Birthdays

This weekend is our family's weekend away up north in Nisswa at Grand View Lodge. I just love it there! I'm looking forward to spending the weekend with everyone. My family decided to do this weekend in exchange of Christmas gifts this year and it is also my and my brothers' birthdays this weekend and New Years, so I guess we will have lots to celebrate. I turn the BIG 3-0! I'm actually okay with it. I'm only slightly depressed about the number because I do realize that 30 isn't old but saying good-bye to my 20's is a little sad just cause so many good things happened in my 20's and in what seems like such a short amount of time (where did the last 10 years go): my first apartment, my first house, getting engaged, graduating from college, getting married, buying my 2nd house, having Tayah and Collin. It's been great but ready for the next 10 years.

So, earlier this week Ben handed me a card. I asked if I should open it or wait until my actual birthday and he said it was up to me. So, I planned on waiting (as tempting it was to open it) then Ben said that I may want to open it a few days early. So, I ripped into the card with no second thought. It was a very sweet card describing how great of a wife I am (well, duh...ha/ha) and then I opened it and at the top Ben wrote: "You deserve something BIG for your 30th."

At the bottom is a picture of a diamond (upgrade the diamond in my wedding ring) and then the words "OR" and then a picture of a beach (trip to someplace WARM for just the two of us).
And it said, "You choose".

I was at a loss for words. How was I ever going to choose? So I instantly tried calling my mom, she wasn't home. I sent my best friend Alicia a text, I needed some insight. Alicia leaned toward the trip cause she said the diamond would make a good anniversary gift. I agreed. Katie said to go with the DIAMOND!! So I thought about it and had wanted to do a trip for Ben's 30th birthday in June. Ben had thought that if we chose the trip that we could go over Valentines Day. I knew we were going to Disney with the kids in March and I was a little nervous about leaving Collin so soon. So, I decided to go with the diamond and then we can take a little trip, just the two of us, in June for Ben's birthday and when Collin is a little older.

So, Ben and I went last night to pick out the diamond so I could have it all set by the time we head up north this weekend. It's so beautiful and I can't wait to see it in my ring.

I will update with pictures from the weekend later. Hoping for safe travels by all as I know the weather is supposed to not be great.

Christmas

Christmas Eve: We spent Christmas Eve at the Cade side. We had a wonderful spread of appetizers and opened gifts that night as the rest of Cade's (We will be heading that way in March) were heading to Florida on Christmas day.

Christmas at the Cade house.

Uncle Robert and Tayah. They have a special relationship and like to tease each other.

Collin and myself next to the Christmas tree.

Christmas Eve Night: We got home pretty late that evening so we quickly put the kids to bed. Tayah was too tired and crabby to put out milk and cookies and the reindeer food so mom and dad had to do that. After the kids went to bed Santa came shortly before midnight.

Christmas Morning: Collin was the first to wake up at 4 a.m. Although he ate quickly and then was back to bed. Tayah kept warning us that she was going to wake up mom and dad on Christmas morning but with her being up late the night before WE ended up waking her up shortly after 8:00 after Collin woke us up for good later in the morning.

Tayah and her walking dog from Santa.

Tayah checking out what is in her stocking.

Ben and his new Fighters Uncaged Kinect game.
My gift from Ben. Ugg slip-ons.
Tayah and her Ken and Barbie.

Collin getting to open one of his gifts.

Tayah and her Cinderella Castle from Santa.

Collin got some blocks.

Christmas Day: We spent the day with my side of the family at my Aunt Christa and Jason's house. There was some serious games of dice going on and we will just say that there was one check made out for 15.00 due to a loss and one person who ended up going to bed at 6:30 p.m. that night (not me, Collin or Tayah). He truly is sorry to everyone!!

I do think we were all a little tired that night. Collin went to bed very easily that night after a busy weekend. His was a great first Christmas!

More Rolling

I caught Collin trying to roll over...I always seem to miss it. So I grabbed the camera just as he was on his side working his way over and this is what I got. He now rolls over almost immediately when you lay him on the floor. He has gone pro.

Rolling

We started to learn to roll. We can now roll from tummy to back and back to tummy. This isn't great video of him rolling but this was just after he had rolled onto his tummy...and then sorta stopped rolling once the camera was rolling.

SNOW....Just a little bit.

December 10-11th snow storm. We were stuck inside all weekend. I think we got somewhere around 17 inches. I heard on the news that this December is the 5th snowiest on record, and we aren't even half way through the month yet.

I guess I can't complain about Ben and his new toy. He did get the plow for the 4-wheeler and he has used it several times already.

Sidewalk.

Shoveling out the entry way.

4 Month Checkup

Collin and I had his 4 month checkup last night. Collin and I went alone because Tayah said she didn't want to come with for support. She said she wanted to just stay home with dad.( Remember: DON'T HURT MY BROTHER!!!). Collin is healthy and doing well. He has gotten so much stronger since his last appointment. The doctor put him on his tummy to see what he would do and he rolled right over. Of course he would, he has yet to do that for me, although he has came so close many times. YAY COLLIN!! Shots went well. He didn't even cry for the first shot. Once the second shot came he started crying though. He did very good. He is right about in the 50th percentile for height and around 25 percentile for weight. Our next step is to start to introduce cereal and fruits and veggies!!

He was 12lbs 15 oz. and 24.5 inches in height.

Don't bother me. I'm watching the news.

Okay, here is a little smile. Still happy, bandaids and all.

4 months old...ALMOST.

Don't even tell me that my baby is almost 4 months old. He is getting so big!! Here is a picture of him from the other day. He is getting so strong and getting much better about being on his tummy. Doing much better about lifting his head too. Yay!! We have a 4 month checkup coming up next week, which means more shots. Boo!

Also I recently decided to stop with the breastfeeding thing after his 4 month checkup and going to strictly just formula. I'm sorta sad and regretful about stopping but I also am really ready to be done with it. Right now my life revolves around feedings and if I am away from Collin for more than a couple hours I have to worry about being back home to feed or pump. I feel like I haven't had my body to myself in over a year. Being pregnant for 9 months and then breastfeeding for another 4 months after that I have just been all for Collin for the last 13 months. I am more than grateful that I could provide for him for that long and have no regrets AT ALL. He was sorta a picky eater for a while and for a while would not take a bottle, and then for a while wouldn't take any sort of formula. But more recently I have been able to get him to supplement with formula, but it has been a very gradual process. He is just a hungry, growing boy and I am now confident he will do fine on formula. Breastfeeding is probably one of the most difficult things I have ever done and I really give props to the moms who stick it out for a whole year because I don't think I could. Anyway, that is the latest with my growing boy. I will update with his stats after our checkup next week.