WOW!

So it has been a very long time since posting, it is already the very end of September.

The most exciting events that took place this year was a trip to Utah with Thomas for Grandma van Komen's 80th birthday party. That was such a great week! It was cold, but enjoyable to be with my family. Thomas and I also flew out there (courtesy of my sister Adrienne) this June as a surprise for my sister Erin's high school graduation. This time we got to spend two weeks with my family!

We left Orlando in the late afternoon and arrived in Salt Lake around 10:30pm or so. It was a long trip and there was turbulence on the plane most of the way. Thomas was tired and thankfully slept from our plane change in Phoenix to just before arriving in Utah. He cried most of the way to my parents house but when we walked in the front door he caught sight of the fish tank and that was all he cared about for the next half hour, the fish.

Thomas loved having other people to play with and pay attention to him as well as climbing up and down the stairs and running outside and seeing the horses (my parents have pastures behind them where people breed and raise horses and a few cows). I loved talking to my mom during the day and having a break from being the sole entertainer of Thomas, and of course being with my siblings and dad.

We met Brisa, my brother Alan and sister-in-law Dessire's little baby girl for the first time. She is so adorable! I jogged, mainly walked a 5K. My parents took Thomas and I to the Hill Air Force Aerospace Museum to see the planes, it was a great activity because that day was unusually cold and rainy, he loved seeing the airplanes and other things there.

The most enjoyable was just spending time at home with everyone. For the first week we were there it was the first time in a couple of years that all 7 of us siblings could be together for a family meal following Erin's graduation ceremony and Sunday dinner. It was Fabulous!

Of course we missed Jim who was unable to go with us, we just have to convince him to take a road trip out there. Half the fun is getting there, plus he has never been through or seen the central United States.

Also, going back to February I found out I was pregnant with baby #2. We decided to keep this one a surprise so we won't know whether it is a boy or a girl until he/she is born. Its exciting, and our friends and family are excited as well to find out what we will be having. The due date is October 28. Yea!! Almost there. I think it would be fun to have the baby on Halloween but you never know. We are curious to see how Thomas will react, we tell him everyday that a baby brother or sister is in my tummy and will be here soon but he doesn't understand what that means. He does know what babies are and he likes when we see them while we are out and about places or watching 'A Baby Story' on TLC.

Thomas has grown a lot in many ways these past few months, he runs almost everywhere he goes, loves to explore and check things out especially if we are in a store or someone else's house. He learns new words everyday and although some sound very similar he tries to copy what we say while pointing to an object. My favorite word he says is thank you it comes out as te tee. His favorites toys are his cars and trains and he makes the sounds for them and carries them around so that I find them in every room.

I am usually pretty tired by the end of the day but it is always a great day!

Time

I kept thinking I needed to sit down and write something for the past couple months or so and just never got around to it so its update time.
Thomas started stepping around 10 months and a week later he was walking across the room, by 10 1/2 months he was moving more confidently and liking the walking thing. Now at almost a year he walks everywhere. If he falls he crawls to the nearest object to help him pull himself back up and then he is off again, trying to run at times it seems. He likes to dump out his basket of toys to play and then move on to the books as well. Needless to say when they are all dumped out onto the floor it is a big mess and when I try to put them back in their respective baskets, especially if he is still nearby we will come over and pull them out again. He does like to sit on my lap and read stories together or just hold the books and scatter them around.
Last week was his very first Christmas, although we had fun watching him try and open a few of his presents he didn't quite understand the whole concept and after just a couple he was more interested in the wrapping paper or a ribbon or a box instead of what was in it. One of his favorite toys I think was a Fisher Price Little People farm set from Grandma and Grandpa v.K. he likes to play with the little animals and carry them around. He will sit and play with it longer when he has someone to sit by him too so we have fun playing together. The set supposedly makes animal sounds but we haven't put batteries in it yet. It has been such a FUN time!
Thomas' first birthday is next week and since he got so many toys and things for Christmas we don't know what to do for his birthday, its not like he will remember anyway but Jim and I have decided (I think) on getting a toy box to help keep things a little more organized and hidden since we are in a smaller space and the toys and books are kept in the living area of our 'tree house.'
2009 has gone by so fast in retrospect it really is amazing! We look forward to a new year and hope for continued blessings for our little family as well as our families and friends.
Happy New Year!!

milestones

I find myself having more fun each day with Thomas as well as trying to keep track of him. At the end of July he started scooting and a couple days later slowly crawling. Thomas would take a couple movements forward on his hands and knees and then lay on his tummy and move his arms and legs as if he were swimming (we called it his skydiving move) and then he would move a bit more and then do the same thing. It was so entertaining to watch him and many of those who saw him got a good laugh watching his little system he had going.
Unfortunately, as Thomas has gotten better at his crawling he no longer needs to stop and rest as much as he makes his way to wherever his attention is drawn and therefore his fun little 'skydiving' move we have come to love is not seen much anymore.
Thomas likes to chew on just about anything, especially paper. The other day I gave him some orange craft type paper and a few minutes later I looked at him and his mouth and hands were orange too. I do have to check inside his mouth from time to time if I see him chewing but no paper in his hands because that means he has some piece waded in his mouth and I have to sweep it out. He also like remote controls for the TV and DVD player and wires perhaps dangling from the computer table, pulling DVD's off the low shelf from the entertainment center, shoes (for whatever reason he likes my sandals), books and other toys and anything else that he gets into his hands. He has been pulling himself up more and more against the coffee table, counters, shelves, doors his mommy and daddy's legs, and the fireplace and of course due to slightly wobbly legs sometimes, he has taken a few spills and bumped his head and/or face resulting in a screaming baby and a bump requiring ice which makes him keep crying (he doesn't like cold things on his head) he does like to suck on ice however.
Another breakthrough, literally, is another tooth. Thomas cut his first two bottom teeth in the middle of June and just this morning (Aug. 21) I noticed a third bottom tooth has popped through the gums. That does help explain the gnawing on things.
Its fun to watch him develop and see a budding personality.

Travels of Summer

I like road trips! And this past week the three of us drove up to Connecticut and then up to Vermont for family reunions. The first was for my mother-in-law's family the McCormack (I was warned ahead of time about them) and the second was for the McFadzeans.
We left Florida on Wednesday July 29 around 1:15pm with the plan of driving as far as we could before stopping to sleep at a rest stop for a couple of hours before continuing. Jim drove the whole time. We made it through Richmond Virginia by 1:30am and decided to stop for a few hours at a truck stop to sleep or at least rest.
We left at 6:30 am and made it to his parent's house in Woodbury, CT by 4pm on Thursday (even with a unintentional detour of getting on the wrong road in New York, a mis-communication between Jim and his dad in getting directions over the phone to their house). We spent the evening with Nancy (Jim's mom), his dad was showing houses until late and then had to go pick up Kellie (Jim's sister) from the airport sowe didn't see him until Friday morning. Nancy was excited to see Thomas again and how much he has grown and now crawling everywhere, picking things up and putting them in his mouth. It was nice to be out of the car and able to move around and stretch before the next days drive to Vermont.
Friday morning we were hoping for good weather but we woke up to rain. The fact that the van was parked down the sidewalk a ways didn't help much in getting the vehicle packed with our stuff as well as Jim's parent's stuff so we left a half hour or so later than wanted. Despite the rain the whole way we made pretty good time including a stop for lunch along the way.
In Vermont we stayed with Jim's whole family at a little house outside of Stowe. The house was a cute little place usually rented out to skiers in winter. It had four bedrooms perfect for the three couples, 4 kids, a baby, and his sister. Our bedroom had two closets on either side, the ceiling in each was slanted due to the roof so it made them look smaller despite their size. I mention the closet because in one there was a little toddler bed tucked in there and cribs parts against the wall. It completely creeped me out to look in there even with the light on, I half expected it to be haunted (to much watching of Ghost Hunters I guess). What added to that was Friday evening the nephews were running around all over the place playing on the stairs and such and I know I had turned the light off and shut the closet door but when I went upstairs later the door was open and the light on it was weird. I turned off the light and shut the door and went back downstairs. Later for whatever reason I went back upstairs I found the door open and the light on again. Again I turned the light off and shut the door, went back downstairs (really creeped out now) and mentioned it to Jim. He asked the boys if they kept doing that, of course they said no because they didn't want to get into trouble (they weren't supposed to be playing in the stairs and in the rooms, and their parents, Kellie and big Jim were gone to the store). However the incident with the closet stopped so it was the boys after all.
Saturday was the day of the McCormack reunion. I was told before hand that a good majority ofthe family drinks (a lot) and smokes so I wouldn't be too shocked being around it all. It wasn't too bad in the early afternoon while people were arriving and while eating and then after more of the drinking started. Jim's family didn't know half the people there, apparently most of them were McTaggerts part of the family line from a McCormack daughter having married a McTaggert I guess.
The coolest part was in the afternoon, while it is tradition for them to mention milestones in the family i.e. a marriage, births- thomas was recognized, college graduations or any school graduation for that matter (they were back country kind of people so an accomplishment like that is huge) big birthdays that year 21, 40, 50 etc... here comes the neat thing granted its sad to mention the deaths in the family but as a tribute the family had pitched in to arrange a bagpiper to come and play for about 30-45 min. His set started off with Amazing Grace as each of the parts of the family let balloons go as names were read off for each passing. A lot of us found it rather moving even me despite the fact I didn't know these people, I suppose it was more the symbolism. We stood there for a while staring up at the sky watching the balloons get higher and higher until they could no longer be seen. The bagpiper continued to play traditional Scottish folk songs in the background (the bagpipes were still pretty loud but hey how often do you actually get to sit, watch and listen to them standing up on a small hill above everyone else?). Nothing else is worth mention people were getting drunk and eventually I was ready to go.
Big Jim (Jim's dad) took us the long way back through back roads most of Vermont is back road type roads. We drove through downtown Barre and Montpelier (old towns with cool colonial style homes and brick buildings). Sunday morning to go up to Uncle Vern's cabin on the lake (it just a few miles from the Canadian border) we went the long scenic route as well. I must say though that Vermont is a very pretty state. Lots of farms, trees, mountains and back roads the majority of the buildings are older which adds a different kind of an atmosphere compared to anywhere else in a more modern city/area.
Sunday was the McFadzeans, there were substantially less people so it was a bit more of an intimate setting, plus it was extremely windy that day and rainy as well, there were waves on the lake (the lake almost looked like the ocean it was so big). The day was spent eating and visiting with everyone as they were catching up on the built up years. We also had birthday cake which Nancy had brought up from CT for Jim's birthday which was the day before, it was so good! Chocolate cake with chocolate butter cream frosting. Thomas had a better day too I think because he was able to crawl around and he got a lot of attention. Its funny, everywhere we go people comment on how they love his hair because it is so soft and stick up in every direction. This day was also nicer because there was no alcohol there.
Monday morning we all left to go back to Connecticut but on the way out we stopped at The Cider Mill so I could get some real Vermont maple syrup to bring home and I even got it in a cool maple leaf shaped glass bottle. The second stop was at Cabot as in Cabot cheddar cheese. Jim and I went in while Nancy stayed in the car with Thomas. I tasted like 10 different types of cheddar cheese most of which were really good except for the Vintage (which means its aged for a couple years) it had a musty sweaty sock type taste I wasn't to fond of.
The 3rd stop was at Ben & Jerry's for a tour of the ice cream factory which ended with a sample of their Chocolate Therapy ice cream. Think of chocolate ice cream with dark chocolate chunks and another chocolate piece in there it was sooooo delicious!! Thomas loved the little bites of it that he got from his daddy- what a mess!
After Ben & Jerry's we drove to Sharon VT to visit the Joseph Smith Memorial, this was one o my favorite destinations. Despite some of the refurbishing going on it was still so peaceful feeling and the weather could not have been more perfect- clear blue sky, temperature in the lower 80s and the sun shining! We went on the little tour and then walked up to the monument. At any of the church historical sites the landscaping is so beautiful. I love the different colored flowers and the green grass and tall beautiful green trees.
We stayed at big Jim and Nancy's again on Monday night and headed back home Tuesday morning. Jim accidentally got off the highway at the wrong place and so we drove through the Bronx until we found the on ramp to I-95. Following the same driving pattern we drove through most of the night and arrived home by 12 or 12:30pm the next day.
I am glad to be home.

7/11

I looked forward to Saturday all week, why? Because July 11 (7/11) is free slurpee day! Of course you can't get whatever size cup you want its a 7.11 oz. cup you get but still it just the right amount to hit the spot. I mentioned this grand day of days to Jim throughout the week and suggested going for our walk in late morning or afternoon up to the 7-11 store a couple miles up the road from us. Instead, since we needed to go out on errands that afternoon we stopped at one location and while Jim put air in the car tires I went in and got a couple of the little slurpee cups ( I tried this new flavor strawberry lime something, it wasnt too bad). As we later continued on our way I noticed that we passed a brand new 7-11 store on our way to somewhere else so on the way back Jim pulled into the parking lot and I went in to get more slurpees only this time I decided to buy a 28 oz. slurpee while getting the free size for him in another Coke flavor. Well on our way home we of course passed the 7-11 just up the road from us and Jim wanted another one so I went in and got a third one for him. So 3 7-11 in one day, thats pretty sweet (quite literally)! What a great day!

Recap of the past few months

I cannot believe how quickly time seems to be passing. Is it just me or has time sped up? It is already July!
We had Jim's sister Heather, her four boys Noah, Isaak, Jonah and Elijah and his mom Nancy come and visit us for a week in February. We had a good visit although I have to say with 4 boys running around there was a lot of energy flowing through the house but it was a fun time.
My parents came out the first of March for Thomas' baby blessing. It was a short visit of 4 days or so but it was great to have them here. Since my dad has an increased interest in cooking and baking we had some yummy treats. He showed me how to make creme puffs and chocolate meringue puffs and boy were they good!!
Adrienne, my older sister, came for a visit in April. We got together with Laurel (another sister) and took Thomas on his first trip to the beach. He got his first feel of the sand on his toes and his feet in the water however, he didn't quite know what to think about that. A couple days later the 4 of us went to lunch for my birthday at Jimmy Buffet's restaurant at Universal City Walk- good food and fun music!
Jim's parents were here for a week at the end of May. Nancy was excited to see the baby again and to see how much he has grown.
My family was here visiting for a week in the beginning to middle of June. Erin, Tara and Will got to finally meet their nephew and we all had a wonderful time playing at the beach and at Disney for two days and just being together. Thomas definitely got lots of attention!
All these long awaited visits are now past, Thomas is 6 months old now and has two bottom teeth. He is starting to get his knees under him and rocking back and forth on his hands and knees ready to crawl but hasn't figured it out just yet.