Friday, December 30, 2011

Big year

If I really think about 2011 - it was the year that our life started

In 2010 we were:
Self-professed food critics - Eating the best food at the best restaurants in the best cities out there.
Lovers of all things real estate - Renovating our brand new townhouse. I know. Sounds funny doesn't it?
Career focused - Me, traveling all over the PNW as a division recruiter for an insurance company/Nick, getting back to doing what he does best - selling!
World travelers - Holland, France, Mexico.
Love love love birds - Celebrating 4 years of marital bliss.

For the record, we are still all of those things but in January of 2011 something happened that rocked our world and shook it in a million different directions...it was the birth of our first baby Salzwedel. 

Cruz Nicholas. 

People will tell you what you should expect - and trust me, we heard it all - but there is nothing that will truly prepare you for parenthood other than just jumping in and being.

Having Cruz has definitely changed us. Challenged us. Brought us closer. 
Allowed us to feel love we both didn't know was possible. For each other and for our child. 

2011 was the year our life started.

January: 
Spent the new year in Mexico relaxing, sunning, drinking and loving. To date - our best vacation and MUCH needed as little did I know it would be two and a half weeks before we would be having a baby (we were due Valentine's Day)!

 
The afternoon of the 28th my water broke. It was time! Two and a half weeks early. 

Our first moment as a family of three. 


Getting ready to head home.


It was a rough first week for our babe who suffered from a good bit of jaundice. Many toe pricks, blood tests and MANY trips to the hospital but our little Eskimo was tough. Pretty sure mom cried way more than Cruz did! He is a champ - just like his dad. 

February, March, April:
We spend the next three months trying to survive newbornhood. 
We also got new jobs - me, part time HR/Nick, project management - and Liam our BIGGEST baby turned 1!

May:
Found our dream house then fought like heck to make it happen. 

My amazing cherry tree.

June:
Signed on the dotted line then waited...and waited..and wished...and prayed..and hoped.

In the meantime...we moved - twice, Nick got a NEW (way better) job, attended my 10 year high school reunion, swam - lots, got our first haircut, went to our first football game, celebrated 5 years married and continued to be the cutest baby boy in the history of boys. 


September:
Got a YES to our dream house! 311 N. Molter was ours!
We move - for the third and final time.

October:
Fall, pumpkins and Halloween


November:

December:
First Christmas - first real Christmas tree, first present, first Christmas Eve, first Christmas morning. We also started the process of our BIG remodel - we hired an architect!

As we get ready to wrap it all up and celebrate the new year, we also celebrate our baby's 11 month birthday. 

We have so many things to look forward to in 2012... 

Slowly but surly working with our architect to design the most perfect remodel then using Nick and his GENIUSSSS to execute it!

Cruz's 1st birthday next month!
UFC 143 in Las Vegas in February.
Cabo San Lucas in May. 
Haas/Nichols Wedding in August.
...

For all that is and is to come - we stop. Soak it all in, live in the sweet moments, and most importantly give thanks to the one who deserves it all. 

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I can't even wait to see what He has in store for us.


Friday, December 23, 2011

Be Merry

It is easy to get caught up in what the world says Christmas means - gifts, gifts, gifts and Santa and lights and food and family. 
Don't get me wrong, those are all amazing things and things our family will enjoy this year but it is always good to take one second before all of that to reflect on the TRUE meaning of Christmas and how for those of us who believe can have a very Merry Christmas.
Jesus's birth (Luke 2: 4-19) represents our freedom from sin. An opportunity to accept the free gift that is eternal life - a chance to spend eternity seated at the right hand of God in a place with no pain. No sadness. No death. 
Because of Christmas, Heaven will be my home one day and my hope is that it will be yours too.
As we enter into Christmas weekend love your family a little more, be thankful for every blessing and of course...

BE MERRY!


With love, The Salzwedels

PS: Attention Mesha Campbell - Yours hit the mail box today...along with an extra pic! :)

Thursday, December 22, 2011

Someone hold me back

Can you believe someone this nice and cute.....


...could be capable serious destruction?

Well believe this.

THIS is what I walked in to find yesterday afternoon.


I hope you gasped out loud because I did. And very quietly I might add because I had a sleeping baby in my arms. Let's just say I AM GLAD Cruz was sound asleep or I would have LOST IT.

Here it is from another angle.


That's right. 

Let us do some quick inventory of the damage. 

*1 large back cushion - destroyed beyond repair
*1 medium back cushion - destroyed beyond repair
*1 couch pillow - SAVED...by the GRACE of GOD.
*1 ruined (toe ripped open) Steve Madden shoe (Nick)
*1 almost ruined (huge teeth marks in the heel) Steve Madden shoe (Nick) 
*Multiple toys and books bitten to ruin (Cruz)

After I put Cruz down, I spank Liam as hard as I can (which 100% hurt me more than it hurt him) and throw him outside in the 29 degree weather to THINK ABOUT his actions. Then I walk back in and immediately try and find his muzzle. This sounded better than trying to figure out where to start with the large mess on my hands.

Either A: He became super dog and someone how ripped it off or B: Nick forgot to put it on him on his way out the door. 

Riiinnnng, Riiiinnngggggg...
Caller?

B

Ohhhhhh B it is. His muzzle is right where I left it on Tuesday afternoon when I took it off. 

Within 3 minutes of texting Nick the pictures you see above I get a VERY apologetic phone call. He forgot and I was at the gym that morning and couldn't help remind him. 

I couldn't be that mad...it WAS his shoes Liam ruined. 

Anyyywayyyyy. It took me 15 minutes to bag up all of that dang fluff and another 10 to clean up the rest of the mess. Hey, at least it was not as bad as this time....


I honestly thought someone ransacked our house. 

Oh can I just tell you that before we left that bed WAS MADE???? Fitted sheet and all. The image that haunted my dreams the next two weeks after the incident? Liam bucking bronco-ing all over my BED!
See all that white stuff? Oh no biggie - only Cruz's wet diapers RIPPED to shreds all over the room. Do you know what happens to the diaper filling when it gets wet? Yeah...all.over.the.wood.floor. Impossible to sweep.

Someone tell me why I love this dog???

It is because these two do.








Ohhhhhh the things we do for the animals we love. 
(ie. LET THEM STAY A PART OF THE FAMILY EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE REALLY BAD...sometimes.)

Leave it to Grey's Anatomy to teach you something

I am obsessed with Grey's Anatomy.

Did you know that Lifetime airs two episodes a day - one at 2 pm and one at 3 pm? When I was pregnant and working from home I didn't miss one episode. Nick would always tease me and say that all I did all day was watch America's Next Top Model marathons on Oxygen and Grey's Anatomy.

I have seen every episode of all 7 and 1/2 seasons.

In the midst all of the immorality (and there is a LOT) it still has the ability to teach me something believe it or not.

Today, during Cruz's nap, I watched episode 13 of season 6 - Valentine's Day Massacre. It is about a restaurant roof top collapse that brings in a love triangle. The waiter is in love with Mrs. Banks who has been coming to the restaurant for a thousand years. She initially kept coming because of him but he never said anything and then she met Bob (Mr. Banks) - who became her husband. They kept going back because it became Bob's favorite restaurant. The waiter assumed that because Bob ordered for his wife and they sat in silence as time went on she was miserable and unhappy.

After the restaurant roof top collapse both her husband and the waiter head into surgery.

As she is talking to Meredith awaiting the news of the men she loves, she tells her everything is true...

Bob does order for her because he knows what she likes. They do sit in silence because sometimes it is nice not to have to talk.

THEN she pulls out a HAIL MARY and teaches me something.

"15 years ago I made a choice and I keep making it everyday. That's what marriage is."

Thank you Grey's Anatomy for being my loyal friend every afternoon. And for bringing me Derek Shepard oh and for teaching me a little something about marriage.

Challenge, take 3

I kind of can't handle that we are only three days away from Christmas!
So much to get done a home, at work, at LIFE...

In honor of being BUSY, let's take 2 seconds and reflect, shall we?
Ps: This was really yesterday. BUtttttt anywayyyyy....
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My Mind: Started reading again. Woah, right?! I know...cause I have all this FREE TIME (with a busy almost 11 month old) and all. But seriously...I am picking up a book (a pg-13 book) and am reading it. What book you ask? Well because the Twilight series consumes my dreams at night, I thought I would give the Hunger Games series a shot.
New bet-you-didn't-know-about-me-fact - 1. I love e-books on my iPhone. 2. Other than The Conservative's Handbook and Decision Points by George W. Bush, my go to books are naughty romance novels. I am also not afraid to admit - the naughtier the better. 
So while Nick lays next to me at night You Tubing videos and learning how to be a master plummer and electrician I am reading naughty romance novels. It really is a sight to see.

Not anymore though....cause Hunger Games here I come.

My Body: I met my love of a friend, Kelly Haas, at the gym bright and early (6am) for a work-out sesh. A little cardio via my friend, the elliptical and a brief weight circuit. I am getting pretty darn sick of the remaining 10lbs I need to lose to get back to pre-pregnancy. I totally get it - my fault. I love food. Love oreos and cheese. And bread. And candy.
It is up to me, to lose that pesky 10lbs. I can totally do it (I did the fat flush (which ps = HARD) in early July and lost 7lbs in 7days) but I have to decide and I think it is time. 

My Spirit: Facebook is a strange thing. Without it I would be totally disconnected from many people I am so happy to have re-connected to. Facebook makes it easy for me to keep in touch and for my friends and family to watch Cruz grow up. 

The other day a friend of mine "liked" a status update from Jim Putman - the Sr. Pastor of Post Falls Real Life

Side note: when my parents decided it was time for us to leave our childhood church of near 20 years Post Falls Real Life became our new church home. We attended PFRL until Valley Real Life was born and even spent a few years going back and forth for the sole fact that Jim Putman is incredible. He is passionate, real, in-your-face-honest and so loving. I can tell you that I have never cried or fist pumped as much as I did listening to Jim. Still to this day the heaven and hell series Jim preached a few years ago is one of the most memorable, most moving, most crazy amazing series I have EVER heard EVERRRR and I have been going to church since I was born. 

Anyway - Jim posts different things every day. All inspirational. All gut-checks, All truth and simply encouraging. 

While I may not attend Post Falls Real Life (we go to Valley Real Life), Jim still impacts my spirit....and crazy enough....through Facebook.

Thank you Courtni for your direct hand in bringing me back. :)

My Relationships: Over the past few months my bible study or the Dream Table as we are referred to has been doing a study from the book, Finding the Hero in your Husband by Dr. Julianna Slattery. It is a book about submission - by submitting God's way it allows your husband to assume his rightful place in the home. As the leader. As scary as submission sound to most people, this book isn't at all in-your-face. It has been amazing to go through and to be reminded that I - as Nick's wife - have the responsibility to respect, support and encourage my husband in his role - as the leader of our family. 

I am telling you - this group - has allowed me to have conversations with my husband that I would have never had without them. Conversations about fear, worry, doubt, children, future...most nights after group I come home sobbing, professing my utter sorry-ness about how sucky a wife I have been. Nick is so sweet and usually laughs but God has a purpose for me as a wife, mother, daughter, sister and friend. I only want to be the type of wife that Nick is proud of. A friend people want to have and someone people look at and say - there is something different about her. 

I am thankful to my Dream Table for staying true to the rules and for inspiring me daily to be better. 

My Creativity and Passion: One of my many passions is giving gifts. I love it. Nothing makes me happier than getting someone the most perfect gift (most of the time, just because) and watching them open and hopefully...love it! 
Now that it is Christmas - the ultimate gift giving time of year - I am over the moon excited for both Cruz and Nick to open their gifts. Cruz - well because it is his first time and Nick - well because I did great this year. He might fall over and die when he opens his gift. 
Yesterday, I finished Christmas. Got everything. Wrapped everything.
Now for the fun part....

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Why I love Cruz's daycare

First of all, I am FORTUNATE enough that Daycare for Cruz is at his Auntie's house.

When I went back to work Emily offered to watch Cruz for me. He was only 3ish months old. The only problem with that scenario is that she also had a 21 month old and a 5 month old - as Trey is only 11 weeks older than his dear cousin. It was a little too much.

When Cruz was 5 months old, he started going to Jasmine's house - an amazing solution! She is a rock star who not only helped Preshy's flat head round out but she played with him, loved him and was right there along side me when Cruz experienced a lot of firsts - solid food, sitting up, rolling, cutting teeth  army crawling and the dreaded first cold.

Oh yeah, she did all of this pregnant with her first baby. 

So November came and with Jasmine getting ready to be a first time mom, it was time to find another place for Preshy to be. 

Emily raised her hand and asked me to allow her to try again. Duh!!!!!
 I would rather have Cruz be with family every day so naturally I said thank you a million times and that was that. 

I love Cruz's daycare because...

1. I know Emily loves him.
2. He gets to play with the best toys ever. I need to step up my game in the toy dept.
3. He gets attention.
4. He gets good food. 
5. He LOVES going. As soon as Nick unbuckles him he crawls down the entry hallway and doesn't look back.
6. He feels safe.
7. He is going to learn how to stand up for himself. Trey kinda likes to jump on his back and ride him like a pony. Not all the time though - yesterday in the car on our way to Trader Joes, he did hold his hand. 
8. He gets to see and play with his cousins EVERYDAY!



I can't even stand it - they are going to be the best of friends!

Em and I always say we are so glad for each other because we aren't that close with any of our cousins. It certainly doesn't help that we live far away but still - we don't get to have those memories.

These two do...and Lucy!!


Each morning Lucy comes and greets Nick and Cruz at the door.
The other day Nick called me right after he dropped him off and goes, "The cutest thing just happened. I opened the door and Lucy came running. She bends down in front of Cruz's car seat while I am unbuckling him to let him play and goes, I love you Cruz." 

Then he told me that as he was leaving he said, I love you buddy to Cruz and Lucy turns around and says, I love you buddy to Nick. 

I am so thankful for Emily, Lucy and Trey - that they would be able to bring Cruz in and love him simply as another member of the family. 

There isn't a better feeling in the world to know that while you are away your baby is in the best possible care out there. 

And I do have the best. 

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Challenge, take 2

Is it Wednesday already? Anyone else feel this way?
It was one week ago I challenged myself and all of you to answer a few simple questions. 
Did you do it?

Here we go. Challenge, take 2. 

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My Mind: Today it was fox news. I am obsessed. Can't get enough election talk. Period. Love.
My Body: It was a heavy day today. My dear dear friend, mentor and inspiration (I can't even begin to tell you how much I wish I was like her in so many ways) was told that her job was eliminated after she fought for 2 1/2 years to change a failing leadership culture. Now, along the way, she did WAY more than just fight. She  mentored so many, inspired so many, taught so many. Myself included. It is where we met. So after receiving the news, attending an off-site meeting, we met for a coffee (cause that's what we do) at Sullivan Starbucks and cried together. Then, at around 8pm, we took a drive out to our old place of work to clean out her office. So many memories - good and bad. I still say to this day that the HR role I had at Ambassadors was by far my most favorite. It touched on everything I still love about HR to this day...they say people don't leave jobs, they leave leaders. That was true then - for me.
So - to wash off all of my sadness and emotion - including raging dislike - I took the longest, hottest shower ever. It was amazing. 
My Spirit: Nothing like a little Jesus Calling by Sarah Young to calm this mama's worried heart. Seems like I have been worrying about far to much lately and not relying on Him. Tsk Tsk, Ashley. I know better - he is always faithful and because his plan is ALWAYS FAR better than mine I need to simply relinquish control and give it up.
My Relationships: I love my sister. She is so amazing and is my best friend. One of the things I love most about us is that sometimes one of us will spontaneously set a date. Meet me here. Wanna go to Target. Wanna hang out. Come over. Let's go do this. Today, Em was up to her ears in all things kids. Can I just say that 3 kids - well one toddler and twins (Trey and Cruz are only 11 weeks apart) - forget it. Couldn't do it if my life depended on it. Anyway she called me 10 minutes before I got off work and told me she needed a break. Meet me at Target she said. Done. Happy to oblige. 
These are the times my sis and I get to reconnect. Em, bet you didn't know those convos in the Target food court and laugh out loud moments that come with our afternoon adventures are my very favorite.
My Creativity and Passion: I really love to cook. Love to bake. Love to experiment. Love it. Today, I took a very highly regarded enchilada recipe off of pinterest and gave it my best shot. Total hit! Husband loved it, I loved it. Oh and can I just say that the delight in my husband voice made me so proud! This was not a quick, 20 minute recipe. It took a while (lots of steps) including making a homemade enchilada sauce. SOOO worth it. I keep telling my Dream Table that we need to sit down and meal plan one month using ONLY pinterest recipes. Fun and totally do-able right?!

To end the day - cause I need to get my arse to bed next to my warm husby - here is my real motivation, passion, love and joy of all joys, Preshy.



Night all. 
xoxo

Monday, December 12, 2011

Please knock, sleeping baby

In my prior non-mom life whenever I saw a sign on someone's door that read something to the effect of, "Please knock, sleeping baby", I would be HIGHLY annoyed.

You must be that high maintenance to post a sign.
Really, a sign? For your front door?
Your kids aren't trained to sleep through anything?
My kids are totally going to sleep through loud music, house parties and most certainly the UPS MAN.

I know. I know. Feel free to judge me because I am judging myself just typing those thoughts. It was not till this weekend where I actually was able to reflect after TWOOOOOOO incidents that left me with rage I didn't know existed. I was two seconds away from kicking a hole in my hall closet and punching Liam in the nose. NOT. KIDDING. 

Nick went to Boise with some of his besties to watch the UFC title fight after his Christmas party, early Saturday morning. This left Cruz and I to fend for ourselves before the babysitter arrived and I took off for my dad's company Christmas party. 

Incident #1
Time of incident: 10:10am
Description of incident: Cruz woke up for the day around 7:30am. I scooped him from his crib, changed his wet diaper and brought him into bed with me where we proceeded to watch Dora the Explorer for another half an hour.

We ate breakfast at 8:30, got in the bath at 9 and was totally ready for our morning nap by 9:30am. Usually Cruz will sleep for a good hour and a half - ever since he was 8 weeks old, we have had him on killer schedule! It is imperative that he get both a great morning AND afternoon nap or else we have trouble on our hands. I tell you what, nothing stresses me out more than disturbing Cruz's precious schedule for that reason alone. 

10:10am comes around - Cruz has now been sleeping for 40 minutes - when the doorbell rings. Uggggggggg. Liam starts barking and that's it. Cruz starts screaming. To make matters worse, it was the mail man. He had come to deliver a certified letter from the seller of this place asking we check a box typed on plain white paper noting our intentions regarding purchasing the empty lot behind our house. Okay, 1. If it would have been the USP guy delivering my J Crew bridesmaid dress for Kelly's wedding, that's one thing BUT seriously??? A certified letter asking me to check yes or NO?!?!?!?! ARE WE IN FIRST GRADE?

After what seems like 5 million signatures for the mail guy, I go get my screaming baby. Attempts to try and get him back asleep failed. 

Thankfully I have amazing friends who brought over Starbucks along with their beautiful children to have an adult gab sesh and a mini playgroup - with Nick OOT (out of town), it helped the day fly by AND tired out my son. Oh, not to mention calm my nerves. 

Incident #2
Time of incident: 2:15pm
Description of incident: Once my girlfriends left, around 12:30, Cruz was beyond ready for a nap. We ate lunch real quick then went straight to bed. About 1:15pm. I was SURE he would nap till at least 3 considering his morning nap was rudely interrupted. So, thinking I had all of this time, I figured I would shower and get myself ready for the day. 
For those of you who read Home Salz, you may recall the post about how I would really love to live in a nudest colony...well at about 2:15pm I was standing in my bathroom, in the nude of course, curling my hair when low and behold THE DOOR BELL RINGS!
Are you effing kidding me?
Liam is freaking out and I am scrambling - like in a full blown panic - combing through my dirty clothes to try and find SOMETHING to wear before I surprise whoever might be at my door with my nude self. 
I crack open the door in something that covers my lower half but flashes my right "girl". 
It is an attic insulation salesman. 
Really?
At this point Cruz is crying, Liam is trying to escape out of the front door and I am trying to cover my left boob so he isn't totally offended.
I get him to go away very quickly (this is where I almost kicked a hole in our hall closet door and punched Liam in the face) and run to my crying child who again, at no avail, is fully awake ready for juice and a snack.

Ready for the honest truth? I am so that mom...the mom who tip toes around the house, watches TV at an 7 or 8 volume level and actually shhh'es her dog. As if he really understands what Shhhhh, Liam even means. 

To the please knock, sleeping baby mom? I am sorry for every rude, judgmental thought that ran through my head about you and your parenting. I hope this makes you feel a lot better....

Please Knock Sign, Baby is Sleeping Small Rectangle

Should be arriving at 311 N. Molter in 7 to 10 business days. Attention: Ashley Salzwedel.

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Challenge

I have so many things to write about....the Dream Table Christmas celebration, the 2012 Presidential race, the first real meeting with our newly hired architect, Cruz turning a whopping 10 months, House Tour - Bedrooms...

BUTTTT before I get to all of that, which I promise you is on its way, I wanted to issue a challenge. 

Browsing through Pinterest this evening looking for amazing recipes to put together for tomorrow's Scentsy party, I came across this:

(which made me react - you know when you see, feel, touch or hear something you love?)

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How amazing, right???

I bet that some of you don't do this enough - too busy trying to raise children with integrity and character God would be proud of, trying to be Martha Stewart, loving on our husbands, OMG who can forget working for goodness sake. 

Imagine, just once a week, being able to answer every question above with purpose, with gumption, with intention.

Here is my challenge and it goes out to all of you....

Every Wednesday, let's devote the entire day to being able to answer every question above with purpose, with gumption with intention and with passion, shall we? And see what comes of it?

I will start us off. 

Today what did I do for...


My Mind? Today the CNN Political Ticker, which I frequent many times a day, inspired me to learn a little bit more about EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) and Cap and Trade. I googled it and then spent a good 20 minutes on the EPA's website. 
I care because 1. It could be an interview question when running for Mrs. Washington. I can very confidently say that I failed the Miss. Spokane interview. Like, FAILED. The panel asked me my opinion on the teacher's union. I said something to the effect of, "I think they can be good and bad." Seriously, Ashley? OF COURSE YOU DON'T LIKE THE TEACHER'S UNION. Good thing I happened to catch mono from sharing a few too many alcoholic beverages with my sorority sisters because I got really skinny right before the pageant and won the swimsuit competition. 2. I want to be smarter than any liberal I happen to run across. 3. Any mayor of Liberty Lake should be able to speak intelligently on Cap and Trade.   


My Body? I drank 8 full glasses of water today. Hey, that is something! Oh, I also plan to be in bed by 9pm.


My Spirit? I went on a date with my baby. We went to Starbucks to get a latte and a cake pop. It is our thing. It makes me happy and I know it makes Cruz happy too. It is the one thing we have. It is so special. 


My Relationships? This one was on Monday but I have felt happy ever since - I sent a text message to one of my best friends wishing her a great week at work, to let her know that I was thinking of her and that I loved her. The text message I got in return was so amazing...I love knowing that taking 2 seconds out of my morning to text my bestie made her day and in turn, made my week. 
What have I done today for my relationship with Nick? I bought us new sheets (like amazing high thread count Egyptian cotton sheets) - washed and dried them, slipped them on before he got home from work and plan to cuddle with him in them tonight. 


My Creativity and My Passion? First of all I am blogging and that touches on both. I love telling my stories. At the Dream Table Christmas celebration someone asked me why I blog. I said - it is because I am a unique individual. I love hard and I try, in all things, to experience life to its fullest. If people happen to like the stories I tell then fantastic and if they don't, well at least Cruz and baby Salzwedel #2 have one heck of a good journal to read when they are older. Second, I am passionate about what I do for a living. I love HR. I love listening to employees, recruiting and attracting amazing talent and creating an environment where people feel safe, feel valued and feel proud about working in. So today in an effort to feed the passion I have for my field, I looked into re-taking my PHR (Professional in Human Resources certification) this spring. I sat for the test last year at this time and failed by 3 point. 3 EFFING POINTSSSS. 200 questions on this test and 3 of them kept me from obtaining my certification. Ahhh...kills me every time I even think about it.

Now it is your turn. What did you do for...?


PS: SURPRISE!!! We got our pictures taken AGAIN by the most amazing Sarah Graczyk! She posted a preview of the mini-sessions on her blog - check it out here. Cruz is so handsome, I can hardly stand it. I told my mom today that I was going to google how I sign this kid up to model. I am serious about that, BTW. Maybe it is a good thing Cruz wasn't a girl...by now she would be waist deep in baby beauty pageants. Oh yes, I am SOOOO that mom. 

Monday, December 5, 2011

Sweet Moment

Every day Nick comes home from work and asks me how my afternoon was. 

Some days I tell him it was a good day. Some DAYS. 

Lately, however, I feel like a broken record when asked that question...Cruz didn't nap, Cruz was fussy, Liam was a disaster - kicked Cruz in the cheek, stepped on his hand, ran away, licked my dinner to the point of a big lick mark on two of my ham and cheese sliders, drug poo in the house, woke up the baby by barking LOUDLY at the elementary school kid riding home on his scooter in front of our house , Bianca barfed everywhere...

It is days like those where I don't feel cut out to be a part time stay at home mom.

Today was one of the first afternoons that thoughts of going back to work full time didn't creep in at all. 

We had the best afternoon!

We napped.
We played - played hide and seek, read books, built foam block towers, knocked down foam block towers, played fetch with Bianca, ran from Liam, emptied out two baby wipe containers and spent 10 minutes spinning Liam's dog bowl (who knew that could be a WAY fun toy?!?!?!).
We went to Starbucks for cake pops (Cruz's favorite treat - now when he sees the pink cake ball on a stick he starts whining and waving his arms and legs just like he does when he sees his before bedtime bottle) and a tall latte.
We went to the grocery store.
We watched a little Dora while making dinner.
We had dinner.
We took a bath.
We played with dad.

He was so fun!

I know I say it a lot but I love each stage more and more. It is particularly fun now because he reacts to me. He will come to me to be picked up, he will snuggle me after his afternoon nap, he will follow me into different rooms of our house, he will smile and look over at me when I call him Preshy, he is starting to understand give me a kissssssss (I only say that 1,000 times a day)... 

I know he knows who I am and he loves me. I haven't felt confident in that until now. 

****

It's 7pm. Cruz's normal bed time. I was unclogging the vacuum cleaner and Cruz was riding on dad's shoulders. He let out the longest, sweetest yawn and laid his head on Nick's head. I looked over at my angel baby's tired face, the one I can spot a mile away from the red bags that form under his droopy sad eyes and grab my camera. 





It was the sweetest moment!

One I never want to forget. 

One that makes me excited to wake up tomorrow and do it all over again.