Thanks G-link, we miss you already!

If you haven't guessed by now - we are BIG on nicknames around here. They always start off as something, then get little spin-offs - throughout the years, some stick and some don't - here is the short list:
Mine is Q or Boo, or Boodle, Doodle or Q-bert.
Kurt is Shmoo, KM, Kameo, Da-doh
Liam is Lima Bean, Lima, Beanie, The Bean
Jinx is Jinkers, Stinker, Winkle, Stinkerton
Ace is Ace Face, Asa, Asa Fasa, Acerrific, and ZIPIT
and my mom (Marilyn) is Merlinkey which came about after several rounds of Merlin, Merlino, Merlinkin log, and so on... so we really don't know WHAT Liam will end up calling anyone aroound here - but this weekend, we got a new nickname for her, and the transition went like this:
Grandma, Gramma, Grammalinkey, Grammalink, G-link. So... although it kind of sounds like a wireless router... she may end up being G-link, we'll see if it sticks!
G-link, thanks for coming to visit, we had so much fun - here is a little video of some of the fun times you had with the Bean. We love you!

(the video is a little long)

oops - here are a few pics that i forgot to download before i published the movie... so they got left out. but here they are :) very cute!

Happy Memorial Day!

We had so much fun this Memorial Day! We actually heated the pool and had a backyard pool party! My Momma was in town, and we are having such a nice visit with her. Kammy ordered up a HOT day, unfortunately it wasn't hot enough for her, but nice and comfortable. We spent the day lounging, pooling, cooking, eating, and watching the baby hawks make their first test flights from tree to tree. (Hawk update pics later this week - they are HUGE and very cool).

"The Man" and his harem.

Wendylou - happy girl!

Brooke and Evan - don't they look like they NEED a baby??

Evan is totally a baby whisperer...

Brooke and Liam

Daddy and Liam

Mamma and the pups.

Todd catching some rays.

I think it's safe to say that Liam LOVES the pool!

9 months...it's a doozie!

The past 18 months have been some of the most extraordinary I have experienced. The 9 months with you on the inside were scary, exciting, fun, uncomfortable, amazing all at the same time. The 9 months with you on the outside have been challenging, rewarding, incredible, touching, remarkable… amazing.
The past month though… wow, it has been a doozie. “a doozie”… I guess I am allowed to use lame little phrases like that now because… I’m a mom… and finally, I actually really, truly feel like a mom now.. not that I didn’t before, I mean I did, but it was kind of like those few months after you get married where you say you are a “wife” and can’t help but giggling, because its just so WEIRD and NEW and a little bit awkward because even though you have dreamed of this new title and position, you are still working really hard at proving yourself because you aren’t sure how good you are going to be at this new job. Maybe it is because we had our first mother’s day together, which was a beautiful unforgettable day , maybe its that your little personality has come out, and I really feel like we know each other – who knows.. But, finally – I can say… I am a MOM, and I have a SON (without giggling, but with great joy and pride)… it is profound. anyway… I digress….
So.. the doozie month… you are crawling like you have been crawling all your life, and you can maneuver over toys, and legs, and dogs, and from the soft carpet, to the padded alphabet squares to the wood floors, to the scratchy sea grass rugs without a hitch. You can pull yourself up, you talk up a storm.. we have marathon conversations together with nothing put high pitched “aahhhasa” and “oohhhaaahhas”. You say Da Da and Da Doh, and we think you say Dog. (no mama yet – I won’t hold it against you, it will come) you are getting the concept of waving ‘bye bye’ as well as giving us a high five! You are an excellent eater and I can’t even list all of the things you have tried, because it’s A LOT – but your newest favorites are yogurt, cheese, pineapple, blueberries and goldfish. You are a bit lazy and still prefer to be fed rather than feeding yourself, although you know how, and are very good at it… you just like to be waited on (hmmm, wonder where you get that from, I won’t mention any names, but it rhymes with RAD)
This month you went to your first Birthday Party, you swam in the pool, you became my running partner, you got your first big boo-boos (I guess that’s part of the whole “becoming mobile” thing), you outgrew all of your 6-12 mo clothes, I think you made it through the whole month sans ear infection, you created quite a stir on “facebook” with your little giggle video, and of course, you made me smile every single day.

Lima Bean, I love you.
Happy 9 months of sweetness.

I held back this post because our 9 month Dr’s appt was the day after your 9 month bday, and I wanted to give 9 month stats:

You now weigh 23 lbs (85th percentile)
You are now 29.5 inches long (90th percentile)

Dr says: you will probably be a football player! He thinks you have a wonderful temperament (we agree), and he just loves seeing you in the office! (you had an iron test today (they took some blood from your heel… and you didn’t even flinch) – your iron level was 11.8 (very good) – and you got a hep. B shot (you ALMOST started crying, but the paci. Still distracts and comforts you, so the instant you saw the paci, you were happy again!) your ears and the rest of you look good – but you have a little bit of cradle cap – (baby dandruff, so he recommended selsun blue!)

in honor of memorial day - a little red white and blue :)

and i couldn't resist this one... you RARELY give me attitude, but - once in a while - you do, here is proof!

it's all fun and games.....

.... until somebody gets hurt!

so, yesterday I was so excited because Liam now can pull himself up into a standing position.. pretty cool trick! see below.

how was i supposed to know that after he learned this cool new trick, that i shouldn't look away... EVER, not even for a SECOND... because when I did... he somehow pulled himself all the way up on the hearth, and took a little spill right into his exersaucer...

see, owweee by his eye... :(

IT'S OK, HE'S OK... (see below, he's fine, really!) please don't call child protective service on me... just learn from my mistake...
NO, you will never ever be able to leave the room to use the restroom again... run for the phone, answer the door, make dinner, or god forbid take a breath...
why, you might ask??
because your child is OFFICIALLY MOBILE,
which should be considered armed and dangerous!!

and yes, we have taken the apropriate corrective action...
poor Liam will have to find a new place to bang his blocks!

* ps - sorry about another reggae song... i am so lazy, this is one of the only discs that i have ripped to this computer right now, and somehow - it works.

better than christmas

I would have to say that Mother's Day might be my new favorite holiday. I mean, I get a sweet little boy - AND a day to celebrate me just because I have him now... i thought he was bonus enough!
it doesn't hurt to have an incredibly sweet and thoughtful husband that made the day extra special and wonderful! (thank you km!)
instead of a long winded story about the day, maybe just some bullet points of awesome-ness.
- sleeping in.
- long bath in the morning w/ my fav. bath fizzys
- church (moms day service, nice)
- visit w/ arlene (grammy-m) and grandpa at the house
- cards/ gifts / love from the fam. this included a sweet charcoal drawing of Liam that Kurt had drawn while he was in NY last week, an iPod from daddy and liam(yes an actual iPod!!!!! I am so excited!!!),and a pretty necklace from arlene
- champagne brunch at one of my fav. restaurants.
- lounging by the pool
- liam's first swim in the pool
- watching the baby hawks make their first attempt at flight
- catching up w/ friends and family (thank you all for the thoughtful phone calls, cards and messages!! you know who you are, i love you)

some photos from the day (sorry, these are the same pics that are on FB, so if you have seen them there - nothing new)

the restaurant is on a little lake, Liam and I stepped out onto the terrace to check out the ducks/birds and enjoy the sunshine :)

gandpa - looking stylishh at almost 102!!!
he was happy to be at this place too, we had his 100th bday party here)

gramma-m w/ her little lima bean


back at home - swimming for the first time!

he liked his little floaty-thing


our dip in the pool replaced bath time - i don't think he minded a bit!

cluck cluck giggle

we had chicken for lunch today...

Liam thought it was hillarious.

if this doesn't make you smile - i don't know what will!