Wordless Wednesday

Some more firsts...

We had some more firsts this weekend, although they're not all what you are going to be expecting!!  Read on...

First meeting of the son of a friend from STL.  We had a great time with Jason (the dad) and his son, H.  Some of these pictures are blurry, but it. is. hard. to get a good picture of two 13-14 month olds at the same time!!  I did the best I could.  Here's the results:

"Can I have what HE'S eating?"

Both of these boys LOVE their binkys.  And I think this was the only time they actually played with the same toy at the same time.

"What? We're not doing anything wrong!!"

Saying "hi" to the world outside.

We also got our first official family picture...and J is actually looking at the camera for both of them!!  I swear, this kid knows when the camera comes out and either stops what he was doing or will. not. look at the camera, no matter how many weird/funny noises you make.  Doesn't matter how loud you make them either!  But somehow Chris' friend, Jason, managed to get all of us looking at the camera, with our eyes open....twice!!  (I'm also debuting my new haircut!)

We also had a couple other "firsts" that we could have totally lived without; I will mention them quickly and then please promptly forget them, okay?!  That is, after you've all had your good laugh about them...we certainly did!  One, the first "floater" in the bathtub (IF you know what I mean!).  Two, the first time J has eaten dog food (he did not get as far as swallowing it, thank goodness!).  Hopefully, those will be the first, and last, of each of them.  And no, no pictures of either because that's. just. gross.  

So, how was your weekend?!?!

An amazing journey

Six years ago today, I married my amazing husband.  That day is definitely at the top of my all-time best days!  It was a gorgeous day and we had our families and friends celebrating with us.  The wedding was beautiful; I remember standing at the back of the church when one of the ushers (my sister's fiancee) came and gave me a card from my soon-to-be husband.  Oooh boy, I almost had to re-do my makeup after reading that card!!  I told him afterwards, what a time to be giving me something that sentimental, right before walking up the aisle!!!!!  How would that have looked, the bride bawling her way up the aisle?!

The party afterwards was so. much. fun.  The dance floor was full and we had everyone from an infant to our grandparents out there.  Instead of a bouquet toss, we did the anniversary dance, where as the song goes on, the DJ calls out for those married a certain number of hours years to leave the dance floor.  Eventually, this leaves you with the couple who has been married the longest and they get the extra bride's bouquet.  Well, it so happens that we each had a set a grandparents who had been married for 60 years!!!  We knew this and had a bride's bouquet ready for both of them; I can only hope that we both make it that long.  (Sadly, my grandfather lost his bride last year, after 65 wonderful years together.  We love you and still miss you so much, Grandma.  I know you're looking down from Heaven on our new family; I so wish you and all our other grandparents who have passed away were here to meet Baby J in person.  Excuse me a minute while I go dry my face.)

At the end of the evening, we even had a crayfish race, using the crayfish that my husband and his friends had collected that morning to be used as part of our centerpieces!!

the centerpiece

the race

The past six years have flown by!  We have had some great times - trips, especially to Australia, Hawaii, and Korea, camping, baseball games, family times - and times we have had to really lean on each other for support.  We have been through a lot in these six years; we have learned much more about one another and just how strong we can be for each other.  No one ever thinks that the plans they make when they get married will not happen exactly like they wanted them to; we never thought six years ago that we would just now be starting our family, but we are very lucky with the son we have.  So even though our plans have been slightly modified from the original, we are happy with how things have turned out.  We have fulfilled some dreams (buying land and a pop-up camper that we use to camp on said land) and have others that remain dreams at this point.  Gotta have something to keep us going, right?!

I love you, honey!

One month home...

...WOW!!!  We cannot believe that we have been home for one month today with Baby J.  This evening, we have been trying to remember what exactly we did that evening/night we came home and it is all just one big blur.  After getting home from the airport, things just seem to run together and we don't remember much about it.  We do remember that we co-slept that first night (the ONLY night we did that, as J is such a squirmy sleeper!).  But what we had to eat (thanks, Mom, for shoving the food under our noses), taking showers (which I know we did, as the travel grime needed to be washed off), and when we actually went to bed will probably never return to our memories!  This past month seems to have flown by and Baby J is adjusting very well, as far as we can tell.  He is still the happy little boy we brought home, (almost) always full of smiles.  Believe me though, when he wants something he's not allowed to have, he can throw his head back and wail with the best of them!  Sometimes it makes me want to laugh, since it's mostly for show, as Chris has stated more than once.  Maybe if I do laugh at him, that would shock him out of his crying?!  Hmmmm, something to try next time...niiiiice, mommy!  :)

So we think the bonding/attaching is going pretty well.  I have been on playdates with a couple of friends and J always comes to me to be picked up.  Once he goes towards something that interests him, though, he does not look back to see if I'm still there, so we still have some work to do.  I know I am impatient for him to attach to us and I know things could be much worse at this point, so I keep reminding myself that this is going to take a lot of time, work, and trust.  He is not talking yet, but he babbles constantly throughout the day once I take the binky out; so stinkin' cute the way he talks to himself and then at times starts laughing.  Wish I could be let in on the joke.  One of these days...sigh!

Oh, and with how busy J has kept us going this past month, our 6th anniversary just snuck up on us!  Can't believe that 6 years ago tomorrow, I married my amazing husband.  What an anniversary this year is going to be!

Now for what you've all been wanting...more pictures of our beautiful baby boy!!

Daddy and J at one month home.  Say "Kimchi!"

Mommy and J at one month home.  His "I love you" forehead rub.

Chris' Father's Day gift.

bedhead, but still amazingly cute!!  Can't you just hear his saying, "Are you really going to take this picture now?!"

Caught 'em both sleeping one afternoon.  Getting to be a pattern!

Cardinals outfit and first taste of chocolate pudding...YUM!!

Climbing around on a play date.

On the new (used) playset we got through G&G T.  "I LOVE this wheel I can spin!!!"  Thank you!

Just a cute face.  (Notice the shirt, Uncle Nate?)

On his car, in the pool, on a hot day.  (Laura and Matt, he absolutely loves his car; thank you!!)

This is the scene some days during J's mealtimes.  Poor puppies!

"Look, I'm walking...well, kinda!"  He's getting steadier and steadier these days.

On another play date...more wheels to turn.  He's in heaven!!!  Spent at least 25 minutes on this one.  Yeah!  We're definitely going back there.  And it's indoors.  Bonus!

Our first BIG first!!

After months and months of waiting and imagining Baby J going through all the firsts that babies go through, Chris and I got to experience the best one of all (because we experienced it!)...he took his first step!!!!!!!!!  We were in the kitchen and he was holding onto my hands, walking towards the patio door.  He seemed pretty steady on his feet, not leaning too far forward as he usually does, and I told Chris to get down in front of him.  I then let go of his hands and he. took. one. step. to Chris before sitting down!!!!  We were cheering and hugging him and he just laughed and laughed.  I tried to get him to do it again and he just thought it was hilarious how mommy was kneeling down in front of him, making him stand, and trying to get him to walk.  He just kept sitting or kneeling back down and laughing at me.  I am so glad that this happened on the weekend when Chris was home and got to view it firsthand, rather than me telling me about it.  And what a great weekend for it to have happened, too...Happy Father's Day to my hubby!  I know it was only one step and Baby J hasn't repeated it, but it's just a matter of time before that boy is running us ragged.

I. Can't. Wait.

Keeping busy

Our little J has had a busy week.  First, going shopping on Monday for a new fridge (which, by the way, we l-o-v-e!) in a downpour.  Tuesday, he supervised the guys who came to take out the old fridge and put the new one in.  They had to take the doors off both of them to get them out and in the garage door, which opens right into our kitchen.  I saw J up in his booster seat with a snack and he was just glued to what they were doing the entire time!!  It took them a good 45 minutes, which I've found out in toddler-time is for-ev-er!!  He would smile and giggle when they used their tools and enjoyed himself immensely.

Staring intently as they put the door back on the newly installed refrigerator.  Yippee!!

Later that afternoon, I gave him a teething biscuit for the first time.  I had given him others before, but he was just able to chew them up and eat them...not really what I would have called a teething biscuit.  But this one, well, it was for real!  And it was really messy!  I'm glad I put him back in his chair with a bib because he sure did enjoy it:

He also decided to smear it all over the tray, kind of like fingerpainting.  It was great to see him having such a good time.

Wednesday we had a play date with two other mamas and their children, both of whom I met through adoption.  We ended up going to a zoo as it was finally a gorgeous day outside with no hint of rain.  J could have cared less for the animals; he was so fixated on watching the other kids that we were with and others that were at the zoo that morning as well.  We got to feed a baby goat:

He decided he didn't want his hat on and started taking it off; I just knew it was going straight on the ground, which of course the goats have been using for their bathroom, so I did what any good mama would -- grabbed it with my teeth and took it off myself...talk about multitasking!!  ha!

Went for a train ride, which he seemed to enjoy.  We also tried the carousel, but that did not go over very well at. all.  The lady had to stop the ride for us to move around and sit in one of the seats on the carousel.  I have already told Chris that he has to do all the "going in a circle" rides with J, as I started feeling nauseous just on that bitty carousel.  What a wimp!  But at least I'm honest.  :)

Here's a picture of all the kids.  A and T (at the back of the picture) are waiting for their brother, J, to come home from Korea.  Hopefully very soon!!  Keeping you all in our thoughts, G!!  And N and H were having a blast seeing all the animals and running all their energy off...at least, I hope they did, B!  Thank you both for such a great morning!!!  J had a blast taking it all in.  We'll have to get together again soon.

Oh yeah, there was also a playground there that the kids played on for a while.  J couldn't get enough of going up and down two platforms and across a bridge; I had to pry him off it when we were leaving.  He slept the whole way home and also slept through the entire night as well that night!!  Really need more play dates!!!!!!!

Since it was such a nice day out, we had a couple people over to grill out that night.  Before they came, Chris and I were putting out some snacks and when we turned back around, here was the sight we found:

...mini heart attack on mommy's part when I saw that!!  But the boy wanted to get the remote control that was on the table and figured out a way to do it...what a smart child we have!  Notice mommy is standing close after telling daddy to grab the camera for a picture.  Had to capture just how smart he is.

  got a haircut today; the before picture

and after.  I know he looks kind of ticked off, but he was actually eating a goldfish.  He did very well during his haircut and Miss Ashlee did a great job!!  We love the trimmed 'do, Ash!!  Thank you.

We picked daddy up from work after the haircut and guess who fell asleep in the car on the way home?  So we brought him in to his pack-n-play; this kid sleeps with abandon!  What a cutie.

I couldn't resist getting a picture of this cute little bum in jean diapers that Grandma Mary bought for him.  Yeah, again, he may be embarrassed in a few years, but that's what I'm here for!!

Double rainbow over our neighbor's house earlier this week towards the end of a rain shower.  I guess you can't really see the second rainbow to the left, but it was there, I promise.

I'll leave you with our little handsome dude.  I. Love. Him.

Wordless Wednesday