I have a 9 month old!!

Holy Moly!! I seriously can't believe Maddox is 9 months old today!! Time really does fly!! He is so much fun these days!! He cracks us up on a daily basis with his facial expressions and mannerisms!! We went to the doctor today for his 9 month well check and Dr. Connie said he looked great!! He weighs 22 lbs 13 oz. which is the 80th percentile, he is 28 3/4 in. long which is the 70th percentile and his head is 47 cm around which is the 90th percentile. Needless to say, Maddox is a big boy!! But I just love every single roll and his chubby chipmunk cheeks!! I was excited to hear Dr. Connie say that he can now eat pretty much anything except honey and whole milk!! So that will be fun to introduce him to new foods!! I am planning on trying to up his daily food intake and lower his formula because in just 3 short months when he turns one we will hopefully ween him off of formula and the bottle completely!! (BTW...I can't believe his b-day is in 3 month!!) He has only had 1 bottle so far today at that was at 7:30 this morning (its now 1:40 pm) and he has also had 2 things of baby food plus McDonald's french fries, a chicken nugget and a little bit of my hamburger and he is just as happy as normal!!

Here is a list of what he is up to these days...

*He wears size 3 diapers
*He is in size 9-12 month clothes
*He is getting pretty good at feeding himself finger foods
*He still loves taking a bath
*He is mesmerized by Praise Baby dvds. (We watch them on a daily basis!!)
*He is sooooooo close to crawling!! He just has to figure out how to keep his legs under his belly and move himself forward. He seems to be ok just scooting himself right now though.
*He loves to play catch with his daddy!!
*He is learning how to use a sippy cup.
*He has 5 teeth. The 2 bottom middle ones, the 2 top middle ones and the top left canine. The top right canine is on the verge of cutting through!!
*He loves being outside!!
*He has the most beautiful blue eyes!!
*He has a smile that will melt your heart!!
*And one of his newest tricks is he will clap anytime you say "YAY" I have posted a video of it below because it is just so darn cute!!



That is all I can think of right now even though I'm sure there is more. Of course we did our monthly photo shoot and since the weather is FABULOUS here this week we went out on our back deck to take them. He was full of smiles today so I got some really good ones!! Enjoy!!

John Mayer, Spring Blizzard, and Crawling

Update time since I haven't posted in a couple of days!!

First of all, the John Mayer concert was AMAZING!! He is one of my faves so it was a blast to get to see him live!! He put on a great show and is really funny. Before the concert we picked up Clint and Danielle, who we went to the concert with, and had dinner at a place called White Chocolate Grill. It was my first time to go there and it was super yummy!! Too bad we aren't eating desserts this year because theirs looked awesome!!

Clint and D waiting for John Mayer to start!!!

Me and Collin (obviously lol)

Me and D

This brings be to the second topic of this post...the spring blizzard. When we went in to the restaurant it was just starting to snow and when we came out an hour later there was already a couple of inches accumulated on the ground. It was snowing so hard...it was nuts!! They were saying on the news that we were going to get around a foot of snow and they were right. It was crazy how fast it all happened. We decided that despite the out of control weather that we would still make the trek downtown to the concert. We took it slow and still got there before it started. When we came out a few hours later a lot more snow had come down and all the cars were covered!! The drive home wasn't as bad as we thought it was going to be...we just took it slow and tried to avoid the crazy people flying (sliding) down the highway completely disregarding the foot of snow on the ground. We ended up getting around a foot of snow in all and got to have a super fun snow day with friends yesterday!! And thankfully, the sun came out yesterday and melted everything on the streets so we weren't stuck in the house at all!!

Collin cleaning off our car after the concert!!

Finally, I thought you might be interested to know that Maddox is SOOO close to crawling!! It will be any day now and he will be on the move!! I thought he might do it tonight but he didn't. He gets his hands out in front of him and gets one of his legs back and rocks forward but he just can't figure out how to get that other leg behind him. When I just lay him on his stomach he will move backwards but just can't get his legs under himself to move forward. Soon enough though. I know in a few days we will be moving into a totally new phase of life. I'm excited for it but am also savoring these last few days that I can leave my little dude sitting on the floor and know that he will still be there when I come back. I will let you know when he makes those first moves and hopefully get it on video. Maddox turns 9 months on Monday so I will have my monthly post dedicated to him and what all he is up to these days!!

On a side note, I wanted to say congrats to my dear friend M'chelle (M to me ;D) on the birth of her baby boy, Jackson!! I'm sad that I don't get to meet him in person right now but will look forward to seeing him in September!! I know you and Jeremy are enjoying this special time with your new little blessing!! Love ya and miss ya M!! XOXO!!!!

I guess that is it for this update!! Yay for tomorrow being Friday!!

Sleep Over

Tonight, Collin and I are going to the John Mayer concert with another couple and since we won't get home until late Maddox will be spending the night at my friend Jennifer's house. It's kinda a bittersweet moment. It will be nice to sleep in a little tomorrow and not have to worry about waking him up late to bring him home but it is also sad to have him not sleeping here with us. It will be the first time for him to stay somewhere else since he was born. It has been so quiet around the house since she picked him up and it kinda makes me sad but it has been a nice break :D. I just really hope he is a good boy for them and doesn't wake up early or in the middle of the night. I know he is in good hands and will be fine but I do miss him a little!! :D

New Smile

So Maddox has come up with a new smile and it just cracks us up. He squints his eyes and smiles really big and it is hilarious!! Today, the 3 of us went to lunch at Dickey's BBQ and every time I would feed him some potatoes he would smile like that. For your entertainment I got it on video. Enjoy!!

Bonus Post

So I know I already posted today but I thought I would also share this little video of Maddox. It is nothing special just him playing. It is mostly for family to see how big he has gotten!! He has gotten so busy lately and just loves to be in everything!! I'm pretty sure he will be crawling before we know it so today I went out and bought all the stuff we need to baby-proof the house!! Fun fun!! Enjoy!!

Update

4 things...

1) I love my new Keurig!! That is all on that!!

2) All of the snow from yesterday has melted off the streets already!! Yay for that!!

3) My dentist appointment did not go so well!! I knew that was going to be the case because I have several things I have known needed to be done that I have been putting off for a while. So, now I have about 6 appointments worth of stuff to do. I'm going to bite the bullet and just get it all done so I don't have to worry about it anymore!!

4) Finally, the "Master Cleanse" was a no go!! We did not even make it one day!! It was absolutely HORRIBLE!!! Drinking the 32 oz. of salt water was awful and the "lemonade" concoction was even worse. So, we did about half of one day and called it quite!! We decided there are easier ways to loose weight and get healthy...ie get up off the couch and work out for a little while and just eat a little healthier!!

So, that's the update on my post from the other day!! Hope you are having a fabulous weekend!!!

The Great and the not so Great!!

First the Great...I am so excited because this morning I went to Bed Bath & Beyond and purchased myself a Keurig Single Cup coffee maker!! I have been wanting one for a while and finally decided to get one. Plus, I had a 20% off coupon to BB&B so that was helpful too!! I really like coffee but it was always such a pain to make it at home for one person so I didn't do it very often but now that I can make a single cup at a time I have a feeling I will be drinking it A LOT more!!

Also in the great column is the weather today and the last couple of days. It is just fabulous outside!! I love Spring time and this is just a little glimpse into our next season coming up!!

Now onto the not so great...It all starts tomorrow!! We are supposed to have a snow storm roll in tonight which will bring 5-10 inches of snow tomorrow...blah. But they are saying that since it has been so warm these last few days that it won't stick to the streets!! (Fingers crossed!!)

Also, tomorrow I have to go to the dentist!! If you know me at all you know that I HATE the dentist. It is one of my least favorite places in the world!! It is probably because I have always had horrible teeth so every time I go I get bad news.

Finally, in the not so great column is the Master Cleanse. You're probably saying what the heck is that?!?! Well, my friend Jennifer and I are embarking on a somewhat crazy endeavor to complete a 10 day body cleanse and tomorrow is the start day!! On this cleanse you don't eat any food for 10 days!! What you do is drink this "lemonade" concoction all day as well as a cup of tea each night and a 32 oz salt water concoction each day!! It is supposed to clean out your system and help you feel better and lose weight. We have talked to several people who have done it and they have all said that they have felt so good once they have completed it. I'm not gonna lie we are a little nervous about it all but we are going to try it out. I mean the worse that can happen is we hate life and quit doing it before our 10 days is up. So I'll keep you updated on how that is going!!

So there it is the great and not so great in my life on this Thursday afternoon!!

Tweet Tweet

So, I have finally decided to join the twitter world!! I know, I know I'm only like 10 years late...lol. But oh well. Collin jumped on the bandwagon last week and said he thought I would like it too so I decided to try it out. Feel free to follow me if you are a fellow tweeter by clicking on the "Follow Me" link in the right column or by searching for me on twitter (@hnpacker). You can also follow Collin if you want (@collinpacker). Or you can leave me a comment with you username and I will look you up!!

On a side note I am happy to say that my boys are FINALLY getting better!! Maddox has been so much happier today and Collin is feeling better too. So, I am very thankful for that!!

I NEED....

for my child and my husband to get better because I am on the brink of insanity!!! Say a little prayer!! Gracias!!

Dr. Mom

We made it 8 months but it couldn't last forever. Maddox is officially sick for the first time. We started noticing that he was developing a little cough on Friday and it has progressively gotten worse. I called the doctor's office on Saturday and they said to just wait a couple of days to see if he got better or worse. Unfortunately, his cough got worse and he continued to have a fever. Plus, he hasn't been sleeping at night and his appetite hasn't been very good which is not like him at all. I decided to go ahead and call them back this afternoon to have him seen and to have his ears looked at because he was SUPER fussy all day today and that just isn't like him. He was seen by the P.A. and she said that his breathing sounded fine and he didn't have a fever at the moment but his throat was super red and one of his ears was on the verge of getting an infection!! So she sent us home with a RX for some antibiotics and said that if he was still running a fever on Thursday to call them back. Hopefully though, the RX will get him to feeling better quickly!! All of you parents out there know that having a sick baby is no fun at all!!

Unfortunately, Collin is also sick right now!! He went to the doctor this afternoon and they told him that he has something viral!! So they sent him on his way with some cough syrup and told him to run the humidifier and use saline nose spray. Hopefully, the virus will run its course quickly and he will get to feeling better soon too.

I will have to admit that I am better at being Dr. Mom than Dr. Wife. For some reason it is easier for me to handle taking care of a sick child than a sick adult. I think it is partly because when I am sick I just like to be left alone to deal with it and when someone else doesn't like to be dealt with that way I just don't know what to do.

I really do hope that both of them get to feeling better soon though. And I hope that somehow I can make it through all of this without getting sick. So far I am feeling ok but I guess only time will tell.

Favorite Things Friday: Haircare Products

Well I missed last weeks post because we were out of town but I will jump back on the train this week!! I'm not really that good at styling my hair and can never do it as well as they do at the salon after a cut but I make do and don't think my hair looks terrible when I fix it lol. So here are a few of my favorite haircare products...

1. Chi Flat Iron - this is a must have for me!! I have tried several other brands of flat irons but always end back up with the Chi. It makes my hair nice and straight and also shinny too. They are a little pricey but I've found that they last longer and work better than any other product and therefore is worth the extra money!! Mine is pink leopard print and I love it!!

2. Bed Head: Head Rush - This is one of my favorite products. It is a shine spray to use after styling and it smells fabulous!! I love it because it is so light and doesn't leave your hair feeling or looking oily after using it!!

3. Chi Keratin Mist - this is a spray that you put on your dried hair before flat ironing it. They always say at the salon that you need to use some kind of product to protect you hair from the heat of the straightener and I found this spray at TJ Maxx. It works great and protects my hair!!

So, those are a few of my favs. Next weeks theme is anything related to health, wellness, and fitness.

Maddox is 8 Months Old

My little buddy turned 8 months old while we were in Hawaii so that is why I haven't done his monthly post yet. But here it is!! Since his next well check up isn't until 9 months I don't have his height and weight stats but I think he weighs somewhere between 21-23 lbs. We were saying while we were on our trip that it's really crazy how much he has grown up lately. He is jabbering so much and his personality is really coming out. We think he is starting to loose that "baby" look and beginning to look more like a little boy. It's kind of bittersweet!! As far as what is going on with him right now...I will make a list!!

*He is eating 4 bottles a day ranging from 6-10 oz.
*He eates baby food twice a day (on most days)
* He usually goes to bed around 7:30 pm and wakes up between 6-7 am.
*He is wearing anywhere between 9-12 month clothes and size 2-3 shoes.
*He loves playing with toys but if he is given a choice he would rather tear up a piece of paper...lol.
*He is super smiley and laughs all the time.
*He has 3 teeth (2 bottom and 1 top) and has 2 more on the verge of coming in.
*He doesn't seem to be at all interested in crawling right now.
*He loves bath time and it always calms him down if he is fussy.
*He is super cuddly and I love it!!
*He make the dada and mama sounds but doesn't associate them with us yet.
*He reaches for me know and it melts my heart!!

That's all I can think of right now but I'm sure he is doing more cute stuff right now that I am forgetting. His pictures this month are super cute!! I took them while we were sitting on the beach in Waikiki and his outfit made his eyes look so blue!!

The one above is my favorite!!!

Hawaiian Vacation

We are glad to be back home and getting back into our normal routine but we had a blast with my family in Hawaii last week. I don't like to advertise to the whole internet world that we will be leaving our house unattended so that is why I didn't blog about this prior to going on the trip. But now that we are back I can tell you all about it!!

We left last Wednesday evening and flew to LA to meet up with my family to head to Honolulu. I was a little concerned as to how Maddox would do on the long flights (6 hours there and about 7 hours coming back) but he did AMAZING!! I gave him a dose of Benadryl about an hour before each flight and gave him a bottle right when we took off and he slept the entire way both times!! Thankfully, on both trips we had an empty seat to lay him in so that made things much easier!! Now on to the actual trip.

~THURSDAY~

We landed in HI at like 11 pm on Wednesday night so we just got our rental cars and headed straight to the hotel for bed. The next morning we got up (all of us at about 4 am because we were still on Colorado and Texas time) had breakfast at IHOP and then headed to Hanauma bay to lay on the beach and snorkel. It was beautiful...sunny and warm!! The girls all just layed out and they guys went snorkeling. Maddox absolutely loved playing in the sand!! He even took a little nap in his stroller on the beach (one of many).




~FRIDAY~
The next morning (Friday) we went to Pearl Harbor and looked around there and took the ferry to the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial. It was all pretty cool and was another nice and toasty warm day!! On the way back we stopped at China Town to get fresh flower leis and to have some lunch. It wasn't exactly what we expected so we just got our leis and bypassed lunch (the food all looked disgusting!!!) That afternoon we walked over to Waikiki beach from our hotel and spent the afternoon catching some rays!! (My favorite thing to do on a beach vacation!!)





~SATURDAY~
On Saturday we were woken up by texts and calls from people back home asking if we were OK to which we responded "What are you talking about??" But after turning on the TV we quickly found out that the huge devastating 8.8 earthquake had hit Chile the night before and sent a tsunami towards the Hawaiian Islands. We didn't really know what to do at that point and were somewhat freaked out. We decided to go to McDonalds across the street to grab some breakfast but found it to be closed. So we went a little further down the street and ate at a little local diner that ended up being one of our favorite places the whole trip (we ate there 3 times total). We decided we would do as was recommended and wait this thing out in our hotel rooms and see what happened. What a bummer!! Collin and I walked down the street to the grocery store and stood in line for 30-45 minutes to buy bottled water because they were saying on the news that if this was bad we could loose water and we needed to have a way to make bottles for Maddox. After that we went up to Heather, Morgan and PJ's room to wait it out (they were on the 15th floor so we were safe there!!). We played a game of scrabble and stayed glued to the TV. The time that the tsunami was supposed to hit came and went and nothing happened. All in all I think they said the only thing it did was raise the tide about 3 feet in Hilo but nothing actually happened where we were. This was the best news and the worst news. It was great that nothing happened but a total bummer that we wasted half of our day sitting in our hotel room. Once the warning was lifted around noonish we headed out to the Dole Pineapple Plantation and to see the North Shore beaches. The Plantation was really cool and we got to have some yummy pineapple!! After that we went to Sunset Beach on the North Shore and watched the sunset while taking lots of fun pictures!! Besides the tsunami warning it turned out to be a fun day!!

~SUNDAY~
On Sunday morning Collin, Maddox and I got up and went to a local church service at the New Hope Church. My family all wanted to hike up this volcano called Diamond Head and we determined it would be too hard to try and do it with Maddox so we just went to church instead. They did the hike and got some awesome pictures at the top but from what they said about the difficulty of the hike I think we made a good decision not to do it. That afternoon we drove back up to North Shore but found it to be too cold and windy so we came back down and the girls and Maddox walked back down to Waikiki to lay out while the boys rested in the hotel. Another good day!! (Sorry no pictures from this day)

~MONDAY~
On Monday we got up and drove out to this ranch and did a bus tour. It was really cool because there have been several movies and TV shows filmed here so it was neat to see all of those places. That afternoon we went back to North Shore because there was a wind and surf advisory and we wanted to see the giant waves. Man were they HUGE!! Some of there were as high as 20 ft. All of the beaches were closed so there weren't many surfers out but we did see a few brave souls attempting to ride the monstrous waves!!

~TUESDAY~
This was our last day of the trip but we didn't fly out until 8:30 pm so we still had the whole day to do stuff. We spent the entire morning just laying out on Waikiki beach and catching a few more rays. We then went and showered and had to check out of our hotel. We had lunch at PF Changs (my FAV!!!) then did a little more shopping before heading to the airport!! (I got some super cute pictures of Maddox on the beach this day but they are for his 8 month post so I will put those up either tonight or tomorrow!!)

We had an awesome trip and I am so thankful that we were all able to go together!! The weather was great (except for one morning of rain) and everyone got along great!! It was so much fun being able to all be together again since we don't get to do it very often anymore!! Overall, it was an amazing trip and I am so glad we were able to go!!