Beach bums, motherhood, and milestones

 It has been waaaayyyyy too long. I miss blogging. Sometimes life just gets the better of you...and I decided if I didn't continue with my blogging now, when would I? So here we are.

Steven will be 11 months tomorrow. 11. I spend my days now planning his birthday. He is so much fun, but sometimes it hurts thinking about how fast the time has gone. What does life with an 11 month old (and don't forget, our crazy 5 month old puppy Gator) look like? It is chaos! Steven is walking more and more each day (he just took his first steps about two weeks ago), and can take as many as 10 at a time. Last week he started standing on his own without any assistance, and prefers to not have any help (he is a little bit stubborn!). He is really starting to eat a lot of table food, and as of now, has refused to eat baby food in the last week. He learned how to clap, so that is now his new favorite thing to do! I didn't think this kid could get much happier than he already was, but clapping at everything just makes him giggle! He is truly such a joy beyond words. Did I mention that he says "mama?" We are trying to teach him other words, but he seems to be content with this one for now. :-)

We just got back from a wonderful beach vacation with my husbands family, and despite yucky weather for part of the time, we had an awesome time. It was so great to be at the beach, but my husband and I both agreed that the best part by far was being able to share family time with the three of us, without someone being at work (like we usually live with me working on weekends). Steven had the BEST time on the beach, which was a huge relief to his parents who love the beach and wanted to spend time on the beach.

Vacation with a child is soooo much different than before we had a child. Whew, it is exhausting! I miss the days of being able to just lay on the beach, read my book, and not move or talk to anyone. Sadly, those days have ended....but wonderfully, I have this little life that I am introducing to the world and that is so much more than the life I used to lead.

First day on the beach...he is still unsure here, but quickly learned to love that sand!

A little too much of the sand. It was pretty hot, also, and that heat got to all of us pretty quickly.

Playing guitar "with" daddy is always a favorite. When the boys were hanging out, playing around, he would dance and get a kick out of it. I think he'll definitely play some sort of instrument when he's older.

He was always trying to get at the stuff on the table from underneath, it was too funny! Here he was playing with the boys again, this time cards.

Best view of the ocean is clearly from standing on a chair

Steven and his cousins (Steve's cousin's kids). The four girls didn't know what to make of this little boy!

Us with all the grandkids and great grandkids

Grandma and Grandpa in front, and just a few of the kids, grandkids, greatgrandkids that were along for the vacation.

Family portrait

Uh, mom, can you put me down? I'd rather be on the sand.

Steven's first clap that we were able to get on film. He was sooooo proud of himself!

Our amazing beach view....we will miss you!

Going to the chapel, gonna get married!

Moments happen in life that you never thought would ever happen....case in point, my mom got remarried. It was a small wedding with family and a few friends, and it turned out beautifully! I got to meet my "stepsister" for the first time (still a little weird to say that yet) and a lot of Dave's family. It was wonderful to see a lot of my family and friends that we don't get to see too often, plus getting to spend time with my mom and sisters. We had a great time at the wedding, and surprisingly, there was no drama! The baby made it almost all the way through before he passed out. No offense to my mother, but he did steal some of the show with his outfit! 

The hat says it all...priceless!

My sister Jenna and her husband, Kris

My sister Christine and her boyfriend, Cody

My Aunt Karen and cousin Chris

Sisters!

6 months!

Wow...6 months. This month has been so exciting! Every stage we hit I think that it's my favorite. We are having so much fun! He can now sit on his own, with some light supervision. He rolls all over the floor, and has been getting up on his hands and knees and rocking....hopefully crawling any day now! He has started pulling his socks off his feet and eating the socks, so we don't do socks much anymore. He loves to talk, squeal, blow raspberries, and play. He also loves to eat! He can eat sweet potatoes, green beans, and our new fave....prunes! Of course he still loves his oatmeal, too.

New stats from the peds appt this morning : 18 lbs 3 oz, 27.5 inches long. Both of these are 75th percentile, which is where he has consistently been! Gotta love my growing boy!

My dad also came to visit for a day...we had fun with Grandad! He got to come to the peds appt and have fun watching him getting his shots. :(

Showing off his new tricks

Loves to roll until he can't anymore

Grandad came to visit!

Off to College We Go!

Earlier this week we went to visit my sister Christine at college for the first time. She is a freshman at Lycoming this year, studying psychology. Me and the babe drove out there on Monday (our first road trip without daddy!) and met up with my other sister Jenna at our hotel, then met up with Christine and her boyfriend Cody. We spent the next two days hanging out, eating good food , and we got to tour the campus as well. Lycoming is small (especially when you're used to Pitt!), but such a wonderful campus. It was also Christine's 20th birthday, so we had a fun occasion to celebrate. We had so much fun together, and the baby hadn't seen his aunts since Christmas! It was hard work with the baby by myself for 3 days out of town, especially in a small hotel room. It went well, though, and I'm looking forward to our next visit!

Loving his Aunt Christine!

Beautiful Birthday Girl!

With Aunt Jenna...she actually let me take her picture!

So funny....he was squealing with delight and playing in front of the mirror.

Christmas continued

The Christmas celebrations continued the week following Christmas with my family in Lancaster. We got to spend time with everyone in the few days we were there, which was so much fun, yet exhausting. Unfortunately, Steve and I were sick most of the time (Steve is still not feeling well) but thank God Steven never got it! We have been so blessed with a healthy child! (knock on wood)

We were thankful we could go and spend time with everyone. Here are some pics of us with the fam in Lancaster!

Aunt Christine

Aunt Jenna teaching Steven how to play with the toy she bought him. It will conviently never need its batteries replaced.

Aunt Jenna and Aunt Christine being silly

Steven was grinning ear to ear sitting with his Grandad!

Hey, you, with the camera! I'm busy here!

Steven and Grandma

Hey, thanks for all the presents!

Steven and his Great-Grandma

Ha, all the ladies trying to get Steven to smile for a picture. Poor kid. I'd feel sorry for him, but he seems to love all the attention. I don't know where he gets it.

Great Aunt Karen and Steven bonding

Mom and Dave with Steven

Best pic we could get of us...mom and dad were sick and tired!