Patrick is 1 Year Old Today!!!

Today we went to the Build-A-Bear Workshop and Patrick chose an owl to stuff and take home. The owl's name is "Owl". He has a little blue scarf that is apparently also named "Owl". What are the odds?

I cannot believe how fast it all went by. One day I am in labor, walking around a lake with Drew helping me, feeling a bit afraid and telling him that if this gets any worse I just don't know if I can do it...and then I am holding this wiggly little thing in my arms, and I don't even care that he's kinda gross and slimy, I think he's amazing.
And then he's rolling, crawling, talking, almost walking...eating real food...
saying his first words...

So much has happened in a year. So much has changed. And now my teeny little baby is growing into a funny little toddler complete with a mind of his own...it is crazy!

I love this. I love all of it. While it does make me sad that as he grows, he leaves another little phase of babyhood behind, watching him grow and change is just incredible.

I love motherhood. The tears, the sweat, the messes, the long nights, the temper tantrums, the laughter, the cuteness, the sweet moments...all of it (ok, I could do without the poo)
It is just an amazing experience. And I can't believe it has been a year already...but there is no time to be sad about how fast it went, there are many years, milestones, and moments coming...how exciting!

Happy Birthday Patrick Josef Dambrell! You are my Sunshine!

Mommy is Sick

Uhg. I feel like I have been such an awful mother today. Usually I have no problem chasing the baby around until he is completely worn out. But today, I feel so sick and so very weak. Chasing him around has been next to impossible. I am sluggish and a bit on the unstable side. He's spent most of the day either in his walker (which doesn't really move much on the carpet) or in his activity bouncy thing. I even put him down for a nap about an hour earlier than I normally would have...twice...Both times he played and babbled for a bit, then took a good nap. He's only now getting a teeny bit frustrated with me. Sweet little guy, he's been easy going as usual, letting his mommy be a slug for the day.

I can't even imagine being sick like this when he's older and much more active, but still too young to understand that mommy doesn't feel good. I better start taking better care of myself so I don't get sick. Seriously!

Adventures in Michigan

Patrick and I just got home from a little trip to Michigan. We went there to surprise a good friend of mine and her hubby for their baby shower. It was a really fun time! Patrick loved meeting all the new people, the doggy Boomer (who really inspired Patrick to say "woof" every time he sees or hears a dog now) and of course he loved seeing Jenn & Chris!

It was cold! We both loved it! I bought Patrick two very adorable hat & mitten sets. So what if he'll only get the chance to wear them a couple of times...they are THAT adorable!

He was wonderful on both the flight there and the flight back, he was a trooper with the crazy non-sleep schedule we were on and all the nonstop parties and gatherings.

I love adventures with the plumpkin!
<3

Patrick's First Halloween

Mom, Patrick, and I had a whole theme going for Halloween this year. Mom was a bat cave, I was a vampire, and Patrick was the cutest little bat there ever was!
We went to a kid friendly Halloween party in Port Orange. Oh the adorable children and babies in costume! Crickette's little guy, Adrian, was dressed up like a sushi roll...and he was happily nibbling his own costume! So cute!

I was not sure if Patrick would make it to the Trick-or-Treating. He was on toy and baby overload at the party, and having a blast! But he caught his second wind and took to Trick-or-Treating with great excitement! He screeched and laughed happily much of the time. It was so much fun!



The only downside...I think the entire population of mosquitoes devoured me. Not Patrick though. Lucky little boy takes after his daddy, if the mosquitoes even touch him, the bite lasts no more than 24 hours.

Since Patrick is too young to eat candy, I took it upon myself to munch on some of his loot. I can't eat candy like I used to, that's for sure!
I am already plotting ways to keep him from getting sugar crazed on Halloween when he is older. I witnessed little children on a sugar high, and it was a bit scary! I have a feeling though, there is no way to stop it. Halloween = Sugar High, it is as inevitable as the rising of the sun.

Happy Halloween!

So, this isn't actually Patrick's Halloween costume, but it is super cute!

Mom's Don't Party!

As annoyed as I sometimes get with friends who invite me out to stuff at the very last minute, not leaving me time to find a sitter (i.e. make sure my mom is free and doesn't mind guarding the baby while he sleeps), I find I am thankful that at least they invite me!!!

It has happened. Someone who I have been trying to meet up with for a while now, and said they were trying to meet with me too, had a party...and did not invite me. I'm not shy, I asked why I wasn't invited...the answer?

"Well, I figured you had the baby"

Wow!
I don't know whether to be hurt that it is obvious this person really isn't trying all that hard to see me...or just shake my head because sometimes people are just really really silly. Because the truth is, I don't think she meant anything by it. But still...OUCH!

Believe it or not, I don't mind a break once in a while from unintelligible baby talk, poopy diapers, baby chasing, and being spit on, kicked, and having my face pulled off...

So, just so you know - Mom's DO like to party sometimes. And if you're having one, go ahead and invite the mom and let her decide whether she'll get a sitter and come celebrate with you, or just stay home and chill with the baby knowing that people out there somewhere really did want to hang with her...

Patrick's First Word

Patrick knows a few words now. He says "doogk" or "doht" when he wants to know what something is(not that these are really words, but they are consistent sounds). If you ask him where the "flower" "fish" "kitty" or "owl" is he will point to them, respectively (though he does sometimes get fish and flower confused). If you tell him puppies say "woof" he will sometimes say "voof" back. He says "Mama" a lot, sometimes to me.
He understands no very very well now too...

But just now, he pointed to the owl on my pajama pants and said "Owl!" He was very happy when I praised his obvious genius. Then he pointed to another owl on my pants and said "Owl!" And giggled when I told him he was the smartest boy in all the world. Then he crawled over to his bouncer, pointed to the blue owl and said "Owl!"

I think it is official! "Owl" is Patrick's first word!