Santa=Fail

Well, I knew this would be the result this year. Last year the pic was so sweet and he had no idea what was going on. This year, was quite the opposite. I tried really hard to make Santa seem sweet and jolly like he is. I was pointing at him while we waited in line. I was telling Holt to wave and blow kisses, which he happily did. The closer we got...the tighter his legs were clinging to my waist. I kept hoping he would have a change of heart, especially because Santa was waving and playing peekaboo with Holt while we waited in between kids. No such luck. Santa pried Holt from my arms and the screaming began. Holt was frozen with fear. Out of 4 pics they snapped, they were all the same. We even tried to get one with his eyes open, no such luck. I had M&Ms waving in front of him and he wouldn't even eat one of those. I thought it was hilarious but the photographer felt really bad so she went and picked him up. He was absolutely terrified...and I've got a picture to frame and cherish forever during the Holidays! I couldn't have asked for a better reaction really.

Validation

Us Moms are so hard on ourselves, we really are. If you're like me you go to bed every night wondering if you gave your child enough vegetables that day, particularly green ones, or if you should have read a couple more books, or tried harder to teach them the difference between blue and green while secretly trying to figure out if they are color blind at an early age. What, no? Just me? Didn't think so. Or maybe you should have reviewed those animal sounds one more time because gosh darnit why can't he say MOOO or OOOHHH OOOHHH AAAHH AAAHH like a monkey, after all it is his favorite animal. It's no wonder we can't find time for ourselves, our thoughts are consumed by those special special, all time consuming children God placed in our lives. Don't get me wrong I wouldn't change it for anything. Once you go through all the "I should have dones" you move onto the "what did I do's" and again, like me, you draw a huge blank. You promise tomorrow will be different and you won't waste a second after breakfast jumping onto those ABC's and colors. I have even told myself, "Maybe I should set aside an hour to 'teach' him, like he is homeschooled." What, that's crazy, isn't it?

Here's the deal, they are learning all day and you are teaching all day. I came across this article on Facebook this afternoon, yeah so what I was using my free time on Facebook. Another promise I make to myself everyday that I WILL NOT waste my time doing. I'm glad I took the time to read it because for once it summed up how I felt. I had validation as a mom. Forget that the article even says anything about stay at home moms, this goes for all moms. I've been the working mom too and I admit, I was not good at it. I was great at my job, ok as a mom, and terrible as a wife. I had to see the bigger picture and now, no matter what it takes, I will stay home with my children. Another blog entirely, and I digress. Anywho, this article has the validation I have been looking for. Every single word of it is the truth and I could not have said it better myself.

Typical scenario: I have to be somewhere at 10, I tell myself we will leave at 9:45 (is it strange I give myself 15 minutes to get anywhere, even if I clearly know it is more than 15 minutes away? It's like as long as I leave earlier than I am supposed to be there, I feel good about it.) I realize at 9:45 I have not filled up his sippy cup with 3/4 water and 1/4 apple juice. He is suddenly in a I want to be held mood. My 2 hands are down to one. Somehow I must get his snack, goldfish or cheerios, in his snack cup without him pitching a fit because I won't give it to him at that moment. I distract him by asking him questions, "Where is Bentley?" "Did you hear that bird?" "If you're happy and you know it..." Ok, the snack is ready. He sees the snack, tantrum begins, I give in and give him a couple goldfish at 9:51 in the morning. I throw my purse on, grab his monkey backpack. Where is his favorite book? We have to have it for the car ride. I find his book. I'm now carrying my 21pound child, snacks (out of view), my purse...where are his shoes? Nope not upstairs, not under the couch, oh yea, the shoes are in the car. I grab the sippy cup with my one finger left. Ugh, the dog needs to be put up. I'll put Holt down, nope he's not having it. I run upstairs with my arms full, put Bentley in his house and try not to set anything down along the way because I WILL forget it. To the car we go. Throw some of the stuff in the front seat, keep snacks out of sight, get him in the car seat. He's pitching a fit because he wants to watch the DVD player that I only allow on road trips. Hand him the book. Get in the front seat, look at the clock when I start the car...10:03. This happens every single time. I'm ALWAYS late. This was just a mere 15-20 minutes of my day. Every little thing takes much longer than anticipated.

I have thought about this a lot since I've been a mom and that is the fact that this little person is going to learn how to speak a language, mostly from me. This little person is going to learn please and thank yous and great manners, even though I can admit I may not have the best manners. I burp at the dinner table, sorry Mom. Will I get onto him for burping at the dinner table, absolutely. I guess I better change my ways...soon. The point is this, without realizing what we did on a daily basis, that little person learned something. Day in and day out, they are learning and you are teaching. I know some great mommies out there and we all talk about this frequently. You are doing a great job and your babies think you are doing a great job. We all need to give ourselves a lot more credit for what it takes to be a mom. It is the hardest job in the world. Even on days when you have a total blast at it. This blog has gone on for awhile, my apologies. Two glasses of well deserved wine will do that to a blog post.

Sleep tight, and instead questioning yourself...thank God for giving you the opportunity. Now someone remind me that I need to do that too.

Holt is 15 months!

Yes, yes, he is already 15 months old. I'd like to say time is going by very slowly, but I can't. It is flying by! Months feel like a week. It's just crazy how fast these little beings change. Holt is an expert tantrum thrower and I have to turn my head and smile most the time. The advice is true, it is much easier to ignore the tantrum than fuel it. Sometimes I will just try to hug it out of him much to his dismay. We had to repeat his bloodwork to check for anemia at his 15 month check-up and I am happy to say he is no longer anemic. I am to give him a vitamin and pediasure for extra nutrients since he isn't a big meat eater. We will also continue the toddler formula at nighttime. He is eating a little better these days some of his fav foods are:

-Mac N Cheese (I sneak in squash puree and feel much better about this choice)
-Peanut butter sandwiches (well peanut butter and anything really)
-Avocado, Nanas, blueberries, clementine oranges, peas and carrots
-Beans and rice, tortilla
-Any kind of cheese
-Chicken patties (AKA rice balls from Deceptively Delicious, can't get those little suckers to cook well as a ball!)
-Pancakes
-Smoothies

15 month stats
-21 lbs (5-10%)
-32" (75%)
-Size 4 diapers
-Size 5 shoes
-Mostly 12 month clothes, some 18 months fit. His little waist makes 18 months a bit big still.

He is really learning more and more everyday. It does not seem like it takes as long for something to "sink in". Here are some things you can find him doing on a daily basis:

-Carrying junk mail around
-Carrying a pen and paper and pretending to write
-Started walking full time September 16th
-Bouncing on his trampoline (only bends at the knee, can't seem to figure out how to get those feet up, it's quite adorable)
-He has learned his body parts, points at his eyes, ears, head, hair, and bellybutton, sniffs when I ask where his nose is. For some reason he is quite interested in Mommy's bellybutton and this can be embarrassing because he tries to get to it by pulling my shirt down, I have no idea why, I've never shown it to him any way other than barely lifting up the bottom of my shirt.
-Shakes his head for yes, also does the same motion for please and thank you until he can say them correctly.
-Loves holding his cup and other objects in his mouth only when I say "No hands!"
-He has to point out every flag and pumpkin he sees
-Has quite the fascination with pointing out people in pictures
-If he is fussy, just give him an empty bottle of some kind (vitamins, prescription, water bottle) with a lid. He will twist the lid on and off forever.
-Loves stirring with a spoon and a bowl
-He "reads" aloud to himself. There is a certain tone of voice for this, so it's funny that he thinks he is really reading. Loves those books! I bring them in the car to keep him content.

Some of his "words" are:
-Mama (although he won't look at me and say this)
-Dada (he will say this to Kyle though and if I say Daddy is home, "Dada!Dada!")
-This is dis, that is dat
-beebeebee is baby
-Muh for milk
-daadaa for doggy or Bentley
-baaal sometimes you can hear the L sometimes you can't when he is saying ball
-buhbuhbuhbuh and waves for Bye Bye. Any closing of any door warrants a Bye bye and a wave.
-Nana for banana

Holt still has a huge fascination with animals of any kind and points out dogs anywhere and everywhere, even in pictures. Sometimes he gets so excited and I can't figure out why until I look up and see he is pointing at the dog on the sign hanging up high in the store. He loves fish and deer as well. Really any animal gets him going.

He dropped his first nap in the past couple of months. As some of you know, this has it's advantages and disadvantages. He is up for the day around 7:30 most days, breakfast at 8, snack at 10:30, lunch at 12 or so and nap between 1 and 1:30. He is usually up by 4 for another snack and dinner at 6. It's nice because we can get out in the mornings and go do more things than we did when he was napping at 10:30. But then again, I am confined to the house from 1:30 until 4. Overall, I am ok with the one nap, probably like it better actually.

We have some difficult days, but for the most part he is very easy to get along with and it doesn't take much to get him to move onto something else if he is upset. He is my best little buddy and when I am away from him, a piece of me is missing. I want him with me everywhere, even crying the entire way through the grocery store as strangers ask, "Oh is it naptime?" Love him to pieces anyways.

I need a Hobby

Everyday I tell myself the same thing, I will do something productive today. I don't mean folding laundry, teaching Holt a new trick, or getting us out of the house. Something productive for the family, or myself, however you want to look at it. I'm inspired by so many ideas on Pinterest, I should just do them. Now that Holt is down to one nap a day, which lasts anywhere from 2-3 hours, how should I spend my time? Typically I spend some time doing pointless stuff online, and I mean pointless. Facebook, reading blogs, reading TMZ, MSN, or browsing for something I "need" to buy. Then I move onto the Social Media job I have for a couple of companies setting up Facebook articles and tweets. I have about an hour left at this point, maybe 2 depending on how long he sleeps. An entire hour to do something, anything besides sit in front of the computer. I don't watch much TV anymore and I typically do chores when Holt is awake. So how do I spend this hour? I have no idea! Before I know it Holt is awake and another day has gone by where I haven't done a darn thing that is productive.

Now I told myself when I became a stay at home mom that I would spend more time with God. I'm not entirely sure what that means, which is why I think I am not very good at it. I know He doesn't care how we do it, we should just do it. I am not good at reading anything during the day because my mind is all over the place. I cannot concentrate until right before bed, so reading anything is out of the question. How do you spend time with God? As much as God would appreciate me spending 3 hours with Him each day, I think I need more of a hobby. I should spend 30 minutes with God instead of reading all the online Gossip and what my 50 friends I barely know anymore on Facebook are doing at that given second. That I should do. So how?

Holt has recently become somewhat of a picky eater. I find myself making food that he doesn't eat day in and day out. I just purchased Deceptively Delicious and it is full of yummy recipes that I cannot wait to try. As I started reading through it I thought, "Where am I going to find time to make him this food?" Uhhh, Hello Shea, you have at least 2 hours every afternoon to make something, anything. So I think I will work on my cooking skills. I have always longed to be good at baking too. With all these recipes on Pinterest I am loving, I can surely cook for my family. I want to get really good at baking so my kids friends know me for my yummy treats. Yes, I totally copied Monica from friends, but it's true.

What about decorating? We are building a new house and I should be planning how I want everything to look in every room. Ugh, really? I am not a fan of decorating. My mom is an Interior Decorator, I'll give her a budget and let her do it. I don't even know where to look for decorating ideas because that's how much I dislike it. Kyle is actually better at decorating than me. But shouldn't I want to?

So everyday I tell myself this and another day ends and I haven't done anything. There is unfolded laundry in baskets still if you want to know the honest truth. How am I spending my time? I can't nap during the day due to the guilt I feel. I can't really do anything for myself during the day while he is napping due to the guilt. This is an entirely new blog post in itself really. So my question is, how do you spend your free time? How do you spend time with God? How are you finding time to decorate for Fall or plan the Holidays? How are you cooking your family dinner? Help me find a better use of my time, please!

Holt is 13 months!

I questioned whether or not I should continue these posts (hence it being 2 weeks late). We're kinda at the point where there is not a whole lot of "new" going on. I guess it will be a month to month decision, if I feel like sharing what my lil munchkin, booger, tooty tooty, boo bear is up to! I'm not sure I can classify him as a walker just yet, although he can take several steps alone, his prefered method is still crawling. I wouldn't even know what to put down as the date in his baby book for taking "first" steps. He has taken his "first" steps, but that has been going on for like 6 weeks now and he still isn't quite confident enough to just take off. But I am very proud of him and nothing in the world beats that big smile on his face when he reaches me after walking. He is just so darn proud of himself. At one point the pediatrician told us to watch for his hips when he started walking because apparently the peg leg crawl we thought was so funny, could actually be a hip issue. Luckily, it's still just a funny crawl and he doesn't appear to have any trouble with his steps.

Besides starting to walk, here are a few other things the Holtster enjoys doing these days.

-Giving Bentley his morning treat. We let Bentley out and Holt picks out his treat from the box then crawls over to give it Bentley directly into his mouth...with a giggle every time.
-Lots and lots of pointing going on! Anything and everything is just about the coolest thing he has ever seen. If only he could tell me how neato he thought it all was.
-I think he is a bit of a hoarder. He can't just have one thing around him, he must have several. He crawls to get more things for his pile and must be surrounded by stuffed animals when he sleeps.
-Will push anything to get him from point A to point B, including but not limited to the kitchen barstool (eek!) and and exercise ball
-He seems to understand almost everything I tell him, especially everyday commands. Ok, I'm bragging a little, he doesn't know everything but he really has picked up on a lot more of what I say in the past month. "Go put this book back." "Can I have it?" "Can Mommy have a bite?" are just a few...
-He loves to bring me books to read. Books are his favorite. He looks at them all by himself. He plays with them, he points at things in them, and he wants me to read to him all the time!
-He prefers that shoes are on your feet at all times. He tries to put Daddy's shoes on me if he deems it necessary that I need shoes on and the closest ones are Kyle's. He likes to try and put them on himself. If you take them off, you better believe he will bring them back to your feet within seconds.
-We have about 75% mastered the skill of putting our cup back on the tray or counter when eating. Most the time he does and it makes a sound to make sure I turn around and praise him. Others he still just feels like throwing it down on top of Bentley.
-He's learning different sports skills! Hit hits balls with his golf club, throws balls when asked, and kicks on command from both a standing and sitting position.
-Absolutely OBSESSED with balloons. He will point them out before you can even see it. Meme has been suckered into buying a $10 fish balloon because he wouldn't let it go at the grocery store.
-He is currently enjoying picking out a new hat to wear each morning from the closet and then making you wear it when he is done. I'm glad he loves hats!

I've seriously slacked in the picture department this month too. I took like 8 that were worthy of keeping. Pretty bad of me. I promise to do better this month!

Rooms

It still hasn't really sunk in that Kyle and I will not be coming back to DFW...ever. I still feel like this is some long vacation. Our house is sold and closed and it is no longer "ours" like it was for 4.5 years. As I was about to leave the day we moved, Kyle walked me through each room, just like he did when he was proposing. Tears were flowing as we moved through the house because each room meant something different to me. A house is not just a house, it is part of you. Here is what the rooms mean to me:

The Living Room


-This room reminds me of our life as a married couple. We literally started growing old together in this room. Many nights were spent drinking wine watching our shows together like Desperate Housewives, Grey's Anatomy, and Lost to name a few. We celebrated watching TCU victories by chest bumping or me jumping in his arms to jump around. We watched more movies than I can count in this room, 90% of which I fell asleep watching. We slept on these couches holding our newborn baby boy time and time again. We watched the ball drop on NYE together, each year wondering what the next had in store for us. Holt played on the floor and Bentley always got to sit where he wanted, even if I had to move my seat. I folded laundry here, watched Holt kick around in my belly, let Bentley sleep on my lap like a tiny dog, and fell asleep on Kyle's lap. Nothing like a living room to make you feel safe and right at home.

The Kitchen


-This is the room I was so excited about when we first moved in. I pictured myself here making Kyle dinner as newlyweds. Cooking him up all of my favorites and learning what his favorites would be. We cooked meals here together on Holidays like Valentine's Day and Easter. Since we lived in this house, Easter was always there. We would stand around sipping on wine and cooking everything the night before so we could eat earlier on Sunday. The table is where we had many many discussions. It's where Kyle decided to take the job with the company that recently promoted him and moved us here. We discussed baby names, nursery ideas, reviewed sonograms pics, gave Holt his first solids, and said our dinner prayer. We can't forget Bentley either. He always stayed close by when I was in there cooking, sometimes too close and I would trip over him. I spent the most time in the kitchen. It was my first kitchen.

The "Media" Room


-We had high hopes for this media room that never was. Kyle wanted a projector for movies. We were supposed to watch movies in here, but always found ourselves on the couch in the living room instead. It really just became the "Wii" room. As newlyweds we would stay up way too late having way too many drinks playing Wii games like we were teenagers. It's the room where our famous Corona pictures were on display. (We take a Corona picture at every vacation destination.) Kyle's prized hammerhead shark hung on the wall. It is an atrocious looking thing, and he thinks I hate it. I don't hate it. It means so much to him and he lights up like a little kid when he gets to tell the story of catching that thing. For that reason alone, I don't hate it. It was also the "office", but we had a laptop in the kitchen so we hardly used it for that either. It was a neglected room but with a lot of memories regardless. It became Holt's playroom. I put his big toys in here and this is where we would play in the afternoon when I got bored of the living room. In the new house we will have a true media room and we also have high hopes for it...we'll see how that works out.

Holt's Nursery


-Before it became Holt's nursery, it was just a sad boring guest room that we always knew would be the nursery, just didn't know who it would belong to. A girl or a boy? We never decorated it, just condensed Kyle's Bachelor Pad into one room. Then it became our son's nursery, literally the weekend we found out what we were having. Kyle wanted to buy the furniture and paint it IMMEDIATELY. He was so excited. I let him do the decorating, it's not my thing anyways. I had bigger plans for the room. I knew I would feel most like a Mommy in this room. The months of planning would turn into holding my baby in my arms. I knew I would, and I did, spend a lot of time watching my baby just sleep in this room. We would, and did, rock and rock in the glider. When he was hungry, sick, restless, or just wanting to be cuddled...it would be in this room...and it was. This was perhaps the hardest room to say goodbye too. I had the most plans and strongest attachment to this room, even before Holt was here. I loved this little nursery. It's where we listened to music when all he could do was coo and smile...not even laugh yet! I would dance around as long as I needed to just to see that smile. This room tugs at my heartstrings, because in the new house...he will be nearly 18 months old before getting in his room. His baby days are long behind him, and so will be his first nursery.

BUT, onto bigger things...they should be breaking ground on our house anyday now. Here is the new lot that will hold a new house for us to make new, more permanent memories! Onward and upwards to the future! What do your rooms mean to you? They aren't just rooms...

Toddler Food Options

MOMS, HELP!

Holt's bloodwork at his one year appointment showed that he is mildly anemic. This was totally to be expected because I really can't get him to eat much meat. I would have a hard time eating meat if I only had 3 1/2 teeth too. He does not like the texture of lunch meat and is so over meatballs of any kind. He likes his veggies for the most part but would live on cheese, bread, mac n cheese, and bananas if I let him. He is also a fan of rice and beans. I wouldn't say he is a picky eater, just prefers some foods over others. He'll try anything for a few bites, just may not eat it all up. He also does not seem to like spaghetti sauce. I for one, am completely shocked by this. I thought for sure he would gobble up the english muffin pizza I made for him yesterday, but threw it on the floor for Bentley to gobble up instead.

I'd just like to know what kind of foods your kiddo prefers and if anyone elses kids were anemic. I'm giving him the over the counter iron supplement, awful by the way, but would like to get him in the habit of eating right too. Comment below or email me at shea.kummer@gmail.com with some thoughts! Thanks Mamas!

Holt's First Haircut

I think this is really a dreaded moment for Mom's. I'm thinking more so Mom's of boys because girl's don't really need haircuts like boys do. I could be wrong. I loved Holt's fratty flippy look and I felt like it was so him. I couldn't imagine not seeing those little flips, especially flippy thanks to Houston's humidity. It's also a huge reminder that your baby, is not a baby anymore. Getting his first haircut means cutting off what makes him look like a baby. I had mixed emotions about this haircut for that reason alone, but the constant comments about him being "such a pretty little girl" and "how old is she" certainly made this much easier. Kyle experienced the first girl comment the day we went for the haircut. We were paying for our lunch and asked what the frozen treat that came with the kid's meal was and the cashier said "She can come back for it when she's done eating." As Holt was clearly decked out in a blue polo and red, blue, and navy shorts. REALLY?! Kyle kept asking me, "Are we sure we want to cut his hair?" After that comment he confidently said, "Yeah, he needs a haircut". So we arrived at Pigtails and Crewcuts, an adorable and clean place for just kids, and paid every last penny of the overpriced First Haircut Package. What's that you ask? A picture and a lock of his hair in a baggie with the date on it. Yup, something we could and would have done ourselves anyways. What the heck, you only get one first haircut right? So 90 pictures later, seriously, Kyle snapped 90 pictures of this milestone...below are some favs to mark the occasion. Holt was incredibly happy the entire haircut with also made this process much easier on me. He was smiling and clapping and could not get enough of the fun firetruck he was sitting...errr standing in the entire time. When he was done, I was so happy with the way my boy looked...like a growing boy and not a baby, or girl...

Happy First Birthday Holt!

Stats:
20 lbs (10%)
31 in (75%)
Size 4 diaper
Size 3.5 shoe
12 mos clothes

Excuse the delay, I have been just a tad busy and overwhelmed with the move to Houston. So one week later, here is what my baby (toddler) boy has been up to this past month. He has been very busy exploring Meme's house, since this will be his new home until our house is done, hoping in December. More on that later...He has been zipping up the stairs, learning to climb off of furniture, and chase her poor handicapped dog around.

-Signs for "more" although sometimes gets it confused with clapping or one hand the right way and the other a palm. If it is meal time and he is doing any of these three motions going "uhhh? uhh?" I know it means more.
-He is understanding commands and questions. "Put mommy's shoe on" and he brings me my shoe and puts it on my foot and "brush your hair" also "where's your hair?" and he grabs his flippies.
-"Talks" on the phone or anything he thinks is a phone, like a remote control.
-Working on the "G" sound to complete his first real word doggie. Still Daaadaaa, with an occasional G in there
-Pushes everything while standing so he can practice walking, or any toy can be a car that he pushes on the floor
-Climbs off furniture the right way, thank goodness for this new skill!
-Loves giving his stuffed animals kisses. He grabs them and hugs them very tight with his mouth open on their noses going "ahhhhh, ahhhh"
-He's a climber
-He knows when he is wrong. He will look at me and smile before doing something or just look at me for reassurance. He has even started to hand me small objects on the floor he knows he should not have...unless it's food in which he eats that.
-Loves to feed himself with a spoon, but this doesn't happen all the time due to the huge mess he creates!
-I think he could be entertained by my makeup bag and it's contents for hours
-Plays peekaboo with anything
-We play ball, he pushes, throws or kicks it to me



Some new foods he tried:
-Sausage
-Spaghettios
-Happy Meal (nuggets and apples)
-Pimento Cheese
-Watermelon
-Cantaloupe
-Edamame
-Ice Cream



Like my kicks?

He is a very happy absolute joy to be around. He keeps me very busy and on my toes and I wouldn't change a minute. He's my best little buddy!

To my baby boy on his 1st Birthday

You would think I would know exactly what to say about you and your future, but the truth is, I don't even know where to begin. I can't describe what it was like to hear you cry for the first time, I can't explain how tired I was the first few months, I can't describe what it feels like to be your mom, and I can't describe how much I love you. Holt Cannon you are nothing short of a blessing in my life. You have only been here for a year and I cannot remember my life without you. How did it used to feel to wake up in the morning and not rush down the hall to see your bedhead and smiling face? How did it used to feel to go to bed without going into your room and checking to make sure you are breathing? (Yes, I still do this and I don't see it stopping anytime soon). When I say "Mommy loves you" before you go to bed each night, that doesn't even begin to describe what my heart feels for you, son.

I feel the early days, your newborn days slipping away. The memories fade so quickly, but not as quickly as you are growing. It's hard to picture you back then when I know you now. For as long as I can remember you have had more energy than anyone I have ever seen. Even when you are still, you are moving. You are wiggling your feet or rolling your hands, you just want to move constantly. Just like in my belly. The doctor said I should feel at least 10 movements an hour, you were more like 10 movements a minute. Daddy says this is a sure sign you will be an athlete, you have too much built up energy not too.

Daddy and I were looking at some pictures of me when I was pregnant with you and he said, "How can you even say you enjoyed this? You look so uncomfortable." I didn't think for a second about my response and I told him "Because it was just me and Holt, he was all mine." Luckily for other people, I get to share you now. Your personality is bigger than you are and everyone that meets you says you are the funniest, sweetest, orneriest little thing. You have the sweetest smile, but this silly laugh to go with it that says "I may be cute, but I am up to something." Strangers tell you how friendly you are. And although you are mistaken for a girl more often than a boy, everyone agrees you are the most handsome little guy. The first thing anyone says when they meet you is, "Those blue eyes!" It's impossible to look at you and not smile. You make my heart smile.

You lay your head on my shoulder and sigh out of no where, to me that means you love me but can't tell me yet. You wrap your legs around me really tight when I pick you up or you don't want me to put you down, to me that means you trust me. You kiss my cheek with the wettest slobbery kisses, to me that means you think I'm pretty (and apparently don't need makeup since you lick it off). You yell or point and smile at me all at once, that means you need me. You can do all of these things now, but in the very beginning, you just looked at me and it meant all of that. You loved me, you trusted me, you needed me. When I was ready hold you after you were born, I said "Hi Holt, it's Mommy." But you already knew that. You were less than an hour old and you looked right at me with a look that said, "I know Mommy." That look changed my life. You changed my life.

You are my best little buddy and watching you grow has been my greatest reward in life so far. I can't wait until you walk alongside me holding my hand or we practice baseball in the backyard (Shhh, don't tell Daddy. He will think I'm ruining your skills). With the first year behind us, we have so much ahead. And all too soon, you will be running away from me to school, to a date, to college...it will all be too soon.

I know you will be something great in life. You don't do a single thing until you know you can do it well and give it 100%. You like to figure things out. You like recognition. You like people. You know how to make people laugh. You know how to love.
I'll love you forever
I'll like you for always
As long as I'm living
My baby you'll be

Holt the Spaz

This is my child...constantly. He has this much energy ALL the time. No wonder he sleeps for 12 hours at night. He just started doing this move this week, not sure why but it's pretty funny.

The countdown to 1...

I'm about a week and a half late on this, we're in Houston and it's just plain crazy right now! The time has come. The time that seemed so far away this time last year. It's not far away anymore, it is here. My baby is almost a toddler. Every week he is doing more and learning more, and it is just fascinating to watch. I don't think we are close to walking, certainly not by his birthday, but you never know. He hasn't mastered standing on his own yet, although I'm certain he is strong enough too, his balance isn't quite there. The world around him is getting more and more intriguing and he is into everything! Here are some of his current favs from the past month:

-Understanding how lightswitches work
-Crawls to the backdoor when he wants to go swing
-Turns his Baby Einstein Music Box on in his crib at naptime, bedtime, and if he wakes up too early, it soothes him.
-Knows cell phone sounds. Looks right at it when he hears the text message DING!
-He loves mouths, his, ours, all of them. Loves putting those fingers in there.
-Must, absolutely must, be carrying something in his hand when he's crawling
-Shares his food with you, especially loves to give you what has already been in his mouth. MMM.
-Says "words" like nana for banana and daadaa for doggie. Not to be confused with Dada for Daddy.
-Anything that resembles music is worthy of dancing to him. He moves and grooves to all sounds and beats.
-He finds feeding Bentley to be hilarious, especially when he licks his hand. Bentley however is quickly gaining weight.
-Doors, he loves pushing them closed. Unless he left Mommy on the other side and he can't figure out how to get back to me.
-Allergies have been bad lately, so he developed his own sniffing face mimicking me and Kyle
-He loves playing in the closet for some reason
-He knows what buttons to push on his toys to make them do certain things and to drop a car at the top to make it go down the ramp. My little genius.
-He has started this bucking bronco thing where he stands on his knees, hands up, then lunges forward to the ground. He stops and does this between crawling.

Here are some new foods he has tried: (He only self feeds, he's over baby food officially)
-Sweet Potato fries
-Mandarin Oranges (not to much a fav)
-Shells and cheese, mac n cheese (loves!)
-peeled grapes
-grilled cheese (Big fan)
-Pizza (I know, I'm horrible)
-Goldfish (He could probably live on these)
-Steamed broccoli
-Strawberries
-Veggie Burger

Here are his stats:
-21 lbs?
-12 month clothes
-No shoes!
-Size 3 diapers
-2 bottom teefers!

I'm in full party planning mode. I want this to be just the most fun birthday for him. Not that he cares, but I care! So far I haven't been near as emotional as I thought I would be about it, maybe because I have so much other stuff going on. Maybe I'll shed a tear soon. He's my very best lil buddy and I love love love this little boy!

Little Gym

So I've been on this workout kick. I'm doing Insanity, which is the most intense workout I have ever done and it lasts 60 days. It almost pales in comparison to this Little Gym business. I mean, what a beating...for ME! Unfortunately I do not have any pictures to share, but I wish I did of his big smile as he somersaulted over the rolling cushion thingy. This was 45 minutes of pure fun for him and 45 minutes of pure cardio for me. I wasn't really sure how he would react at first, even though he is pretty social, sometimes he can be a bit clingy in new situations.

So we start shaking the bells, he's not loving this part which I am surprised by. Maybe it was all the other bells shaking too that was a bit too much for him. Now onto the warmup. "Ok everyone, let's run!" Well Holt doesn't run, but all the other kids do. He's the youngest by 3 months in this class, and the 14 monther was still a little wobbly on the walking too. So I hold him and we run in a circle. Then I decide to let him run, more fun for him...more work for me. He's giggling and laughing out loud at his heart's content and I totally forget about the workout I'm getting. We continue to warmup and I realize I'm holding this 20 pounder the entire time. I know he wishes he could walk and run and jump like the others, but he just can't yet. Next is the inflatable bounce thing that miraculously blows up with all of us mommies and kids sitting on it flat. Holt is not sure about this, but once it is blown up he is loving crawling on it and chasing the bigger kids. He also loved Humpty Dumpty where he got to bounce and flip over at the end. Talk about an arm workout, holding onto him bouncing for minutes on end then flipping over 20 pounds of deadweight that has no idea what they are to doing upside down. Whew. I look at the clock, 30 minutes left. WOW.

Then we go to the bar. The instructor spins him over and Holt surprisingly is holding onto the bar like he's trying out for the Olympics, Mommy is so proud...and so relieved someone else is holding him for a second. He decided to do this again. Then he wanted to crawl around everywhere. In between each "skill" they turned music on and he would just stop and bounce and smile, because he sure loves dancing. I even taught him to raise one hand up in the air when he is dancing. Why? Because it's funnier.

Next was the beam, again the instructor walks him across. Holt went "running" across that thing with the biggest smile like he knew exactly what he was doing. At the end he got to stop, do a flip, then JUMP off the end! He kept crawling back to the stairs to go up the beam again...I think he liked it. I'm starting to cool off a little now.

Oh but he's off crawling all over the room again. I'm chasing him everywhere. We do the somersaulting thing and he's loving it. Then we sit and do the Duke of York or something like that. Basically for what seems like minutes I'm supporting Holt on my knees up and down, side to side, bouncing, then flipping over. This is a full on workout now, my glutes will definitely be sore. Then the balls come out. Balls everywhere, he's chasing them. I'm picking him up to shoot a hoop, chasing more balls. I try not to notice the sweat dripping from my forehead. I can't even remember everything we did because I could only think how I am definitely NOT doing Insanity when I get home. Fine Kyle, you can be disappointed I didn't do my workout for the day, but one trip to the Little Gym and you will know what I am talking about. I definitely considered that my workout for the day. However, I can't wait to go back. It was by far more exciting than his toys at home and walking around the neighborhood with Bentley for 15 minutes like we normally do in the mornings.

Sorority Rec

I need to know if anyone is or knows a Chi O from A&M? I have to write a rec, which I'm a little foggy with anyways so any pointers would be great!

We're moving!

Yes, it's true. I'm having a hard time believing it myself. I've been dying to share this new, but in typical Kyle fashion....he made me wait and wait and wait. We were at dinner a couple weeks ago when he asked me how my day was. I started with the usual, "Holt woke up at 7, danced to Lady Gaga on GMA, ate this for lunch..." I go on with how many naps he took and how long they were, really interesting stuff here people. I asked him how his day was. He said, "I had an interesting day." I asked him what made it so interesting. He said, "Well I got a promotion." I was so surprised to hear that and so happy at the same time especially because I didn't know there was a position above him even open. I said, "Wow, congratulations! What does that mean?" He said, "It means we're moving to Houston." I about spit my margarita out. I got the butterflies, and dizzy, lost my appetite, was happy then about to cry. I really didn't know what to think!

Kyle was promoted to GM of his company and I am so very proud of him. He has worked hard for this, even at times when I didn't understand it. (Like leaving me in the hospital the day after I had Holt to go ease some tension with a customer). Their headquarters are in Houston, but have always felt strongly about having sales here in DFW. With a new product coming out and changes within the company, everyone agreed it was best for Kyle to be in Houston. Fine by me! I have always been open to the possibility of moving to be closer to family whether it be San Antonio or Houston. I just feel it's important for everyone to be closer to family. This move to Houston puts us much closer to San Antonio (where his parents live) as well, about half the distance they are now! I am so excited to get to see both of our families more often. Amy and I are also thrilled we get to watch our boys grow up together. They are, afterall, only 11 weeks apart! Holt and Preston will be getting into all sorts of trouble as they grow up together! This puts us very close to my family also. My dad and half brothers are there, as well as my mom and sister, both in Katy.

As much as I hate to admit this, I promised I wouldn't be one of these people, it looks like we're moving back to the Katy area. We want a home we can stay in for a long time, and possibly never have to move again as our family grows. We started out looking in all the new areas of Katy. This is not the same Katy I left in 2002! We love Grand Lakes, Grayson Lakes, and Firethorne. We came into this with no intentions of building a new home. Our neighborhood here is still under construction and we said we wanted an established neighborhood with big trees...that's why we love Grand Lakes. Then we see a floorplan we are obsessed with in Firethorne. Suddenly, building isn't such a bad idea. We cannot stop talking about this house and how we visualize ourselves there for 20+ years. Now it's a matter of negotiating and finding the perfect lot. Kyle would love a pool someday and I want a yard for the kiddos. (Still only singular right now, just thinking long term). Our house is just now going on the market so we're praying for a fast sell. Know anyone in the DFW area looking for a home?

Kyle has to be down there every week starting now, so the sooner the better. We love my mom, but we also don't want to be there cramping her style for too long! We are just fortunate we have the option. :) Keeps us in your thoughts and prayers as we start this very exciting, yet scary, sad, and stressful journey.

Words cannot even begin to explain how I will miss my friendships here in DFW. They became family. I was accepting the fact that we were going to be here forever, and I was finally ok with it. I have Paige and Piper, Becca and Carson, Katie, Missy and her munchkins, Emily and Ryan, my cousin Kelly, wife Dabney, and Emma, not to mention all of Kyle's friends that we both love so much, and the new friends I was making. I was finally getting involved as a mommy and making plans for Holt and I. This is a wonderful surprise, but still very shocking. I cannot even think about saying goodbye to my friends that live here! Luckily, most of them have reasons for visiting Houston or San Antonio on many occasions!

Double Digits, 10 months!

Oh my, this can't be. I feel like I just came home with him from the hospital. This month was all about exploring and learning. He is my little shadow, from following me everywhere to copying everything I'm doing or saying. Well he tries to say what I'm saying, sometimes the tone is even the exact same, and I feel like he said some real words. At the lake last weekend, the Kummer's dog Bella is constantly in his face and barking. We are always yelling, "BELLA!" He started going, "BLAH!" At one point we all swear we heard him actually say Bella, but we also have to be realistic and know he probably did not. This month he has also become extremely attached to Mommy, even more so than before. Even when Daddy is holding him, I think it makes Daddy sad. When I am holding him, he clings on so tight. I LOVE it! He has changed so much this month, really into exploring the house. He knows he has toys in the media room too so he will crawl from the living room in there to play. Some new sounds he added are M's and N's. He only says Mamamamama when he is crying. I do think he knows Dada is Kyle now. When he sees Bentley he either says Ba or Da...Bentley or Doggie. He actually says ba when it comes to anything that starts with a B, ball, bye bye, bottle, etc. He really wants to start talking! He's also learned what objects are if I ask him, where is your ball? He doesn't know tons, but he is learning something everyday! Here are some of his loves:

LOVES:
-Swinging
-Playing with doorstops
-Clapping (he can do it when you say the word, say YAY!, sees you or anyone else do it, or when I sing "If you're happy and you know it clap your hands)
-Watching Baby Einstein (in the car, and only on long drives)
-His mommy
-Blowing raspberries, all the time.
-Bathtime! Now that he is in the big tub, he doesn't want to get out
-When I chase him on the ground
-Pulling up on incredibly unstable things (laundry basket, in the bathtub, Bentley's dog bowl holder)
-Being in public and smiling at strangers. I get compliments all the time about how friendly he is!
-Playing peekaboo (covers his face with a lovie and pulls it away so I can see PEEKABOO)
-Loves him some Puffs, all flavors
-Dancing (starts bobbing at the sound of any beat)
-His tickle spot in the center of his back
-Waving Hi and Bye

DISLIKES:
-When I remove him from a situation he would rather be in, like playing with the computer cord. He kicks and flails around in protest like a fish out of water
-Getting dressed or diaper changes (clings onto me and lays his head on my should as soon as we enter the room, I'm not falling for your charm mister!)
-Cottage Cheese
-Any one else holding him but me
-When he drops Bentley's dog bowl and it makes a loud noise, it's the only noise that bothers him. He gets so scared. Vacuum, no problem, blender, who cares...dog
bowl...run for your life!

Stats:
-Not sure on weight and height, probably about the same as 9 months, maybe a pound heavier, he's so skinny but eats like a horse!
-Size 3 diapers, Cruisers now that he is on the GO
-No shoes yet, so I'm not sure of the size. 2 or 3.
-Still no teeth, it's hereditary on both sides so I'm not surprised
-Size 9 and 12 month clothing. 9 months are getting a little short because he is so long


Here are some new foods we've tried:
-Black beans and pinto beans with rice
-Cottage cheese
-Steamed veggies (peas, carrots, green beans)
-Turkey meatballs
-Swiss cheese

He's a great little eater, eats anything you put in front of him. Sometimes it takes him a few days to get used to the texture, but I don't give up at the first meal if he doesn't like something. We try and try again until I'm convinced he just doesn't like it, like cottage cheese. It's torturous to watch.

I guess I am going to start planning his FIRST birthday party. I can't even believe it. Everyday just gets better and better and I am so excited to go get him in the mornings. He is just thrilled when I come in there. We finished our nursing experience last night and it was bittersweet. It wasn't as emotional as I thought. I am so glad I hung in there 10 months, but I'm really excited to get ME back for the first time in about 20 months! There is just nothing like his sweet hugs and cuddles. When he lays his head on my shoulder, I just melt. He's my best lil buddy and I love him to pieces!

Play date with the P's

Holt and I had so much fun yesterday getting to play with Piper and Preslie. These are probably the 3 cutest kids ever. Holt is 6 weeks older than P&P, who were both born on the same day in the same hospital! It's just so much fun to watch these little cuties play, although they spent most of their time playing independently. It was quite the chore to get all 3 kiddies to look at the camera at the same time, I only wish someone had taken a picture of us mommies trying to make that happen! Here are some pics from the day. We can't wait to get together again!


Holt must have been saying something very interesting to capture these beauties attention

Holt, you are totally getting fingerprints on my clean ride.


Holt and Piper having a moment...

Hands off, he's mine!

Bye Bye Breastfeeding

So awhile back, when Holt had just turned 8 months, I decided that 9 months was the time to start the weaning process. When I reached my goal of 6 months, I thought I would just go ahead and try for the one year mark. Neither Holt or I want to reach the one year mark. I must admit, that I have had a pretty flawless nursing experience. Other than the first few weeks of pain and getting used to the sleeplessness, it's been pretty easy for me. Even when I was working, he never ever had formula. No one tells you how hard it is, or if they do, you don't understand why. Now I know why, it's TOUGH. But so wonderful at the same time.

People ask me why am I stopping now? Well, I like to think it's a mutual decision for both of us, and some selfish ones for myself. For starters, he's impossible to nurse during the day. He's completely not interested. He is so distracted that I just sit on the couch with my boob out for 20 minutes trying to make him eat. He doesn't want it. He only wants it in the morning and before bed. Luckily, I've never used it as a pacification tool so I don't think he is ever going to miss it. It's always just been a source of food for him and I would not let him nurse unless it was time to eat. Never on demand, only when it was time. Very controversial subject, I'm aware, but hey this is what worked for us and he's a perfectly healthy baby. So besides both of us getting frustrated with the daytime feedings, here are my selfish reasons.

-I want MY body back! I've been sharing this body for like 18 months now, I want it back.
-I'd like to drop those last few pounds and stop craving sugar and carbs all the time
-This linea negra has got to go. I'm determined to be in a bikini this summer and right now I'll be in a monokini because my linea negra is STILL there
-It's time for these hormones to take a hike, in other words, I can't wait to get my mojo back. You know what I'm sayin'?
-Adios pumping before bed, I despise you.

I'm starting pretty hard core and dropping the 2 daytime feedings at the same time, the noon and the 4. I'm not sure when I'll drop the morning one, another week or so? Then the nighttime one will be last. Sometimes now he will pull away and put his head on my shoulder, he would just rather go to sleep. Ok by me. My goal is to have him weaned by 10 months. I want it to be a slow process for the both of us. I'm not looking forward to what these things are going to look like when I'm done. SCARED.

I still have some supply built up in the freezer and I'm supplementing with formula for the very first time. Eventually he will just be on formula and then whole milk. I'm hoping we can start whole milk around 11 months so I don't have to buy formula for long. It's been nice not having that expense. Kyle asked me if I am going to miss this, the answer is NO. I am very proud of Holt and I for making it this far. I am certain that breastfeeding is what has kept him so healthy and made his RSV pretty mild. I pat myself on the back for going this far, but I am perfectly fine with saying sayonara.

Holt is 9 Months!

No no no, it can't be true. We went to his checkup on Friday and she started by saying, "He only has 3 more months of being a baby, then he's a toddler!" I almost broke down right then and there. She made up for it by saying that he is a Gerber baby and we should enter him in a contest. She said since she's an expert she knows a good looking baby when she sees one and she is not lying. She thinks we should make another one since we make such beautiful babies. I totally agree, not about making another one, but that we make beautiful babies. Here are his 9 month stats:

18lbs, 10%
28 3/4" tall, 50%
Size 3 diapers
Size 9 month clothes
Size 3 shoe

Of course we were concerned about his weight being so low, but the doctor said that by looking at Kyle and I, it is not surprising. She said because we're both thin, it is obviously genetics. I told her what he eats and she said he is eating plenty but because he is so active he's likely to always be like this. So now we know we don't have to worry!

He eats:
8am: Nurses
Breakfast:Yogurt mixed with his cereal for breakfast
12pm: Nurses
Lunch: Half a slice of cheese, half stage 2 veggie and half stage 2 fruit
4pm: Nurses
Dinner: Half a slice of cheese, cereal, rest of veggie and fruit
7:30pm: Nurses

Well this past month has been a frustrating one for Holt. If you read my post about crawling, then you already know why. He finally has it down, sort of, he crawls with one leg out to the side like he's launching himself. He works very hard at it grunting and groaning the whole time, it's really cute. He went from laying to sitting before he crawled (only by a day), so I was quite surprised to see him sitting in his crib the first time. This was my second full month home with him and it has been such a blessing to have the ability to stay home with him like this.

Holt is just so full of personality! He's constantly moving and is very curious. Always analyzing his toys when he picks them up. He's getting very good at mimicking too. Holt has also picked up on when he thinks something is fun or funny, he does it again or tries to get you to do it again. An example of this would be when he tries to fall backwards when I'm holding him. It's a game we play and I let him fall while I hold onto his head and back and make a silly sound. When I think we're done playing, he lets me know that he is not by trying to make himself fall backwards. Always gotta have two hands on this kid! He is very VOCAL. If he isn't making a noise, I better worry because that means he has gotten into something he shouldn't. He lets me know when he wants something and isn't ready to be done playing, like in the swing. I went to take him out and the second he saw me coming towards him with my hands out he started screaming and trying to get back further in the swing. Ok, we'll keep swinging. He has happy sounds, tired sounds, frustrated sounds, I want attention sounds, I'm mad sounds. He's very easy to read in other words! his hair grew so much this month too. We have to comb it before bed or else...it cannot be tamed the next day!



Here are some new things we tried this month:
Cheese
Yogurt
Cheerios
Puffs

Loves:
The Milestone Electric Commercial (stops him in his tracks and I have no clue why)
Leapfrog Learning Table
Playing with his books, reading books
Swinging
Mimicking (shakes his head no, clicks his tongue)
Spitting, much faster to get the drool out
Kicking
Animal sounds

Dislikes:
Being in his highchair without food in front of him
His exersaucer, or not being able to move around at his own free will
Taking toys away
Hearing No No
Getting ready for bed, after the tub part
Covering his face with anything

I have also made the decision to start weaning him at 9 months. I'll post that in another blog. I cannot believe how fast this month has flown by. I look forward to all the "firsts" he still has, and I know that list is getting smaller. Holt brings such joy to everyone around him. He is my best lil buddy and Kyle just could not be more in love with his little boy. I know they will be 2 peas in a pod. Kyle is already planning on how to get him good at sports without having an older sibling to influence him. Somehow I think he'll succeed. I cannot get enough of kissing Holt's sweet cheeks and hugging on him. It's amazing how he has turned into his own little person when he was just in my belly this time last year. He's so independent and sweet, I just love him to pieces!

We have a crawler!

Ok, so I thought this day would never come. Holt will be 9 months old tomorrow and it seems as though all the other kiddos around his age have been crawling for months! I was never concerned because everything I read said crawling is not a measurable milestone a pediatrician would use to track developmental progress. By the way, I did not search for this information like a crazy Mom, it fell into my lap in some of those parents.com or babycenter emails I get every week. Now that we're clear on that...moving on. So, for months Holt has been frustrated trying to do this crawling thing. For one, he has never liked spending time on his tummy. For two, once he figured out how to roll everywhere, he was good with that. He has been doing what I call, Cobra, for weeks now. He pushes up on his hands as far as he can and just didn't know what to do next. But he sleeps in "Child's Pose" every night, now why can't he just combine the two. For some unknown reason, he just couldn't figure out how to do them at the same time. Hence the picture below.



Last week he started to do, I guess what you would call, downward dog. I really hate yoga for the record, it's just the best way to describe this process. For a week straight he would do this and get so mad that he couldn't get any further. For the past 6 weeks he has hated playing on the floor unless I was sitting next to him. I was getting nothing accomplished when he was awake unless I just tuned out his grunts and groans of frustration. Not gonna lie, I definitely did that a lot. This has been going on for weeks, I had to! So the other day, he finally pushed up on all fours.

Look at that pitiful face!

He is trying so hard


I was convinced he was going to go straight to walking. He prefers being upright holding onto our hands to walk around everywhere. Then tonight, it happened! He took more than a few crawls without falling. He was after my house shoes like they were the greatest toy ever! Whatever floats your boat Holt. I haven't been too upset that he wasn't crawling to be honest. It's been nice to leave him in the living room to play while I was in the kitchen, still within visibility, but not have to worry that he is getting over to the outlet I haven't covered yet. Guess I'll be doing that tomorrow. I'm so proud of him. He really has worked so hard to perfect it. As you can see, he is fast! Holt wanted to do more than just crawl, he wanted to be really good at it. And so it begins...

Bluebonnets

They are a rite of passage living in Texas. Up until this day, I honestly don't know if I have ever seen a bluebonnet up so close. Ok maybe not, I remember doing quite an extensive Wildflower Project in 4th grade. My Pattison Elem Alum will know what I'm talking about. Anyways, luckily my friend Emily had already scoped out the perfect spot so I knew exactly where to go this morning. I woke up thinking, "We'll just go tomorrow." But the morning was so beautiful, minus the wind that my son still hates, we just had to go today. I had to drag Daddy out of bed too, he still hasn't quite figured out that weekends aren't for sleeping until 10am anymore. They start at 8. Holt was such a sport even though it was nap time. It was hard to get a smile from him because of this. Regardless, his baby blues looked beautiful in the bluebonnets just like I knew they would.






The camo overalls are for Aunt Ashley. She has been dying to see him in them since she bought them for him for Christmas. So here ya go!

8 Months

Holt is 8 months! And this going to sound crazy but I'm already thinking about planning his First Birthday Party! This is nuts. This has been my first month home with him everyday and the transition is easier than I thought. The days just fly by and I love having the freedom to do whatever we choose. So far I do not miss getting up at 5am and fighting an hour long commute to sit at a desk for 8 hours. It's been such fun to see him learning new things and taking in his surroundings. He finds one sound he wants to make and he makes it all day long. The next day you ask him to make the same sound and he's on to something else already. One day he says dadadadadadadada all day. The next it's just hours of raspberries. The next, his tarzan yell as I like to call it. He beats on his chest and says "ohhhhh ohhhhh ahhhhhhh ahhhhhhhhhhhh" He can do this forever. He's quite the little character. I predict a very strong personality for him. He has no problems letting you no when he is not happy or he is frustrated. Holt can be very laid back and chill, but the second he wants to move on, you better let him. My mom calls him "Hyper Diaper" because he is always moving! When he's eating he's kicking his foot or grabbing your face. He's never just STILL. I'm shocked he isn't crawling yet because he is so ready to be on the move. I'm not complaining that he isn't crawling either. I'm savoring what is most likely my last month to say that. As much as he appears to want to crawl, he just can't figure out how to get his legs under him and make that happen. When I put his legs under him, he just falls on his side and rolls. He's an expert roller. He does have very strong legs and likes to stand. When I go to sit him down, he puts his legs out in protest because he wants to stand. I think he might just up and walk one day instead of crawl, we'll see. Here are some of his 8 month likes and dislikes:

Likes:
-Pulling your hair, and he's great at finding the most tender part of your head and pulling that hair
-Giving kisses, mostly to Mommy
-All things paper. He has 3 toys on his shopping cart cover to play with, but prefers the shopping list
-Phones and remote controls
-Bath time! He can finally sit and play in the tub.
-Sucking on his washcloth
-Socks
-Hearing himself make any noise. He's so so loud.
-Head butts my shoulder or his mattress when he's sleepy
-Smacking his lips
-More and more obsessed with Bentley every month
-Walks in the stroller


Dislikes
-WIND
-When you take something away from him. He has tantrums. I'm scared of age 2.
-Trying to crawl. He gets very frustrated now. He knows he needs to do something, just can't figure out what.
-His car seat for long periods
-Strangers
-Waiting for his food in the high chair

Facts:
-9 month clothes
-Size 3 diapers
-About 18lbs or so, maybe more
-Babbles, a lot
-Working on waving
-Mimics, not immediately, he thinks about it for awhile
-Can go from sitting to laying without hurting himself in the process
-Holds himself standing, momentarily

Change in Diet

As those of you with kids know, being a Mom changes your way of thinking about everything. When I'm feeding Holt his solids, I realize how pure he is. He has not ingested anything processed or artificial. (With maybe the exception of his organic rice cereal and oatmeal). I planned to make his own baby food, not only for the savings, but for the nutritional value. This didn't happen, yet. Once I saw the only ingredients in the baby food was in fact the vegetable mixed with water, I realized it was okay. As I raise my son, I realize how much processed food is around us. It is advertised everywhere. Grocery stores are larger than they used to be to house this type of food. What did our mom's give us as snacks when we grew up? What did their moms give them as snacks when they grew up? I guarantee you it didn't come packaged.

Holt is so empty and pure of these unpronounceable additives, that I question how long I can keep it that way. I'm not a proponent of organic or gluten free or anything extreme like that, but I do think you can simplify the food you put into your body. Once you add something back into their diet they aren't used to, like gluten, that has got to take a toll on their digestive system. I don't want to create a monster by keeping him from certain natural ingredients, I am just saying, I want to change my ways so I can be a good example for him. Kyle asked me what I ate yesterday and how much of it was processed. Unfortunately, everything I consumed yesterday had been processed. Right down to the dinner from a box we had. If you think about that, it is truly just wrong you can consume something from a box.

Kyle and I watched Dateline last week and they talked about The Caveman Diet. A diet that consisted of meat, fish, whole grains, and fresh fruits and vegetables. He really wants to try and adopt some of this into our lives. I must say, I agree. I heard a dietitian say once, if you can unwrap it, don't eat it. I wish we lived closer to a Whole Food or Central Market so I could get more fresh ingredients. The produce at the stores around me is terrible. I don't think we can cut everything processed from our diets, but it is motivating for me to try and think outside the box. Literally. I'm not a fan of fish, but I can certainly keep trying different ones until I like it.

Shame on me if I turn to yogurt in a tube and sugary snacks wrapped in packaging to keep him fulfilled. Our moms didn't do it for us, so just because it is convenient these days, doesn't mean we should cave in to the marketing ploys. Don't get me wrong, there will be days as he grows where he will enjoy some of these types of snacks and foods, I just don't want it to be a staple. He will enjoy fruit snacks, granola bars, cookies, ice cream, etc. and I will continue to enjoy them as well. I am just going to make a more conscious effort to eat less processed foods, and more whole foods for the overall health of my family.

Couple Retreat

I say couple, because it was singular, as in just me and my hubby! Kyle travels a lot with his job and this past week he had a conference in Jacksonville, FL at Ponte Vedra Inn and Club. A couple months back his colleague suggested that he bring me along because it was a beautiful location and there would be some down time. How nice of him to offer. So when Kyle first mentioned this, my first thought was, how long will I be leaving Holt? Second thought, how much breastmilk is that going to be? (112 ounces to be exact) Needless to say I managed to get through both. My mom was gracious enough to come and watch Holt for the week. I think they both enjoyed themselves very much. Although on Friday afternoon she said, "I'm glad you are home." And went to take a nap.

We left on Tuesday afternoon and flew home Friday morning. It was just the right amount of time. Kyle must have asked me every week leading up to this trip, "Are you sure you want to go? Are you sure you can leave Holt?" Of course I wanted to go and yes I was sad about leaving Holt for that long. My mom encouraged me not to worry and go, and relax. Ahhh, relax, what did that word even mean? I had forgotten since July 20, 2010 when this little bundle of joy blessed my life. Did I cry, you betcha. I held it together all the way to the airport but actually getting out of the car and kissing him goodbye was gut wrenching. He was so happy and making all his cute little sounds. Once I got inside the airport, I was fine the rest of the trip.

So the real point of this blog is to emphasize how important I think it is that Kyle and I get away together every 2-3 months. To go back to just being a couple, husband and wife, was great. Don't get me wrong, we both love being parents to our crazy little boy. It's more about how quickly you can forget how to just be a couple once this little person comes into your life. We weren't stressed, I didn't have anything to stress about, he didn't have to hear me nag...it was bliss. Our biggest decision all week was, "margarita or pina colada?" as we sat by the pool on Wednesday. And the only day we sat by the pool because we were burnt to a crisp. This bod hasn't seen the sun in about 2 years. It was refreshing to take on just one role for a few days and that was the role of WIFE. Although he had meetings to attend and we went to networking functions at night, just to be away in a new setting was such a breath of fresh air. We still enjoyed breakfast and dinner together though. By Thursday night we were ready to come home and see Holt again. We both missed him terribly! I hope I can tag along for more trips in the future. It is just so important that you feel that connection to your significant other all the time, and if you have children, you know how easy it is to lose that connection. After almost a week together, the most time we have spent alone since our Honeymoon, I will miss Kyle when he goes back to the office tomorrow. It was a much needed break for me and I'm sure refreshing for him to have me all to himself for a few days.


View from our porch