Busy Bouncin'

It's hard to believe that we're already half-way through September...the summer came and went with a whirlwind of awesome trips, experiences, and memories.  As the old cliche goes, time flies when you're having fun, and we can definitely vouch for that statement!  We had vacations to the beach, trips to the mountains, playdates with friends, and lots of visits with family - all of which left me with little time to blog about it all.  So I'm back to share a little about what's been going on lately in our world!

Colin is in full-on toddler mode these days...and he's ALL BOY.  He picks up bugs, loves to play outside, and doesn't let the occasional boo-boo stop him.  He's totally fascinated by bigger kids, and wants to do everything on his own.  He's always got something to say, and I'm amazed by his vocabulary.  Sometimes I'm even more amazed at my ability to understand him!  But more than anything, we just have fun together.  Now that the weather has cooled down a bit, we've been getting out to explore new parks and playgrounds.  Colin loves to climb, slide, and especially BOUNCE!  There's a place just down the road called Sports Connection which has an entire room of bounce houses, and it's our new favorite place to get some energy out!  Colin jumps, works through obstacles, and chases around the other kids.  And I'm enjoying this time with him too, before he realizes he doesn't want his mommy bouncing with him anymore.  We've also just started a gymnastics class at the YMCA.  For 45 minutes each Thursday morning for about 6 weeks, Colin gets to run, jump, and play in the kids gym room and he can't get enough.  There are various stations set up around the room for the kids to navigate.  He walks along the balance beam, hangs from the bars, crawls through tunnels, barrel-rolls down a wedge, jumps on spring boards, climbs up structures, and bounces his way down the long trampoline and into the foam pit.  (Where was all this stuff when I was a kid?!)  At the end of class, each kid gets to jump on the smaller trampoline in the middle of the circle while everyone sings their name in the jumping song.  It's too darn cute.  Lucky for us, our next door neighbors have a giant trampoline with a net around it, so I don't have to invest in one myself!  I'll attach some photos and videos below for your enjoyment...now I gotta bounce! (See what I did there?!  Ha!)

1st Swim Lessons!

Swim lessons seem to be somewhat of a rite of passage for little kids, especially in the summertime.  Colin had his first experience with this over the last 2 weeks.  The format was a "mommy and me" class, and even though Colin is 18 months, I was able to get him into the lesson for 19-36 month old kids.  He's already very comfortable in the water, and I was hoping we'd go a bit beyond blowing bubbles in the water.  There were 7 other kids in our group, and we met in the main pool at the YMCA Monday through Thursday mornings from 9:15-9:45 for 2 weeks.  On our very first day, my thought at the end of class was, "Thank God this is only a half-hour long!"  Colin liked the experience of being with me in the water at first, but was extra squirmy, probably finding it difficult to understand why he couldn't just swim away to do what he wanted to do!  I think my first mistake was letting him play in the splash park for about 15 minutes before class began, since we got there early on the first day.  He loves having the freedom to roam around here and feel pretty independent.  But in the main pool, Colin didn't have this luxury, so we had a bit of a struggle.  But on the second day, we got right into the main pool and he seemed to be more on board with the activities.  We sang a few songs, practiced kicking and paddling, and yes, blowing bubbles in the pool.  By the third day, he knew what to expect and was more motivated to participate.  He had a lot of fun throwing a ball and kicking and paddling while I supported him on his belly to grab the toy.  So, by the end of our 2nd week, I think he has a pretty good grasp of the basics.  He loves to show people how he can kick and paddle even when he's not in the water.  He's still a little hesitant to jump off the side of the pool, but I'm sure we'll practice that more on our vacation to Hilton Head next week.  The grand finale was actually pretty exciting...on our last day of class, Colin and I got to go down the big waterslide together!  All the kids put on little life vests, and then we went over some ground rules.  There was a lifeguard in the water to catch the babies at the end (requiring me to use my upper body strength to lift him up "Lion King" style), but I knew Colin would have no fear.  And I could see that this was definitely the case as he raced ahead of the group, ready to be the first to go down.  I decided to let him watch a few of the older kids do it first, so he'd know what to expect.  They all seemed to go fairly slow, and we watched as moms pushed the sides of the slide to help them gain some momentum.  But not us.  We zipped all the way down, and ended with a big splash!  The guard still caught Colin at the end, and he loved every minute of it.  Unfortunately, I couldn't get any photos of this, but Marshall came on our 2nd day of class to get a few pics of our lesson to share.  All in all, it was a good first swimming lesson experience, but I think that by next summer, our little fish will be ready to upgrade to a more advanced lesson!

Surprise, Surprise!

This past Monday marked a very big milestone for my mom...her 65th birthday!  She and Dave went to Savannah with some friends the weekend before to celebrate many of their June birthdays.  She thought the celebration ended there, but she had no idea what other surprises were in store for her!  On Sunday, June 14th, I secretly flew to St. Pete (Marshall had a business trip, and Colin went to stay with Grammy Mary and Grandpa Lee in the mountains).  Adrienne picked me up from the airport and after getting ready and picking up some balloons, she, Evyn and I went to a super cool new restaurant in downtown called Locale.  We decorated and wrapped a giant box, which would contain me until the big reveal.  Drew and Rachel arrived, followed by my mom’s best friends, Jamey and Malinda.  We got a text from Dave that they had arrived, and into the box I went!  Although it was dark and stuffy, I could hear how surprised Mom was when she walked into the room…and the best part was that it was her idea to check the place out!  Her brother Jeff and his wife Catrin were visiting from Ohio, and so they got to be a part of the surprise as well.  Luckily, I didn’t have to stay in the box for too long (I think everyone was worried I might pass out from lack of oxygen!), and Mom didn’t waste any time tearing open the box.  And trust me when I tell you, she was TRULY SHOCKED to see ME folded up inside!!!  I’ll attach the video below so you can see her completely priceless reaction for yourselves (and my face is pretty hysterical too!).  After lots of laughs and hugs, we enjoyed some good food and drinks together, and Mom got to open some fun gifts.  She even got a Louis Vuitton wallet to match her purse.  Adrienne, Drew, and I had one more surprise for her, a flashback photo of the three of us from circa 1988, which we recreated as adults and had framed side by side.  It’s absolutely hilarious, and the three of us really nailed the outfits and facial expressions.  Mom almost fell out of her chair.  And of course, that photo will be attached below as well.  Make sure you’re sitting down first :)

But one of the best surprises for me was meeting my Uncle Jeff and Aunt Catie for the first time.  Their vacation to St. Pete had already been planned for some time, but it was a wonderful thing that it coincided with Mom’s birthday and my surprise visit.  We had the best time together, relaxing by the beach and pool, having cocktails at sunset, going to the Rays baseball game, seeing Winter the dolphin and the other animals at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, shopping, playing games, and just getting to know each other.  I have learned that life has taken us all in many different directions, but I couldn’t be more thrilled that our paths have finally crossed and that some peace and love has been restored to this part of our family.  Unfortunately, we didn’t get a family photo, so we’ll have to save that for next time.  So as it turned out, Mom’s birthday included a very special gift for me too…the opportunity to spend time with my aunt and uncle!  I also got to hang out with Evyn for an extra day too, because she made a special trip back from Gainesville so we could have a slumber party.  Ha!  My heart is so full and happy after a week full of awesome surprises!

The Big Reveal!

Then and Now :)

May Update

Our trip to California was completely amazing!  It was just what we needed, and as expected, Colin did great at home with Nani and Pop Pop.  We arrived home on Saturday night, and couldn't wait to get our hands on our little munchkin!  Mom and Dave left the next morning to drive back to St. Pete.

We enjoyed the Mother's Day holiday at John and Kimmie's, and Ginna made a delicious brunch for everyone!  We sipped on mimosas as Colin played with the bubbles, and had fun playing corn hole in the backyard (a Mother's Day/Father's Day gift to John and Kimmie from all their kids!).  It was a very lovely Mother's Day for this mama :)

This began a very busy week filled with familiar faces.  Colin and I went to Charlotte Jewish Day School to visit with my former colleagues, students, and their families for the school's annual Grandparent's Day.  The students performed on stage with instruments, song, and dance, and Colin loved every minute of it - he was even dancing in the aisle!  It's been a whole year since our last visit to CJDS, so everyone couldn't get over how big he'd gotten (and of course everyone was obsessed with all that long, blonde, curly hair!).  We also had some visitors to our house this week.  Laramie and Hunter stopped by for a visit on Monday, and it was fun to watch the boys chase each other around the house.  I tutored a regular student on Tuesday while Colin played with her older brother.  I also began tutoring a new student on Friday, who has just moved to Charlotte.  On Wednesday, one of my former students came to visit after school with her mom, and then another good friend brought over some dinner and we had fun catching up while Colin played with her daughter!  Colin is obsessed with older kids right now, and wants to do everything that the big kids do.

But our most special visitor this week was Aunt Rose!  She came to spend a few hours with us on Thursday, and it was absolutely wonderful to see her.  She is in town visiting her son and his family who live nearby, and I'm so thrilled that she could come to visit with us for a little while.  She brought Colin some sweet gifts, and we had fun swinging outside and playing with all of his toys.  We hope to see Aunt Rose for Superbowl this year, along with all of my other "east coast" family, who have yet to meet Colin!  Thank you for coming to visit us, Aunt Rose...WE LOVE YOU!!!

Here are a couple of photos from our trip to CA, and from last week.  Enjoy!

T.G.F.G. (Thank God For Grandparents!)

The last few weeks have been very busy, but also some of the most fun to date (hence the absence from my blogging recently).  Even as I type this now, I’m sitting next to my darling husband, flying first class en route to San Francisco!  And is there a wiggly toddler in tow, you wonder?  The other passengers would be pleased to report that there is not…this is a (work) vacay for Mommy and Daddy J  I have the very distinct pleasure of being able to tag along for a work/golf trip with Marshall and his boss to San Fran for the day and night, and then we head to wine country tomorrow through Saturday.  Marshall will be participating in a golf tournament on Friday while I soak in the sun at our resort in Napa, and maybe even partake in some of the spa amenities.  I’m beyond excited to eat some delicious food, visit with Ashleigh and Ryan (who have just moved to SF), sip on some of our favorite wines, do a little sight-seeing, sleep in, and just relax.  I will, of course, miss my littlest love like crazy cakes…but I know that he is in the best of hands with Mom and Dave while we’re gone.  When the opportunity for me to join on said trip first presented itself, I (half-jokingly) inquired with my mom about coming up to Charlotte to stay with Colin.  And much to my joyful surprise, she and Dave willingly took me up on the offer!  I’m thrilled that Colin will be able to stay in his own environment and play with Nani and Pop-Pop for the next few days (and bonus - the pets will be taken care of too!).  In fact, Colin has enjoyed some quality time with all of his grandparents almost every weekend for the last few weeks!  In April I celebrated my 35^th birthday with a dinner date at Ruth’s Chris, and an outing with friends on another weekend to a Charlotte Knights baseball game.  Grandma Kimmie and Grandpa John babysat Colin for my birthday dinner, and again the following weekend so I could help out some girl friends at a local beer event while Marshall was out of town for the weekend for another golf tournament with some coworkers.  I also got to join some friends for a fun hockey game and concert, and got some much needed girl time too.  Colin stayed the night with John and Kimmie, and had fun splashing in the baby pool in the backyard.  Grammy Mary and Grandpa Lee stayed at our house for the weekend to watch Colin during the baseball game before heading up to the mountain house for the summer.  The following weekend, Colin got to go up to the mountains to stay with them while I co-hosted a baby shower at our house for our friend Katie, who is due with her baby girl this June.  Colin had a blast exploring nature and becoming a real mountain boy!  Needless to say, we are so lucky to have 3 sets of grandparents who love us and Colin so much.  They always jump at the chance to spend some extra time with him, and we never have to worry when he is in their care.  We can’t thank them enough for all they’ve done for us, and for Colin.  I know he’ll cherish the memories he’s had with them all, and I hope that one day he’ll share these experiences with his own grandchildren.  THANK YOU SO MUCH, GRANDPARENTS!!!  Now, who wants to take him next weekend?  ;)

Spring Celebrations

Over the past week, we've had a lot to celebrate...beautiful spring weather, Easter, an amazing promotion for Marshall, and a birthday for Blake and me!  We've had a lot of fun with friends and family lately, and I just wanted to share a few highlights.  Last Thursday was my 35th birthday...and I'm so thrilled with the life I have by this age!  I'm so blessed to have a loving husband, incredible child, the house I always dreamed of, and the opportunity to be a stay-at-home mom.  I met up with some girlfriends to try on bridesmaids dresses for Melissa's wedding, and then we all had dinner at P.F. Chang's.  It was a delightful evening!  The icing on the cake (both literal and metaphorical) was that Marshall was rewarded for his tremendous efforts at work with a hefty raise!  He's been putting in a lot of hours and achieving some major goals with his company, and I'm so proud of him.  It's awesome that his company is recognizing him for all of his hard work!  We had a celebratory dinner the next evening, and John and Kimmie were sweet enough to babysit for us.  On Saturday, we went over to John and Kimmie's for a surprise party for Ginna's husband, Blake.  We had a great time meeting all of their friends, playing yard games, and enjoying the gorgeous weather.  On Easter Sunday, we went to our church service and Colin had fun exploring some goodies in his Easter basket.  John and Kimmie had invited us to an Easter/birthday brunch at the their house, which was delicious as always.  It was a joyful weekend, and the best parts were shared with family and friends! Here are some photos for you to enjoy :)

We went to a fun Easter egg hunt a few weeks ago in John and Kimmie's neighborhood...Colin LOVED searching for the eggs!

A beautiful bouquet from my sweet husband - 35 roses for my 35th birthday!

Colin looked so handsome in his Easter outfit!

"Look what the Easter Bunny brought me!"

...and one more Easter egg hunt in Grandma Kimmie's and Grandpa John's backyard

 Happy Easter, everyone!

A Day in the Life of Colin

Every month with Colin just seems to get better and better.  I know I probably sound like a broken record, but I'm continually amazed at how smart, funny, and incredible this little boy is, how quickly he's growing and learning, and how in love with him we are.  So, to tell you a little about what's currently new and interesting, I thought I'd present you with "A Day in the Life of Colin."  Here's what a typical day looks like for us!

About 7:30 am, I hear Colin start to stir in his crib.  He likes to wake up slowly, and his new thing is to turn on his Gloworm and listen to the lullaby songs as he stretches (he will often fall asleep to this as well).  After about 15 minutes, I bring him into our room and we do some cuddling, tickling, and playing until he signs "food/eat," and then I know he's ready for breakfast!  We say goodbye to Daddy as he leaves for work and enjoy breakfast together.  Colin is still learning not to throw his food on the floor, but at least he's a pretty good eater most of the time.  Then we clean up and get ready to go to the gym.  Colin has learned to occupy himself in the playroom lately, which allows me to get ready and out the door!  Colin loves going to child care at the gym.  When I ask him if he wants to go play at the gym, he eagerly says "Yeah!" (one of his new favorite responses).  At the YMCA, he has friends that he plays with, activities to do, rides on the buggy, and snack time.  And I've been loving the opportunity to exercise and try out some new classes.  After the gym, we head home for lunch and then it's nap time!  During the weekdays, we've adapted to a pretty regular schedule, and Colin usually takes one longer afternoon nap, from about 12:30-3 or so.  When he wakes up, he gets a little afternoon snack and then we run errands or play outside.  We love when our neighbors join us, especially now that the weather is getting warmer.  Colin LOVES playing outside.  We shoot hoops in his mini-basketball hoop, go on wagon rides, color with sidewalk chalk, and blow bubbles.  When Daddy comes home, he plays outside too, and then we all get dinner ready.  Colin has been trying lots of new foods lately, and has also been drinking all of his milk!  He loves to help me clean up the kitchen after dinner, and as I'm wiping down the counter tops, he gets his own sheet of paper towel and pretends to wipe up the floors, cabinets, and windows.  He's such a sweet helper!  Colin also loves to put the dish towel over his head and pretend that we can't find him...then he pulls it off and laughs his head off!  It's really quite amusing.  Then we watch the Family Feud and play together...Colin especially enjoys being chased around the furniture :)  Around 8, we head upstairs for bath time, which is another favorite time of day.  We've put away the bath seat now, to make room for the tub basketball hoop, of course!  Colin loves to splash and play, and isn't afraid to get water dumped on his head anymore.  Marshall brushes his teeth every night (something Colin also enjoys, and makes sure we don't forget to do!), and then it's time for lotion, jammies, and a story.  Probably my favorite time of day is when we turn out the light, say our prayers, and sing some songs.  Colin cuddles into me, and makes the sign for "more" to tell me he wants me to keep singing to him!  It's absolutely precious, and he doesn't even mind my singing voice.  With a kiss goodnight, a paci and a blankie, he lays down in his crib and goes right to sleep.

Marshall and I constantly reflect on how lucky we are, to be living our dream as the family we've always wanted to be.  Our lives are so rich with love, and we're ecstatic about all the fun the lies ahead.  I hope you'll enjoy some new photos, and video of our little ghost :)

Having fun grocery shopping

Hanging with his buddy, Amelia

 Riding on the Bye-Bye-Buggy at the YMCA

 Playtime outside

 Helping mom with the cleaning

 Enjoying a little snack (peanut butter is a messy favorite!)

 Loving on his puppy brother

And living the good life!