and Jim Bob confirmed it on tv the other day. I get it, being a parent is pretty darn wonderful, terrific and an experience that no one can  ever understand unless you experience it. In my humble opinion, I think she is just being all out selfish. There are other ways she can expand her family without putting her unborn child & self in harm's way. That's all I have to say about that.

bff

na.blo.po.mo. #8

“Truly great friends are hard to find, difficult to leave, and impossible to forget.”

done.

na.blo.po.mo. #7

I am 99.5% finished with Liam's second year photo book.  I am so freaking happy to be done with this thing. All I need is for Andrew to proof it and add a little bit of something to it and it is all set.  I didn't wait until the last minute- a tough lesson  I learned last year. I think I gave myself a week to go through at least a ba-zillion photos of Liam. One of my worst decisions, ever.  There was a lot of blood, sweat and tears shed last year at the last moment. I recall how happy I was when the final product finally arrived in the mail and I tore into it...just to find a photo book that looked nothing like the one I created. Somehow I received a photo book which documented some one's engagement. Fingers crossed this doesn't happen again this year.

2 more days

na.blo.po.mo.#6

I get to see my very best friend in two days!  We have been friends since the 6th grade...so that is approximately 20 years of friendship. Whoa. She lives in England, in close proximity to our other very best friend, Sarah. They both married British men and then started their lives on the other side of the pond. So it is such a treat when we get to see each other, face to face. I always feel like we pick up right where we left off and can still  make each other laugh. I just can not wait to see her and her hubs, Gareth.

Here are some flashback photos the last time Jackie & Gareth visited Chestnut Street:

Spring 2009

Little did I know, I was pregnant!

Cheese. St. Patrick's day (hence the green)

the market

na.blo.po.mo. #5

Today I FINALLY got to check out the Delmar Farmer's Market! Yahoo! I have been wanting to go here for only about two years (seriously). So we squeezed it into our day. We had a bazillion things to do today, as we have another bazillion things going on tomorrow (and pretty much the rest of this month).  Liam was also excited to go to the "market". Well, I may have encouraged his enthusiasm.
So the market was indoors and we got to checkout & test some really great, local stuff. First our friend, who owns Andi's Apple Cakes was there. Let me say this, she makes a pretty fantastic apple cake...but let me tell you about the pumpkin cake...one word: delicious. Mind you, I don't like anything pumpkin...no pie, no pumpkin flavored coffees, nothing, but this cake. It was great and I can't wait to order some for the upcoming holiday. You should too. Second, I am an squirrel bait addict. This granola is awesome. I may be a bit biased because it has toasted coconut in it and anything with TC in it is almost heaven to me. Liam is also a semi addict. I say semi because most of his granola was in his car seat.

I am so excited about my finds that I had to take a photo of them. Also you can get a sneak peek of the tile we are going to use for our kitchen back splash. Bob Vila & my dad will be taking care of that next weekend.

locally made & delicious!

flash friday

na.blo.po.mo #4

Sorry I don't have any good photos this week. Here is one I snapped quick during the costume parade at daycare. I am sure everyone of those teachers dread that day. all . year. long. Kids crying, parents stuffing their kids in ridiculous costumes, eating candy (or pretzels per my class donation), parents holding up the parade to get some pictures of their kid. Andrew and I were there for an hour and seriously it felt like five hours.  We did get to see Liam in action in class...circle time, name game and snack time. It was cute and it was reassuring that he enjoys his time with his buddies and his teachers & they enjoy him, too.

Stepping Stones II Costume Parade 2011

conference

Na.Blo.Po.Mo # 3

We attended Liam's parent/teach conference yesterday.  We got to sit in the tiny chairs at the tiny table. And we got to hear about how Liam is doing in class. Ms. J (L's teacher) shared that Liam is kind, patient and very welcoming of new kids. She would like for him to work on potty training (me, too!) and putting 4-5 word sentences together (holy cow!). She also told us he sits funny (not using those words of course). Liam tends to W sit -he sits on the floor with his legs forming a “W” shape on the floor (knees bent, legs rotated and facing away from the body). He will correct it when asked, but this is usually his go to position. So we will check in with his pediatrician( in a couple weeks at his 2 yr appointment!) to make sure there is nothing physically wrong with him and go from there to have him evaluated. We also learned that Liam's best buddy, V, no longer attends the school. Now it makes sense that Liam came home earlier in the week and shared that V's shape (square) was given to a new kid.
So onto those 4-5 word sentences...

demotion

Na.Blo.Po.Mo.  #2

Today I was demoted from cooking and grocery shopping duties. I am not sure what happened. Andrew told me that he would be purchasing food and cooking meals from here on out. No ifs, ands, or buts about it.  Which concerns me a bit, as Andrew's specialties include: chicken nuggets, tater tots, grilled cheese, tomato soup and jelly sandwiches. Maybe I will finally lose that weight I have been meaning to lose.

na.blo.po.mo.

National Blog Post Month starts today: 11.1.11.

Can I do it?

A post a day, for 30 days?

Is my life really that interesting?

Can I really find that much stuff to write about?

Will I remember to write daily?

I suppose we will all find out in the next 30 days!

( And yes, I am counting this as day #1 post. I know, I know, I am cheating. But I promise to make it up to you.)