I’m not keeping up with my blogging lately because we’re keeping busy and by the time Andrew’s in bed I’m spent, crashed on the couch watching How I Met Your Mother reruns. J Time well spent laughing my butt off.

We enjoyed a little “cold” weather lately so we had to pull out the Gap boots and onesie before he never gets to wear them again!

Playing at the park with a “coat” on. It was soooo windy, but Andrew didn’t mind playing for as long as I would let him.

Finally making some time for crafts and photos. Need to do more!

Cookies for Super Bowl/Valentine’s Day.

And speaking of the Super Bowl…someone was VERY happy and screaming in whispers since Andrew was in bed J

Nap face and hair. Oh just a little longer with that paci. It will be harder on me than him!

EXCITING plans this weekend…Jeff and I are attending an Army Strong Bonds Marriage Retreat in Chandler. Free weekend in a hotel room all alone and meals paid for. And hopefully we’ll learn something too ;)

MOPS

Andrew and I had a new adventure today attending our first MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) meeting. He actually didn't cry when I left him at "Moppets" with the other kids. However, one of the ladies did say he got teary eyed (*sniff, sniff*) after about an hour. He isn't used to staying in a new place for longer than an hour (this was 2 hours). But he did OK and he was so happy to see me when I came to pick him up. It was so sweet. 

He still struggles staying at the church nursery ... he usually cries when we leave and then he is fine almost instantly after we leave. I can handle that, but it's still hard!

Jeff and I are thinking about joining a new gym--Now the gym daycare I'm not so sure he'll be able to handle because I envision it being pretty loud and boisterous in there. Our visits to the Y when Jeff was gone often ended with me on the eliptical for 15-20 min before they came up to get me! I have to accept that my return to a regularly scheduled workout routine is going to include me up at 5 a.m. to workout before Jeff leaves or the dreaded evening workouts. I've successfully done both, so I have no excuse! Yikes.
 

Merry Christmas!

I knew this Christmas was going to be extra special and it's been extra relaxing too. (I've taken a long nap the past two days!) No traveling, low stress and minimal trips to the post office--that's the way I like it! Jeff and I were commenting how it's so easy to last-minute shop here. No need to worry about weather. I hope everyone is still enjoying this very special holiday and enjoying their family, too. I'm enjoying this week mostly off with some work to do during naps, but that's it!

Can't believe this was taken on the second try with the digital camera timer!

"Almost 2"

It’s time for another update because Andrew is 20 months as of December 10. Yikes…I’m starting to tell people he’s “almost 2” and that is just not right! We even packed away a lot of “baby” stuff and it made me very sad. That reminds me…I better book the photographer now for the 2-year photos since I never really did 18 months officially.

BUT, Christmas is going to be awesome this year with Andrew understanding so much more. His newest thing now though is to say “No” to whatever question you ask him. Do you want a cookie? No. Do you like playing with Daddy? No. Where is Minne? No. Aunt Beth heard it on the phone and she declared it adorable. Well, it is for a while :-) Do you want to take a nap? No! And that one gets a “real” NO complete with headshaking, etc. If he really means no, he does more of an “Uh, uh!”

We’ve been busy Christmas shopping, decorating (as much as we can with “almost 2-yr-old” hands grabbing at everything!) and hanging out together enjoying “normal” life now that Jeff is back to work. He’s liking it so far and of course we like that paycheck back. I’m still plugging along part time and loving/hating every minute of it! ;-) It might be time for the pros and cons list soon…

Big milestones for Andrew this month were his second haircut and a second visit to Santa. He did a LITTLE better at the haircut, but he still had to sit on my lap. He just doesn’t want those ticklish clippers near his head! Last year Santa was scary, but this year he didn’t care—it was the waiting in line that he would have no part of. We had to abort the line at San Tan mall since he started a tantrum and then this past weekend we went to Superstition Springs Mall to try again. I got smart and bribed him with a sucker that lasted JUST long enough so he had tootsie pop slobber on his chin for the photo! Santa told me he wanted a laptop and a cell phone!

Andrew is also trying to "sing" lately...this video is a rough singing--he does better! hahahaha...

Can’t believe I’m saying this, but I wish it was colder around here … But only when I’m not taking Andrew to the park for a playdate! Yes, I want to have my cake and eat it too!

With all the stress in our lives with Jeff’s job search (more on that later), etc, we have been having some fun around here lately with the family’s visit during Halloween, then Thanksgiving and now all the fun holiday stuff like decorating with Andrew and seeing his amazement with holiday lights (especially the Griswalds display next door…Seriously, you AZ people, please drive by my house and see what I mean). Not to mention other stuff like dealing with Andrew touching the tree and eating fake berries off of it … oh, and the dog eating a piece of Advent calendar chocolate meant for Andrew and me cleaning three puke spots off the carpet!)

As you can see below, we’ve been having some fun. And during all this, Jeff got offered a job—in Phoenix! So that means at least two more years here and no deploying for a while. Phew, I am glad this waiting is over! He is the OCS (Officer Candidate School) Coordinator for the Arizona National Guard in Phoenix and he just started on Monday. Hopefully all goes well, but he’s on the right track that’s for sure. Two more years here and then we’re off to wherever the Army takes us as he’ll probably go back in Active Duty. It’s exciting and scary all at once. I don’t even have time to think about that because I am too excited to have my little family together this year. It literally just hit me the other day that this is our first Christmas together as a family. Wow. And the first of many years Jeff wasn’t working some weird shift as a deputy patrolling the backwoods of Maricopa or Pinal county. Yippee and Merry Christmas to me! :-)

Mom and sis

Jeff and Sue, one of our family's best friends!

At his first house to trick-or-treat. Aunt Beth was there to capture the moment!

With Aunt Beth on to the next house.

With Grandma at the Wildlife World Zoo

The chickens were just amazing to him.

"Come here and let me hug you!"

Finally a date night after about a YEAR. Toby Keith's Veteran's Day event with Cowboy Troy!

Thanksgiving at the Howards

Helping to decorate after his bath.

P.S. When it says "Believe in the Magic" up there in our banner, we really mean it because my graphic designer friend had to super-impose Andrew's head onto that photo so we could ALL be smiling in at least ONE of our family photos!

Topping the charts!

Andrew had his 18-month check-up on October 14 and he is topping the charts!

Weight: 27 lbs (75th percentile)

Height: 35 inches (97th percentile)

Head: 48 ¾ cm (75th percentile)

The last few weeks he hasn’t been wanting to take his afternoon nap, so it may be time to loose the morning nap and just do afternoon. He is still really tired in the morning though, so I think we’re going to transition slowly. Luckily AZ winter is the perfect time to be outside playing and that wears him out!

In other big Andrew news ... he got his first haircut--finally! He was well overdue, but we finally went to Jeff's barbershop and Jeff's barber Toby (female), was very nice to cut Andrew's hair even though he was squirming all over my lap! He even got a spiffy "First Haircut" certificate.

We're really excited this weekend because Grandma May, Aunt Beth and Uncle Bryson arrived from IL yesterday for a visit! Andrew has been LOVING the extra attention. Our friends Sue and Keith are here too and they have grandkids his age so they of course eat him up as well :-) We all chilled out last night at their resort condo and had Rosati’s pizza while Andrew ran around opening every door, drawer and closet he could! When the pizza came, he wanted in on the fun and ran around yelling “pizza, pizza!” Another new word—that’s my boy!

Andrew’s a bit young for trick or treating, but Aunt Beth wants to take him out so maybe we’ll go--just a few houses for the fun of it :-) He’s already worn his costume to a party with us and he and Jeff also came to visit me at work on Friday.

Here are some photos of our fun October …

Vertuccio Farms in Mesa

First ice cream cone at DQ!

Before the haircut checking out the clippers.

A new boy! He looks so much older!

Uhhhhhhhmpf ... I can do it!

Love my sister!

With Uncle Bryson and Aunt Beth

The dragon tackles some stairs.

The whole family at my office.

18 Months!

Oops, I forgot to post on 10/10/10, Andrew's 1 1/2 year birthday! We don't have our doctor's appt. until Thursday, but the real news is that he's been getting into full-blown toddler stage complete with constant babbling mixed in with real words (probably 20-30 words I'm guessing), some foot-stomping, throw myself on the floor tantrums (luckily those haven't lasted very long) and some boo-boos from running around too fast, not watching where he's going and just being a lot more brave (see crib photo below!)

Climbing in

He's growing out of size 4-5 shoes and growing out of size 18 months some, too. Still in size 4 diaper and still sleeping very well. That's where I jinxed it...I have learned that every thing is a stage and doesn't always last long--which means bad stuff AND good stuff.

He is such a good eater and will pretty much eat whatever we give him. He has started eating whole apples--and I mean WHOLE...he eats the core and all. Crazy kid. He eats green beans well and loves hot dogs (of course!). He favorite foods are probably apples/applesauce, pasta and cinnamon graham crackers. Breakfast is still whole grain cereal, yogurt and maybe a taste of whatever Jeff is making. He usually eats Jeff's scrambled eggs. He had his first taste of pizza the other day and seemed to like the sausage OK. He's my kid after all!

First whole apple. He stole it from me at the pool and then I had to pry it away from him for the trip home!

Andrew is still at Daddy Daycare mostly when I'm working in the mornings, but he visits Tracy once in a while so Daddy can work. She misses him and the other kids miss him tons when he's gone. He's always been the baby of the group so he's still "baby Andrew". Love it.

I'll be back to post his 18-month stats from our doctor's appt, but we know he's tall he still has those cute chubby legs...my fave!