Patrick's 4th

Wow!

So it came and went, that one day where Patrick turned four.

We started off our day like any other, but this day was in fact special. Jerry worked, but Patrick and I started off our morning with a common roll around in the covers

for ten minutes. Man we love to roll around and tickle, and giggle, and love on one another in the mornings, it really starts off the day right ya know? As I laid there next to my now 4 year old child, I could not help but be overcome for a moment by a flood of feelings. These are some of those thoughts and feelings.

The first being how beautiful my son is to me. I mean, wow! I am so totally in love with my child, and of course I know there is more to a person then their looks, but like most parents, I happen to think mine is stunningly handsome. I love his little mouth and eyes, I love the shape of his

eyebrows, and his chin. I love his little hands and feet, and those knobby knees in between.

The second was the realization that not so long a go those little hands and feet used to be much

smaller.

I mourn the baby he once was, and I miss his neediness that he once had for me. I miss how

close we once were. Not that we are distant by any means, but we were much closer. I do however have the great memories of three whole years of nursing and constant closeness that I loved and hated all at the same time.

I was also content with this new four year old before me. So confident and sure. So strong and

brave. So willing and eager to learn new things, and desperately still needing his mommy from

time to time.

And lastly excitement for the many years to come. Anticipation of new adventures and battles,

and an absolute knowing that he will grow into a strong, loving, compassionate human being. This last emotion was over whelming for me. I have so many hopes and dreams for my child. I am thrilled beyond belief that Jerry and I are able to provide a stable, safe, loving environment

for Patrick to grow up in. One where his spirit is not crushed, one where he can trust in and count on his parents. One where he is allowed to be whoever he wants to be, without any

judgment being passed on him. These things are hard to come by, and for me, none of these were possible as a child. I am eternally grateful to the powers that be, that have allowed me to have children, and provide the things for them that children so desperately need.

So on to the rest of our day! I made sure that before we even left the bed that I told my new four

year old that "Today is your Birthday". Oh, that sounded like a good thing to him. I told him all

about how tiny he used to be, and how big he is now. He loves, like most children, to hear about how cute and little he once was.

We started our day with breakfast, and getting dressed. It was his day,

so for breakfast he had 2, count them, 2 pop tarts. (he's only ever allowed one at a time, lol) He then decided to dress himself, and thought that the perfect outfit consisted of a white Hawaiian shirt, caki shorts,

and cowboy boots. What a character this one is. Did I mention this outfit also was accessorized with a red spider man glove, so that he

could be, Davy Jones, off of Pirates of the Caribbean. Here my friends and family is a snapshot of that wonderful outfit.

Moving on.......we started early making our cupcakes. Ran some errands, started the cake, decorated for the party, ran out of time, had

unexpected guests, and finally a party at apx 7pm.

Wow! By this time my feet were pretty swollen and hurting like you would not believe, but it was showtime.

We had a Pirate Party! We had eye patches and gold coins, we had a pirate ship shaped cake and cupcakes with little pirate signs in them.

I knew this would be the year for Patrick, where the birthday made since, and it did. He was so excited to see everyone, and even more excited to see all of the presents. Every time someone would tell Patrick, "Happy Birthday", he would say,"Happy Birthday to you" back. Too stinking cute! He was thrilled, and was around all of his favorite people. The evening was a success. No crying through the Happy Birthday song like last year. He is a big boy now!

Fathers Day

Fathers Day was a success!

We started off our morning rolling around in bed, Patrick, Jerry and I, until the unanimous decision came to leave the nest. We made our rounds, turning on the air conditioner for the day, letting the dog out to use the bathroom, and letting the cats out of the back room. The next task at hand you ask? Breakfast! My husband, Jerry, loves sausage, biscuits and gravy, so that my friends is what I made for him. Yesterday we had banana pancakes, another favorite of his. Patrick and I gave dad his Fathers Day cards.

We hung out at the house and eventually made it to the park, which was full of everyone from town might I add, lol. We played, or rather the boys did. My brother tagged along which gave Jerry and Patrick someone else to play with. I sat most of the time, as my feet were swelling. We played some ball and played on the jungle jim a few times.

After the park we headed out for dinner. Applebee's was on the menu, and it was rather satisfying. We ate, laughed, talked and then headed to my brothers to hang for a bit. A little after nine we got home. All in all I have to say the day was a success. I would have loved to had many more photos but Mr. Patrick apparently does not like his picture taken, and the only one I did get of him that he did not make me delete is the one posted.

The countdown is on!

Patrick's birthday is almost here. I guess to some he is 4, seeing as it is days away, but to me, until it hits June 23rd at 8:56 am, he will still be 3. My baby has become so big, and he reminds me on a daily basis what a big boy he is by telling me in a condescending voice of sorts, "I can do it by myself!"

The clock is ticking, down to those moments when I have a 4 year old, and for the life of me I can not figure out how 4 years has gone by, it just seems to unreal. In the last four years we have nursed and weaned, we have had boo~boo's and ouchies, we have been sick and well, learned to crawl, talk, walk, had many haircuts, learned to sleep alone and potty trained. The list goes on, and I have been so thankful that I have been able to stay home so I never missed these things, and was able to document them. Trust me, my computer is filled with photos of my child, more than I ever thought a person could take.

I can not wait until Patrick's birthday and it is something I have planned with great pride. I took Patrick to Hobby Lobby this week, and he and I picked out his birthday theme together, well, kinda. It was more like, "I want this", and I said, "Okay", and threw it all in a basket, lol. I knew this year was going to be a big year for us, in many ways. It very well may be the first year that Patrick really remembers for years to come. I want his birthday to be spectacular and memorable. Does this mean I go rent a bouncy castle? If I had the cash......I very well might have, lol.

I can not wait to see what the rest of this year brings. An amazing birthday for Patrick, a new family member on the way, and I can not wait until Christmas to plan a memorable one for Patrick once again. May seem silly, but I can offer my child good, happy, fun, memories and that is something I want desperately to give him. We are having Patrick's birthday party on the evening of his Birthday, and I so can not wait, lot's of planning.

As some of you know Patrick has a severe dairy allergy and so this proves difficult for us at times. But being the awesome mom I am, lol, have carefully prepared for the best dairy free cake for my kiddo. I can't wait to take pictures of the big day, and post them here. Until then....you will have to read about something else.

Perhaps I will continue my Alaska story this week we will see.................

Nothing but news

Feeling pretty busy these days.

I am running the Attachment Parenting Group in town, witch only has meetings once a month, but it still takes hours and sometimes days to prepare for the meeting topics. I have two moms who are going to take over for the months of August and September so that I don't have to fret while having a newborn, so that is a relief. I have organized playgroups for every Friday morning for anyone who wants to come, which I am proud of and am happy to do, but still requires a little brain power which is something I run in short supply of some days, lol.

Fathers day is right around the corner, as is Patrick's birthday. I still have yet to actually actively plan his party,lol, I am such a slacker.

I hit 30 weeks today and can not believe how close "The Birth Day" is coming. I feel like I slept

through the whole thing, it has just flown by, and I so thought it was going to at least seem to last forever. It has not, now I am running around trying to make sure we are ready. Are we ready? Mostly. I have to order my birth kit still, but I still have some time. Patrick was 10 days late, so I can not wait to see when this little one decides to join us, that in it's self is exciting enough. I find myself having fluctuations of excitement knowing that it is getting so close, that actually having the baby will be my first time, (seeing how Patrick was a c-section and I never was allowed to go into actual labor), and more than anything, we have no clue what the sex of the baby is, and that to me is the most exciting, anticipating thing about it all. I imagine that I will cost through the whole delivery on a high of adrenaline, as I tend to do in many situations.

I have still been sewing, and having fun doing so.

I finally got the baby's bed ready, don't know if the baby will actually sleep there but we will see. We received our co-sleeping bassinet courtesy of my grandparents, and it was just to plain. So I made a cover for the pad on it, as well as a mobile to hang over it when it is not next to the bed. I still have a few projects in my head that I want to do, and I bought myself some new sewing books with my birthday money, lol. I made an Amy Butler bag that is huge, but cute.

I have also been nesting. With Patrick I was a freak nesting, scrubbing base boards with a toothbrush at 9 months pregnant, even though he would not be crawling for some time. I have been experiencing similar instincts lately and spent the day yesterday cleaning the outside of my refrigerator and trash can, dusting corners and sweeping, mopping, you name it.

Anyway, just kind of an update on whats going on here and with me. I got a new recliner from a friend that has come in really handy for my swelling feet, and have already found myself in it often. Loving it.

Growing Up

My Little Man Is Going On Four!

   Patrick is turning four this month, and I can not believe it. How in the world could time have gone by so fast? It only seems like yesterday he arrived and Jerry and I found ourselves new parents. We struggled in the beginning like most parents do, but found our niche. Our little threesome has been wonderful these last four years, and I would not have it any other way. Jerry and I are so happy to have Patrick 

in our lives, and can not imagine a life without him. I feel so blessed, that I have been able to stay home with him all of these years, and play with him, grow with him, and be there to rub sick belly's, and wipe tears, and kiss ouchies, that too, I would never change. I have not regretted being here for him, watching him, loving him, and am glad that we have had all of the time we have had. he really has been the light in my life.

 

Patrick has accomplished so much, in the little time he has been here,

 and I am so eager to see what the coming years 

will bring. I know I will mourn the loss of my baby, the baby he once was, and I know that when he reaches his teen years, I may wish the doctor never pulled him out, lol, but my baby he will be forever and ever. 

 

  Now comes the fun part, planing

 a birthday bash for my kiddo. I seem to be having some trouble this year, but I know that no matter what, he will have a great day. I am so excited to give him a day that is his, he is finally big enough that he gets the concept and seems to think that a birthday is pretty darn special, as they should be! So here is to you Patrick, I love you more than anything in the world. I look forward to your big day, because you deserve a day that is yours, especially for putting 

up with a mom like me, lol! Thank you for letting me torture you with my camera, I will be forever grateful cowboy!

29 Weeks going on 40

   Well, once we hit 30, there is only 10 weeks left. Guess I better start getting things really put together huh? The baby is the topic of most conversations right now, which I suppose is a good thing, because it helps us mentally prepare for a new member of the family. I have started talking to Patrick about all of the wonderful things about having a new baby, but I have also started to prepare him for the things he may not like. I am worried about the fragile emotional state of my child, lol. I know to some this sounds preposterous, but we have practiced attachment parenting in our home, and we have really tried to be emotionally there for Patrick, when he needs us, and to tend to his insecurities and so on. I am a little nervous to see how everything will work out, but have faith that it will.

   The baby is not moving as much as it had been w

eeks previous, I am told this is common to feel a lot of activity, 

and then little, due to a tighter space. I still keep dreaming that the baby is born, and it is in fact a girl. At this point I have decided to just state it, It's a girl. If I am wrong, then I was wro

ng, but I figure I might as well have some faith and believe she's a she. She is probably very upset at me right now, because I have been sick for the last week with a cold. Every time I cough, my abdomen muscles tighten and squeeze the baby, I can feel the baby move after I have coughed a few times, lol. I have been miserable but for like the first time in like..ever, I was taken care of while sick. Jerry left work early the other day so he could come home and help me, and my mother spent most of her day off over, cooking for me and playing with Patrick so I could get some rest. Thanks!

   

Well, I would love some pregnancy photos

 of myself because,

 well I would, I never did any with

 Patrick and wish that I had, but I am not willing to pay up the butt for them. That's right I said, up the butt! Everyone in town wants too much, and my god, Christi Cross wants $250 just for the session, that's not including the photos, and just between you and me.......she's not that good! Did I say that to loud? Lol, so I have decided to take some of my own, and will attempt to do the same until I, "POP". 

It is hard to photograph yourself, especially when you have a child

 hopping in and out of the frame and sticking their hands in....lol, what a little turd he was. But I got one with him as well.

My Birthday

So this seems to be a trend, I post on a regular basis, and then like that, bam, gone from the blog map, lol. I am busy you know! So now it is time for the fun game pf catch up.

My Birthday.......

   My birthday was wonderful and I would not have had it any other way. I cooked for myself, as only I can cook, and I made some of my most yummy foods that I love to eat. I did cheat, and had a steak! The dinner was great. Jerry bought me a cute little birthday card and a movie, which was just what I wanted. 

To top off the day, we had the most delicious, moist, heaven on earth, gluten free, dairy free cupcakes. My gosh they were so good, and I have decided to make them on a regular basis, every girl needs a fix, and chocolate is mine! Don't they just look yummy? Oh, they were so good! Since my birthday was during the week, Jerry and I waited until the weekend for him to take me out for our, "Birthday dinner and a movie." My brother graciously watched Patrick for us and Jerry and I went out. Nothing fancy, once again I cheated and had him take me to Arby's, lol. When I was pregnant with Patrick, we would drive to the next town over, Wentzville, for our doctors visits, we would eat there in town either at Arby's or Jack in the box. I thought it would be fun, just once to have Arby's again. I was however horribly disappointed. They are expensive, and I mean crazy expensive, but I figure if I can get a good meal, I will pay it. I ordered a Medium Beef & Cheddar Meal, for $8 bucks....$8 bucks! I got a regular sized beef & Cheddar with no Cheddar, cold, and a crusty bun. Lol, Jerry and I could not help but laugh at the situation. I like my food the way I like it, and if you mess with my food you will pay, lol. I fought off all thoughts and urges, of saying something, and just ate my crusty, cold, cheddarless, $8 dollar beef and cheddar for my birthday cheat dinner. That should teach me to cheat on my good food diet, eh? Afterwards Jerry and I went to go see the new Star Trek movie, which was AWESOME! I am a total Trekkie so I was thrilled to see the movie. It was great, I loved it, and can not wait for it to come out on DVD so I can buy it. So all in all it was a great birthday, that kinda lingered through the week.