and then there were 3: one year anniversary of becoming mama and dada

....to continue his amazing story, he is just like his mom right on time, yet a tad fashionably late. Will didn't want to get evicted at 41 weeks so a day before, he made his grand appearance, just in time for grandpa and Gigi who were driving back in town to see him, he's thoughtful like that. From a middle of the night start of labor and admittance to the hospital, from getting a whole new closeness of this marriage thing as Luke had to help me go to the bathroom about ever 15 minutes during labor, holding iv's monitors and all. Then we went home and the reality set in, we were real live parents, William's every thought and well being from here on out depended on us and if we were "good" parents. From Luke sleeping on Will's floor the first night, to nursing trials and triumphs, and four plane rides with a newbie we have mastered one of the hardest titles out there: parents.

A first birthday not only celebrates our royal highness becoming one but it also marks a big milestone for Luke and I, we made it, one whole year, we didn't screw up too bad, and now I'd consider us pros. We've ate with one arm countless times, rocked and sang who knows what at 3 am, debated all the debateables, quit nursing or keep going, let him cry it out or pick him up, our trial and error in judgement of babysitters, and I don't think I could ever even begin to try and count for you the number of doctor visits we have been through in this first year.

A clean house, the new fashion styles, flat tummys, and just being caught up, things I used to loathe are just on the back burner of my mind these days because of my new title and one I carry proudly, mama.

It's almost time....

...for Will's first birthday! Here is a little "memory picture" I made to display at his party. With crazy schedules I have been working on his party, buying things etc for the past two months {crazy I know} but I just have to do things when I have time, which is few and far between. I think the first birthday is a big milestone and I really wanted to make it a special occasion for our little man, I am excited to see it all come together this weekend!

I cant believe it has been a year since he was in my belly...but we'll get into that later.
This morning I went in like any other morning to get Will, I had to wake him up because he was still sleeping. He had pee'd out of his overnight diaper so we were changing clothes on the changing table, daddy was standing by Will giving his medicine and I sat him up to put on his new shirt... then it happened. He leaned over, put both his arms around my neck, and squeezed me really tight for a few seconds then let go. He looked up at me to see my reaction and of course tears were rolling down my cheeks. It was the most unspoken pure sign of love I had ever felt. With babies and kids you don't always know how they feel or what they are thinking, but at that moment I knew my baby loved me very much.

Current Obsessions: Trucks

I continue you keep my blog for many reasons, one of the main being that it is a great lil online scrapbook of many memories, milestones, photos etc for our family. I thought one thing that would be fun to try and update once in a while is Will's favorite toys he's into. I think it'd be fun to look back at.

Right now Will is obsessed with cars and trucks, maybe he'll be a race car driver, or a dump truck guy... what would you call that? Right now I am looking around for a dump truck that the contents do not spill out too easily. He likes to put things in them and push it around. {see video} it gets frustrating when they fall out easily.

The other day it was really nice out and Will and I spent some time hanging out in the backyard for a while.

Other love he has now and all the time is still books.

Momma gets kisses

Recently Will has started to hug and kiss, melt.my.heart. Just when you think it cant get any better....

Williams First Hair Cut!

Well friends it was time, my little boy was looking a little well... hoosier unkept. So in we went to get his first haircut, for this one we just went to my salon  my hairdresser is young and super nice, William sat on my lap, held some combs, looked at himself in the mirror, looked at all the other ladies who ohhhed and ahhhhed at him of course, and in less than 5 minutes he was done!

Having a snack BEFORE

                                                                      BEFORE

                                                     Flirting and waiting for our turn, BEFORE

                                                                         AFTER!

The next morning on the way to Miss Michelle's, he usually looks crazy in the morning from his hair going ever which way! :-)

First Ranch visit and Dads 60th!

August 27th my dad turned 60 whopping years old! My dad means a lot to me, he is the hardest working person I know and has completely devoted his life to making sure my mom, sister, and I are very well taken care of. He would do anything for us girls, and now he has two little boys he can spoil, take to sporting events and rough house with at the ranch. I cant wait till Will is a little older and I can send him off for the weekend with Papa! My mom put together a little surprise get together for my dad at the ranch labor day weekend, he was surprised as he saw all of us, family and friends, from st Louis, Illinois, and Indianapolis.

This was also Will's first visit to the ranch (my dads haven) He loved it, the fresh air and excitement must of taken it out of him too (well he was also recovering from a nasty stomach bug) But he took at 3 hour nap while we were there! Which meant momma got to enjoy some cold brewskys and relax for a while!

The weather was gorgeous and it couldn't of been a better day... Boomer even got to join in the family fun at his all time favorite place!

 First four wheeler ride

 I'm gonna have TROUBLE on my hands with these two....

 Tire horsey... only at the ranch

 Two of my favorite ya mamas

 Obsessed with hats

 Got it!

 Bennet found a frog, this poor frog was put through the ringer!

 My uncle thinking it'd be funny to scare the kids with an old cow skull

Papa with the boys

11 months old and clapping!

Better late than never, out little bug turned 11 months old on the 3rd!

I know he is but I feel more than ever that Will has taken on a rare sponge form! He is literally soaking up EVERYTHING he sees and doing something new every.single.day!

Here are some 11 month updates....

- Will took his FIRST STEPS!!!!! His first steps were towards me when I picked him up from Michelle's house closer to 3-4 weeks ago, then not much for a while, but in the past week or two he takes 2,3,4 steps almost everywhere before plopping down and bee lining it with his one legged crawl. I almost have a walker and a one year old and I can hardly believe it. Tears....

 - Will got his first hair cut yesterday, didn't think he could get any cuter/more handsome, I was wrong...

- He is talking so much and his new favorite word is DOG. Awwwww!!!!! It is pretty much just a "DO" sound but it is DOG! He says it every time he sees Boomer or any dog, he even say a dog on TV and said it! SO he says, mama, dada, all done, and dog. I think that's it... well all we can understand at least

- He CLAPS!!! I thought he was close, but when I got home from work Tuesday right away Luke's mom said Will clap, patty cake for mommy... and he waved hi to me, but followed it with a big clap, now he claps at everything! Playing, putting his shapes in the shape sorter he claps for himself (or me) when we get one in, even clapped for the checker at the grocery store yesterday, she must of been doing a good job! :)

That's it for now, just working and gearing up for the big birthday soon! It's JUNGLE day at Michelle's house today and she decorated like a jungle everwhere, we have the best sitter/friend EVER!!!

 Kisses for lamb

 Just woke up, and pre haircut....

 Happy 11 months mr will, you are my sweet sweet sunshine

 Ohh yeah, Will is pretty much giving kisses and hugs on command, melt.my.heart.

Life latley {in pictures}

If you take a look at the months of my blog posting to the right, it seems I am at a downward slope lately. So I wanted to do a quick update with some of our  " lifes latleys" of our end of summer.

 Will's first time coloring at Michelle's house, she helped a little but this arts and crafts lover knew just what to do!

 Green pepper, don't mind if I do! This is a new game called: take something/anything out of the fridge and eat it! He now knows how to puncture the top of the apple sauce lid with his teeth to get whats inside!

 happy boy singing in the car

 MR. Piggy! A fun tactile craft at Michelle's, don't worry, it was edible pudding, which he LOVED!

 Lately, Momma, Daddy, and Will have all brought work home with us....check out Will getting his work done in the new basement!

 Swinging! We found one of our new favorite parks and have met some other mommas here for workouts.

{how come some pics from my phone upload the incorrect way?}

I have wanted to redo Will's bathroom (which used to be the guest bathroom) for a while now, we didn't do much to it when we moved in; kept the cream walls and just put up some of my old palm tree bathroom decor'. I brainstormed for a while and thought for sure we were going to do the hungry caterpillar theme  but decided to go with a yellow, grey, and white color scheme with a "you are my sunshine" theme. One of my favorites. I ordered some cute stuff on etsy and will have pictures for you soon!

 We did some family pictures with Crystal in hopes of getting a good pictures of Bennett and Will, well.... were still trying! Maybe at the ranch this weekend we'll get one! Here is one of my favorite family pictures of us 3.

 With the way the months have been whipping by and the weeks are gone if you blink I've been thinking a lot about what to do for Luke's 30th birthday (this December!) I keep going back and forth on Vegas, but don't know if we can take the time off, and spend all that money. We'll see!

 Two of my best friends are getting married next weekend 9.10.11 SO excited for their big day!

 

 Still LOVING pintrest, finding some great inspiration for Will's bathroom, now... need.more.walls. ;)

If I can ever get organized enough I want to keep track of this! All the foods, fruits, veggies, and spices your baby should have before they turn one, we have a lot to do in a month mr. will.

Will has really been loving to help out around the house! I bought some space saver bags and packed up all of his baby clothes, so sad to see them go... but hopeful we will need them again someday. Casual chat with Luke the other night... you know my husband, mr. done having kids hubby... "Will is going to make a really great big brother, he'd love to have a little brother!" Whoa! Slow down hun!