No Internet!!

You might as well have cut my right arm off for the last 4 days. I have been without internet for that long. It caused me great anxiety and suffering. Okay, that may be a little over-the-top dramatic... but....
I couldn't email with ease or Skype or IM with Nate...and I couldn't blog.

I am also a "Google" girl. When I need to know something, I need to know it that instant and that's where Google comes in. Whether its checking to see store hours, a phone number etc... presto...
Google comes through. It's been a rough 4 days.

Thank goodness for my iPhone as I did have that to rely on for emergencies but it truly gets old typing on the tiny keypad and reading the little screen. It was worth it to email Nate but other than that I don't bother unless I am out and about and need knowledge fast... you get it.

Turns out a freak turn of events including a power outage here (damn City of Madison workers digging in my neighborhood), and a wireless Router which was WAY in need of some updates caused my problem. And if you knew our house and where my husband (and all his blessed computer knowledge) has rigged our modem and router you'd know why I couldn't just plug it in and go wired...its way up high (step ladder needed) in the basement to not only run up to the office but used to accommodate running TV (via a computer) on a projector down in the basement for our workout equipment....I know. It's all very complicated. It's life at our house. Greg came up to fix it today... thankyoumuch.

Anyway. We are back.

My Neighbors Rock!

My neighbors Brenda and Yvonne got me these beautiful flowers for my birthday yesterday!! Seriously, how sweet is that? Since I was in Janesville all day and did not get home until after 9 pm I was not able to get them till last night when I stopped over at their house. They are just awesome! Thank you so much... you really made my day special!

Being 29...

Today was my 29th Birthday....
I got to renew my driver's license (in the nick of time- it expired today). After Finley's morning nap and lunch we headed down to Janesville. Patti watched Finley for me for a bit so I could renew my license and run some errands. Heather and I also ran to a shoe store in town in search of some new shoes but weren't lucky to find anything we had to have. We had pizza for dinner and they got me my favorite- carrot cake.
Just a mostly normal day with a little bit of extra fun and time with family. Perfect as I am not a person that likes to make a big fuss about my birthday. Everyone (including my husband) gave me "Spa" money for my birthday so that is cool. Looking forward to putting that to good use.
I am tired now and getting ready to head to bed. My little Finley is also pooped after playing with his cousins and having fun with Grandma and Grandpa.
Another year older... hopefully wiser. I can wish?

Finley's 12 Month Check Up

Today we had Finley's 12 month check up. All is good besides a little bout (his first) of diaper rash that he just developed yesterday . His weight was 22.7lbs (40%), 30.5 inches tall (66%) and 46.5 cm head circumference (50%). He received only 2 vaccines today (the max I will allow him to receive at a time). We will be going back over the next few weeks for 3 more. He also had to have his finger pricked for the lead test and to test for anemia. Poor guy. He was champ with the shots but that needle prick of his finger was it. I really did not care how loud he screamed and was not apologetic to the rest of the people waiting in the lab. My poor kid was poked and prodded and squeezed blood from. He could scream as loud as he wanted. I don't know why the needle for the finger had to be spring loaded and practically hydrolic? I was just glad to be done and get the heck out of the clinic. Enough for one day! Finley fell asleep on our 10 minute drive home- too much excitement and screaming I guess. I am glad he is well and know that the pokes and prods are necessary evils but I can still hate it right?

The End of August...

Whoah? Where did the summer go? Now, for most people they are probably bummed to see the last day of August come and go. I myself am okay with it as it just means I am that much closer to seeing Nate and having him home for good too. We welcome September and all the fall has to bring....
Here are just a few random pictures from the last few weeks.

Howie's butt is an awesome book rest...

Making an entrance

Oooo...this is his new face when he sees a truck (wearing his t-shirt from our Albuquerque NM trip) It's covered in watermelon juice from lunch.

Wearing his t- shirt we got him in Key Largo on our "babymoon" vacation last year when I was about 28 weeks pregnant. He is holding a shark finger puppet that goes with is shark t-shirt.

Reading about his favorite thing, trucks...

Would you like a raspberry? (that's yogurt all over his head)

Sleep Reader?

Sleep walking is something that runs in my family. I myself have been known to do all kinds of weird things in my sleep... such as turning on every light in the house, walking out the door and talking all kinds of nonsensical things. Scary huh? Just ask my husband all of his experiences with my sleep walking. I am beginning to wonder if this is something I may have passed down to Finley...
The other night... at 12:37pm (I remember as it was so strange) I woke to Finley "talking" in his crib. I now keep a few little board books in the corner of his crib for when he wakes up. He loves to look at books in the morning and will stay content in his crib for 20-30 minutes before needing me to get him.
The picture on our video baby monitor told me what was up. Our child was "reading" books in the dark. What the? He was paging through his books pointing and talking to the pictures.... in the dark? Either this kid has some imagination or he is following in his mama's footsteps...

I snapped a few pictures of the monitor with my phone so I could show Nate...
Look closely, you can see Finley sitting up against the side of his crib and the book...

Cookies in the Cat Fountain

Just in case you were all wondering what it looks like when someone (Finley) puts his Nilla Wafers in the cat's drinking fountain while mommy is trying to make dinner...
I thought he was feeding them to Howie because he kept quickly coming back for more...all I was thinking was whatever keeps you occupied while I try to make dinner...little did I know.
Later that night, after he was sound asleep I discovered what really happened to the Nilla Wafers.


He actually topped it off with this cup that he had been playing with...

Go Go Go and Other Random Thoughts...

It seems Finley and I have been sort of busy these last few days. Actually, since Friday night. We traveled to Janesville for dinner at Nate's parents house. Finley highly enjoyed playing with cousins Gavin and Olivia and the attention of everyone. Saturday we did dinner and Borders with Aunt Chris. Sunday we traveled to Johnson Creek to meet Grandma Patti and Aunt Heather at the outlet mall for some shopping- by which Finley wasn't exactly game for the afternoon of shopping but with the help we made it. Today we had a playdate with Anna and Lisa for some "Splash Table" fun and backyard play. Then Finley and I headed over to dinner at their house. Since Nate is not here I don't ever grill out. We have a nice gas grill and the propane tank has sat empty all summer. It's hard enough to cook in the house with Finley underfoot let alone prep and cook and go in and out with Finley. He screams every time you open a door. I think he is going through his version of separation anxiety. He just thinks you are going to leave him and wants to make sure he gets to go with you. Well, my point is, we don't grill at home and I get my summer grilled food fix only when we are invited somewhere for a cookout. Tonight it was a burger and it was great!
The busy-ness continues...I have a "date" for dinner with Aunt Heather. It's a "stay-at-home-mom's much needed dinner out without the kids once in while" date. Patti and Greg will be graciously watching all three kiddos for a couple hours of our "decompression" time.

The beauty and gem of all this busy-ness? I haven't had to feed Finley dinner at home for 4 going on 5 nights!! You know what that means? I haven't had to clean up from dinner for 4 going on 5 nights!! A much needed break from the monotonous 3 times a day meal cleanup!! I feel liberated! Ha... okay my reality will come crashing down on me on Wednesday night. Oh well. It's been a good run. (secretly I am trying to see how many more days in a row I can plan things for dinner out (or not at OUR house) so I have no dinner cleanup...sick isn't it?). Such a silly thing but when you clean up from baby/toddler meals a 3 times a day, everyday, solo, you too would be celebrating this.

In the meantime...
Hopefully I can get some cleaning done around here tomorrow morning. It seems my house is the "self-destructing" type. Like the moment I get things picked up, cleaned and vacuumed it takes about an hour before it looks like I never did any of those things? Mom's of toddlers? Are you also experiencing this phenomenon? Some days I just don't bother...then regret it later when I look around at the mess and think what I have to face in the morning!!