Abbie, Bud and Zabe

went dark!!!! lol.  How exciting.  It looks so great I think.  I hope you are still enjoying it Erin!!

 If you know Erin you know that she was bleach blonde.  No more.

Erin is my sister-in-law Abbey's sister.  She's a hoot!!

Last Thursday 8/30/07 we helped my mom and took dinner out to the guys in the feild.  Zabe loves being on the tractor and watching the tractors at work.  Here are a few picts for you looking enjoyment.

He loves watching the tractors.

A peice of grass reminds me of when I was a little kid playing on the farm and we would chew on straw.

Watching the tractors

Going to get grandma.

(I started this last night and finished today) Just in case you don't follow.  I wasn't going to post it after I typed it but decided what the heck. I mainly wrote this long post for myself for the future. 

We had quite the eventful weekend. 

For the last few weeks, Bud had decided he would be going up North this weekend and Zabe and I would stay home while the Bear Hunting '07 season got underway.  Bud was WAY excited to be going and hoping to come home bearing a bear rug.  I was also thrilled.  Bud packed up his car Tuesday night to head out Friday after work.  He was soo pumped.  lol. 

Friday morning, I got up and got at 'em.  Came down did my normal business, sat at the computer drinking coffee, enjoy my time to myself before Zabe woke up cleaning like crazy, picking up, getting organized before the hustle and bustle of a long day of hair...yes that's what I was doing.  My girlfriend Amanda H. was coming at 10:00 to get her hair c/c.  Around 10:30, I knelt down or squatted down to pick up Zabe and my back completely gave way. (I hadn't even touched Zabe yet.)  I kind of, no I did fall to the ground.  I was in pain, but instantly thought of the time a couple months ago when I was getting Zabe out of bed and did the same thing and it healed pretty fast, so it was really no big deal.  So anyway,  I moaned and groaned for a bit, called my mom, the chiropractor, then called Charlotte and had her come down to help with Z so I could finish up with Amanda.  I felt sore, but knew the chiro would straighten me back up....literally.   I texted Bud to tell him.  He called.  We chatted.....long story short he decided to come home to help me since I wasn't able to lift Zabe.  He decided he would head up north around 3 a.m. Then I would just call my mom in the morning to help me when Zabe woke up.  Then by about Sunday I would be back to my normal self. 

I quickly realized God doesn't always have the same thing planned.... 

(times approximate) Saturday Morning

3:00 A.M-- Bud leaves.  Bells on he's excited.

6:15 A.M-- I wake up to roll over, sudden back spasm.

6:20 A.M.-- Bad spasm, call mom. No Answer

6:21 A.M.--I'm bawling.

6:24 A.M.--Called mom again, talked to Sonny, moms in RW...already getting groceries.  He was so cute, he goes, "Is everything ok?"

6:25 A.M--Bawling, still spasming when I try to move, I try to sit up to see if that helps, bawling, no relief. Got a hold of my mom.  She's on her way.

6:45 A.M. Mom arrives....Amen.

8:15 A.M. Shelly arrives....Amen.

Mom called and set up anther chiro appt. in RW because my "normal" guy is out of the office.  

10:45A.M. still in a lot of pain but manageable.  Saw chiro, still in a lot of pain but maybe a little relief. Saturday I ended up being pretty sore for the day.  Saturday night more relief...we went to Jared and Kelly's wedding reception, had a couple cocktails, good times.  Talked to Bud and he got his first bear of his life.  He was REALLY excited.  He decided then that he would be coming home Sunday sometime instead of staying until Monday. 

Sunday, I woke up much better than Saturday morning.  No spasm, just sore.  I was actually pretty good all day Sunday. Monday,  I woke up good again, but sore...of course.  I felt actually more sore Monday, than I was Sunday morn.   I can move more, and am bending better, I've been picking a few more things up.  I will tell you however, I have never been so sore or so worthless than I have the past 3 days.  I now see what my dad or other people with severe back pain or any other injury have endured and it is NOT fun.  I wonder if it was Gods way of saying "SLOW DOWN".   I have never sat/laid so much than I have these last 3 days.  (Shell and I did have a great time catching up on the DVR' ed Real Worlds!)  She also realized that "it's hard to be a mom!" 

Bud is took off work today to  care for Zabe and I.   Hopefully I won't have to be off to many days, and hoping to be able to pick up Zabe soon.  I haven't been able to hold him much because he doesn't sit on my lap like a good boy.  He has to be all over, going everywhere.  I think after today Z and I will be hanging out at mom and dads for the rest of the week. 

I don't know what I would have done if it weren't for Shelly, Mom and Ann this weekend.  Seriously you guys thank you sooooo much!!! You have NO idea.  Also thanks to Grandma Linda for taking him Saturday night.   

As for Bud's bear he shot I will post some pictures soon.  Otherwise if you want to see some pictures of the little teenager go to www.6inthesticks.com

FIND THE WONDERFUL IN TODAY, AND REMEMBER TO SLOW DOWN.

I forgot to post this yesterday.  Happy 36 years of bliss!!  We love you!
Here's to the next 36!!

I can't believe how fast time is going and that we are planning Zabe's 1st birthday party.  Seriously. Where has the time gone??? 

He is doing excellent and is in such a fun stage right now.  I think thus far it is my favorite stage.

What he's been up to

- still tilts his head to the side when you say Oh sweet baby.  He also does it when someone walks into the room or when we go somewhere and you start talking to him.

- he started to clap a couple weeks ago.  We have been practicing it forever now, and one day we did the Itsy Bitsy Spider and when we got done I said, "Yeah!" And just like that he was clapping.  Ever since.  We now say yeah, or clap, clap, clap  and he claps. 

- Loves tractors and things he can push around.

- He stood yesterday for the first time on his own for a couple seconds.  I don't think he realized it right away and then quickly grabbed something.

- Still walks around everything.

-Howie's food dish is still his favorite thing to try to dismantle.  He doesn't get into anything other than that.  I have not had to put anything up and away from him besides the dogs food dish.  Ish.

-He started to put the phone up to his ear about a week ago and will occasionally say Hi. 

-Started to do a fake cough, when we cough etc.

-He still loves his brother Howie.  And can be occupied by him for quite some time. FYI- the dog.

-Still sleeping about 12 hours over night and taking 2 naps during the day. Thank you Jesus.

I am sure there is more, but can't think of anything else to exciting.

So, for a REALLY long time now I could not decide what I wanted to do with my hair.  Should I keep it long, should I chop it off, etc. I didn't know.  Lately, well for the last, oh lets say 3 months, I put it in a pony tail like... everyday.  It was soooo boring and I finally got sick of it.  I handed over my shears to my little sis and she chopped it off.  I like it.  It's a nice change for me.  Ann did a great job and it was so nice to be able to have my sissy do it for me.  It has been a long while since I have had it cut professionally our by someone other than myself.  Feels good to have that nasty stuff off my neck.    (yes, it is disconnected meaning the back is much shorter than the front.  However it does flow together nicely.) Thanks again Ann!!

Its that time of year again.  The time again when which seams just got over with about 3 weeks ago.  The time of year when my beloved friend Bambi starts her deadly season.  Deer Hunting.  Seriously didn't that season just come to end???  Bud comes home tonight wondering if he can work tomorrow night. I told him I needed him home the next couple of nights, I told him he could Thursday, Friday and Saturday if he wanted and that's when he said, No I can't Saturday deer hunting opener is Saturday morning.   I was like, "Excuse me. Really. Already!" 

Bo hunting starts.  Hard to believe.   

LOL.  A couple weeks ago, Shelly and I were sitting on the back porch and she says, "Say, have you chosen a godmother for Howie yet?" (We have had Howie for 3 years now) I said, "Well, No, we haven't!" "Would you like to be his godmother Shell?" She said, NO!  So I said, "I will ask, she'd be a better godmother  for him anyway." We were cracking up.  So Ann gets here and I said, "Say, Ann I think I forgot to ask you if you would have the honor to be Howie's godmom?!" She was delighted, and I knew Howie would be in the most perfect hands, happen there be something that would happen to Bud or I.  Thank Goodness. 

Finally the other day I got some photos.  Howie wasn't really having it.  All of a sudden when the camera came out and Ann tried picking him up he got a little excited, growled at her and was getting a little feisty.  I was dying laughing.  I think he thought she wanted to play.  So, she did what every good god-dog-mom does and got him a treat. Hilarious.

Ann picking him up, and her little pose with him.

"Ohhhh, I love you so much my god-dog.

Ritz cracker for a treat. lol.

YES!!!!

For some reason every time I think about this incident I crack up.  Especially with the whole picture taking fiasco. She is such a good godmom to both my kids.  Thanks again Ann!

Zabe and I went with my dad to Luke's football game in Dodge Center tonight.  I am sure getting a taste of this thing called motherhood.  Zabe is losing his patience....with everything.  The grass that he would no longer move on has now become his best friend.  You can't get the little boy to sit for 2 seconds.  He wants to move, crawl, stand, sit, get up, get down, climb up, and fall down.  As he is losing his patience and becoming a toddler his mothers patience are also being tested.....there there that is for sure. 

He is just SOOOO busy. And quick.  The kid can crawl much quicker to the side of the steps much faster than I can run there.  My mom too. Lol.

So after my patience was tested I decided to take him for a stroll.  To the car. It's only halftime.  I place him in the back of the vehicle to run and climb in there.  Be free my son, be free.  After my patience ran dry from boredism I decided to take him to this open field of grass to snap a few photos, that would be much more fun than just standing there.  

Ok, so besides this first picture the rest are awful.  He wouldn't sit still.  It was a shame because we could have got some really cute ones.

There is only so much you can do to try to have him sit their like a good boy.

After pictures we went back to the car and waited.  They lost 37-0.

Hopefully we get better pictures soon.  I loved his outfit tonight though.  How cute is that jean jacket.  When he is wearing dark blue his eyes come out like crazy!!  And then you just want to eat the little punk up!

I had a photo shoot with this little girl a while back, and thought I should post a couple of the pictures of her.  Just look at those eyes how sweet are they!!

SO cute.

Her daddy likes baseball...a lot.

And Haley likes her nuk.

...hope you enjoyed your morning cup of coffee.  I hear you want the blogs updated more than some of us hardworking women can get things posted.  Well.  Here you go.  I hope you enjoy these lovely shots of you.  I wasn't ever going to post them of you because I thought that would maybe be mean since people thought the "sun" naturally caused your hair to turn a lovely lighter shade but when I read Kim's blog this a.m. I immediately knew what I would post for you.  Enjoy.

Zabe loves loves loves his tractor that he got from my dad when he was born.  He does the tractor noises like a champ.  It's funny watching him drive it and do the noises.  Occasionally he will stop what he's doing, play with something else then, go right back to the tractor.  He's got it mastered pretty well. He is ALL boy.

So many engine noises the drool was coming.

His knees must get sore so then he stops, sits, and pushes it with his two fingers.  His arm must get sore too. lol

Play with the muffler.

Zabe also gets calls when out working in the field.

My best friend Michelle is about to have a baby any second.  We finally hooked up today and got a few shots before she goes into labor.  She is so cute and so pregnant.  I love pregnant girls.  Nothing cuter to me than a girl who is 9 months pregnant.  Eric and Michelle do not know what they are having, she is due on Thursday.  I am so excited and can't wait to meet the new baby Neirson!!  Good Luck Michelle, hang in there you are soooo almost done!! Love ya. 

Zabe is 11 months today.  Wow.  I know I say this every month but time is sure flying by.   He is learning more and more each day which can be so fun and funny.  He likes to climb over everything.  If there is a pillow on the ground, he won't go around it he goes over it. 

His personality is coming out more and more everyday also.  I just can't decide who's traits he has more.  I think though that he has got my patience poor kid....not much at all. 

He still loves to go to Howie's food dish and dump out the water, which can extremely test my patience.  It's really the only thing that if he sees it he going straight after. 

When it is nice out, I open up the back door so that Zabe can go out and sit and play in the porch, watch Howie, etc.  Bud has some tomatoes sitting out their basting in the sun and Zabe was picking them up one by one and putting them in the garbage.  He has some good hand eye coordination.

Also yesterday we went outside to play and I gave him a stick and a flower to play with.  He wanted absolutely nothing to do with the flower.  NOTHING.  He would hardly hang on to it.  I kept saying, pretty flower.  He just wanted to play with the boring stick.  Boys.

HE ABSOLUTLEY HATES having his diaper change.  This also tests his moms patience.  I try to distract him by doing everything possible but sometimes "it just doesn't fall through!" LOL (inside joke ask Ann)  But seriously.  If you know of any tricks please let a girl know.

Otherwise all in all he is doing well.  He's been fussier than his normal self the last couple weeks which we are SOOO not used to but the last couple days that seams to be getting better.  Thank God.

Zabe hopped in the tractor with Grandpa the other day when we delivered "Meals on Wheels" to them in the field.  Here you have a step by step with the tractor during the chopping process.  He loves the tractors. So expressionless due to taking it all in.

I love how he is hanging on to the bar next to him.

Mom had J.J. and my goddaughter Jenna out at her house today, so Z and I went on a field trip to her house to see them.  I of course brought the camera to capture a few memories.  My goddaughter is getting so big already and is just so darn cute!!  So is J.J.

This summer, I have helped my mom quite a few times with Meals on Wheels to the men in the field.  Its so much fun being out there watching them work and taking my camera along.  There is something about taking your camera with you and taking a lot of pictures.  For some reason I seem to enjoy it better when I have my camera.   Not sure if this makes sense but Em you might understand.  Otherwise I am just getting old and taking the time to enjoy the beauty and hard work that goes into being a farmer and just the everyday simple things.  Who knows. Lol.  I am about to be 26! Grandpa eating with Zabe

Taking lunch over to the guys at the "80"

Casey and Tony discussing something.

Tony...how cute is he. :)  I know not the best picture, but he's still just so darn cute.

The tractors working hard.

Chris, not posing at all!!! This picture cracks me up!

A row of hay.  My father, I have no idea what he was doing. Shell? Ann? Mom?

Sonny, eating some lunch.

I don't want winter to come I love meals on wheels.  And I am pretty sure they all do to.

SUPRISE!!

Zabe got a haircut...into a Mohawk!! He is definitely the coolest kid on the block now!  I am assumming most of you knew that one day my son would have a mohawk.  I am just proud I made it til he was 11 months old.  He looks adorable!  He sat so well so it really went quick.  Hopefully daddy likes it, we talked about it the other day, but didn't tell him when he left this am that I was going to do it today.  He'll be surprised! Can't wait to see his reaction.

For your Wednesday looking enjoyment.  Zabe is doing well.  He had a LONG day at home with me yesterday doing hair.  We started at about 10 and went until 7:30.  Needless to say, he was ready to get out of the salon but he did well.  Bud worked late so he wasn't here to help.  It was fine, I felt like I had about 4 full time jobs yesterday.  He went to bed at about 7:50 and slept until 8:30 this a.m. so he must have been worn out also from the long day.  He is really finding his "scream" inside him.  Sometimes when he's angry and sometimes when he just wants to hear himself.  It's really nice!!!  Kidding, I can't stand it, and it seriously hurts the ears. 

Da cows, Shell and I went to the farm Saturday to check out the new manure pit they are building (more picts of that to come later) we stopped and captured the "girls" eating their dinner.

So serious.

She still has no baby.  She was due last Thursday, tomorrow she will be induced.  Poor girl.  Cannot wait to meet the little turkey.

Swinging at Grandma and Grandpa O'Reilly's he loves it...obviously.

J.J. and Zabe going down the slide.  This was right before J.J. sent Zabe down on his own.  Ahhhhh, I almost dropped the camera but with my cat like reflexes I caught them both.  J.J. and I then had a talk about Zabe not being able to go down the slide by himself yet.  "Oh!" he said!

Especially in the eyes of an 11 month old.  Zabe loves Howie. It makes me laugh because most of the time I can't stand the little pure bread.  Zabe chases after him to pet him or let Howie get really close to his face, It must tickle Zabe and he likes it. lol.

"oh, da puppy!"

Nice pet.  Nice pet.  Zabe sometimes likes to go find Howie and then pet his head really hard, then Howie will go run and hide.  Howie sometimes takes quite the beating.

This is how he puts his face in towards him and lets Howie's face brush up against his.  Oh ish I know.  I must admit though it is kinda cute.

Look, his eyes are closed.  He just loves it!

What a little dolly she is.  I was so happy to meet baby Sophia today.  Even at looking through the picts I get a little teared up.  At the hospital, Michelle's room was right next door to where I had Zabe and she's like, "I would have never imagined when I was here a year ago that I would be in the room right next door in less than a year!!  My how things change.   

As I was pulling into the hospital parking lot I started to tear up, the emotions that I was having because my best friend had just gone through the most amazing experience of her life.  And that's what she said when I talked to her this am, she said, it's amazing, and she is beautiful.  She really is Perfect.

Just chillin with her eyes open.  She did that for a while, while I was there.  Michelle said she had been awake a lot today.  That's great, hopefully she will sleep through the night then!

Mama and Sophie hanging on to hands.

Sweet baby girl.

Sophia's info.  I blurred out her name and hospital name....you never know!

She likes her thumb.

Mama and baby.

Baby's daddy......PROUD!!

Happy Family.

Very PROUD first time grandparents! Eric's parents.

Mama and I.