The stockings were hung...

Mom put our tree up, but left the rest up to me. Sadly to say, I'm not the best at decorating or getting seasonal things done before the season is almost over. However...I love Christmas so much that I can't wait to start getting things up.

I usually hang our stockings on the mantle where they belong, but this year it just didn't work. Our tv takes up too much space so there was no room for stocking hangers and I'm pretty sure my Dad would have killed me for hammering nails into the mantle he worked his tail off to build for me. Can't say I would've blamed him ;) So this is what I did. We have a bar that overlooks our living room and the stockings hang perfectly on the edge. I think it looks ok. What do you think?

One thing I don't like is a tree with no gifts. I don't have many bought, but I thought I had better go ahead and get the ones I have, wrapped. While I was wrapping, I looked down and this is what I saw... hmmm...at least he was having fun! His Daddy will be so proud when he finds out he was playing with bows ;) I finally got the bows I needed away from Gage and got the presents under the tree. Sad thing is...Gage and my friend, Jodie, are the only ones with gifts. I'm pretty sure that doesn't mean they were the only ones that acted right ;)

I hope everyone else is loving the Christmas season as much as I am! I feel like a kid again!!

Happy Birthday...

Yesterday was Michael's 32nd Birthday, so Gage and I went after work to get the rest of his gift. I bought him a recliner a few weeks ago thinking it would barely be here in time for his birthday. Turns out it came in 3 days after I ordered it so he got it early. It seems like every holiday or birthday we have around here, someone gets an early gift and has nothing on the actual "day".

That in return, leaves me looking for something last minute so there is at least a gift to open. Michael has been asking for a new wallet, so guess what he got...a new wallet! He liked it a lot, but I think Gage liked it more. Perfect to chew on!

We took him out to eat at Applebee's for his birthday dinner. A friend of his (Uncle Adam) went with us, and we had such a good time! Gage ate Macaroni and Cheese for the first time and LOVED it! He acted as if I was giving him ice cream or something...don't worry, that came later!

When we got home, our interior decorator, AKA MeMe, was here decorating our tree. I have to admit, I was a little worried about how the lime green mesh would look, but it turned out looking AWESOME! Mom is so good at things like this and I'm terrible so I usually talk her into taking on the task. I'm pretty sure she was worn out after she finished. I hope it was worth it! Thanks so much for decorating our tree MeMe! You did a great job!

Happy Birthday to the best Daddy and Husband EVER!!! We love you!!!

Bare but beautiful...

For the past few years, I have been borrowing a tree from one of my Mom's friends. Last year after Christmas, another friend of mine called wanting to know if I would be interested in buying her 10' tree. She convinced me it would be perfect in my house and that I definitely needed it. Needless to say, I bought it for $100. It is a pre-lit tree (I mean, if all the lights worked it would be) and is absolutely beautiful! We put it up last night and tried for hours to get the lights to come on, but we had no luck. The lights on top work and the lights on bottom work. The ones in the middle...not so much! Oh well, I think it was still a heck of a deal even if we did have to string some extra lights.

While Michael and I were playing "Mr. Fix-it" we noticed that we had a little helper. Gage decided he would crawl under the tree and try to help. It was pretty cute then, but probably won't be once we get all the decorations on there ;) My Mom is coming over tonight to finish up the decorating, but until then, this is our tree.

Bare but Beautiful!!!!

Just sick...

Just a few minutes ago I decided I would sit down, take a second, and update the blog. I still haven't posted any pictures from Thanksgiving, and it is overdue. To my surprise, all the pictures have been deleted off my camera, and I have NONE! I am absolutely sick about it. Mostly because Gage's scrapbook will be missing his first Thanksgiving. Ugh...why does crap like this have to happen? I have been so good about documenting all his firsts so that we will always have them to remember and now...no Thanksgiving.

Despite the fact that I have no pictures, thankfully I still have a memory. We had a really good Thanksgiving Day. We spent the entire day with family and Gage did pretty well with all the action. He got a little cranky later in the day, but it didn't last too long. He passed out and took about and hour nap, woke up, and was good to go for the rest of the day. We were so proud of him and we are looking forward to the Christmas holidays!

First Illness...

This, my friends, has been the hardest week of motherhood by far. I had a jewelry party at my house on Monday night, so my Mom came early Monday morning and picked Gage up so that I could get some things done around the house before the party. He woke up that morning not feeling to well and had a terrible cough. When they came back for the party he was VERY cranky and pretty warm. I checked his temp and it was 102.5 so of course, I almost had a panic attack. This was the very first time in almost 9 months that he has had a fever AT ALL. He had been drooling for a couple of days and chewing on everything that came close to him, so I convinced myself it must be his teeth.

He didn't sleep very well at all on Monday night and fought the fever like crazy. On Tuesday he woke up with no voice and he kept pulling at his ears. He had such a sick look in his eyes that it almost brought tears to mine. Needless to say, off to the doctor we went.
Dr. Nolen did a Strep test and a flu test on him and both came back negative. He had a slight ear infection in the same ear as last time and she sent us home with a perscription for that and one for the flu. Although his test was negative, she said there is a 40% false neg on those tests (wouldn't you think they would do something about that) and she felt sure he wouldn't have the high fevers with ear infections or teething.

We had a very hard Tuesday. He wouldn't eat anything. He wouldn't drink anything. He wouldn't even suck his passy. His throat was obviously hurting pretty bad. We alternated Tylenol and Motrin every 3 hours and by the middle of the night he was fever free and has been ever since!!! He is still very tired and cranky at times, but much better than 2days ago. I am so thankful that nasty mess has run its course and my little angel is feeling much better! After my 2 day experience, I have realized how lucky I am to have a healthy baby. My heart goes out to each of you who have sick little ones and you are all in my prayers! I can't imagine how hard it must be for you!

Halloween 2009

I'm not sure about you, but we had a blast this Halloween! I am usually not much on Halloween. I'm not big on dressing up, wearing silly make-up, or putting so much hairspray and bobby pins in my hair that it doesn't look normal for days. It just isn't my deal. But...

This year Gage dressed as the cutest lion you have ever seen! He was such a doll in his costume and didn't seem to mind it to much! It was pretty cool here once the sun went down, but as long as the sun was up the weather was perfect for us to take some outside pictures. I think I took about 300 pictures throughout the night...ha!

We didn't do any trick-or-treating this year because Gage is too young to know the difference, but we did take him to see all his Grandparents. He seemed to have fun for the most part and was worn out by the time we got finished.

I can't wait until next year when we can take him from house to house in the neighborhood! I know he will love it! I hope you had as much fun as we did!

8 months old...

As I sit here and type this, I'm thinking to myself "can this be right?". But yes, my calculations are correct and my little man is already 8 months old! He has brought so much joy in our lives and continues to bring us more each day! I am so thankful to have him!!!

It seems so crazy that just a couple months ago I made myself a mental list of the things I needed to do before Gage starts getting into things. You know..."baby proof" the house. To be honest, I thought surely I had a little time to spare and I would get to it soon enough. Now, he is can do so much more than I ever thought an 8 month old would do and there is nothing he isn't into. He "army crawls" anywhere he wants to go, and most of the time it's places he shouldn't be going. I'm guessing he will be crawling with a few weeks or so, and before long, he will be walking everywhere! I'm thinking I had better get with it before he tears my house to pieces ;)

He has started waving "bye bye" to people, but only after we have already left them ;) You know how that goes...kids never do what you want them to do when you want them to do it. They just simply wait until no one is watching! Oh well, he is so cute when he actually does it and one of these days, he will learn when the right time is!

We went to the doctor last week and found out that he has his first ear infection. I think we have been pretty lucky so far to have made it this long without one! Hopefully he won't take after Mommy on this one and have numerous sets of tubes in his ears to keep the infections away. I had HORRIBLE ears!

After a lot of thought about the H1N1 vaccine, we went ahead and got the first part of both his flu shots this week. I have been so indecisive about the new vaccine because of everything the media has had to say about it. I talked to several doctors and nurses and got several different opinions, but I decided I would feel pretty stupid if he ended up with the Swine Flu because I didn't vaccinate him so I went ahead with it. Hopefully I don't regret my decision. He has done great with both them and hasn't been fussy at all, we've had no fever, and no sicknesses to go along. I was really worried, but he seems to be handling it well. THANK GOODNESS!!!

Tonight is Halloween night and we are taking Gage Trick-or-Treating at all the Grandparents houses. I am so excited about dressing him up and I cannot wait post pictures when we get home tonight. It should be lots of fun! I hope you all have a great night tonight and be safe!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!