22 months old!

Owen is 22 months old today. He weighed in at 21.1 lbs and 31" yesterday. He's a growing boy, but mostly in height. That's okay. I have a feeling one day, we'll pick him up, and we'll wonder who put bricks in his pants, LOL!  I enjoy being able to carry him and pick him up easily right now anyway...More snuggle time;)

As I've mentioned before, Owen is very routine driven. When we come home, I usually take my shoes off and put them on a matt in the foyer. Owen started sitting down and saying shoe off about 2 months ago, so he would do what I did I think. Well, today, Owen was able to get his own shoes off and put them on the matt. Then he took his socks off, which was a bit harder, but he got them, lol! 

He is talking even more now, I know I posted once before all the words he says, but now if I did that, it would be a baby dictionary!  He repeats everything we say. I say, "okay." He says okay. He's actually over the last 2 weeks, started to say "God Bless You." When I sneeze. Seriously!  I think it's because I say it every time he sneezes. He also says "stinky socks" when trying to take off his socks, because I tease him after we come home when I give him fresh socks and say "stinky socks." There are so many funny things he's said/repeated. My sister Jessica was joking around one day and said, "oh, snap." And Owen repeated that.

I've said it before, but I'll say it again. My son amazes me with how smart he is, and how much he picks up. He's even started sitting on the potty. He hasn't gone on the potty yet. Well, wait, he accidentally peed in the potty one day, but he looked just as amazed as me, and the pee didn't start out in the potty when he was sitting therer....but he is trying to be a big kid. Part of me is excited to start the new things with him, like the potty training. But, part of me just wants my baby to stay a baby. I don't want him to grow up so fast, and the sad thing is, I realize the growing is going to increase in speed, on a daily basis.  I know I'll be okay with it, and enjoy it, but part of me just wants to hang on a little longer to the baby boy we brought home just under 9 months ago.

First Thanksgiving!

Though yesterday 11/24/11 was Owen's First Thanksgiving, we have been having a bit of a celebration since the previous week. First, my cousin (Owen's 2nd cousin) Mandy, flew in from Florida to visit. Then, my family started arriving for my other cousin (again Owen's 2nd cousin) Kayla's wedding. We went to that on 11/19/11, which was also my oldest sister's birthday. Then on 11/20/11, which is my birthday, we had pictures taken of Owen with all 5 of his first cousins on my side of the family with their Nana and Pap (my parents). On that same day, we also had my family's "Thanksgiving" meal at Bob Evans (since it was too crazy to cook the day after a big wedding we had traveled for). Then, we took the 4 older kids (Owen, Lily, Elijah, and Lucy), to drive through some Christmas lights.

The next day, the fun, but chaotic, "Thankswedding" as we have come to call it, was coming to an end as all of my siblings and parents left. My cousin Mandy went back to visit where my grandparents live as well, so the house was back to just the 3 of us. Then, yesterday we went to Andy's family's Thanksgiving meal for lunch, and then over to my Aunt/Uncle's house to visit them, and see the new house they are moving into this weekend.

Today, we were kind of layed back during the morning and afternoon. Andy did some yard work, Owen took his nap, and I tried to get some "rest" as well. Then, when Owen woke up, since it was warm enough, we went to the zoo to see their Christmas Lights...it was a good time. We ended the evening with dinner at a chinese restaurant, and Owen came home to bed. I think Owen has enjoyed his first Thanksgiving. Though, he didn't eat as well during his first meal on Thursday, he ate alot of food at dinner. I think next year he'll be even more into it. Though, he did try to say both Happy Birthday and Happy Thanksgiving by the end of the last 2 weeks, so it's been fun;) 

Now this weekend I'm hoping to get some Christmas decorations up. I am hoping Owen will enjoy helping to trim the tree, well, I guess I'm just hoping Owen will not take all the trimming down and try to play or break it, LOL!  Last year, we had the tree up until the week after we brought Owen home in Febraury, so we could still celebrate Christmas with him. I'm looking forward to see how he takes in this next Holiday, and if I can get him to understand the biggest gift we all are given on this day, Baby Jesus!  He's so smart though, I think he'll get it a little, even if he doesn't get all of what we tell him. We bought him a nativity set that we will give him to put up under the tree. Luckily it's actually a toy set, so it's okay if he plays with it:)  I hope everyone reading this had a wonderful Thanksgiving as well. I'm very Thankful for my family, Owen and Andy, as well as all my extended family who supported us as we brought Owen home almost 9 months ago! 

A year ago 11/08

A year ago this past Tuesday 11/08/10, we met our son for the first time. It's unbelievable to me that a year has already passed since we first held out baby boy!  He is growing so fast, and learning so much. He seriously tries to be 10 years older than he is too. Sometimes, when I think about how he was at the baby home without us, it makes me sad. It makes me sad to know that my baby was missing my arms to hold him, and my lips to kiss him, and my hands to tickle his toes. But, now he has all those things and more. 

Everyday I pray that he realizes how much he means to Andy and I, and that we may have changed his life and increased things that he can do, but he did the same thing for us. Because, it made me sad knowing that I was here without my little bundle in my arms, not knowing what he was doing, and missing his sweet kisses. Andy and I have a great marriage, with God as our head, and life was good and wonderful, and there was so much love. Now, that love has multiplied, and the wonderful has doubled, and happiness is off the charts. It's amazing to me that life could get better after marrying the love of my life, but God is pretty amazing, so when He joined Owen into our mix, He knew it could only get better. LIfe is an amazing gift, and that is what I am so thankful for, my life, the love I'm given from my husband, son, family, friends, and God.