Day 365!!!!

 

December 31st, 2010

 

December 31st, 2011

Well... I made it to my 365th post! I've actually posted more than that this year... but there have been 365 posts related to sharing the pictures and events from each day this year. It started off as a bigger challenge for me, and then once I found the time and just made it part of my routine, it was easy. I actually have grown so used to posting daily that I plan to keep it up. However, I am excited to not "have" to post or feel pressure to post... it'll be nice to be able to actually give each post a title and not just an update on the postings (Day #).

I hope my readers have enjoyed reading the posts each day. I know that Steve and my parents enjoy the posts because it's an easy way for them to keep up with what I'm doing. Steve says if I didn't post, he wouldn't know what I've got going on. :-)

This morning Steve was still feeling sick, so I got up with Gus and he watched tv while I cleaned the kitchen. I ran the dishwasher and washed the remaining dishes in the sink. Just as I was finishing, he was done with Mickey.

Gus headed downstairs to wake Gram and Pap and I headed down to join him. He was playing on his coaster and then he and Pap played trains. I mentioned wanting to move the couch under the window so that I could sit comfortably while Gus played, and my dad said he'd help me move the couch from by the guest room. :-)

We headed up and watched television for a bit and then when Gus went down for his nap, my mom and dad and I went to Wal-Mart. I did our grocery shopping and then we stopped at Wendy's for lunch and came home.

My dad finished the Safety Tot Tower and it's INCREDIBLE!!! We just have to varnish it and it'll be totally done-- but I was able to use it with Gus tonight while I made meatloaf, mashed potatoes and corn for dinner. It was perfect! He was in the tower, could see what I was doing, and HE WAS SAFE!!!

Here are some pictures from today:

 

Playing with his fruit

 

Snack with Pap

 

The finished Safety Tower

 

Gus was so happy to be near me while I cooked!!

 

We're going to stain it to match the cupboards

 

Gus as a sketch

Steve is in bed, but wants me to wake him up at 11:50 so he can ring in 2012 with us. We started watching a show about life after humans (gloom and doom) and I decided to come and do my last blog for 2011.

I have to say, 2011 has been one of the greatest years so far. Here are a few things that happened this year that I feel were wonderful:

1. We headed to MI in February- I was homesick and we got to see all of Gus's birth family for the first time since his adoption. It was a WONDERFUL experience and we felt so thankful to have such an open relationship with them!!
2. In March (Gus was nine months), Gus took his first steps and started walking just before turning 10 months!!
3. April 15th, 2011- we celebrated Gus's adoption being finalized!!! We headed to MI for a quick weekend trip and celebrated with family. Gus's birth mom and Grammy came to the court to be there with us and my parents, and then after court, we headed to lunch together and got to meet Gus's Great-Grandma Marge!! It was an incredible day and we shared dinner with my family... it was a really really great day!
4. May 11th, 2011- Gus turned one!!!
5. May 13th, 2011- My niece Charlotte was born!!! I became an aunt again!!
6. Weekend of May 14th, Steve's dad and Sue Ann came down to surprise Steve for Gus's first birthday party and my parents came down too! We were surrounded by friends and family as we celebrated Gus's first birthday! The next day we headed to the beach and had a great time as a family!
7. In August, I started taking classes for Medical Transcription and Editing. The program would have me finished with the whole thing by April 2012.
8. In August, we headed back to Michigan and Indiana for vacation. We were able to be there to celebrate my niece Lily's 2nd birthday! It was the first birthday party for any of my nieces or nephews that I've ever been able to attend and it was WONDERFUL!!!
9. While in MI, we spent the day with Gus's side of our family and they had a birthday celebration for him! It was so special to see him sitting on his birth mom's lap and blowing out candles for his 1st birthday. :-)
10. In September, we joined The Little Gym and Gus LOVED it!!!
11. In September, Steve interviewed with World 50... and got the job!!!
12. October 2nd- Scott and I turned 35!! YIKES!!!
13. October 14th was Steve's last day working for Burt's Bees... October 17th was his first day working for World 50. The stress of moving began!!
14. I dropped out of my Medical Transcription program and couldn't have been happier!!!
15. Went to the NC State Fair with Kristen and Grace in October!
16. Was asked to do my first family photo shoot... it was GREAT and the pictures were so AWESOME! I was nervous but it went so well!
17. In November we found our house and made an offer on it... it was accepted and we closed on December 8th!
18. We said goodbye to NC and hello to Georgia on December 10th!
19. We celebrated Christmas with Steve's dad and Sue Ann here with us and then rang in 2012 with my parents here with us!!
20. December 31st, 2011-- Gus was able to jump on his own for real!!! He's a jumping bean and will be jumping into 2012!!

I hope 2012 is as GREAT as 2011 has been for us!!!

See you next year!!!

Day 364

What a day! We didn't go anywhere or do anything, but Steve got up this morning and wasn't feeling well.

He ended up throwing up all day and ended up at the urgent care this evening.

Gus and my dad and I went outside this afternoon to enjoy the 65 degree day and we played. He played on the swings and the slide and trampoline.



















Gus really had fun playing with the fruit that Uncle Scott and Aunt Christie got him for Christmas!






























We didn't go to the aquarium... The $21 per person entrance fee, the bowl game in Atlanta with tons of extra people in the area, and Steve being VERY ill made it a non-issue.

Tomorrow is New Year's Eve and we have no plans. I hope I can stay up to watch the ball drop!! It'll be my last post of 2011, and number 365! I'm so proud of myself for completing my challenge!!!

See you tomorrow!!
:-)
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Day 363

 

December 29th, 2010

 

December 29th, 2011

Today was a great day! We got up and had breakfast and then Steve headed to the place to get our license plates while I stayed home with Gus and my parents. We now have our plates and we're set! Getting our licenses and plates in Georgia was the easiest so far!

Here are some pictures from today:

 Gus on his coaster

My son absolutely adores his Pap. It's so funny to see my dad being a mush-ball with my child. He was never the mush-ball with me as a child, so to see him be that fun Grandpa... not only is it wonderful, but it's bizarre at the same time. My dad openly admitted that having grandchildren is better than having kids. I said, "Shouldn't you say that grandkids are the reward for raising children?" My mom said that's what she'd say... but no... my dad said that he enjoys his grandchildren more than his children.

Nice.  ;-)

We had lunch at home and Gus enjoyed having his Gram and Pap next to him while he ate his lunch.

My dad and Steve started the tot tower, and my mom and I stayed inside with Gus.

 Gram sharing her cocoa with Gus

 The tot tower being made...

 One side...

 They worked until about 6:00 tonight!

 Almost done with phase one

 Very cute!

We decided to head to El Porton for dinner tonight. It's Thursday and they have a Taco Thursday special... the place was PACKED!! Dinner was delicious and then we headed out for some ice cream.

 Gus decided to try the lemon from Pap's water...

Tomorrow we're supposed to go to the Georgia Aquarium! I'm going to call first to see how busy it is, but hopefully we'll get to go. I'm excited to see it! We'll be getting our aquarium membership tomorrow too!

On Saturday, we're going to drive into Buckhead to show my mom and dad where Steve works. We'll also head to Tin Lizzy's for lunch. I'm excited for that!!!

See you tomorrow!!!

Thursday's Top Ten: Ten Goals for 2012

 

Top 10 Goals for 2012

Since we're two days away from 2012, I thought I'd make this last Thursday in 2011 my countdown for what I hope to accomplish in 2012. 

1. Exercise More- I'm not going to put specifics on this goal, I just want to move more. I figure taking Gus to the neighborhood playground and going on walks will help. Steve and I have talked about going for a walk after work as well. We'll see. Anything is better than not moving at all.
2. Make new friends in Georgia and get more active in Atlanta Mommies- I hope to make friends soon. It's been nice with the holidays and being surrounded by family, but once everyone is gone, it'll just be me and Gus and I'll go CRAZY if I don't have people to see and places to go!
3. Take advantage of our Zoo Atlanta and Georgia Aquarium memberships- I hope to use these memberships as often as possible. That means visiting each at least once or twice a month. When it's a little warmer (60-70 degrees) I hope to go to the Zoo often. I think Gus will really enjoy it! I'm eager to see the aquarium, and we can go when it's cooler or rainy.
4. Take more pictures with my good camera- I take a lot, but I want to keep working on my photography and try new poses and angles for my pictures. You can't get better if you don't practice!
5. Start the adoption process again for baby #2- Sometime in 2012 I hope we can start the process. Not sure if there'd be another baby in 2012, but I'd love to have another baby in our home before Gus is three (May of 2013).
6. Focus on saving more money at the grocery store- I need to really focus on what I'm spending and only buy things if it's a good deal. I think that means more trips to Wal-Mart and letting go of Kroger and Publix unless it's something we desperately need and have to run out to get it.
7. Start looking through my e-Mealz recipes and try new things- I love e-Mealz and use the recipes from there a lot, but lately I've been making the same stuff. I'm going to try and make new dishes and see if there are new family favorites to be discovered!
8. Wear my hair down more often and not cut my hair- I go through phases with my hair and I let it grow and then I want to cut it and so I do... only to turn around and be pissed that I cut it. However, when it's long, all I do is wear it pulled back. I hope to keep letting it grow, but to also let it down every now and then.
9. Start the chore chart with Gus and focus on my "play at home" skills with him. He and I play daily, but I hope to use the basement for more playtime... and now that we've got the easel, we'll be painting more too!!
10. Get to Michigan at least twice in 2012 and one of those trips should be to go camping with my entire family. Dave and Heather were going to try to head to the mitten for a trip and hopefully we coordinate and all go to the UP for a week of camping, laughing, bonding, and fun. I would LOVE for Gus to play with all of his cousins and to have a great time in the great outdoors!!!

I'm excited for 2012 and hope that I can accomplish all ten of these goals!!!