It's that time again to show all the imperfect things I could of never possibly done.........no not me, being the perfect Mommy and all!!!

I certainly didn't smell the milk even though it was 3 days past the day and think it smells OK why not? No not me I am perfect in watching for expiration dates.

I certainly couldn't have sat on the couch while Nico was gone this weekend and watched 4 hours of DVR'd TV and then sat on the couch and finished up a book I have been dying to finish...no not me I always use my time wisely and certainly made sure the house was perfectly cleaned!

I surely didn't move Nico's new trains into his playroom and watched them all break apart, and then when Nico found them I didn't say Daddy will fix them when he wakes up just because I am lazy and didn't want to read the directions, no not me I always make sure I fix stuff.

Finally, I certainly didn't let Nico watch Ratatouille just one more time waiting for Gma to come pick him up because my child doesn't watch TV that is longer than a half hour...what kind of mother would do that??

So there it is all my "imperfections" that I possibly couldn't have done!!!!

Until next time.....

Vacation 2009

Now quite some time ago, almost a month ago I promised to blog about our vacation and with Nico's birthday and so many other things going on I never really go the chance too, until now.........so without any further adu........

Our vacation started out on Saturday morning when we got up to leave for Washington, D.C. We were all packed and ready to go, Athena had been dropped off at Uncle Eric's the night before and it only took three times of trying to leave before we were OFF! Nico was such a gem the entire trip and didn't wet his pants even one time! We got to Virginia and checked into our beautiful hotel, since it was only 3:30PM we decided to wonder to D.C. and start sightseeing. Now I have been to D.C. twice in my life and Daddy use to live there for a period of time, but seeing it again as an adult really moved me, between the monuments new and old and all the people that were there respecting those who served our country, along with the great people who have made our country what it is today. Nico was a great sport even when we got stuck on the Metro.

The next day we were off to meet my friend April, and her two cuties as we went to the National Zoo which if you get the chance definitely a great place to take the kids but one piece of advice is that the way down into the zoo is downhill, but coming back tired is all UPHILL!!! But well worth it! After a whole day of playing, April returned home and we were off to visit all those places we missed the night before. Nico once again was a great sport and never had one accident! Although I did get peed on in the National Zoo bathroom but I am getting off track......we had another great evening in D.C. and saw so many things that were awesome and moving, especially the Law Enforcement Monument that brought tears to my eyes.

Finally, our last day we saw the Pentagon, Arlington National Cemetery and Iwo Jima. It was a great time and definitely something Daddy and I want to do again very soon! We could of spent all week there and still not saw everything we wanted too.

Next, we were off to our good friends for the rest of the week in Jacksonville, NC where we use to live. We had so much fun seeing Pete, Michele and Tigger!!! We went to the Pine Knolls Aquarium, Emerald Isle Beach, USS North Carolina and even went by our old apartment and places we use to go when we lived there. It definitely was a walk down memory lane, and Nico had so much fun playing in the sand at the beach collecting seashells. Although Daddy tried to take him in the ocean two different times, he wanted nothing to do with it!!!! Maybe next year, right???

So there you have it our vacation, Cliff Notes style. It was one to remember and we can't wait to start planning next years adventures......Disneyland, Condo on the Beach or maybe a trip out west...who knows the possibilities are endless...........

Until next time.....

Wordless Wednesday

Nico's 3rd Birthday Party

Nico had so much fun over the weekend with his friends and family at his Thomas the Train birthday party!! It was great to see everyone and celebrate my little baby's 3rd birthday....which makes me want to cry thinking he is 3 already!!!! Food was eaten, cake was devoured and fun was had by all....what could be better than that?!?! Well maybe Nico's face with all the presents he opened and how bad he wanted to open each toy then and there. Here are a few shots from the party...the rest can be found in your inbox in the latest photoshows.

Until next time......

Who Remembers When......

Nico was this small?

Or our First Family Photo?

Or Nico being Nico?

I know I sure can, through all the 3 years I remember the smiles, laughs, tears, snotty noses, time-outs, playtime, overnight with Gma times, hurt feelings, fun times, and most of all I remember the Wonderful Memories you have given us and what a special little boy you are to all of those who love you!!!!

How could you not with a face like that?

Happy 3rd Birthday Nico!!!!

October 1st, 2009

Dearest Nico,

It's hard to believe that today you are 3 years old, the time has gone by so fast and sometimes I look back and think where did my baby go? Where did the little guy who needed everything from me disappear too? And now today you are turning 3, and have changed so much in last year that it is hard to put into words, but I am going to try.

This past year you have learned so much, last year at this time you could hardly talk now you are just like Daddy and love to talk and talk, until you can't talk anymore! It's something that I treasure because the words that you come up and things you say make my heart smile and my mouth laugh. You are a special kid who not knowingly has been through a lot this past year with our family, and yet you haven't seemed to catch on or made us think you know, and have made all of us laugh and smile when we needed it most. We have had so much fun playing, and being a little kid again that you have brought out in us. Sitting on floor and playing trains or cars, getting dirty in the dirt or turning the sprinkler on and watching you run through it like there was no tomorrow. Who would of thought such a cheap thing such as dirt would be your best friend....something you go to and could spend hours upon hours just digging and moving, and having Mommy and Daddy get dirty too! The summers of playing at the park or getting ice cream at your favorite ice cream place are something we can never forget! Your first time away from Mommy and Daddy for more than a night, or our first vacation a few weeks ago. All those things are so special in our mind to remind us how special you are in our lives, and how you touch everyone who you have and will come into contact with.

So many details that we can take for granted remind us why we love you so much (not that we needed it), but you are a special child that we love so much and know Nicolas Aaron we love you more than words can say.

So today, we celebrate you on your 3rd Birthday and can't wait until Saturday to celebrate with all of our friends and family who love you too!

Happy 3rd Birthday Baby Boy!

Mommy & Daddy

Vacation!!

I know you are all waiting patiently to hear about our vacation and I intend to blog about it, but we downloaded all the photos on Daddy's Laptop and I have to get them off before I can even begin!!!

Don't you all worry the rest of the photos will be in the photoshows that are coming your way soon!!!!

Until next time.....

New and Old Friend......

Today, I met a new friend, but also an old friend.....which I know makes absolutely no sense but April is a friend who I have been talking to for almost 2 years and today we met for the first time! It was a great experience and she was everything I thought she would be and more! How Corny that sounds, but we had a lot of fun with her and the kids at the National Zoo today...of course more on that later! So this is to new and old friends, and I am so thankful to have her as my Sisterpants!!!!

Until next time....

Speechless......

A Day of Rememberance

Today is a day of rememberance for those whose lost there lives on that infamous day in 2001, one I know I will never forget and I am sure that even though Nico was not alive, he will never forget either.

Not only remember those who lost their lives tragically, but those left behind who have to remember this day that has affected them for the rest of their lives. The brothers, sisters, cousins, aunts, uncles, mothers, fathers, children and anyone who suffered those days beyond 9/11/01 and continue to do so. Say a prayer for those families and not only those who lost their lives in those four plane crashes or in the Towers and/or Pentagon, but for those responders who didn't think twice about going to try to save the lives of those whom they had never met or ever would. Or a prayer for those families who lost their love one's fighting for our freedom and for those soliders who continue to do it everyday without even a thank you.

Today is not only about remembering the tragedy, it's about remembering that we need to remember why we fight for our freedom something that we so often take for granted.

So today, I am saying Thank You to my husband who responds without a thought when someone dials 911 and needs help, and to all the other Officers out there that do the same. To the Firemen who risk their lives to try to save yours and your property. And especially to those Soliders who fight for our freedoms, without thinking they want anything in return.

Thank You Bryan, Thank You Kenny for serving our country and Thank You Josh for Fighting our fires. And to everyone else, I don't know and/or our friends who do the same THANK YOU!!

Until next time....

Wordless Wednesday.......on Thursday!

Until our next adventure.........

Happy 6th Birthday Kourt!!!

Dear Kourt,

I can't believe today is your 6th birthday and that you started Kindergarten last week!! Where has the time gone, it seems like just yesterday you were coming home from the hospital, learning to crawl, walk, talk and all those milestones we have seen you complete over the years! Watching you grow up has been one of the best times of my life and watching you grow from a toddler to a young lady has been a joy. You are a smart, funny, and always can make us laugh, and so accomplished with anything you do. It brings me great joy to watch you dance every year and makes me excited to see what you can accomplish this year.

So today, Kourtney Elizabeth we celebrate you because you have a special place in our hearts that no matter how old you get, will always be there.

Happy 6th Birthday!

We love you,

Kelli, Bryan & Nico

Nico's 1st Bike!

Nico & Gpa Tim putting together Nico's Bike

Nico the tool holder!

Adding a wheel!

1st Ride...Hold on!

Here I go Mommy!

Thomas the Train and Bikes?

Last night Gma Beth and Gpa Tim brought over Nico's early birthday present, a Thomas the Train Bike. Now I think I have finally seen it all....Thomas stickers, toys, shirts, pants, coats and now bikes.....whoever invented Thomas sure had my child in mind! So I regress.....

Oh yea the bike, Gpa Tim brought it over in the box for Nico and him to put together. Nico was to hold the tools and hand them to Gpa when he asked, but of course the Thomas the train markings on the bike was all that he could concentrate on! After getting the pieces out starting with the back tire, moving to the handle bars, then onto the seat and finally the training wheels.....we'll maybe not finally because of course we had to put on the Thomas the Train emblems too!

We had to take it for a test drive of course, how could we not??? So Nico climbed up on the seat like a big boy he has become and Mommy close by taking pictures the whole time because Nico doesn't do anything in his life without a camera in his face. He started to roll down the driveway as everyone must of forgot has an incline, and I grabbed his arm as he started to fall to avoid a big mess and into the street! He was OK, thankfully but my heart stopped for just a few minutes thinking the worst and although I know that is not the first of the falls off the bike hopefully they won't be to bad.

Now the biggest challenge for me is teaching him to peddle, any advice out there for teaching an almost 3 year how to ride a bike?

Hope everyone has a great Labor Day Weekend and until next time....

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

Until next time....

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DADDY!!!

We love you!!!!

Mommy & Nico

Meet the Teacher Night and Other Updates

Last night we got to meet Nico's new teacher, Mrs. Pachmayer, who is really nice and I think Nico will love! This classroom is a little different in the fact that now they are involved in Pre-School parties, Christmas Program, they begin to learn their shapes, colors, letters, seasons etc and so much more. It really surprised me that the entire class is BOYS!!!! Throughout the week, 11 in all and all of Nico's friends are moving up too!!! Thankfully Nico is potty trained, but some are not completely so hopefully he can help them out by showing them and also they can help him continue because it's always an ongoing process. All in all I am really excited that Nico is starting class on Monday, and can't wait to share with all of you all of the adventures of having a Pre-Schooler.

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In other news, Gma Beth and Gpa Tim are taking Nico for the weekend to Toledo to visit Aunt Melissa and Kevin. So although I know he excited, I am a little sad to see him go we haven't been apart except for my surgeries/hospital time since he was born....other than the occasional overnight at Gma's. Hopefully he'll be good in the car for the 3 hour car ride, but I know that once they get there he'll be so excited to see them that by the time he comes back he'll say Mommy who???? Now what will I do with all my free time???????

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Almost vacation time, can you believe it? I sure can't.....2 weeks from tomorrow we are off to DC and then on to NC to see our good friends. So many things to do I hope we get to do and see everything we plan. Plus Michele and Pete will get to meet Nico in person for the first time, I sure hope they are ready for a wild man running around their house!!!!! The countdown is on and I can't wait!!!!!

Hope everyone has a great weekend....until our next adventure!!!!

BIG NEWS!!!

We got the letter yesterday, since Nico is potty trained he is officially moving up to the 3's Class in Pre-School!!!!! We were a little nervous because just as you remember me probably a month or so ago I had almost lost hope, but.........

Our little guy is growing up so fast!!!!!

We'll find out more information on Thursday about his new class at Meet the Teacher Night!!!

Until our next adventure!!

We all have those moments when we think this couldn't be my child and even though my little Nico is "Perfect" even I have those moments. Head on over to McMama's Blog to read about everyone elses "perfect" children too!

My Precious Nico could of never picked his nose, looked at it and then told Daddy he ate it....not my child he would never do anything like that.

My child never throws tantrums in restaurants because he wants to see the Lizard yet again or play the games he certainly can't play yet or have to do anything but sit in his seat...because my child is always perfect at restaurants!

And you definitely wouldn't believe that after picking up ALL of his books and stacking them, he looks right at me and pulls every single one off the shelf before I have the chance to stop him and laughs.....not my child he always keeps his toys neat and clean.

And finally, as I am taking pictures of my house for my Pen Pal, no way did my child make sure he was in almost EVERY photo too!!!

So Happy Monday to all and to those who are sending their kids back to school...Happy 1st Day of School!!!

Until next time....

Funny Nico Story

Daddy called me at work to tell me about the conversation he had with Nico this morning....from Mommy's Point View of Daddy's version of the story:

Nico: "Daddy, I have to go potty."

Daddy: "OK Buddy let's go." Nico heads to the potty with Daddy slowly behind.

Nico: Heads into the potty moves his stool to the potty and shuts the door.

Daddy is now at the door and opening it.

Daddy: "Nico what are you doing?"

Nico: "I am going potty!" As he is already has his pants down, potty seat insert on the potty and stool moved over and shuts the door again.

Daddy: "Why are you shutting the door?"

Nico: "Daddy, I am going POTTY!!!"

Nico get down now as he is done, flushes the toilet and Daddy helps him wash his hands.

What 2 year old needs privacy in the bathroom??? What little Monster do we have on our hands???? I thought everyone would need a good laugh or smile today!!!

Until our next "funny" adventure......

Potty Training.....Part??

This blog is for Nico's fun stories and watching him grow up so even though it may be weird for some.........Nico actually even pooped in the potty after he told me he had to go!!!! So we were all excited and even though I wanted to do the potty dance, I think he is officially over it! Sad but true, watching Mommy and Daddy dance all over the bathroom is so yesterday to him.....the start of many to childish things.

So I think it's official, although don't say it toooo loud....NICO is potty trained and it only took us 34 months to do it...............now if we could just get through the night. Anybody have any ideas how long that takes??? Daddy said last night at least 2 more years.........really is what I said.......I am interested to know.

Until our next adventure.......

Great Summer Idea

My friend Kelly, came over Friday and gave me a great idea for a fruit box and I thought I would share it all it with you:

On a hot day, take a juice box throw it in the freezer until frozen.

Take a sharp knife and cut the top off.

Give the little one a spoon and let them go at it with their slushie.

Probably a good idea to have them eat it outside, but what an easy way to enjoy a refreshing treat!!!

Until next time.....

Gymnastics

Last night I decided to do a trial run of a Gymnastics Class for Nico. By doing this it let me see if it was something that he would even be interested in. It started out OK as Gma Beth works in the office as her second job, but when the teacher took him out to the floor he certainly was unsure, but went with her to go get the carpets. I stayed back thinking he would do better if I was not seen, but I could see and boy was I wrong....I looked out the window and he was crying and it wasn't the I am hurt crying but those big crocodile tears that come and go for an instance.....the one's if I get my way I can stop, and after I sat out there waved a few times and smiled he finally was OK and actually enjoyed it. I think the best part was him jumping on the trampoline and into the soft block pit. Along with other activities that help him with his coordination and socialization.

I am sure I am going to hear it as he is a boy taking gymnastics and I am not sure Daddy is really excited about it, but since there is not much else to do sports wise I thought this would be a great idea to experience as well as making new friends. I am sure by the time he is 4 or 5 he'll be over it and onto bigger and better things like soccer or t-ball for right now, swimming which starts next month and gymnastics hopefully will help Nico begin to enjoy all things even if it may turn a few heads.....and BTW, there are 3 boys and 1 girl in his class :)

Until our next adventure........

A Party is being Planned for

Nico's 3rd Birthday!!!

When: October 3rd, 2009

Time: 1-3:30PM

Where: First Christian Church

Indoor Playland

Mark your calendars for the BIG birthday party of the year!!!

Invitations to follow!!!

Potty's, Movies, Slushies.....OH MY!!!

So I decided this weekend to get very adventurous and took Nico to see his first at a movie theater, and although I was ready to go by myself....I definitely was glad to have my Mom come along for the ride not knowing what to expect. I thought Monsters VS Aliens was playing and had psyched him out all week about going to the movie only to find out it was Ice Age 3, and he was OK luckily! We had been doing awesome with the potty training but thought better put on a pull-up just in case don't want any accidents....so we got our tickets and even though Mommy was semi-prepared with Nico's favorite snacks he saw the slushie machine and had to have a slushie!! So we waited in the mile long line for a slushie, and not just a small slushie but the biggest slushie you could imagine for an almost 3 year old! And the cashier looks at me and says upgrade to a large for .25 cents...really I said, I think one to large slushie is enough for my little guy! Then we were off to find our perfect seat and since we were a little late because who wants to sit there for a million years thinking this was a 1 1/2 hour movie we sat pretty close to the front but of course since Nico is over 3 feet tall he was perfect while Mom and I hunched down!

So of course drinking his slushie and ewe and awing and laughing louder than he should have, he says "Mommy, I have to go potty!!" and I am thinking OK here we go he does this all the time, he says he has to go and he never does but OK lets go so we shrink down and off we go in the dark movie theater. We get to the potty sit down and it's a miracle NICO GOES POTTY!!!! Now at home he goes potty all the time but this is the first time in a public place (not even thinking how gross it is) he went potty!!!! I was so excited and I am sure if anyone else was in the bathroom, they knew too! So we went back and he lasted until the last few minutes before the movie was over, in which he said he had to go again and we went home to a bowl of ice cream with Grandpa waiting for us!

It was a great time for all and actually a pretty cute movie, which makes me want to rent Ice Age 2 since I have never seen it!!!

Until our next adventure.......

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

Until our next adventure........

IT'S OFFICIAL?!?!?

I don't want to say it to loud and I know we still will have accidents but after pulling out most of my hair and thinking my child would be in diapers until he went to school........

WE MIGHT FINALLY BE AN ALMOST DIAPER FREE HOUSE!!!!

Not a pull-up free house, but definitely the diapers are gone which in a way is bittersweet but totally awesome at the same time!!!!! The only thing that totally grosses me out is thinking he will have to go in public restrooms, but I think my solution to that is Clorox wipes in my purse and definitely getting a bigger purse for all the new things I need. Like these wipes and extra undies/clothes and maybe if I want to go to the extreme a potty insert.........is that gross to have in a purse??

He is changing and growing up so fast, and I was thinking the other day just how much since his 2nd Birthday how he has changed and is a totally different child, one that has personality, stubbornness and spunk like no other........and I wonder where he gets that?!?! Must be from Daddy...of course!

Birthday parties plans are in the works so stay tuned for that official announcement to mark on your calendar...plus our big vacation and more these next couple of months are gonna be crazy!!!

Until our next "big potty" adventure.....