Kids rule pool!!

So it has been toasty here in good old Southwest Ohio..mid 80's and nice and sticky! Tom found the cutest little pool at Meijers for Xander, it is absolutely adorable, and was only ten bucks!! It is super cute, it's design is like a car and it has a canopy and little steering wheels that squeeks! Enough about that, lets get to other news!! We had another play date with Xanders little lady friend Ali!! We played at Rhonda's house for a bit then took the babes to a beautiful place called Lake Isabella and had loads of fun, they played for 5 hours!! Still no teeth, and no crawling(very close) but little big man is pulling himself around very good and doing amazingly well!! The bottom pics are from our last play date!!

This is sweet Mom!






It's not what ya think mama!!


Having a stare down






Naptime
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Hey, where she going mom?

Happy 11 months Big Man!!

Fun in the sun!!

Today we took X to a huge state park not to far from our house called Houston Woods. They have a beach on a huge lake and it is just a great place to spend the day. The weather was outstanding so we loaded up and took the short trip there and had a blast..Xander got his first taste of sand, and of course the first thing he did was toss a handful of it in his mouth..Yum Yum!! After we played at the beach for a bit we moved on to a cozy little grill out spot and got busy with some cheeseburgers. We all had a lot of fun! This past Thursday we had a play date!! A girlfriend of mine who I use to work with has a little girl named Ali, and she is soooo adorable!! Ali was born one day before X was due on Sept 22..It was so much fun and wonderful seeing them interact together..It was really the first time Xander had been around any other baby his age..They had a ton of fun together!! Ali roughed X up in a big way, she put him in a headlock and body slammed him!! The look on there faces were priceless. You can see in one of the pictures below that X got Ali back by sucking on her face! We can't wait to get over there again!! Some of the pics of the babes are blurry because they were moving so much, there are better pics to come!!
























Mowin down on a rib bone! Think it helped his gums
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Just Cute!

Grateful

Today I'm overloaded with such gratitude, to be Xanders mommy brings a joy to me I could never even try to describe in words. This time last year I was hanging on to the hope that my body would not fail me and X would be at least born close to term.. I was 20 weeks pregnant and getting my ultrasound to find out what we were having!! There was also a research team wanting to try a new little gadget they had to tell a woman's cervical length, I wasn't really feeling all that but they had a few little cute gifts for doing it so I eventually gave in..That afternoon we found out we were having a boy! I wanted a boy so badly and will never forget the ultrasound tech telling us it was a boy, my face hurt that day because my smile was unstoppable..I was the happiest woman alive that day. About 30 minutes later we did the cervical length test and I had a pretty good idea that something was off since they wanted to verify what results they had with a vaginal probe..At 20 weeks my CL was 1.5 cm, typically the CL for a 20 week pregnant woman is around 3.5 to 5 cm, a huge difference. I don't think I really grasped at that time what that really meant or how it would affect my pregnancy. Starting that day I was to go on a extended medical leave from my job and be on strict bed rest and be followed once per week to reevaluate my CL. I went back the following week and things continued to go downhill..I was admitted to L&D for monitoring and stayed there for two weeks. That was for sure one of the most trying times I have gone through. My husband and my laptop were huge in saving my sanity but I also got back my closeness to God..I was so scared, lost and was looking for anything to give me hope..I did not have to look far to find it, he was with Xander and me the whole time. My relationship with God today has only gotten better, I give him all the thanks for watching over me and my boy. At 24 weeks I received my two doses of steroids for Xanders lungs, if he was to be born premature these shots would greatly decrease his chances of having a hard as time opposed to if he did not get them..The Doc felt good after me getting those shots and released me to go home for a week on strict rest even those my CL was now .9 mm..Needless to say I was readmitted once again and delivered X at 27 weeks on the nose.. So did I get way off topic or what! This post is all about gratitude, gratitude for being given the opportunity to be a mother, gratitude for the support of my family and gratitude for continuous strength and courage I get from god..My life has never been more fulfilling than it is now..I have been given the most incredible gift of all, one I thought I may of never had the chance to have..my son, he is my heart, a love so deep and unconditional, a love like I've never known until I met him..I will always be grateful for the incredible gift of motherhood.. On this mother's day, I am whole, I am complete and I am so very loved..What more could a mom ask for?

Jen



This was over a month ago but I love it..Xander just waking up, smiling as always!

Picture Madness

Not a whole lot has happened since my last update, last week was a fun week..the weather was good and Xander and I got out pretty much everyday for visits, we went to Whole Foods in Cincinnati to get his formula, stopped in next door at the childrens place..I have to admit that is my new addiction!! They have the cutest freekin clothes for Xander, from tank tops to cargo shorts, sunglasses to flip flops they have it all!! We also ventured to Kohls, great grandmas house and to the park!! Friday I started getting a scratchy throat and Saturday I woke up full blown feeling like I was ran over by a mack truck. Whenever Tom or I get sick we go into preventive mode by staying away from X and luckily it was the weekend so Tom could assume full duties!! Even though Xander is so close to me I still miss him like crazy because I can't play with him or smother him with kisses like I would on any other day..Tomorrow is Monday so I am hoping I feel a whole lot better since Tom goes back to work, otherwise I will be gearing up with my face mask and bathing in the germ-x! Still no teeth, but if my eyes aren't deceiving me I see a little white speck on the bottom of his mouth..maybe the beginning of one? Also X seems to be at his happiest when he is standing and playing, he is getting pretty darn good at it too!! These are just some pics I've taken over the last week!

He has a smirk, soooo cute like yep I'm cool!


Really mom, a diaper box..


This is more like it!!








So serious sometimes, cracks me up!


Sportin the shades




They come off as soon as they go on


Bein goofy in his bed






Xander is so much fun and it is amazing watching him everyday, learning, growing and seeing new things that amaze him!! We love our little boy!!