Christmas

This year Christmas was so much fun for our little family. We had so much fun together just enjoying Weston and each other and I truly am so thankful for the love that was in our home during this season. To start of our little Christmas fun we went to our family Christmas party on Christmas Eve and had so much fun with family. We ate really yummy Cafe Rio style burritos which I LOVED and Weston enjoyed walking around begging for desert and cookies from anyone who would give him some (there is a reason I gave him a toothbrush in his stocking this year). After the party we went and looked at lights listening to Christmas music and Weston loved it. They were so pretty and I can't wait for the day when I can have a place to call home to decorate for the Christmas season. We then came home and opened our Christmas pajamas up and watched Frosty the Snowman while Weston refused to go to bed because he was having too much fun. I figured it was Christmas Eve so he giggled and squealed till 10:30 that night.

Come 7 am we all went into the living room and had fun opening our gifts. Too bad Weston wanted nothing to do with his gifts. He seriously just sat there and looked at them as I opened them for him,lol. I think the staying up till 10:30 made him a little confused at why he was up opening up presents instead of sleeping in his warm comfy crib. He was spoiled though and he now is obsessed with all his new toys and books! I was spoiled with books, candles, socks, a beautiful willow tree figurine, scrap booking items, lotions, and a spice rack. I got Ryan his ultra comfy desk chair and some shirts while Weston got me the Polar Express book and Ryan a movie to watch with him. Ryan and I then gave each other our traditional Christmas letters to each other which was by far my favorite gift. Once we finished opening our gifts we went to Ryan's parents house and had French toast for breakfast. It was so much fun! The rest of the day we just enjoyed family and our new toys!

So the past couple of nights before Christmas Weston was so NOT on Santa's nice list because he kept mom and dad up all night long just not wanting to sleep. We later realized he got 4 teeth within a week and then we felt bad for saying he was on the "naughty list". Overall, this smile is the real reason Weston was on Santa's nice list this year. Once he starts to smile it is an automatic decision.
Weston only wanted to play with Ryan's stocking stuffers which was candy, candy and more candy!

Playing with his new keys and remote control.


Christmas Eve night with our Christmas pajamas!

Here is a video of one of Weston's favorite things to do. Oh so fun!

Walking

This has been the look on Weston's face for the past week. His top two teeth are coming through and he spends his day climbing up my legs begging me to hold him. Of course I do it cause I can't resist a moment that he allows me to snuggle with him!
When he is not begging for me to hold him he is walking! Last night he refused to crawl and ever since then it has been walking all over the place. As Ryan stated last night "our lives are never going to be the same" with a grin on his face. I second that one!

I can't get over how much he has grown. My mom didn't lie when he said tha time will fly with him. I just wish he would be my little baby forever....oh well, I guess that is why baby number two will someday have to come and entertain our crazy family! As for now, this one is keeping us more than entertained and busy... ask me how we are going to do multiple children and I just shake my head and laugh. seriously?! there is a reason I have nicknamed my child "hurricane weston";).

Weston's First Birthday

So today is the day that I have been so excited about for so long. It is Weston's first birthday and it is very bitter sweet because my baby has suddenly become a toddler who is no longer considered my tiny baby boy. However, I was looking forward to this day until last night when my birthday boy woke up with a temperature of a 103.6 and wanted nothing to do but scream. We had taken him to the doctor earlier in the day who informed us that it was only viral and it just had to take it's course and there was nothing we could do....great. So the doctor asked me if I was giving him any medicine to help reduce his fever which I was. However, I learned last night that my "baby" weighs a whopping 23 pounds and needs a high dose than what I was giving him. Yes, I know Weston is a good eater...but 23 pounds! Jeesh, I hope he slows down once he masters this walking business. So last night I gave him his high dose, which was not working so at 2 in the morning I decided to give him a luke warm bath to help his fever go down. Well, Weston wanted nothing to do with it and I am surprised he didn't wake up the entire apartment complex with his high pitched screaming. Last night I think we all got a max of 3 hours of sleep between rocking, baths, and just trying to get our little boy comfortable. His fever is now at 101 which still stinks but is a lot better than what it was. I feel so bad and to be honest he has been miserable all day long. Thank goodness he doesn't understand its his birthday cause I would feel that much worse. So his birthday will consist of lots of cuddling, Baby Einstein, reading books, and just hanging with mom on the couch.:(

The good news is we celebrated his birthday last Thursday with family so my mom could be at his party before she leaves. We had such a fun time, and Weston was clueless what was going on but he still had fun and I am SO THANKFUL that we got to experience a birthday party. Here are some pictures of the party.

Right before his party he decided to take 10 steps to grammy and me! I was so proud of him!

I made a caterpillar cupcake cake that was so fun and everyone loved. I decided to have fun and tie dyed the cupcakes which were a lot of fun.

Everyone started to sing Happy Birthday to Weston and he had no idea why everyone was looking at him, let along singing to him. However, he loves attention and had fun being the center of it.

Weston is going through a stage right now where he is terrified of certain toys and sounds. Gramma Poffenberger has a Santa Clause that laughs and Weston is just scared to death of. As he was eating his cake she turned it on, and this is the reaction he gave when he heard the toy.

Once the toy was turned off he continued stuffing his face with his yummy cake.


He had so many presents and didn't have a clue what to do with them. He wanted nothing to do with unwrapping them so his cousins helped him and had just as much fun as he did.

He loves the Lego's and wheelbarrow that my mom gave him. Let's just say this kid has so many toys and Christmas is right around the corner. Half the time he just wants to play with items that aren't even toys so sometimes I wonder why we even try entertaining him with toys,lol. I think it is time to start rotating toys and putting some away;) Overall, it was a fun night and thanks everyone who made it special!!!

1 year old and wiser too.....

So I am officially a quarter of a century old. When I say it that way I feel a lot older than 25, but then I think about it and I really am not as old as I think. Saying goodbye to 24 was kinda sad because this year has by far been the best year of my life. Becoming a mom brought so much purpose to who I am as a person, and this has been a year of a lot of learning and discovery. I have never worried, doubted myself, cried, been more sleep deprived, and more frustrated than in my 24th year. However, I have never felt more joy, peace, and satisfaction than in my 24th year. I have laughed harder and smiled more than ever this year and felt a quiet confidence that I never knew I had until this year. I learned what it means to trust myself as a mother and to love my child unconditionally and expect nothing in return other than a happy baby. I have learned the power of forgiveness and patience in a marriage. We have grown so much as a couple this year and it has been rough at times with the adjustment of a newborn, but it has also brought us so much more closer together. I have gained a new more powerful love for Ryan this year as I see him love our son and it has blown all my expectations out of the water of what I imagined it would be:). As you can tell, this year has been a roller coaster ride in many sorts but I can say without a doubt in my mind that I wouldn't trade a second of it for the world! I became a mom this year and that is by far the best gift I could ever have been given.

I remember last year for my birthday I was told by my doctor that I could go off my medicine to stop my contractions and go off of bed rest. I had made it to 36 weeks so Weston was no longer in danger of being in the NICU so I was free to get up and move around. Of course I was still nervous of him coming at 36 weeks, so me being the worry wart that I was, I still kept it easy and tried not to do anything strenuous. However, that only worked 3 days until he came but I still say that he was my best late birthday present ever. That was then....this year was a little different:)!

2 days before my birthday, my mom bought me my favorite food ever, lobster, and Ryan and I enjoyed every single bite of it. No, I wasn't in Maine eating it like I always did but it was so worth it in every other way. I then had some cheesecake which was heavenly as always! So that was my official birthday dinner even though it wasn't on my actual birthday.

My actual birthday Ryan took my out to Azteca for some wonderful Mexican food that I really enjoyed. We then went shopping around the mall and just enjoyed a quiet evening to ourselves. Weston and Ryan then surprised me with .......

DAY AT THE SPA!!!!

I am so excited for this because I love to pamper myself and this past year I haven't gotten to because I am so focused on Weston and helping Ryan through school. The day consists of a massage and facial so I am so excited to just sit back and go to some tropical beach in my mind and relax for a nice afternoon. So yes, this is a much need present that I am so thankful for!

Weston having fun with the lobster that he was at first very hesitant to get near.


Oh how I LOVE lobster!

Overall, it was a wonderful day and I am so thankful for everyone in my life who made my day special.

Christmas Time

The day after Thanksgiving this year I went fully into Christmas mode and have not stopped since. The Christmas music is playing at full blast all the time in our apartment, goodies have already been cooking in the kitchen, I hung up all the decorations, started lighting my yummy scented Christmas candles, already finished my shopping, and I just am happy for this Christmas season. Last year, Ryan and I hardly celebrated because Weston was just born and we were so caught up in taking care of a newborn that the other great parts of the season kinda flew by us. Yes, it sounds horrible but we are totally making up for it this year.

This year we got a fake tree at Target for $20 (this is all we could manage for afford) and it is perfect for our little apartment. And yes that is a santa hat on top of the tree. I cannot justify buying a tree topper that is the same amount as the tree. The joys of living frugally because we are poor college students:).
Weston having fun with Aunt Lindsay!

We took my mom and sister to Coeur d'Alene to see the lights and they were so pretty. It was FREEZING and Weston wasn't as crazy about the lights as we were and just wanted to get inside to dethaw his poor cheeks. He get's the hatred of cold weather from his mom;).

The family!

Some of the pretty lights of the boardwalk.