We all had a really wonderful time in Georgia, but we are back at home now. We left Macon at around 8:30 last night and made good time. We pulled into our driveway right at 9:00 this morning. Brian drove most of the time, but I did take the 12:30-5:00 am shift. It is tough driving all night, but Brian figured out a good way for us to stretch out in the car and it is well worth it for Connor to sleep the vast majority of the time and to avoid holiday traffic.
Anyway, we are home. I'm trying to get Connor to take a nap (so I can take a nap too) but he is resisting....
I have lots of pictures to add from our holiday.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Friday, November 20, 2009
We made it.
I started this post on the 20th and it is now the 24th. Sorry.
Connor and I survived. We made it to my parent's house in Macon at about 10:00 Thursday night. As expected, the solo travel experience with a 15 month old was not boring. Brian was hosting a very important business dinner in Grand Rapids Thursday evening, and we flew out of the Flint, MI airport (much much cheaper), so in order for him to get back in time to set up his dinner, Connor and I arrived at the airport 3 hours before our flight. For those unfamiliar with the Flint airport, there are only 8 gates....very small. And in the mid-afternoon, no one is there....seriously, no one. Connor spent those 3 hours pushing me around in a wheelchair, laughing at his reflection in the bathroom mirror, playing with his toys (truck, hammer and book), eating snacks, and basically just running around. I had to keep him away from plants, all the goods in the concession/magazine/etc. area, cleaning supplies, and all the other non-baby-proof stuff in an airport terminal. I was exhausted before we even boarded the plane....and it turned out to be delayed 30 minutes too...
Keeping a 15 month old little boy in your "lap" is not the easiest task. I really think this has to be the most difficult age to travel. He wants to explore everything and his attention span isn't long enough to keep interest in a dvd or any other extended time source of entertainment. For 1 hour and 45 minutes I was on high alert trying to make sure that Connor did not disrupt an otherwise pleasant flight for the other passengers on board. He never cried or screamed, but his activity level was enough to completely drain me. In my lap the vast majority of the time, I had to make sure he wasn't pushing on the seat in front of us with his feet, grabbing the headrest (to jump on the spare seat next to us, of course), pressing the light or call buttons overhead, putting his arms/legs/head into the aisle during the beverage service, etc., etc., etc...
It wasn't until the last 15 minutes of the flight that a nice man sitting behind us started making faces at Connor. Of course he was captivated and they played peek-a-boo for the remainder of the flight. Why couldn't others have done the same throughout the flight?!
I know that flying in general can be a stressful experience, but the next time you are feeling stressed out over your travels, just imagine it with a young, male, button-pushing, toddler. :) Don't get me wrong....Connor did amazing, I was just a nervous wreck. I now find flying solo almost even relaxing.
Anyway, I was more than ready to hand-off baby boy to his grandparents and great-grandmother waiting for us at the airport. We got Chick-fil-A (YAY!!!) on the way home and I continued to be amazed that Connor was still functioning on his single 45 minute, car nap. He dozed in the car right before we got to the house and that was enough to supercharge him for another hour of exploration at my parent's.
You'd think the "fun" was about over when he was finally in the crib at about 11:00. Nope. Within 10 minutes, Connor had escaped the crib. I heard a thud (not a fall, just the landing I guess) and he met me at the door of the kid's room. He was basically losing it. Huge day, strange bed....I don't blame him, but I didn't know what to do. He is NOT used to sleeping with me, but I couldn't just put him back in the crib knowing that he could just get out again. After a rough night in the bed with me (with one 45 minute stretch of inexplicable screaming), he finally got rested. I went downstairs around 8:30 Friday morning. To our shock and amazement, Connor got up at 9:30. He woke up in my bed, got out of the bed, came downstairs, and greeted us.....all by himself and without a cry or hesitation. I couldn't believe it!!
Since then, my dad was able to raise the rails of the crib another 3-4 inches, so he can't escape. (I was panicking about where he was going to nap?!?) He has grown more and more used to his surroundings, Precious (my parent's very old Cocker Spaniel) included and we are all doing very well.
Brian left mid-morning on Sunday (after attending the OSU v. Michigan game in Ann Arbor on Saturday with his brothers and friend) and arrived at my parent's house in Macon at 11:47 pm. I think he said it took him 12.5 hours. Not too bad. We are glad to be all together again and will be driving back to Michigan Saturday night...hoping Connor will sleep and we will avoid horrific holiday traffic.
We sure are having a fun time and we look forward to the rest of the family to arrive later today (Tuesday) and tomorrow for some fun, family, Thanksgiving fun.
Connor and I survived. We made it to my parent's house in Macon at about 10:00 Thursday night. As expected, the solo travel experience with a 15 month old was not boring. Brian was hosting a very important business dinner in Grand Rapids Thursday evening, and we flew out of the Flint, MI airport (much much cheaper), so in order for him to get back in time to set up his dinner, Connor and I arrived at the airport 3 hours before our flight. For those unfamiliar with the Flint airport, there are only 8 gates....very small. And in the mid-afternoon, no one is there....seriously, no one. Connor spent those 3 hours pushing me around in a wheelchair, laughing at his reflection in the bathroom mirror, playing with his toys (truck, hammer and book), eating snacks, and basically just running around. I had to keep him away from plants, all the goods in the concession/magazine/etc. area, cleaning supplies, and all the other non-baby-proof stuff in an airport terminal. I was exhausted before we even boarded the plane....and it turned out to be delayed 30 minutes too...
Keeping a 15 month old little boy in your "lap" is not the easiest task. I really think this has to be the most difficult age to travel. He wants to explore everything and his attention span isn't long enough to keep interest in a dvd or any other extended time source of entertainment. For 1 hour and 45 minutes I was on high alert trying to make sure that Connor did not disrupt an otherwise pleasant flight for the other passengers on board. He never cried or screamed, but his activity level was enough to completely drain me. In my lap the vast majority of the time, I had to make sure he wasn't pushing on the seat in front of us with his feet, grabbing the headrest (to jump on the spare seat next to us, of course), pressing the light or call buttons overhead, putting his arms/legs/head into the aisle during the beverage service, etc., etc., etc...
It wasn't until the last 15 minutes of the flight that a nice man sitting behind us started making faces at Connor. Of course he was captivated and they played peek-a-boo for the remainder of the flight. Why couldn't others have done the same throughout the flight?!
I know that flying in general can be a stressful experience, but the next time you are feeling stressed out over your travels, just imagine it with a young, male, button-pushing, toddler. :) Don't get me wrong....Connor did amazing, I was just a nervous wreck. I now find flying solo almost even relaxing.
Anyway, I was more than ready to hand-off baby boy to his grandparents and great-grandmother waiting for us at the airport. We got Chick-fil-A (YAY!!!) on the way home and I continued to be amazed that Connor was still functioning on his single 45 minute, car nap. He dozed in the car right before we got to the house and that was enough to supercharge him for another hour of exploration at my parent's.
You'd think the "fun" was about over when he was finally in the crib at about 11:00. Nope. Within 10 minutes, Connor had escaped the crib. I heard a thud (not a fall, just the landing I guess) and he met me at the door of the kid's room. He was basically losing it. Huge day, strange bed....I don't blame him, but I didn't know what to do. He is NOT used to sleeping with me, but I couldn't just put him back in the crib knowing that he could just get out again. After a rough night in the bed with me (with one 45 minute stretch of inexplicable screaming), he finally got rested. I went downstairs around 8:30 Friday morning. To our shock and amazement, Connor got up at 9:30. He woke up in my bed, got out of the bed, came downstairs, and greeted us.....all by himself and without a cry or hesitation. I couldn't believe it!!
Since then, my dad was able to raise the rails of the crib another 3-4 inches, so he can't escape. (I was panicking about where he was going to nap?!?) He has grown more and more used to his surroundings, Precious (my parent's very old Cocker Spaniel) included and we are all doing very well.
Brian left mid-morning on Sunday (after attending the OSU v. Michigan game in Ann Arbor on Saturday with his brothers and friend) and arrived at my parent's house in Macon at 11:47 pm. I think he said it took him 12.5 hours. Not too bad. We are glad to be all together again and will be driving back to Michigan Saturday night...hoping Connor will sleep and we will avoid horrific holiday traffic.
We sure are having a fun time and we look forward to the rest of the family to arrive later today (Tuesday) and tomorrow for some fun, family, Thanksgiving fun.
Friday, November 13, 2009
the little things in life
Sometimes it is the little things in life that make me so excited. I'm sure many of you will not understand this, but I found a new envelope vendor and I just got my first shipment.....they are awesome!!!
In the past, I've designed birth announcements, Christmas cards, save-the-dates, shower invites, etc. for people, but I've been on hiatus for a while now. Book covers have gotten me bored recently, so nothing will boost creativity better than ordering 800 envelopes in fantastic colors and sparkles! I am so pleased with the quality and absolutely cannot wait for our Christmas cards to come in. I just ordered them today, also from a new vendor that I am very excited about!!! Hopefully they will come in before I leave for Georgia with Connor next Thursday.
Sometimes the hardest part about being a designer is trying to pick just one design. So, I caved and ordered two. :) I do have a favorite, and I ordered 50 of that one, and just 25 of the other. I can always get more if I need them, but thanks to Facebook, I'll likely not send them to everyone I've ever met. ;)
I am going to be strong and refrain from posting the card cover of my favorite, but I just can't hold in the other one. Just know that this is the runner-up. (and this is not the picture I mentioned in the previous Ohio trip post)
They are postcard-sized with a letter printed on the back....so it is a card and an update in one. I think I'm going to put these guys in the new brown sparkle envelopes. Now, I just need to find the best way to write on dark envelopes.....suggestions?
Anyway, if any of you are still tossing around the idea for Christmas cards, I love doing them....and hey, I'm cheap. :) I need to get an etsy shop open, but for now it is just for fun!
See, the little things....I just can't stop looking at my 8 fantastic varieties of envelopes!!! ;)
(Brian is totally going to roll his eyes when he reads this.)
In the past, I've designed birth announcements, Christmas cards, save-the-dates, shower invites, etc. for people, but I've been on hiatus for a while now. Book covers have gotten me bored recently, so nothing will boost creativity better than ordering 800 envelopes in fantastic colors and sparkles! I am so pleased with the quality and absolutely cannot wait for our Christmas cards to come in. I just ordered them today, also from a new vendor that I am very excited about!!! Hopefully they will come in before I leave for Georgia with Connor next Thursday.
Sometimes the hardest part about being a designer is trying to pick just one design. So, I caved and ordered two. :) I do have a favorite, and I ordered 50 of that one, and just 25 of the other. I can always get more if I need them, but thanks to Facebook, I'll likely not send them to everyone I've ever met. ;)
I am going to be strong and refrain from posting the card cover of my favorite, but I just can't hold in the other one. Just know that this is the runner-up. (and this is not the picture I mentioned in the previous Ohio trip post)
They are postcard-sized with a letter printed on the back....so it is a card and an update in one. I think I'm going to put these guys in the new brown sparkle envelopes. Now, I just need to find the best way to write on dark envelopes.....suggestions?
Anyway, if any of you are still tossing around the idea for Christmas cards, I love doing them....and hey, I'm cheap. :) I need to get an etsy shop open, but for now it is just for fun!
See, the little things....I just can't stop looking at my 8 fantastic varieties of envelopes!!! ;)
(Brian is totally going to roll his eyes when he reads this.)
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Quick Ohio Trip
We had such a fun time in Ohio this weekend. The weather was AMAZING. We got to watch Scott play in his last home football game at Baldwin-Wallace College. He is the punter for the Yellow Jackets. We thought it would be fun for C to dress up, so we borrowed Paetyn's "bee" costume and he was a little mascot for the game! Connor also got to play in the leaves and ride on the tractor with Grandpa. We all had fun!Of course, you know me....I was snapping pictures the whole weekend. I am happy to say that I was able to capture a great one of Connor that will be our Christmas card picture. So, I will refrain from posting that one. :)
Here are some of my favorites. I'll likely caption later. (The kitchen is a disaster, but I just can't make myself clean it...)
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Connor Escapes
I thought I had more time.
This morning when I went in to get Connor (I heard him in there "talking" and playing), I was more than a little shocked. I opened the door and found a little man in footed, fleece, jammies standing at his toybox, pulling out toys. The little rascal GOT OUT OF HIS CRIB!
The crib is on the lowest possible setting, no bumpers in the crib for him to stand on, and during his escape, he didn't make a peep. In shock, I immediately told Brian and I think it took him a few seconds to register what I was telling him. It probably sunk in more when Connor ran into our room to see daddy.
Anyway, Brian suggested not jumping to any changes. We are going to see if it was a fluke thing or if he does it again soon. If so, we'll obviously be converting his crib into a toddler bed very soon.
Perhaps the fact that I rearranged Connor's room yesterday gave him some sort of super-powers? The weird thing is that as I was moving stuff around, in my head I was thinking of how it would look best once it was converted to a full-sized bed. Perhaps I jinxed myself. I thought I'd at LEAST have another 4 months before I had to even think about it.
Another proof that he is getting so big....the kid much prefers eating with a fork. He has been doing it for a while but has really mastered his skills. When we give him a fork, far less food ends up on the floor and he is much more entertained by the whole eating process. Sounds good to me. My dad is in town for a very short time and last night we went out to eat and I didn't have a fork in the diaper bag so he got to practice with a big-boy fork....that was a little scary but he did great. :) We'll continue to stick to the plastic ones for now.
This morning when I went in to get Connor (I heard him in there "talking" and playing), I was more than a little shocked. I opened the door and found a little man in footed, fleece, jammies standing at his toybox, pulling out toys. The little rascal GOT OUT OF HIS CRIB!
The crib is on the lowest possible setting, no bumpers in the crib for him to stand on, and during his escape, he didn't make a peep. In shock, I immediately told Brian and I think it took him a few seconds to register what I was telling him. It probably sunk in more when Connor ran into our room to see daddy.
Anyway, Brian suggested not jumping to any changes. We are going to see if it was a fluke thing or if he does it again soon. If so, we'll obviously be converting his crib into a toddler bed very soon.
Perhaps the fact that I rearranged Connor's room yesterday gave him some sort of super-powers? The weird thing is that as I was moving stuff around, in my head I was thinking of how it would look best once it was converted to a full-sized bed. Perhaps I jinxed myself. I thought I'd at LEAST have another 4 months before I had to even think about it.
Another proof that he is getting so big....the kid much prefers eating with a fork. He has been doing it for a while but has really mastered his skills. When we give him a fork, far less food ends up on the floor and he is much more entertained by the whole eating process. Sounds good to me. My dad is in town for a very short time and last night we went out to eat and I didn't have a fork in the diaper bag so he got to practice with a big-boy fork....that was a little scary but he did great. :) We'll continue to stick to the plastic ones for now.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Happy Halloween!
Although the lion costume got the most votes in the poll, (thanks to those of you that voted!) we decided it would be a better gesture to go with the blue monster costume. I got it from a neighbor, and although I'm sure they didn't care, I wanted to make sure they knew we liked it, etc. It turns out they weren't even home, so it didn't matter, but the monster costume was nice and warm on a crazy cold Halloween evening!
Connor with his friend, Paetyn
Brian and I both wanted to take C trick-or-treating, but we weren't sure what to do about abandoning our own door. We ended up leaving the bowl for a few minutes. We only wanted to go to a few houses anyway, so it all turned out fine.
Monster on the loose!
Trick-or-treating in action at Stu & Marci's with neighbor, Drew.
Quick hug with my little guy in front of our neighbor's awesomely carved Elmo pumpkin
kisses for Daddy at home upon ToT completion
C got to eat dinner with the jack-o-lantern and decided to share his chicken. This is him putting it in the pumpkin's mouth...
Connor has grown so much in a year! Remember our little skunk from last year?!
Annual Halloween family picture. (M & T not pictured...too cold outside.)
And Halloween wouldn't be complete without cool glow-in-the-dark, festive, jammies. Too bad I couldn't get the kid to look at the camera for the life of me. Oh well...pretty cute anyway.
Connor with his friend, PaetynBrian and I both wanted to take C trick-or-treating, but we weren't sure what to do about abandoning our own door. We ended up leaving the bowl for a few minutes. We only wanted to go to a few houses anyway, so it all turned out fine.
Monster on the loose!
Trick-or-treating in action at Stu & Marci's with neighbor, Drew.
Quick hug with my little guy in front of our neighbor's awesomely carved Elmo pumpkin
kisses for Daddy at home upon ToT completion
C got to eat dinner with the jack-o-lantern and decided to share his chicken. This is him putting it in the pumpkin's mouth...
Connor has grown so much in a year! Remember our little skunk from last year?!
Annual Halloween family picture. (M & T not pictured...too cold outside.)
And Halloween wouldn't be complete without cool glow-in-the-dark, festive, jammies. Too bad I couldn't get the kid to look at the camera for the life of me. Oh well...pretty cute anyway.
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