I'm Back...

Alright, so I am guilty of totally disappearing for a while. (It's hard to post when you don't have internet.) In any case, there have been a ton of changes since my last post, but I have no idea where to start with the updates. It has been a long month- most of my days have been spent job hunting, watching Toy Story multiple times each day, and hanging out with Devon. I start a new job tomorrow (basically doing admin at Dr. Page's office). I am excited, scared and sad. Excited because I like challenges. Scared of not being able to pull my weight. Sad because, as challenging as it has been to be with Devon 24 hours a day, I am going to miss my time with him. He is my little man and I am sad to be leaving him to go back to work, but I guess that's life right? We all have to work.
I will try to post some pictures of Devon soon.

Devon's Haircut

OK, so never ever let your husband take your son to get a haircut without explicit instructions or a picture for the hairstylist... Enjoy the before and after photos. (Thankfully we have one cute kiddo that can pull off a variety of looks, but Mommy misses his hair...)

PIctures from Today

OK, I haven't downloaded the software for the new video camera yet, but hopefully Devon will go down early tonight. (I really want to post some videos from last weekend.) Here are some pictures from today though... (NO, I did not win the car, but I did win a CD and a gift card to Safeway, which we will definitely use.)

Best birthday ever...

Thinking back, I have had some pretty cool birthdays. On #16, I got my license (barely) and drove to school for the first time. On #21, I got to order my first alcoholic beverage at a restaurant and had a blast with my friends from college. I didn't really think that #28 would be that great, especially since both Josh and I had to work and weren't even sure if we would be able to meet up for lunch. So my expectations were just for a kick back day, but several cool things happened yesterday:

1) At my morning weigh in, I looked down to see 149.6-- finally below 150!!! And after only three days on the South Beach diet.

2) My work went all out for my birthday. They got me a beautiful shirt from Express with matching necklace and earings, which I wore for the rest of the day and felt like a rock star. Even though they brought in a dessert for the office, my manager knew I was on the SB diet (she is too) and she made me a special SB dessert so I still got to indulge without breaking my diet.

3) Josh suprised me with a new digital camcorder/camera that takes both video and photos (our camera broke the day before and I had been a little bummed about not being able to take any photos this weekend in Redding.) So, once I figure out how to work it, I will be able to upload videos of Devon to the blog for all nanas and papas to enjoy. It was an incredibly thoughtful gift at great timing.

4) I won a radio contest. The local station is giving away a car, tickets to NYC, and a bunch of other things. You have to be caller 9 when you hear the cue and then you get entered into the drawing to win the prizes, but everyone wins somethings. I had been caller 8 two times the day before, but went right through to caller 9 on my birthday. It was awesome. I will find out on May 31st, which cool prize I actually won. I am not sure what I want more- a trip to NYC to see Alicia Keys or a 2008 Accent. I am just stoked to be in the running.

And my day ended with Devon at the park. He at his dinner there and then I got to watch him run around and have a blast while I relaxed on the parkbench. When I got home, I was able to enjoy season finales for Ugly Betty and Grey's Anatomy (2 hours!!!).

Seriously, 28 is pretty darn cool.

Thoughts on a Friday...

So, last night, I stopped at Carl's Jr. on my way from work to pick up Devon from daycare for my nightly soda (I have long since caved on my ban on soda). The line was long so I was doing my usual thing in the car: singing and dancing to the radio, just having a good time and feeling pretty good. When I finally made it to the window, I was told that the car ahead of me (white Camaro filled with boys) had paid for my drinks (one for me, one to surprise Devon with). So, needless to say, I was feeling pretty good on my drive to get Devon. Feeling good. Feeling pretty. Even feeling a little sexy for the first time in a long time. Feeling like I've still got it.

Then I entered Devon's daycare to find out all 6 kids except Devon had been sent home early with the stomach flu and that in the last thirty minutes, he had started running a fever. OK, still feeling good, but was starting to come down a little from my high. I got home, took his temperature, and ordered a pizza so I could cuddle with Devon instead of cooking dinner. Still feeling pretty good about the fact that he hadn't showed any other symptoms and could maybe even blame the fever on cutting his last molar. Then came the vomit.

Ah... reality.

More Pictures of Course...

We have been spending a lot of time at the park lately. Once a week, we meet two other mommies from my work and head to the park after work so that the kids can play. I have decided that Isabel is Devon's girlfriend. She follows him around and tackles him when he falls. It's hilarious. He doesn't like sharing his toys though when she is at the house-- he hasn't had a lot of experience when it comes to sharing his stuff because the only kids he has played with up until this point have been his cousins in Redding and he usually doesn't have his own things there to share. But he is learning. It's really funny to watch him interact with other kids. He is a social guy who likes making friends.

I am also including a picture of Devon licking the spoon. It's a tradition from my mom that the kids always got to lick the beaters or the bowl and last night was the first time I let Devon lick the spoon. He enjoyed helping me bake cookies. He poured, he stirred, and he got to lick the spoon-- so it was a good day for him.

We miss everyone and hope all is well.

Visit from Nana & Papa Kibler

My dad and Cheryl came to visit this weekend, which proved to be a lot of fun. Devon had a blast-- we went to the ocean and walked the beach, then to the park where he played for almost 2 hours, and finished the night at Cattlemens (of course). It was really nice to spend time with my dad and Cheryl. I really miss having family nearby, plus we got to show them around Santa Rosa, which is much more friendly then Livermore. We had a great time and Devon was a trooper through it all. He played hard and had a great time. Although I think one of my favorite images of the weekend was my dad going down one of the tube slides that are built for the little guys-- Dad made it down the slide but it was pretty comical watching him try to get OUT of the tiny tube. Here are some of the pictures from the weekend...

Pictures

Happy Birthday Papa Kibler!

I just wanted to post a happy birthday to my dad. For whatever reason, I have it in my head that my dad's birthday is on the 17th when it is actually the 12th. Ever since college I have always managed to call my dad on the 12th, not wish him a happy birthday thinking I had another five days to go. My dad never says anything either until I call him on the 17th and wish him a happy birthday. So, this year I have got it right: Happy birthday Dad! I hope it's a great day!

P.S. Devon's fever finally broke and he seems to be much better. Doctor still wants him home through the weekend, but I am just thankful that the super high fever is gone for now. Thank you again for all of the prayers!

Update...

So last night Devon's temperature was over 104. We got it under 102, but when he woke up this morning it said 106. (I think it was so high because he naturally sleeps warm.) I retook his temperature 15 minutes later and it was down to 104 again. The doctor won't see him for the high fever because apparently it is just part of this flu bug. It's scaring me though. I was supposed to work at least half a day today, but called in. No way am I leaving him when his fever is sooo high (even though he would be with Josh). My mommy instinct won't let me leave the house until he is feeling better and his fever is closer to 100.. Keep up the prayers PUH LEASE!

Pictures

I have been getting requests for pictures so here you go. Devon had an awesome week last week. He was sweet and back in his normal routine, so thank you for your prayers. Josh was home with the flu ALL week last week and Devon seemed to enjoy having both Mom and Dad around at night.

I even bought him a potty chair because he always wants to sit on the toilet (but never actually goes.) I didn't want to discourage him from trying (but he refused to support his own weight on the toilet) so I guess the potty chair is the next best thing. He can sit on the potty and I don't have to hold him up. He is still a LONG ways away from wanting to potty train, but anytime spent on the toilet is a step in the right direction. I am not going to try to force potty training on him until he shows interest. Since he is so much like his parents (willful), forcing him to potty train is a battle we won't win unless he is on our side.

He is home today with the flu. The bad 7-10 day flu as diagnosed by the Dr., who also warned that a lot of kids are developing pneumonia and other really bad secondary infections from his particular strain of flu, which is scary. His fever is over 102 and he didn't sleep last night. I tried laying with him from 11-2:30 last night to comfort him, but he kept whimpering and moaning. I could tell he really wanted to sleep, but was just too miserable to fall asleep. SO at 2:30 AM, I just got up with him and we watched movies together. He stayed on my lap and continued to whimper. So lots of get well prayers for Devon would be very much appreciated.

Devon's Latest Endeavor...

OK, so since vacation, Devon has been a little hard to handle. I should have known that when we finally arrived back in Santa Rosa after one week away and the fact that his first reaction was to tantrum and run into the street instead of going inside, that I was in trouble. He hates being back here. It has been one tantrum after another, hours at a time. Mostly he is upset that I have to go work. My day starts with him screaming and sobbing "no bye bye mama, no bye bye" and, after 8.5 hours of work, he wants me to carry him everywhere and not sit down, which of course I can't do when you take into account we have to eat (which requires me to cook) and the daily (not even a lot) of picking up. So it has been constant battles, constant tantrums and constant tears for both of us.

Which brings me to today...

This morning when he saw that I wasn't in my work clothes, he actually was OK. We got groceries and went to the park. Upon arriving back home however, the tantrums began as soon as I quit playing with him to clean up some. After 30 minutes of his screaming (our neighbors must love us), I decided I needed to walk away before I snapped. What did he do in the 10 minutes I took to cool down? Try to put his favorite movie on by shoving 3 DVDs into his dad's Playstation 3. I am sure I am not the only mother of a two year old that is driving her crazy. Luckily, Josh was able to come by for 10 minutes and pull the DVDs out with a tool (which was a miracle in itself if you know my husband's handyman abilities. ) So, everything is OK-- it's just stuff anyways. But I am growing physically and mentally exhaused (not to mention my panic attacks have returned) from this week of constant tantruming.

On a side note, he might make me crazy, but I am still crazy about him. I have been more angry this week than I can remember, but at the end of each day, my heart is always softened. I love him and adore him, despite the tantrums and difficulties.

Although, I am seriously considering quiting my job or at least cutting my hours so I can spend more time with him so that he doesn't feel the need to tantrum if I put him down to empty the dishwasher. It makes me sad to know that he is tantruming so much for my attention because on the days I don't work, we usually don't see any tantrums.

OK, thanks for letting me vent. Please pray for us, for patience and parental wisdom and mental toughness. I miss our families and our support system in Redding more than you know.

Mr. Man is a Little Boy Now!

Devon is a big boy now, which makes me feel both sad and excited at the same time. He hasn't been my hungry hog for quite some time now, but he is really taking steps towards becoming a little boy and not my baby anymore. I love that he eats at the table with me (despite the horror story it has been for my carpet). I love that he can tell me what he wants to do (most of the time). And I really love that he told me "I love you" last night when I tucked him. (That was a first.) I do miss some things, but overall he is a sweet little boy.

He is really into Little Einsteins and Clifford the Puppy Years right now, which is a nice change from Elmo. (I was at my Elmo max.) He loves to sing along with the Einsteins and pat his legs to launch Rocket, which is really cute. It's neat because he is actually in tune and matches them pitch for pitch, even when they are off pitch. He won't sing on command though. Looks like he'll be like uncle Matthew and just sing when he's alone or in the car. No audiences for him.

I'll try to take some more pictures soon and get them posted for you.

Devon & Melmo

Devon pulled me away from the kitchen while I was cooking dinner so he could show me his precious Melmo.

Diet Blog...

On a side note, I started a blog to journal my weight loss progress in 2008. My mom and I have a deal to lose 30 pounds so we can go on a shopping spree. Anyone who wants to can check it out and comment. It is probably more geared to the women though. I thought blogging might hold me more accountable to my weight loss goals. It's the starvin marvin link.

PS. This diet is not a new years resolution, which I never ever manage to keep. It actually started after my mom and I were talking at Christmas. I am just plain tired of being overweight and we are helping each other to overcome it through phone calls, recipe sharing and overall support.

Long time, no blog...

Hello everyone. Sorry I haven't posted for a while. The past few months have been exhausting. Josh has had stomach flus and strep throat. And in the last month, Devon has had ear infections, a sinus infection AND an infection in his left lung. So far I have been the only healthy one, but I am pretty tired from taking care of the boys and trying to still work my 40 hours a week. However, Josh and Devon both seem to be feeling better again (finally).

I can't believe Devon is the next cousin to turn two. Josh and I are planning a trip to Redding so we can celebrate his birthday with family. He is overall a great kid. He talks a lot (like his mom and Grandma) and is very sweet. He likes to share his food with me and take care of his Elmo doll, which includes diaper changes, giving Elmo binkies and sharing his sippy cup with Elmo. Oh and since Christmas when he sat at the big table when we ran out of highchairs, Devon now sits at the big table for all his meals. He sits on his knees and eats like a big kid, which is nice because now we eat dinner together at the table even when Josh is at work. He is a stubborn little man though. He has been refusing to come to me when it is time to change his diaper and thus had been in time outs a lot for not obeying mommy. So today Josh told Devon it was time for a diaper change and Devon went straight to time out because he would rather stand in time out than get his diaper changed. (I think he gets his stubborn streak from his daddy although Josh would claim Devon takes after me.)

In any case, I hope everyone is doing well and I will try to post more.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving! I hope everyone is having a good day. Devon is crackin' me up today, full of funny sentences and thoughts. I wanted to post a few pictures finally, including the Halloween picture everyone asked me for. Sorry I am a little late, but I am including one of Devon in his turkey hat that he made at daycare. And one of his first Nike sweatshirt and swooshy pants (Mike will be proud). We miss you all and can't wait until Christmas!

The Joy of Surviving Family Photos...

So today was our attempt to take a family photo and picture for our Christmas cards... We somehow managed to get a few good shots, but the whole time Devon tried to escape to play with a family of 8 cousins in the room next door. Plus, the studio ran late and was rude. But we survived. While we were waiting to see the photos, we took Devon to the mall (which hadn't opened up yet) and he managed to fall into a fence at the Santa picture area, which managed to bump the table behind the fence showcasing picture frames and photo snow globes, which of course meant one snow globe at the end of the table crashed to the floor. Then we got the joy of waiting for the mall to open so that we could pay for the broken globe. I felt awful, but they didn't let us pay. The lady just smiled and said it had happened a lot because the table was so close to the wobbly fence. So we came back and had Devon's picture taken with Santa (so they could get a little money from us). Devon actually sat on Santa's lap by himself. He didn't smile, but he didn't cry either. The Santa was a nice old man and I think his beard was even real. All in all, the day was a success, but I am ready for a nap.

Missing My Little Boy...

OK, only one more day until I get to see Devon again. I know he is having a ton of fun with Nana and Papa, but I am definitely missing him. I can't wait to see the little guy. I am posting a few pictures my dad emailed me from their park photo shoot today...

Pumpkin Patch Pictures!

We took Devon to the Pumpkin Patch last weekend, but I have been a little slow to post. The kiddo is wearing me out!!! He loved the pumpkin patch, I can tell we have a pumpkin basher in the making though because all he wanted to do was pick them up and throw them. He also enjoyed the corn maze, although Josh and I were wiped out from it. It had rained earlier in the week and the maze was pretty muddy so we couldn't let Devon walk by himself. Of course we got lost and Devon is pretty heavy to carry around. Josh finally realized that we were back near the entrance, but he didn't care. He just wanted out. So we never made it through the maze. (I had fun though).

Oh and Devon's personality is really coming out. He is a funny little guy. I am including some pictures from this afternoon when we were out doing errands and also a picture of him devouring a Toostie Pop... (I took it away before he could reach the center. Mean mommy!)

I am curious to see how he does on Halloween. He isn't afraid of all the scary decorations-- he actually seems to enjoy the scariest ones. He won't say "trick or treat" but he will hide and jump out and say "boo." So we will see how he does...

I hope you enjoy the pictures!