auntie...

AUNTIE: proper noun

1. CJ's mommy's best friend and favorite work out partner
2. Someone who isn't one of CJ's grandmas that has changed more diapers than daddy (even though she lives in a different country)
3. Someone who, when CJ poops on them, laughs
4. Fun
5. A great help
6. The only person I let load my dishwasher, and don't check to see how they did it after

Last week we had a special treat at our house. CJ's Auntie came to visit all the way from the Netherlands! We love it when Auntie Julia comes to visit. CJ gets spoiled and mommy has lots of fun. The thing that makes life-long friends wonderful is that even though Jules hasn't been at our house in almost a year, it still feels like it did when she was at our house almost every day.

She arrived the day after CJ's ear surgery, so my mom hung around long enough for me to get her from the airport. Since she is a Yankee (and yes, I still love her unconditionally despite this fact), she never had Chick Fil A. We brought it home for lunch, and after we ate, CJ wanted his favorite new book that plays Jesus Loves Me to be inside the Chick Fil A bag. Unfortunately it was too big, but the only way we could get him to stay still long enough to snap this picture was to make it work...

Can you tell he loves her...

Being silly...

Playing with clothes pins while mommy makes dinner...

And last kisses before we had to take Jules back to the airport. :(

I am so thankful for my sweet friend, and I can't wait for her to come back again!

first surgery...

Luckily CJ's first surgery was very minor. Last Tuesday he got ear tubes. I confess, I wasn't too worried. I really like his doctor, and I trusted his opinion. We figured out about a month ago that since April, his ears have been so clogged that his ear drums weren't vibrating at all. Since I wanted my baby to be able to hear, all the risk that happens very, very, very, very rarely was worth it.

He did great; he's such a champ. And my mom came to make sure I was ok. :) She is so wonderful. She brought CJ a busy bag for the day of his surgery. We have come to the realization that CJ loves things that aren't toys...so she filled it with a tape measure, flashlight, stretchy key ring, a bottle with clothes pins in it and lots of other fun things. He had a blast with it and didn't fuss all morning. We had to be there VERY early because he was the first surgery of the day, and I was a little worried that the combination of being awakened at 5:30 and not being given anything to eat or drink might spell disaster, but I think the bag was the answer.

I know it's gross, but here we are playing on the hospital floor while they were waiting to check us in. Once CJ plopped down, I figured, he's already there...what's the harm now. And check out my growing belly...yikes!

And then we finally got a room, and we continued playing with all the treasures from the bag until they came to get CJ to go to surgery.

Then it was time for CJ and mommy to go back to the pre-op/recovery area. CJ put on his gown and was sweet to the orderly who wheeled us down the hall. He talked to him and waved at the people we passed.

Once we got to the pre-op area, the doctor, his assistant, the anesthetist, his assistant, the pre-op nurse, the operating nurse and the discharge nurse all crowded around CJ's bed. I wondered if all the people in hats and masks would freak him out, but he just sat and listened and talked to them. Then, when it was time for him to go back, the anesthetist asked CJ, "Can I hold you?" and held out his hands. CJ gave the two clap sign of approval and held out his hands to him. He put his head on his shoulder and hugged him all the way to the operating room. CJ being gone was the longest 10 minutes, but I tried to remain calm. When he woke up and I wasn't there, he got upset. But, when I got back to the post-op area the same man was holding him, and he was upset, but not at fever pitch. The moment he saw me, he stopped crying, and I felt much better. We waited a while to make sure he was ok, but we were still in our car, headed home, by 8:00.

I thought he would come home and crash, but he played and played. He was a little out of sorts for a few days, but the doctor said that was just the effects and after effects of the anesthesia. He is back to his happy, busy self now and talking a LOT more.

One thing I am very thankful for in this whole process of ear infections, is his willingness to take medicine. I was not the same way, and that's putting it midly. I still remember my mom sitting on me while me dad held my hands to get medicine in me! You just show it to CJ, he opens up like a little bird, swallows it and will sometimes even ask for more.

I am also VERY thankful that my little man is ok and shouldn't have any more ear problems. I am thankful for the wonderful staff who put me at ease. I am thankful my mom had enough insight to come take care of me. I am thankful that while Scott is deployed he doesn't have to worry about how we will take care of things like this because we have great insurance and wonderful family and friends that take care of us. So in the end, even though surgery is never fun, we are much better off in the long run.

more oldies...

Here are two more good ones from our time in Florida I found when I synced my phone. I really should do that more often!

This is from one dinner one night at Whataburger. Before you freak out...it's just ketchup. CJ was perfectly behaved while I ate the first 90% of my dinner. In hopes of finishing the entire thing, I kept trying to distract him with different things from the table. My last resort what the ketchup. You can see how that idea turned out below. The worst part of the whole thing was my first reaction was, "Does anyone have a camera?"

This picture is from a walk one night before we headed over to see Uncle Butch and Aunt Joanne's house. Pretty good looking bunch huh?

sleepy boys...

This is from so long ago, that this outfit doesn't even fit CJ anymore. :) But when I synced my phone, I found it and had to share. This was after a rough nap for CJ. He wanted to get up, but he wasn't ready to get up and was CRAAANKY. He went over to Scott on the couch and cuddled with until he fell back asleep. I don't think I could have two sweeter men in my life...

new tricks...

There are not words that can describe how much or how I love my littlest man. Overflowing, boundless, endless, immeasurable, pure, unconditional, tender, steadfast...I could go on forever. Each day I wake up and feel blessed to be able to stay home and spend my day with him, and each day I never regret the sacrifices it takes to make that possible. Lately, I feel like every day CJ is doing something new. As I was thinking about this post, I realized it would crush me if he did any of these things first with someone else.

I don't know how he grows so fast. I sure wish he would stop! But, I also know that while I would love to keep him little forever, I also love all the new things he is learning.

Today, he started stacking blocks. We had these in the living room for a long time, and he was sort of interested in them, so I decided to put them away for a while to see if distance would make his heart grow fonder. When I pulled them out today, I was honestly hoping they would keep him distracted long enough that I could put away his laundry. He only had them for a few seconds when I turned around and he had stacked them up like it was nothing. I nocked it down to see if he would do it again. He laughed, and then stacked the right back up. I only wanted the fun to last a few minutes, but it lasted for a loooong time. He thought it was super fun.

Stacking on the ottoman...

Tall tower...

Check out the concentration...

And the satisfaction of a job well done...

While we were in Tennessee CJ started giving kisses. I LOVE it! Now he will even give them when you ask for them...if he's in the mood. He hasn't figured out to pucker up, so they are open mouth, but they are oh so sweet.

This is also a new face. Why he can pucker up when he's concentrating and not when he's giving kisses, I'm not sure. But again, oh so sweet...

Here is a picture of another new favorite thing to do. While we were in Florida, CJ decided that getting into the toy box, getting covered with the toys, and then throwing them out one by one was super fun. He's such a mess, and we still play this game every day!

And here is a picture of him being BAD! There aren't many places CJ isn't allowed. But, I think some boundaries, clearly and consistently enforced, are good. One thing that isn't allowed is getting into the small desk drawer. The big drawers are full of papers, and he can't open them, but this drawer is just his height and full of things he thinks are fun.

But the funniest part is when he gets something from the drawer, he knows he was bad and runs to bring me what he has. Even though he is being disobedient, I guess the fact that he isn't trying to hide it yet is good. He will even shake his head no, no, no as he is bringing it to me.

I have also decided single moms must have almost no pictures of their kids. When we are at the park, I don't feel comfortable looking at him through a lens...I want my eyes on him. This morning he was adorable while I was getting ready for church. He pulled out a bag from my closet that had one of my old shirts in it. He wanted to wear it, while dragging the bag. It was adorable, but I knew the moment would be gone by the time I got my camera from the other end of the house and got back to the bathroom.

So here are some other new CJ tricks that I haven't been able to catch on camera...

~When I ask him if he wants to eat, if he's hungry, he runs to his high chair and tries to climb up it like a monkey.

~When he gets a drink, I make him sit down on the kitchen floor. I keep a towel close by in case he spills. He now takes the towel and wipes the floor himself. Such a hoot! I'm trying hard not to make him OCD like me, but it may be a losing battle.

~Another little OCD moment happened while we were playing outside. I brought his lawn mower out for him and he dragged it, step by step, up our steep driveway. He took it all the way over to his wagon and tried to put it into the wagon...like it was when we first came out the door. I got the picture and took the wagon and lawn mower both out. He definitely knows what he wants, and he wanted the lawn mower in the wagon!

~If he stands on his tip, tip, tipiest toes he can reach things on our bathroom counter, the kitchen table and even things near the edge of our kitchen cabinets.

~When he wakes up his nook is firmly planted in his mouth. Once I put him down, he runs over to his bed and throws his nook back into his bed. So glad he is getting less attached to it!

~I am super thankful the toilet in our bathroom is in its own little room. When I am getting ready, I have to close the door because CJ has figured out how to open the toilet. He also thinks it is really fun to unroll the toilet paper. Neither one is cool...so thank goodness for the door!

~My favorite new thing, next to sweet kisses, is hugs. Oh how I have waited for both those sweet arms to wrap around me and hold on. When I pick him up from the childcare at our gym, he claps, runs over to me, and give me a BIG hug. Oh I melt!

~I have decided he wants to be big. He loves playing with the other kids at the childcare at the gym. I sneak and watch him a lot, and usually he is flirting with his favorite worker who loves him, or if she's not there, he is playing with the big kids. He watches them and tries to do what they are doing. It is so cute to watch.

I could go on and on, but I won't bore you. :) But, if you made it this far you probably love him as much as I do...or almost as much...

connor's new favorite place...

Between the noise of July 4th fireworks and lots of rain, thunder and lightning, Connor has found a new favorite place.

bye bye first trimester...

(can you see him waving...look above his head, and you can see his hand)

As I start to type this, I can't believe it. I'm already one third of the way done with this pregnancy. I know the last two thirds will be much more uncomfortable, but I am a little sad to see this time go. I really like being pregnant, but I also know how much sweeter a little one in my arms is going to be.

Already having CJ who, if you have met him, you know he is full of boundless energy. There isn't a lot of time for quiet contemplation these days like there was when I was pregnant with CJ. I don't get to steal quite moments in the car or when I first wake up in the morning. We are too busy singing or talking about what we see out the window in the car. And laying still for a few minutes before I get out of bed is something that has only happened five times in the last 13 months and 1 week; there is someone who wakes up VERY early that wants to play with me. I confess I don't feel as connected as I did with CJ at this point because of this, but I know I will love him (or her) just as much.

Scott and I are also 99% sure #2 is a boy. Another confession is that I think if they tell me I am having a girl, I'm going to cry. I feel like God is leading me to have a house full of crazy, smelly, wrestling boys. I know if I have a girl she will soften me and I will love her tremendously. Nonetheless, pretty sure it's a boy...

Also, I never felt great about my doctor with CJ. If "click, click, boom" means anything to you as I know it does to so many of my friends from Japan, we'll just say CJ's doctor could have been his doppelganger. I love the staff at Martin Army. They are wonderful. I left my last appointment feeling more at ease and more positive than I ever did my entire pregnancy with CJ. That is such a wonderful feeling, and the blessing God keeps pouring out on us are amazing. I also got the great news that because I am delivering at a military hospital, I don't have to have a mandatory C-section. I really wanted to avoid it with CJ, but due to emergency complications, after laboring for 65+ hours, I went in for an emergency C-section. There isn't a civilian hospital within 2 hours what will even let you try a second natural delivery after a C-section because of staffing rules. But because there is a surgeon here 24 hours a day, they are going to let me try. More wonderful news!

So even though I haven't been able to savor this pregnancy as much, I feel God's hand on it is such a powerful way. I'm excited about the coming weeks and months, but I am most excited to meet this little one. I didn't know how truly wonderful it was to be a mom before CJ, but now that I do, I can't wait to do it again.

this morning...

This morning I was grumpy. Even a call from Iraq didn't cheer me up...that's how you know it was a rough morning. I didn't realize why I was in a funk until I got to church and I realized it was Satan trying to distract me from things I was supposed to hear, see and do.

One thing that did start to make me smile a little though was this CJ. Dale, one of my mom's good friends, made this outfit for him before he was born. I wanted to take a picture to send her, and here are the best three. While I was taking them, I was getting more and more frustrated because CJ wouldn't sit still. Really? I was frustrated at a one year old for not sitting still? My 90-to-nothing one year old? That is when I started to realize something was wrong with me and the rest of the world was just fine.

I love that in this picture you can tell he is intent on going somewhere. I also love that you can see Noah's ark in the background from playing we had been doing earlier in the morning. We are busy around here!

And then I love how sweet this picture is. There aren't many moment my little one is this still, but he was intent on exploring his shoes. This is what started to melt my cranky heart.

And then this face really did it. I love it. So CJ. He is trying to eat the camera, or kiss it...I don't really know which because I didn't give him the chance to do either.

I don't think I could be a more blessed mama!

fun with jayden...

CJ and I got back to Florida on a Monday, and Jayden, Kayley and Lexi all stayed with us until Wednesday afternoon. The first few days were so busy that I didn't even unpack my camera; you know we had to be busy when I wasn't taking pictures! I unfortunately didn't get any pictures of CJ with his girl cousins who he ADORES! I really think the pool was fun for him because he had so much fun watching them and playing with them. They can also make him smile. It melts my heart to see them with CJ.

But the last morning, I finally got out my camera. CJ and Jayden were so cute playing that I ran back to the room and got a few shots of them together. When the girls got up we had to tell them that their dad had to leave in the middle of the night because Tyler, my older nephew, had appendicitis. The girls sent him a card to the hospital on papa's computer in the study, and these two guys wanted in on the action. They talked to them, banged on the door, but alas, no one let them in.

Here is papa giving us updates on Tyler. Poor guy went to the hospital at 3:00 in the morning and didn't have surgery until almost 5:00 that evening! That had to be miserable. Luckily he was fine...sore, but fine.

And these two played the day away! I love this series of shots. Here is CJ happily banging away on the drum with no idea what is about to happen...

Jayden decided it looked like fun, and since the other drumstick was MIA, he decided he needed CJ's drumstick...

CJ's pretty strong, so I was impressed Jayden got it away from him...

But not for long...

Don't worry, I didn't sit there and take pictures of the drama/trama any longer. I saw the other drumstick, and the standoff was quickly over. :)

And here is Mr. Jayden getting ready for a nap with papa...

I also learned a very important lesson by Wednesday. When you are pregnant, especially when you got pregnant only 10 months after a c-section, you should lift babies carefully. I was used to slinging CJ around and playing. By Wednesday it felt like my stomach was being stretched from the inside out from lifting these two. I learned not to hold a baby, bend at the back to pick something up, and then pop back up. Bend at the knees...or put the baby down!

Here is my favorite picture I took of CJ while we were gone. Initially he liked to climb up this stool, but after a few days, he would sit at it like a desk. Doesn't he look like a big boy at school ready to do some math problems?

We had a fun time!

one year photos...

We had one year pictures done for CJ. They turned out WONDERFUL. The best 15 are on the photographer's blog. Right now, CJ is the first set of pictures. If you click on Ritchie's blog, you can go sneak a peak!