18 Months..

To my sweet Bubbaloo,


You're just a few days away from turning 19 months old. Everyone says the time flys by when you have children, and I think they're right for the most part, time seems to speed up as we age altogether. Every now and then I go back and watch videos from when you were an infant, like this one taken when you first started to crawl around 9 months ago.




To me it seems just yesterday... then I see you today, running around, climbing, talking and realize what a big, handsome toddler you have become. You're so very smart and have such a fierce little attitude, just like your mommy. You have no problem telling anyone sitting in the rocking chair to "MOVE", while waving your arm boldly, when you want me to rock and nurse you. After much thought and consideration, I've decided to let you nurse until you're two, you're welcome.

I'm not sad that you're no longer a baby though. I'm really diggin the whole Toddler stage. In fact when I think about you getting older I'm actually excited. When I was pregnant all I could think of was you as a little baby. The fact that we get to keep you and watch you grow into your own little person is amazing.

Going outside is still on your top list of favorite things to do. You climb onto your power wheels you got for Christmas and have such a proud look as you haul tail around the yard. The horses look at you like you're a little monster that's going to sprout wings and fly over the fence to eat them at any moment, but that's just a bonus.

 

Here's to all the new and wonderful adventures to come, my sweet little man.

Love,

Mama

A little bit of this....A little bit of that

First off, Aden is 18 mos old, and this kid rocks my world.

He's starting to say simple sentences such as "Mama rock, Mama Tit Ta, Da Da MOVE" Yeah, the boy has his Mama's attitude for sure. Poor, Poor James. He also loves to sing and dance. So sweet, I really must get it on video asap. His favorite show is Nemo and Cars at the moment and his favorite thing is..... you guessed it ....still.... Tit Ta. I have a feeling the kid would stay on the boob indefinitely if I don't take him off. Which I've decided will be around the 2 year mark.

Current News with me is Miscarriages suck major ass and James and I lost our lil baby just a week ago. I was only about 6 weeks along but it sucked hard, nonetheless. We'll start trying again, sometime soon probably. The good news is the very first "try" I got pregnant. With two miscarriages under my belt I'm figuring I'm done in that department. Crossing my fingers next time sticks. So send  some sticky baby vibes my way eh?? It does make me feel a little better knowing I have wonderful family and friends that care deeply for me and send me things like this to work when I've lost my sweet baby to be..

My sister rocks my world too.


I have other not so thrilling news but I prefer to block that out and pretend all is right in my world at the moment.

So I haven't been blogging lately and Thanksgiving came....

And then Christmas:

Now tell me that didn't make you smile??

And then our yearly trip to the Dallas World Aquarium. This was 2010 photo:

These are from this year 2011:

And tell me that isn't the most handsome guy on the freakin face of the planet?!?

 

17 Month letter

My dearest Aden,

You are now 17 months old! You've grown into an active toddler right before my eyes. Your infancy went by so quickly I find myself struggling to remember the sweet baby sounds that you used to make or exactly how you looked and changed each month as you grew older. Thank goodness for camera's right? Although I've been falling behind on that job lately, seems there aren't enough hours in the day to accomplish all I set out to do. Yeah, I'm still a little bitter about not being able to stay home with you and enjoy each and every minute. So I make the time I do get quality and spoil you as much as I can.

 Speaking of spoiling.....It's Christmas time again. Your first Christmas, last year, you were just five months old, just rolling around starting to explore your world. Now, you are running full force through the house ((***sigh***)), yelling at the dog and following your daddy everywhere as if he hung the moon. When you wake in the  morning he is the very first person you look for. If he's not next to me in bed you yell "DAAA DA DA" until he comes in to scoop you up. I look forward to Christmas this year a great deal seeing as you will certainly be able to rip open all of your presents and show your eagerness to play with your new toys.

Your smiles and happiness are what is most important in my life now. I can say without a shadow of a doubt that I would give up anything, do anything, to make you happy and to help you succeed in this life. As this life can be so difficult at times. I want you to know that no matter what happens in the future, or what decisions you make, your daddy and I will be there to help you. You will never be alone.


Thank you for making my life so much more meaningful than I could have imagined.

Love you always,

Momma

Thanksgiving

It's coming so fast this year. It seems like it was just yesterday Aden was 11 wks old and I had to drag my Unwilling butt back to work. Now, he's 16 months old and about to enjoy his second Thanksgiving. I love this holiday. My family does it BIG every year. Tons of great food, movies and games of football in the yard.

This year we're having it at my house. Which I'm excited and nervous about. Hopefully everything will live up to all the other wonderful Thanksgiving's we've had at Krystal's house. I've decided to take off the entire week this year. James and I have some things we'd like to complete at the house before the big day. Like the kitchen cabinets. They're horrible and plain right now. We hope to have the time to re-paint and put new hardware up. Martha Stewart has some awesome collections at HD.

I'm also so very excited to meet our newest addition, baby Connor, oh I cant wait to hold him. I feel just terrible I haven't seen him yet, hopefully he'll forgive his aunt Brynn. But, in my defense, I've been sick on and off with colds for the last month!

Oh, the joys of toddler hood! The rate in which time is moving now is un-real. Being a full time working mother I feel as if his entire infancy was like sand through my fingers and now I'm feeling the same about his toddler-hood. The one thing that hasn't changed is the nursing. That boy loves to nurse. I'm trying to slowly wean him but it's just not working very well. On average he still wakes at least twice at night to nurse. I'm tired. I hope to completely have him weaned AT LEAST by the time he is two. Let's just keep our fingers crossed.

I have so many things to be grateful for this year. A wonderful healthy, happy family, a baby-sitter that is absolutely wonderful with Aden, a lovely home in the country and a career that has been stable for both James and I. Things aren't perfect of course. There are things I'd love to change but at this moment I am content.

2009 Thanksgiving

Our ten year anniversary is coming up in December. It's been a long road, full times trying times. We've had more than our fair share of struggles, all of which have molded James and I into who we are today. I wouldn't take any of it back. And now it seems our relationship is growing more and more solid with each day that passes. Marriage is very hard work, but anything that is worth having always comes with hard work.

And I don't mind that one bit.

Halloween

Halloween was a blast! Aden went as a scarecrow and had tons of fun trick or treating around the neighborhood with his cousins!

There was only two missing! Lillian and Connor!

Aden is now 16 months old! He astonishes me every day with how incredibly smart he is. He uses the potty every night before bath time. He has now successfully peed 7 times in the potty and has made a number 2 once! I am amazed that he can do this on command. Really, I sit him on his potty and tell him "okay, time to pee pee or poo poo" and he looks down, concentrates, then goes. It is the coolest. thing. ever. Last night he did something new, after he peed, he pointed at the toilet paper. James gave him a piece and he reached down and wiped himself. HA, yes, I know, my kid's a freaking genius. Such a genius that he has already picked up some nice phrases, like he was talking to Mi Mi on the phone and told her to "shut up", yeah I take no responsibility for that people.

Let's see, words he can now say include, Mama, Dada, dog, Bo, Eyes, Ear, Nose, Bath, NO, Yeah, Bye, Hi, Hello, Tractor, Fish, Door, and I'm sure I'm missing many more.

This kid is accident prone though. Last weekend he fell and hit his mouth on the side of the TV. He was trying to plug up the cord to the back of the TV to play baby Einstein, when he slipped and fell. His tooth went ALL. THE. WAY. THROUGH. his bottom lip. James did a little hyperventilating. He's tough though. I have a feeling this is just the beginning. I have images of him riding Freckles bareback at a full gallop yelling "watch this mom"..... Yeah, I think I can feel a gray hair pushing it's way through right now...

And now, on to the holidays......

Welcome to the world!

Connor Tyler Knittle was born yesterday, October 11, 2010 weighing in at 8 lbs even. I'm such a proud Aunt and cannot wait to meet this darling little boy. Ambers' labor was 22 hrs long, everything went very smoothly and after an hour of pushing Connor was born! He is the most handsome little man. As you can obviously see....

He looks like Amber to me, but I see Tyler in him too. Ahhhh babies are what make life worth living. Congrats to the proud Momma & Daddy. They are going to be wonderful parents. He is already loved so  much.

I haven't been blogging like I should. I mean, this is my journal for Aden and I need to keep up with it more. We've cut out having Internet at home so it makes blogging very difficult! Anyway, Aden is growing up so much. He tries to copy everything we're saying. I bought him a Halloween, spider blanket, and I pointed at the spider and said "Spider, Aden" and he said "SPWIWER" or something similar sounding.

 He had his 15 mo appointment yesterday. Three shots. Ughhh. That never gets easy. In fact, as they get older and more aware of what's going on, I believe it may be more difficult! Doctor said he is at a 20 mo level in his development. Down to 50 % on weight, still 75 % height and of course 98 % head circumference. No wonder it took him till 13 mos to learn to walk, his huge head is hard to balance! Big head === Big brains.

And here are some pictures from the last couple of months.

My little prince.

Misc. Ramblings

Ahhhh, the weekend is near! Only a little under three hours until we set out on our hour-long drive home and begin our three day weekend. What's the plans? Well, we are going to the Fort Worth Zoo tomorrow, which I'm excited about. I cant wait to see how Aden reacts to it. Although he pretty much has a zoo at home. Dogs, Horses, Goats and one Donkey all within sight if you peek out our backdoor. Maybe I'll edit with pics this weekend.

The fog I've been in lately has started to lift and I can see slices of light peaking through. I would like to hit up the local Barnes and Nobles for some parenting books. See, from what I read, the stage that Aden has now entered is normal for his age (14 mos). But that doesn't mean its acceptable. He has taken a liking to slapping, pinching and biting. He thinks it's funny. Which sometimes, I'll admit, it's funny as shit when he bites James on the leg, not so much when it's my nipple. Anyway, so I figure a little parenting help is always good. I really don't know much else to do besides what I'm doing now, which is telling him "No, that hurts Mama, no biting." Then he proceeds to bite me again. I can tell you one thing. Thank god for the fact that I waited until the age I am now to have children. Could I have handled it at a much younger age? probably. would I had made the proper parenting decisions and given my child the tools to succeed in life, including that much needed area : discipline? I highly doubt it.

I have scheduled for new pictures of Aden to be made on Monday.  I cant wait to see how they come out. I was going to try and re-create his missed 12 mo shoot, but I'm going to just pick a couple of outfits and go with the flow. I have a really cute cowboy hat I hope we get some good ones with.