Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

As I wrap up another year of blogging, it's crazy to think next year is 2012. Feels like yesterday when everyone was flipping out about Y2K! Oh how times have changed. I'm excited for what next year will bring and can't wait to share it with our (soon-to-be) one year old. Thanks for reading my blog and being a part of this passion of mine.

I've already posted the outdoor family pictures that we used on our Christmas card, so here are a few from the portrait session my parents did over Thanksgiving.

(I think Drew looked absolutely adorable in his "My 1st Christmas" hat!)

Derek and I hope that whatever holiday you celebrate is full of family, traditions, good food and the warmth that this time of year brings. I will be soaking up the Holiday Season and taking a break from blogging for a few days while I enjoy my little elf's first Christmas. I hope you take a break this week as well and enjoy the end of 2011!

 

 

 

 

MERRY

CHRISTMAS

and peace, love and joy for all in 2012!

 

 

1st Official Haircut

I've attempted to trim over the ears and keep the mullet from growing, but it was time to get Drew's 1st "official" haircut. I absolutely love his hair and can't keep my hands off of it so parting ways with a good chunk did make me a bit sad. That being said, it was getting out of hand and really needed to be trimmed up. See for yourself.

We went to Snip Its last weekend as their specialty is children's cuts and we figured they probably have worked with thousands of babies. Unsure of how Drew would do, we brought some of his favorite toys and items that really distract him along with some snacks.

I think these pictures can speak for themselves as far as a glimpse into how he did:

Despite another boy near his age screaming bloody murder in the next chair, our angel just sat there like a little prince. He didn't mind a stranger clipping his hair at all as long as he was getting snacks and could play with a bell that she had on hand.

Most comments so far is that he looks older. To me, he is just even more handsome than he was before.

November Family Pictures

Only 4 sleeps left until my favorite Holiday ever??? Time keeps on flying.

I wanted to wait to post these on the blog seeing as how we used a few for our Christmas cards, but here are the family pictures we got back in November! It very well could have been snowy and freezing but miraculously ended up being gorgeous and 60. Drew did great, looked so handsome and we had fun making these memories with our wonderful photographer.

We don't know a ton of people in Cleveland, but if someone from the area stumbles upon my blog and is in need of a fantastic photographer, you can find her on facebook under "Tess Smith Photography" or her blog: http://www.tesssmithphotography.blogspot.com/.

A Message From The Pups

(No dogs were harmed in the making of this card)

 

Happy Birthday Whitney

I can't believe you are 21. I remember the "middle school" Whitney like it was just yesterday. I have loved seeing you grow since that age into the woman you are now. Through all of your high school dances, to the Brit Brit concert we attended together, I've had fun with you every step of the way over these past 9 years. You stood with  me at my wedding, cried with my at the national championship and always make family vacations enjoyable. It feels like we JUST moved you into the dorms your freshman year and now you are an Aunt to my son graduating here in a few months.

As I've said before, you are the sister I never had. Love you tons!

And I couldn't resist posting this picture of myself exactly a year ago today. Such excitement as I was just past full term and realized that at any time I could be meeting my son. I was filled with so much joy and love for this little being that I had yet to meet but was already such a big part of our lives.

One Special Stocking

Drew's Great Aunt Karen (on Derek's side) spent the last 8 months creating and making this beautiful masterpiece you see above. I call it a masterpiece as it's something I could not do and one must have a natural talent to create this piece art. The skill involved and the time it takes amazes me.

Karen can work magic, however, when it comes to a needle and thread. I felt so blessed when she asked if she could make Drew's stocking just as she did for Derek 30 years ago. I know that my stocking was a special gift made for me by my second cousin Beth (who has since passed) and I am thankful we get to add a 3rd stocking to our mantle sewn with love by a family member.

It's funny because I'm kinda OCD when it comes to decor being balanced and even in my house. I do love the Pottery Barn matching stockings with names the same size, font and color all lined up on a mantle. Yes they look pretty, but I would never replace our meaningful stockings with any others though. They are priceless. Derek and I have hung ours for 30 years and will continue to do so forever, now surrounding Drew's new stocking. Each stitch done to create the magical pictures were hand-sewn by someone who cared about us. It takes months upon months to create these masterpieces and I'm forever grateful to Aunt Karen for blessing Drew with this gift.

It fits perfectly in our home.

Just like Drew.

Holiday Party 2011

Not many of the 'younger crowd' attend Derek's holiday party for work and mine is located about 4 states away so we decided to host our own this year! We had about 22 people in the house last Saturday including a few kids for some yummy drinks and appetizers. Drew enjoyed the attention for a while before hitting the hay and miraculously sleeping through all the noise.

In the spirit of being festive, I tried to stick to foods in red and green colors and made EVERYTHING. (....Well, except for the M&Ms and candy canes). My mother's banana bread had to make an appearance of course, I enjoyed making a bite-sized version of my catfish cakes and the prosciutto wrapped asparagus with boursin cheese were delicious. The item that disappeared the quickest, however were my white chocolate covered red velvet cake pops (lower right corner in the collage below).

And for the kids? Chicken nuggets, popcorn and a children's movie of course.

We had a couple 'no shows' and I probably went a bit overboard on the amount of food so we ended up having enough leftovers to feed a small city. Seeing as how we're watching our weight, Derek's work and Drew's daycare both received a huge platter of food on Monday morning! I couldn't part with the banana bread though so we'll be munching on that for a few weeks.

11 Months Old

Stats:

- Weight: 24 lbs

- Height: 30 inches (ish)

Changes:

- Drew had TWO 1st molars on the top break through on November 26th (about 10.5 months old) and a lower 1st molar just two days ago. (The last 1st molar is about to break through any day as well as one of his incisors already!) He was a bit more fussy for a few days, but really nothing extraordinary. Except for the amount of slobber that is as well as the horrible sleeping last night! I think we were up every 2 hours with the little guy. Thankfully the baby ibuprofen helped us all get some sleep.

- He has officially mastered clapping and loves to do it in his highchair when we are preparing his meals. Whenever we praise him for eating he loves to clap back at us.

- High fives are also a favorite thing to do now as well as double high fives.

- Drew is also pulling up on everything. He's not a fan of just laying around or crawling anymore and really prefers to be upright. He loves having us assist him in walking and is getting the hang of his Stride to Ride Dino from Mimi and Grandpa.

- As far as favorites right now, it definitely does not include toys or stuffed animals or books. It's 100% the stairs. He can almost do them without any assistance and if he spots them anywhere in our house, he quickly gets to them.

- The word of the month this month was 'Dadda' which is our official second word. He has also repeated 'hi' a few times as well as tried to say 'bye-bye'. We're also working on waving bye bye.

- He has become quite the side sleeper this month and likes having his feet crossed and poked through the slats of his crib. It's quite cute! We also gave him his first crib item right around when he turned 10 months old. It's a soft lamb that has no parts that could fall off and isn't flat so that it could suffocate him.

- Drew suffered from a double ear infection this month as well as a cold that grew worse after flying back to Cleveland from Kansas City. His eyes were almost gooped shut and he had a horrible cough and runny nose. The poor guy wasn't himself for about 14 days, yet only had a couple early mornings where his cough woke him up. He is my angel sleeper.

- The food preferences weren't quite as good this month. He's become a bit picky and it's getting harder to get anything that's not a fruit down him! (Suggestions are welcome). We think a lot of that has to do with the meds he was on for his ears.
- As far as clothes, he is mostly in 18-24 month sizes now.

Crazy to think he will be a year old in just ONE month!

99 Years Difference

Drew's Great Great Uncle Rollo (Derek's Great Uncle) turns 100 this January only a few days after Drew will turn 1. It was fun to see them together over Thanksgiving and how much people change after 99 years. Although Drew is a non-stop mover these days, Rollo is in amazing shape for someone who is just shy of their 100th birthday. He uses no cane or walker, doesn't have any hearing aids and he still gets out and about in his hometown. I hope I can do those things when I'm 99.

When you think about much Rollo has seen change since his birth in 1912, I can't imagine what Drew will experience. He was alive for several major wars, and has probably never surfed the net, yet he knows what the depression was like. When Rollo was born, there were only 46 states and a stamp only cost $0.02. Will stamps be $3 when Drew is 99?  I can't imagine what Derek and I will see in the next 70 years, let alone what our little munchkin will see in his lifetime!

Grandpa's Sleigh Ride

When it's too cold outside you have to find inside activities. Drew is a bit too young to take to toddler gym's so we created his own 'ride' around Derek's parents house during our last visit. His Grandpa Cal was the conductor and the radio flyer wagon was the sleigh. Around and around the house they rode as Drew shook the bells with excitement. He absolutely loved having someone chase him or pop out from around a corner and it was so fun to watch his expressions.

Get your back rested grandpa as I'm sure you'll be doing much more of this next time we're home!

A Happy Birthday & Happy Faces

Happy Birthday to the best dad a girl could ask for!

x0x0

And for my dad's birthday, i'll leave you with three completely different, but completely adorable 'happy' faces by Drew.

First trip to see Santa

Overall, it well. Both grandparent sets were in attendance and we didn't have to wait for hours as I've heard others do. To combat crazy lines of screaming children, Derek and I made a trip up to Bass Pro in the morning to get a 'Bass Pass' helping us to jump to the front of the line when we went back. The display was really nice and there were tons for older kids to do and see.

Here's what we think ran through Drew's head during the 3 minute ordeal.....

It was absolutely adorable when he was staring up at Santa really trying to figure out who he was. There wasn't any screaming or crying, he just made that face at the end and daddy scooped him right up.

Neither of us had been to Bass Pro before and were surprised at how much there is to look at and see, especially for a little one! Drew loved watching the fish swim and sitting on the four-wheeler most. Personally, I loved the fat little ducks paddling around in their pond.

But this face of pure amazement is the one that I love most. The overwhelming magic of the Holidays is starting to form in his little mind and I can't wait to spend the next month sharing that feeling with him.

He is my little snowflake.

Thanksgiving in KC

This was the first year that Derek and I have both been back to KC for Thanksgiving together. Two years ago he was deep into job training and last year we flew back in early November for my baby shower. This was Drew's second flight and he did great on the way to KC.

After our first feast of the visit (with my side of the family) we took Drew to watch his first Plaza Lighting. It was AMAZING weather and he enjoyed all of the sights and attention from Aunts, Uncles, 2nd Cousins, Siblings, etc! After the lights popped on, Derek's side met us for some group pictures and "Drew squishes".

The next day was surrounded by our second feast (with Derek's family) and plenty of playtime for Drew.

I'll be posting later about our visit with Santa, but the best part of the trip had to be all of the Grandparent time. Drew soaked up every minute with both sets of Grandparents and was definitely loved on a TON!

Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving as well!

Happy Baby

You are my sunshine, my only sunshine
You make me happy when skies are gray
You'll never know dear, how much I love you
Please don't take my sunshine away.

Seasoned Potato Wedges

I always seem to have leftover potato's and threw together these wedges the other day which turned out delicious!

Here's what I did:
After peeling, patting dry and cutting into wedges, just use a bit of olive oil to soak them. Then I spread them out on the foil (on my baking sheet) and sprinkled onion and garlic powder as well as a bit of salt and pepper with a dash of parsley for flavor. Other ingredients you could try would include chili powder, cayenne pepper, or chives. At 375 you just bake for about 35-40 min total. I personally flipped and re-seasoned each piece around 20 min and cooked for another 20-25 since we like them tender. They were easy, fast and yummy!

Evening Playtime

As I read a post the other day about how the most important thing a child values is their parents' time, I smiled knowing that our evening routine is just that. Time for Drew to play and grow and learn and get loved on. Every evening after dinner, Derek and I make the trek upstairs to his room or downstairs to the basement. We switch up the play location so Drew doesn't get bored, but both areas are covered in toys. Clothed in sweats and 'comfy' outfits, Derek and I get down with Drew and play until he's tired. We let him choose his toys, have no TV on and enjoy every minute.

We didn't plan it this way and having the TV on never really even crossed our minds. We just naturally gravitated towards this as our evening routine as we love the smiles and joy on Drew's face when we're all 3 playing together. It's as if he knows that we're present and enjoying it just as much as him.

And yes, the girls are right there with us. They enjoy playtime with Drew as much as we do.

Giving Thanks

I have been inspired by some facebook updates and blog posts about giving thanks this time of year and I'd like to list what I'm most thankful for this time of year. While I could go on for hours, I've decided to keep my list to the top 28 items I'm most thankful for, starting with the most important first.

#1: Drew and Derek
There's so much to say about my sweet, baby boy. The little human being that we created and has stolen my heart has easily become the most important thing in my life for which I am most thankful. That is, of course, tied with Derek. Derek has been there for me through everything for almost a decade and I'm so lucky to have him. Although houses, jobs and situations will most likely change, I smile knowing that these two men will be with me through the journey of it all.

#2: Family
Without family, I would not be where I am today. Having the most supportive and involved parents raise me, shaped me into who I am. I'm so thankful for them as well as my brother whom I'm incredible lucky to be so close with. My 'newest' family gives me so many reasons to be thankful for as well. My wonderful in-laws are always there with a positive comment to make my day and I love Derek's two siblings just as they were my own.

#3: My Friends
Whether I see them once every couple years or I text with them daily, I thrive knowing that I have the best friends ever. True friendship should not take work. It should come naturally and make you comfortable and I love how I am when I'm with my true friends.

#4 Health
Knowing people with health issues and seeing others suffer make me so happy for my health. I'm thankful for the body god gave me and will continue to do what I can in order to preserve it forever.

#5: Armed Forces
I'm grateful for every single one of them and what they do to protect my freedom.

#6: Having all 5 Senses
I'm thankful that I can see the colors of life, taste the flavors of food, smell flowers, hear Drew's laugh and feel Derek's touch.

#7: Being American
With all of the horrible stories constantly in the news, I'm so thankful I'm an American.

#8: Our Careers
We are so lucky to both work for wonderful companies who provide us with wonderful benefits and security.

#9: My Pets
And not just my current two girls, but Tally, Sally, Sadie, Brandy and all that came before them. They unconditionally loved me and I'm so thankful for each of them to have been in my life.

#10: Technology
It has allowed me to re-connect, learn new things, pass time, workout better, see family in Kansas when I want and many more things.

#11: Sleep
I'm so blessed to have a little one that slept through the night early on and has been at 11-12 hours consistently from only a few months old. I can't function well with under 7 hours of sleep and am lucky to generally get 8+ every night.

#12: KU
For my wonderful, priceless education and so many great memories along the way that my parents provided me. I feel very lucky to have not had student loans. I'm also thankful for meeting my husband there and for the years to come we will have cheering on our alma mater with family.

#13: My Church
While we continue to watch online while we live up here, our pastor does a wonderful job of making us feel rejuvenated and re-sets our minds weekly with his sermons.

#14: The Sun
Nothing makes me feel more alive than the sun. Whether it's in the middle of winter, or in the heat of the summer, the sun puts me in the most mentally happy and serene place.

#15: Smiles
I'm thankful for random citizens who smile for no reason. I'm thankful for smiles when people see my adorable son. I'm thankful for the daily smiles from my munchkin as they brighten up my world.

#16: Encouraging & Supportive Words
Whether in the form of a text, a handwritten note, an email, or spoken, I'm thankful for people who share encouraging words. It makes me feel fuzzy inside.

#17: Daycare
I love being a working mom. Although I often (still) breakdown after dropping Drew off, I'm thankful for the time that I work knowing it makes me a better person and mother for him.

#18: Vacations
I have been to a lot of places with my family and Derek around the world and have learned and seen so much. The memories of those vacations will be around forever.

#19: Running
I'm thankful for my two working legs and what running has done for me both physically and mentally. I was so proud when I finished my first half marathon and didn't stop once. When the perfect song comes on during a sunny run, there is nothing that makes me feel more alive.

#20: Cleveland
Surprising, yes. But as I've mentioned before, the cost of living here is wonderful and we are thankful for having a beautiful house instead of a 400 square foot Manhattan apartment or a house in Alaska surrounded by snow 9 months out of the year.

#21: The Holidays
There's something magical about them and I'm thankful for getting to spend them all with family, whether immediate or extended.

#22: Our Possessions
Thankful for possessions? Yes. Derek and I have worked hard to provide a good life for Drew and our future children and I'm thankful for what we have been able to afford. I'm not speaking of silly possessions, I'm referring to a lawn mower, a dishwasher, a furnace and air conditioner.... many of which millions of Americans cannot afford. The basics.

#23: The Hard Times
Because they shaped how I think, act and am. They made me stronger and wiser and a better person.

#24: Photographs
Pictures capture the best of moments and I'm thankful for being able to relive those cherished moments whenever I can.

#25: Equality for Women
Having been raised by a strong, female personality and considering myself one now, I'm so thankful for the women who fought for equality throughout history. I'm grateful that I don't ever have to know what suppression of our sex feels like.

#26: Water
It's such a tiny thing that we often take for granted, but with how much I drink I'm so thankful for it. I'm thankful for the facilities and workers who ensure we have clean water to drink on a daily basis.

#27: Weekends
I live for the weekends and activities I get to do with my family.

#28: People who Adopt Animals
I'm thankful for them. All of them. I love animals so deeply and am thankful for those who chose to adopt a mut instead of add to the vicious cycle of puppy mill dogs.

Hopefully there is a lot to be thankful for in your lives as well!

Treadmill Running

I've finally made the full transition back to the gym treadmill for the winter. I will still try to squeeze in some pavement-pounding runs if there's a sunny day over 50 degrees, but I just don't prefer running in colder temperatures. My ears get achy with wind and cooler temperatures and all of the layers of clothing drag me down.

One advantage? There's less people to drive by and see me running as I'm sure it's not the hottest of sights once I hit about mile 3. This went around on facebook a while back and is just so true....