Missing Minnesota

Recently, maybe with Josh being out here, Jeremy and I are missing Minnesota. It seems crazy when my family lives out here but we do have good friends back there and we do miss them a ton.  There isn't much that I love about Minnesota...it is cold and mosquito infested summers. But every once in awhile there is a little spark...

Beginning of our 3rd Month

This week marks the beginning of our 3rd month home. I wanted to share some fun pictures Uncle Josh took! I am so excited to finally have a close up, decent picture of the three of us to send to daycare. I swear we are the only people with a picture of just Mommy and Daddy!

 Finally the picture of the three of us! Sending to print!

 The best birthday gift ever! Thank you Aunt Jill!

 Speed racer

 Love it!

 He loves his Uncle Josh

 Zoo

 Family Day at the Zoo!

 He enjoyed the train at the zoo!

 He still loves pushing toys!

 Uncle Josh and Cy

 Cy loved giving my a high-five as I went by with the mower!

 Nana would be so happy to see him loving his chair!

 Gardening

Happy Baby! Soft skin before the terrible rash today...:(

Fathers Day

Well after about 3.5 weeks of Cy battling being sick...he is finally on the up (knocking on wood)! He had a great weekend with Uncle Josh! I have to say Josh was such a huge help and it was just so relaxing and fun!

Here are some of my favorite Fathers quotes:

• Christopher Gardner (Will Smith): "You got a dream...You gotta protect it. People can't do somethin' themselves, they wanna tell you can't do it. If you want somethin', go get it. Period." (The Pursuit of Happyness)

• George Banks (Steve Martin): "Well, that's the thing about life, is the surprises, the little things that sneak up on you and grab hold of you." (Father of the Bride)

• Mufasa (James Earl Jones): "Look at the stars. The great kings of the past look down on us from those stars." Young Simba: "Really?" Mufasa: "Yes. So whenever you feel alone, just remember that those kings will always be there to guide you. And so will I." The Lion King

•  Clark Griswold (Chevy Chase): "This is no longer a vacation. It’s a quest. It’s a quest for fun." (National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation)

  
  

  
  

  Happy Fathers Day to all Fathers!

  
  

  
  

   

Modern Family

This day in age more and more you see men staying home with the kids or both parents working. A few of my co-workers (women) support their families while their husband take care of the kids.  I feel so lucky that I have a Modern Husband. Jeremy is fantastic and being a father and a husband. We both are at a peak in our careers and fairly successful and living the dream. I sometimes prefer to mow the lawn while Jeremy entertains Cy.  Jeremy also has nailed down the night time routine with Cy, while I do the laundry, dishes, feed the dog, etc.  We are a family that does what it takes to make it work.

I love spending time with my son more then anything and while I no longer work 55 to 70 hours a week, instead just 40 hours a week I am very committed to him.  However, I love pulling the whole house domestic duties.  I love mowing the lawn, cleaning the house, cleaning the coop, etc. Jeremy does the Cy duties, is good and the discipline while I am the pushover. I feel so lucky to have a husband that shares and sometimes over percents me in the duties of our household. I am spoiled. 

Let's change our view on marriage. We need to have fun! Let's stop the getting together to bitch. Face it, we are bitches! Us women have crazy and sometimes create stupid demands of our husbands.  But men drive us just as crazy! I am not saying they are perfect because by no means they are but we need to recognize when we strike it gold.  I really never thought about it until Cy was sick this past weekend.  Jeremy stayed home with Cy twice (plus the last time he was sick Jeremy stayed home while I went to work...and he is our breadwinner) while I went to work and my mother was like you should be thankful because most men would not do that. Really??? Seriously most men wouldn't take shifts? I grew up with a working/successful mother who had a lucrative career with Wells Fargo. My dad kind of moved from various jobs, mostly stay at home. My mother also told me that I better be nice to Jeremy because while his patience can be annoying at times, it is a god send. Sometimes it takes an outside perspective to show you what is great. Jeremy is great at a lot of stuff and at the same time drives me crazy.  But by no means are we better then one another. We compliment each other.

I think it is important to realize what we have...good or bad.  To take a step back from our crazy lives, arguing, complaining or controlling and really value the small things. We are a new generation. We are working moms with big careers.  We are the generation of the stay at home dads.  We are the time of shared duties. One of my girlfriends is better at using a screwdriver then her husband! Let's face it! We rock! But let's not leave the studs behind.  They pick up our weaknesses.

Peace, Love and Goodnight!

Dopplegangers

We are entering our 2nd month home with Cy and it has been an adventure. I think he has been sick 3 of the 8 weeks and we are coming out of the second illness. This one was pretty rough as we are on day 5 with little to no food, 101 to 102 temperature, no sleep and constant crying and fussiness. However, the little dude was not content being home which I would think most kids would want to be when they are not feeling well.  But when you are still cry for Korea, home is not the best place.  Jeremy and I went through 2 tanks of gas driving around. Finally on Sunday he was cool in the stroller so we took him to the Taste. Probably not the best decision but at least he passed out for 30 minutes or so and was perfectly content just sitting in the stroller as long as it was continually moving. I think we are on the mend but who knows at this point. He did cry for "mommy" which was me this weekend and that made feel good as he identified with me as a source of comfort.  Today as I handed him off to Jeremy for a break I was so thankful to spend time with my Mom. But what was even more wonderful were a few friends who randomly touched base and it was sooo welcomed and loved! Sometimes those closest to you I swear know when you are being kicked and they reach out. Those girls I love to death and made my day.

I look at Jeremy and I a year ago and how our life was at that time. Currently we are Dopplegangers of our old selves. I like our family better now despite how stressful it is at times, because that one smile or laugh can take all the bad away.  Someone recently told me that being a parent is hard. Well no shit. I didn't sign up for a Club Med. I knew it would be hard, it is just a little more difficult when you watch this child cry out for home...and it isn't your home. Or his mother to comfort him and that mother isn't you. It is a source of strength that it takes to hold and comfort him. I prefer the people who ask what has been great and allow me to tell fun stories. I may sound negative but I am in the shit right now so sometimes it takes a good person to make you stop and smell the flowers. We are coming up on our second month and it feels like he has been with us forever.

Here are my funny Dopplegangers:

• If you told me a year ago I would be picking my kids nose I wouldn't have believed you. My sister had to do it for me for the first few days...it made me sick.
• If you told me a year ago that I would go days without a shower and have the same stained clothes on, I wouldn't have believed you.
• If you told me a year ago that feeding my kid CheezIts for breakfast I would do, I wouldn't have believed you.
• If you told me a year ago that I would become a regular at the Starbuck drive thru, I wouldn't have believed you.
• If you would have told me that dirty diapers would be laying around in my house, I wouldn't have believed you...as my house is ALWAYS spotless. :-)
• If you told me a year ago that Jeremy would get grossed out by Cy playing with his food, I wouldn't have believed you. It literally makes him sick.
• If you would have told me a year ago that I notice people going 2 miles over the speed limit, I wouldn't have believed you.
• If you would have told me a typical evening would be us three dancing to Yonder Mountain String band is a typical night, I wouldn't have believed you.
• If you told me a year ago that the tiredness you feel will bring you to the breaking, I wouldn't have believed you.
• If you would have told that 25lbs carrying all day is heavy, I would have said...I am in shape!
• If you told me a year ago that organic diapers SUCK, I wouldn't have believed you. Sorry environment but no leaking wins!
• If you told me that I would be filling my tank up 2 to 3x a week, I wouldn't believe you. (Cy major way to soothe is driving around...sometimes for HOURS! Sorry environment. I hope all those years prior I am allowed a little leverage.
• If you would have told me that my son would be part of my daily poops, I wouldn't have believed you...but now who will flush my toilet!
• If you would have told me that sometimes Jeremy and I will have conversations where each of you sound like you are speaking a different language and then a few looks and grunts later and you get it, I wouldn't have believed you.

I might continue this series down the road as more stuff comes up that blow Jeremy and I away! It is amazing the person you turn into when you have a kid. I admire those who do not trail from their desired path but for me...I am deviating...albeit for a little while and then hopefully get back on the Whole Foods/Whole Living Train! Choo Choo!  I am thankful I have such an awesome husband who is so helpful and supportive. We compliment and pick up where each other leaves off. A strong foundation for a strong relationship.Even though we do argue and have difference of opinions I feel so fortunate everyday he is in my life. At the end of the day I love seeing his face or getting his kiss. These past few months I feel that we have grown closer even though when we do get breaks from Cy...it is never together. Which is really one of the hardest parts.

Peace and Love

Pardon my Brevity

It has been awhile since I have kept up with the blog. It was easier when I was off work and now that I am back at work the little time I do have with Cy...I want to devote my full attention. We are starting our season of visitors! Jeremy's parents were just here, then our friend Blue, Jeremy's brother Josh and then back to Jeremy's parents for Cy's birthday. Here is a little catch up.

Back at work was extremely hard!  Even though I know I could never be a stay at home mother, (I admire those of you who are) I just felt so guilty. Plus for 6 years I worked 55 to 70 hours a week and now I am adamant that I will only work 40 hours. I feel as though I put my time in. One bonus that has happened is that my boss approved of me to have 2 days a week where I work 7am to 3pm. Yeah! I actually think I am WAY more productive during those hours then 8am to 5pm. I for see a road to a work life balance. I was happy to go back to work too as I really do enjoy all my co-workers. We are not just co-workers but we have become friends/family.

I had my first few visits to Urgent Care and that was an experience. However, amoxicillan to the rescue as our little dude was sick for awhile and last week was one of the best weeks we had with him feeling well.  We are starting to figure out when he is tired, when he doesn't feel well, etc. It is discovering this person who is so amazing to watch as he learns and becomes the person he will be in this world. I feel lucky to help shape that, however he might be learning the word "fuck" as it is my guilty word. Even with Jeremy listening for my potty mouth to catch me, it slips out. But if he grows up to be a person accepting of others, kind, friendly, patient and an occasional "fuck" comes out of his mouth...I am okay with that ending. 

My husband is FANTASTIC! He exudes such patience, calmness and strength that I learn from him everyday. Trust me this road hasn't been a picnic. It has been very hard and trying at times but at the end of everyday, I love both those boys so much. I feel so lucky to have a husband I adore, a child who makes me smile everyday and a good job. I feel so fortunate. Jeremy also has rocked our plants from seed and we had a lot of success and on our way to our farm dinner! It will be exciting! Here are some updated pictures of us when Jeremy's parents were out!  Now I just need to get exercise back in my life. Even though I have lost 8lbs, I seriously need to get the cardiovascular going again. I can feel the exhaustion throughout my body in my first little run I did today. Whooo!

Here is an update of how Cy is progressing!

• He is still jamming to music! He loves it! The Taste of Fort Collins is this weekend and we are thinking of taking him down to jam to some music.
• He can say his ABC's up to G and then says this funny version of L,M,N,O an PA (P)!
• He can count to 4
• He is saying mommy (don't get excited he calls everyone mommy), daddy (just learning because he mimics), please, no, mine, more, all done, ouchy, nala, doggy, Ava (our neighbor girl whom he LOVES), etc
• He is very good at dramatic play. He fake cries a lot, he loves to help daddy with tools, he is really enjoying playing with cars, etc
• He is great at mimicking others in what you say and do.

 Cy LOVES music! His teachers talk about it all the time and everyone who meets him notice it is the way to his soul. He loves guitar, piano, hip hop, kids songs, maracas, etc..

 Jeremy and Cy in-front of our starter plants! Yeah Jeremy! He did such a good job!

Family portrait on the back porch