Enjoying Holland

This last week I was expecting cold. With Thanksgiving comes cold. I ran out the door on the morning of the day of thanks with my sweatshirt on and hot chocolate in my hand. I expected to see dew in the grass and feel a chill in the air. I was hoping to put my fuzzy socks to good use but instead I instantly had to rip my clothes off and go drink ice water. Okay maybe it wasn't that bad, but it should have been below 70 degrees. And then I remembered I live in Arizona.

Erik, Jude and I spent the morning laughing and playing until we realized we were running super late.  It is ironic that on the days when love, thanks and family are supposed to mean the most, those are the days we argue and get short with each other (doesn't anyone else do that?).  We weren't even in the car yet when I was yelling at Erik about how we should have left 20 minutes ago and now we were holding the whole family up and in the spirit of thanks, thanks to him Thanksgiving was practically ruined.  Erik is so good to me, he basically just laughs in his mind and pretends he is listening to me when I jump on the crazy train.  As the day went on we listened to Christmas music and Erik sang Anthony Green's voice as I sang Mindy White's in "Baby It's Cold Outside".  We definitely listened to it 6 times, that song never gets old (especially when you are wishing it will get cold outside).

The day was complete with turkey, pie, and pinata.  Random I know but there were many kids there so we all just said "Why not? We have a bounce house, we might as well get a pinata".  We played games, and even a friendly game of 10 on 10 volleyball.  Erik and I were on the same team and for a while I could not figure out why he kept sending me to go check on Jude or to make sure my phone wasn't ringing.  It wasn't until he kicked me to the other team that I realized he thinks I'm terrible at volleyball! The truth is I am royally horrible at volleyball but it was just a fun family game right?  I mean, Erik was the only one that could even hit it over the net anyway. {I had to throw this pic in anywhere I could.  He won't like it, but I just think he's too cute (handsome? manly? macho?) to pass up.}

It quickly turned in to Grammy vs her children and I don't think we have seen moves like that from her in years!  We had the whole family cheering her on.

Can you see how they all stood there in amazement?  I don't think they were expecting it either.  Daaaaaang.

We finished the weekend decorating our Christmas tree.  We had to find a quick hour when Erik wasn't at school, work, studying, or trying to catch up on sleep.  That is pretty much impossible for a biology major at ASU who gets up for work at 4:30 am and doesn't go to bed until about 11 pm.  But we said we would find the hour and we found it dang it.

Jude could not wait to get his hands on to the string of lights.  It was just too shiny to resist and he is just too cute and inquisitive for us to say no.

Of course he thinks he is a big boy now and can take pictures by himself.

He tends to act like I am the boring one and he doesn't even know what smiling is when he's with me...

But is so attentive and intrigued when it's daddy.  Daddy can get him to smile any time, any where! He sat there for the longest time just watching Erik string those lights.  You would have believed he was watching Baby Einstein or something.

In the end our little Christmas tree turned out just right.  Jude's room was the only place it would fit and I don't think we would want it any other way.  Last year it hardly felt like Christmas at all so this year we want to get as much Christmas in as we can.  Jude has already started to love the holiday from the music to the lights to the good food. (Can you believe he will be turning one in a few weeks???)

I have been enjoying every minute of my Holland.  I truly believe this has been the reason why I didn't start school this semester.  I wrote a post months and months ago about how I opened my door and let the Holland air in.  I'm pretty sure the next day I slammed my door in its face and told it to never come back.  I have always accepted Holland, but I needed to appreciate it.  As much as I have admired it and loved it, I have always felt like an outcast in it's presence.  I knew it thought I didn't belong.  I walk clumsily in the wooden shoes, and my tulips seem to die.  My windmill doesn't work, and I can't speak the language.  But what I have been realizing the last few months is that Holland will never ever not accept me.  It is the most accepting of them all!  I know I need my Jude Man more than he needs me.  I am here to tend to him physically.  He is here for me in every other way possible.

So here I am.  Today and forever, enjoying Holland.

I just wanted to let you know...

How happy I am right now.

The Good Things

I know I know.  I have been MIA.  But we are just going to skip all of the apologies and get straight to it.  I usually just think that I am the only person reading my blog, and occasionally my mom reads it too.  But since I'm not that funny, I know she usually skips it.  And then I got a message on facebook from a girl I went to high school with.  No big deal right? That's what facebook is for.  The thing that really got me was that she was a foreign exchange student from Brazil (Hi Juliana!) I pretty much believed she completely forgot who I was.  But when I got that message she said she loved reading my blog and was happy to see I am married with a baby.  What??? You remember me? Are you sure you are thinking of the right person?

So, here I am.  Instead of typing away on my keyboard thinking all of my words are shooting into oblivion, I come here with purpose.  The past few weeks have been nothing close to huge events but it has been life and we are enjoying it as much as we can.

Chick or Tweet

This year was Jude's first Halloween so we knew we had to go all out.  The holiday was completed with pumpkin carving, carmel apples, and trick or treating.  Or should we say, Chick or Tweeting.

As many times as he tried, Jude was not allowed a carving utensil.  Instead he enjoyed a nice evening inside his saucer laughing at us as we squirmed while gutting out the pumpkins. (See his shirt?? He picked it out all by himself. Okay not really but I like to put him in it.  It makes Erik jealous)

Jude's Halloween costume was the cliche chicken outfit (you can think of your own sarcastic voice for that sentence).  We were going back and forth as to what we should dress him in but when I came across this costume for $7, it was clucking at me.  I had to have it.

We went to a small Halloween party and Erik and I based our costumes around Jude's.  The chicken was just too good to even think of doing anything else.  Erik was super crafty and not only thought of the idea for his costume but made the whole thing 100% by himself.  He was so proud.

The fam on Halloween.  If you say my child looks like a girl I will stick my fist through your computer and quite possibly smack you around for a little bit.  Everyone on Halloween said our daughter looked so cute.  EVERYONE.  And you can tell by this pic that he wasn't too happy about it.  As we went trick or treating and approached each house by saying "Chick or Tweet!" we got many looks of "Really? You are those parents??".  Yes we are those parents.  The parents who take their kids trick or treating and think of fun ways to say trick or treat that coincide with the costume even though their child doesn't have teeth, can't eat the candy, can't talk and say "chick or tweet", and has no idea they are even in a costume.  Yes we are those parents.  And we enjoyed every second of it.

Sick Boy

A few weeks ago Jude had a bit of a stuffy nose.  The weather is changing and he gets a stuffy nose quite a bit so we didn't think much of it.  About 11 pm we heard him coughing through the monitor and we could tell he was having a hard time breathing.  We brought him into bed with us because we are paranoid and we will also think of any excuse for him to sleep in bed with us.  From that point on Erik and I didn't really sleep much the rest of the night.  He was running a pretty high temperature and we could tell it took serious effort just for him to breathe.  Jude was constantly waking up and it took us forever to get him back down.  Erik left for work around 4:30 am and we were going to try to make it until 8 o'clock when the dr's office opened.  It was about 5:30 that I decided he had gotten bad enough and I knew I had to take him to the emergency room.  He was running a temperature of 102 and it took everything in me not to run around like crazy trying to get out of the house.  I was lucky I left with pants and a bra on.  As I was trying to sneak out of the house (have I mentioned we live with Erik's parents? I don't think I have...well we do), Erik's dad heard me leaving and said he would come with me. 

Thankfully there was no wait at the emergency room so we got right in.  Jude sounded like a seal when he coughed and it reminded me of something I would get when I was a child.  As we got back into our room I was pacing the room back and forth calling Erik at work every 3 minutes to keep him updated.  To add some comic relief to our morning, everyone at the hospital thought that Erik's dad, Mark, was my husband. We let it slide the first few times, but after about the fifth time someone called him "dad" we finally corrected them by saying he wasn't a dirty old perv, and he was almost 30 years old when I was born.  I mean he's a wonderful guy but I prefer mine a little younger, you sick-nasty.

After being checked out by the doctor, the physician's assistant, 3 nurses, and about 4 people who said they were just "observing", it was decided he had croup.  That explains the seal like bark.  They had him breathe from a humidifier for a while and then gave him a breathing treatment.

Baby Einstein was the only way to keep him calm.  Desperate times call for desperate measures. (Mark's hand not mine, in case you couldn't tell, duh)

In between the humidifier and his breathing treatment we had to switch rooms.  I told them I didn't mind carrying him but they insisted on pushing him on the bed.  (All I had was my phone, sorry for the bad pics)

Once we got into our second room Jude needed the breathing treatment.  Try strapping a mask onto a 10 month old.  Not that easy.  It took a lot of twisting and turning and yanking and pulling:

Some toys and Baby Einstein to bribe him into keeping the mask on.  Notice how I had to hold his hands so he wouldn't yank it off.

Once he finished the breathing treatment we both fell asleep as soon as we could.  He had to stay for a few more hours for observation, so he and I decided to take a little nappy nap.  Mark sat there the whole time with me and made sure the humidifier was close to Jude so he could breathe from it while we slept.  Like I said, he's a good guy, but I still prefer his son.

Of course once the breathing treatment was over and he woke up from his nap he was back to his happy self.  Nothing can hold this baby down (once again sorry for the phone pic).

It lasted about another week and a half.  Both Erik and I got sick (Erik even got laryngitis!), along with the rest of our families.  No fun!

Exciting Moments

We knew when Jude was born that he was going to have what they call "delays".  We like to look at it as more time to spend with him before he realizes we really aren't that cool and he wants to run off and do other things.  More time for us to spend with him as a baby.  But even though we like to look at it that way, it is really fun when Jude does something new.

Jude's bedroom also serves as a study room for Erik to do his homework.  About a week ago Erik was getting his things together to leave for school as I was cleaning Jude's room.  During those times I usually put Jude in his crib with some toys, that way he is in there with me without getting in to stuff as I am trying to clean up.  Erik and I were just having small talk before he left when we both paused and looked at each other excitedly.  Jude had been quiet for a few minutes and as we looked into the crib at him we could tell he was in some deep concentration.  He only lays on his stomach in his crib.  Occasionally he will roll to his back, and then back to his stomach.  He will sit down in there if we put him in there that way, but after a few minutes he falls over and rolls to his stomach and the pattern repeats itself.  Stomach, back, stomach, back.  This particular time I knew he was on his stomach when Erik and I looked over and found this (once again, phone pic.  it all happened so fast I had to grab the picture before he moved):

Um hello, does anyone else see how exciting just that small movement was?!?  He was 10 1/2 months when this happened.  According to all of the books we read and other statistics that people are constantly shoving in our face this isn't supposed to happen until he is about 16 months.  Of course we threw those books and statistics out the window long ago but still, hello! As Erik ran around searching for the camera I snapped a few more on my phone.  He went from his knees to his feet as if he had been doing it for months and it was the easiest thing for him.

He only had one little blip where he almost fell over...

But just as easily he quickly picked himself back up.

Tada! Are you enjoying the massive bed head he has? Mornings when he has bed head like this I usually put off combing his hair until I absolutely have to.  I just love it too much.  I am also diggin on the look he is giving me, "Don't you dare take my picture one more time".

We lowered his mattress that day.  He still tries to stand up in his crib but usually fails.  Instead he will try and poke his head through the bars as if he is stuck in prison and begging us for our food crumbs.

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree

This weekend we also went with some friends to cut down our own Christmas tree.  We did the same thing last year but it was definitely more fun having him with us this time.

We had been driving around for a while looking for just the right spot to look for a tree to cut down.  When we decided to park and start walking around looking for one Jude really needed to be fed.  Since it was so windy outside I said I would stay in the car and feed him and I would catch up when he was done.  While I was feeding him Jude fell asleep.

So of course, I just stayed in the car and fell asleep with him.  I'm really not sure which way this picture was originally taken, but I really didn't feel like taking the time to figure it out.

It was a perfect trip.  Mommy and Jude stayed in the car and took a nap while Daddy went and cut down the tree.  When Jude woke up and we decided to get out of the car, Daddy came back 30 seconds later with our tree!  Jude and I didn't have to do anything at all, now that's what I'm talking about.

We got our own little Charlie Brown tree that fits perfectly in Jude's room.

You will have to stay tuned to see us decorate it!

To end this eternally long post I give you a few more pictures of Jude that are probably my favorite as of this moment.  That could easily change tomorrow because lets face it, we pretty much have the cutest baby of all the babies.  Please enjoy the feast of Jude!

The day after he came home from the hospital.  You would have never known he was sick unless you heard him breathing.  He has loved that tambourine since my sister and her "special friend" got it for him as a get well present.

He went through a phase where he would pick up both his arms and legs and try to hold them there as long as possible.  I guess he's just trying to get his exercise in.

Love it when he falls asleep with his fingers in his mouth.

I really don't think I can explain what is happening in this picture or what is even going through his mind at this moment...

Life has been good to us and we have just been trying to enjoy the good things.  We are both so grateful for everything we have and that we have each other.  We hope as the week of thanks approaches, life treats you just as good!

San Diego

Recently we went to San Diego for Erik's cousin's wedding.  After all was said and done I realized I didn't get any pictures of the beautiful bride and her new husband but the wedding was fabulous!

3 years ago when Erik and I first got engaged we went to San Diego for Erik's other cousin's wedding, her older sister.  We took a quick picture outside of the temple that turned out to be one of our favorites.

So naturally, we had to get another family pic but with our Jude Man this time!

Jude was pretty much doing all he could to not look at the camera. He often likes to pretend that he can't hear the 10 people around him calling his name, clapping their hands, and making funny noises trying to get him to look.  He was way too interested in Erik's wrist to care about anything else.

And to make up for it, I give you this:

Pretty much my favorite picture as of late.

Big Boy

Jude is 10 1/2 months now.  Can you believe it?? It feels like just a month ago I was pushing him out of my woman parts, and in a blink of an eye he is growing into a little boy.  Believe it or not he has started crawling!  It's more of an army-crawl-scoot, but he's mobile and I'm counting it.  He is making such good progress and we are so proud of him! He amazes us by beating the odds every day. Before we know it he's going to be walking and talking, Yikes!

A few weeks ago he had his first legit haircut.

Erik has always attempted cutting it himself, but it has always been a few hairs here and there. I finally talked him into letting me take Jude and have someone who actually knows what they are doing cut it. (what the pony?  it was the only small toy we could find to occupy him.  yes it belongs to the salon, no it is not his.  he has a manly one just like that, a toucan named Sam)

Once the hairs behind his ears were longer than his ears and they started naturally flipping out, he looked more like a little girl with a bob than a studly boy.  He kind of had a mullet-like thing going on, which would have been really cool 30 years ago.

He also surprisingly enjoyed getting his haircut.  He did so well just sitting in the chair and he hardly moved.  Who knows if it was because he is such a good and happy baby, or if he was amused at me dancing around in front of him waving toys in his face (it must have been the pony).

These are my Confessions

Just when I thought I said all I could say, My chick on the side said she got one on the way (Usher 2004 anyone??)  That's not really my confession, I don't have a girl on the side or one on the way.  I definitely like men.

So get this, remember how I started the nursing program this semester? Or should I say, I was supposed to start the nursing program?  Yeah well that didn't exactly happen.  Well don't worry, don't worry, I will be starting in January but let me take you through the series of events that happened.  Although it is quite embarassing, its just too good to hold back.

August 16 I went to MCC for my orientation.  6 days left until I started the next 2 years of my life.  It was all about getting us excited to spend $1000 on books and letting us know we will need a good chiropractor as our backs will pretty much give out as we lug them around all semester.  They were all into "This is going to be the hardest 2 years of your life but you are going to love it! Oh, and not all of you will pass this semester. Hooray for the nursing program!"  I walked out of there feeling very overwhelmed and just wanted to crawl into a hole and never come out, that way I wouldn't have to go to school.  They told us we needed to take a drug test.  No biggie.  I just pee in a cup that's all, it's not like I do drugs or anything.  I did have to pass up a poppyseed muffin though, that was a bummer.  They gave us 48 hours to give them our bodily fluids, it was a random drug test.  So I go down there, drinking my water ready to leave my pee and get the heck out of there (who wants to sit around and chit chat to the people you just handed your pee to? I sure don't).  I go in to take the test, and nothing comes out.  Hmm, that's weird.  I usually don't have a problem peeing on demand, and sometimes I even pee when I don't mean to (remember when I wet the bed?).  So I shrugged my shoulders and the tech told me to sit in the lobby, drink more and let her know when I'm ready to pee.

................

2 hours and 3 urine tests later I walked out of there defeated.  No pee. Nothing. Nada. Zip. Zilch. I could not pee in that cup to save my life, and they are only allowed to give me 3 tries.  I wasn't able to supply the proper amount of urine in the 48 hours given, and when I went back to MCC with my tail between my legs begging them for another chance to take the test., they told me I would have to defer to next semester.  Rules are rules.  I pretty much just stared at them with my mouth gaping open.  Part of me wanted to slap them in the face and fall to the floor screaming "Wwwwhhhhhyyyyyy???", while the other half just wanted to show up to class anyway and see if they would notice.  Instead I went home and crawled into my hole I call my bedroom and never came out.  Actually I came out about an hour later when I needed to feed Mr. Man, but those are just tiny details.

All in all, it has been a huge blessing.  I have loved staying home with Jude these extra months and I will be so ready to start school fresh in January.  I have been drinking a ton of water and I'm not going to pee until that drug test.  Just kidding, who would really be able to do that? But seriously, the Lord knows what He is doing and even though He works in mysterious ways I am grateful that He has a plan just for me.

So yes, this was my confession.  I didn't start school. I know, I'm totally lame.

Walk for Down Syndrome 2011

The day was a huge success.  All of the hard work that Erik and I put into Jude's team paid off.  We ended up placing in the top 10 fundraising teams!  This was our one day where we could hold Jude up and scream "He's ours!" without annoying the heck out of everyone around us.  With our sign held high and "I'm a Jude Lover" shirts all over the crowd, Erik and I took a step back and breathed it all in. These people are here for Jude.  They are here because they love him.  We couldn't help but cry as we were surrounded by all our family and friends (ok fine, Erik didn't cry.  but I definitely did).  Although I was puking in the corner all day (no I'm not pregnant,  just a bug), we all had such a great time.

Jude had clearly just woken up from a nap and was really confused why we were still there.

Can you please take a second and enjoy the deliciousness that is coming from the bottom of this picture? It was a quick "Hey lets take your picture before you leave and things get crazy, ready set smile!" and amazingly enough that is how Jude's face turned out.  And I'm totally diggin on Jude's shirt. (Side story: Our team name was The Jude Lovers, so our shirts said "I'm a Jude Lover".  My brother in law actually had someone ask him exactly what a Jude Lover was...yes that really happened)

We had over 50 people come and support Jude, over 60 people purchase t-shirts, and we passed our goal of raising $1,500.  We want to give you all a big big THANK YOU to everyone that was so willing to support Jude.  Like I said, Erik and I feel so blessed to be surrounded by such amazing people.  We know we would not be where we are if it weren't for the wonderful people we know.  Jude's success is because so many people love and support him.  THANK YOU!!!