Dog Days

We had our family photos taken a couple of weeks ago at a farm in Bucyrus, KS. I like most of them and am having a hard time deciding which ones to order! If you would like to check them out, go to http://www.kmphotosonline.com/, click on 'proofs' and our password is 'Alison'.

Here are some pics of Matty playing with his new best dog friend, Winston. He even got into the dog bed with his buddy. Since Stan usually stays far away, Matty has enjoyed the extra attention from Winston!

The Wave

Matty recently learned how to wave hello and goodbye. Now, he loves it so much, he is waving up a storm! He waves at strangers in stores, joggers/walkers while in his stroller, our dogs, cars as they drive by, pictures of family members, ceiling fans, and even some of his books! It is pretty funny. He is either very friendly or just enjoys waving a lot!

The house is pretty empty now and I think my entire family is basically out of town. My Mom & Grandma left for Reno to see the Tigers play tonight, Jeremy left for PA to visit his family, Ashlei is in Spain, and even Erik is at the lake. So, that just leaves Matty, my Dad and me...oh yeah, and all 4 dogs...can't forget about them! My Dad & I are going to attempt to go out to dinner tonight if Matty is agreeable. Other than that, things are pretty quiet here, just counting down the days til the big move!

Hanging Out

Well, we are still hanging out at my parents' house, which is just fine with Matty. He usually has someone else around to play with other than me! We are looking forward to closing on our new home, which will happen in 1 week from today! Here are some pics from the week. Matty received a new Halloween book which he LOVES. He has also enjoyed chasing around Winston the puppy. Matty cracks up whenever Winston jumps or runs about. He finally has made a dog friend!

Random Pics

We have been keeping busy this week! Last weekend, we went to my sister's house for a yummy cookout. Matty played with her new dog, Barbie, out in the backyard.

My Mom made homemade chicken noodle soup later in the week, and we blended some up for our picky eater. He really loved it! I also purchased a new book called "Super Baby Foods", which I plan to read soon, so that I can start making homemade food for him. His gag reflex is still present, so we have to be creative with meal times.

Lastly, Matty will wave to this picture of Jesus, and will even kiss it! Thought this was a cute pic.

NICU reunion

Today we attended the NICU reunion in the park behind the hospital. We saw a lot of Matty's nurses, our favorite doc, and almost every friend that we met last summer. It was amazing to see how much all of the little ones have grown over the past year!

It's Official...I'm One

One year ago today, we brought Matthew home from the hospital after we had roomed in with him the night before. He had spent over 100 days in the NICU, and we were so excited to finally have him at home with us. It is so awesome to think how far he has come this year...he changed from a little 6 pound baby on oxygen who cried a lot to a virtual toddler who enjoys reading, playing, and exploring. Sep 8th was also his true due date, so he is now officially 1 year old adjusted age. We are so blessed with our miracle guy! Here are some pics from today, compared with pics from exactly 1 year ago!
Today...

1 year ago...

Teething...Again

We have been living with my parents for 1 week now. Matty loves having extra people & dogs around at all times! He has been a bit cranky lately, due to new bottom teeth. He has had 6 teeth for awhile now, and a new one is breaking through. He hasn't been sleeping very well through the night and has been drooling up a storm! He chews on just about anything, including his very nice crib...on a happier note, his new favorite hobby is to pull up to various windows and look outside at the trees.

Are You Ready For Some Football?

We're so excited that college football started this weekend! We are watching Mizzou beat up on Illinois right now, and Matty claps his hands when his team makes great plays. The cool weather mixed with football is definitely my favorite time of year!

Moved In

The movers arrived early yesterday and worked hard all day to move our belongings to the temporary storage. The storage unit wasn't big enough, so the movers had to bring the last items (including Matty's crib) to my parents' house. They finally finished around 9pm. Needless to say, we were all exhausted! I ran over to the house today to clean up a few last items, and then it was goodbye to 7833. It was such a weird feeling leaving there for the last time...we built that house when we were only 23 years old, and made so many memories there...including the best memory, bringing Matty home from the hospital. Hopefully, the new family will enjoy the home as much as we did. As much as we'll miss the house, we're looking forward to our new home just as much! Today, my Mom & I took Matty to the baby store and bought him a few new fall outfits and his Halloween costume! I won't say what it is yet, but it's adorable! Here are a few pics from today. We are so thankful that my parents opened their home up to us so that we won't be homeless in September!

Finally...On The Chart

Today, Matty went to the pediatrician for his 15 month checkup. He had to have a flu shot as well as another hepatitis shot. He was a trooper through the whole ordeal. This time, he seemed to remember where he was, and was very upset when the nurse laid him down to measure his length and when he was on the scale. He seemed to know that shots were inevitable. Dr S was very pleased with his growth. The big news...he is finally on the growth curve for length! YEA! For a little guy that was born at 11 inches, he is now a whopping 29 inches long! He is in the 3% for 15 month olds, and if he was measured based on his true adjusted age (almost 12 months) he would be above the 50%! One of my pet peeves is that his measurements are compared to babies that were born at term in May08, when he wasn't due until Sep08. Anyhow, his weight was 18 lbs 1.5 oz, which was getting close to the curve, and his head measurement was also getting close to the curve. I always get concerned about his weigh-ins, but today I felt pretty good! With his overactive gag reflex, every ounce he gains seems like a victory to me! Here is our tall guy today...I think he is taking after his Daddy in this area!

Other than his appt, I have been busy packing, dealing with radon/window/appraiser/storage people, and selling more of our furniture. A lady showed up last night to take our guest room furniture (dresser, mirror, desk, chair) and I had to help her lift everything into her SUV. I can't believe that we were able to lift everything! Since Jeremy is on the way home from Bermuda tonight, I went out to dinner at OTB with my parents and grandma. I didn't think that Matty would last the entire time, but he did...the secret...a simple plastic straw! Go figure...we buy him a ton of toys, but a straw keeps his attention. He grew upset whenever we took the straw away. My Mom kept thinking he'd poke his eye...kind of reminded us of the classic movie A Christmas Story..."you'll shoot your eye out"...but thankfully we all had a great time and enjoyed a yummy meal! Here is his with his straw.

Busy Week

What a crazy week! I never knew that moving was such a big task. My family moved 3 times when I was younger, and I obviously never saw any of the "behind the scenes" chores that grown-ups have to do. We have mostly been busy packing, but also trying to get rid of furniture & other bulky items via craigs list.

So far, our couch, chairs, table, grill & big screen tv have been picked up. Since I'm a sentimental person, it's always sad to see an item go. The big screen tv was one of the first items we purchased when we moved into this home, and last night a nice man with 6 sons bought the set. I'm sure they will enjoy it as much as we did! Here are some pics of Matty in our now empty living room! Also, I packed up his nursery today, which was also sad. I plan to paint his new nursery the exact same color of blue because I love it so much!

Front Yard

Tonight was basically our last leisurely Friday night that we'll spend in our home. Matty enjoyed playing in the front yard while Jeremy washed the cars. He even decided to taste some mulch...gross!

He played "big big" and had a great time. Stan also enjoyed sitting in his favorite spot. We have a lot of great memories of this home...while we're excited for the new one, we will never forget 7833!