Yesterday we had a wonderful time spending Thanksgiving with long time friends of my family, the Shedlocks, down in Tucson. (my parents and sisters met us down there) It's been fun to see them more often now that we live in Mesa and are closer... and we have a cute little seudo 'grandson' to visit. Dinner was wonderful and we had a really good time. We are so grateful they welcomed us and our 'kids' into their home (they can make quite the mess at times and be a handful).

Of course we had a short photo shoot on their rocking horse... I remember it from when their boys were growing up... Porter was pretty cute on it... he would grip with his toes and try to not ride two handed, what a little dare devil =)

Here's a short peek... sorry its so dark hopefully you can see it:

And here's the little pup who gets bigger every day!!!

Till next time!!!

So normally a function like auto save would be something that I am grateful for, but at the moment I hate it with every fiber of my being... I spent around a half hour/forty-five minutes writing this cute little post and it was a pretty good one I might add. Then I thought oh I'll change the font color... so I highlighted the whole post and what happened I must have hit the space bar on my laptop and zap its gone... quick quick close the window so it will revert to the auto saved copy from a few minutes ago... what happens as soon as my post left the screen that lovely little feature auto saved my white as snow screen!!! So I am not happy about it, but I am a pretty stubborn girl and I don't have much else going on at the moment (I'm at work and everyone is sound asleep) so why not do it all over again I love repeating myself (hun, babe!).
Here goes the reconstruction (not nearly as good, but it will have to due cause there isnt anything else I can do):

Amidst feeling so tired and old (happy birthday to me today, I'm 27 now, crazy!), having a sick baby, a crazy hyper puppy, incidents at work, etc. there has been a lot to laugh and giggle about lately. So I have been making mental notes to get on here and write about them, but I have been M.I.A so hopefully I can remember all those little moments and help share the laughter a bit: (pictures always make it easier)

This first picture is sadly enough from the day after Porter got really sick. When in the bath this boy drinks a ton of bathwater (gross I know but what can you do!) So most of the time in his bath he sucks water out of the wash cloth and chews on a toothbrush. We also play this game where I get the wash cloth wet and then put it on his head. This accomplishes several things... he gets all wet and begins to get clean, it keeps him warmer, and it makes him giggle and he pulls it off his head (and nearly tips himself over sometimes). Well after throwing up so much last night he would NOT eat or drink anything this morning, not even his usual dose of bathwater. So when I put it on his head he just left it there and gave me this cute look, a little smirk and a little 'mom I don't feel good'-pathetic look. Cute as can be!

The second picture, was from a few weeks back. Porter was being oh so helpful while I was on the laptop so I set him on the floor with some toys which happened to also be near Bryce's feet. Next thing you know he is sucking on Bryce's big toe! (gross) It totally surprised Bryce who was watching TV and he kept doing it over and over... guess he likes the taste of toes. On that same story line, the other day I get home from work and I try to get Porter to nurse, what can I say I needed him too. So he's nursing and after a few minutes he stops and I look down and he is sucking on his toes... crazy kid! It was pretty funny, it definitely made me and Bryce laugh. He did it again later in the day. Now we have a strange kid who loves to suck toes!

The third picture was from a few days ago, since Porter has been sick he has totally lost his appetite... this kid is NOT a picky eater, he always wants to eat anything and everything. Well not this week or this time. This bite landed on his face after he 'helped' it not go in his mouth. Cute, but I hope it doesn't continue... I feel like I spend half my day trying to get him to eat or drink something these days. Not Fun.

In addition to these fun things Porter is always making us laugh... by laughing himself or babbling or kicking his feet all over the place or buzzing his lips. He's adorable and we are so grateful for the smiles he brings into our lives.

Next little smile/giggle maker:

Little Sadie (who is growing up so fast (she's 10 weeks old)... no one told me she would get big this fast... kind of like Porter, nothing in this family is small these days!). She is full of energy and a pretty good little pup. She is pretty much potty trained after 2 weeks and is getting better every day on her walks. She makes me laugh (almost as much as she makes me yell some days), but its so fun to watch her be so curious and spunky. Out of the blue she will start chasing her own tail... not just once around, but she makes 5 or 6 revolutions before she sits down to chew on it. If I ever get it on tape I will share it cause it is hilarious. The funniest things are her general clumsiness because shes a pup with big old paws... our hardwood floors/tile don't help out with this. She is always sliding around and her paws slipping out from under her or her bones sliding across the room. She has learned to use it to her advantage though... she will get a running start and slide under the couch or if she is chasing a ball into the kitchen she will use my rugs as skid mats to keep from slamming to the wall. Its cute except I am constantly un-rumpling them all day long... I'll should duct tape them down! She is a lot of fun though. Another cute thing she does... when we go on walks she starts out holding the leash in her mouth so that I can't pull it tight... its looks like she is trying to walk herself, its pretty cute. One last cute Sadie thing then I'll move on. Tonight just before I needed to wake up to go to work I hear this little whine and a scratch scratch on the sheets. I open my eyes and there's little Sadie... she sleeps in a crate in the living room and is not allowed in the bedrooms where there is carpet, but how could I possibly get mad when she is so cute. It was just a foreshadowing of future little kids and puppies waking me up bedside in the middle of the night. Its surprising she came to my side of the bed though cause its the far side and Bryce is much more okay with her being in the bedroom/on the bed... I might be too when she isn't at the chewing and pooping/peeing all over stage., but for now it is off limits. Anyway it was a cute way to wake up even though its not great that she shimmied her way out of her crate (guess both latches need to be locked). I just hope she went back to sleep after I left and didn't keep Bryce up (he was up last night with the flu Porter had, sick boys are no fun!)

Anyway I am grateful for my little rays of sunshine amidst the fogginess in my head and the goop in my eyes. I am grateful for my big ray of sunshine too... Bryce makes me laugh plenty. They are all a lot of work but definitely worth it I guess. Its funny how over time your perspective changes. We have nothing planned for my birthday other than working and cooking the turkey we bought (we aren't having thanksgiving at our place, but who can beat the price on turkey so we are going to freeze it and I get to practice without guests) and I need to make a pumpkin carmel pecan cheesecake (I forgot last year and ruined everything! I won't get in the door without it this year!) But I am totally okay with not having big plans ... when it comes to me and birthdays its kind of tricky because I want bryce/family/friends to do something, but I hate suprises and I hate to be the center of attention (example: I was 20 minutes late to my own bridal shower cause I didn't want to go!), but if we don't do anything its disappointing, but I hate the anxiety of not knowing whats going to happen. Luckily Bryce and I have been pretty open about it this year and I don't really care what we do or what I get... I don't really need presents even (not that I won't accept them, but its not going to make or break the day). Bryce was sweet though, he got me a very practical gift that I would never have gotten myself... a laptop battery. My old one would only stay charged for 15 minutes max, so you couldn't unplug it. Now I can go hours without tying it down to the charger which is very nice.

Anyhow I am starting to ramble and can't remember what else I put in the original post so I will cut this off with a Happy Thanksgiving, enjoy! I am SO grateful for my little rays of sunshine that bring laughter into the repetitive/task oriented days of motherhood and for my many blessing that we continue to recieve on a daily basis (even if they don't always feel like blessings, we know they are and appreciate them)! Till next time!

entering phase two

thanks for all who have been concerned with little Porter... he seems to have made it thru phase one of the flu thats going around and just before bed he enter phase two... if your asking yourself what phase two could be... well just think the other end. I'm glad I made arrangements not to work tonight... that would not have been fun for Justin to deal with. Plus 1. I'm tired 2. he's still not himself and seems a little warm and at times and 3. I don't feel like staying up all night ... so instead I'll do that tomorrow and stay up too late tonight folding laundry and watching grey's anatomy. sometimes I drive myself crazy! 2 more days before relief arrives in the form of my husband =)

2 Years!!!

I've heard from several people that they were worried because I hadn't posted anything in a week.... I've gotten several phone calls... everythings good, just had other things going on and it didn't fall at the top of the list, sorry!

Happy Anniversary to us (it was on Monday Nov. 12th)!!!

It's hard to believe that as of Monday we have been married for 2 years! At times it feels like we've been together forever and then other times it feels like it was just yesterday. We've been through quite a bit, but we have so much to be grateful for... our jobs, our home, our healthy adorable child, our mischievous/crazy puppy, our health, our wonderful extended family and friends and most of all each other! This time of year always gets me thinking because I get older next week as well... I was talking to my visiting teachers and then a friend about how I feel so old and at times it doesn't always feel like I have accomplished that much, but I do have a college degree, an amazing husband, a beautiful child, a cute puppy, a home, and so many blessings I couldn't count all of them if I tried... and I'm only 27. Oh well its just a number these days anyway... I have a hard time even remembering how old I am, its like once your 'off the market' it doesn't really matter =)... (I'm always younger than he is!!!)

I am always (or try to be) grateful for my husband, but he's gone this week until saturday (working in Tucson) and I am missing all the help he gives me with our son and the puppy (like Porter landing in bed next to me in the morning instead of me having to go get him)... plus the adult conversation. I wouldn't do well as a single mom, I would go crazy pretty fast. Its been a confidence builder that I can handle it all on my own, but I would definately rather not, I haven't been alone for this long since getting married, I haven't ever been alone with Porter for this long (like overnight... i'm with him alone all day)... I definately don't like it... how did I do it before, I get freaked out so easy these days! I've checked the door locks so many times and closed all the blinds, its pretty funny when I think about it. Too bad Sadie isn't much of a protector yet... unless you count peeing on peoples feet as protection!

In other news, our puppy is growing and learning so much, she really is a pretty good little pup when she wants to be. I was worried there for the first few days we were not friends because she kept Bryce up all night and had accidents and whined and whined. She's past that now and is a lot more fun. Its great to watch her interact with Porter and how Porter watches her every move... she's almost more exciting that tv these days! They are going to be the best of friends in no time. I don't have any new pictures of her so I'll work on that. I wanted to post pictures of Porter at the park, he loves the swing... but they are on Bryce's phone so it'll have to wait till he gets back. To make up for that here are some pictures taken at grandpa and grandma cox's a little ways back, this kid loves oreos (we are bad parents and let him have anything):

PS- as i was finshing this post after putting porter to bed i heard a very weird cry and found Porter very sick, he's been throwing up ever since.... so sad, its the saddest face i've EVER seen, he just doesn't understand or know what to do. it was tough for bryce to hear it over the phone ... almost as hard as for grandma bird to hear, since she's the second person i called (after bryce) this mom has no idea what to do when her infant starts throwing up like this! i'm kind of glad bryce isn't here to see this, he had a hard time watching me throw up when i was pregnant, the very few times i was sick, and this is ten billion times worse!

a puppy and a photo shoot

So Porter's Pup was old enough to come home with us this weekend so we drove up and picked her up from Grandpa and Grandma Cox. We named her Sadie (grandpa says thats an old ladies name, but we think its cute) and she's a smart little pup... within hours of being home with us she understood how the doggy door worked... but she is lonely and misses her 9 brothers and sisters and mom... she cried a lot the first evening/night and kept Bryce up a lot of the night... hopefully tomorrow gets better (i'm not sure bryce can do too many sleepless nights in a row and I work again tomorrow night). I hope she settles in quickly because its been like having another kid, but I don't know what to do with her to teach her... not that I know what to do with Porter, but it just seems to come a little more natural to raise my son than teach a puppy. Anyway Bryce had lots of work to do up in Lakeside this weekend, so I spent the day with Porter and we had to pick a puppy... there were two little girls we needed to pick from and I swear it felt like we were on the tv show 'the bachelor'... I would take one of them out for one on one time and then the other and then on 'group dates' and I liked them both and didn't know which one to pick. Everyone told me different stuff aboout each one and I kept changing my mind and it just got real confusing and hard to choose. And then in the end I just had to pick one... Sadie seemed a little more drawn to Porter and more interested in us... she would come sit on my lap and snuggle up to me, so in a sense she picked us and I went with it.

Along with picking a puppy and hanging out in the nice weather up in the mountains there were some fall leaves around and so of course it was time for a photo shoot... Porter just loves this (not so much), he cooperated a little, but mostly ate leaves and looked at me like I was crazy. I've been wanting some pictures but I really don't want to pay someone to take them because Porter isn't a fan and everyone knows how much I love pictures. I like to have good pictures but I hate having my picture taken. My camera battery started to die so it was hard to get him when he was smiling because it would get stopped up and would stall taking the picture... oh well I got a few and thats all that matters. Here's a couple... you can't beat free when it comes to cute pictures.

We are so lucky to get this little pup and we are so excited to have our little family grow. Sadie will bring so much joy into our lives (once we show her the ropes and she stops being so scared!)