Happy Anniversary!

1 beautiful baby boy
2 years of real income (because teacher salary doesn't count)
3 college graduation ceremonies
4 times we've moved (in three different states)
5 cars we've owned together (all more than 10 years old)
6 wonderful years togetherWe celebrated 6 years on Sunday. We went to Olive Garden Saturday night and to the temple on Tuesday. It was simple, but very nice to be alone. A much appreciative thank you to my mom and dad for watching our little rugrat!

Happy 1st Birthday, Collin!

Collin’s Favorites

(by the Alphabet)

Albert: his koala he sleeps with
Blankie: he would like to carry it around all day but his mean mom won’t let him
Claps: he loves to clap his hands and give others “five”
Dogs: especially his new Bolt stuffed animal
Entertainment: wants everyone looking, talking and playing with him at all times
Food: anything and everything all the time
Gate: he loves to look down the stairs from behind the bars of his baby gate
Harrison: his hedgehog that makes car rides much smoother
Ice cream: especially chocolate with peanut butter from Coldstone
Juice: when poured with a traditional cup (requiring an astronomical amount of patience)
Kitchen: loves to open all the cupboards and drawers and remove all the contents
Laughing: when Collin hears others laugh he tilts his head back and laughs too
Monkey Mike: his sock monkey who always gets his arms chewed on
Nursing: loves to climb up in my lap and chow down
Oatmeal: Collin’s favorite meal – mixed with applesauce and apple juice
Phones: anyone’s all the time
Quickly-reacting parents: when he wants something he wants it NOW
Ribbons: and anything with a silky texture
Shoes: but not socks – he always takes off his socks but loves to chew on his shoes
Television: he loves to stand and try to hold whatever is on the screen
Uninterrupted time for #2: the only time Collin plays alone is when he’s going
Videos: Baby Einstein in the car and Sesame Street at home
Water: he misses his swimming pool but a bath is almost as good especially with bubbles
Xoxo: Collin crawls over to me while playing during the day and gives me hugs and kisses
Yogurt: peach and strawberry without the fruit pieces – which he filters and spits out
Zippers: loves the noise and could play with one all day

And the Mandatory "1st Birthday Mess" Pictures

Happy Birthday, Little Guy!

Due Date plus One Year

Just one year ago today, I sat stewing over the fact that my baby had yet to arrive on the scene. I worried about his birthday being far too close to Christmas, and I still wasn't sure how much closer he'd get. I had been preparing for months for his arrival, had all my Christmas shopping done and wrapped under the decorated tree. The freezer was even stocked with casseroles! I was bored, and I was impatient, and I was quite grumpy.

Fast forward one year.

Last night I sat on the couch wanting to sleep but instead creating "Lindsey's Panic List." We had zero Christmas decorations up (due to the dust, company and chaos of the remodel), we had two more new light fixtures in their packages still needing to be hung, Collin's little finger prints were visible on EVERY surface because of the thick dust, tools and other large equipment still filled the kitchen floor and counter tops, we have the missionaries schedule for dinner tomorrow and I forgot when I did the grocery shopping, and I had yet to wrap a single present.

Today through some amazing teamwork, Ryan and I we were able to finish our Christmas shopping, wrap and ship the rest of the packages, hang two light fixtures and buy one more, mop all the new flooring, dust all horizontal surfaces, put up our little 3-foot artifical tree, hang our three stockings, and go to breakfast at Bob Evans. A mighty successful day indeed, and it put quite the dent in my Panic List.

But of all the things I did today, I think I will remember most putting up our nativity scene. Before I put Collin to bed tonight, I told him about the Mary and Joseph, the shepherds and the wise men. I told him about the little baby Jesus, and how I remembered waiting for him so eagerly just one year ago today. I told him about my own impatience and boredom - in sharp contrast to today.

Tonight, just less than one year into motherhood, I feel immense gratitude for this past year with my own little baby. What a blessing he has been to us.

My Gorgeous Dining Room, soon-to-be Den

Here's a look at our new dining room.

It is currently furniture-less, but the plan is to decorate it as a den - we're thinking "law office."This view is from the master bedroom looking in. I love seeing this each morning when I wake up. Definitely worth the work! Here's one of the pillars that caused me to want this house. It looks right at home with our new casings, mouldings and wainscoting.
Here's you can see the tray ceiling. We painted the ceiling pure white, and then placed the crown at the bottom. You can also see where Ryan scraped and sanded for a smooth effect between crowns. It certainly makes the room seem taller. I wish the photo showed all the definition of real-life.

Here's a zoomed-out view which includes the new chandelier we purchased today. I love the wood flooring's contrast to the cream wainscoting. We decided pretty last minute to put casings around all the doorways, and I am so glad we did. Beautiful.
And this picture gives probably the best zoomed out overall view. You can see the two-piece crown, tray ceiling, wainscoting, and wood floor. I love the can-lights shining on the cranberry paint.

Isn't it simply gorgeous?!

What I've Been Up To... The Spin

My mom and brother are into public relations, and I've learned that even the worst situations can be retold "with a spin." Here's yesterday's post with a new, fresh outlook.

Dining Room

I am getting a new dining room! It is going to look BEAUTIFUL, and I can't wait. We've been dreaming of this remodel since before we even made the offer on the house, and now here we are in the midst of it. We even got the first coat of paint on the top half of the walls today, and I just love it! An added bonus is that Ryan's parents are coming to visit us next week in order to teach us how to cut and lay hardwood, cut and attach crown moulding, and cut and hang wainscoting. I can't wait to see them, especially since it was such an unexpected visit.

Colds

Collin is building immunities at a rapid pace for the many germs that surround him. Soon there won't be a cold germ out there that he can't fight off!

Diaper Changes

Last night Collin was grunting and making funny faces while in the bath. I picked him up and planted him on the toilet. Nothing happened, but I know that one day Collin will no longer wear diapers. Thank goodness.

Milk

I am grateful for the chance I have to sit with my baby four times a day and hold him in my arms. It is probably the only time he actually sits still during the day! I love the big smile he gets when I sit in my chair and put the boppy around my waist. He crawls up to me and puts his arms up for me to pick him up. I love this time we get to spend together, just the two of us. I know it sounds cheesy, but it's the truth. And even though it's hard to believe, I know it won't last forever, so I'm going to savor this time while it lasts.

Seminary

I am so grateful for the opportunity to teach each day. I miss having my own classroom and my own students so much, and I think that seminary has given me that outlet each day without having to put Collin in daycare. I have the best of both worlds: getting to be my son's mom full-time and getting to teach students in a classroom setting daily. I am grateful for this calling at this time of adjustment in my life.

And there you have it. Life can either be lemons or lemonade; it is my choice!

What I've Been Up To

Warning: I am feeling whiney.

Dining Room

We are remodeling our dining room. The house has been caked in dust on three separate occasions as Ryan has scraped and sanded the textured ceiling to prepare for the crown moulding. I dusted for the home teachers and then for our company over Thanksgiving weekend two days later, but the current caking is sticking around until we're finished. It's just not worth it.

We also ripped out all the nasty carpet, and we have a huge stack of boxes of hardwood lining our entryway. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that we get it laid next week while Ryan's parents are here to help.

The house stinks of paint (we actually have only primed so far, so we still have lots more stink to deal with), and I'm tired of telling Collin to stop messing with the plastic covering all the doorways. He also loves to mess with the tape on the carpet marking where to cut for the new entryway.

I keep telling myself that it will all be worth it. I hope I'm right.

Colds

Collin has been healthy exactly 1/2 of one week in November. No exaggeration. He caught a cold at Stake Conference on November 1st that lasted 2 1/2 weeks, and then last Tuesday he caught another. This one is still going strong.

Colds for Collin include many, many night wakings and prolonged coughing spells. They also include a constant clear drip from his nose, and persistent globs of green goo hardened to the tip of his nose after naps. These rocks also somehow always end up in his hair. I don't think anyone could protest longer, harder or more adamantly to having their nose wiped, and the harden ones take far more than a mere swipe. He also has decided to sleep far fewer hours at night than Ryan and I are accustomed to. I'm hoping this change is also cold-induced.

Diaper Changes

On Sunday, I lost the battle of changing his diaper, and he crawled away naked... resulting in a wet couch and throw pillow (I swear he was only out of the diaper less than a minute!) Unfortunately he also had diarrhea yesterday, and I got so sick of wrestling him on the floor to clean him up that he also has a nasty diaper rash. Oops.

Milk

Collin does not drink from a sippy cup, despite my introduction of a cup at 6 months. I've spent a small fortune buying numerous different types. No cup for my baby.

Last week I went to the grocery store while Collin was napping. I always nurse him when he awakes and I should have had plenty of time to get back, but he awoke much too early. Ryan frantically prepared a bottle, but he would have nothing to do with it. No bottle for my baby

Instead he chose to sit on the kitchen floor screaming his head off until his mom got home 20 minutes later. When she deciding to take her shoes off before sitting down in the chair, he climbed up her leg and shrieked like nothing you'd ever believe. Heaven forbid she'd not get right to it.

Seminary

"You look like a wreck." This was the greeting I received early, early Monday morning.

Thank you. It's nice to see you this morning too. If you only knew...

De-Pants-ed

Yes, he was wearing those pants before his nap.

(I only sometimes put them nearby -

but just out of reach - in order to taunt him.)

1, 2, 3 Candies... Ah-ah-ah!

Happy Halloween from The Countand his bats!

Inspirations...

The Count Pumpkin at Tanner's Orchard

And his fangs! Check those things out.

And some candids...

Mmm, candy. This is good stuff.

All done candy? I don't think so!

Ready for my date to the Prom

No more! Enough!

Bubble Bath

So Ryan is doing some shift work now. In the words of my mom: "I thought someone with that much education wouldn't have to work funny shifts." Well, not a Caterpillar. Ryan's engine shares an exhaust system with the neighboring engine. The other engineer is working 10/4s (10 hours per day, 4 days per week) from 7am to 5pm. In order to maximize the time to run their engines, Ryan is now working 3pm to 11pm.

At first I groaned too and it is only Day Two, but so far I am really liking...
1 - Spending time during the day together.
2 - Not having to argue with him when I want to go to bed early.
3 - Running errands together as a family.
4 - Ryan getting to see Collin at "good times" and not just when he's grumpy and ready for bed.

On the other hand, there are drawbacks...
1 - Putting Collin to bed by myself.
2 - Being lonely in the evenings.
3 - Getting into a cold bed by myself.
4 - Getting woken up at 11:30pm when Ryan climbs in next to me.
5 - Eating dinner by myself.
6 - No more socializing with friends in the evenings for me.

We'll see how this goes. Obviously, we are going through some re-writing of how I spend my day with Collin. One such re-write is Collin's bath time. I have always given him a bath first thing in the morning after his breakfast and before Sesame Street comes on. Tonight I had NO IDEA what to do with him during his "grumpy time" from 4-6pm. After some webcam-ing with Grandma, she suggested a bubble bath. Of course, most moms do bath time before bed, so maybe this will become a new tradition for us. Until tonight, I had never given Collin a bath with bubbles; I guess I'm a mean mom. I've plopped him in with toys and scrubbed him up, but no bubbles.
Yeah, he wrote his own name. No, just kidding. But yes I do spend time talking to him about the letters. The teacher in me can't be silenced!
He usually just chews on his toys. Of course, he usually chews on everything, so I shouldn't be surprised this is how he spends his bath time too.
Look at those smiles. You probably don't believe that this is his grumpy time of the day.

He is such a daredevil. It freaks me out, but he reaches and grabs for everything. He definitely doesn't just sit and let the world go by around him.
He wasn't a big fan of the taste of the water with bubbles, but I appreciated the modesty they provided for my photo shoot.He doesn't really mind getting his face wet, which I'm sure will be nice when we go swimming again next summer.
And when he's all done (or if he has to pee), he stands up to let me know. What a cutie!

A Cold Fall

As long as we are living in Illinois, we plan on making a trip to Tanner's Orchard a fall family tradition. We went last fall when I was about 30 weeks pregnant, and now Collin is 10 months old. Here he is among the pumpkins. He is quite eager to walk, so Ryan holds him by the hands so he can get around. Collin is getting the hang of it quickly and is cruising a little around the living room at home. I, on the other hand, am not so eager for any more increase in his mobility and do not encourage such activities. I just can't get enough of how cute he looks in this little hat. He also hasn't figured out how to get it off yet, so that's a nice blessing.

Ryan decided to take Collin for a ride on the train. Collin, of course, wanted to make sure he got to drive! He already has oldest-child syndrome! I love these pictures with Collin amid the pumpkins. I also love the field in the background. Classic Midwest.

Collin always knows which gear or lever to hang on to. Ryan sat him on this tractor (I actually have no idea what it is; some kind of old-fashioned corn harvester?), and he immediately grabbed the handle.
We can't help hoping that one day Collin will no longer need us to change his pants. Hairy legs or not, we look forward to the days he can use "the outhouse."

A school bus! I'm sure Tanner's is a common destination for elementary field trips, so maybe one day I can chaperone for Collin's class.

We thought if we go back to Tanner's each year that it might be fun to see how tall he is each time. Unfortunately, he wouldn't stand on his own, and I think he is actually sitting on Ryan's hand. Whatever; we tried.This next picture was taken the same afternoon when we got home. My little baby is turning into a little boy!

I can't believe how gorgeous his big, blue eyes are. Since I have no idea how to use PhotoShop, I promise I didn't do anything to enhance them. They really do look like that in the sunlight.

It was another fun year at the orchard. Hopefully, we'll have a few more weeks of Fall weather before the bitter winter sets in.

Sarah's Big, Fat Greek Wedding

We had the chance to spend a long weekend in Ohio, and it was the best. Here are some highlights of our time in the Buckeye State...

Hocking Hills Chalets

We spent our first night away from home here. Quaint, huh?

We had so much fun at our little cabin. Collin was super hyper when we got there, but after dinner he went right to sleep.Collin slept in the bedroom on the first floor, so Ryan and I had the evening to sit in the private hot tub, watch cable tv, and relax. Then we slept in the loft upstairs. It was the best!

Old Man's Cave

Friday morning we headed to do some light hiking. I am so glad we got this backpack for Collin in September. He loves it!

It was much colder than we had planned for, so we didn't stay for as long as I would have liked, but it was beautiful.

Christy & Garrett

Saturday morning we got ready for the wedding, and then we headed to my good friend Christy's house. Her baby Garrett is exactly two months older than Collin.

They are nearly the same size, but Garrett hasn't quite learned the art of sharing. Collin held his own though.

The Macedonian Wedding

Now the reason for our little vacation... My friend Sarah married a Macedonian, and we were excited to see all the culture. They have been dating since October 1999 (our senior year), so this wedding has been in the works for TEN years! We weren't disappointed! The wedding party alone was about 30 people.

Some of the highlights of the ceremony... gold-wrapped candies and coins thrown into the audience mid-ceremony, crowns swapped back and forth between the bride's and groom's heads, hands being tied together with ribbon then walking around the alter three times, and ALL in the Macedonian language except "in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit" for 45 minutes.

The Macedonian PARTY!

After the wedding, we went back to my friend's home and put Collin to bed. Then we headed to the Hilton for the party. I know most people would have just called this a dinner and reception, but they would be mistaken. This was a party! And definitely the best wedding party I've ever been too! A few highlights of the party...

The Hog Dance

Before dinner was served, the men left the head tables and returned with a pig: a giant cooked pig with potatoes and carrots on a platter. The Best Man (with some help!) hauled it around the room while the 500 people in attendance stuffed money inside. The rest of the Groom's Men followed behind the pig in aprons and chef's hats clanging together serving forks and carving knives. Some even clanged together wine bottles. It was quite the spectacle.

Meanwhile, the Bride's Maids danced around the floor holding hands and shaking tamborines. I'll assure you that you've never seen anything like it!

The Bread Dance

We didn't get a picture of the bread dance, but just picture something straight from 'Fiddler on the Roof.' There was a wrapped box (I assume it held a fancy loaf of bread), and someone held the box and danced with it in the center of the floor. Everyone else (and I mean everyone; Ryan and I joined too!) danced in a huge line that looped around and around the floor. It was a traditional Macedonian dance with a live band of drums.

They continued this dance for 45 minutes with the bread box, and then throughout the rest of the night. The music would begin again, and everyone would pause their conversations to join the forming circle in the center. Awesome!

The Cake Cutting

There were a few American traditions sprinkled in, like a cake-cutting, bouquet toss and THREE American slow dances.

Here I am with my two best friends from high school.

And here I am with my forever best friend. Congratulations Sarah and Alex!