New year, new us

I'm a blog slacker. Again. I have a legit excuse this time but the story is far too long to tell right now. In a nutshell, Bubs got incredibly sick on Dec 12th and put the fear of God in us. Our perspective on parenthood has changed forever. As if we weren't thankful for him before, we truly believe he is our miracle now. But more about that ordeal later. I started blogging about the story last week and still need to finish it up.

As for our holidays, we were so happy to spend them at home since we were told originally that we wouldn't be out of the hospital at that point. Christmas Eve night we were home and we woke Christmas Day to the first snow of the season. It was perfect and magical. Sounds silly but it felt like we had finally woke up from a nightmare. Jeff's family came over late afternoon for presents and dinner and then my family arrived from Springfield around 7 that night. It was so relaxing and cozy to just stay put.

New Years Eve was also pretty uneventful. The night before (New Years Eve Eve I guess), we had Mike, Beth and Garrett over for veal spedini and lots of red wine. We needed a few drinks. Jeff had a few too many and had to head to bed early while Mike, Beth and I stayed up and talked. We are so fortunate to have friends like them. New Years Eve was Mizzou game day. We put Cal in his new Mizzou outfit that the Brights got him and headed over to the Davis'. I'm so happy that most of our friends have children now because I really can't imagine leaving Cal anywhere at this point except with our parents. We had to cut out early though because it was treatment time at 7pm. Jeff and I were both in bed by 10:30. Glorious.

New Years Day was the annual Puerto Rican New Years party at the Hoevels. Yes, there was genuine Puerto Rican representation from dear Maria. But, no, this is not a real holiday. Totally made up and just another excuse to get together. The treatment traveled with us this time so we wouldn't have to leave so early but we did cut out right about the time the kidless folks started to show up.

Overall, it was nice. We still got to eat lots of food and spend time with most of the people we loved. I was sad not to spend Cal's first Christmas Eve in Springfield with Grandma since that is what I've done for the last 30 years. Grandma and I talked about it and she was sad too but cared most that Cal was getting well.

So 2009 was a mixed bag of blessings and heartbreak. Jeff and I both hit our 30s, became parents and realigned our priorities. Aunt Kay got sick but then she got well. We are as close to our families and each other as we have ever been. I'd say we are pretty lucky.

6 month professional pics at home

  

Mimi and Papa

Grandma & Grandpa and Aunt Lisa

So thankful

5 months

Where oh where has the time gone? Just 5 short months ago, Cal was merely hours old, 6 lbs 8 oz, 19 inches long. He was little but mighty! Oh what a difference 5 months makes. He’s now weighing in close to 15 lbs and somewhere around 26 inches. Cal jabbers, rolls, screams, kicks, laughs, cuddles, grabs, eats like a horse and sleeps like, well, a baby. Cal has a long list of things he loves but here’s just a few:

• Being outside with the sounds of rustling leaves and car horns
• Big kids, preferably in the 2-5 age range
• Playing airplane with Daddy
• Noisy restaurants. He’s quite the people watcher/charmer.
• The Wizard of Oz munchkin scene. This is one of the few things Mommy has let him watch on TV and he was enamored.
• His Magic Seahorse
• Not wearing clothes
• Having jibber jabber conversations with Mommy on her big, comfy bed.

It’s really hard to wrap my head around the fact that he’s only been in our lives for 5 months. It feels like forever and it feels like it’s only been minutes. The love that you have for your child is no joke.

2 little piggies...and a hotdog

I was a little indecisive with Cal's costume. It was his first, after all, and it had to be memorable. I wanted to find a sweet little piglet because Annie already had the pig costume from last year. Well, it was HUGE and I couldn't return it. So along came the hotdog. I guess pork was the theme of Halloween this year. Strange but cute.

Cancer sucks

So the word "sucks" isn't so articulate but that is how I'm feeling right now. I'm angry at cancer - breast cancer, brain tumors and peritoneum cancer in particular. Haven't heard of that last one? Well, it sucks too and it requires the same treatment that makes you lose your hair, makes you sick, keeps you from hugging and holding your loved ones just because flu season started early this year. I'm feeling a little down because too many people that I know and love are dealing with seriously life altering events because of this dreaded disease right now. These thriving, lovely people still have many, many years of living left to do, so if you can't find a cure for cancer immediately, please at least add them to your prayer list, if praying is something you do....

Aunt Kay Walton
Julie Williams
Jenny McGee
Steve Stewart

Up, up and away

I know that there are much more important things to worry about in the world, but I would be lying if I said that I wasn’t glued to my computer yesterday when the “balloon boy” was allegedly flying through the air. Maybe it’s the new mom in me, but I was pretty nervous for the kid. That thing was going really fast, really high in the air. Well, we all know how it ended. The little punk was in a cardboard box hiding in the attic the whole time. And then he got sick on national television this morning. Twice. I watch the Today show every morning because Meredith and Matt somehow make my early mornings a bit easier. I don’t watch it to see a little kid barf in a Tuperware container as his famewhoring dad tries to talk his way out of a corner. I’m officially over the balloon boy. Ick.

Back on the saddle

Wow. I really dropped the ball on this blogging thing. I've been reading a few really stellar blogs lately and they have inspired me to open up shop again. I got too busy with life and growing the little seed that is now named Calvin. There is so much to tell. I guess I didn't feel like I had much to say over the last 10 months but there was a lot going on. My life was consumed with baby-growing and, man, that made me tired. I would like to introduce you to my new little time suck.....
I'll be better with this blogging gig. I promise.