Our year in review

January
*Our house was on the market to sell.
*Mommy had a birthday.
*Mikey was 3 months old.

February
*We moved into our new "old" home.
*Mikey had his first Valentine's Day.

March
*William turned 3.
*Mikey started solid foods.

April
*Took Mikey to Denver Children's Hospital to check is flat head.
*Had fun being a family.

May
*Daddy had a big birthday. The big 3-0-!!
*Mikey got his first tooth!

June
*The boys went to their first Rockies game.
*Took our big family vacation to San Diego and Disneyland.

July
*Mikey's first taste of homemade ice cream on July 4th.
*Mikey moved to his big boy car seat.

August
*Mommy and Daddy went back to Disneyland.
*Mommy started back to work.
*William started Preschool!
*Mikey popped out his top two teeth.

September
*Went to the State Fair Parade.
*Took Mikey back to Denver Children's and found out he has Developmental Delay Disorder.
*Mikey turned one!!!

October
*Visited the pumpkin patch.
*William had his first Halloween party at school.

November
*Got a new kitty, but couldn't keep her because of my allergies.
*Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

December
*A magical Christmas season with 2 wonderful boys.
*Mikey took his first step Dec 30th (his 15 month birthday).

What a wonderful year we had!!

Is it almost Christmas already?

Oh my goodness. Time flies when you are a full-time working mother of 2 young boys. Things in our household have been good. Mikey isn't walking yet, but he is cruising everywhere. He is saying a lot more words now: Dada, Mama, Papa, this, dog, hi, bye, fish, eat, yellow, ut-oh, no, down, and probably a couple more that I have forgotten about. His personality is really coming out at this age. He is getting to be a bit of a picky eater (guess he takes after his Mommy), but usually eats more than William does. He is liking to play more and more with William. Whatever William is doing, he likes to be right there. Sometimes that is a good thing, and sometimes it isn't. We can see the beginnings of sibling rivalry. William is a little sweetheart. He is doing FANTASTIC in preschool. He knows almost all his letters and a lot of the sounds that go with them! I am totally impressed. He can write his name and sing a lot of cute songs: his favorite being "I'm a Little Tea Pot!" He is really loving Christmas this year. We took both of them to see Santa at the mall yesterday. William told Santa he wants a "roller coaster". I'm not too sure how Santa will fill that order. Everyday he asks me if he can open the presents under the tree. It is fun to see Christmas through his eyes and remember how incredibly exciting it was.

My Dear Michael,

What an amazing year it has been my love! We have watched you grow so much in the last year that sometimes it is hard to even believe it. When you first came into this world, we loved you so much, and we continue to love you more and more with each passing day. The first few months of your life were full of change for our family. William was getting used to being a brother, and you were getting used to being out of the womb. I have to admit, that you were a very big cry-baby! You were on the verge of having colic, which is something Daddy and I were getting used it too. I had to leave you when you were only 2 months old and go back to work. However, you made the transition to daycare very easily, and it was nice to have your big brother there to watch over you! At 2 months old, you were diagnosed with Torticollis, a tightening of the neck muscle, forcing you to tilt your head. We started taking you to physical therapy once a week to stretch your muscles. You also had an x-ray and a CAT scan to make sure there wasn't something else going on. Luckily, those tests came out fine, and the physical therapy was working well. You had your first Christmas and had lots of fun. In January, we were packing up the house and moving back to our old house. Moving was a little tougher with a baby, but you made the transition to the new house with ease. You were doing great, and at 6 months we got you into the Colorado Blue Sky program and that got us free physical therapy and a new therapist, which was a great change. By the time summer rolled around, you had your first tooth already and we were getting ready for our big family vacation to San Diego and Disneyland. You weren't quite sitting up, but you were rolling around like crazy! You did great on your plane rides and had fun on our vacation. You were such a great baby on vacation. You hardly ever got fussy and loved being around people! You had your first taste of homemade ice cream on the 4th of July and your first swim - which you loved both!! In August, you spent a week with Grandma and Grandpa because Mommy and Daddy took a vacation back to Disneyland. You had fun with Grandma and Papa, even though we missed you a lot while we were gone. Mommy started back at work, and this time, going back to daycare took some getting used to for you, but you got used to it. The end of August, we took you to Denver Children's Hospital to have you evaluated for your delays. You were so cute and all the ladies who were evaluating you were so dazzled by your happy disposition. The doctors said you have "Developmental Coordination Disorder" and you were 4 months behind. No matter, we love you and are relieved that there isn't a disease causing your delay. In September, we had your first birthday party at the church, and all your friends and family came. Now you are 12 months and 1 week old and are rolling, crawling, pulling up, and cruising around the furniture. You are even saying some words, like "Mama, Dada, Ut-oh, Doggie, No, and Yellow". You are quite the talker! You love to eat and give Mommy kisses! At your 1st birthday dr's visit, you were 21 lbs and 29 3/4 in! You are growing and learning so much now that I am loving to see your progress. You aren't as behind as you were and I bet you will be walking soon! We love you little boy, and I am so glad you decided to be a part of our family!
Love,
Mommy

Happy Birthday Michael

Today is Michael's first birthday. There is so much I want to say, but just don't have the time right now. Hopefully, before too long, I can write all that I want to say. In the meantime...

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Hello September

Yep, more post slacking. I guess that is the new norm for me and this blog. It is just hard to keep up on this blog with everything that is going on in our lives. Benjamin and I took our trip to Disneyland and had a fabulous time!!! It was nice to be away just the two of us. However, once I got back I got really sick and he was still in California to take his class. Thank goodness for my parents, because they really helped me that week since I was a single mom and started back to school that week too. It was absolutely crazy, but we all managed to make it through and Benjamin got back safe and sound. Since then, I have started back teaching. It has been a pretty nice year so far. The new principal is very nice, so all is ok at work for me. BIG NEWS for my William - he started preschool. I can't tell you how well he is doing at preschool. I was a little worried since he has had some separation anxiety in the past, but that first day there were no tears at all, and basically Benjamin and I didn't even need to stay at all. We only stayed about 20 minutes, and I think I had a harder time with it that William did. Mikey is crazy cute. I can't believe his first birthday is at the end of the month. We took him to the Children's Hospital to his development evaluation. He was officially diagnosed with "Developmental Coordination Disorder". From what I have read, it is usually diagnosed with older kids, so I'm not sure how they can come up with the disorder with him so young, so my totally un-medical opinion is I'm not too sure I agree. The good thing is that he doesn't have some sort of disease or genetic problem. He is crawling, pulling up to stand (even though not solid at standing), and he can FINALLY sit on his own without falling back or to the side!!! That last one is a HUGE deal. He really has seemed to blossom in the past months and it almost hurts my heart to realize how fast this past year had gone. We don't plan on having any more kids, so this was my last baby phase. I am going to miss so many parts of having a baby. I can't believe how my boys are just growing and learning so much!!! Oh, and I got a new van - that I absolutely LOVE. We did have to trade in other 2 cars, but it was worth it. Benjamin got a 1990 Ford Escort, so now he has a beater car that will probably get better gas milage than the truck! So, I guess that catches you all up for now!

Here is a picture of Benjamin and I at Disneyland after our "A Walk in Walt's Footsteps" tour.

Willia's first day of Preschool!!!

Here is a picture of Michael at Children's Hospital while we were waiting to start.

Bad Blogger, Bad Bad Blogger!!

I can't believe I haven't blogged since May. I guess my Blog might be dying since I am so much more active on Facebook. I post a lot of what is going on with my family there, and do get around to putting the same stuff on this blog. So, lets see if I can do yet another catch up and if I can remember!

Michael - He is now 9 months old. How did that happen so fast? He's got 2 teeth now. They are sooo cute! He rolls and is even doing a modified army crawl forward. That one is really new. He is still behind in his motor skills. I don't know if I posted, but he has qualified for a state program which pays for his physical therapy and now we get it in our home. That is sooo much more convenient! His head shape is not rounding out like I thought it would, but we are going back to Denver Children's Hospital in August sometime, I will bring it up to the development team. It is getting more round, but what concerns me is how lopsided it is. I guess I will just wait and see what they say. We had a family vacation to San Diego and Disneyland the end of June, and Mikey did so great. He was a great little baby and seemed to enjoy his vacation as much as the rest of us. It has been nice to be done with school and to spend time with him and William. He is getting to be quite a MaMa's boy, so I think the stranger anxiety/ separation anxiety is starting. I am still taking the boys to daycare 1 day a week to just kinda keep the habit and to keep them used to going. Last week Robin said that he was kinda whiny and wanted to be held a lot. I am taking them tomorrow, so we will see how things go.



William - What a little cutie! He is noe fully POTTY TRAINED!!! Hallelujah!! We were having some trouble, and then one day it just kinda clicked for him. I have no clue how it happened, but it did! I was really nervous about the potty training and our vacation. He had only been in big boy underwear for like a week before we left, but the kid amazed all of us! He did so well! He told us when we needed to go, and didn't even have an accident. What a kid! He loved the beach and jumping over the waves. He really enjoyed Disneyland too. Before we went there, we thought his favorite character was Mickey Mouse, but while we were there, we found out his favorite is really Goofy! He was so fun having on the trip, and Benjamin and I are really excited to take both boys back to Disneyland once they get older and can really ride the rides. We are currently waiting to see if he was accepted to the preschool at my school. I'm not sure what is going on since I know we are a classroom short, and I know there was talk about removing the 3 year old preschool. So, if that happens, then I don't see us getting him in another preschool. That one works since I work there and daycare is only 4 blocks away. I am supposed to hear this month, and even called them today to see what was up. But, of course, I didn't get a call back. Maybe tomorrow.



Benjamin and I - We are the boring adults, so nothing that exciting is really going on with us. Benjamin is still the best husband in the world! He really got into the pin trading at Disneyland, and we both are going back to Disneyland in August! WooHoo! It just kinda worked out to go. Benjamin has a class he is taking in Costa Mesa. We had no clue where that is in California, so when we saw how close it is to Disneyland, we decided to go back, just the 2 of us, and get to spend some time together. It is right before school starts for me, so it will be a great getaway before school. Since we only were at Disneyland for 2 days we didn't get to much, especially with the 2 kids. So, this time we get to ride the BIG RIDES!! I am so excited! I guess in other news, I am getting a new principal at my school next year since my former principal retired, so it will be a new year for us!

So, that catches you up a bit. Check me out on Facebook for better updates on our family, but I will try to keep this Blog going.

Here are a few more pics.

99 things I ought to do

Instructions:Copy the list, bold the ones you've done (with explanations if needed), share with friends.
1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland (& been to disney world)
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a thunder and lightning storm
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon (ran 4 5ks)
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been a passenger on a motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book (kinda - did a math center book for my school district)
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Kissed a stranger at midnight on New Year’s Eve
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Got a tattoo
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee