What A Day

 

Gus and his magic wand

What a long day!! Gus has been CRAZY teething today... constantly drooling and just can't get enough in his mouth. He was playing in the utinsils drawer and found his magic wand (it's a beginner toothbrush without bristles). He gnawed on it all day and LOVED it!! I think it provided a lot of soothing for him... which is good because it was a long day.

 

Gus wearing Steve's t-shirt

 

Me and Gus

 

Sad face

 

Hambone

This morning wasn't too bad, but when Gus got up from his nap (which only lasted for about 45 minutes), he was CRANKY. This lasted all afternoon and into the evening.

I was supposed to go to the AAM Moms' Night Out, but I didn't go. Not only because it wasn't until 7:30 (which is late to me), but Gus wasn't feeling well, Steve sat in traffic for over an hour, and I just wanted to relax after Gus went to bed.

I'm glad I stayed home. We had a good dinner together and then watched Grey's Anatomy together.

 

SO CRANKY at dinner

 

Using the straw to poke himself in the eye

 

Happy to get some yogurt

I've got a nail appointment tomorrow and then I need to go grocery shopping too. Michelle is coming for dinner tomorrow night... without her husband. That's a whole different story and I'm honestly way confused about the whole thing.

In a nutshell, he isn't coming to dinner with her because he doesn't want to meet me (he's never met me). Totally sends bad vibes to me, but she assures me that it has nothing to do with me. She said it's because he doesn't want anyone in the room with them when they have their baby, (she asked me to take pictures), and now he doesn't want to meet me before then, because it'll feel like he knows me... ????? Does that make sense to anyone?

I just feel like it's messed up. Now my first impression of him is just weird. Steve thought it was odd too... I feel like if he doesn't want me in the room with them, fine. No sweat... it's not like he's doing me a favor by letting me be there. I'm willing to take pictures (for free), edit them so they look amazing (for free), devote my personal time for this (for free) and be away from my family (for free) and I feel like he's acting like this was all my idea and as a result, he wants nothing to do with me. It's so weird.

Anyway... Hopefully it gets worked out, otherwise, it'll be VERY awkward to be around him. I hate feeling like this, especially since I've never met him. :(

Okay- I'm off to bed. Nite!

A Year of Gratitude #20

 

A Year of Gratitude #20: My Kindle

A few years ago, Steve got me my Kindle for Christmas. I had wanted one, put it on my Amazon wish list, and didn't expect to get it (AT ALL). It was over $250 and something that I just didn't think I'd get. 

I absolutely LOVE IT. Not only because I love to read, but because it's so incredible. I can read on my iPhone, and it will sync with my Kindle (and vice versa) so that I never lose my place and I can pick up and keep reading regardless of which device I'm using.

My Kindle is incredible and ad-free. I'm thankful that I have one and that I can afford to buy books for it. They now have it where you can check out library books and they're e-books for the Kindle (Wake County Library had that)... it's pretty awesome.

I'm thankful for my ability to read as well. :-)

A Year of Gratitude #19

 

A Year of Gratitude #19: My iPhone

Believe me, I know how lucky I am that I have an iPhone. It's the single most greatest device that I've ever had the pleasure of owning. It's amazing that it contains everything that I could need and it's handy. I can check out the internet, I can view a map and get directions, I can provide entertainment for myself and Gus, I can read books, newspapers, and see the latest news. I can find out the weather at any given moment in any given place, and I can text, Facebook, email, call, listen to music, watch videos, and tweet at the same time.

I'm very thankful that I have an iPhone, that I know how to use it, and that I can afford to have this amazing device.

A Year of Gratitude #18

 

A Year of Gratitude #18: My Creativity

I'm thankful that I have creative talent. I am able to make things that others actually pay money for! I'm thankful that I can picture something in my mind and create it and I'm usually satisfied with what I see. I'm also thankful that I can look at something and easily reproduce it for myself.

I know that not everyone has this ability, and I am most thankful that I can share my talent with others and make them smile.

A Year of Gratitude #17

 

A Year of Gratitude #17: Kristen and Grace

In case you're wondering, yes, I am writing down each thing so that I won't repeat anything. ;)

Okay... so as more time goes by that we're here in Georgia, I have come to appreciate, value, and miss my dear friend Kristen and her sweet baby Grace more and more. I should say, if you don't know who Kristen and Grace are... you must have just started reading my blog. Grace is Gus's very bestest friend in the whole wide world... and yes friends, he misses her so much.

 

Kristen, Grace, Me, and Gus at the NC Zoo (May 2011)

I met Kristen through Triangle Mommies and we met at the New Moms' Night Out in November of 2010. When she told me that her daughter was six months, I immediately asked when she was born. When Kristen said she was May 15th, I couldn't believe it-- Gus is May 11th... could he really find a friend with a birthday so close to his???

We decided to get the kids together for a playdate at my house. It was December 13th and the kids pretty much just rolled around the floor together (neither was crawling yet). Looking back, the journey they made together is quite impressive!

 

G2 at their first playdate

 

Kristen and Grace

 

The kids together

Kristen and I went to the Bodies exhibit in Greensboro in November and had a great time... I found her very easy to talk to, and someone I could relate to as well. She's the same age as me, and it was always fun to do things with her and Grace.

We started doing more and more playdates and I found that I was really enjoying the time spent around her. Not only because it was a nice mental break to have someone to talk to (and, let me add, talk back in a language that is understandable), but because Gus also really liked being around Grace. They played so well together and became fast friends.

In May of 2011, we went to the NC Zoo together and the kids had the greatest time. They were both just shy of turning one.

I always loved and appreciated that Kristen would let Gus be Gus around Grace. They shared EVERYTHING... from food, to sippy cups, to toys... they were free to explore together and I always had fun watching. 

I also valued that I could discuss things that Gus was/wasn't doing with Kristen and we had a mutual respect for bouncing ideas off each other. It was great to know that my child was "on the right track" based on his peers and knowing that what he was doing, was similar to what Grace was doing. Every mom should be so lucky as to have a friend with a baby the same age as their kid!!

I've taken so many pictures of G2... I can't post them all here, but this next group contains some of my favorites from our fall fun at Kristen's. Gus LOVED playing in the leaves with Grace and I captured some great pictures from the fun.

 

My Fav

When we found out that Steve was going to interview in Atlanta, honestly, the one thing that I was most upset about was leaving Kristen and Grace. To build the kind of friendship that we had built, and then to leave it behind was harder than I can even put words to describe.

I cried about our move because of the loss of our closeness with them. I miss them each day, and there are so many times that I just wish I could go back to NC for another playdate. Friends like them come along once in a lifetime, and while I'm so thankful to have had the small amount of time that I had, I still miss them greatly.

It's nice to know that even though we aren't physically close, I still have a great friendship with Kristen. I've talked to her a few times since we moved, and she called after we were settled in to see how I was doing.

I recently went to a baby shower for Michelle, and Kristen texted me after to see how it was and to see if I was okay. She knows how hard it can be at times, to be around all these people who are pregnant... and we're still infertile. It was the fact that she knew me enough to know that it could have been really hard (it wasn't), and she wanted to make sure that I was okay, and that if I wasn't, she was there for me.

Kristen has been there for me to bitch and complain to, to hear me share my fears, anxiety, successes, and joys. She's a true friend, and one that I appreciate, value, and miss dearly.

Right after we moved in and Steve had started back to work on his first "real" week while living here, it was a rough few days. On December 13th, a package came in the mail for me... and it was a Shutterfly album. It was made by Kristen for me and Gus and full of pictures of various playdates with Gus. It made me cry (I'm crying right now just thinking about it). It was so thoughtful and sweet... and something we'll cherish and treasure forever.

I'm thankful for the people in my life who make me a priority, who care about me, and who love me. Kristen and Grace are very special to me and will always have a place in my heart. I thank God that they were brought into our world!!

Catch Air

 

Gus in the ball pit

Yesterday we went to a place called Catch Air with some of my Atlanta Area Mommies (AAM) friends. I wasn't sure if I would like it, and more importantly, I was worried that Gus wouldn't like it.

After going to Kid Blast (which is forever renamed "Kid Bust" in my mind) last year, I was afraid of the same thing happening again. Gus HATED it. The child that loves to climb and jump, and he hated it. 

Dina showed me a few pictures of Catch Air (she goes each week) and I thought I'd give it a shot. I'm so glad we did! It was like $5.50 for Gus to get in and I saw that they have a frequent visitor pass. It was $31.00 with tax and got us 10 visits. I decided to do the pass and our visit yesterday was free! So really, we got 11 visits for $31 and that made it $2.82 per visit. Had I not bought the pass, it would be $60.50 for 11 visits... so we SAVED some big bucks with the pass!!

Catch Air lets you stay as long as you want, they have free coffee for parents and free wi-fi. They also have snacks (Papa Johns and Chick Fil A) and play popular music on their sound system, but it's all kid-friendly (think Kids Bop).

I was so impressed and so glad we went. Gus had such a great time! Here are some pictures of him that I took during our two-hour visit:

 

He LOVED the ball pit!

 

Of course, he LOVED the train table!

 

Rockers

 

Workin' on his fitness (lol)

 

A BIG sit-n-spin

 

He didn't know how to use it, but he tried!

 

This was okay until it started to move... then he wanted OUT!

 

GIANT blocks with Becca

 

Water break

 

A different ball pit

 

Daring and climbing for a minute... then he came back down

 

Running

 

In one of the inflatables

 

He actually played inside this!

 

Above the ball pit... it's an enclosed balloon room!

 

All was well and then he spotted Mickey on one of the televisions

 

He LOVES Mickey

 

The balloon room

We stayed for almost two hours and while we were there two other moms (not including Dina) came with their kids. It was so nice to meet more people and the one (her name is Heather) is going to the Moms' Night Out on Friday. She was really nice!

We're slowly adapting to our new environment and trying to adjust to being in a new place. Steve LOVES his job and is so happy-- especially with all the craziness happening at Burt's. Our move was most definitely guided by the big guy above!!

See ya later!!