We've got a BIG boy!

Liam's first birthday was in July.  I cut his hair.  It was his fifth "haircut".  I did a good job with all of his cuts, if I do say so myself.  Although, the longer it got, the more scared I got.

We took our family photos in November and his hair started doing this little flip out thing.  It was cute, for sure.   I'll just show you, so you have no choice but to believe me.

Agh...bestill my heart.  Love him.

Well, around the time that the front started growing past his eyebrows, I decided it really was time for a cut, and it needed to happen before our family photos on the 22nd.  We called around and landed with Patrick.  He did Uncle John's first hair cut, probably close to 25 years ago.  Wow.

Oma and Gomer accompanied us to the salon.  We all thought Liam was going to scream his head off, so we were prepared.  Oma had my camera and I had two suckers.  Gomer, well, he was just along for the ride to say hello to Patrick.

Liam did fabulously.  He didn't like the scissors near his ears, but other than that, he only made a peep once or twice.  He hugged me and sucked on his sucker.  All in all, it was great.  And we came out with a big boy, not so much a baby anymore with his cleaned up 'do.

I will never be able to bring myself to cut off this boys hair.  No more than a trim in our foreseeable future. 

Oh boy...

Let's revise this little list here...
I've got a lot to do!!!  But not a lot of time.

July 2, 2010 
[1001 days] 
March 28, 2013

(I'll be __!!!)

3. Learn to crochet
12. Take a pole dancing class
15. Learn to clean and load my gun
18. Bake a pie for Matt
19. Get a CHL
24. No texting for a week
31. Donate blood
33. Make beer-ritas
36. Sponsor a family at Christmas Time
39. Pay for the person's food behind me in the drive-thru line
40. Go walking 3 times a week for 1 month
41. Make out with my husband for 10 seconds for 10 days straight
42. Go to a chick fil a brown bag
43. Find a new church and become a member
46. Go on a picnic in Hermann Park
47. Fly a kite
49. Volunteer for Habitat for Humanity
51. Volunteer for animals
52. Fill the coin jar and cash it in
56. Paint my bedroom the color blue/gray I want it
57. Send a care package to a soldier in the military
59. Give a meal to a homeless person
60. Go to Cedar Point
65. Learn how to change a tire
66. Go to a Texas winery
80. Organize the garage complete with cabinets
81. Weed eat and edge the yard myself
85. Visit Leann after she moves
92. Frame my flower portraits
93. Sell a box of books to Half Price Books
95. Host a game night
98. Attend a class at Home Depot
99. Get my Maui Jim's repaired
101. Donate $5 per task (or $100) not completed, to a charity

Thanksgiving

Turkey, potatoes, vegetables that I don't eat.  Family.  Friends.  Lists of "I'm thankful for...".

It's all a part of Thanksgiving.

But the thing I thank God for the most, is this.

Our Family of 3.
Happy Thanksgiving ya'll.

The Bandwagon

I've jumped on a few bandwagons lately.

The first I jumped on was the Twilight Bandwagon.  I started last Thursday, so a week and two days ago.  I read the first book in one day.  And then, life came back to slap in the face saying "NO, you will not ignore real life only to cozy up with a book in the corner."  Needless to say, I lost sleep.  I fell asleep with my iPhone (the holder of my Nook app) in my hands.  I read at red lights, only getting in a few sentences before tossing the phone in the passenger seat.

But, I'm happy to say...

I'm done.  

Onward, to the movies!! 

The second bandwagon is the "I'm not going to Facebook" wagon.  It's so negative.  And other people posting can wrap you into their negative webs.  Some say, "just hide the people you don't want to see." But in all honesty, if everyone would just venture over to Instagram (aubrey382), then I wouldn't need facebook.  It's mostly used just for seeing my friend's photos anyways.  I do know that while I'm away, I will miss the birth of my college roommate's fourth child, first biological after three adoptions.  Super cool for her.  Well wishes sent her way.  

So, what do you think of my bandwagons?  Have you ever ridden on either one?  What bandwagons have you joined lately? 

Fall Fun

I live in Texas.  Fall isn't fun.  At least not here.  We don't even really have a fall.  Or rather, maybe we have a fall and not a winter.  Who knows.  But spending 5 days in New England in October - well, that just reinforces that there isn't a fall in Texas.

But alas, this post is NOT about our trip to New England.  Fun as it was, I just haven't had time to look over my photos and see which ones are blog worthy.  You're sad right?

I thought so.  I'll post them.  By the end of the week?  I can't promise that.

October in Texas, for our family, consists of birthdays and Halloween.
And Pumpkins.
A family of Pumpkins actually.

Matt, Aubrey, and Liam

The last minute parents that we are, we waited until 4 days before Halloween to search out pumpkins to carve.  Well, bad idea.  Walmart had zero pumpkins.  And Kroger has only specialty pumpkins.  No need to fret.  We have a pumpkin patch within 5 minutes of our house.  Win!!  So we loaded up and headed to the patch.  

The cutest pumpkin model around

I decided to have a little editing fun.  All the actions that I've ever even looked at come from TheCoffeeShopBlog (definitely check her out!!  She even has tutorials.)  So I played with this photo a little.  

Perfect Portrait

Perfect Portrait + SunnyPop

Perfect Portrait + Downtown

This one is meant to mimic the Earlybird filter in Instagram, but it's a little much for me.

We carved pumpkins.  We are eating candy.  We are ready for trick or treaters.  What are we missing...? 

Oh, costumes.  

Check back to see how Liam's costume turns out. 

Time

Finally, time is finally on my side.  The pools have closed (during the week) and Liam and I have tons of time to hang out.  Which, he currently wants to do.  Yet, he should be napping.  So I'm taking this opportunity, while he keeps shrieking, mind you, to see if I can learn the basics of editing photos.

Let's see how it goes...
(Be nice to me...these are the first two photos I've ever edited other than "enhance" in iPhoto).  Now that the second one is posted here next to the original, he looks overexposed or something that isn't right.  Just brightening up the photo made his eyes brighter...I didn't even do that!!

Even if you think I'm like the worst editor ever, you still got to see cute photos of Liam.  And, you have the opportunity to not come back.  I hope you come back though.  I have a measly 3 readers.  :-)

Sigh...dreaming

I want new furniture.

Right around the time that Matt and I got married, we were blessed with "getting" his parent's living room set.  They had a condo in Ohio that sold and therefore, had 2 houses worth of furniture.  Then we bought a new house.  To fit said furniture.

It looks just like this.

It's wonderful.  It is a sofa, a loveseat, and a recliner.  Every piece of it either reclines or rocks.  The recliner and loveseat actually do both.  It's fabulous.  But, believe it or not, we actually feel like it's a little too big.

We have a lovely awkward column in our living room.  Ah, here it is.  This obviously, is not our furniture.

But, I think the previous owners had it right.  Smaller furniture.  More cozy house.

So I want new furniture.  I know I won't get input from blog readers (except Becca, love you).  But these are along the lines of what I am thinking.

I'm picture a sofa, plus an oversized chair.  I want to make the space behind the living room into an office type deal and make the study Liam's playroom.  I need it to all be contained.

Want to see photos?  Ok.


I like this style, but I'm not sure about the light color with Liam and possible (future) second child.

This one is nice as well, but I think I would prefer a 2 cushion sofa.  I can't stand how we are always adjusting the seat cushions on my parents sofa.

Another 2 cushion sofa. 

Can you tell my style is all mostly the same?  

I really will need to go and look in person.  But I hate shopping.  And I really would love to get a solid sofa with an accent chair.  

Can you imagine how much I am going to miss my rocking/reclining sofa, loveseat, and recliner?

Exhaustion

I'm working.  A lot.  Today was especially long.  But I haven't blogged in over 2 weeks.  And I need to write.  For all my <cough-cough> followers of the blog.  So this is my exhaustion post.
Don't expect a lot.
I'm such a good parent I let my child do whatever he wants.  Luckily for me, that's just normal boy things.

Like throw any toy that is in his hand.
Or smile and grin at all the ladies in the grocery store.
Or....

Play with dirt and rocks.  Get dirty.  And eat dirt and rocks.  

Yes.  

It's the beginning of life with a boy. 

And I love it.

He's 1: In Photos

We had a great little party at Liam's Oma and Gomer's house.  How can you not have a party at the pool in July, in Texas?!

Liam's one.
He is full of personality.  He smiles a lot.  But he "screams" even more.  Hard to believe.
He loves food.  He loves his milk.  Sadly, we will run out of pumped milk in only a couple days.
He loved his party.  Loved the cake.  Loved the ball pit.
He got a kick out of his presents, but not opening them.  He had no interest.
He is walking.  He pulls on your clothes to tell you he wants you to pick him up.  He crawls super fast.  He loves the pool.

He's such a cool kid.

Don't Be Sad

Five nights ago I picked up my son right before I went to bed.  I've done it before, picked him up, that is.

I used to bring him out to the couch and sit with him, all snuggly and warm, just sleeping on my chest.  Bliss.

I can't bring him to the couch anymore since he doesn't stay asleep.

He sits up.

He looks around.

He looks at me.

He looks around again.

And then he smiles and buries his head in his blanket on my chest.

Back to five nights ago.

So I pick him up and sway back and forth.

I kiss his forehead.  I kiss his nose.

Sometimes he squirms.  Sometimes he snores.

This night, he snored.

Me?  I cried.

I'm about to have a 1 year old.  I promised I wouldn't "tell the story of his birth" when he turned 1.  Although, I probably will, in some way or another.  Maybe I'll revise my promise to say that I won't do it each year.

Anyways, yeah, I cried.

He's my baby.  We've come so far.

Through tears, screaming, sleepless nights, feeding struggles.  Days and weeks of what felt like torture.

All the way to smiles.  Giggles.  Laughs.  Belly laughs.  Growing into a chunky monkey.  Finally crawling.  Walking and almost running!

The tough times.  The joyous times.

His birth.  And now his birthday.

I wouldn't trade any of it for anything.  And yes, I will admit, the sleepless nights, I know they happened, I could search out my written reminders, but the joy we live through Liam, far outweighs those sleepless nights.

That's not to say that we're ready again.  Nope...

But we are ready to celebrate!!

Happy *almost* first birthday to our little guy.

Independence

Happy Fourth Fellow Bloggers!!

<3 Liam

What?

What a boring blog design this month of July.

I'm totally uninspired.  It could have something to do with it being summer.  And being exhausted.  And just wanting to read fellow bloggers blog posts and wishing I was as creative with words as said fellow bloggers.

I digress.

Exciting things this month.
Liam turns 1 this month.  In 10 days.
Wonder if I will be inspired to write about his birth...one year later.

Stay tuned.

Instagram

I joined instagram.

Well, I joined instagram 36 weeks ago to be exact...and never did anything other than take and (obliviously) post 1 photo of something I couldn't make out.

I'm still learning.  I'd like to post my first few instagrams here, but I'm just not sure if I can do that without emailing myself the photos first..  And that's annoying.  So you only get 1.

Do you have any hints, tips, or tricks to tell me?

I'm Done

It's over. The end.

I haven't pumped for 36 hours. I had every intention of going a few more days when there was clearly no need.

I'm sad.

I cried a little last night.

I did a good thing. It was hard.

It was a labor...of love...for sure.

So, that's it. The end. No more pumping.

Let the party commence.

4 days shy of 8 months of exclusive pumping...wow. 

I pat myself on the back.  

Fro-Yo: It's What's For Dinner

I wish Fro-Yo (aka Frozen Yogurt) was what was for dinner.

The first time I had it was the day I told my sister I was pregnant.  Oh my gosh...she FLIPPED out.  Haha.  But, that's what I get for telling her that I was less than 6 weeks pregnant and due in JULY!!  Our second busiest month of "high-season".

So I guess I can thank Liam for my love-addiction with frozen yogurt.
Yum.

I would eat it every night if it was good for me.  Too bad it's not.

It's definitely on my "100 Things that Make me Happy" List.



And, ps...don't invite me for coffee.  Invite me for Fro-Yo, k?

They're Mine

Don't read if you don't want to read about breast milk or boobs.

I've posted about pumping before, right?  About how I make milk, cuz it's my superpower, and it is all for my little boy.  You've heard that right?

Well, I'm super close to being done.  I cannot wait.
Not because I want him to get something less than breast milk (remember, he got formula supplements from 4-7 months because I didn't produce enough even with the strongest of supplements) but because well...until you've pumped, you just don't understand pumping.  And then, until you've exclusively pumped, you really don't understand pumping.

It's rough.
At times, it's a full time job.

And it's something that has, for me, created more self-consciousness.
Everyone knows that when you get pregnant/start making milk, your boobs get bigger.

Oh great.  Just what I wanted.

Yeah well...when I'm done pumping in 3 weeks, I better not get any more "Wow, those are huge!!" comments.  Cuz really...that's not helping.  :D

Who's ready for a going away party for the pump?

WW: It's been a while

Top 5

The top 5 things I've learned about parenting.

1.  Expectations are not necessary.
2.  Breastfeeding is hard.
3.  Women need to tell men what to do, not expect them to have the same motherly instincts.
4.  Formula will NOT hurt the baby.
5.  Any and all conversations about nighttime parenting should take place in daylight.


What is on the top of your learned list?

WW: A Day Late

Pictures - Taking and Seeing

It has been something I've always wanted to do, almost like a dream of mine, to have pictures taken in Bluebonnets.  Now, you may be thinking, and I agree, "You live in Texas Aubrey, just go take them".  It shouldn't be hard.  I do live in Texas.  There are bluebonnets all around.  But, while I do live in Texas, I still consider myself to be a bit on the lazy side.  Yup, I said it.  Aubrey is a little bit lazy.

But...a baby...well, you can't pass up bluebonnets when you have a baby!!!  So, we set out for a bluebonnet hunt.  My mom came with (instead of babysitting) and we headed out towards Chappell Hill where she had seen bluebonnets while training for the MS-150.  We brought Liam's girlfriend Kaylee and her mom Christina.

We turned right on a little road that took us through Historic Chappell Hill.  We made another right down a country road and we were disappointed.  Before heading back toward Chappell Hill, we took one more right and kept going, away from town.  As we reached the limit in our discouragement, we found it.  A couple hundred feet on bluebonnets, a few indian paintbrushes, and a worn down rickety old fence.

We set to work.  And while I am not in any of the photos (because it is hard to get out the door at 7:30am with a baby), I am so so so happy with the results (and no, that's not me, it's Christina, Liam's future mother in law).

Not only did we take pictures though, we went to "see a picture".  At the drive-in!
What a gorgeous evening.

We brought the babies (Christina and Richard treated us to dinner and a move - so sweet).  We sat in chairs.  WE WATCHED THE HUNGER GAMES!!!

And now all I have to do is go back and read them AGAIN.

What a great Good Friday it was.

Down with the ATL

When your longtime best friend has a baby, what do you do?
Well, you hop on a plane and go and visit of course.  Duh.

And when you fly to Atlanta, what do you see on the way?
Well, soldiers of course.  Duh.

So what do you do when you turn around at McDonald's and almost run into a soldier?
Well, you thank said solider for his (or her) service.  Duh.

So I did.
And then I walked away smiling.

And to introduce...

 my best friend from 8th grade's little boy

Gymmer Lee

WW: A month