Max - Month by Month

I can't even believe that my sweet baby boy is almost 17 months old.  It really blows my mind how fast time flies.    Max is the sweetest baby...and I'm so lucky to call him my son.  Some of his most recent words and phrases are "Jakie" (his Uncle Jake), "Mo Mum-Mums" (more num-nums), "Bo-Bo-Bo" (ho ho ho).  His favorite words are definitely still up, Emma, Elmo, Daddy, Mama, and Doggy.  He has started putting 2 and 3 word sentences together and my most favorite recent achievement of Max's is that he HUMS the song "Elmo's World". He is really mesmerized by music and if he is wound up a song can calm him down.  He is consitantly taking 10-12 steps at a time!  I love you Mr. McGhee.

Here's his picture timeline.

 Just a few days old.

 One Month

Two Months

 Three Months

 Four Months

 Five Months

 Six Months

 Seven Months

 Eight Months

 Nine Months

 Ten Months

 Eleven Months

 One Year!

 Thirteen Months

 Fourteen Months

 Fifteen Months

 Sixteen Months

 Seventeen Months

I love you sweet boy.  Please stop growing up so fast!

Look in to their EYES!

Dad - age 1.

 

 

 

 

Max - age 1.

My father died very suddenly when I was 15.  It was tragic and unexpected.  The hardest thing for me is that my children will never know him. They will never know someone who influenced me and shaped me and helped me the person and mother I am today.  They will never experience his hands on type of love.  They will never get to walk along the rail road tracks with him in the fall, or fish with him in the summer.  They will never be able to hear his infectious laugh.  One of my biggest fears is that I will forget...I hope that I am able to keep him alive by teaching my children who he was and how he lived his life.  He had a spirit about him, he was happy, he was contagiously silly, he loved with all of his heart and I still miss him every day of my life.

Dad with my sister Anna (age 3) and me (age 7).

God grant me the Serenity to accept the things I cannot change…
Courage to change the things I can
And Wisdom to know the difference…

xoxo

My Review of Graco ComfortSport Convertible Car Seat - Amour

Originally submitted at Toys R Us

This ultra-versatile Graco ComfortSport Convertible Car Seat in Amour can be used rear-facing for infants from 5 to 30 pounds, and then forward-facing as a toddler seat for children 20 to 40 pounds. With a five-point, front-adjust harness, EPS, energy absorbing foam, removable head pillow, and a ha...

Graco ComfortSport Convertible Car Seat - Amour

Weight Limit is a Problem.

By Emma's Mom from Madison, WI on 11/15/2010

 

3out of 5

Pros: Stylish, Easy to install, Easy to Clean

Cons: Difficult To Adjust, Weight limit

Best Uses: Infants

Describe Yourself: Parent of Two or More Children

This carseat is awful cute and I think thats why I bought it. But now that my daughter is 37 lbs I need a new one!

(legalese)

Halloween in Pictures

 Emma, Max, and my cousins Nate and Caleb

 Emma Rose - 50's Sweetie!

Matt and I - Witch and Vampire

There's Nothing Better....

I'm not gonna lie.  They are some days where I wish I could go back to the pre-kid, care-free days.  When I didn't have to worry about anything to serious, and when everything was about me.  Where spontenaity was common, and it didn't matter what time I came home, because I had no one to come home to!

It's hard for me to talk to my childless friends at times, because they just don't get it.  They don't get that "No, I don't care that I never have any weekend plans", and "No, I don't care that I have to get up at 5:30 in the morning".  It's hard for them to even relate to me at all at times or even me to relate to them!

There is nothing better in the world than being a mama!  It's true.  There is nothing better than waking up to a baby cooing in his bed, and a little girl saying, "I love you". Yesterday, when I came home from working, even before I came in the door, Emma ran up to me and said, "Mama, I made you a present".  She brought to me what is now the best gift I have ever been given.  It's a key chain and she beaded every single bead by herself.  I couldn't be prouder or happier or luckier!

I can't believe my first baby is almost three years old!  Time has never gone by quicker, and I really wish it would slow down.  It seems like just yesterday when she was born!  Emma was the most 'challenging' baby that I have ever come in contact with in my life!  She cried about 60% of the day, refused to take a bottle, and would only sleep if mama was holding her.  This lasted about 9 months of her life.  Then she became a joyful, curious, opinionated, little toddler.  I remember waiting for her to take her first steps.  Month 12, 13 and 14 passed, and then finally at 15 months she RAN!  Thats pretty typical of Emma, even now.  Everything she does is with enthusiasm and energy.  If she is happy, she is HAPPY, and if she is sad or mad, you KNOW it.

Now, at 2 and 3/4 years old, Emma is fluent in English.  She speaks with the clairty of children several years older than her.  She is beginning to recognize letters and numbers.  She follows words with her finger when you are reading to her.  She can count to 30, and knows her entire alphabet.  She is the kindest and sweetest big sister to her brother, and affectionately calls him "Bubba".  When he is crying she brings him his "Nukkie", or says "Mama, he needs a Ba." She tells us she loves us countless times a day.  She worries about people. Matt's Mom had knee surgery last month, and she is constantly asking "How's you knee Nama", or "Be careful of you knee on the stairs, Nama."  She remembers things.  I'm beginning to realize that she's not a baby anymore and she's becoming a little girl!

I love you Emma.  I'm so proud of you and so lucky to be your Mama.  I'm so excited to continue to watch you learn and grow.

For Hannah Marie

Dear Hannah,

As a 27-year-old woman, I finally feel like I am beginning to know myself. There have been many, many joys and harships in life and these experiences are what have allowed me to finally accept and celebrate my assets and flaws, talents, struggles, strengths and weaknesses. 

As a step-mother to you, a 13-year-old girl,  I wish I could take this message and infuse it in your brain: JUST BE YOU. BE YOURSELF. YOU ARE WONDERFUL. YOU WILL STAND OUT.  I PROMISE!

I want you to know that the most beautiful women, are the most confident. But not falsely confident.  Not over the top.  Not vain.  Just confident.  The women that I appreciate most in life, are not neccesarily the ones with the perfect waistline, or the best dye-job, but instead those who laugh, loudly.  And sing at the top of their lungs.  Those who freely compliment others, genuinely.  The women who truly see the beauty in others and believe in the strength that is themselves.

I wish I knew how to help you get past all of the daily struggles that come with being 13.  I wish you knew that the only reason any one says anything nasty about someone else is because they have confidence issues themselves.  I wish there was a way to let you know that what seems important at 13, will not be important in the long run.  Let the cruel words of others roll off your back girl, because thats all they are, words.

Hannah, please don't give away your power. Don't let someone take something from you that you don't want to give, don't let someone make you feel some way that you don't want to feel, don't let someone push you to do something you don't want to do. We all have a power within us that tells our heart and soul what is right for each of us...don't give this power away.  Ever.


Hannah, I want you to know that as long as you are smiling you are beautiful. Clothes, make-up, hair do's don't make the girl. Smiles do!  You have no idea how fabulous you are. But you are. You are fabulous. And when you are true to yourself, you will grow. No, you will soar.


I love you girlie.

Always,

Sarah

HannahEmmaMax

My loves.  There is a lot going on in our household lately.  Here is a brief update of each of our kids.

Hannah Marie:  Age 13 1/2, 8th grade.

Hannah started her final year at Whitehorse Middle School!  I can't believe that she is going to be in High School next year.  Time really flies.  When Matt and I started dating she was just a little girl of 9.  Now she is a beautiful teenager! So, whats going on in her life?  She spends the majority of her time with her friends, or at her afterschool activities (volleyball and dance).  She has a group of really great girlfriends that are truly good girls, so we don't really mind them always hanging out.  She really doesn't seem to be that interested in Matt and I lately...which is kind of sad, but comes with the age.  She doesn't realize how cool we really are.  And she thinks we are old...isn't that depressing?  I swear Hannah, I was really cool just a few years ago.  Ask anyone! Next week is our wedding reception and Hannah is really exciting.  After quite an extravaganza, we finally found her a beautiful dress, and we are both getting our hair done!  She loves stuff like that, and is really quite a girly-girl.  I haven't seen her since last Friday...I hope she comes to our house tonight!  Sharing custody is not fun :(


Emma Rose: Age 2 3/4.

Oh my little Rose.  How feisty you are!  I am truly impressed with Emma everyday.  Her vocabulary is immense and I tell everyone that she is 'fluent in English' now.  She says the funniest stuff sometimes that I am so surprised came out of a 2 year olds mouth!  She has told me that things are 'dangerous', and that we need to 'be careful mama'.  I love her so much.  That too is a new phrase for her.  There is nothing more heart melting that having your child say "I love you" to you.  She always asks us "how was work", or "how'd you sleep".  I love it.  Right now she is obsessed with Halloween and her costume ideas change everyday.  I hope when we finally pick out her costume she sticks with it!  At first she wanted to be a witch, but she says "witch is scary".  Then it went to a princess, and now we are on to Curious George, but sometimes she says she can't be George, because Daddy wants to be him.  Lol.  I love her and am constantly amused by her.  I cherish the days that we get to snuggle on the couch, and just talk.  She's so smart.  I can't wait to see who she becomes!

Max Roland: Age 3 months.

Max is seriously the best baby in the UNIVERSE!  He hardly cries, which is a huge change from what I was used to with Miss Emma.  He smiles all the time, and is starting to laugh!  He rolls over from his tummy to his back already...which makes me a little nervous that he is going to be an early learner in regards to the physical.  Emma was always advanced verbally, but didn't walk til she was almost 15 months old!  I love this little guy so much and am so happy that he is a part of our family.  I can't wait to see how he changes over the next year or so.  He brings back my faith in babies!   My sweet Max.

Well, I guess thats it.  Toodles!