Pictures from the birthday party

Thanks to all our friends and family who made this such a fun event. Thomas had a great time and sat in his high chair like a King enjoying all of the attention.

Happy 1st Birthday

Today is Thomas' birthday, but we are really celebrating tomorrow with a big group of family and friends. I took the day off to hang out with Thomas and Josh and we spent most of the day cleaning and getting ready for tomorrow. Joanne and Catalina stopped by for a visit this afternoon and it was fun to get some time hanging out with them.

After dinner we took Thomas to DQ for some ice cream. :)

We told Thomas the story of his birth last night. Tonight we told him about his first night - how Josh wouldn't put him down for hours - he loved holding him. How we all slept in the same room in the hospital for a couple of days. It seems crazy to me that he has changed so much in the last year. I can't wait to see what the next year has to bring.

Happy Birthday, Thomas!

Who works on Friday?

I took the day off today. I had an ultrasound scheduled for this morning and I thought I would take a little rest today since I have been going about a million miles an hour at work and at home lately. We are on target to have a completely laid back weekend. Thomas is already participating by falling asleep in his carseat on the way home from the doctor. We have a trip to Target planned for this afternoon after we drop off my car for an oil change and 25K mile service check. I find it highly relaxing to get some of these things done so that we don't have to try to cram them in tomorrow.

The appointment this morning was good - I did have to get a flu shot (the regular one). We got to see little Charlie. She looks like she is a little mushier than last time - starting to put on some weight and having less space to move around. I already knew this due to the amazing amount of kicking this girl can do. We also found out that she is breech (bottom down). Thomas was head down almost the entire pregnancy, so it is fun to see something a little different. She is moving right along and we are looking forward to welcoming her - tentatively on November 30. We can't schedule the c-section for sure until 6 weeks out, but we are penciled in on the calendar so we can save the space on Dr. Z's schedule. I have to go do some paperwork at the hospital next week when I am taking the day off again.

While Thomas is napping, I am going to enjoy my book. I have my feet up on a pillow, enjoying the ultimate in lazy day activities. Have a great weekend!

How I get through the hours away

I was away in New York from Monday - Friday last week and Josh sent me the picture above of my little cheeseball eating ravioli. He is getting so big and with some of his newer clothes, he is really starting to look like a little boy. With the steadiness on his feet growing every day and his growing vocabulary, I can almost imagine the day when he will actually be able to talk to me on the phone.

Occasionally, he will now talk to me on speakerphone, but if he gets anywhere near the handset, he gets too distracted by the buttons and prefers to type out secret messages to me on the number pad.

We had a very full weekend after I returned. We spent some time visiting with both our families on Saturday and then took Rebecca and Robb to the Seahawk's game on Sunday for Rebecca's birthday. Needless to say, I am still in recovery from all the travel and I am taking Friday off to hang out with Josh and Thomas (oh, and to go to the doctor for an ultrasound). Next Friday is Thomas' birthday so I am taking it off as well, and we are trying to figure out something fun for Mom and Dad and Thomas to do together. Any suggestions?

Labor Day Weekend

Josh got a new computer on Friday so we have been going through old pictures as he plays with the facial recognition functionality in the new version of iPhoto. He also managed to share his photos with me, so I pulled this old one over on to my computer. It is from an afternoon in July. It must have been during the hot spell because Thomas is not wearing a shirt. He managed to get behind the chair where I keep my knitting and unraveled a ball of yarn. Hilarious. After that, we learned to block off that part of the living room so he can't go behind the chair. We have been having similar incidents for the last couple of months where we discover that Thomas has access to something he definitely should not have access to (the back door, the pantry, the garbage can, the cat's water...) and then we have to block him from getting to this because it has now become his new favorite thing to do.

I love it. I think it is great to see him growing and exploring, even if it means more chasing. He is now really walking around and choosing walking more over crawling. I can tell that he is really comfortable in our house because he does it the most at home. When we go to another house, he still starts out with the crawling, but the longer he is there, the more he walks.

This weekend, we spent a lot of time with family, enjoying meals together and hanging out. I also managed to get in a pedicure on Saturday - I've gotten to the point where I can't paint my own toenails.

Tomorrow I head off to NYC for a week of meetings and I am feeling a little weepy tonight. It gets harder to leave every time. I think it was difficult when I had to leave just Josh at home, but now leaving both Josh and Thomas makes me more emotional.

Better get to sleep. Charlotte is making me more and more tired these days :)