THE PROOF.......

POLLS ARE CLOSED....

Thank you everyone who voted, hope it was fun and suspenseful for everyone!!!

So the winning number of Nike Shox that Nico has accumulated over 18 months is......drum roll please..............

6

Believe it or not, even though Aunt Adriane thought he would have at least one pair for each month he has been alive, he only has had 6. Although, as far as shoes go he has had 6 pairs of Shox, 1 pair of Nike Airs, 3 pair of boots, 2 pairs of play tennis shoes, 5 pairs of sandals and I think that's it.....I know, I know it's crazy but thanks to Chane it's an obsession now!!!!

I'll post pictures soon enough to show the proof of his 6 pairs!!!

Until next time......

WHO'S THE CUTEST 18 MONTH OLD EVER????

Mommy, Daddy........
Yea, I know I am cute.....

See Chay, this is gonna make us rich someday......

Me?? I didn't do it.......

These are photos we had taken last week for his 18 month photos. I got this idea from Jennifer to post them on my blog!! These are one's that I didn't purchase, but definitely deserve to be seen!!! Hope everyone enjoys.

Keep visiting and remember to vote, only 5 days left!!!!

OBSESSION....

As most of you know, it's my "thing" as I call it to buy little Nico shoes. Now I know it's ridiculous in most people's eyes to spend what I do on shoes for my little guy, but think of it this way....I spend on shoes what most Mom's would spend on dresses for their daughter....LOL!!!

So I encourage all my family and friends to guess how many pairs of Nike Shox little Nico has acquired in the 18 months he has been with us. It'll be interesting to see how many shoes people think an 18 month old needs....I'll give you a little hint for those who haven't seen his collection, I bought another pair tonight....

Good luck and yes thankfully for my bank account that I am only having one!!!!

PS You don't even want to know how many sandles he has.....:)

WATCH OUT, NICO'S TURNED INTO A TAPE RECORDER.....

It's funny how Nico went from saying Momma, Dadda to repeating every word you say. Which means to all my family and friends, Nico is finally a tape recorder that repeats every word you say....we'll let's just say a lot of words.

It seemed to begin with Daddy last week when he found out that why isn't the best word to teach a 1 and half year old because not that he understands the context in which to use it, he uses it just like Daddy use too. Only now instead of annoying the heck out of Grandma Decker, Nico seems to say it to Daddy and I just sit there and think "what comes around goes around" and laugh....although Bryan doesn't think it's soooo funny......

Mommy got it with bubbles, when we were taking a bath last week Mommy said does Nico want some bubbles and now every time we get in the bath it's BUBBLES, BUBBLES!!! Or yesterday when Grandma Beth had him outside and they were chasing the ball, it was ball or as Grandpa Tim taught him BULL so it's bubbles, ball or bull. He definitely seems to have his "B's" down...now it's time to start on Grammy or some other word other than Why??

Then yesterday we called him and he looked at me and said "WHAT" I could of died laughing right there because I thought he is turning into this little person who acts just like us!!! So what I have learned this week, watch what you say because our little tape recorder is listening even when you think he not!!!!

Until next time....

GOODBYE TO MY TWENTIES.....

So since tomorrow at 9:36am I will officially have to say goodbye to my 20's, I thought I might reflect on the first 30 years of my life. Sometimes it is hard to believe that tomorrow my glorious 20's will be forever lost....

In all reality I have had a very good first 30 years and really can't complain, but what scares me the most is seeing my friends and cousins who have 9 or 10 years olds. And it really creeped me out when I went to my cousin Julie's and her son had a friend spending the night, I kind of looked at them and then looked at her and said "Julie, wasn't that just us a blink of an eye ago??" Gosh, I can remember the first movie Julie and I went to without parents, I think it was "Field of Dreams"....now that I said that it makes me look REALLY old!!! Now to all of those friends who are older than me, no I don't think you are old but I am sure when you turned 30 you kind of felt like I do......

Than I started thinking about my bestest friend Terri who I have been friends with since we were 13 and sitting in band together....wasn't that just yesterday Ter? Or the Florida trip with the door slam that started our life long friendship of being each other's other half...just ask Dan Chance who thought we were crazy when we said that while working at McDonald's....Wasn't it just yesterday Ter, that we went to Hilton Head and paid what to park or how about the speeding ticket in SC that I got in your car while Barney Fife thought we had something in the back seat??? Or our best friend award that I thought Kathy was gonna get us for winning....or the throwing up on the side of the street cuz James had to pull over or all the other stuff you would hurt me for saying.....Gosh going down memory lane there are so many good memories I might bore everyone but you to continue on......Truly, from the bottom of my heart Ter, thank you for being here every single day and even though we might not always agree, you are the bestest friend a girl could ever have.

To all my old friends and new, each one of you are special to me in some way and I can't imagine spending my 20's with anyone else but you guys. We have had some unforgettable memories that will never be forgotten, such as Kiki do you remember spending the night in the hot tub or at Jennifer and Jason wedding, keep saying it's still daylight and we were toasted?? Or I have to give you credit Jennifer for going to Kiki's bachlorette party and having a blast even though you were pregnant, I don't know if I could of done it!!! Or Chloe all the times we have done so many fun things, but all the great laughs you have given me is priceless. Suz, don't even know where to begin....we can make anything funny and you can always put a smile on my face without you I would of lost my sanity years ago!!! Michele, we have been through it all and yet even though we live thousands of miles away you mean the world to me and through the worst of the worst, we're still here and that we have to be thankful for!!! Kelly, sometimes I look at you and think you are super Mom, and you have showed me that there is good in everyone. You have really been there for us the last year and for that I will never forget it. Jen, gosh we have done it all been great friends, mortal enemies, and then friends again and even though we lost so many years over petty 20's crap it's been fun. Vicky, you are a true inspiration to me and definitely a woman of my heart to instigate others.....OK maybe it's more me than you, but we sure have had some fun times drinking and not.....Eric, what can I say we have been through it all and more, you have been a great best friend to Bryan but you also have always been there for me and mean the world to both of us and I am sure you have drinking stories to tell people too, but we'll skip that for now.....And to all those others who I haven't mentioned because this was getting long, it has been fun and to all of these fun memories I can't wait to continue with lots and lots more!!!

Gosh, rereading this I sound like I drink a lot but honestly I don't think I have had more than a wine cooler since September when Vicky made me drink....LOL!!!

To my family, you mean more to me than I can ever tell you. This has been a rough year for all of us and I know sometimes I don't express my emotions in the right way but God has been good to all of us and not just my family but my friends too. You all are an inspiration to me and have helped me become the person I am today. Especially to all my parents, including my extended parents who adopted me thank you, thank you for guiding me in the right direction and always loving me for me, even my faults. To my sisters, and my extended sister I love all three of you and even though sometimes times have been tough it's been worth every minute to get where we are today. To the rest of my family, cousins, aunts, uncles, Grandma's and Grandpa's, I have to thank all of you too!!!

Last but not least, to my son Nicolas Aaron and my sweet Bryan. I love you both more than life itself. Bryan, we have been through it all and somehow we have made a great lives for ourselves and our son. I thank you for spending my 20's with you and making it through the good and the bad. Who would of thought after dating a month and you leaving for the Marines for 4 years we would be here 12 years later, living the good life?? It's been a wonderful life and I couldn't see ever living even a day with anyone different. This last year has been the hardest of our lives and yet in some ways it's only made us stronger, and made our faith only stronger. I only hope we can live another 60 years in the happiness that the last 12 have been. Nico, Nico, Nico what can I say but you are my angel from Heaven definitely a gift from God. I love you in a way that I never thought I could love another human being. You make our lives complete and I only pray you can be half the man your Dad is and that all those people mentioned above will help us continue to make you the man I know you will become.....some of us are counting on you to take care of us...J/K!!! I love you guys!!!

OK, for those who haven't fallen asleep.....I truly want to thank you for being a part of my 20's and hope that when things settle down we can all celebrate my 30's the proper way and unfortunately Eric, you might have come pick me up off the floor and carry me to the car AGAIN!!!! So I guess this will be my last post as a 20 some year old....but bring the 30's on because we are all going to have a heck of a time beating the last 10 years and before we know it....we'll all be 40 and going to kids graduations and weddings.....AWWWWW!!!

Goodbye 20's, hello 30's.....................

NICO'S TANTRUM'S.....

Is it just my child or is every child kicking and screaming when you have to come in from outside for dinner, bed or nap whichever time of day it happens to be? It's now from the time I pick him up from Gma and Gpa Decker's until the moment I close the garage door because it's time for dinner not play time....I know I am a horrible Mother for making him eat :)

Now I know I may shock some of you who think Nico can do no wrong......BUT he has started throwing tantrums and I think before today, I would of given in but now I am sitting there while he is yelling and screaming thinking "please God please don't let the neighbors see my bad child" but I guess in all reality I know every child has their moments, but lately it seems like in Nico's world it's his way or no way. And I ask myself after the situation is defused, how can I make a 18 month old understand when he looks at me like I have three heads when I start to explain it's dinner time or bed time....

I guess these times makes me feel like I have been defeated, but then after the big crocodile tears are gone and the tantrum is over, and he crawls over to sit on my lap I know it's just another one of those moments we would all like to forget but have to go through until they are old enough to understand.....Your grounded!!! If I only had a nickel every time my Mom said that to my sister because you know I was the angel!!!!

Until next time........

Nico at Price Park

Spring......shhh, better not say it to loud.....

I am happy to report to all my family and friends that finally in Ohio, Spring might actually be here....we'll at least for the time being. We finally can put away the gloves, winter hats and winter coat (we'll at least for now) and roll up our sleeves for our skin to finally feel the sun it's been craving all winter. And if you have seen Nico up close, you know he needs all the sun he can get:)

Now it's time to get the basketball hoop, tool bench and all the other fun toys we having been waiting to play with this long, long winter but I do have the realization that my birthday is coming up and it always snows around my birthday time, so we better not put the winter jacket to far...gotta love Ohio weather. Wait ten minutes and it will change :)

So now the routine of playing cars all night is out and playing with bikes and taking walks is finally here!!! It's almost time to find Nico some shorts and short sleeve shirts or just let him run around like the hillbilly he is, in his diaper!!! I am sure the neighbors will love it :) Now if we could just get a bit warmer for the pool, Nico loves the water and I have a feeling his little pool in the driveway isn't gonna cut it and we'll have to be at cousin Julie's more often then she'll probably like. J/K!

So all those readers of Nico's adventures it's time to (hopefully) put away the snow shovels and start enjoying the long evenings but I bet you before we know it we'll be watching out for those mosquitos!!!!

Happy Spring everyone!!!!! Until next time......

NICO'S HALF BIRTHDAY.....

Happy Half Birthday little man....geez I can't believe how fast the last six months have gone compared to Nico's first year. Since his first birthday he has:

Walked completely on his own

Said my juice, mine, bye, hi, hole (thanks Uncle Eric), bull, Uhuhuh, thank you

Plays with matchbox cars

Made basketballs in the hoop

Chases the dog

Watches tv for more than a second

Reads books with Mommy before bed more than just a few pages

Locks and unlocks doors

Rides his tri-cycle around the house

Knows where the pantry is that holds the candy he has to have

Developed quite the personality

Has those beautiful blue eyes and dimples and knows how to use them :)

I am sure there is a whole huge list of things I haven't mentioned, but my point being how much he has grown up since some of you have seen him at his birthday party. He not only warms your heart with those eyes, but makes you laugh by being goofy like his Daddy. So today little Man, Happy Half Birthday and we can't wait to continue to see you grow into the man I know you will be.

Sad, but true today marks the day my little guy is no longer a baby, but now what he thinks is a independent toddler.....don't worry you don't have to tell us, we know he is in control of us...not the other way around :)

Happy Half Birthday Nico!!!