I can’t promise to take the pain away, But you can know I won’t stop trying

         
     When I became a mother, I became a worrier. My mother and father always told me, "You will never understand how much I love you until you have a child for your own." There is no truer statement. Connor is such a joy in my life, and every day is full of excitement, fun, love, and laughter. But..., when my baby is sick, all I do is worry. Last Wednesday, after almost a week of him coughing and being sick, I decided it was time to go to the doctor. His snot was pretty green, and he was very wheezy. We went to the doctor, and we found out that Connor has Bronchitis. The doctor did a breathing treatment and said that he sounded better afterwards, so she sent him home with a nebulizer with albuterol and amoxicillin for a sinus infection. Phew, I felt so relieved that I took him to the doctor. Adam had also picked up a humidifier for Connor on Tuesday so that we could try to break up his congestion, but that obviously didn't do the trick. I started him on the nebulizer Wednesday afternoon, and I gave it to him every 4 hours, but it wasn't doing much to help. Finally, by Thursday afternoon, I couldn't take it anymore. I called Adam and told him to come home because we were taking Connor to the ER. He had thrown up twice from coughing, and he was wheezing very bad. We ended up in the ER by 5:30 p.m., and they took us right back. They don't mess around with that, and he was given 6 breathing treatments in less than 2 hours. By 8 pm, we were admitted into Pediatrics. I was exhausted, Adam was exhausted, and my poor baby was exhausted and felt horrible. Even though Connor was exhausted, he was hyper as shit from the albuterol. He was jumping out of my arms, so I put him in his metal crib at the hospital and he was running in circles around the crib. It was hilarious, but I was still so worried. We were finally settled in and starting breathing treatments around the clock, every 4 hours and checking his vitals. We didn't "settle" down until midnight, and they had switched Connor to Xophenox (thank God). Connor slept in my arms, but I just sat there, listening to him wheeze. I couldn't sleep. I think I finally got about 2 hours of sleep, and put him in his little crib since the nurses were coming in so often. The next day was basically just for the nurses to watch him. Adam went home to grab us some stuff and I was running on Coffee and that's about it. I fed Connor sweet potatoes and apple sauce, and about 2 minutes later he threw ALL of it back up on me and him. I just started bawling, but he seemed okay. We decided formula was the best choice since he kept that down, and he started to progress. We were able to come home today after 2 nights in the hospital, and I am still nervous about his breathing, but he is MUCH better. I'll tell you what, being a mommy is the most rewarding job I will ever have, but it is also exhausting and scary. Seeing your child in pain is heartbreaking, and I hope we don't have to step foot in that hospital for a very, very long time!

Parent vs. Non-parent

            This morning I found two blogs that were very opposite in parental views. Well, that was obvious just by the title. One blog was bashing childless people who offer unwanted advice and even had 'shut the eff up' in the title, and the other blog was simply titled "STFU Parents." First of all, "ouch" to the second blog, and while that is a HIGHLY annoying title, I get it. I read the blog bashing the childless people, and can understand just how annoying moms can be. Not all moms, so please don't get offended, but I can totally be annoying and I know it. However, we can't help it, can we? We are obsessed with our kids and for good reason. We carried them for 9 months and they are just so perfect. Right? Correct. I can't really be angry with the non-parents for hating us parents who are obsessed with our children because I was one of them. Yes, I admit, before I had Connor I had all the answers to parenting. I knew everything when it came to having the perfect child. "Why is her kid so psychotic?" "Discipline, people!" "He's only fussy because they let him be." Uhm... Yeah, I really had the answers until April 26, 2011 when Connor joined the world. I was clueless. It's true what they say, ya know.. babies aren't fussy for the first couple of weeks, and then reality sets in. I thought I was going to be admitted. For the first couple of months of Connor's life, he just cried, and for the first time, I did not have the answers. It's so easy to point fingers and tell someone they are doing it wrong. "Okay then, I'm happy to have your help if you think you can stop him from crying." With children, God gives you strength you never knew you had, patience, and he also gives you a big slab of anxiety. Everywhere you go, you can probably spot a frazzled parent. If you are traveling by plane, you will definitely be able to spot a frazzled mom (I have been that mom on many occasions). The anxiety is usually brought on by our fear of pissing off the childless person sitting next to us. I have been lucky on most flights though, and have had very friendly people sitting next to me. Even the poor man who kept getting his black arm hair pulled by my 7 month old. Sorry, guy. I was so stressed out, but that sweet man just smiled. I've learned that if Connor cries, he cries. Me being anxious about him crying isn't going to prevent the inevitable. If non-parents are pissed about it, then they are pissed about it. I was that non-parent who was pissed about crying kids at some point, and if I knew then what I know now then maybe I'd be more patient. BUT, like I stated above, God gives you patience with your baby, so I don't expect people to be patient with my child. Maybe a little tolerant, but not patient. What I'm really trying to get at is simply that the parent vs. non-parent war isn't going to end. Because non-parents don't understand what it is like to be the frazzled moms, and us frazzled moms are too frazzled to remember what it was like to be the annoyed non-parent. We are just gonna have to agree to disagree..

I wasn't even pregnant with you for 9 months...

           
          Today while I was sitting on the floor, Connor crawled up to me, stood up by holding on to my knee, looked at me with those huge gray eyes and planted a giant kiss on my lips. He, then, sat back down and continued on his way, exploring every inch of this house. He will be 9 months on Thursday, and all I can think is "I didn't even carry you in my belly for 9 months! What are you doing crawling around, babbling words like "mama," "dada," "hey," and waving hi and bye?" Connor has a huge personality, and while his personality can make me want to yank my hair out, it mostly just makes me laugh and smile. I can't not smile at his adorable little grin when he does something mischievous. He smiles with his big eyes, and if you've seen the ridiculous amounts of pictures I post around my facebook and blog, you've seen those eyes "smiling." (I can't figure out the color. I call them gray because they are a really deep blue/hazel). Sometimes I wonder where in the world he gets his personality, and then his dad walks in the door. Those two are like 2 peas in a pod. Connor is obsessed with the guitar and laughs and dances when Adam plays it for him. The sweetness and love that Connor shows me on a daily basis baffles me too, until again, I think of my husband. Adam always shows me affection. Constantly reaching in for a hug and a kiss. The other day I saw Connor watching us. (We were obviously being PG, folks). But, It really made me thankful for the fact that he mimics a positive thing such as love and affection, and Hey, maybe we are doing somethin' right! He's really growing into an amazing little boy. I just wish it he wasn't in such a hurry..

Baby Proofing..

             I feel like the past few weeks have been one huge milestone for Connor. As soon as that booger started crawling, he has not slowed down a bit. He pulls up on everything, holds on with one hand, walks holding on to walls, toys, the couch, and he just lets go! The other day he let go and stood up by himself for a few seconds before falling. The child has no fear, but don't worry, this Momma has enough fear for all of us. I am terrified of Connor's newfound independence. Adam and I started baby proofing a few weeks ago, and I feel like there is something new I need to protect Connor from, daily. Let's see, the doorstops have been my main concern. I was putting away his clothes in his room the other day, and he was right next to me, just standing up holding on to his crib. I happened to glance down and notice him really quiet. (Whenever he is quiet, I stick my fingers in his mouth because EVERYTHING goes in his mouth). Sure enough, he had the rubber end of the doorstop in his mouth. I almost died... I felt like the world's worst mother. I frantically ran around the house grabbing every end off of every door stop. Phew... we were safe. Tonight, I was getting Connor ready for his bath. The tub was filling up, I was rinsing out a diaper, and he was sitting on the bathroom floor, when again he got quiet. I opened his mouth and found a piece of plastic in there. You know when you buy a new baby shampoo or bathwash and there is the plastic seal under the cap? Yeah, THAT! Ugh.. I felt horrible. Even if an object won't fit in Connor's mouth, he tries to put it there. It is frustrating, and reminds me that every second that he is not in my arms, I have to watch him like a hawk! Don't underestimate a baby because they are smarter than you think, and they find everything. Connor is so observant, and points out everything. I thought we had done all we could! We moved the coffee table and end tables, pulled up the blinds, covered the electrical sockets, taped cords, etc. etc. Well, apparently Connor is quite the little explorer.
            Last week was great. My mom came to visit, and she was a HUGE help! I had a procedure done to remove a chunk of skin from a mole. It's sore, but not too bad. My mom was amazing with Connor. She just took over, and he was very happy to let her do it. He sure does love Nana, and it's adorable. Mom left today, and of course tears were shed. It's so hard living so far away from her, the rest of my family, and my friends. I am having to miss one of my best friend's baby shower because of this damn procedure, but I am looking forward to meeting Miss Morgan in the spring! She is going to be one adorable little baby girl! Well, here are some pics from Nana's visit :)

every day I love you more..

     A friend of mine stated something similar to this, "Every night I lay my angel down for night night, and I think 'how could I ever love my baby more than I do right now?' And then, every morning when I wake up, I somehow do. Being a mommy is so amazing." I don't know how else to describe the love I have for Connor. You know, when I was pregnant,  I was constantly worrying about Connor's health in my womb, and as soon as I found out that I was pregnant, it was instant love. I had no idea if it was a boy or a girl, but I knew I was going to have a baby, and I loved him or her so much. That love did not even come close to the love I felt when they put Connor in my arms for the first time. I swore to him I would do everything in my power to be the best mommy I could be to him... and every single day I love him more. Every single day, I can't imagine how I can possibly love him more, and I do! Connor is such a joy, and I caught Adam saying to him the other day, "I love you so much buddy.. I'm so happy I had you." :) My heart melted.

    On other terms, today I made Connor lentils, avocados, and bananas puree. He loved it! The baby bullet is fabulous because I can make such diverse, healthy foods for him. My mom comes Tuesday for 5 days!! Ohh, I'm so excited to see her, and for her to see how much Connor has changed. He is EVERY WHERE. He is so strong, walking holding on to things, crawling so quickly!, and he squats a lot. It's really funny. But, he has really just taken off with his strength. I feel like I cannot keep up with him! I scheduled his 1 year photos with Snapped with Love Photography. Melissa does an amazing job, but I can't wrap my head around the fact that Connor is going to be a year old in about 3 months. Ugh! Well, here are some pics of my baby eating his lentils puree :)

Happy 2 years to my Hero..

          
        19 year old, newly single, me had just moved into my very own, 1 bedroom apartment in the West End of Richmond. It was a tiny apartment, but it was mine... and I was independent. I moved into my apartment the 1st of July 2008. That summer I worked 2 jobs. I worked in an office as a receptionist 5 days a week, and I was a lifeguard on the weekends. I worked 7 days a week, but I loved the money. That July 4th, my older sister invited me to spend the holiday with her then boyfriend. I wasn't so sure that would be a blast, but she assured me it would be a good time, and 2 cute Marines would be there. Ohhh, what could it hurt? ;) I was single, and we all love a man in uniform. They had just returned from Iraq in April, and I figured it would be interesting. I went with my sister downtown, carrying my jose cuervo and margarita mix in hand. When I walked into the door, I immediately locked eyes with Adam. There was another Marine there, but I didn't even notice him. I'm not one of those people who believe in love at first sight, so I won't say that's what it was. It was more an infatuation. He was adorable, buff, and had rosy cheeks. Ohh, I love rosy cheeks. We flirted, and then we all went to see fireworks. My sister and I kept quoting the quote from pearl harbor, "dry your eyes toots, tonight your mine." Adam probably thought I was nuts, but he's known that's how I am from day 1 and he loves me anyway. He held my hand through the fireworks which is juvenile but I thought was cute. We shared our first kiss, and then he asked me on a date. So,the next night we went on a date, and he asked me to go out with him the next night too. I guess he wanted to go on as many dates before he was back in Camp Lejeune. We had a great weekend, and then when he was heading back to Camp Lejeune he said he would call me. I didn't really expect him to call. I just figured it was a sweet little weekend romance. Well, he called me, and I was hesitant to chat. Honestly, I told him that I wasn't sure about dating a Marine. I knew he would deploy and leave me for months, and i wasn't sure I could handle that. Basically, he told me either I could try or "stop wasting his time." Ouch, but I liked the spunk. Okay, finnne. 2 weekends later I drove my happy butt down to Camp Lejeune, and we traveled back and forth for months. In October, we split up. We jumped into a relationship fast, and we were both unsure. That is when I knew that I was actually in love with him, and he knew he felt the same. I cried for days. I couldn't believe how I felt about him. The next weekend he drove to VA so we could figure everything out. We decided to really give it a shot, and our relationship grew stronger from the split. That January, Adam proposed to me at the Tobacco Company in Richmond, VA. Our favorite restaurant. That May, we prepared for Adam's deployment. He was gone for 7 months, and again, my heart shattered. I knew this would prepare me for being a Marine Wife, and this deployment would either seal our promise or end us. Well, a couple months in the deployment, I knew I could do this. I love him, and the deployment only strengthened what we had. That deployment, I finished college, planned our wedding for Feb. 13, 2010, and built our first home. Adam came home in early December, and the Homecoming was more than I could have ever imagined. It was magical, and I felt like a little kid on Christmas the night before he came home. I ran and jumped in his arms!! I graduated from VCU the next weekend, and then we only had our wedding left before we embarked on our adventure together. On January 13, Adam called me to inform me that I need to make sure I have my Social Security Card and ID ready. Haiti had a horrible earthquake, and his unit was going to be sent to Haiti to help with the relief. He wanted to get married the next day before he left. My heart sank, but I knew that again, I had made the decision back in July of 2008 to be a Marine Wife, and this was only the first of many obstacles we would face as a military couple. SO, I sucked it up, called my mom, she called the wedding venue, caterer, etc and we postponed the original wedding. January 14, 2010 Adam and I got married in the Jacksonville, NC courthouse. Oh it was lovely. There was a giant pile of barf directly outside of the Magistrate's office. Oh well, we were so giddy. No matter what, I was marrying my best friend. I knew we would eventually get "our day," but these people in Haiti needed him more than I did. I needed to support him and show him that I can handle hurdles in our marriage, and that being a Marine Wife is more than a title. We got champagne and had our first dance in our very own kitchen that night. We were husband and wife! Adam never went to Haiti, but he was on standby for months. FINALLY, he was taken off standby and on March 20 we had our beautiful special wedding day! Amazingly, all of our original vendors were available for that beautiful 70 degree (almost) spring day. We had a honeymoon in Kauai, and it was wonderful. We now have "3" potential anniversaries. We joke that we will celebrate which ever one we can if he isn't gone! Last year, we missed all 3! haha, so this is the first year we get to spend this day together, and this year we have an adorable little boy that proves the love we have for each other. I cannot Thank Adam enough for being such an amazing husband to me. He proves to me every day how lucky I am to have him. These past 2 years have been the best 2 years of my entire life. I married the man of my dreams, and now we have a son. I love you Adam!

ZzzzZzzz's.. I can't find them!!

          Connor is so freaking busy, and that means I am too. I'm constantly chasing him, cleaning, doing laundry, cooking food for him (attempting to cook food for myself and husband), running errands, managing the budget, etc. I've noticed that at the end of the day, my feet throb and my feet are just a horrid disaster, btw. Ugh, so embarrassing. Adam compared the heels of my feet to cat claws last night. CAT CLAWS. All I can do is laugh.. I should probs get a pedicure but they effing hurt. Adam said if I got them more often then I wouldn't have so much damn dead skin on the cat claws. I may be a freak of nature, but I HATE pedicures and that's final. He can deal with my cat claws. He married me, and I come with "cat claw" feet. Our anniversary is saturday, and we might go out to dinner at most. My mom is coming next Tuesday for my procedure (the whole mole thing), so I think I'll have her watch Connor for us one night and go out with my hubs. I know my mom will do great. Oh, and some fabulous news is that Connor did not make a whiney peep at daycare at the gym today. Hallefuginlujah! I kept waiting to hear my name be called over the loud speaker, but much to my pleasant surprise when I was done and walked into the kids zone, Connor was happy bouncing on the lady's leg. Yeehaw. I tried to work out Tuesday, but Connor peed himself... I didn't take a change of clothes, so I took it as a sign, left the gym and got Chipotle. Fat. I'm not ashamed of that at all. I get Chipotle at least once a week. It's my guilty pleasure so lay off. Oh, and speaking of guilty pleasures, Dance Mom came back on for Season 2 on Tuesday. Those moms and the dance teacher are psychotic, and I really worry about those little girls and their future craziness. Still, I find it extremely entertaining and cant' stop watching... Weeeelp, I'm going to go do stuff around the house before I pass out on the couch.

New Connor Recipe!

Sweet Potato Soup for Baby (8 months)
1 1/2 cups cooked sweet potatoes
1 tablespoon flour
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups broth (chicken or vegetable broth)
1 tablespoon light brown sugar (optional)
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup milk (use whole milk or use 8 oz. whole milk yogurt)
Mix the flour and butter to make a roux in a large saucepan. The roux will look a carmel color.

Add the broth and brown sugar, bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer. Stir in the sweet potatoes and spices, bring to a simmer again, and cook for 5 minutes more.
In a blender or food processor, puree the soup in batches and return to saucepot. Add the milk, and reheat soup. Season with salt and pepper, ladle into warm soup bowls and serve.
You can also just use sweet potato puree and skip the pureeing as shown above.

I just made this recipe for Connor and let him try it.. Lunchtime today is going to be fun. He LOVED it! I used the whole milk yogurt instead of milk.. It was vanilla flavored too. It really is good! I would eat some myself :)

Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child

     

           Well, you know Connor has been going through a sleep regression phase, and last Thursday I started him on a new nap/sleep schedule. With the recommendation of one of my friends, I bought the book Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child. I'm skeptical about a lot child raising books because I know every baby is different, but this book is backed by a lot of research and knowledge of sleep habits for babies. For a baby Connor's age, the book suggests a sleep schedule of bedtime 7 pm - 7 am, and naps at 9-10 am and 1-2 pm. Since Connor is 8 months, the book suggests that he may be up from 7 am until 10 am (or 3 hours from the time he wakes up, which for him is usually 7 am). Some mornings he is up for 3 hours, some mornings it is only 2 hours. I've noticed that it really depends on the way he sleeps the night prior. Last night, he fell asleep at 6:30 pm, and woke up a couple times before 9 pm but quickly fell back asleep without needing us to help soothe him. Then, he woke up at 3:30 am. He's been doing this over the past week or so, and I'm starting to think it's a growth spurt. He will NOT go back to sleep unless he eats and I change him, but once I do that he falls asleep on his own very quickly, and it's lights out until 7 am. This morning he woke up at about 6:45 am, and I just laid him down for his nap at 9:15. So, he was awake for 2 1/2 hours before his first nap of the day. It also emphasizes the importance of at least 45 minutes of sleep for naps. Anything less than that doesn't count as a nap! Connor usually sleeps from 45 min - 1 hour. Sometimes it is more than 1 hour, but again, that depends on the way he sleep the night prior. If he's really having a hard time napping, I know that I've missed the window of opportunity for his nap and to try again later because he isn't going to settle down. I started this schedule on Thursday (3 days ago), and it's been a little shaky, but for the past 2 nights he been in bed by 6:30 pm. The book suggests 2 Methods of getting your baby to sleep. The first method would be to let your baby cry it out and self-soothe. Some babies are great at that... Connor, not so much. He gets so worked up, he cannot self-soothe. The second method would be to help your baby soothe himself to sleep, whether it be you holding him and rocking him, or laying him beside you until he falls asleep. I use a mixture of the 2 Methods because that is what works for us. I lay Connor in his crib at the first sign of him being tired. He almost always cries, and sometimes he can even put himself to sleep if I time it just right. Most of the time, I give it 5-10 minutes until I go into his room and pick him up. He instantly falls asleep in my arms and I am able to lay him down for his nap or bedtime. I understand that it would be better for me to let him cry, BUT last Thursday when I did that, he cried for 30 minutes and then had hives on his face all day. In the book, it does say that if your child is fussy, Method 2 is the better choice. Connor is happy most of the time, but not when he's tired. What I love most about his book is that it tells you the pros and cons of both Methods, so no one method is necessarily better than the other. I've noticed that Connor is much happier, and with him being happier, so are Adam and I. I do think that Connor has been over tired, and if your baby is really cranky and your not on a good sleep schedule, I recommend that you get him on one. He now takes naps between 9-10 am and 1-2 pm, and he is in bed between 6:30-7:30 pm, and up between 6:30-7:30 am. I realize that not every day is going to be ideal for his napping schedule, but getting him on this schedule right now is the most important thing for his health and happiness. :) Here's my happy baby..

Baby Sleep Regression.. It's Real!!!

           I thought traveling to NY threw Connor off of his sleeping habits. He used to just lay down with his Scout singing puppy, and he'd be asleep with no.fuss.at.all. We went to NY for Christmas, and I'm sure the being out of his norm contributed some, but he is still doing it at home over a week later. The kid does NOT want to go to bed, and he continually wakes up at night. Okay, here's my reasoning. 1) He's teething. He has 2 bottom teeth that basically grew in a week apart, 2) He's reached the 8 month Mommy nightmare! He's crawling, pulling up, talking, learning, playing, and just insanely busy. He fights his naptime every day, which makes him way over tired by bedtime. Why, why, why is it so much harder to get an overly tired baby to sleep. Adam gets so frustrated. He says, "why won't he just simply go to sleep?" Well, my dear, that would be way too easy. I've tried to research and read about things I can do. The CIO method which I've posted that I'm against... (that was before this phase!) haha, I mean, I really don't prefer it, but don't knock it til' you've tried it. I say that about everything, so what's different about parenting? I said it about cloth diapers, and look at me.. I'm all about those bumGenius'! So, I'm going to try this "tough love" approach. Connor is totally playing me, and I know it. As soon as I walk in he will suck you in with his whimper, sad face, and he even reaches out to me. He did it to Adam, and Adam caved... brought Connor right in our room. He's being sneaky, but after I've talked to a few of my momma friends, I've decided on this method.. It's a little mix of everyone's advice: I'm going to first try to make him take his naps doing the CIO method, and if that doesn't work then alter the napping schedule, and at night I'm going to let him CIO for 10 minutes at a time. Go in, lay him down, comfort him with a soft voice and back rub(read that)..., and I'm going to suffer through this until we get it figured out. He's been super clingy lately too, so I'm sure this is a huge part of it. Anywho.. wish me luck!!!!!! Until next time.. Of course here's my prince.

Stage Fiver

            If I say Connor has been attached to my hip, that will be an understatement. This child has been so clingy! I don't really mind to be honest. It kind of makes me feel good, even if that does sound crazy. I enjoy being "wanted" and "needed," but sometimes I also need a Mommy moment, and I only get those when Connor is napping and Adam is at work. (Last night, for example, Connor wouldn't fall asleep unless he was AT LEAST holding my hand, LOL. Is it my own fault? Probs). I am not going to say I'm happy to see Adam back at work, but I'm ready to have "me" time. And Adam gets way stressed when Connor has a bad day.. which stresses me out more. I love being home with Connor, even on the bad days. I'm his mommy, and God really did work some kind of miracle in me because I swear I have never been this patient with ANYTHING. And, with this whole being a stay at home mom talk, I'll get to my next news. I applied for a "teller" position at a bank. Why, may you ask? I HAVE NO IDEA. But, it was dumb because I didn't want that job. Maybe I did it just because I was curious to take the assessment. It was fun. Okay, and then I almost went on the interview this morning.. then I realized that was dumb. I would only be working 20 hrs/ week making a little over $11/hr. Uhm, that's not worth it! If I work, which I do eventually want to work outside of the home, it needs to be a job that is worth it. I need to make more than $11/hr if I'm going to leave my baby in daycare. Not that I am against anyone working! I'll explain further... my husband as you know, is a Marine, and right now he is on recruiting duty. His hours are insane. He leaves the house around 8 am and works until 8 or 9 pm. Some mornings he is out of the door earlier, and sometimes he is even up at 2 am. There are plenty of nights he has worked later than 9 pm, and he works weekends most of the time. I feel like the only stability in Connor's life is me at home with him. As he gets older, I have so much fun stuff planned. Trips to the zoo, activities... things I want to teach him. I guess I just feel that if I CAN be at home with him, why not? We aren't struggling with $$, and while an extra income would be awesome, like I said, it needs to be worth it. So, at last minute, I decided to not go to the interview, and Adam supported me. As far as New Years resolutions go, Adam and I made one to savee as much $$ that we can, and spend WAY less. I am going to buy a big white board and track our budget each pay period. I know we can save more than we have been. Also, I plan on cooking healthy meals for Adam to come home to. Even if he gets home late, and his meals are cold! LoL. And starting tomorrow, I will be in the gym 3 days a week. Monday/Wednesday/Friday. Those are my resolutions. And, of course, I have lots of adventures planned for Connor and me. Cheers to 2012! In other news.. Connor is forever standing up in his crib. Good thing we lowered it, but naptime/bedtime is almost impossible these days!