Random

First with the random Charlie updates:

- Charlie got tubes last Thursday, April 19th.  All went well.  The worst part was probably that he was screaming so badly right afterwards.  They sent us out the back door and down a freight elevator.  Matt and I thought they did it so that way we didn't scare all the other children and parents in the waiting room.  My friend's baby got tubes this past week and went to the same place.  Her baby did not scream and cry so bad like Charlie did but they still sent them out the back door.  :-)  Charlie was fine once we got him home and got some food in him.  He was starving and had quite the appetite for the rest of the day!  My mom was here for the week which was already planned but she decided to stay since the surgery got scheduled and was a huge help to us.  Charlie got lots of loving form her and seemed to be 100% by that evening when I got home from work.  He seems to be doing great so far and we are hoping for an ear infection free month or two. 
- Charlie is loving to crawl all over us these days.  He loves to get right in our faces and give the slobberiest (not a word, but you get the point) kisses ever.  I don't mind them but even him being my boy, they are pretty gross.  These days, I've been letting him ride on my legs.  I figure it's a pretty good workout....all 24 pounds of him!

- Charlie is starting to try walking.  The problem is not motivation.  The boy lets go and flies to the floor. It's been pretty scary for me since the worst fall was under my watch.  He's only had a few bumps so far but he is really testing my reflexes, which aren't the best might I add. 
- Matt, Charlie and I went out to dinner on Friday night. I gave Charlie some diced fresh tomatoes. He loved them!   Afterall, he is my boy and I can eat my weight in tomatoes.  I'm pretty sure my Papaw was smiling down from heaven!  

- I love Charlie's giggles. I think they are so cute and he is giggling at about anything Matt and I do these days. We aren't really that funny (shocker, I know) but it's nice that our boy finds us hilarious. I know it won't always be this way. Anyways, last week, he was going crazy so I started recording it. I found myself watching it one night a couple nights almost every night so I figured I would share.

- I'm in full planning mode for a certain someones birthday. I haven't done very much and plan on keeping it simple but I'm very excited!! I can't wait to see all the family that comes to celebrate the occasion with us.

Other randomness:

- I never wrote about my Grandpa which I planned on doing. It's been almost 3 months since he passed so I plan on getting that done. Stay tuned! 

- I have some house projects that I have been planning in my mind. First, is outside. I wanted to work on our deck furniture. It's a little worn to say the least.  (I took this picture last night to show how badly worn out current cushions are.)

I have some new cushions on order, which I plan on taking better care of, and a few more pieces to put out there which will hopefully arrive before Charlie's birthday in a couple of weeks..  Matt and I worked hard on the yard this weekend. Matt stained the deck and mowed the lawn.  We both worked on planting and mulching.  With the rain and Charlie, well, being Charlie, we still managed to get  it all done.  Saturday night, we were exhausted and sadly today I am sore!  The yard looks wonderful though. I sure wish I had a before and after picture.   

I have some other projects such as painting a piece of furniture and redoing the upstairs bathroom (Charlie's bathroom).  Maybe sometime this summer.

- I realized that Wally has a back seat on the blog these days.  It's just not fair but such is life.  Charlie came along and Wally has handled it all wonderfully.  I think he still gets a lot of attention from us but it's definitely different for him.  I'll have to do his own blog post sometime soon!  He is such a sweet dog.

- We had such a wonderful weekend.  I enjoy my weekends so much these days.  Even though we did some yard work, we still got to go out to eat one night, go to the park, and even hang out with friends Sunday night.  We just don't see our friends often enough.  It seems like we are all so busy but every time we see one another, I'm reminded of what good friends we have. With that being said, it's my friend, Amy's birthday!  Happy 25th birthday Amy!  ;-)

My Grandpa

It’s been a few months which is really no excuse.   On Tuesday, January 31^st, my grandfather took his last breath and passed away quickly and peacefully.  He was able to join my grandmother who passed a little less than 20 months prior. 

My grandpa was a man who came from little.  He grew up very poor on a farm in Kentucky and from parents who had very little formal education.  From a young age, he learned the definition of “hard work”, something that stuck with him all his life.  Education was very important to him and I am told he graduated from high school in the top of his class.  He joined the Air Force and even earned a Bronze Start while serving in the Korean conflict (something that no one seemed to know until later).  He received his doctorate from University of Kentucky.  He was the first person to receive a doctorate in his family and I joined him as the 2^nd.  (He was very proud of me when I joined the club!)  He was a professor in the Agriculture department at Berea College.  He truly cared for all of his students, being an advisor to them and encouraging them to be the best citizens they can be to their community at large.  I believe this is a quality my mom also inherits as a teacher.  I remember my mom bringing potential students with her for a weekend trip to Grandpa and Grandma’s so that they could see the college.   My Grandpa was an active member of the community, including his church community.  He was a proud man and had no problems telling you what he believed to be true. He was not shy to share a Bible with you.  As I mentioned, my grandpa was a very hard worker.  While I believe that I have a good work ethic, I will never truly work as hard as he did.  Even when it was probably more difficult to admit, he didn’t give up or really think there was anything that he couldn’t do.  He didn’t ask for help.  He loved his yard and was a gardener.  His roses were out of this world beautiful and fragrant. 

He loved his family.  In fact our last conversation was centered around that.  He missed Grandma a lot and felt sort of lost without her by his side.  He was quick to tell anyone about her.  It was very sweet.  I don’t know that I necessarily saw that side of him while she was alive. 

My grandpa was one of the most hard headed, stubborn people I have ever known.  He was truly a one of a kind.  If he felt that something needed to be said, he said it.  He was quick thinking, which in the later years, due to Parkinsons wasn’t as easy to recognize.  He battled lung cancer and suffered from palsy and Parkinson’s, which affected his speech and maybe some of his recall at the end.  Although, many times you could tell it was at the tip of his tongue and he would get so frustrated not being able to communicate effectively.

I have some very fond memories and many stories from the time I spent with him and my grandmother growing up.  I used to visit them regularly.  Apparently at a very young age, I climbed the ladder behind him once to try to join him on the roof.  I loved to play outside and he loved being outside.  He was working though.  I remember riding in the John Deer tractor with him.  (I think I drove it once and, to no surprise of anyone who knew him, was not doing it right according to his standards so never got to do it again.)  I went with him to the Ag Dept farm to feed the animals.  I loved to go see the pigs.  I remember going on walks with he and Grandma.  I would ride my bike all the time when I was at their house.  I took trips with them and remember them going to the beach with us.  I remember them coming for most all of my birthdays and coming for the weekend in Grundy.  I remember going to church with them.  I remember every Christmas with my entire family and what fun it was to be with so many people and I loved to see all of them, along with my cousin, aunt and uncles.  I remember playing games and cards with him.  He would rush rush rush you until it was his turn and then he took his sweet time.  J  I remember our trip to Paris together.  He loved to pick at me (and anyone else for that matter).  I will never forget how much he picked at me for going to Paris and eating Italian (it was truly some of the best Italian food I had ever had).  He couldn’t believe that I didn’t enjoy the cheese and wines but I was only 17 and hadn’t quite developed that taste.  I remember going and spending a week with them when I was in college to help out when he had the cancerous tumor removed from his lung.  I also remember washing my car and him telling me how I did it wrong.  J  He was a man who knew there was only one right way to do everything and it was his way.  I remember all the graduations (high school, college, and pharmacy school).  He was so proud.  I remember him being at my wedding and standing up at the reception dinner to tell a story about me.  I will never forget watching him, trying to preserve every moment that weekend, and remembering how much I loved him and he loved me.  I remember bringing Charlie to meet him for the very first time.

I’m thankful for all of these memories and more that I just can’t articulate at the moment.  I know that he is a better place with my Grandmother and I’m thankful he didn’t suffer and feel that even though his time was up on earth, he still has lots more to do.  I’m sure he is busy in Heaven, probably even setting a few people straight! 

The weekend of the funeral was somewhat surreal to me.  It was my first time leaving Charlie.  I couldn’t bring him because he was recovering from a week of sickness that had really taken a toll on him.  While he was in full recovery mode, Matt and I just couldn’t reason sticking him in the car for 12 hours or putting him on a plane with so many people to share more crud with him or for them to share crud with him.  It was a wise decision but I so badly selfishly wanted to show Charlie off and let my family love on him.  I knew Grandpa would have liked him being there too.  While I didn’t know when Grandpa would pass, I really think I had processed the fact that it wouldn’t be long.  He was just so weak when I saw him about 6.5 months prior.  It doesn’t make it easier but I know in my heart he is so much better off and he was lonely and ready to be with the Lord.  The trip was also difficult because I came to this small town, their house, etc. and saying goodbye was hard to do in some ways all over again, but this time for good to the house and all that it meant to me.  I don’t know when I’ll be back in Berea, Kentucky and doubt that I’ll ever visit that house again, a place with SO MANY memories!  I don’t know that I’ll see some of the people that I’ve known for years, friends and neighbors of my Grandpa and Grandma’s.  Wow, talk about some great friends.  I hope when I’m their age, I have friends like what they had.  Friends who truly loved them!  I don’t even know when I would see my family again.  We are all so spread out and getting us together isn’t was easy as it once was.  We have other responsibilities, jobs, etc. that get in our way.  I came with a heavy heart and left with a little bit of emptiness and trying to process all that I was feeling.  I left around 5am on Friday and was back around midnight on Saturday night/Sunday  morning so it was a fast trip with not much sleep.  As it’s getting ready to approach the 2 year anniversary of my grandmother, I don’t think I’ve stopped missing either one of them but I realize I’m extremely fortunate to have known these 2 people and to have been so close to them.

Happy Sunday

I had to steal some pics that Aunt Meredith took of Charlie. I love these pics! :-)

This one below is my favorite!  I can't stop kissing this boy!!!

Grandmother Love

There's just nothing better than it!

Happy 11 months Charlie from your Mommy

Charlie,

You are only a short month away from being one year old.  Where does time go?  This time last year, I felt like I was as big as a house and was ready for you to come any minute.  And my doctor kept thinking you were going to come early which wasn't helping things.  Here I was last year, ready to meet you.

Oh my, I don't miss that big belly!

Anyways, here you are now at 11 months old.

This month was busy.  You had another ear infection which you got on the antibiotic which meant you had to get these horrible shots...3 of them into your muscle in your leg!  Needless to say, you no longer smile at the doctors.  Really, that's not true.  You are a perfect baby at the doctors office and they all comment on how good you are.  Anyways, Good news/bad news is that the doctors have a solution but it involves you getting tubes in your ears.  Mommy and Daddy are thankful for the extra help from Grandpa, Grammie and even your Pops and Mim who stayed an extra day to help watch you.

You have started sleeping.  Thank you!  Well, you didn't really start it but Mommy and Daddy had to start some sleep training for you, sweet boy, which meant you had to cry a little.  It wasn't too bad and you didn't cry long.  The worst was that you would do well, get sick, then get back into a bad routine of waking up 2-3 times at night, and after you were well, we would have to start it back again.  So, on the weeks you were well, your Mommy and Daddy enjoyed at least 6 hours of sleep without waking.
You got to go to the park for first time and you loved the swings. 

You celebrated your first Easter with family.  Unfortunately, you weren't feeling too well so you had to stay home with your Aunt Meredith while the rest of us went to church.  I don't think you minded the extra attention from your Aunt.

You are more mobile this month.  You have started moving around and cruising from furniture to furniture and even letting go a little.  You can stand a few seconds without falling.  You love that dog door and I'm pretty sure you'll master getting out sooner than later, just hopefully you don't land on your noggin.

You are obsessed with the laptop, Ipad or remotes.

You absolutely love pushing your push toy and even the toys that aren't meant to be pushed, you move all around the house.  Oh, and you have started a few dance moves this month and they are so cute. 

You have 5 words:  Dadda, Momma, Hi, Bye, and Babba (bottle).  Youd don't say any of them all of the time.  Your favorite word is Dadda. 

You have 6 teeth now. You are eating some table food. You aren't quite eating everything we eat but working on it. It seems that some days, you are more into it than others and of course it depends a little on what you are offered.  Wally sticks around wherever you are but tries to watch for the flying sippy cup that is bound to hit him at some point when you are in the high chair.

 

Here you are having your first grilled cheese with some veggies. 

I think your favorite food this month has been goldfish.  Wally approves too.

You smile, laugh, and giggle so much these days.  Daddy and I are loving it.  You are so silly and are constantly making us laugh. 

You are very into pulling people's glasses off their faces.  Hopefully you will get my eyes and not your Daddy's and you can admire glasses from afar. 

 

While I'm looking forward to your big 1 year milestone, I'm realizing that my baby is growing up all too quickly.  I love you sweet sweet boy to the moon and back! 

Easter Recap

We spent this Easter with family.  My mom, dad, and sister came into town on Thursday night.

On friday, they spent the day with Charlie while Matt and I worked.  We spent the rest of the weekend visiting.

We spent time at home relaxing.  The weather was beautiful.

 (Someone needs a haircut and it's not Charlie.)

We went to Maymont for a nice walk and to see the animals.

Unfortunately, Charlie got another sinus and ear infection.  That didn't get him too down and with everyone here to love on him, he was just fine! 

On Easter, we had to see what the Easter Bunny brought.

Charlie was so good that the Easter Bunny even sent gifts by both grandmothers!

 

We went to church and then spent time with both of our families. 

Matt's mom, dad and sister came over and we had a feast!   

 

I can't take much credit for the meal but it was delicious. 

And if only the boy could eat his dessert first.  He definitely was a fan of Grammie's cookies and why not if Grammie fixes him his very own!

We enjoyed a nice walk and some pictures outside! 

Charlie thoroughly enjoyed all the company and love, as did Matt and I.  The weekend came and went all too fast.  We have a very spoiled little boy after all the attention that he got.