Served Up Family Style

Yes, the Stivers are still around

2011-11-22T12:20:00.000-08:00

Okay, okay, I know.....it's not like I've been sitting around watching daytime tv or anything(not that there is a thing wrong with that...I actually miss it:) I just haven't had a second to post or get my act together! Yes..summer has been long gone and fall is just about over too...but the good news is we have been having a great time.

Nico's speech therapist has been really working with him to use phrases...and he is doing a great job! Just this past saturday (I was sick in bed with a bug)...he came into my room and just started chatting away! He asked me "Are you okay mamma?" and later in the day, "all better mamma?" bless his little heart! Miss Lulu is a tough little cookie...she is 16 months and is really interested in trying to climb up to things....what you surprised?! She has taken some bad falls and of course scared the life right out of me but one would think I would be used to that by now. She's a little chatter bug and loves to sing and dance. Nico will grab her hand and just twirl her around...very sweet.

Charlie measured Nico the other night and almost fell over...since July 4th...he has grown 2 inches! Wow! I guess he is eating...althought he could live on popsicles....but obviously they don't stunt his growth. Lulu is cutting her bottom molars and two more teeth on the bottom...let's just say there are times when I have to remind myself how painful this process is...because sweet girl will be playing and then all of a sudden, she let's out a blood curdling scream...I look around..and not even Nico is close to her and I am like "what the heck?" then when i look into her mouth as she is crying and see the big swollen lumps in her gums...awww...I get it.

Thanksgiving is in 2 days and because we have all not been feeling well our plans have changed...so we will be by ourselves this year. I think it's all going to be fine...having a 2 1/2 and 16 month old running around doesn't make for the most relaxing environment! It will be fun...they love to gobble and walk like turkeys so we will have great entertainment! We are so thankful and grateful for the friendships and family we have been blessed with. We are thankful to have 2 healthy kids and to have Nico doing so well in his therapies. Thank you Lord for the life you have chosen for us and for the light you guide us with.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

Summer Days

2011-08-15T13:55:00.001-07:00

What to do on hot days?......put popcorn bowls on your

head!
Helping daddy in the garden..Nico found some worms
and was in total boy heaven

What...don't you trust this face?

Really Lulu.....don't get used to this jail look

it's not good......:)

Love being with family and so thankful for every moment! I really enjoy seeing

these pics because sometimes in our house all you can hear are two kids crying, 3 dogs barking

and Barney singing in the background!

Nico has become very afraid of the dark lately and talks about monsters...now

we haven't mentioned anything about monsters..so where did this come from?

Lulu has been growling lately like a dinosaur...or the dogs...such a sweet girl :)

Two little Munchkins

2011-07-21T13:37:00.000-07:00

Why do we buy toys? This basket that Holds their

toys kept these two occupied for quite sometime.

Lulu Loves climbing into baskets, cupboards, shelves,

boxes so brother decided to see if it was as much fun

as lulu makes it out to be!

REALLY? Where did she learn this from?
I am not sure how I feel about having 2 monkeys as
children!

Breakfast with Nico....such a delight!

Okay, if anyone has any suggestions as to what to do with

this curly hair I am all ears! Lucia had a bath the night before and this

is her hair the next morning! I couldn't stop laughing...it actually swayed when

she walked around!

Lucia's 1st Birthday!!!

2011-07-11T12:09:00.001-07:00

Yes, our little firecracker turned 1 on July 4th! I have to say I am
in disbelief...I thought the time would go slower somehow. We had such a
wonderful day celebrating you and the amazing little girl you have become!
Charlie and I love family get-togethers and we love surrounding our children
with people who love them. Charlie's family and my parents spent
the day with us helping celebrate miss Lulu and all of her glory.

Lulu LOVED her cupcake...she ate the WHOLE thing! Charlie and my
dad asked her if she liked the cupcake and she nodded her head yes! Then we asked
her if she was happy and she nodded her head yes again!
Too cute!

Cousins Ambriah and Grace....Nico had a big bite of
icing in his mouth!

Our little Lucia Angelina, we love you sooo much and are so blessed
to have you as our daughter. Watching you grow in your first year has
been incredible....you're such a happy girl! You really are amazing and
have made our family complete. Thank you for being you...and know
that we adore and love you so very much!

On the Run

2011-06-15T14:52:00.000-07:00

Things have been relatively smooth lately...which has me on gaurd a bit! The kids love playing outside with buddy, the water, and anything dangerous:) Nico's vocabulary has increased so much since his speech therapy started and it is amazing how much he has to say about everything. We took the kids to our neice's dance recital and they both LOVED it....Lulu fell asleep but Nico clapped and cheered the whole time! Then we went to a carnival...yes, I am always up for carnival food and entertainment...but we weren't sure what to expect from Mr. Nico. He wanted to go on every ride and didn't have an ounce of fear! There was this one ride that was a fire truck and went in a big circle and then stopped at the top.....Nico started to climb out of his seat and I started to scream! Luckily he sat back down and finished the ride without injury.

Here are some pics of random events etc. I just can't believe how big both of them are getting.

I look at the pictures last summer of Nico and he seemed so little! Lulu has caught the summertime tradition and loves corn on the cobb and watermelon! She is one determined little

girl and fights to the end to get what she wants! A couple of saturdays ago we went down to Castle Rock and bought her first pair of shoes! I really didn't want to get pink shoes but it was the only color they had. She thinks they are fabulous and walks around looking down at them and then runs into things!

Mother's Day was really special this year! We went to the museum with my

parents and Charlie's mom and then when we came home we played outside in

the pool. This is Lulu in her little strawberry outfit begging to go

outside with her dad and brother.

Yes, this is Nico's favorite Monkey hat....he is finally

okay with sharing it.
I couldn't resist....Nico and Charlie watching Barney and
relaxing! I love their little nuggets!

I think this captures Lulu in her Godzilla moment!
We call her Godzilla because she destroys everything
in her path. Block towers, train tracks, books on shelves...watch out..
here she comes!

Nico helping Lulu by showing her all of the buttons on the
fire truck. Now, she pushes Nico around on the fire truck and
giggles the whole time!

Little Buddy

2011-06-09T13:41:00.001-07:00

Well, once again I am hoping this will post. For some reason I can't post any of my previous posts.

Lulu is a running machine....most of the time running to get out of Nico's way! :) I really can't believe that Lulu started walking at 9 months and she is talking A LOT! it is so funny to watch the differences between boys and girls. Summer is here and the kids have been enjoying their time outside....which leads me to share the latest news at the Stivers house....we have a new member to our family....no not another baby (are you kidding me!)....a baby duck we named buddy! Nico and Lulu had been going everynight down to the little pond by our house with Charlie to feed the ducks. Well, a male and female duck started following them home to our house and Charlie and I suspected that the female had laid some eggs. Sure enough...the ducklings hatched and everyone was sooooo excited. Charlie had taken the kids down the path to find the ducklings. The mama duck was with her 4 little ducklings....and one of them had a deformed leg that kept him from keeping up with the others. Charlie and his big heart knew that he wouldn't make it through the night with all the foxes and coyotes sooooooo he brought him home.

Yes we are now the proud parents of Buddy the duck. Nico is completely head over heals for this duck and calls out for him in his sleep. It really melts my heart. Yes I know a duck is the last thing we needed at our house....but he really is too cute.

Little Lulu

2011-04-11T17:22:00.000-07:00

I have been trying to post some stories and have not been able to so here we go again!
Lucia has decided she is going to be on the fast track....and keep up with Nico...she has left Charlie and I with our mouths wide open...asking each other, "did you see that?" She is clapping now, climbing stairs, almost walking, waving bye bye, saying bye, making up cute little games to play with anyone willing to participate. I found her yesterday inside the dog toy bin playing happily with all of the dog toys. We had them Baptised yesterday and I will have that part hopefully with pictures tomorrow. So wonderful to see two little people growing right before your eyes. Amazing. It's funny, when you think of some of your earliest memories and now to have children that age and the memories you want to help create for them. so full of love!

Funny Story

2011-03-25T13:06:00.001-07:00

This was a post from 3/25....we have had so many technical difficulties but I decided to post this anyway!

Last Sunday evening, Charlie and I were very focused on a show that we love and it was the series
finale. We really don't watch TV anymore...for all of those out there who remember how much Charlie and I enjoyed watching TV:) Well, Mr. Nico has found his nose and pretends that it is a pocket. He has put all kinds of things in his nose...(thankfully all the things have come out on their own and we haven't ended up in the ER yet) Well, this particular evening he was walking around with a part of a paper towel and pretending that he was blowing his nose...and then he was shoving the paper towel up his nose. On our show it was a very emotional moment and the TV screen was filled with the face of the main character....Nico walked over to the TV and tried to put the paper towel in the man's nose! Charlie and I laughed so hard I was crying!

The picture of Lulu is just because I feel like I have slided her in some way..I don't get to take as many pictures and so I thought I would put this one on this post today. She is starting to stand on her own without holding onto anything and all bets are on that she will be walking at 9 months....really!?

Bus

2011-03-13T13:41:00.000-07:00

The Stiver's tumbling and gymnastics school!

Lulu is refusing to take afternoon naps sometimes.....

the result...

Hanging out in the kitchen with mom

We were visiting Charlie's mom and went for

a walk on Pearl Street in Boulder.

There was the coolest street performer in this dog costume!

Nico was not so sure about the dog!

Nico made a bed for himself

I know that all toddler's seem to have their own language of some sort of gibberish. Nico has been telling us stories that are very intense, funny or exciting. Every now and then we can catch a real word....but it has been a slow go. However since his surgery, he is very chatty and he said bus today! Charlie and I were so excited that we started clapping so he of course made a game out of it and thought it was hilarious! We continue to be so thankful for the difference the surgery made.

Lulu is a little busy body and thinks that she is 2 too! She loves playing and wants anything that her brother has. Thankfully, Nico has become really great at sharing. Lucia always has something to say, especially if she is trying to get your attention! She started climbing the stairs on her own on Monday. Yup, we are in high alert mode again. They both love taking off all of the cushions on the couch and jumping or rolling or pushing each other off. It is really fun to watch. Little miss climbed up on the couch (wuthout the cusions) and celebrated by screeching with sheer joy!

I have to say that things are getting a little easier. There hasn't been a bedtime struggle in awhile and everyone seems to be happy. It's lovely. This is a wonderful chapter in life.

(As I was downloading the pictures for this post, I found about 15 pictures Nico must have taken...really funny!)

Catching Up

2011-03-03T18:08:00.000-08:00

Hello there. It's been a long time. Well, we're back! A big thank you to all of you who have encouraged me to continue the blog even though time and some other issues made themselves obstacles. I have thrown to the wind my situation with my brother and his wife and figure that if they do in fact read this...well, then they will know what they are missing out on since they have shut us out of their lives.

Time. Time seems to be in warp speed and I have begged for it to sloooooowwww down. There is so much that has happened that it's hard to find a starting place. 2010 was a crazy year....for many reasons. Nico and Lulu are both doing really well and watching their friendship grow has been such a gift. Really, there were times I thought there would never be harmony in the Stiver's home again....of course I was wrong, but believe me there was some big crazy chaos in this house!

Nico will turn two at the end of the month and he is just a jokester. He continues to climb, jump, and marvel in his own fearlessness. The other day I was playing with him and Lulu and took a quick break on the coach...when I looked over and saw him climbing up onto his lego table where he had stacked his chair and he was just about to sit in the chair when....it slid off sending him flying through the air. He recovered quickly and then we discussed why chairs go on the floor and not on tables:) He had his tonsils, adenoids removed and tubes put in on January 21st. It was a really hard and long recovery but well worth it. He is not in any pain or discomfort anymore and we are truly grateful. The day after Christmas, every joint in his body swelled up and we ended up in the E.R only to find out he is allergic to all the penicillins. Long road...but he is a true fighter.

Lulu is such a happy baby! She is will be 8 months on the 4th and is just delightful! She wants to keep up with her big brother so she started crawling at 6 months and has been on the go. She is soooo fast...we secretly think she walks when we aren't looking because she gets from one place to another in seconds! Nico loves to play games with her and they both giggle until their bellies hurt. She loves to laugh and talk...she has a lot to say! Right now, she is discovering so much and you really forget how precious these moments are. I feel like both of the kids have grown up so fast.

As for Charlie and I we are doing fantastic. Since Nico's surgery...he doesn't wake up as much and doesn't cry in his sleep so life for us seems to have really calmed down. I have to say I am happy that spring is just around the corner...it's so much fun to have the kids outdoors and play with them! I promise I will post again very soon!

Summer Fun

2010-08-28T10:18:00.001-07:00

I know I say this a lot...but time seems to be flying by! I can't believe that it is almost September...which means fall is just around the corner! There are so many things that we had wanted to do before summer ended. One of our favorite things to do is to have a picnic! We went back up to Georgetown..they have an awesome park and playground for the kids and had a fantastic day! The weather was great...a little warm but we all hung in there and had some ice cream to cool off! The kids continue to bring us entertainment on a daily basis. Nico has decided that Lucia can stay...he was ready to leave her at a store! He has such an amazing sense of humor...he might be on the stand up circut at some point. One night my mom was reading this prayer card we found in my Nana's stuff and it was a prayer about growing older and it was really funny. She would read from the card and then we would all laugh. Well, Nico had a deck of cards he was playing with and when she was done reading....he picked up a card and pretended to read it..pausing and then laughing and slapping his had on his knee! Hilarious!

Lucia is a bundle of smiles. She is such a happy baby and loves to watch Nico run around her. It is such an important reminder to me everyday that babies are so different from each other. It is so important to treat them as individuals and encourage their personalities. Lucia doesn't cry much and is a great little sleeper. I read a book and it has really helped me understand babies patterns..eating, activities and sleeping. So far it's working like a charm....I think about if i would have tried to do things with Nico...since he was not a sleeper but remind myself that he has always been on his own pattern and had his own agenda. We love the experience of having two babies that are truly different and watching them both grow!

Here are some pics from some of our summer days:

Daddy and Nico swinging at the park in Georgetown

Sweet baby girl almost 8 weeks old

On the ride home from Georgetown, Lulu was so giddy

Nico was out cold!

The girls in Georgetown!

Papa with Nico and their cool hats

After a bath

I gave Nico some Nutella and turned my head for

a minute...when I turned around i had a surprised look

on my face..so Nico made the same face and said OOOO!

Daddy and his boy hanging out on the back porch

on a warm summer evening! Nico LOVES to be outside!

Fire marshall Nico

Something surprised lucia...Nico almost jumped on her--

her little eyes got sooo big!

1 Month

2010-08-08T20:55:00.001-07:00

My sweet Lucia, you are almost 5 weeks old! The time has flown by and you are such an amazing little girl! You smiled cooed at me when you were only 2 weeks old. You are such a happy girl and you have brought so much sunshine into our lives. Nico loves you so much and is so curious about you. You have already been to a lot of places....the zoo, the children's museum, the spray park and have been on lots of walks with the family. One of your very favorite things to do is to sleep on Papa's belly...you just snooze away! Lucia Angelina, you come from a long line of strong, loving women and from what I have seen from you already...it's a part of who you are and the woman you will become. Thank you for being such a wonderful baby and know how much you are loved sweet girl.

WOW....2 kids really???

2010-07-30T11:27:00.001-07:00

Okay, these pictures are out of order again! All I have to say is octomom...really? What was that lady thinking with having more kids...even if you do get a check frm the govt..she is crazy! No, seriously, we are having a blast and yes things have been at times challenging, chaotic, a bit stressful, but most of the time hilarious and fun. Lulu has been such a wonderful baby and little sister...although, I think if Nico could talk, he might ask when she is going back. One day last week, my parents and I and the kids went grocery shopping at Whole Foods...a little bit of a drive. The kids were great in the store with no problems. We get in the car to go home and Lucia starts to scream..and continues to scream and scream. About half way home, we all check on Nico and he has put his hands over his eyes and he has started to cry as if to say,"I just can't take her anymore! What is wrong with you people!" We made it and that day Nico went with Papa and his dad to get his first big boy haircut!

We are trying to focus on teaching Nico some fun words like Wow...so far nothing has wowed him enough to be his inspiration! Parenthood I have to say is more fun than I ever thought it would be and Lucia Nico are both just loves. My house may look like a romper play room for a couple of years but who cares right?!

Nana with lulu!

Nico before is haircut......

Nico after his haircut...and yes, we gave him a sucker so

he would sit still...a little drool..

He Loves corn on the cob..Nana makes it for him!

Lucia's close up

Uncle Ed's b-day..she looks so tiny..she was a week old here!

Thinking about life outside the womb..

Napping on Papa's belly...

Nico about to give his sister a big kiss!

At home

2010-07-15T08:31:00.001-07:00

These pics are of when we arrived home! Lucia is not even 24 hours old!!! It was such a sweet welcome home to have Charlie's sister and brother come to visit us! aunt Kathy and Aunt Dorie came by too!

Aunt Kat

Big Bro

Charlie bought this shirt for Nico and he was so happy!

Aunt Dorie

nico wanted to try out his old car seat!

Uncle Ed

taking anap with Papa

Our little Sparkler!

2010-07-11T08:25:00.000-07:00

Well, Miss Lucia Angelina arrived at 10:05 July 4th! She's happy and healthy and curious about her new world! I had been having contractions for about 2 weeks and then on the 4th I decided maybe I should go in and get checked. Our doctor was on call all day at the hospital so he said to come in and we would see if I had made any progress. I was definately in labor and he said we could either go home...and come back in whenever things progressed more or just see what happened at the hospital. So, we got checked around 12:30 in the afternoon and then just waited for things to happen. The Dr. broke my water around 2:00 and Charlie and I walked the halls to try to encourage more contractions. Since my contractions had not been consistant or strong enough over the last two weeks, and fluid didn't come out when he broke my water, he decided to give me some patocin(sp) and then things really started happening. My cousins Kathy and Dorie and my wonderful friend Brenda were there to help support Charlie because I didn't have an epidural again so things were starting to get rough!

Around 9:30 I was dialated to a 4/5 100% efaced and we just worked through the contractions....I am not going to lie....I begged everyone for an epidural! Then, at 10:00 I yelled that I had to push...and she was born at 10:05! She weighed in at 7lbs 3ounces and was 20 inches long.

She's such a delight and Nico is an awesome big brother! Our house feels full of excitement and love and we are so happy to have her home! We didn't stay in the hospital very long at all due to some insurance issues and we actually brought her home when she was only 15 hours old.

The pictures are all out of order so I am sorry. Welcome home our sweet angel....you have no idea how much you are loved!

Nico checking out his new sister with Daddy1

Sweet little Lucia!

Lucia meeting her cousin Laiq and Auntie Amber

for the first time

Elaine, my doctor's 4 year old came to visit

Cool dudes the day before she was born!

My little Lulu

Team Keri

The best husband in the world!

Before the pain!

Happy times!

Waiting.....

2010-07-02T21:54:00.000-07:00

Yes, we are awaiting Miss Lucia's arrival! Her due date isn't until July 7th but things have been progressing. I have had contractions for about a 2 weeks and very consistent contractions for a week. I am dialated to a 2+ and 60% efaced but I really think little miss lu lu hears her wild brother and wants to stay put! We have had a great time getting ready to welcome you Lucia. Your dad organized and fixed your room...and if you ask Nico where his baby sister is he will come over and hug my big belly! The doctor thinks you might arrive this weekend so we have been staying close to home and waiting to see what clues you are going to give us!

I know things will be hectic for awhile but we are so looking forward to having 2 kids and a home filled with love, chaos and laughter! Nico can't wait to meet you and he really can't wait until you are big enough so that the two of you can cause a lot of mischief! Okay little girl..I am going to go to bed and we will see what happens tomorrow.

Nico..

2010-06-25T10:06:00.001-07:00

Celebrating Family!

2010-06-25T09:48:00.000-07:00

Memorial day weekend, Charlie's sister and her family visited from California! It was such an awesome time because they had their daughter Avery two weeks before Nico was born so this was a really big event for us to meet our neice and for Nico to meet his cousin!

We had a great weekend celebrating with Charlie's brother and sister that live here...good bbq and cheap entertainment with the kids! We loved having the kids together. Nico was in heaven and thought that it was super with all the girls! It meant the world to us that Chris and Tara would make the trip out here to be with family. It was a wonderful weekend and we are so grateful for the time together.

Sweet Avery having fun in the living room!

Kat, Briah and Nico just taking a break

Avery meets Uncle Ed for the first time!

Our trip to the zoo! Nico's first time and his first time

in his wagon! They were hilarious...they loved pulling each other's

hats off!

The gang!

Two little munchkins!

Tara is due in September and I felt like I was due that day!

Briah and Grace eating bbq

Avery loved discovering new things!

I am not sure what happened but this picture reposted! OOPS!

Happy Father's Day

2010-06-20T10:12:00.001-07:00

Today I celebrate my amazing husband. Watching him be a dad has opened up a new well of love I didn't know existed! He is so extremely patient and loving with Nico. I can see so clearly that the time they spend together impacts Nico and has shaped him into this little mini Charlie. One of my favorite things is to watch Charlie spend time with Nico at his little Elmo work bench (which Charlie scored at a garage sale!) and how happy Nico is when he is with his dad.

We all have different definitons of what a father is. Our own experiences have so much weight on our perspectives about what we expect and how we would like to be loved or see our children loved by their fathers. It is such an enormous job as is being a mom. I find it so amusing though, that the time Charlie spends with Nico seems to be so much more impactful than all the time I spend with him. Nico just seems to want to absorb and breathe everything Charlie says and does.

Charlie, you truly are an outstanding father. All of your kind and gentle ways are so clearly imprinted in Nico and I am grateful for that. Waiting for our little Lucy to arrive has been really exciting and thank you for setting up her room and for everything you do to make the lives of your children richer. You are one in a milion. I am so thankful for all the prayers my Nana and mom said so that we could find each other. Thank you for being a wonderful father, a loving husband and my best friend. Happy Father's Day!

Hanging out with dad and taking a rest

Nico is helping his dad draw up the plans for his little play area

in the backyard!

I made a chocolate cake and let him lick the spoon....

he really thought it was the best ever!

Working at the tool bench together!

Growing, growing, growing

2010-05-06T11:27:00.000-07:00

Everyday I am amazed at the little boy that is front of me. He has grown so much in this first year and now it seems like everyday he grows by leaps and bound. I continue to enjoy my journey on the parenthood path. Charlie and I reflect daily on how different our lives are now that we are parents. We used to try to picture what our life was going to be like with kids and it seemed so unreal. Parenthood brings something new everyday. Now, we are trying to put our arms around what it is goint to be like to have 2 little people running around our house!

Today, I was going down the stairs with Mr. Independant and of course, he likes to be a big boy and go down the stairs by himself. Well, I looked back and caught him trying to walk forwards down the stairs! He is seriously not afraid of anything! He made it down about 3 stairs and then started to wobble...he then grabbed onto the railing and collected himself and then tried again. My heart probably skipped about 10 beats! No one ever tells you that after kids turn 1, it is a whole different ball game! Determined, tantrums, sneaking things they know they shouldn't have......it's like a switch turns on and all of a sudden you have a different child!

Nico is really starting to understand the world around him.....and let's just say he is really figuring out what he wants! We love our playdates with our friends and we have been spending more time with Charlie's sister Kat and her family. Nico LOVES his cousins Grace and Briah and is a complete ham when we get together.

Uncle Ed and Nico on his birthday

Nico in his first pair of shorts...it was a really warm day
and he just looked like so darn cute!

Being a peanut in the kitchen with me!

Starting his day with his buddy Gus!

Nico's 1st Birthday!!!

2010-04-08T07:37:00.000-07:00

Nico turned 1 on March 29th! I am so sad that this post is so late! It is really mind boggling that in one year of life, you have grown and learned so much! We went to Monkey Bizness on Sunday and LOVED watching you explore and try new things. You are not afraid of anything little buddy! I went down the big slide with you and you thought it was great! We celebrated with friends and family and it was a really special day! We thought you would plow into your cake but you took your time and enjoyed little bites! Nanna came down the Friday before and played with you all afternoon. Nana and Papa came over after Monkey Bizness and we put together some of your toys with Aunt Kathy and Aunt Dorie and then on Monday we spent the day together and Nana and Papa came over.

Nico, you have shown your dad and I a new side of life. Laughing with you is pure joy and seeing you discover new things everyday is so much fun. You are such a little love bug. You bring sunshine with you everywhere you go. You start each day off with a smile and you are such a happy little guy! Daddy and I feel truly blessed to be your parents. This year has been so full of happiness for all of us and you are so much fun. I can't believe you are one already! Happy Birthday little man! You are so loved!

Oh Charlie it's just gas!

2010-03-24T11:11:00.001-07:00

Okay, I might be the worst wife in the world! Sunday night Charlie told me he had some stomach pains....well, Charlie is famous for telling me to walk it off if I don't feel good. Soooo, I joked that it was probably just gas and he would be fine. Monday rolls around and he is still experiencing pain and the whole family tries to diagnose him. We all conclude that he might need a little Miralax but he will live. Tuesday after he is done picking up all of our customers orders, he says he is still not feeling well and maybe he might have appendicitis. I tell him to call our primary care doctor but I am sure he will be fine.

From the dr's office he is sent to get a cat scan because the dr. is afraid it might be appendicitis or a kidney stone. After waiting for about 3 hours, he calls and says he does have appendicitis and he has to go to the nearest emergency room.......really???? Well, needless to say I have been eating a steaming hot plate of guilt! The good news is that Charlie had the surgery Tuesday night and is recovering well. He is still in the hospital and may have to stay one more night, but I promised him when he does come home I will take really good care of him.....but of course not because I feel guilty!:)

BABY #2 IS........

2010-03-20T09:38:00.001-07:00

Okay, I know some of you have been waiting with anticipation for the announcement of the sex of baby #2.....here it is...........................It's a GIRL!!!! We are really excited even though we have said how scared we are to have a girl. It still doesn't seem real that we are going to have two kids! We feel truly blessed and we think that little miss sunshine better be prepared for her big brother Nico! Wow, I never thought I would be at this place in my life. A wife, a mom...it just blows my mind that so much has happened in the last year, 5 years, 10 years. Charlie and I had a hard time picturing ourselves as parents because we were both so focused on our careers and now to have such pure joy in our lives is awesome! Now our complete focus is family and making sure that our kids spend as much time with our extended family as possible. I can hear every word my Nana told me about the important things in life and I am so grateful to Charlie that he has such a big heart and holds family time as a priority. Now that we are going to have two little munchkins, I can't promise that my house will be clean, the laundry will be done, or that I may be organized in anything, but my goal is to have a happy home and for anyone who comes over to feel welcomed and loved.

OUCHY!

2010-03-18T07:56:00.000-07:00

Last Monday I came home from work and Charlie says...."Nico took a little digger today but he's fine." I respond, "how did it happen?" Charlie:"Well, you know how he really likes the doggy door...well, I was letting the dogs out and Nico is so quick, he went out too...."

Nico wakes up from his nap and we both go in to check on him....Charlie let's out a very concerned "Oh My Gosh!" and my response is....."how could you let this happen to our baby!"
His whole face was swelled up and looked so sore! Charlie was so upset and I just couldn't believe how many bumps he had....I shouldn't have said what I said next but I did....."A little digger huh?" Charlie responds, "I swear it didn't look this bad when I put him down for his nap!"

Thankfully, a week later, Nico is all healed up and doing just fine. As for Charlie, and all the grief he took from everyone, I think he learned that Nico is still a baby, maybe a daredevil, but still a little baby who can't climb out the doggy door on his own. If you are looking for action and adventure...stop by the Stiver's...we don't charge for free entertainment!

My cousin Danielle and her brother are amazing soccer players,

and we went to the awards dinner where she was entered into the

Colorado's Sportswomen Hall of Fame! It was really amazing! We are so proud of her!

Zach will be playing at UCLA and then possibly for a team in France!

It really was such a fun night with the cousins!

Mornings with Nico

2010-03-13T07:25:00.000-08:00

I have to say one of my very favorite things in life are mornings with Nico! He is just like his dad...wakes up with a smile! I have always been a morning person, but starting the day with Mr. Happy Pants is so rewarding! We usually start the day with a little SPROUT TV...now don't go judging me...he loves Chica the Chicken and it is very educational. After he has woken up a little, he is ready to start moving and start playing. I love that he just follows me around from the kitchen to the laundry room and then we cuddle on the chair until it's time for breakfast.

Growing up in a house where my brother would put up all the cereal boxes so that he wouldn't have to look at me and my mom wasn't "awake" until she took her shower and my dad was either coming off of a shift at the firehouse or just not a morning person any way you look at it.....Nico is quite refreshing. One of my favorite memories though, is when we were little, my mom would let us stay in our pj's and just play all day. It is the simplest things that make life so fun! I want so much for Nico to have memories like that. I want him to look back and remember the ease to starting the day and that we never rushed. I love that Nico laughs and makes little games up with me! Thanks little buddy for being a ray of sunshine and filling our lives with so much love!

OOPS! I unbuckled him and wet to get a cloth to wash his

face...he's quick!

Just chillin, drinking his milk

Starting the day off nice and slow with Elmo!

Friends

2010-02-25T13:07:00.000-08:00

Last Sunday we had our good friends Mark and Amanda and their 7 month old little boy Jude over! We had such a wonderful time catching up and seeing how the boys interacted with each other! Nico was in heaven having company over! He was going from toy to toy, almost as if he was showing Jude everything they could play with! Then Amanda put Jude in this little walker and Nico started to push him....well, then Nico wanted a ride too so he hopped on back and I pushed them around! It really was hilarious!

As we walk through parenthood and through life, it is so refreshing to connect with great friends and realize that you are not the only ones going to bed at 8:00! We feel truly blessed to spend time with the Schaad's! Thanks for a fantastic evening and all the entertainment!

Catching a ride with his buddy!

Nico was so happy to have Jude to play with!

Nico found my baking drawer and pulled

everything out....so we had to clean it....

And then he crawled into the cubby.....

Starting the day off with a smile!

How scared should I be???

2010-02-25T07:40:00.001-08:00

Cooking dinner the other night and Nico was playing in the kitchen.....I look over and see him on the step stool. Nothing new...but then....I see him attempt to climb over the baby gate that the stool is next to.

What is a mother to do?

I'm glad you think your funny little buddy

because mommy had another heart attack watching you!

DRUM ROLL PLEASE............

2010-02-23T07:06:00.000-08:00

My apologies for getting the results of our ultrasound posted sooner.....but........the baby was a bit camera shy and didn't want to reveal his/her identity. The good news is that the baby is very healthy and doing well. We have another ultrasound scheduled in four weeks so we will see what happens!

PLACE YOUR VOTE!!!!

2010-02-15T12:20:00.000-08:00

Okay people....this is your time to tell us what you think baby #2 will be....boy or girl. So many of you are convinced I am having a girl....so we will see! We find out on Thursday! Nico has been a busy little boy...still scaring mommy to death and entertaining us. Really..who wouldn't want front row seats to a show where a little boy jumps off the couch, stands on the bottom handle of the stove and reaches the other handle of the oven....all while enjoying great take-out! Here are some pics of what our boy has been doing!

climbed in the toy box

hanging out with dad

playing with Ellis on her 1st birthday!

wearing his new monkey had we got for $.99

seriously cheap entertainment!

Our wonderful friend Calvin home from Nepal stopped

by on his way to moving to Nebraska to be with the love of his

life Liz! Nico adored him!

Mischief at 10 months

2010-01-31T08:16:00.000-08:00

Nico turned 10 months on the 29th and we are tired parents of a dare devil! So let me list the week's events:

I was in the kitchen for a second and had left the step stool in the family room because I was taking down some stuff......I find Nico on the top step of the stool with his hands in the air clapping! Thank goodness my mommy brain was working because I didn't scream..I went over quickly and at that time he backed down the ladder like he was a 10 year old!
Nico's high chair was in the middle of the kitchen and I turned to put something in the fridge and found him standing up in his high chair.....clapping once again on his grand achievement!
Strolling through Target, I buckled him in the cart and was quickly trying to make my way through the shoes when to my surprise this little monkey wiggled himself free of the safety belt and was trying to balance himself and stand up in the front of the cart!
Last night we went to grab a bite to eat at Tokyo Joe's and we tightly secured him in the high chair......when yes, little McGuyver maneuvered himself free and was reaching for the hot sauce!
Nico was fussing and wanted out of his high chair (we now fasten every safety belt) he started crying and saying da da da da...well, Charlie came and picked him up and he waved bye bye to his mama who was trying to make him eat his breakfast!
We found Nico on top of the ottoman....looking around like he was the king of the jungle

So my friends, if any of you have any tips or tricks on how to keep a little boy safe while he is trying to scare his parents to death....please share

He loves the dog bed in the kitchen!

Playing with his best friend Carl

helping himself to a snack in the fridge

we have to hurry and close the door because

the minute he hears the fridge or pantry

door open, he is like speed racer and tries his

best to sneak attack!

Nico visits Nepal.......no not really

2010-01-22T07:20:00.001-08:00

When Nico was born we received a package from our good friend Calvin who was living in Nepal. He sent a traditional outfit that babies wear in Nepal! Well, the other day, I was getting ready and I heard Nico crawling into our room......when he turned the corner I couldn't stop giggling because Charlie had dressed him up in the outfit! The funny part is that the outfit has about 20 ties instead of snaps or a zipper....so it took Charlie forever with Mr. wiggle worm to get him dressed! We think the pictures are hilarious! Hope you get a chuckle out of them! Thanks Calvin for sending such a treasure and for the laughs!

Nico found the little window by the front door

and loves to peek out!

SURPRISE, SURPRISE, SURPRISE!

2010-01-15T14:07:00.000-08:00

Yes, we have big news to share with anyone who might not already know, or who may actually read this blog.......Nico is going to be a big brother!!! We were quite surprised to find out in October that our family would be adding an addition around July 7th!

Christmas Memories

2010-01-15T12:33:00.001-08:00

Whew, I feel so behind! Hey and by the way.....Thank you to the few that have left comments but it's getting pretty lonely in the blog world! The holidays were so much fun this year. We had our traditional lobster feast with Charlie's family and then we celebrated the Italian seven fish dinner on Christmas Eve with my family. It's amazing how having a child puts even more magic into the holiday season. Nico is such a happy little boy! He smiles at everyone and is so joyful (even without sleep!) My mom and I were at one of our favorite Italian stores up North, and I was taking Nico out of his carseat when this woman stopped her car and said "oh my gosh, I have seen my Christmas angel!" It was really sweet and made me appreciate the spirit of Christmas even more!

The holiday's have so much tradition behind them and Charlie and I are so happy to have our families here to share all of our traditions with Nico. I love that since Charlie grew up on the East coast that their special celebration is a big lobster dinner where we sit for a couple of hours and enjoy every bite! Now that we have Nico, we really have thought about what memories and traditions we want to help create for him. I think this is one of the biggest joys of parenthood. Making special moments for your child to look back on.

Christmas Eve with cousins
Christmas Eve with Mom and Dad

Christmas with Uncle Ed and cousin Grace

In the kitchen with Nanna cooking

the lobsters!

BFF

Nico gets and EEG

2009-12-27T10:24:00.000-08:00

Due to our sweet boy not sleeping, the Dr's wanted to do an EEG......and as you can see,
it was a bit much for our little man! The tech did a fantastic job of getting him all hooked up
fairly quickly (he pulled the electrodes out on a couple of occasions) and she was quite quick
at wrapping his head up! He looked like a little baby mummy!

Great news, everything is normal and he just doesn't like to sleep all the time...which is fine
by me now that we have ruled out everything else!

When we came home, I gave him one of his favorite teething
biscuits....his hat was glued to his head from all the goop they put in his hair!

He was such a trooper! He had his check up on Dec 23rd and is doing really
fantastic....he is a such a ham! Thank you to all of our family and friends that sent
prayers our way for his eeg to be normal! It was truly a wonderful Christmas
gift!

Abundant Love

2009-12-05T07:54:00.000-08:00

Life has certainly been in full swing! A couple of weeks ago my dad had a procedure done on his heart. He was in surgery for 10 hours and it seemed like the longest 10 hours ever! His heart was beating really fast and had a irregular heartbeat. He has to take it easy for awhile but is feeling much better. We would like to thank all of our friends for their support and prayers as it was a scary time and your love and well wishes delivered us through.

Nico is still on the move, climbing stairs and being a dare devil. He was really starting to show signs of good sleep habits and then.........he decided to go on a sleep strike! Nico, one day you are going to have to close those precious eyes and rest. Until then, mommy and daddy will try to keep up.

Mighty Moe turned 8 months on Nov 29th and we love hearing his sweet little voice chattering up a storm with the dogs....he learned how to growl and it really is hilarious. His favorite meal is breakfast. Lunch and dinner are missing something...we're just not quite sure what.

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving together at our house with my parents, Kathy and Dorie, Uncle James, Kat, Erik, Bria, Grace and Nanna! We played the Wii (there were some injuries...people are still recovering) and watched Grace play house with Nico....(She dropped him off at school and didn't want to pick him up!) Great memories of Nico's first Thanksgiving.

I will try to post some pics soon. Nico, we love you so much and everyday is the best adventure with you. Thank you for your smile, your spunk and your laugh!

Happy Fall

2009-10-29T10:16:00.000-07:00

7 Months and Moving......and SLEEPING!!!

2009-10-29T09:37:00.000-07:00

Yes, I have neglected this blog......because Nico is on the move! He has been crawling since 6 months and we are on high alert at all times! My parents have named him as Mighty Moe because he crawls over anything that is in his way and is FEARLESS! He pulls himself up onto what ever he can get a grip on.....let me tell you something little Nico....you are quite amazing and at the same time you are scaring mommy to death!

We are so happy to say that Nico has finally decided that sleep isn't so bad! After his six month appointment his Doctor was concerned because he was only sleeping 6 hours in a 24 hour cycle. So off we went to see a specialist at Children's. This doctor was then concerned that Nico might be having some seizures which of course scared us to death. We went home that night and guess who decided to sleep 8 hours!!!! Now he takes 2 naps a day and we are so happy that little man is resting and feeling much better! I think starting solid foods has really helped and he is drinking more milk finally.

Fall is so much fun and we have had a great time celebrating all of the season's events! Nanna wanted to take Nico to a pumpkin patch up in Longmont that is close to her house so we had a fun time taking pictures and eating carnival food! I hope you enjoy the pictures! We carved pumpkins with Kathy and my parents and we took some cute pics of the boy in our backyard on a beautiful fall evening!

Nico my sweet boy, today you are seven months and we cannot even begin to tell you how much we love being your parents. You are a bright light in our lives. We love watching you explore the world around you. Happy Seven Months little buddy!

Grace's 3rd Birthday!

2009-09-18T15:16:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday was our neices 3rd birthday! It feels like just yesterday

we were celebrating her 1st birthday! She is such a ham and makes all

of us laugh! One of her gifts was a trunk filled with dress up clothes.....

which you can tell she changed her clothes into her hot pink

birthday gear right away! It was really fun to spend some

time with Charlie's family! Bria just turned 13 (she was the

flower girl in our wedding and was 6 at the time!) She is a fantastic

big sister and played dress up with Grace!

Grace after she made her wish!

Bria (on theleft) and her BFF playing dress
up with queen Grace

Nico watching Grace open her gifts

Uncle Eddy and Nico

Nanna and Nico! Love time with Nanna!

Nico's First Train Ride

2009-09-17T07:30:00.000-07:00

Nico with mom and dad

Falling asleep on Pap's lap on the return trip

I love this pic! Nana and Papa got him a little engineer hat

and we when we put it on him it scunched his little face!

My sweet boy!

Mom and Pops with cousin KAthy

One of my favorite times of the year is fall. I love taking a ride up to the mountains and having a picnic. This year, the family decided to take a trip up to Georgetown and take the train (which is funny since I grew up in Colorado and so did my parents and none of us have ever been on the train which is one of the biggest tourist attractions!

So, off we went with our picnic basket packed and our cameras ready! It was really fun even though it was a bit chilly. We had our picnic in a little park and then it was off to the Georgetown Loop! The sun came out for our train ride and then it really started to rain. Nico was such a champ and seemed to enjoy the soothing rock of the train! He fell asleep on Papa's lap on the return trip! Since it was prety cold after the train, we didn't walk around Georgetown...instead we drove to Idaho Springs and had Beau Jo's Pizza! It was a fantastic way to start fall and a wonderful memory!

Busy little dude!

2009-09-14T16:12:00.000-07:00

Starting the day out with GF Ellis Jane!

Hanging out with BF Laiq

Look what Nanna (Charlie's Mom) got Nico...
A little lumberjack hat! He's all ready for
the winter!

Life has just been so busy, he pooped out!

Playtime with Ellis

2009-09-14T16:04:00.000-07:00

Nico's girlfriend has been spending the mornings with us

and the two of them seem to enjoy looking at each other, rolling over

into each other and just giggling together! It's been so much fun watching

these two munchkins entertain each other! (which is very

entertaining for me!!!)

LOVE

Promised Pictures

2009-09-14T15:56:00.000-07:00

As promised here are some updated pics of our boy!

I finally was able to download all pics so check out all the posts!

Helping mom with the laundry

Fell asleep on the couch (it's a miracle!)

First time eating in the high chair

Sitting in the rocker at Nana and Papa's

Fell asleep in the swing

(i have to take pictures because it doesn't happen often!)

sucking his thumb and hanging on to his toys!

Time Flies!

2009-09-03T13:21:00.000-07:00

Nico is 5 months old!

Well, we have been away for awhile.....but we're back!!! Nico picked up a full time job....GROWING and we have been trying to keep up with this amazing little boy. He is such a happy guy and he has started eating rice cereal! He looks at us when we are eating like,"Hey, you guys get all that and I get this rice cereal?!" He loves to give hugs and kisses and is fascinated with Ellie's wrinkled face! Being a big boy and eating rice cereal comes with a price......a stinky poopy price that scares mommy and daddy very much! Holy Cow....that's all I will say!

As for me, I love being Nico's mom. I know I have said it before, but truly, this is the first time in my life that I feel fulfilled with what I am doing. I told Charlie the other night that the whole time I was in the corporate world, traveling constantly, trying to reach all of my goals.....I never felt complete. Now, I wake up with such a sense of comfort....I don't have to try to fill shoes that were not made for my feet! Being away from such a negative environment has helped me grow so much more than when I was desperately trying to "make it" in my field. I continue to watch in amazement the cycle of life. We are on this earth for such a short period of time and finding our purpose is such a long, extensive walk. I feel restored.

I have had to go back to the doctor for some more B12 shots. I was really feeling tired and I knew it wasn't just because Nico is still not sleeping! The shots have helped and I am starting to feel a pep back in my step! I continue to be in awe of Charlie as a dad. He is just amazing and he makes my heart smile!

I will have to follow up with some pics...I am having trouble downloading them!

Nico's First Rockies Game!!!

2009-07-24T09:41:00.000-07:00

Well, I can't believe we did it....but we took our little boy to his first baseball game! Charlie has been itching to go and we had free tickets. We met up with our good friends the Knipps and had a great time! Ellis and Nico did Fantastic! It was really fun to see their reaction to all of the sights and sounds around them. They discovered each other as you will see in one of the pictures....too cute for words! And.... it was no big surpise that Nico stayed awake for the game! We left in the 7th inning... after singing "Take me out to the ball game". Who knows, maybe Nico will follow in his dad's footsteps?

Bright eyed at all the excitement!

Daddy and Nico (Auntie Amber gave him his cute little
baseball hat for Easter!)

Look at all the fans!

Nico with his girlfriend Ellis....she's gave him a really
big smile...they are so cute together!

The girls and their babes...notice Nico did
not want us to overlook him in the sling...he has his little
pointer finger pointing up as if to say "hey here I am..."

Busy, Busy, Busy

2009-07-24T09:33:00.000-07:00

Looking Good Big Guy!!!

Flash back to the 1950's

Nana put a curl in his hair after his bath!

He finally fell asleep... in his bumbo
He didn't want to miss a thing !

Nico started eating rice cereal this week!
He LOVES it and tries to put the whole
spoon in his mouth! He cried when all
the cereal was gone!

Guess who thinks she is still the baby?
Ellie loves her little buddy!

Allison and Brooke playing

2009-07-21T09:38:00.000-07:00

It's fun watching my neices grow! They just started

crawling! They make each other laugh it is so much fun!

Nico meets some more cousins!

2009-07-21T08:11:00.001-07:00

My cousins came by to meet Mr. Nico! It really great to see them and spend time catching up!

Justin, Kirsten and Barry

Two little Love Birds

Joey and Justin

Great times together!

Nico live and in person!

2009-07-14T18:11:00.000-07:00

So Nico has been really vocal lately and I tried to catch it on our flip camera....

New Pics

2009-07-13T08:30:00.000-07:00

Since I have just recently joined the tech era, I discovered how to get pictures from my cell phone to my blog! Charlie and I rarely have a camera handy to capture some of Nico's sweet moments but I always have my phone...so here are some of the pics.

sleeping baby in the hospital

Nico scootched around in his bassinet when he was only 1 week old!

Peanut!

We were getting ready to go home from the hospital

This is one of my favs of my boy!

Nico's first big smile and he started

talking to his mama!

Growing fast!

2009-07-12T14:33:00.000-07:00

Hanging out with his Jungle friends

So tired and fighting it all the way

Wiggle Worm

Calvin

2009-07-09T08:17:00.000-07:00

Calvin's home...even if it's just for a couple of days! Our dear friend Calvin has been in Nepal now for over a year! He is working with an organization, Word Made Flesh, to work with the people of Nepal. Calvin spends much of his time with children and families. His stories and experiences have changed our lives. We take so much for granted everyday. Calvin has an enormous heart...a servant's heart if you will, and his mission in Nepal to serve our Lord in any way the people need him to has made a huge impact on who I want to be, and who I hope our son Nico will become. We were blessed to see him when he was home...we love him so very much. Through Calvin, we have also met some extraordinary people, Liz, Neshaun, Lucas, and Brent. Calvin, you are an awesome human being and we are so blessed to have you in our lives. Thank you for making a difference in the world. Please check out Calvin's experiences through Calvin's blog: smothers.wordpress.com.

Something to make you smile!

2009-07-08T20:28:00.000-07:00

More family pics

2009-07-06T08:01:00.000-07:00

Cheri, Andrew and Allison

2nd Cousins

Cousins

Mick and Me

(Allison decided to give a shout out to all her peeps!)

Mick Kathy and Peter

Family Day

2009-07-05T09:58:00.000-07:00

We had a great weekend! On Friday, we met up with some of my cousins that were in town visiting and it was really wonderful to introduce them to Nico! We don't get to see each other very often so it was truly a special day. My brother and Becky brought the girls down too! I am the youngest grandchild, so it was very surreal to be amongst them as a mom. I have always felt like the little kid around them. My mom was so, so happy to be with all of her neices and nephews. It has been really hard not having her sisters but being with the family really lifted her spirits!

Nico's first movie

2009-07-05T09:49:00.000-07:00

Something you may not know about Charlie is his love for the movies. He absolutely loves going to the movies. He has been wanting to see Transformers.....and asking "when do you think we could go"...and "I think we could take Nico"... "Really" I kept saying to myself...you think our 3 month old son should go to the movies....well.....we tried it...and Nico did great! We went to the Movie Tavern where you sit at tables and can eat while enjoying a movie. We sat all the way in the back and in a corner. (Through some of the tough nights with Nico's colic...Charlie would hold Nico and watch the NBA playoffs and Nico LOVED it! It would be the only thing that seemed to soothe him.) I was worried that some of the transformers would look scary or the noise would startle him....nope..he sat on my lap and watched almost the entire movie. Unbelievable! Most babies would have slept through it...not our little Nico..he never wants to miss the action!

Nico

2009-06-30T10:08:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I know that all I seem to do is write about Nico....well, he has become my world! What I love the most about my days is seeing Charlie in a father role. Nico lights up when he sees him and since he looks like a mini Charlie it is so much fun to see the two of them together! Charlie, you are an amazing dad and I love you more than you will ever know!

Already?

2009-06-28T20:23:00.000-07:00

This morning at 3:00 am, I checked on Nico and to my surprise.....he had rolled over! "Already" I asked myself...he can't be getting this big this fast! Today I attended a very good friend's baby shower. It feels like I just had mine yesterday. It's so funny that you are pregnant for 40 weeks which is almost a year....and then in hours (or longer for some) you have this amazing little person in the flesh, totally dependent on you. Another dear friend is anxiously awaiting the arrival of her precious baby...she is 8 days past her due date....it's so hard to wrap your mind around what life will be like after you become a parent!

Days like this

2009-06-26T13:48:00.000-07:00

It's so funny that weather can trigger so many memories. All of this rain reminds me of the
summer's when I was little and the days seemed so long! Some of my favorite things about summer:

Cool aid stands

Popsicles
Garage Sales
Road Trips
Big Wheels
Bike Rides in the evenings
Making pictures out of the clouds

I hope that Nico will have wonderful memories of summertime....or if he will only remember that his mom swells up when it gets hot!

On another note...the pictures are of Charlie and I after we were born and of Nico.....can you tell that we are his parents! Charlie and I had never seen each other's baby pictures until Nico was born! Let us know what you think!

Some pics of our boy

2009-06-25T09:16:00.000-07:00

Unconditional

2009-06-24T20:26:00.000-07:00

I love being a mom. I truly have found a part of my soul I never knew exisited....the love a mother has for her child. Nico is not a baby who enjoys sleeping...in fact he won't even try it! Today He has been up since 3:00 am...therefore I have been up since 3 am and he has not had a nap and neither have I. Somehow, this has not phased me one bit...however, I should not be making any major decisions being this sleep deprived. Even though I can feel the tiredness in my bones, I don't want to miss a minute of him!

It just makes me laugh, really, being so sleep deprived and still functioning. Today Nico and I went to a class and all the other babies were eating and sleeping...not Nico..he just sat contently on my lap looking around and watched all the other babies sleep, enjoying every minute!

okay, that's it..I am going to bed!

Where would we be?

2009-05-14T17:19:00.000-07:00

I'm still bewildered that I am actually a parent. I was at the Dr's the other day for Nico and on the sign in sheet it asked for your child's name...which I am sad to say I forgot (only for about 10 seconds) hey I am sleep deprived....and then it asked who the mother or father of the child was.....I wrote down my mom's name and then it hit me...I am Nico's mom! Truly amazing when you realize that you are responsible for another living, breathing person.

So today I asked myself where would I be without my parents...they never gave up on me (even when I gave them good reason too) they have walked by me through every painful experience and given me such great comfort...and they have been with me, loving me as I became a parent. My mom keeps saying, "I can't believe my baby has a baby! I just never allowed myself to see you as a parent because we just were so worried about you!" Really, now I understand completely.

Where would I be if I didn't have the parents God chose for me....I would be living a completely different life....full of chaos and pain. Love can change everything.

Okay, okay, I won't get mushy...but just remember to tell someone you love them today. It makes a world of difference.

What the heck, I'm blogging!

2009-05-03T10:33:00.000-07:00

Well, I have officially entered the world of technology! Many of you have tried your best to get me here and yes, it took some time and I finally made it! I guess having a new baby, and being very sleep deprived will drive you to do things you thought you might never do!

Nico is 5 weeks old today! Hard to believe that he is growing so fast and time is flying by! Charlie and I continue to be amazed by him and all of his wonder! Today is a great day and we are so thankful to God for this miracle in our lives. Being parents is very humbling! Getting to know this little man is so rewarding.

Okay, well for my first post this is it because there is a hungry man jack calling!