Wordless Weds

Winter Onerderland Part one.. The cake!

Finally the Party Pictures!  Enjoy! Let me just say, having this party here at the bowling alley.. was an amazing idea!  I didn't have the stress of having have party at our house, I didn't have to worry about making too much food (we got pizza there).  Drinks were there.. and the price was great!  Plus clean up was a breeze!  People had stuff to do (bowl) while we did cake and gifts.. I just can't express how much I enjoyed having the party at the bowling alley!

Hockey Games!

Uncle M.. Can you tell they are related?? 

We love our B

Nana

"Uncle M, Don't put bunny ears on me!"

Sleeply!

Go boys go!

Z goes to a lot of hockey games!  Nana and papa take him there lots and they all love him there.  The hockey players give him pucks and all the people around where my parents seats are miss him when he's not there!  He is a very well rounded sports fan!  Basketball, baseball, football, hockey.. and He likes all the right teams.. Bears and The Cowboys, Illini, Cardinals,  and The Blues, He has good taste!  ;)

Favs and playtime!

I still can't get over that my bug is a toddler! 
Also here are some fun facts about Z:
Fav Toy: This is hard.. he loves to clean.. sweeping or vaccuming, so he loves those.. He loves his drum.. and he loves rocking Elmo..
Fav "game": it is still patacake.. but he also likes the isty bisty spinder
He loves playing with balls-throwing them and rolling them around.
Loves Chase, our dog.. in the mornings, I'll ask "Where's Chase?" And Z will start looking under the bed covers for him.. so cute!  When Chase is outside and barks, and Z will whine until I let Chase in..  they are buddies!
Z loves his tunnel tent thing w/ the balls in it!
He loves going for walks and being outside!  I can't wait until its warm out and we can go play outside more often! 
Food: He loves bananas!
Fav word: Dadadada and daddy...
And he loves giving kisses and hugs..
I love that he still likes to cuddle.. and will come over just to give a hug and kiss!  I love it and cherish these moments.  He is such a sweetie!

"hum.. which toys today??"

Thinking about getting into trouble!

Partied a bit too hard!  ;)

Chase our buddy!

He loves those cups!

T came home from work.. Z crawled/walked right to him.. lifted his hands up.. when T picked him up, Z gave him the sweetest hug ever!

Sorry!

           Hey.. Z is napping right now.. and I don't have homework.. or Mary Kay.. or cleaning well... I finally have a moment to sit down.. and update all you!  Well Z is one!!  This year had gone soo very fast and slow all at the same time.. We have been so very blessed with a very good natured baby.. Who I can't even put into words how much I love him!  His birthday was lovely!  We woke up and banana pancakes, and had a pretty low key afternoon.. Then when dada got home, we went to a basket ball game.  Z enjoyed flirting with all the people around us, and watching the big screen.  The next day we did cake (strawberry cake w/ chocolate icing.. yummy!) and open gifts.  He loved the drum we got him, and the other gifts.  We also went to the doctor, Z did great!  We didn't get shots, b/c of him having croup the week before and the meds he got.  So we have to wait 2 weeks.  I was planning on waiting anyway, since I didn't want him to have a bad reaction for his party...
         Which brings me to his party.  Sat we had his party.. and it was a blast!  I loved having it at the bowling alley.. People were able bowl or watch Z eat his cake and open gifts.  He had some of his friends there, and I barely saw him!  Z was in the good arms of just about everyone :)  He got to see our friends and family and have yummy pizza and cake.. Which when Z had his.. he ate almost all of it!  He loved it..  He even shared some w/ momma!  During the opening gifts his sugar high started to wear down... and he got sleepy.  He got so much great stuff!!  I can't even list everything here!  But thanks so much for everyone that came and made Z's big day so wonderful!  It was so much watching him walking around playing with everyone. 
          Speaking of walking.. I don't know if I wrote about him walking but this kid is awalking!  He is all about it now!  And he is getting good too!  I can't get over watching him!  Big boy!!  Ok, so I'm going to post picture and I promise I'll do better about blogging this week!  And since we have SOO many pictures from these last few weeks, I'm going to be posting them little by little on different days.. so check back often!  :)

Scary cough..

Last night, we took a while to get Z down.. Finally he was down!  We went to bed, T watch a TV show and I was reading (The Hungry Games Trilogy.. great books!)  I heard Z make a few noises.. but he fell back to sleep.  I had just finished reading.. and turned off the TV.. Then Z woke up.  At this point I had wished I had slept a little instead of reading.  As I was climbing the stairs to his room, I heard him cough.. but not a normal cough, a seal cough.. then struggle a bit to breath.. I knew it was croup then, but ran up stairs and got him calmed down.  We got our humidifier going in our room and it became swap like very quickly.  This seemed to help.  Neither Z or I slept much at all. He nursed non stop.  If he stopped for some reason, he'd start crying and have a coughing attack.  Then I'd have to get him calmed back down.  I think it scared him when he started crying/coughing.  He kept waking up and throwing himself on me.. It broke my heart.  I hate when he is sick.. I hate when I can't make him better.. and I hated seeing him struggle!
I called the doctor this morning, and found out croup is going around here.  I never know where he gets sick from.  He isn't in day care.  We do some playdates, but I have done much sleep since being so sick over the winter.  Maybe since I started school, I'm bringing more stuff home.  I must remember to wash my hands before holding him when I get back from school.  The nurse said with croup it is hard b/c when they come into the doctor they are pretty much ok, its at night when its bad.  At first I was just going to wait it out, but then he had a coughing spell, so I called her back and asked what she thought.  Better safe than sorry.  I guess if its bad enough they will give him steroids, otherwise its just a virus that we have to wait out..  Oh how I had those words.  Let the virus run its course.. Let my little man be sick until the virus is done.  Well I hate the idea of wasting  doctors visit, but as a first time mom I'm pretty sure that my right.. lol.  Well thats all I have for now.. I'll try to write more when we get back.. unless Z is napping in which case I will also be napping...
Update:
 We went to the doctor.. the nurse came in and got Z''s weight (22.8lbs) then took his temp and it was down 98.2 and then left while we waited for the doc. During that time, Z had a small coughing spell. turned bright red and start sweating like crazy, then only wanted to be held.. and looked like all energy was drained from him.. It broke my heart.. Z was also crying.. which sounds bad right now.. like he can't breath.  The dr was pretty concerned by him turning red.. sweating.. and looking so sleepy, so we took his O2 levels (they were 99 .. so that was good) he wanted his temp taken again and ordered a few test (RSV, and flu) just to make sure he didn't also have those. The nurse came back in and was amazed at how awful Z looked in the short time she was gone (like 5mins) They took his temp 2 more times (both were still normal. 97.9 and 98.1), and rechecked his O2 levels.. then we waited for the test results. They were both neg.. which was good. By this time, Z arms and legs were turning back the normal color and stop sweating his face was still pretty red.. The Dr thinks maybe the coughing spell upset him or just being messed with.. and cause it.. or maybe his fever was breaking, but if that happens again, or his coughing gets worst to come back in right away. He also gave us some steroids to help w/ the croup..

Watching Z go from sick to this awful red sweating little guy was so hard, plus it was hard watching the nurses and dr being worried.... I can't wait for him to be better.. and hope it happens before this birthday!  The meds should start working in 4-6 hours.. so right around bed time.  But we are still going to keep in our room tonight.  

Play Time!

We have a ballpit/tent w/ tunnels.. And Z does enjoy playing in it a lot!  Even Chase goes through there sometimes!  With my new camera there are many things I want to capture.. and this play time was one of them!  Don't judge my pictures b/c I havn't edited them at all.. Maybe this summer I'm start edited things when school is out and I'm not busy doing millions of things... But until them, this what I have to work with!  So here is Z playing.. Have a great time and trying to get his hands on the camera!  :)

A fever to slow the day down...

Yesterday was weird sleep day for Z.  He took an almost 4 hour nap.. longest he has ever taken!  Then feel asleep at 7:30-he normally goes down about 8:30-9ish.  He woke up about 9 and he felt super warm, so I took his temp and he had a fever.  It took almost 2 hours to get him back down after that.  Did the whole meds routine, and this morning, he still has a fever.  Poor baby!  Nothing else seems wrong w/ him.. which I don't really like not knowing why his little body has a fever-but he seems happy.  But even when he's super sick, he is still a happy baby...
So instead of our busy day we had planned for today.. looks like it will be relaxing and napping (he's already taken one nap this morning.. which is unheard of!)  After he eats, we'll do bath time, since last night he feel asleep before a bath could happen.  Then I'm guessing nap time again.  Which means I might get some homework done.
I have class tonight, and we have a quiz, so I will see how he is doing later this afternoon and then decide if I'll go.  The best part about having my mom as a babysitter is I know she'll take good care of him while he's not feeling well and there are no other babies he could get sick.  I also have a Mary Kay event tonight and I'd like to still make that, but we will see how the little man is doing..
Ok, time to update you on him!
He is walking more than crawling now!  His favorite game is still patty cake but he does love a good game of hide in seek/peekaboo.  He loves playing in his tent w/ tunnels and the ball pit.  Cars and balls are so much fun!  Also the nesting cups.. those are for real one of the best things in the world!!  He loves bananas and bread..  Sizes he is in 12-18.. and some 24.  Diapers he is a 4 right now but moving up to 5's soon.  His eyes are still blueish, but sometimes I see some green in there.  His hair is light blonde.. with a tint of red.  He has 2 teeth so far on the bottom.. and working on two top ones.  We just started doing baby signs and he knows all done so far.. He has done the one for "more" but I don't think he knows what it means.  He says, mom, mama, dada, daddy, nana, baannaana, all done, yep and shakes his head for no.. :)  If fact he like to argue already.. We are still nursing, which mean I'm less than a week away from my goal of nursing him for a full year!  Sleep.. if you could remind me what sleep means, I could answer this one.. lol.  It changes.. but we normally sleep for 4 hours, wake up, nurse back down for about 3 hours.. then he comes into bed w/ us.  He loves to cuddle.. always comes over and hugs us.. and has started to give kisses when asked.  He likes puzzles too.. but we only have one of those right now.. But thats alitttle about him :)
I can't believe how close we aer to him being 1! Ahh!  lol

I hope you all have a good day!

Playing w/ the packaging from a gift

Showing Chase the blinds..

"I may be sick.. but I still want to get you!!"

And the fevers started to get to him...  just wants to cuddle.. poor baby

Walking like a big boy!

February...

    I can't believe this month is already here.  This time last year I was suffering with some high blood pressure and just getting put on bed rest.  So my days were spend in bed, watching netflix and playing some mario cart.  Letting my mom and husband take care of me.  What a different a year makes.. I couldn't stay in bed if I wanted!  Now the TV is barely on during the day, and my day are spend playing with a fun little guy.  I'm not going to lie, these next few post might get pretty mushy... b/c I am loosing my little baby and gaining a toddler.  The last few nights as I'm nursing and rocking my little guy to sleep I've been enjoying them and thinking about how much I enjoy this quite time I am blessed to have.  I know these days won't last.  I'm working hard to cherish out cuddles in the morning, b/c I think soon he will be sleeping and not need to come down to our room around 4/5. 
    I look at him now, sitting up in his high chair eating oatmeal and smiling and I can't get over how big he looks.  My little big boy!  Every day he gets more confident with walking and says more words/sounds.  He is learning so much!
  I think maybe the best way to express how I feel is a letter to my big boy:
Dear Z,
     As I hold you tonight, I am fully aware of how much you are growing up.  I know one day you will want to do things on your own.  You will ask to go outside a play with your friends.  When you hurt yourself, you will want me to hug you and make it all better.  You will pack your bag and go on sleepovers.  You and I will fight, I am sure.  Some day I am sure you will want me to drop you off block from school or the mall, and you will think you are too old for my kisses (let me tell you now, you will never be too old for my kisses).  One day you will do thinks you know you shouldn't, and I hope you know I will forever love you.  Then you will meet a pretty girl who you fall in love with and she will become your all.  I hope you will still remember your sweet mama and know you will never leave my heart.  I hope I will forever remember how it feels to nurse and rock you to sleep.  And how it feels for you to cry and put your arms up to me to pull you in and hug you.  I hope you give me millions of slobbery kisses because they are so special to me.  I hope I can remember how you smell and how fun playing cars can be.  Let me always remember how much your sweet face lights up when I come back from school or being away.  Always let me hear your sweet giggle, and see that smile that has forever been burned into my mind.  Please don't grow up too quickly.  Please let me enjoy your childhood as much as I have your babyhood.  So please let me love on you and rock you to sleep for a little while longer.  Let me nurse you when you get hurt or need to slow down for a while longer.  And always know you are safe in my arms, so rest your sweet head for a little while longer.  I love you my sweet baby boy, and this time is going way to fast for me!  I thank God everyday that he blessed our life with you!  I want to end this with a quote from our favorite book: "You are my angel, my darling, my star...and my love will find you, wherever you are."