To my Grandma

A couple of weeks ago my Grandma passed away.  As I've said to many people while we knew it was coming it still felt pretty unbelievable.  You see my grandma wasn't really sick, but then she went to the hospital where they found out about a rare hernia that was causing her stomach to go into her esophagus.  It required surgery to correct.  They did surgery and that went ok... it would just be a matter if her body could fight back.  The week before she passed it seemed like she was getting better, eating a little, craving some foods, and talking with us.  But then we learned she would not get better, that her oxygen was low and fluid was leaking into her abdomen.  A couple of days later she was gone.


Those last few weeks I visited her a lot.  So did Simon.  She loved seeing Simon usually repeating, he's just so darn cute or he's just the happiest kid.  Simon never got too shy around Grandma either.  He'd go and hold her hand or show her things.  When we'd visit her room in St. Agnes he would know where all his toys were, where the Pringles were and also loved getting the Pandy statue out and carrying it around.  Simon and I visited with her on Saturday, she passed away on Sunday.  Luckily we caught her while she was awake a bit so she got to talk to me and more importantly see Simon.


After I had Simon Grandma would talk about how she had taken care of me when I was that little.  Before I was born Grandma suffered from an aneurysm.  This ended up causing her left side of her body to be paralyzed.  They weren't sure if she'd walk again or return to a 'normal' life.  She trudged through rehab and therapy.  When I was born she really wanted to take care of me after my mom went back to work.  They weren't really sure that she'd be able to take care of small baby.  My mom gave her a week trial.  Surprisingly it worked.  She was able to take care of me even with only one good arm.  She would tell that story a lot after Simon was born.  Let me tell you how eye opening that really was.  I was taking care of Simon as an abled bodied person.  I told Grandma once that she only had one arm and sometimes when I was caring for Simon I wished I had a third arm.  That made her smile.


But it really is amazing what she did with that one good arm.  She took care of me and went onto care for my brother and sister and cousins - Billy, Brett and Karly.  Usually with more than one kid in her care!  She'd make us food, get us snacks, play with us, bake with us, we'd go outside, etc.  I really am so blessed that I was able to spend my childhood around her (and my grandpa and uncle Steve.)


She was able to cook and clean and even rearrange furniture in the house, all by herself.  That's pretty incredible when you think about it.  She just figured out how to do life fully with only one good arm and one good leg.


It's been so great to share memories and look through pictures together.  I guess what I'm realized is how much my childhood and being around family has reinforced my strong family connection in adulthood.  Although I always remember thinking I'd rather more often than not spend Saturday at home playing board games with my family then something else.  I think Grandma and just being around family all the time really made that important.


We went on a lot of trips with Grandma - short ones near St. Louis or long ones to each of the coasts.  I got to be with her when she first saw the ocean and put her feet in it.  I remember how the wheelchair got stuck in the sand with the tide coming in.  Big experiences and small, they all share a special place in my heart.


When my grandpa passed away almost 16 years ago she was devastated.  But she kept on keeping on.  Even through losing her memory and general ability to care for herself she always maintained a positive attitude.  She might ask you the same questions over and over again or replay the same memories but she was always nice and sweet and happy.  Never grumpy or crotchety.  It was sad to see her lose her sharpness but really in the end she was happy and loving.


Losing our grandma is tough and sad... like losing a pillar of the family but I really truly believe she made us all better people.  I'm going to miss her but I'm so glad she got to see me become a mother because she knew how important that was to me and she loved that kid.


Now we all just have another guardian angel in heaven along with my Grandpa, Uncle Steve, Grandma Watson, and Dan's Mom, Charlotte.  We may miss them down here something fierce, but they are always with us in our hearts and memories.

Simon's Second Birthday Party: Dinosaurs

WCan you believe that Simon is two?  It seems like just yesterday he was a little baby and then again it feels like he's been in our lives forever... funny how that works!


We had a dinosaur themed party for Simon last Saturday.  We decided this year to keep the party small.  It was really fun having this big first birthday party, but it was so many people and we got so many gifts... which was really nice, but Simon doesn't need that many gifts every year :).  We invited Simon's aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, and great-grandparents.  I stuck with VistaPrint for invites and ordered these:

Those that came were: Mom, Joe, Lindsey, Dad, Janet, Grandma Barb, Grandma Rose, Grandpa Charlie, Ken, Amy, Matt, Tanner, baby Oliver, Amanda, Lou and Vail.


On the menu we served pulled pork (Dan made), hot dogs (veggie for Lindsey), mac and cheese, salad, corn on the cob, corn cake (last minute addition by Dan), fruit salad, slaw, and Rotel dip.  We had beer, soda, and punch as well.


For dessert I made chocolate and yellow cupcakes with cream cheese and chocolate buttercream (did both combinations), colored sugar cookies in dinosaur shapes and my mom made Simon the cutest dinosaur cake.


Simon had a wonderful time at the party and got so many great gifts which he's been playing with ever since.  I love our little families.


Here's some pictures of the fun day.

My mom created this beauty!

She also made this adorable dinosaur cake.  Such talent!

Simon enjoyed eating the chocolate rocks (I did too, they were super good!)

Simon taking a ride with Great Grandma

Simon with Great Grandma Rose

I ordered this giant dinosaur balloon... Dan had to take it apart to get it to fit in the car

Simon and Vail playing ball

Picture with Lindsey... I got that maxi dress for $8 on Amazon - I was pretty proud of that!

Dessert table

I thought this banner was pretty cute

Cupcakes with little dinosaurs on top

Simon's HBD banner my mom made last year

The sugar cookies I made

Look at that giant balloon!!

Simon checking out his new baby cousin Oliver.  I'm not sure he knew what to think of a little person that small!

Five Random Thoughts About Life Lately

Well, I missed a couple of months there didn't I?


I thought I'd record some random thoughts.  And to make it not that daunting why not five random things about life lately?

1. Simon and talking... it still isn't happening like it's supposed to be.  The kid likes to babble and tell you things and man they are quite the stories... problem is he doesn't use any real words yet.  I know I've brought it up before, but it's one of those things that does weigh on my mind because in so many other ways he's doing just perfectly.  He's such a great child and so easy and fun to be around... but kid needs to start saying words.  A couple weeks ago he learned the word 'up'.  It was great and so fun to see him say 'up' with such distinction and authority... he used it soooo much after that... up, up, up, up, up.  Sometimes saying it, we pick him up and then he immediately wants down - but progress!  Of course now he's using up to signal any kind of directional move he wants to make. 
   
   He does good with the one sign language word he knows - 'more'.  Makes me think I should have taught him more, but I've also heard that some kids just use those sign language words instead of talking as well.  He understand us perfectly it seems, we can talk to him and know he knows what we mean.  I can say go get the toy by Bella, and he'll go get the toy by Bella.  You say key words like outside, highchair, dinner, breakfast, drink, cup, etc etc etc and he knows what you mean - so that part is all good!  I'm just excited to hear him use more words!  I'm hoping for the light switch moment and the explosion of words... hopefully anytime now!
2. Simon LOVES being outside.  He gets so upset when we have to go in or we aren't staying outside (like the transfer from the house to the car).  He loves to explore and pick up things and just be outside enjoying life.  Everyday when we get home from work/sitters we let the dogs outside and we both join them outside.  Since I was spending more time outside I've decided to try my hand at keeping some plants alive again.  I'm trying to keep it small and just focus on keeping some alive b/c I have a terrible track record of killing plants.  I got a cherry tomato plant (Simon is loving cherry tomatoes), a cucumber plant (same with cucs), a blueberry bush (added this later, couldn't help myself), a hanging flowering plant, a citronella plant (hey maybe it will keep the mosquitoes away... ha!), and wave petunias.  I also bought a pitcher plant for inside.  So far so good with my plants and it makes me want more since I'm outside checking on them nearly everyday.  But of course this is the easy time of year when it's not blazing hot.  I think it will be fun to pick veggies together and it's been fun watering them together.  I'll throw this in here but every night when Dan gets home from work they have to go see the Jeep together... sometimes they drive it around but a lot of times Simon just sits in it, but they have to go see it!
3. Simon was a bit of a mess about a month ago.  He was still experiencing pretty bad allergies.  Swollen, red eyes and a rash on his back.  The rash had been there awhile but finally I called and made an appointment.  It was an eczema breakout.  They gave us a steroid cream and recommended some products to use.  I bought what seems like the 27th cream in the house and new body wash and we've really been able to keep his eczema under control.  He still has spots in some places, but on his back looks a million times better.  We give him Zyrtec each day for allergies and now whatever was in the air bothering him must have gone away.  Right before it cleared up we decided to make an allergist appointment for him.  It's not until July since we are a new patient, but this way we'll be established there and will know better for next year.  The allergist will also treat eczema so hopefully all around it will be a good move to get him in there.
4. Other Simon traits that are adorable: 
   He'll hold my hand while walking and always wants me to hold it going down steps
   He knows how to hug and kiss.  His hugs are the best
   He loves to wave hi and byebye.  Sometimes when we are out in public he won't wave at people that want him too until we're walking away. But other times he waves at everyone whether they are looking or not.
   When he does something he's proud of or we say good job (like putting block away) he claps and we clap.  He gets soo happy
   He loves all the animals and loves feeding the dogs
   He loves sitting on my lap sometimes, and cuddling close
   He'll line up toys while playing with them and building towers and throwing balls
   Loves eating fruit, veggies and bread but not so much pasta... unless it's spaghetti
   Loves bubbles but doesn't care for stickers
5. The first thing everyone comments on about Simon is his curly hair.  They love it, and how can you not?  It gets pretty crazy sometimes, but those curls are just so cute!  There's pieces of his hair that don't curl as much which makes me wonder if when we cut it if the curls will go away.  But I don't plan to cut it yet, he's going to rock the wild look awhile longer.

Here's some random pictures!

Corn popping out front

Simon and Vail

Riding his car at Grandma's house

By the pretty flowers we planted

He loves to pull that chair around and sit and play

Point out things at the Butterfly house

Feeding a baby goat

Puzzle time

The yucky allergies

Simon and bubbles and a dandelion

Siblings and cousins on their mom's bench

Easter at Eckerts

Simon - 18 Months

I am soooo late with these posts, but I have to at the very least write this one.

Simon is a year and a half old now!  The time is flying by but I also really enjoy every new stage with my boy.  The baby stuff was fun, but the toddler stuff is even more fun.



Simon getting his first National Park stamp at Shiloh

Simon went to the doctor last Friday (about a week and a half after he turned 18 months).  Dude is 23lbs and almost 33 inches tall.  This puts him completely average... or as the doctor puts it... perfect.  But seriously the kid has been hugging that 50th percentile line for a long time.  His weight is slightly below and his height is slightly above... but really this kiddo is average. 

Simon is doing everything developmentally he should be except he's not really using words yet.  I started to get worried about it a few weeks ago.  The thing about Simon is he talks a lot.  He'll have whole conversations with you with hand motions, inflections, everything... except he's not saying real words.  He only consistently says momma variations, and sometimes Dada ones... but that's all, at least that's all I understand.  I've been bombarding him with words, repeating things multiple times before giving/doing things in hopes he will pick it up.  For instance I'll say up about 3 times before I'll actually pick him up.  He understands us very well, just isn't really saying words back.  I've been really trying to listen for them and maybe he is trying more.  The doctor said he should probably have a light switch moment when he starts saying a lot of words.  If we don't see an exponential amount of word growth in the next three months that we should think about getting him assessed for a speech delay, but right now since everything else developmentally is there he's not concerned... so we'll see how the next few months go.

In brighter news, Simon loves to play with toys, give us books to read, run around, and BE OUTSIDE EXPLORING.  Kid seriously loves being outside and always throws a fit if we don't go outside after work (when the dogs do) or when we have to come back inside.  He would spend all of his time out there.



Simon loves the animals, and really isn't scared of any animals.  I think he loves Daddy dog the most.  He'll sit on him, "pet" him, touch him all that jazz.  Daddy doesn't always love all of that, but just walks away when he isn't in the mood.  We are working on 'gentle' and 'pets' with Simon.  Bella loves to give Simon kisses and take advantage of meal time with Simon.  Simon knows how fun it is to feed the animals.

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Simon has picked up the art of dance this month too... which really involves flapping his arms around, but it's pretty adorable.  He's also really started to climb on the furniture too.

Simon does pretty well at meal time sometimes eating a ton and other times not really interested in eating at all.  He likes all the common kids foods but especially loves the sweeter things including fruit.  He mostly drinks milk but sometimes water too.

Sad he's not going outside

Mr. Simon went on his first road trip this month for my mom's birthday.  We went to Memphis and Nashville.  While we were never in the car for that long at one time (a few hours) he did SO WELL.  I don't want to just sit here and brag on him, but really I couldn't imagine it going as well as it did.  He got somewhat fussy when we went back in the car at times and nap schedule was all thrown off, but he handled it like a champ.  How did we get so lucky??

Simon experiencing "snow"

Sleep is good, he sleeps through the night very well... but in bigger news we made the switch from two naps a day to one.  It's been going pretty well!  His sleep schedule is wakes up 7:30-8, takes a nap around noon-2ish and then in bed around 8.  I like to keep him somewhat flexible with sleep, but it would be nice if he'd sleep in untraditional places at times.

Kiddo loves to imitate us.  He will do things we do like pretend to feed the dogs or fill up his humidifier.  He also knows where things go, or where things are (where's your bed, where's your jeep).  He'll also go to his highchair when we mention meal time or his towel or the bathtub when it's bath time.

Simon still has a bit of a shy streak.  It takes him a bit to warm up to unfamiliar places or people, but once he does he's all good.  A lot of times when we go somewhere new he starts to get worried we are going to leave, but once he figures out we're there together he's ok.  And even if we are leaving him somewhere he snaps out of it once we're gone pretty quickly... or so people tell me anyway.

Simon is such a joy... while we do have some fussy/crabby/tantrum moments he seems to move on pretty quickly or it's solved by food, a nap or Tylenol.  I'm not sure how we ended up with this easy kid, but we did and we are so lucky for it.  He's just such a perfect addition to our family.  Honestly, he makes our family a family.