It's Been Awhile...

WOW! So much has happened in the past month. Here a few highlights from the last few weeks. This will explain some of the pictures.

-- I returned to work. (This explains my lack of blogging lately!) I teach Junior High English, and I love working with such great kids. It was really fun seeing them again, but I definitely missed my little guy. It’s been a crazy couple of weeks trying to figure out how to be a working mom, and I have a whole new respect for my mom and for all the working moms out there. Greg and I have made a great team as we’ve worked together to take care of Garrett. We are so blessed to have such wonderful families who have really come through to help us get through these past few weeks. Thanks so much to everyone who has helped us! I’m glad to know we just have a few more days left of this. It’s a lot of work! I decided not to return to teaching next year. It’s definitely going to be an interesting financial adjustment for us to go from a double to a single income, but I’m looking forward to giving it a shot.

-- Garrett got his first ear infection. (In both ears!) YUCK! As luck would have it, Garrett came down with a nasty cough the Friday before I was returning to work. I had been home with him every day for two solid months, and he would have to get sick right as I was going to have to leave him to return to work! After a day of screaming his head off while Greg’s sister Mal was tending him, we took him into the doctor and sure enough, infection in both ears! Luckily, he loved the medicine and his grandparents took great care of him for us. The doctor said he was pretty young to be starting in with bad ears, so I have a feeling this might just be the beginning of something nasty!

-- Garrett’s champion sleep genes have really kicked in and he is sleeping like a little angel! (This would also help to explain my lack of blogging.) He usually goes to bed around 11 or 12 and sometimes sleeps as late as 10 or 11. This has been a great blessing for us, especially with me returning to work.

-- I had to include the pictures of Greg helping my dad pull out the shrubs in front of my parents' house. Only those of you who spent your summer evenings getting poked by those shrubs while playing nightgames will truly understand the devestation of this loss. I'm afraid "Kick the Can" may soon be added to the endangered species list along with the Polar Bear. If only kids these days knew how to play like we did...

-- We planted our garden! Garrett had a great time watching from his stroller and was such a good boy. We both absolutely love fresh fruits and veggies and are looking forward to harvest time. I might even get ambitious and make my first attempt at canning this year. I’ll keep you posted!

-- Perhaps the most wonderful event was meeting little Willa. My cousin Ashleigh lives in North Carolina and had a beautiful little girl just 11 days after I had Garrett. You will notice from the pictures that Garrett is significantly bigger than Willa, but Ash and I think they look alike and could even be twins! Willa is so precious and it was so fun to meet her. We enjoyed a great American Idol party together. Holding sweet Willa made it easier to cope with David Archuleta losing. =) (You will notice a great picture of Brooklyn in absolute awe as the Jonas Brothers begin singing. She was so overcome with joy she even collapsed to the floor. DRAMA QUEEN!) Little Guillermo (who is my favorite little guy next to Garrett) was sick and so we missed his smile and belly laugh.

-- Garrett visited the doctor for his 2 month check-up. He tipped the scales at 13 pounds, 9 ounces and is 24 inches long. He is in the upper 70th percentiles in both his weight and height. He’s a big boy! He got his shots, which I have to say was the saddest moment of my life as a mother up to this point. He was lying on the table just smiling and cooing, and then WAM! I felt like I had totally betrayed the poor little guy. I figure it’s better than the measles, though.

-- Garrett’s hair is growing like crazy! It just happened within the past week or two, but he has the cutest fuzzy hair you’ve ever seen. It pretty much just sticks straight up, but I’ve been having fun working on giving him a Mohawk. It seems like people are stopping me all the time to comment on his little red hair and tell me how cute he is. (As if I didn’t already know!) I could spend all day just rubbing and kissing his little head. His hair, combined with his smile and little noises, make it pretty much impossible for me to get anything done! I just want to hold him and kiss him all day long, so I do!

(To my Pay-it-Forward Winners…I have not forgotten you! I promise your prizes will be coming soon!)