And YET...Another BUSY Weekend!

My handsome hubby! I would turn my back for a second and Cole was climbing (and then face planting) onto something. He loved the gigantic ball!

Giving the baby in the mirror kisses. He kept looking around the outside to "find" the baby.

Didn't sit still for a second.

Helping Daddy!

When I say I am taking the months of June/July off...I mean it. We plan on doing a whole lot of nothing...at least nothing for our family - probably still more than most.

Saturday, my hubby graduated from Texas State with his MBA. I was very proud. When they announced his name I got very choked up and tears started to fall...until he did the "raise the roof" signal as he crossed the stage and then I slid down into my bleacher chair in embarrassment. I was alone in the stands and nobody had to know that he was mine, but I guess by my reaction the guy next to me said, "Is he with you?"...I smiled and said, "Yes, sir...All mine."

Later that day we went to our friend's birthday party/housewarming party. We couldn't stay long because of our little tired boy. We decided to leave when he tried to climb into the dog water bowl...for the fifth time. Did I mention he loves water???

Sunday I woke up at 6:30am and went to the grocery store for the week, came home and got Cole and I ready for 2 year old birthday party number one. It was at Little Gym...to say that Cole enjoyed it, does not quite describe how he felt. He was running all over the place and OLD, OUT OF SHAPE MOMMY was chasing after him. He is so active and so strong. I would hate to be the boy that picks on him when he realizes how strong he truly is. We played for a while and went home to eat lunch and take a nap...well that was the plan. When we got home Cole was wired. He threw his lunch on the floor, so I put him down for a nap and he just yelled at us the entire time to come and get him. So I caved and let him play instead. He helped his Daddy fix something in the living room - he was trying to climb the ladder of course.

Then on to 2 year old party number two at Gymboree. Cole played and played again. He loved the kids and all of the fun things to climb. I realized that day, that I do not have a baby anymore. As he was climbing the soft mat stairs and sliding down the big slide, I wondered how he had become a little boy. We sang Happy Birthday and grabbed a snack for the road. He had a cheese puff in each hand as he fell asleep in the car on the way home...he was spent...and so was I. Did I mention OLD, OUT OF SHAPE MOMMY chasing him around (round #2)???

In between the 2 parties I made a batch of chicken salad, fruit salad, and yummy lemon-orange cake for 25 of my coworkers.

We are now getting ready for all of Dan's family coming in town Thursday afternoon, Dan's 40th Luau Party on Saturday, Memorial Day Weekend at the Lake, Staff Party at my house, and then one more trip to the lake over my birthday weekend.

I will say this again...We plan on taking the months of June/July off...period...end of story!

A Letter To My Son

May 2010 - 1 Year Old May 2009 - 1 Day Old

Happy First Birthday My Sweet Boy!

To begin to tell you how much you are loved is almost impossible. You make me happy when I am sad, you give me energy when I am exhausted, you give me hope when I seem to have none, you make me feel loved when I might not always deserve it.

You are such a good boy. You are so happy and bring out a smile in everyone around you. Your Daddy and I talk all of the time about why we are so lucky to have such a sweet boy - we don't know why, but we know that we are just that - LUCKY. It has been such a joy watching you grow over the past year. So tiny when we brought you home from the hospital and such a BIG, strong boy now. You are walking to greet us and waving bye-bye when we leave. You reach for us when you need a hug and make our hearts melt when you say MaMa and DaDa. We love that you always want to share your snacks with the dogs and that you still think taking a bath is the most fun time of the day. You make us laugh a million laughs a day!

Cole, YOU make US a better Mommy, a better Daddy, a better wife, a better husband, a better daughter, a better son, a better friend. All because YOU love US without conditions! YOU make US better!

You healed your mommy's broken heart and I am forever grateful. Daniel Cole - you are the BEST thing mommy has ever done. Thank you for choosing me!

"Monkeying" Around

We had about 40 adults and kids over on Saturday to celebrate Cole's first birthday. We had so much fun. I was a little worried about how Cole would react to all of the excitement - I have heard and been part of birthday parties where the kid was just a "nightmare" - but Cole was great. He loved all of the kids and all of the balloons. He would have been happy staying inside the bounce house with his friends all day if we would have let him. He did what I thought he would do with his cake - he eats everything with his 2 little pincher fingers and when he gets bored of that, he starts mushing. He ate almost 3 hotdogs for lunch and had lots of sweets for dessert. People think I am crazy for having such a "big" party for our Monkey, but he deserves it. Such a sweet boy, full of love and happiness - how could you not celebrate in a big way for such a big boy!