One year OLD and Walking

Well, my baby turned one year old last friday and *sniff* *sniff*, it seems like we are rapidly leaving babyhood behind. He's been eating everything in sight recently and just yesterday, took his first 3 unassisted steps - a great birthday gift for me! Those baby days sure are fleeting. Amazing how they seem to last forever when you are in the middle of sleep deprivation, endless poopy diapers and unexplained crying. And then you wake up one morning and off they walk...

We had a great birthday party for Matthew on Saturday in our new backyard. All of his grandparents were in attendance and everyone enjoyed watching him taste his first cupcake. He loved it so much, he ate up all the cake that the other kids left on the table. We were thrilled to be able to celebrate this momentous day with everyone. It was great fun. Marchus cooked up a fantastic dinner for everyone to enjoy after the party festivities.

Adam is growing up so fast. He talks all the time about everything and LOVES to "talk about it". He's always saying, "Let's talk about it" and whatever "it" is, he wants to know more about it. He asks great questions - thank goodness for Google - I can usually come up with an answer. :) He talks in his sleep (yes, he really is a talker!). Last night, he had climbed into our bed in the middle of the night and out of nowhere, he broke into singing "Happy Birthday" to Mom! He didn't get through the whole song, but it woke both me and Marchus up and we had a good laugh about it. It was SO cute. Adam was really excited about my birthday as well and keeps asking when the children are coming over for my party. :) SO CUTE. We are having some of our neighbors over this weekend with their kids, so maybe that will satisfy his desire for another party. :)

We've had a great couple of weeks!

Almost a year ago...

In two short days, my baby boy will be turning 1 year old. It is hard to believe that this time last year I was waiting and waiting and waiting for his arrival. And in one short year he has grown into such a sparkling, personable little guy. He is so curious and quick with a smile or giggle. He's getting ready to walk any day now and although I am happy he is reaching such a milestone, it is bittersweet to know that his baby-days are coming to an end. He spent most of our July 4th block party pushing his little car all around the street while walking behind it. It was such a hoot. He rocked out to the music with his arms flailing about and just couldn't get enough of all the people to watch. My parents are all coming to help celebrate this milestone this weekend and I have photos to add as well, so I'll be updating this again soon.

Adam is REALLY excited about his little brother's birthday party and wants to talk about it all the time - especially about the cupcakes and presents. Adam bought his brother some books for his birthday and he is so excited to give them to Matthew. Adam loves a party and this is one that he's really looking forward to, as well.

AND our backyard is almost done!!! They are coming to pour cement for our patio tomorrow morning. The retaining wall is done, sprinklers and sod are in, and we are ready to enjoy it all. Of course, this is only phase one of our 3 phase backyard redo - but at least it is a good start. Our old backyard was not at all useable for enjoying these long summer nights. The new one will be just great for eating out, BBQs and enjoying living outdoors! So, we are really excited about that. Again, I'll post photos soon.

To top it off, Marchus has been hard at work painting our family room... the color... Orange! Oh, yes. it is. We've always been pretty brave when it comes to paint color but this was truly a leap, even for us. So far, it is looking great. It should be done by this weekend, so I'll post some photos of that as well.

We've been so busy lately, I haven't had time to post much, but I will try to post more photos since things are changing before my eyes - the kids, the yard, the house... it is such fun! Counting my blessings - we are so fortunate.

10 months...

Matthew turned 10 months old yesterday on Mother's Day. We were reminiscing about how last year on Mother's Day, I was out househunting since the house we were trying to buy as a short sale fell through the friday before Mother's Day. I was 7.5 months pregnant and desperate to find a house and move before the baby came. And so, on Mother's Day last year, we walked into our house and said, "we'll take it!!!" Three weeks later, we moved in! It has been a wonderful home for us this last year or so... and we are still working on our home improvement projects!

Adam and Matthew have both been adjusting quite well this last month to my starting my new job and being gone for a number of hours each day. Our new nanny, Alice, is fantastic and we feel so fortunate to have our boys left in such capable, loving hands. Monday mornings are always hardest since we've all spent the weekend together. So, when I come home from the office, I always try to do something special with the kids and shower them with attention and affection. Walking in the door and being greeted by the gleeful smiles, excitement and hugs helps to offset those tough mornings when I feel my heartstrings tugged as I pull out of the driveway. Sometimes I wonder if isn't harder on me than it is on them. :)

Adam is growing up so fast. He makes plans, negotiates deals, and is always coming up with interesting thoughts. He's still an avid puzzle solver and has been loving the warm weather and playing outside in the sprinklers. His swimming lessons are going great and he can now jump into the pool off the side and push off the bottom of the pool. He's swimming on his own more and more and loves it! He's also singing us songs all the time - the words aren't always spot on, but the sound sure is. I love hearing him sing John Denver's "Country Roads" - it is just too cute. He loves his little brother and is a big helper most of the time. He loves his jobs - emptying the lint from the dryer, putting away the silverware from the dishwasher, feeding the cat "Smokey" who has adopted us, and watering the plants. He's growing up each day before our eyes!

Matthew is quite the little person these days. Quick with a smile and easily entertained. He's exploring everywhere and one of his favorite activities is emptying things - cabinets, baskets, diaper bags, purses, boxes - if it has something in it, he'll show you how he can take it all out and spread it around. He's crawling everywhere and pulling himself up whenever he can. I think his favorite room in the house is the bathroom because he can pull himself up on the toilet (which we have to keep closed or he'll paddle in it) and the bathtub. Plus, he also has a love for water and will happily play in the tub or on the floor of the shower and cries every time he gets taken out no matter how long he's had to play in the water. He's expanding his list of foods he likes and is generally a pretty good eater. My favorite time of day is first thing in the morning when he wakes up all sleepy smiling, barely able to balance his head on his shoulders but so excited to start his day. Adam wakes up the same way and it is just such a sweet moment with each of them.

My new job is going well so far. It felt weird at first to leave and go sit in an office, in the quiet and work. I am so used to working amidst the chaos of little ones and constant multi-tasking, that it has been an adjustment to being able to focus on one thing for a period of time. The work has been interesting so far - learning the players and office dynamics, as well as my work responsibilities. I think I will like it and I am so fortunate to have this new opportunity just minutes from home.

Nadia is also moving to Napa - finally! I found a barn about 10 minutes from home and it is just a beautiful facility - very well managed and clean. She will have a cozy stall with a window looking out over the valley at night and her own paddock during the day. I am looking forward to having her nearby, and at the same time wondering where I will find the time to ride. They do have a lighted indoor arena, so at least daylight isn't a limiting factor. Adam is excited to have Nadia closer. He loves the horses and hanging out at the barn. We are going to get her on May 31.

Marchus made sure I had a wonderful Mother's Day. He and the boys let me sleep in and got me coffee and donuts. I felt so rested and spoiled. It was really wonderful. We then went to get Matthew and Adam's photo taken at the mall and then over to Omi and Papa's for dinner with Marchus's family - the dads cooked and cleaned and treated us well! All the mamas got to kick back and enjoy. :) Thanks dads!

That's all for now. I will try to keep posting and juggling in the months ahead. :)

Well, I guess my sneaky switch from "nap time" to "quiet time" actually worked! This afternoon, Adam went into his room for quiet time with his books and stuffed animals. At first, it was quite noisy as he pulled all his books off the shelf one by one and then sang to his animals... then it got VERY quiet. I went in his room to find him asleep on the floor. So cute! He battles sleep like no one's business, so he must have been REALLY tired to fall asleep in the middle of playing. Of course, baby brother Matthew still hasn't napped this afternoon and is wildly playing and crawling around. Poor little guys were both diagnosed with ear infections this morning so it is Amoxicillan for everyone for the next 10 days. Hopefully, that will kick this lingering snot, cough, wheezing extravaganza we've had going on around here.

In other news, I have been offered a job with the City of Napa in the Long Range Planning division of their Planning Department. The job will involve writing ordinances and land use policies as well as helping to design a specific plan for downtown Napa - which is sorely in need of some vision and direction. Napa is already on the map, and I am excited to help make it an actual "place". :) So, though I have gone around and around about going back to work in an office, it seems that in this economy, I am fortunate to have a strong job offer. They will let me work 6 hours in the office each day and 2 hours from home - so flex time at the outset is really a nice perk. Now I just have to find the ideal childcare situation for the boys that will be the least disruptive for them. Seems like we are embarking on yet another transition for our family. I'll keep you all posted as things shake out.

8 months and cute!

Matthew is 8 months old and getting really involved in exploring his world. When he was about 7.5 months, he got up on his hands and knees and was ready for launch. By 8 months, he was on the move! Just this morning, as I was sitting down to post these photos, he pulled himself up to standing! Boy, oh Boy! He's growing up fast!

Both Matthew and Adam have been sick this week with a really nasty cough that is keeping all of us up most of the night. Needless to say, it has been a bit of a challenge with behavior unraveling all around. I'm hoping that it will be gone soon and we can get back to our nights of interrupted sleep - but not the hours and hours of rocking a coughing baby or trying to soothe an upset little boy who doesn't understand why he keeps waking up.

So, let's hope for healthy days ahead with lots of sleep!

8 months and crawling... standing too!

7 months old

Yesterday, Matthew turned 7 months old. Oh, how the time flies. He is solidly sitting on his own and enjoying his time in the high chair. I remember when I was pregnant with him how much I craved sweets - donuts, ice cream, cookies. Now feeding assorted new flavors, I am reminded that he was my "sugar baby" because he rejects anything that isn't sweet fruit, sweet potato or carrots. The look of disdain when I fed him peas was hilarious. He also didn't go for squash or "summer vegetables". I keep trying to sneak in some veggies, but I have to be really sly because he's pretty quick at recognizing he's been tricked. :)

Tonight, he managed to get himself up onto all fours. It seems that crawling is just around the corner. Although I am thrilled with the prospect of watching him develop this new skill, I am not looking forward to life with baby gates, worrying about baby proofing everything and watching in exasperation as the cabinets get emptied on a regular basis. Ahh, well... as with everything baby, it is so fleeting, you have to just enjoy the moments as they happen.

Adam is enjoying his swimming lessons and just this week experienced independence in the water. He was really proud of his new success. He is still enjoying his scooter and Skuut bike. He got a soccer net for his birthday so it will be lots of fun on rainy days to practice shooting goals together. Adam is quite the negotiator and is always saying "let's make a deal" and asking me to put the timer on so he gets notified when his time is up. He was reading a book about Lulu the Lamb, and he says it is Wuwu the Wamb. I asked him if it was Wuwu the Wamb and he said, "No, mommy, it is Wuwu the Wamb." It was really funny. I guess in his head, he knows the difference. He wants to know everything - who bought this, where it came from, what store, when did we get it etc... He's still a whiz at puzzles and it is great to see the wheels turning as he sorts them out.

That's about it for now. I just wanted to note this milestone today. Enjoy the rain! We're so happy winter is finally here!

Adam's party..

Adam is THREE!

Adam is THREE! What a PARTIE!!

Adam turned 3 on friday. I couldn't help but spend the day with the day of his birth flashing through my head. He proudly took a book to school to give to his class for his birthday (they disapprove of cupcakes for all). He got to open it during circle time and his classmates all sang him happy birthday. After school we went to his favorite place for lunch, Taylor's Refresher, where he enjoyed his mini corn dogs, fries and a chocolate shake. He had a birthday swim lesson, pancakes for dinner, and Daddy brought home a chocolate cupcake and decorated cookie for him. He went to bed exhausted and excited all at the same time.

Saturday was his party. He had a 5 pals come over to celebrate with his snowman cupcake cake (that he requested) and games of fishy, fishy in the brook, dance n' freeze, and pass the present. Even the grown-ups enjoyed themselves with all the great food Marchus put together. All in all, it was a great celebration of our big boy.

Now that Adam is 3, he has told me that he's all grown up and is ready to go to work. Yesterday he told me that something he was looking at was "incredible". He's a whiz at puzzles and got quite a number of them for his birthday that he's been enjoying. He REALLY wants his drivers license so he can drive the car. He says he's ready.

Matthew has been growing and learning all kinds of skills. He has now mastered the art of OPENING his mouth so I can get food into it. He's still not convinced that eating from a spoon is the best way to do it, but sometimes just grabs the spoon and shoves it into his own mouth. He sings and makes all kinds of noises exercising his voice. He can now sit for long stretches and happily plays with his toys - until he's not happy anymore and then he really lets you know it. He's still not a happy traveler and protests whenever he is in his carseat which makes long drives not so much fun. But once he's out of the seat, he's his happy self again.

I can't believe it is February already. Time is sure flying. It is hard to believe it is the middle of winter with these sunny, warm days. Makes me a little worried about our water supply and what this summer will be like if it is this warm now. Hmmm...

First Food and Beach

6 Months Old!

6 months old!

Happy New Year!

Well, as of today, Matthew is half a year old already! He's into that stage where the milestones come along quickly. Last week, he mastered sitting. He sometimes fusses now and nothing seems to calm him until I sit him down with some toys. Then he'll happily gurgle and coo while he plays in his sitting position. I have fond memories of Adam sitting and playing happily before he became mobile. :)

On Christmas Day, Matthew sampled his first solid food. He wasn't too sure about it at first and it has taken him a few weeks to realize that in order to get more food into his mouth, he has to open it. Now, he's happy to sit in his high chair and have his little meal each day. He hasn't tasted too many things thus far - only rice cereal, barley cereal and sweet potatoes, but his menu is expanding and we'll be introducing peas and carrots and lots of fruit in the next month or so.

It will be interesting to see how much he's grown at his next doctor's appointment. He seems to be outgrowing his 3-6 month clothes right on schedule and is now into 6-9 month sizes. He continues to be a happy guy - except for that week that he had a terrible cold and had me up most of the night for 4 nights in a row. Thankfully, that has passed. He's loves his brother and Adam greets him with a "good morning" each morning and they share smiles and giggles. It's a great way to begin the day.

Adam is almost 3 (20 days to go!). He's completely mastered the potty. And, knock on wood, has had no accidents in recent memory. His sense of humor is developing fast and he says hilarious things - none of which come to mind at the moment, of course. He loves his music and is happy to have his own CD player now that he can control. He also got some jigsaw puzzles that he has a remarkable ability to do rather quickly, surprising all of us.

We had a wonderful Christmas in Cardiff with all of my family, some of whom were here from England for the holiday. There were 22 of us in all. It was great to be with grandparents, cousins, aunts, and uncles. Adam was thrilled that Snowman came Christmas Eve and brought gifts. He's an expert at opening presents now. It was really a wonderful time complete with a visit to Legoland and visits to the beach where Adam bounded right into the water despite it being a bit on the cold side. He loved every second of it.

Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday and best wishes for the new year.