Zacks First Hunt

I went into this thinking Zack might actually do alright since plastic eggs conveniently look a lot like balls and we can't go anywhere without pointing out anything that looks like a ball.  What I didn't take into account was that the eggs were going to be on the grass.

It was pure torture...he wanted the "ba" (ball) but would have to touch the grass to get it!

I put eggs on the top of the grass so he wouldn't have to touch too much grass...and that got us a few eggs.  He could not understand why I kept taking his "ba" and putting it into a bucket.  He didn't get upset he just picked up another (after a little help).

Once the hunt was over he spent the remainder of the morning ignoring all the cool trucks and all he playing kids to throw and show off his "ba". 

Easter Crafts

A few mommy friends came over to do some crafts that we pinned on pinterest.  We had a blast...each one of us brought supplies and instructions for a different craft. 
I was in charge of the topiary:

the best part about doing this project with a group is I felt OK buying lots of ribbon...this was way too much for 6 topiaries but I will use it for something else...and nothing beats ribbon at 50% off.

I trimmed the ribbon into 3 inch strips

and used small pins to stick the ribbon into the foam ball.

We made bunny bunting...

yarn eggs...

and we blew out and dyed eggs...

Thanks to that night I have a beautiful Easter shelf...

I added the Spring Sign...and 2 more topiary.

Z's First Birthday Party

We live in NC so I figured what are the chances that it would rain...well according to the weather report 60% chance of scattered thunderstorms and possible flash flooding, hail and maybe tornadoes...WHAT!  I decided that rain or shine we were going to use the shelter I booked over a month ago, I was going to show off all the decorations I cut, curled, designed, painted and I was going to use all the food that I prepared ahead of time in the fridge.
It turned out to be the best decision.  I was worried that the kids will be bored since we wouldn't set up our yard games...but they sure weren't!

The only thing the rain did was make the streamers so wet we couldn't hang them up and by the end of the party the rest of the paper became damp and wilted and the tape un stuck. 
I was really pleased with my decorations...

DIY cupcake stand, DIY banner, DIY cupcake toppers

A couple people said the puffs were too girly but I liked them.

lily pads cut from foam, Chinese Takeout boxes (to represent the time spent abroad) with frog lollies and cheap plastic frames that can be used again with some of my favorite pictures...It was hard to pick only 12...I figured too many more and it would look like a memorial service.

get it TOADally...and the chocolate pretzels were a big hit.

Zack loved finding sticks and rocks in the puddles...
thank goodness he didn't wonder off the side walk and into the mud.  He did however fall right into a puddle...

Everyone loved watching the children play in the puddles...almost as much and the kids liked splashing.  When it came time to sing happy birthday and eat cupcakes little man wasn't sure what to do...

Now I see some consistency...remember the finger painting fiasco?  Yeah...I had to hold the cupcake for him because he didn't like the frosting on his hands.

I tried to get a picture of the frosting face but this was the best I got:

Zack had an amazing time and so many wonderful friends and family members came to celebrate with us...Tante Lorie won the award for furthest traveled, coming all the way from upstate NY!  Her award...she got to clean my kitchen and wash my dishes. 

We waited until we got home to open gifts because someone was having too much fun walking in the puddles to be bothered with gifts...hey, it's his party he can do what he wants to!

all I hear all day is "ba" (ball)...he may never say another word because frankly why would you need to talk about anything else?

He really wasn't into opening gifts but he sure did enjoy seeing so many new toys!  My evenings went from fishing 10 balls from under the sofas to 165 in just one day (literally...thanks mom). 
Toys are so much more fun now that he sort of understands what to do with them...meanwhile Adam was almost as excited about these toys...much more fun than rattles and lovies!

Zack is 1!

Today was an AMAZING day...I am so glad we had nice weather!
Adam had the day off since he has to work next Saturday and we wanted to do something special (even if Zack would have no idea what was going on).  We went to the Museum of Life and Sciences.  I had been there several times on field trips and I LOVED it.
We ate lunch under the dome which made a cool echo when you were loud!

We showed Zack all the animals...

he liked finding "balls"

We took him to the butterfly house...

he was excited to walk on the bench and touch leaves.

He loved the wind exhibit...

Not the sand so much...

He wasn't so sure about the dinosaur...

he imitated my bear noises at the bear exhibit (so cute)...

he really enjoyed crawling up the stairs...

When we got home we ate cake...

and played with all the balls...

I think 1 is going to be a good year!

Out of the woods...

for real this time..I hope!
Zack is such a trooper.  According to the doctor today not only does he have a bad tummy but he is also getting his molars...in fact one already popped through!  From what I heard most babies wake up during the night and are unhappy most of the day.  I feel so bad I didn't know and didn't give him anything for the pain.  I ended up taking him to the doctor because of the fever he had two weeks ago combined with the stomach bug last week and the ear pulling (according to the doctor because of the molars) on Sunday all combined with his lack of energy on Sunday...we seriously cuddled and watched Sesame Street all day. 
I totally love my life but I have to say having 5 days of a sick kid and a husband out of town can seriously be exhausting and it can make you a little crazy since you can't go anywhere (other than our trip to Walmart for pedialite and rice) and no one can (or wants to) visit.  However my mom braved the stomach bug and flew up for Saturday and Sunday.  Not only did I get naps and a trip to Walmart on my own but I had another adult in my home that I could speak with face to face.  I was really dreading Monday knowing that I wouldn't have a "weekend" but Monday came and went and thanks to our visitor I am totally energized for the week.  Even though I don't have a mom right down the street its nice to have one that can hop a plane (for free...thank you dad for working at USAirways) from Charlotte to Raleigh for a moments notice only to spend the night on my couch and become exposed to the crud. 
Don't get me wrong I was also looking forward to Monday because the hubs came home but it's really just a tease because he has to work tomorrow.  I really wish I was the kind of wife that could be super upset that she missed a trip and super stressed about a sick kid so Adam would have to call in sick...meanwhile if I was Adam might not have married me...and I wouldn't have Zachary.  So in the end I hope Adam has a great day back at work and I am so glad he got to go to Chicago for some quality brother time, I hope mom doesn't end up with Zack's bug and I hope that we have fulfilled our sickness (and car trouble) quota for the year...and I hope I don't have to use the "collection" cups the doctor gave me if Zack still has "the runs" tomorrow.

Change of plans...

Yesterday at 11:30 pm I poured myself a glass of wine with a sigh...I had just completed the most AMAZING packing job ever!  I packed everything we needed into two carry on bags (one of the bags only had diapers, snacks, formula and empty bottles.  I also cleaned the entire apartment from top to bottom (I do this before every trip for 2 reasons...1) if something were to happen to us and people had to come into our home I want them to think my home is spotless all the time...crazy...maybe a little. 2) What can be nicer than coming home from a trip to a clean home.  I also completed my spring crafts (pictures to come) leaving my kitchen table clear and ready to become birthday party central. 
I finished my glass of wine, Adam came home (late...but he wanted to get a lot done so he wouldn't have to think about work while we were in Chicago.  We were both getting ready for bed and getting ready to wake up a few hours later to catch our 6:00 am flight when we heard Zack making weird coughing noises.  We decided that we should just leave him because if we went in he would wake up and want to play.  I opened his door so we could keep an ear out for him and smelled something nasty.  I figured he had a pretty nasty diaper and decided to leave it because I knew it would totally wake him up and we (along with all the other passengers on the plane) would be miserable the next day...great mom...huh?  I got in bed and heard the cough again and decided I needed to get him.  As soon as I turned on the light in the hall I saw the vomit...he was laying in it, it was on the floor, it was all over his face...it was bad.  Zack looked at me like he was scared and didn't know what was going on.  I called Adam in, I stripped him down and Adam gave him a bath while I cleaned the sheets and everything else. 
I gave him a little water to rinse his mouth and he threw that up.  In between vomiting he was his playful self and I was calling the airlines trying to figure out our options.  In the end I did not want to take Zack on a plane if there was a chance that he would be sick...even a later flight.  I also hated that we were missing Jaimes big day.  I forced Adam to re pack the suitcase and go.  He hated leaving us but we didn't know if this was a bug or a one time thing and he would be fine now that he got it all out. 
He wasn't...although he seemed like he was feeling better (even with his lack of appetite) until he ate half a banana.  It all went downhill from there.  Poor thing. 
What is worse than unpacking from a trip after getting home and seeing all the laundry you have?  Unpacking from a trip you didn't go on. 
On the plus side, Zack will have lots more homemade decorations for his birthday party now that I have all this extra time at home.
And really...I am totally fine with these new weekend plans. I love my life and all that comes with being a wife and mother...the good...the bad...and the super gross!
On a side note I am really thankful for my years of teaching...especially my first year (the " vomit class") for making it easy for me to be around vomit or to be covered in vomit.

Quality Time

Yesterday we met daddy for lunch.
It was a nice day and we were already running errands so I called Adam to see if he could meet us for a picnic.  After hanging up I almost called back to cancel because I knew that Adam would have a lot to do before our fun weekend in Chicago.  I didn't.

And I am glad about that...even though I was up later than I would have had to getting our stuff together. 

Turns out this was the best idea ever because not 12 hours later Zack got sick and we decided to stay home and send Adam.  I am really happy we had this 30 min.

i-Phone Photo Dump

in no particular order...

"let me in!"

Have you seen a cuter bum?

was not a fan of bubble bath

banana bread with chocolate chips all over the face

he fell asleep in my arms at 5:00...thinking he wouldn't go to bed on time I tried putting him down and this is what happened

YAY SNOW!

my town home went from green to gray...I am so painting our next house this color!

enjoying the swing!

"where did the reeses go?"

after a playdate with two pretty girls

oops

right after I saved him from the music table...really? what do you think is going to happen?

watching football in his football jammies

what our living room looks like on a rainy day

the phone doesn't take action shots as well as my SLR

Most of these shots were taken for Adam...I like to send him a picture every once and a while to brighten his day!