End of an era

I promise to always cherish the moment you came into this world.



I will spare you the gory details for now, though I will tell you the story every year as many times as you ask. (I still like hearing about the day I was born). Suffice it to say- you, in all your gooey, sweet, baby-ness were the most perfect thing I have ever laid my eyes on.

And our first year together commenced.




Now, it ends with a mixture of sadness and excitment. Sadness for all the moments that have passed us by,we will never get them back. Excitement for all the rest, may they be as memorable.

Sweet dreams, birthday boy!

Promise 1

Promise 2

Promise 3

Promise 4
Promise 5

Promise 6

Look who's 1!

Could he have posed any more perfectly?

Milestones

I promise to celebrate each milestone in your life.

That, my boy, is why I began writing here. I have done my best to capture them as they happen.

We have surpassed so many, some of my favorites are

* your first smiles and laughs

* the first time you rolled over- you were so surprised!

* the first time you ate cereal

* the first kisses you gave us

* the first time you turned the pages of a book

* when you said 'boo' and played peek-a-boo

First time you switched toy from one hand to the other!

We have many more to go, and I promise we will celebrate each and every one.

Promise 1
Promise 2
Promise 3
Promise 4

Promise 5

I promise to try to teach you through example, not just words.

This is a hard one. There are so many little things I would love to teach you not to do, that I do. I'll to work on that. I promise to do my best not to be a hypocrite. I will teach you to do your best and be a good person, by doing my best and being a good person.

There are so many 'big' things I promise to teach you ; honesty, love, how to learn from all you do, and so much more. I think the little things will be harder, not to curse, to eat healthy, please and thank you, to clean up after yourself. The day to day things that are small, but not insignificant. I will teach you these things, not by doing them for you, but by showing you how.

Good luck to both of us.

Promise 1

Promise 2

Promise 3

Promise 4

Promising togetherness

I promise to help you know we are always together

This feels so important now, but I know you are too tiny to understand. Your tears when I drop you off at daycare break my heart everyday. I want to be able to tell you how much I love you and that even though we can't be together everyday doesn't mean I love you any less. There is no way yet for you to understand that even when we are apart, we are together.

I promise as you grow, you will know that I am always here for you no matter how far apart we are. I want you to know when you have a bad day I am the one you can call. That if you feel lost or alone, you will find support, love, and encouragement in me. When you get the best news ever, I will be with you to do a happy dance, even if I'm not there to celebrate. Know that I am your mom, always, and I will be with you always.

Promise 1

Promise 2

Promise 3

Imagine...

I promise to foster the magic of your imagination.

I often wonder what is going on in that sweet little head of yours, you have such an intent to explore things and find out what they look like, feel like, sound like, what they do, how they taste...I promise to give you the freedom and the opportunities to imagine all the imagineable things. I will help you discover what you can do with all that you encounter, and to imagine the world any way you want.




Promise 1
Promise 2
Promise 3

Winter sucks

This, we knew. But let's stop for a moment and ponder how much winter sucks for a mobily (say: moo-bi- leee yes, I know, I made it up) inclined, yet still wobbly bundled up baby boy of just less than one.

This predicament in pictures:

Another day's promises

I promise to create a loving and enriching environment for you.

I know how to love you. It comes more naturally than breathing. I hope you always know just how much, and will never question the unending love that surrounds you.

I logically know what's best for you and how you will grow and change over the next few years, because I am lucky enough to have a good education and access to the information to help me out along the way. I promise to make up the difference with what I know intuitively. I promise to use what I know and learn what I don't, to the best of my ability to make your life the best it can be. I promise to give you every opportunity I have had and more. I will keep our home a place that you feel safe and comfortable that allows you to explore and learn and grow.

I promise to love you with all of my heart through all of our lives.

My first promise

Another promise

The strike (was) over

Imagine my joy when the Booger willingly and amazingly quickly gobbled up pasta and stars the other day. (Not sure why I'm excited? Find out here.)

Now, imagine my dismay when the next evening and the proceeding weekend, we returned to a robust diet of water, and rice cakes. You'd think he had body image issues!

Another day of promises

I promise to dance and sing and play with you for a lifetime.

I love your smile and your infectious laugh, the sweet squeal that comes out at the end, of it, and how much harder you laugh when I laugh too. It warms my heart watching you play and discover the world around you. I have done my best to leave the house in shambles around us, so that we can play and enjoy the short time we have together. You are only a baby for such a short time, and far too soon you will want to play all on your own. Please know that I do my best to make all the other little unimportant things take a back seat to you and our family. (When you get older, you will understand how hard that is for your multi-taskin' momma!) I look forward to all the things we have to experience as you grow up, and promise that I will help you enjoy every last minute of it. Or darn close to it. I hope to give you a safe world that allows you to be a child until you grow up.

I can only hope that showing you how much I love you and how much you matter to me, will build a relationship that makes you want to dance and sing and play with me for a lifetime.

I love you bubba!

My first promise

Baby Luke meet Baby Adam

Last weekend, since I was chomping at the bit, ahem, eager to visit my big sis and her beautiful children, and meet my new nephew Adam. I was very glad the weather ceased being completely ridiculous so we were able to make the trip.

I wonderered how the Booger would do meeting the new 'baby' in the family. He didn't get long to hold the title, and I'm sure Adam will reign longer than the recent crown holders (J & S were 14 months, and Luke almost 12 months when new 'babies' came along).

Seems he wasn't too phased, a bit interested, but relatively non- chalant. He was pretty satisfied invading his cousins' toys, and showing off his big boy near walking skills.

(Not so) Baby Luke

Oh... I guess that's it.

A closer look

Baby Adam

Walking the path to toddler-hood


Oh and last but not least... Happy Birthday Paul! Thanks for taking good care of my sister and all your little ones. I'm very lucky to have gained such a great brother! Love ya.

Promises

While we celebrate my nephew's 1 week birthday, I am settling myself into the Booger's First Birthday Countdown! When he was born, we were given a wonderful book 100 Promises to My Baby by Mallika Choppra. It is not the type of book you sit down to read, but one of those that you come back to when you need a few moments of meditation or a gentle reminder that it (it being late nights, early mornings, diapers, laundry, tears, and inconsolable babies and mommies and daddies) is all truly, truly worth it, especially this amazing first year.

In coming across it again this evening, I realized that it would be a wonderful way to reminisce and celebrate the week leading up to my miraculous son's first birthday. I spent some time looking through and pulled out a few promises that I want to give to him. Stop by throughout the week to watch the flashbacks (in photos) to go along with my Mommy moments.

My first promise on your first birthday;

I promise to love you, with not limits, from the depths of my soul, even when I know that it makes me more vulnerable than I have ever felt before.

I cannot count the number of times I have been amazed that I could love someone this much. Just looking down at you sometimes, I catch myself in awe. In awe of the amazing little bundle of personality that I nurtured and grew for months and months has stopped moving for a few moments and is so soft and sweet. In awe that I am 'the one' that you look for when you are scared or surprised or excited. In awe of the task that I am facing to somehow raise you to be a happy, satisfied, successful, well-rounded, strong-minded, loving, good person. In awe that in one whole year you have changed my life more than I could have ever imagined, more than any person I have ever met.

I know that you give me unquestioning love, and I want you to always know you have had the same love, magnified by thousands from me. I know when you are older, you will probably not believe me because I have to be the 'mean' mom. Always know that I really and truly love you from the depths of my soul, and that will never change.

Pro- fessional!

The Booger is growing and changing by leaps and bounds. His newest joy in life is immediately heading off to do this...

(Don't mind the piles on the steps- and ignore that they are Christmas gifts from nearly a month ago...they are the least of the mess in this house)

...as soon as he is freed from his highchair after dinner.

Oh and in case you were wondering about our snow day... we stayed in our jammies with crazy snow day bed head for quite a large portion of the day. Glorious!

(However, the extra day off was terribly shocking for the Booger once he realized he was not, like he had hoped, staying home with mommy and daddy forever and he would eventually be going back to day care... the shock was slightly delayed- occuring at 7:35 this morning... and boy was it heartbreaking!)

Snowy days

(to the tune of the Sesame Street Song)

Snowy days

keepin' the kids at home

On my way... back to bed

Can you tell how much I love

snow days?

Stay home and play

everything's A- ok

It's cold out there

Ain't no way

we're going out today!

Can you tell how much I love

snow days?

Snowy days
keepin' the kids at home
On my way... back to bed

Can you tell how much I love

how much I love

snow days?

Two for Twosday

Better late than never! Stop by Deanna's to check out the other two-fers.

He finally got him! Check out the beginning of the saga here...

http://boogerbby.blogspot.com/2008/11/just-trying-to-stay-out-of-trouble.html

Welcome!

I am happy to announce the splendid arrival of my new niece or nephew!

I can't spoil the surprise dear folks, no fair. But I am happy to say everyone is happy and healthy. And tired, I'm sure.

It's hard to grasp how much has changed for them over the last two years. I remember being so worried and scared for my sister and her babies two years ago. I was at work and couldn't wait to get out of there, let alone make the two hour drive! The last time around was very hard for her physically, and I can't imagine how hard mentally and emotionally. I had to wait a few minutes after the Booger was born to hold him and if I hadn't been cursing at the doctor while he did his doctorly duties- I would've been jumping off the table to get him.

I am so unbelievably happy that she and my brother in law were able to enjoy the wonderful experience that is 'having' a baby. I remember talking to her soon after she discovered this little joy was soon to come, okay as soon as ten pregnant months can be... She was so worried about being a good mom to all of her little ones. I had no worries- only awe. Because if anyone can do it- it's her. I've not seen anyone raise twins before, but somehow she makes it look super de duper easy! She and her hubby are the first people I go to with any baby (and way to quickly toddler)-related questions, and by golly, if they don't know they find out! Thanks for being such a great parents and helping us to make it through our (no doubt, not toughest) first year. I love you two and all your babies so much. Congratulations. Enjoy what your family has grown into!

I must stop before I get waaaay to sentimental- I feel a lot of those moments arising, and I feel I should spare you...

(hint hint- if you head over to facebook, Barb has made an announcement!!!!)

Now entering...

...the picky eater stage! Enough to drive a mother craaaazzzy. Especially one whose child has never-ever been picky. Broccoli, bring it on. Broccoli's pigmentless cousin (aka cauliflower), umm-hmm. Mango, yup. Pasta, absolutely. Turkey, beef, chicken, delicious. Pears, peaches, bananas, of course!

Let us preview the previously scrumptious dinner menu offered this week.

Monday: Spaghetti, peas and carrots, Cheddar Rice Quakes, water

Tuesday: Boca burger, strips of American cheese, peas and carrots, Cheddar Rice Quakes, water

Wednesday: Boca Burger (keep trying right?) Cottage cheese, Sweet Potato Gerber Puffs, water

What you ask, has actually been consumed?

Monday: Rice quakes

Tuesday: cheese, peas (one night and one night only!)

Wednesday: cottage cheese

The consistent hit: good ol' H2O.

It's gonna be a bumpy ride.

Today's post is sponsored by

The letter B and the number 10 thanks to Cheryl (click her for her H sponsored post) over at Twinfatuation (and click here to spend hours reading her creative and clever ever entertaining blog.)

10) Bulletin Boards- I can't seem to walk by one anywhere (yes, even the one that always proves to be useless at the grocery store) Super duper excited to put up some of my own at school!

9) Bins- Organizing makes my happy. Really happy.

8) the Beatles. Namely John Lennon- Just Imagine!

7) Blogs- really slightly addicted. I admit it.

6) Blankets- especially fuzzy warm ones to cuddle up with on snowy evenings such as this

5) Belly laughs. I swear I've read that laughing burns more calories than some type of exercise. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

If this doesn't get you chuckling- nothing will. Ever.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5P6UU6m3cqk
(Come on click it- you know you want to! We'll wait.)

4) Books of any sort, but children's books abound.

3) Beaches (who doesn't?)

2) Baby body parts (double points?)

and number one- have you guessed yet?

the Booger!

***Disclaimer: I could have gone the cheater, cheater pumpkin eater route and started everything with baby... or booger...

He's ready for his close up!

I have enjoyed this week already so much. I get to get up, go to work, get my boy, come home and....wait for it... stay home! And love and play with my boy. Oh, how terrific.

I still have a thousand and two things running through my head to do, but for once it's okay that I take my time about it. After all, it is still the first week. My wonderful husband and parents helped to give my room a much needed revamp over the last week and the weekend. It was great to start things off with a clean slate and slightly more organized. Once it's all said and done, I'll post a few pictures. (oh and once I rehang what has already been stripped off the wall by my busier students..)

Right now, I'm reveling in the much anticipated time with the sweetest boy in the universe.

I get to spend all my weekends with that smile!