How Having Kids Changes Things...

I always scoffed at the people who stated the cliche': having kids will change everything. I used to take that comment with a negative tone, but now that I have a precious little babe of my own, I now know that it's said from an overwhelmingly positive place in the heart. So below are a few things that have changed since I had a baby:

#1 - I don't want to die.

Ahem...Let me explain. Emerson and I watched "Life as We Know It" on Saturday, and it hit us both really hard. (It's the movie where the parents of a 9 month old baby die, and they leave their little girl to their two best friends: Josh Duhamel (SMOKIN'!! btw) and Katherine Heigl). This next statement will sound rather morbid; but before I had kids, I never really cared if I died. Ok ok, I guess what I mean is, I would be okay up in heaven enjoying the clouds, music, and caramel brulee lattes, looking down on my loved ones, etc.

But now, I have this overwhelming feeling that I have to be here to watch Kingston grow up, to be there for him, because he needs his own Mommy and Daddy! Nobody can love him like we do!

#2 - Songs mean more.

This is another kind of morbid example, and maybe my head isn't quite right, or maybe it's just the lack of sleep! Anywho, a few years ago a friend of mine died of an accidental death at the age of 22. Yes, it was very very sad, even at the time. At her funeral, her family did a little photo/video montage to the following song; (this is the song, not the video obviously).

I heard this song come on Toddler Radio via Pandora.com yesterday and I just started bawling. I completely lost it. I just kept thinking of that poor girl's parents and how they lost their little child. It hit me on a whole new level. Before, I always just thought about how sad it was that her life was cut short, I never even thought about how it must've killed her parents.

#3 - Ok, on to the lighter ways that babies change things...

Finding time and a sitter to get your eyebrows waxed is a HUGE deal. It's been way too long!

My husband and I actually have stuff to talk about at our once a year 'date night'...

We watch a lot less TV!

I barely shop for my self anymore! But I buy a ton of stuff for Kingston.

Sleep deprivation makes life really silly!

Time Flies!

I can't believe Kingston will be 8 months this week...Where does the time go! Wow, that makes me sound really old.

He is not yet crawling, but he wants to SOOOO bad! He can take two steps, but then his arms get tired and he crumbles down to his belly, and from there he just rolls 'til he gets where he wants to go. He is still quite the mama's boy, and you won't hear any complaints from me. I absolutely Luh-OVE this stage. He's also really close to saying MaMa. Actually, he says 'mama' but not really in the right sense yet. And he screams it when he's mad...not my favorite stage, haha. He's got two adorable teeth on the bottom, and two, let's just call them interesting, teeth coming in on top. Not sure if anybody else can vouch for some gap top two teeth? This normal??

Kingston is my absolute love! Along with his daddy, of course. Although, I think Em would be happy to be done with the 'mommy/separation anxiety' stage. He's ready for the 'kick the soccer ball around the field' stage.

Below is a few pictures from the last couple of months:

6 month photos

Long time overdue!! Here are KingBear's 6 month pics...

Kingston's Favorites...MOMMY!!!

So, of course, right before I have to travel out of town every other weekend for work, my little baby wants one thing, and one thing only...his Mommy. While it breaks my heart and feeds my ego all at the same time, it makes traveling THAT much harder on my poor soul.

I know it's just a stage, and quite an adorable one at that (well, adorable for me, not for anybody else); but I'm just relishing every moment of it. Although, it did make it hard over Christmas since he would immediately cry if someone wanted to hold him...and it made getting his 6 month/Christmas pictures quite a challenge! Pics from that to follow soon...

6 month stats...

17 lbs 12 oz - 60th Percentile

28 in. - 75th Percentile

Still a big boy, but maybe lengthening out a little, LOL! Although the doctor looked at him and said, well it doesn't look like he's lengthening out! That's because he's still got giant cherubic cheeks and that poke-able belly!! A...Dor....Able, if I do say so myself.

On a sadder note, he has a hemangioma birth mark on his back that we've been "watching" since he was born. But just last month, we noticed a small scab-like mark in the middle of it. We had to take him to a Pediatric Dermatologist to make sure nothing more was going on. As it turns out, (after several sleepless nights thinking the worst) it's an ulcer of the hemangioma. While painful for the little guy right now, and in the worst area possible for when people pick up him up and pat him on the back, it will go away entirely by the time he's five. But I just hate to see my little baby in pain!

Things to be thankful for...Thanksgiving 2010

Ahhh...I can't believe my five days off are already over. What a whirlwind! My little KingBear did so much; from Black Friday shopping craziness, to his first high chair experience at a restaurant, to meeting Santa for the first time. He thought Santa was oh-so snuggly and could've taken a nap on his burly belly. His cousin didn't quite like Santa as much, but of course it was adorable none-the-less.

"If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, "thank you," that would suffice."-Meister Eckhart. I am in tears thankful this year for so many reasons. I'm trying not to make this a mushy gushy post, but who cares...My heart feels all gushy right now :) I have a beautiful baby boy, a husband who truly, truly loves me even with all of my imperfections, wonderful friends, a very caring family, both of us are employed with a roof over our heads, we are seemingly healthy, the caramel brulee latte at Starbucks (YUM!) and so many other things that would just bore you. My excitement for the holidays seems on steroids now that we have our precious little (errr, make that big) baby. Everything seems new again! Can't wait to pick out our tree, put the lights up, finish Christmas shopping, (eeekk! squealing with joy right now just thinking about it all).

Below are a few pics from the weekend:

Wednesdays...

I absolutely love my Wednesdays. It is generally my only full day off during the week. It's just me and the KingBear all day long. We have a blast giggling, going for walks, getting our Starbucks in the morning, grocery shopping, going to the park, and just hanging out at home reading books! The only problem is that it makes it that much harder to leave him on Thursdays to go to work.

I try my very best to not check email or do any work of any sort. Yes, that means even housework...The dishes stay dirty, the laundry unfolded, the rug unvaccuumed; but I simply refuse to spend my only day with Kingston cleaning up. And even when he's napping, I still don't do the housework. It's the only way I keep my sanity (or at least that's my excuse). The only problem with this is that my poor dear loving husband usually ends up doing all of the housework. Sometimes I don't show it, but I hope he knows how much I sincerely appreciate how much he helps around the house. Thank you Em, for allowing me my special day with our beautiful son.

A bunch of pics from our day at the park...