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 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!!!

Day 362 (Wednesday, December 28th, 2011)

 

December 28th, 2010

 December 28th, 2011

We got up and got showered and then Steve and I headed to the Department of Driver Services (DDS) to get our Georgia licenses! My mom and dad stayed home with Gus and it was nice to actually get out for a bit just us two.

We got our licenses without any problems and they should arrive within 30 days. On the way home, Steve stopped to get my emissions test done, and then once we got home, he headed back out to get the test done on his car.

We put Gus down for a nap and then when he was finally up, he had lunch and we headed to Target for our day after the day after Christmas shopping.

Since Steve's dad and Sue Ann got us 1/2 of our dishes (4 plates, 4 salad plates and 4 bowls), my mom and dad got us the other 1/2 of our set! Now we're all set! We also got two big storage tubs for some of Gus's toys and then we came home. Steve and my dad headed back out to Home Depot to get the materials to make the tot tower. I found the plans on the Ana White website and they're going to start building it on the 29th.

Here are pictures from the day:

 Gus and Pap having breakfast together

I made roasted potatoes, brown sugar carrots and ham for dinner. It was well-received and everyone seemed to enjoy it! 

It's so great to be surrounded by family!!

Day 361

 

December 27th, 2010

 

December 27th, 2011

Well, today was another long day... but the GREAT news is that my parents are here!!! I've missed them so much and it's WONDERFUL to have them here!! It's been five months since I last saw them... this is the longest stretch since we moved from MI. It's been difficult, but with the move, there was no other option.

Anyway, this morning, Gus got up at 5:00 and we changed him and put him back down and he slept until about 8am.  He played with his car and the gas pump... too cute:

After playing for the morning, he went down for his morning nap... and when he woke up (an hour later) he had removed his pants and diaper, and was covered in poop! I put him in the tub while Steve took care of the bedding.

We came down and had lunch and then not too long after being down here, he needed another nap (his was interruped by the poop)... so Steve took him back up. My mom called and said they were slightly lost (got off before they should have and were heading south towards Atlanta, instead of north towards Johns Creek). Between me and Steve, we were able to get them here safely around 3:15.

Just as they arrived, Gus got up and was super excited to see his Gram and Pap. We showed them the house and then my dad took a nap while we watched tv and talked. After a two hour (or so) nap, we headed to Kozmo for their Comfort Tuesday special (fried chicken). It was sooooooo good!

 Gus and Max

 Gus with Gram and Pap heading into Kozmo

 My fried chicken and mashed potatoes... soooooooo good!

After dinner, we stopped at Kroger for a few things and then headed to see the lights in our neighborhood. My mom and dad seemed to enjoy it. Then we came home, opened some Christmas presents and then watched tv.

We got a membership to the Georgia Aquarium!! I am so excited to have a membership to the zoo and the aquarium! :-)

I got a new app (thanks Adri)!! Here's a picture that I took of Steve... pretty cool right?

Tomorrow, we're going to the DMV to get our Georgia licences and my mom and dad are going to watch Gus while we're gone. We have to leave here by 8:30am. Tomorrow afternoon, Steve's going to get the inspections done on the cars and then Thursday, we have to go and get license plates for the cars. Then we'll be officially official Georgia residents!

We're going to go to Target tomorrow for our day after the day after Christmas shopping. We're going to get more dishes (Steve's dad and Sue Ann got us the start to the set, and we're going to finish it tomorrow). Then we're going to Home Depot to get the needed items for my dad and Steve to build the safety tot tower for Gus! I can't wait to have it... we are in DESPERATE need to have something for Gus to be in while I'm cooking. I'm eager to have him in there with me and the safety tower will let him be close and SAFE!!

See you tomorrow!!!