Family Picture

We got some pictures done for our Christmas cards and to mark Connor's 1st birthday! Our favorites will soon be available on Facebook but my favorite family one is below. Next week I'll have pictures and videos to share from his first Christmas and birthday! Meanwhile I've finished up my third term of classes and am enjoying a 3 week break. I have a list of movies I'm determined to make it through haha

Busy Baby Boy!

Connor is already 8 months old!! It doesn't seem possible he's so close to his first birthday. In the mean time he's more and more active, full of giggles and ready for fun. I've hit up some JBF sales and picked up a couple fun toys, one of which he *loves* although he's not *quite* big enough for it just yet. He's a little short yet to stay on the seat *and* play he does try! He's figured out he can stand and play and gets all bouncy and excited :)



He's working very diligently on crawling but so far has only conquered the tummy-army-crawl hehe He gets on his hands and knees and rocks but goes down before goes forward! Silly boy :)

We took him to the pool for the first time last week. I realize it's late in the season but he's so little and it's been a really busy summer! Well he wasn't really in love with the pool... Turns out he was ready for a nap (who knew?) so he didn't last long. Thanks to Aunt Linda he got his nap while Jon and I played in the pool haha! We're hoping to try again next week. Until then, a couple of pictures...

Time Flies!

I can't believe it's been so long since I last posted. Although I've spent the past few weeks back in school, hence my posting absence :) I'm still at it but thought I'd take a moment to update for those who actually do read this haha

After four ear infections, including one perforated ear drum, we decided to have tubes put in Connor's ears. So last month he went in for both his ears to get tubes. It was hardest seeing him come out of the anesthetic honestly. The procedure itself was so short we hardly got the chance to worry! We really like his Dr so that helped. For those who haven't had their child go through this type of thing, a little one coming out of anesthetic is *not* a good time for anyone involved. Their little bodies don't know what's going on and whatever it makes them feel like brings lots of crying, lots of tears, and more than enough time inconsolable. Connor has a high pain tolerance (we know this from finding he had a perforated ear drum and not even knowing he had an infection!!) so we know he was feeling pretty awful to be that upset. He settled eventually and we took him home in about an hour. They had said by that afternoon we wouldn't know he'd even been through anything. Well it was even earlier for our boy! I had class that afternoon so he went to grandma's to get cuddles and love but when I dropped him off he was all grins and giggles and bouncing. We all shook our heads in amazement and relief!

The latest, and most exciting I think, thing to happen is after *months* of teething he finally has teeth popping through! First we thought it was just one on his bottom but we can see and feel the one next to it coming through too. We'll soon have a lil pumpkin baby! He's also hit that "separation anxiety" stage which, not gonna lie, super sucks timing wise considering he's teething on top of it. All things considered though I think he's doing well. It's just hard for me when I *have* to study and just get anything done for him to want me right there. Alas, I know we'll go through this phase over and over in the next few years. Right now he goes to a friend's house 2 1/2 days a week and Jon's parents house 1 day a week while I'm either in clinicals or class. It's gone well so far and I'm grateful for people who love him to take care of him instead of a daycare! Come September I'll have a break from clinicals and then a break from class so he'll have me for a good portion of that month. Hopefully that helps his anxiety :)

As for Jon, his position with Gladstone is going so well and we're really very grateful for the change from KCPD. Gladstone is a smaller community, around 27,000 people, much quieter and a better place to get your feet wet. Plus, and possibly most important, the department itself is *so* much better. They're more family oriented so we know if something happens with either Connor or me and Jon's working it won't be the end of the world for him to leave his shift early. That makes me feel so much better especially since he works nights! Come January he'll go back to the day shift for 6 months. At that point he's supposed to be able to request a shift but there has to be an opening on that particular shift so we'll see what happens. As always, we're just rolling with it!

6 months & Colorado

Connor, my Aunt Linda & I flew out to see my parents and celebrate my Mom's 65th birthday last week. Connor was *amazing* on all the flights-I was SO grateful! The trip was great and Connor was perfect all week. He had SO many people holding him, playing with him and in his face and even without his normal naps he was an angel. There have been a couple of times in his short life I wished he was older simply because I wanted him to be able to understand how great he did at something and that was definitely one of them! My nephews, Jonah and Mason, have been so excited to see Connor. And he didn't disappoint! Connor was lovin' on both of the boys and we have the pictures to prove it (should we need them later haha). Here are a few from the trip:










We also got 6 month pictures taken of Connor with the same girls who did our maternity and newborn pictures. I'm so glad, too, because we got some *great* pictures. He hung in for 45 minutes of pictures and while he was loosing his smiles at the end he was still a trooper. It's nearly impossible for me to choose just a few as my favorites but I'm going to try. To see the whole shoot go to: http://photos.creativeeventstudio.com/maag/connor6mo

Growin' On Up-5 Months!

Life has been both busy and boring. I spend most of my time at school, studying, and managing our ever growing, busy boy. Jon spends the majority of his time at work or sleeping and sometimes we even get time with him :p This night shift business stinks! Just a few more months and we get the day shift back, hopefully for good. Praying for that!! In the meantime we try and stay flexible. I have 2 more weeks of school left (1 week before finals!!) and then a 2 week break for which I am VERY excited. Maybe my house will get clean at some point during those 2 weeks? hehe I have gotten a couple of pictures taken although I know I should be taking more. I do admit the last 2 pictures were *very* staged. He did not pull himself up but darn if he didn't keep himself there! Creative Event Studio (the gals who did our maternity and newborn photos) are doing a 6 month baby shoot in a couple of weeks and I'm excited about those pictures!! Until then...

First Easter

Connor's first Easter was today, yay! Nana & Papa Long from Colorado sent an Easter basket full of toys and the sunglasses in the previous post photo. Connor had fun "opening" the basket with me and I'm SO looking forward to next year when he's truly interested in what's going on :)

He's apparently quite happy to get a basket from Nana and Papa ;)



This wasn't really meant to be a teething toy but it became one quickly


But ultimately the fingers won out~Those must be some good fingers!



While at Jon's parents house I wanted us to get a family Easter picture~Hard to believe sometimes we're a family of 3 now!



I also have realized I don't have very many pics of Connor and me they're mostly Connor and Jon or just Connor because I remember to get the camera more often lol So I had his mom take a few of just me and my baby boy




Today was church and followed by my side of the family at The Elms in Excelsior Springs for Easter brunch/lunch. Connor did really well and I was so relieved! He's a pretty good baby in general but he's in that over-stimulation stage so I'm never totally sure when he's going to suddenly reach that breaking point until it's too late. Fortunately today between my cousin and aunt holding him and being fed and walked, etc. he did pretty darn well. Especially compared to some of the other kids around us that were crying! Fortunately his sympathetic crying did kick in!

4 Months

I can't believe he's already 4 months and that month 3 went by so quickly, and probably mostly, without too much excitement. I had no idea I hadn't posted for so long! Well today I'll share some pics taken lately and tomorrow I will post Easter pics. After all, there's not much cuter than baby's first Easter pictures hehe

In other news, I have officially started school again, this time for my LPN. It's an accelerated program and I should be done end of June 2012. This means we just have to make it through a crazy, intense, sometimes sucky, 14 months and then I'll probably take a break and then finish up with my BSN. Who knows, maybe I'll push through and finish right after but I highly doubt it haha Mostly so we can have a second income again because this year will be tight tight! We like having some extra $, who doesn't? We'd feel better if we had more savings established next time I go to school :p
That's really the only "news". Jon's still liking his job w/ Gladstone Police Dept. and should be going on his own in a few weeks. Easter pics will come tomorrow!




I was doing laundry and had put him in his bumbo after he ate. I came back to the living room and found him like this! Think he was tired? lol

2 Months

Hard to believe my little cuddle-bug is 2 months already! Actually by the time I got around to posting this he's 2 1/2 months haha

He took his vaccinations like quite the trooper, we were both proud and relieved! He'd stopped crying by the time we left the office (after being fed haha) and slept for about 4 straight hours. No side effects at all! I definitely got some crying out before we even got to the appointment and I managed to not tear up until right after they were done when I picked him up and he was screaming... ugh. I hate we have to go through this so many times in the next few years, esp this first year. I'm glad I had Jon to go with me though. I might make sure of that every time if I can! Could I do it alone? Sure. But I don't wanna :p

He started recognizing himself in the mirror last week which is possibly one of the cutest things, esp when he smiles at himself haha His general smiles and coos have definitely become more common and his actual responses to us are so fun now! I told Jon last night I'm going to try and really relish this time when he's a momma's boy because I know by the time he's about 4 he's gonna be daddy's little buddy and mom isn't likely going to be *as* important :( But hard to say I suppose since we haven't done this before haha I'm just preparing myself... kinda :p

In other news, Jon is really enjoying his job with the police department which definitely makes for a happier hubby and therefore a happier home! We're so blessed for him to have a good and secure job right now! I still personally think cops don't get paid as much as they should. If you have to put on a bullet proof vest to go to work you should make a little more money, yes?

The newest thing going on right now is I got into a nursing school! I'll be starting the LPN program next month and will graduate June 2012. I'm pretty darn excited esp since I've been working slowly on pre-reqs nearly since we got married. It's crazy timing but we have a great sitter and my in-laws have been super helpful with him. It kind of becomes one of those things that you just have to bite the bullet and do it because there's really no time that things like going back to school is going to be "convenient". I got a part time job working as a nanny for the summer while my class load is lighter. Then this fall I'll be a full-time student, no working. Gotta focus on those grades! If I have anything less than an 80% in a course I get dropped so no getting bad grades for me! Hopefully it's a really good teacher-that makes so much difference!

Here are a few random pictures we've taken over the past couple of weeks :)

Newborn Photo Shoot

My amazing former roomies, who previously did our maternity pictures, also did newborn pictures for us. Connor wasn't really a fan of the flash from the camera and didn't sleep like most new babies through a shoot (of course, already causing problems!) but we still got some great shots. Here are a few (ok several) of my favorites~

One Month!

It's nuts and it's what every other parent on this planet says but WOW this has gone so FAST! What's the saying? The days are long but the weeks are short? Yes when he's crying or when Jon's at work for 12 hrs and I'm totally on my own for a day and a half (since he has to sleep the next day) the days feel *very* long. But to know that we've already had him for a month it seems pretty fast. Funny how life is :)

He had his one month check up and is a growing healthy boy at 9lbs 9oz and 22 inches~mommy's little butterball ;) His gas and "colic" are getting better. Little Tummy's Gas Drops are *amazing* things! We thought maybe something I was eating was making all of it worse so I started with eliminating dairy because I've heard that is the most common problem causer. Well it has helped immensely! SO grateful because now everyone is happier lol He still gets gassy of course but not so upset like before. Unfortunately for *me* dairy is pretty much my favorite food group. I've been able to still eat yogurt but everything else is off limits. I wank milk and cheese and ice cream so badly! The Dr said Thursday that usually by their two month check up foods can begin to be fazed back in since their digestive systems are more developed at that point. I hope she's right! But even if she's not the sacrifice is more than worth it especially thinking about how he cried before!

Still working on finding a better fitting job for after maternity leave is over so please pray I find a good fit sooner rather than later! I'm still really quite tired and while I try to sleep when he sleeps I can't always (sometimes you're just not sleepy!) but I'm trying to find a balance because I'd still like to have my house not a wreck :p I know it will happen eventually it just takes time. I'll leave you today with a couple more super cute pictures of my puddin' pop :)


He was hanging out in our (clean) laundry basket while we got ready one day. Seemed a little confused but content


"Oh look, a hand!"


Contemplating... Not sure what but certainly contemplating :p

Meeting the Great-Grandparents

Connor is blessed enough to have not only both sets of grandparents but both sets of *great* grandparents! He met his paternal set last week~




And because he's just so gosh darn cute :)


~So sweet when he's asleep


~Not sure *where* this look came from but how much bigger can his eyes get??


~Insert a variety of thoughts that could be appropriate here :p