A good week for William

Hi everyone! I hope the new year has been going well for you. Well, like you read, this has been a good week for my Little William. He is now pulling up, got his first tooth, and doing "tricks" like Patty Cake, say, "No,no,no" and now when asked, "How big is William" you reply, "Soooo, big" and he raises his hands in the air. He is so cute! I am also enjoying watching him play with his toys. He now knows how to punch buttons to turn toys on, or like one toy, press the red top to make it spin. Today, he was playing with some balls from another toy. He was knocking them all around the house and then going to get them. It was like he was playing his own game of fetch! I wish I would have gotten that on video, but our camera is on the fritz! Waaa. He did have another visit with the Dr about another ear infection, and the dr said there was no infection, but still fluid behind the ear. My poor boy! We have a follow-up appointment with the ENT (Ear, Nose, Throat) dr on Feb 18th, so I guess we wait and see for tubes. As for me, well, I myself have had a very tough week. It started last Monday when I started with a high fever. I stayed home from school Tuesday and Wednesday, and of course it was conference week, so I had to reschedule those conferences. Even though I still wasn't feeling well, I managed to get back to school Thursday and Friday, and made up quite a few conferences. I only have a couple more to do, and I have scheduled them for next week after school. I do have to say I am feeling better, but definitely not 100% yet. I have Monday off this week for Martin Luther Day, so hopefully that will be just what I need. Also, Saturday was my birthday! Happy Birthday to me. I have to say it wasn't much fun since I was feeling so yucky, but it was still nice. Ok, I'll admit my age (some of you might be wondering!!) - 34. Yikes! But, it has been a pretty amazing year from 33 to 34! After having William, I now believe that the Moms should be recognized for their child's b-day. That was HARD WORK! hehehe (But worth every bit of pain and sickness). Benjamin will be going out of town in Feb, and I am really going to miss him. He is such a wonderful help with the baby, especially since I've been sick. He is the champ or getting up at the early wake-ups for Binky replacements!

Here is a picture of him pulling up!

Here is his first tooth!!

Here is a picture of him cuddling with Daddy!

In his "Big Boy" carseat!

2007 in Review

1. What did you do in 2007 that you’d never done before?
Had a baby!

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I don't remember making one last year and this year my resolution is to be the best wife, mother, and teacher I can be!

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Yes, my 2 cousins! Julia and Jenn

4. Did anyone close to you die?
Yes, my Aunt Wendy.

5. What states/countries did you visit?
South Carolina

6. What would you like to have in 2008 that you lacked in 2007?
More family time. We tend to fill up our calendar with plans with friends and extended family, limiting the amount of time we spend together.

7. What dates from 2007 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
March 5 - William's Birthday

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Definitely giving birth to William. It was the most empowering thing I have ever done.

9. What was your biggest failure?
I wish I would have had more students pass the state test - CSAP. I do feel like a failure when I don't feel the students did as well as I would have hoped.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
A couple colds, but the worst by far was the episiotemy for the forceps for William's delivery

11. What was the best thing you bought?
Grass for the backyard!!!

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Benjamin - because he got a promotion at work!!

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
George Bush!

14. Where did most of your money go?
Medical bills, diapers, formula, etc.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Having William on 3-5-07 (Our little Odd Prime)

16. What song will always remind you of 2007?
Hush Little Baby - I sing it to William and it is the song on his crib toy

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:a) happier or sadder? b) thinner or fatter? c) richer or poorer?
a) HAPPIER!! b) Thinner - no baby in me anymore! c) Poorer - babies are expensive

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
I would have like to have done more taking of pictures in William's first month. I was having such a hard time getting used to being a mom that I didn't get out the camera like I should have!

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
I should have done less complaining.

20. How did you spend Christmas?
We had a wonderful breakfast at our house and then lunch at Grandma and Grandpa Markus's.

21. Did you fall in love in 2007?
YES! In love with my son, and even more in love with my husband!

22. What was your favorite TV program?
Scrubs, Biggest Loser, The Apprentice

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
I don't hate anyone, but there are still a few people that I don't like much!

24. What was the best book you read?
The last Harry Potter Book

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Piano

26. What did you want and get?
A healthy baby!

27. What did you want and not get?
To be able to be a stay at home mom.

28. What was your favorite film of this year?
Harry Potter 5

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I don't remember what we did since it was back in January, but I turned 33.

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Winning the lottery!

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2007?
At the beginning, maternity clothes, now - just getting back into old clothes, but I still have some baby tummy to get rid of before everything fits again.

32. What kept you sane?
Benjamin and my Mom.

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Don't know.

34. What political issue stirred you the most?
The war in Iraq

35. Who did you miss?
My dog Dusty

36. Who was the best new person you met?
Linda - my new teaching partner

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2007
Time FLIES once you have children!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Happy new year to all! It is now 2008, and I know I will forget to write it on my checks at least for the next 2 months! hehehe What an amazing year 2007 was. We knew our life would change, but we still had no idea! We had a nice, quiet New Year's Eve at our house. Mom, Dad, and John came over since we figured that it would be a lot easier to get together at our house with the baby and all. And boy am I glad, when everyone left the temperature outside was probably below zero!!! We ate a nice dinner and played cards! John kicked everyone's butt at cards, and William didn't make it past 9:00pm. We rang in the new year with Dick Clark and pretty much ended the night at 12:01am!! hehehe (It is hard to be a late night partier when you have a 9 month old that wakes you up at 5am!) So, New Year's Resolutions you ask? Ummmm, I'm not very good at keeping those, but this year I am going to try to be the best wife, mom, and teacher I can be. Oh, and try to drink more water! 2007 was a pretty good year, and I have a feeling 2008 will be great as well!

Here is a picture of last night. Grandma, Grandpa, and William

And here are a couple pictures of William in his make-shift baby jail while Mom and Dad took down the Christmas decorations...