Good Night Gorilla...and other random fun

Tonight we read Goodnight Gorilla for like the 7 zillionth time. Nap time, bed time, and any other random time he happens to pick it up, as if its some new found treasure he never saw before. He laughs at all the right places and as long as he continues to look at me with those huge eyes and that giant smile every time mrs. zookeeper find the animals in her room I will continue reading it 700 hundred times a day. He kills me...those eyes they get me every time! I have stopped getting teary every time we get to that part, and now I am able to just be happy and enjoy that we are sitting together reading...a real  life version of the daydreams I had when we were struggling to get pregnant. And as he grows and gets stronger, and he climbs on the furniture, and fights for the remote controls and cell phones, and when he won't eat his vegis I  take a step back and remember what a blessing and a gift his little life is, and I try not to be frustrated...although when he turns off the TV and calls china and feeds the dog an entire bowl of goldfish (all in 5 minutes) it does take a little more self control...

Not sure if I told you...we have an official walker now. Not just steps from one place to another, we are full on walking...even responding to the cue "stand up and walk." His little bum sticks out and swings side to side to help balance him...it is one adorable sight....having a bit of a technical difficulty, I will post the video asap!


Wes also hit Vermont for his first official weekend in Quechee. It was a weekend full of Toomey family fun, Auntie Nikki, Uncle Rick, Uncle Chris, Luke and Liv were all there to cheer Luke on in the Quechee Club's cardboard box sled derby. I'm not sure Uncle Chris knew what he was in for with the 6 am wake up call from Olivia...."Peekaboo...it's me O-livia!!!!" It was a really fun weekend though, and we are already in the planning stages to sweep the competition next year!

Uncle Ryan set the mood with "flash" pancakes

Off to the races....

We came in second in our heat...it could have been a photo finish!!!

...and in closing I would just like to brag a little....my kid throws away his own diapers....tries to unlock the door with keys...puts his own dirty silverware in the dishwasher....seriously, he's a genius! Here are a few more shots of my perfect little man...I know, I know I'm his mom, I'm allowed to brag!

Wes Loves his chair!!

xoxo
Erin

All you need is love...

Happy Valentine's Day...a day late. I figured I was still safe since One Tree Hill just celebrated tonight...yep just admitted that I still watch one tree hill...Anyway hope you all had a very happy heart day! Big week over here! I'm going to go out on a limb and say that Wes is walking..(as of Monday, February 7) its more of a run run dive, but I will take what I can get. Its funny because everyone keeps telling me to be careful what I wish for, but I can't wait until he can toddle around next to me, and I don't have to lug his 20 pound body around all the time...and apparently he looks like Curious george doing the 3 limb shuffle to get around!
I continue to be amazed at his development...today he took Ryan's hat and put it on his head...he says "hockey" and then runs and gets his hockey stick...he yells "bye" when we are leaving the house or going to bed...I could brag forever.....but instead I will leave you with his 1 year photo shoot...and as I continue to   complain about the housing market and being stuck in our "shed", and the ridiculous winter we are having here, oh and the gas prices....I try to remember that all we need is love.....

xoxo
Erin

Wes is one!

...and I'm not really sure how I feel about it. I was definitely more emotional than I expected! Lying in bed the night before his birthday I relived all the excitement and emotion of his "birth" day. I reminisced about the dinner Ryan and I had the night before, which neither of us really ate, the trip to the hospital, the epidural that I feared for the entire pregnancy, then the amazing feeling of his actual birth (I know I didn't really "feel" it, but you could feel the energy of what was actually happening). I can remember telling Ryan  that it was the strangest thing I have ever experienced....and then there he was, and he was...insert expletive here...huge! Or at least that was how Ryan announced it! I remember not getting to hold him much because he was so "quiet" or at least that is what they called it. They kept taking him from Ryan and putting him under the lights. Who would have thought that this would just be his disposition! Its funny though, the things you remember, I will never forget that for the first hour I texted. Yep I was texting...in between throwing up...of course it was to share in the good news and tell everyone how perfect he was, but seriously I spent the first hours of his life attached to my cell phone!!! Sign of the time I guess, because within a minute of his birth the news was sent out over the airwaves and the well wishes began to roll in! As the hours passed, the more nauseous I got, which resulted in more medication, ultimately leading to me being completely comatose. I have vague memories of family streaming in to meet him, and nurses coming to check vitals, and to get him to eat. The next lucid memory I have is the Doctor coming to tell me he was in the NICU for low blood sugar. I guess I didn't really comprehend it until the morning when we woke in a hospital room and he was not with us and I couldn't just take him from the nursery...even if I wanted to I was unable to get up with out swaying and falling back down. It was then that I really began to feel the reality of the situation...we were parents and our baby was in a special nursery without us. It was here that Ryan really became a dad...he called the nursery and spoke with the nurse....a seemingly easy enough task....but to hear him say "I'm looking for information on my son" really brought it all home for me. We were no longer a couple, we were a family of 3.
The rest of the year is blurry with excitement of night time feedings then sleeping through the night, sleeping all day to a 2 hour if I'm lucky nap, baby food to grilled cheese and pizza, bottles to sippy cups, stationary to mobile, and crawling to just about walking! We hear mama, dada, uncle, and hot dog (random I know!) He recognizes his family and favorite characters, shows, and music. He hugs and kisses and throws himself to the ground when he's angry....in a year he has gone from completely dependent to independent...and I'm unexpectedly emotional. There is so much more to this amazing year but I will leave you with the excitement of his birthday weekend. We celebrated Mickey style and really had a great time. We enjoyed lunch with friends on Saturday, and then spent Sunday with family dancing to the "hot dog" song and chowing down on pulled pork (haha Wes LOVES it!), mac and cheese, cupcakes, and cake pops (super cute, yet way more work than worth!). It was fun to see all Wes's cousins together, singing happy birthday and helping him blow out his #1 candle! I can't wait to add one more cousin to the crew next year...Auntie Nikki has finally given me the go ahead to write it on the blog, she is expecting baby #3 in June! Lots of pics from the weekend below!

xoxo
Erin

First present of the day!!!! Seriously Mommy its toooo early for this!

Round 1!!!

Cake Pops!!!

Round 2!

My wonderful family of 3!

Seriously Mom, this wooden stick is so much more fun than opening presents!

mother goose is on the loose...

Just a regular old wednesday around these parts...I am laying in bed (its 9:00 mind you)...Olivia is snoring next to me (we are having a sleep over due to the snow storm). Baby Shrek, and 2 pillow pets are cuddled in too! Ryan is shunned the couch so he doesn't wake us at the ungodly hour of 3:30 so he can shovel out and drive to work in what is going to be the 3rd major snow storm since christmas! I am definitely sick of snow, and I actually like snow. I really feel for you people that don't enjoy even one storm a year! Oh well, gotta love a new england winter!

Wes and I went to his first real library story time today...since the spit up has subsided I think its finally safe to visit public places without fear of having to call for a clean up in aisle 6! He did really great, got a little antsy, but not so bad that I wouldn't go back. We'll definitely try agin next week. Speaking of next week, Wes will no longer be an infant, he officially moves to toddler hood on Saturday! The big day has arrived, and not without a few major milestones! He is cruising all over the house and he loves to push Olivia on the spidey mobile. I am keeping my fingers crossed that he takes that first step on his big day...no pressure! He is really trying to repeat words...the current favorites are "uncle" and "hot dog," uncle chris is pretty excited about that and you'd die if you saw Wes (on all fours mind you) shaking his bottom to the hot dog song at the end of mickey mouse clubhouse! Wes has also become a bit of a ladies man lately...he gives the best wet, slobbery, open mouth kisses around!!

xoxo
Erin

and I thought a newborn was work...

Whoever thinks the newborn stage was hard....just wait until you get to the not an infant, but not quite a toddler stage! I'm seriously considering a home renovation made of nothing but foam...but maybe not foam because all he would do is eat it! Wes officially stood on his own last sunday January 2nd ( sorry for the specifics, but this has officially taken the place of any kind of baby book!) He stands there stunned for a second before he slowly lowers himself to the safety of the ground. The grace with which he gets back to the ground is uncanny because getting up there isn't always so pretty. Especially the other day when he pulled himself up on the folded up baby gate, and then somehow ended up pinned underneath it. That was a fun call to the pediatrician. Seriously though, if this kid makes it to his big day with no serious injuries I will be thrilled! He falls at least 5 times a day and most often he lands on his face or head...not to mention the swan dive he is perfecting when he wants to get off his changing table! Baby proof is not a word that exists in our home....when we solve one problem he finds another fun cabinet, dog bowl, trash can, toilet...you get the picture. I'm not even kidding! I often catch myself saying, "No Wes! You eat people food, not dog food!" Anyhow I've noticed a bit more baby weight has disappeared, and I'm not sure if its from the chasing or the anxiety about him falling, but either way I will take it!

Happy Birthday (tomorrow) to my strong and courageous cousin Eddie (aka Tink)! We love you!

xoxo
Erin

I figured out how to upload more pics!!! Here are some from Wes's first blizzard!!!

Yep...nothing delicate about this kid! 

BBQ'ing just like my Dad! 

More snow to come tomorrow so stay tuned for more fun snow pics! 

Back to reality....

Apparently I spent so much time celebrating this month I had no time to update you all on the holiday happenings! I can't believe that the big day has come and gone! Wes had his first visit from Santa...and he is in holiday heaven. It looks like Toys R Us made a delivery to our house...which I'm sure I've mentioned is the size of a shack. This Christmas, while piles of presents accumulated I finally saw where the commercialism of the holiday collides with good old fashioned holiday spirit. Wes, Luke, and Olivia presented their uncle Chris with a "special" gift this year! It was such an amazing feeling to give a gift to show how much we love and appreciate him, a gift that was completely unexpected and truly appreciated. I will admit this special "gift" was from the electronics department (...insert commercialism of christmas here) but it was form the heart and got our point across. Regardless, it helped remind me about the true spirit of christmas!

As we head towards the new year...and Wes's first birthday!!!...we can account for 2 more teeth, a lot less puking, and about 10 falls a day. It amazes me that he will survive his first year of life without a major head injury. Santa didn't deliver just gifts to all those good girls and boys...he brought along a blizzard too! Wes enjoyed his first real snow fall and cruised around the neighborhood on his shiny new sled.

Even with all the happiness and cheer this time of year brings, sometimes it brings that stubborn dark cloud too. My family has... yet again... been struck with a test to see just how resilient we are. I have no doubt that, as always, we will stay positive and fight back. I have never known a group of people stronger than those I am lucky to call my family. We love you, and are thinking of you every second!

xoxo
Erin

Lots more pictures to add too...apparently I have exceeded the allotted amount from Blogger! Say tuned!

...Mommy was waking Wes up to see what santa brought...

 Daddy and Wes's gorgeous wrapping job! Luckily my kindle was hiding in that box! And yes it is electrical tape for ribbon, white lined paper bow, and a sam adams bottle cap button!

Human jungle gym...

Sadie "gisel" Mckay

Rockin around the christmas tree...

I know, I know...its been awhile! However I take no blame every time I sit down to write Wes follows me around pulls himself up and tries to type with me! Things have been pretty busy around here with Wes's first thanksgiving and my marathon thanksgiving weekend shopping....yep I'm pretty much done, aren't you jealous! I did leave out a few things to pick up so that I can be out enjoying the hustle and bustle of the holiday season...most people think I'm crazy but Nana Pam you know what I'm talking about! It's kind of amusing watching all the people crazily snatching up the last snuggie for everyone on their shopping list! Regardless Wes and I will be out wandering the malls just to enjoy the scenery and a peppermint mocha.

Thanksgiving was a blast, lots of food, fun, and family...Wes truly enjoyed his thanksgiving dinner, and had a great time playing with his cousins! I was super thankful for Derek and Janell on Thanksgiving, I got to sit and enjoy a glass of wine while they chased him around and made sure he was topped off with cantaloupe, brownies, cookies....all the good stuff! Seriously though...we did have a lot to be thankful for this year. Wes is such a blessing, and we are so grateful for him. He was a long time in the making and I did stop a few times over the weekend to just enjoy the moment...his little face peering over the crib rails after a nice long nap....the way he looked from me to ryan and then broke into a huge grin as he snuggled between us watching mickey mouse clubhouse...and the proud moment when I walked in from  a long shopping trip and his first Christmas tree was all lit up. I realized this weekend that I definitely don't take enough time to enjoy the small stuff...funny it seems when I started this blog that was my mission, I guess even I got lost long the way!

And now with my focus back in tact I plan to celebrate this holiday season like no other...its amazing how children can bring a little christmas spirit back into even the biggest grinch!

xoxo
Erin

 Too much turkey....

Obviously checking out there fantasy football stats...

Okay....is someone gonna bring me more stuffing? 

Me, Derek, and Janell!

Sadie and Willa's own personal christmas tree...I was hoping to post some pics of them sitting in front of it in the dark singing "Oh Christmas tree", but the bright pink lights didn't work out so well with the camera!!!