Our new house!

Yay, we closed escrow and have officially bought our first house together!  We are a few weeks away from moving in, but once we take care of the essential upgrades we will begin our new life.  We bought a house in Foxenwoods that is almost everything we wanted, 1 story in a cul-de-sac.  With that being said, we are months and years away from making it "ours."  We know that in time and a lot of patients it will get to what we want it to be.  As for now, I am just anxious to see what life will be like on our own again.  I will tell you Lucy is also looking forward to the move.  We have taken her to the house only twice and she loves the back yard!

Right now we have a contractor working on the inside.  The house looks better already (inside)!  We had all of the popcorn ceilings scraped and the walls are being re-textured.  Once he is done with that we will move on to getting it painted (starting tomorrow and will be done Saturday).  Owen's room is first priority along with the main parts of the house.  Matt and I will stay up late and chip away on the other rooms and baseboards.  We are so excited and a bit overwhelmed, but can hardly wait to call it ours!  I can't wait to see my old furniture and clothes.  Hopefully, they will all feel new again because right now all I can do is look at buying new things.  This summer we will definitely be having a party to celebrate!

Thank you so much to both of our parents for making this all possible.  You have put up with us (mostly me) for the past 6 months!  We couldn't have done this without you.  Also, Mike thank you for all of the hard work you have put in the last few days while Matt and I are working.  Mom, like Matt says, "you use Jeannie, you get results!"  Amen sista!  We love you!

(Updated pictures to come)!

Happy Birthday Owen!

Wow, we made it!  One year under our belts and our little miracle has managed to completely change our world!  Matt and I can hardly believe how fast the year has flown by.  We now believe it when people say, "take in every moment because the first year goes the fastest."  With that being said, I have taken almost every moment to soak him up and enjoy the time.  Sometimes that means just watching him sleeping peacefully or cradling him close to me during nap time.  I realize that this can be damaging in the long run, but they are only babies once.

Owen has made such an unbelievable difference in so many lives already.  He manages to maintain a calm demeanor and along with it comes his charming, dark eyes.  Almost every stranger he comes in contact with makes a comment on how pretty his eyes are.  If you ask me, of course, I think everything about him is perfect! 

Milestones:
Weighs 22.9 pounds (47%), height 33.3 inches (79%).
Working on weaning him from a bottle.  Down to bed time and early morning bottle.
Eats all solid foods.  Thankfully, adjusted well to cows milk and no peanut allergies.
Loves his "bankie" and laying down on the floor with it.
Has begun laying his head down on my shoulder and back, just to say I love you, (I think).
Shakes his head "no" when he doesn't want something.
Claps.
Likes when we sing "no more monkeys jumping on the be."  He does the "no more" with his finger.
Learned the "crazy man" from Mason.  This is when they shake their heads vigorously, side to side.
Gets to a standing position on his own and stands for a pretty good amount of time.
Takes up to 3 at a time, but still no walking.  I think he is lacking confidence.
Took his first trip to the Santa Barbara Zoo for Mother's Day.  He loved it and was a good little boy.
Also, took his second road trip to Moraga, CA to visit Elle and Clare Bisho.  Hung out at the pool all day and loved it.
Still tries to bite cousins when they get too close to him.  I think he is sending a message to back away.
Attends day care three days a week, the other two at Nani and Papa Lamberts.
Still taking two solid naps a day!
Wears 18-24 month clothes.
Has only 3 teeth!


Owen's 1 year photos!

We celebrated Owen's special day by having a small birthday party.  Unfortunately, we were not able to invite all the people we wanted because with the size of both of our families we would have had way to many people.  One day, when we get all adjusted in our new house we will have one big party!   Since Owen's birthday falls on May 4th, one day prior to Cinco De Mayo, we had to have mexican food.  It turned out to be a beautiful day at small park, but very windy.  Owen loved his cake covered in whip cream and but, wasn't quite sure what to do with it.

What we are working on for month 13:
WALKING, no bottles, and not making it into Mommy and Daddy's bed in the middle of the night.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY OWEN!  WE LOVE YOU MORE THAN ANYTHING! SO BLESSED BY YOU!

11 Months!!!

Milestones:
-Weighs 22 pounds, height 31 inches.
-Eats all solid food!  No more baby food...thank goodness.  Drinks am early morning, morning nap, afternoon nap, and bed time bottle.
-Is FINALLY sleeping through the night without a bottle until about 5:30 a.m. and then back down again until 7:00 a.m.  Generally, bed time is between 7:00 and 8:00.
-Loves his silky blankets (must have got this gene from me!).  They are his comfort and he has to have one in the car and for nap time.
-Enjoys feeding others...mom, dad, cousins!
-Likes to make a lot of noises such as, "huh, humm."
-Loves to splash around in the bath and his new sand and water table (thanks to the Easter bunny, Mimi and Paca)!
-When he does get in bed with Matt, Lucy, and I around 4:00 a.m. he wiggles all around until he has completely made both Matt and I as uncomfortable as possible.
-Has developed separation anxiety when I drop him off at day care, heart wrenching.  I know he is fine the second I leave because when I get there to pick him up, he is usually pretty happy (God willing).
-Loves Lucy more than ever and she loves him too.  She patiently waits by his high chair for him to drop something to her.  Now this has turned into a game and she jumps up and kisses his hand and he squeals in delight!
-Papa has taught Owen how to bang pie pans on his head, so this is Owen's new favorite game. 
-Is obsessed with opening cabinets and pulling everything out!  Drives me crazy because then I have to not only wash it, but also put it away...again, and again!!!
-Has decided now that he would like to mimic his sister and have an under bite, that he mostly only shows to Mason!  Typically, right before he goes into to attack Mason.  This is also new and completely out of Owen's character.
-Still not walking, but we are working on it.  Stands momentarily, but only when you hand him something and he doesn't realize what he's doing.
-Slobbers like a mad man and still only has 2 bottom teeth.
-Appears that his tear duct has cleared on its own or at least partially.

What we are working on for month 12:
-Standing...walking!
-Getting down to only 2 bottles a day.
-Putting up 1 finger for his age.
-Clapping

As for our family, we are still homeless!  We put in our first offer on a house in Foxenwoods, but still have not heard the outcome.  Other than that, we are impatiently waiting for more houses to hit the market.  In the meantime, we are saving money, getting adjusted to life at the Mahoney's, and spending Friday night's with the Grupe family who are right down the block. 

In the last month we have had to rush Lucy to the vet for an allergic reaction to a vaccine.  She swelled up like a balloon, had hives, and her throat swelled.  Luckily, Matt was home, so I was able to take Lucy to the vet for shot to stop the reaction.  As soon as I walked in they were waiting for her.  Everyone in the office said she looked like a Shar-puggle!  I was scared, but I have to admit, she looked cute all swelled up.  Just a few days later she was back to her normal self.  I caught her in the kitchen where she had stolen a rotisserie chicken off of the counter and devoured the entire thing.  She has decided to mark her territory around the house...not a fan of this!

Also, this month Matt had a bad cold/flu.  I know if he called in sick to work or came home early, he must not feel good.  He spent the entire week sleeping in another room because he wanted to make sure neither Owen or myself got what he had.  So far, so good.

What we have coming up...Owen's first birthday pictures, Matt's 34th birthday, Mom's birthday (won't mention the number), Owen's 1st birthday on May 4th, a small birthday party for Owen, Paca's birthday, Mother's Day, Papa's birthday, Sarah's birthday, and that's just the month of May.  It sounds like we won't have much time to breathe in May.  Bad news is, June pretty much runs the same cycle!

Well, cheers to house hunting and good health!

Since I wrote this post we have officially had an offer accepted on a house in Foxenwoods!  We are so excited and can hardly wait to get our life started there.  It is in a cul-de-sac, which I love and is a 1 story!  Another huge plus for me.  Although, it is going to take a lot of time and money to make it "ours," it will be great when the finished product is done.  Our first step...scraping the popcorn ceilings and painting!  Escrow closes around May 20th.  So hopefully, we can move in a few weeks after that.  So another cheers to the new house!

First picture with Uncle Eric

Bounce house with dad at Sam Grupe's birthday party.

Easter Sunday!

Hanging with Aunt Ami.

Cousin fun!

Good times with cousin Levi!

"I'm in charge this time Mason!"

Pirates cove!

"Ava, please just let me touch that hair."

10 Months

Exploring!
Playing with Mason's toys. Always so more fun when they are someone else's.

Swinging at Los Alamos Park with the Grupe kids.

One happy boy! Love his two little teeth!

Mommy's little monkey.

Well, this by far has been the hardest "mommy" month ever. Matt had the perfect description for him this morning..."Owen is starting to look like a bruised banana!" This comment came right after Owen took a tumble off of the bed and landed on the side of his head. When people say accidents happen in a split second, believe them! I have never felt more guilty in my life. Luckily, I had Carol to console me. She has to be about the most calm person when it comes to "bumps and owie's."

Stepping back to the beginning of the month, Owen wants to do nothing but walk and touch everything in sight: cords, outlets...you know the worst things! With that being said, he has also been exploring dogs. Let's just say he had his first dog bite, but thankfully, it damaged his pride more than anything. Owen was just crawling around one morning and came upon Finney, Carol's Shihtzu. Well, little Mr. Finney didn't want to be disturbed so he gave Owen a nip on his cheek. That was a screamer! Probably the worst we have heard so far.

So next off to day care...

Upon arrival I explained to Owen's teacher, Ms. Angie, about the dog bite and bruised cheek, along with the bruised forehead (coffee table run-ins), she assured me the bruises were totally normal for this age/stage. When I returned back to day care to pick Owen up he was asleep, but Angie had to warn me that he had been bitten by another child on his other cheek. Well, low and behold guess who the culprit was....??? Cousin Mason! Apparently, they thought Mason was going in for a kiss and thought it was cute so they let him proceed. Well, you know what happened next. Good news is I could never be mad at Mason and I am sure this is the first of many battles for these boys.

So what Owen is up to this month...he started the month off sleeping like a dear. No midnight bottles, just a few back rubs and back to sleep again until about 4am. Then I would put him in bed with us and back to bed until 6am. Well, of course I must have been getting too much sleep because he is now back to eating once during the night and waking up several times. I am sure this all has something to do with constantly fighting off cold season. I took him to the doctor today and he has fluid in both ears, but no infection yet, a horrible cough, runny nose, no appetite, and drooling up a storm. I thought he was teething again, but at this point, who knows! All I know is I am TIRED! So another round of antibiotics should do the trick for this little monkey.

We also experienced our first car accident at the end of February. Thank GOD nothing bad happened. I was on my way to drop Owen off at day care when I delivery truck from a nursery backed right into my driver side door. Owen was completely unaffected, but me on the other hand was a a little shaken up. The man was really nice and trustworthy, so that made it easier. Supposed to get my car fixed next week, we will see how "Oso" down at Ambulancia 911 does! This is no joke!

What is on Owen's horizon...walking/standing hopefully, sleeping all night (most important), clapping, and holding his own bottle.

Milestones:
-Weighs 21.4 pounds, height 29 3/4 inches.

-Does not want to eat baby food for dinner anymore and LOVES refried beans! Has also tried beets, garbanzo beans, quesadillas, grilled cheese, waffles, bananas, carrots, and peas. He is definitely a sucker for a good graham cracker or vanilla wafer.

-Clothes size between 18-24 months, shoe size 2 (tiny feet)!

-Is almost down to only one nap a day...ouch this one hurts me!
-Attends day care 3 or 4 days a week.

-Loves to look at books.

-Likes when I sing 1,2 cha cha....when he is standing he sticks his butt out and bounces up and down.

-Climbed the Mahoney's stairs for the first time without any hesitation...oh no!

-Loves to put his hand/finger over his mouth and make noise.

-Does some extremely strange things with his tongue, looks like a lizard.

-Loves playing with his buddies at day care...Alex, Easton, and Moishe. It is the cutest thing and he is always so happy when I get there to pick him up. He loves playing with his friends.

-Waves "bye-bye"

-REQUIRES 24 hour supervision! My goal for month 11...avoiding anymore big tumbles!

As for our progress with house hunting...NADA! The market is really slow and what we have seen really isn't what we want. In our case, beggars can be choosers. We pray every day that something will come up. Please keep us in your prayers too! I can't wait to get off to a fresh start where we will make many new memories.

9 Months

Owen's new "whip." "Cruising"

Mohawk!

Popeye the sailor man!

Too many carbs!

I am not quite sure if month 9 has been the most challenging for me because we don't have our own house anymore or if it is because Owen is reaching for the next milestone and is frustrated. With that being said, we have officially SOLD our house and have been living with my parents for almost 2 months. This can be especially difficult since within that time our "roommates" have had bronchitis, pneumonia, and ear infections. Somehow, Matt and I have bypassed most if it. Although Owen and I had a bit of the stomach flu, but kicked it within a few days. We have also battled a slight cold here and there, but nothing a good bottle of wine can't cure.

Not only did Owen start month 8 off with a double ear infection....he began month 9 with RSV and a perforated eardrum. My poor son has been on antibiotics for the first time in his life and who would of thought it was going to last for 30 days straight! So through lots of praying we are hoping EVERYONE stays healthy. All in all, our stay at the Lambert's has been a great adventure with tons of laughs and even a few tears. Now our adventure must move on, so we are headed over to the Mahoney's in the coming weeks to see what delight we can spread their direction. We are definitely looking forward to a tad-bit more space and Owen in his own crib.

Onto the munchkin...all this little guy wants to do is WALK, WALK, WALK! Not a second goes by that he doesn't want to be walking from one place to the next. The only problem is, is he appears to be a somewhat of an unstable fellow. We are still lacking the balancing mechanism, but hopefully, soon and after a few head blows he will get it. He loves to cruise from couch to chair and toy to toy. He is awfully brave, which really scares me. He still has not mastered crawling yet, but is content with army crawling for now. So between wiping sniffling noses, bending over to walk Owen, laundry, cleaning bottles, and amusing Lucy...life is good!

Milestones:

-Weighs 20 pounds, 1 ounce (39%) and height 30.5 inches (96%). Pretty sure we are going to have one big boy on our hands.

-Still does not sleep through the night and I am convinced that I have not slept a full night in over a year. Owen started off the month only waking up 1 time around 3 a.m., but has recently decided to change that to 2 times a night. So I am up between 11 p.m. and 1 a.m. and again around 5 a.m.

-We have started transitioning to table food, which has been a bit interesting. Owen is not quite sure of all of the new textures so we are just introducing a little at a time. He loves broccoli and has been eating much more than normal. He is a growing boy!

-Got his second tooth on his 9 month birthday. Had a mild fever.

-Gets to the sitting position by himself! This makes his life much better, especially at day care. I can tell he is so much happier to not be laying on the floor anymore.

-Attends day care 3 days a week and soon he will be going 4.

Hawaii

Cool dudes!
Love!

My boys!

Our family!

Out to dinner...yummy!