Party Planner for Hire

 

I threw my best friends' baby shower today and it was a total success! I was in charge of everything but the food and I'm going to go ahead and toot my own horn here, b/c I can, and say I did a pretty damn good job. There is nothing better than seeing those you love happy and feeling like you contributed to that happiness. Congratulations, Kait & Stephanie!

*Shout out to Bill, aka #1 Husband, for willingness to share his office for all my crap, patience with a Pintrest and Etsy obsessed wife for two months, tech support, decorations transportation and set up, and just being awesome. Period.

Before



Those are flower pens with pots on the table



 

 



I made that!



 

 



I made a slideshow!


 



 

Summer Lovin

Happy Summer! What a whirlwind the past two months have been. We've been so busy as you might have guessed from the lag in my blog updating, and we've seen lots of changes, but all great!

May 13 Will started the in home daycare I mentioned in my last blog. So far our expectations of that arrangement have been far exceeded! Not only has Will been healthy since he left Primrose, he's so much happier. He used to have meltdowns just about everyday on the way to and from Primrose. This doesn't happen now that he's with Kim and Vic. In fact, he walks in to their house now like he owns the place! He hugs them. He smiles at them. He really likes them and it's obvious. It's awesome! It's a lifesaver! I was seriously going to have to quit my job if it didn't work out with them but God is good and he answered our prayers, once again.

First Day at Kim's

Will finally had his 15 month check up in May (he'll be 17 mo's this Wed.) and he got a clean bill of health. He'd already gained back the two pounds he lost in March and April. He's still tiny, in the bottom 10th percentile, and we're guessing at this point he's going to favor my dad's stature (my dad is about 5'7). I was a little worried that Will wasn't speaking tangible words consistently, but doc reassured me there was no need for concern at this point. He's actually right on track developmentally.

Some new Will developments:
He drinks almond milk exclusively now and we feel it's contributed to his overall health vs the cows milk consumption.
He has definite 'conversations' with us. He has voice inflections and even hand gestures and facial expressions to match. He understands many words and phrases and will usually respond accordingly (I.e. Where is your milk? Are you hungry? Time for a bath/night night, let's go bye bye/for a ride, pet (insert pet name) gently, NO, STOP, DON'T DO THAT, COME HERE (he is consideraby less responsive to these...)
He's still so lovable and happy-go-lucky. Everywhere we go we get comments on how sweet and well behaved he is. I know it may be obnoxious to say this b/c it sounds like bragging, but we take no credit whatsoever, really. We always say, we're just extremely lucky.
He still LOVES food and mealtime, he dances while I play the Baby Einstein station on Pandora, he loves bath time and playing in the water. He loves books and coloring.
We are (trying) to learn how to mind our behaviors around him since he mimicks everything he sees us do. He helps me put lotion on. He repeats any gestures we make. One evening I was play fighting w Bill while he held Will. I'd punch Bill's arm, Will would laugh, so I kept doing it all in fun. Next thing I know Will smacks me in the face! Hard! And laughs hysterically. Oops...
Bedtime is especially my favorite time with him. He drinks his bottle while a rock him (I know, he needs to be weaned but really, who cares), and when we finishes we "talk" about the day and about tomorrow. He likes to touch my face, my hair, hands and arms. He likes to burrow his head into my neck or chest and cuddle for a few minutes that way. It's those few minutes every day that wash out every stress and frustration that comes with parenting a toddler. To say it means something to me is beyond any words I can type here.

Yogurt!!

 

So we got him his own...

 

Father's Day gift (thanks to Kim)

 

Copy / Paste

 

 

The Mother's Day spread Bill made for my mom and me.

 Right before Memorial Day my mom and her husband sold their house (in 6 days!) and moved to their lake house in East Texas. It was of course sad for us but in life nothing stays the same, and we had so many wonderful memories and years together in that house. It will always hold a piece of my heart, and in my heart it.



June 1st my new baby niece, Marin Elizabeth, was born! She was born as healthy and perfect as can be and my sister has recovered fine. I absolutely cannot wait to go visit them the last w/e in July. My arms are aching to hold that baby!

Bill and I celebrated our 7th anniversary on the 9th. My best friends were going to babysit for us so I could take him on a surprise date, but Will spiked a fever spontaneously (which mysteriously disappeared the next day), so that was a letdown, but Bill surprised me with a beautiful new pair of sandals he thoughtfully picked out all by himself, and we celebrated last night with a fun night out. I have a superstition that Summer Solstice it has to spent doing something special w the one you love, or just being together, (as the longest day of the year should), and this year certainly didn't disappoint.

And not to be left out here is the fact that Bill has lost 30 POUNDS in the past two months! He says he's halfway to his goal. Of course he looks so handsome and healthy, but it's the mental transformation that has been most awe-inspiring to me. His attitude has done a complete 180. He's positive, he's energetic, he's got a contagious zest for life. He surrounds himself with progress and positivity and it's made me want to be a better person myself. We have a new Saturday tradition of walking/jogging a 10k with Will in the jogging stroller and it's like therapy for both of us! We talk about any and everything. It's intimate in a unique way. Saturday mornings are no longer about chores and to do lists. Those things still have to happen but not before we get out. I highly highly recommend that to anyone, esp with your partner. Exercise endorphins are a beautiful thing.

As for my health, I have finally found some relief for myself. Since Will was born I've had a pretty severe hormone imbalance. I hoped it would correct itself with weaning and time but it just got worse and worse and my symptoms more exacerbated. If you Google the symptoms of low estrogen you might imagine how miserable I was. I've been on hormone therapy almost two months and I'm feeling much better, like my old self again! I still have the insomnia but weirdly I don't feel too tired during the day.

So here's to summer! There is so much to look forward to. We find out the sex of my 4th niece or nephew in two weeks! I think it's okay to mention now my little brother and his gf are expecting around Thanksgiving! It was a total surprise for them but I am so very proud of them and I know without a doubt they will be wonderful parents. David's gf, Raine, does not have family close by so I intend to do everything I can to step in and help out where it's needed/wanted. Count me in! We have another new niece coming the end of July! Bill's sister, Nicole, in MI is expecting her 3rd so we intend to make the trip this year to meet baby Avery, and last but certainly not least, my best friend is having a baby boy, Brayden, with her partner, due Aug 1. Four nieces/nephews in the same year yall! Will is so lucky to get so many cousins who will be some of his best friends for life.

The last thing I want to tell you is that we've lost a wonderful person and part of our family. My great aunt, my dad's aunt, passed this morning after suffering a stroke 2 weeks ago. Friday was to be her 90th birthday. I was to fly with Will so she could finally meet him for the first time for it. Missed by a hair. The moral of the story is, no matter how hectic life gets, don't wait. Do the thing you should do so that you never regret not doing it. Nike got it right. I want to share my dad's tribute to her b/c it's perfect:

"My dear aunt, Glady Porter passed away in her sleep this morning 5 days short of her 90th birthday. She lived a full, active life that inspired her many friends and loving family. The morning of her stroke two weeks ago she was at church ...with the music director planning the organ music she would play for the Sunday service. Glady was originally from the Livonia/Redford area of Detroit, Mich. She retired from GM Diesel as director of accounts receivable. Playing the organ for church and at weddings and funerals was her beloved avocation. She also cared for those in her community, the Gardens, near Parrish, Florida, needing special things, and for her dear, long time friends. To my sister, Dorothy March, and me she was big sister, friend and staunch supporter. To my family she was a fun loving, active, good natured family matriarch that inspired everyone around her and brought us joy every day of our lives. We are happy for her that she lived her life as she wished up to the end. But I will so miss her."

 

We'll be seeing you Aunt Glady.