How could it be?

That my little boy could already be 9 months old?? Wasn't I JUST pregnant??? Oh well - try as I may I guess I have no control over such things.

On Friday he had an appt with his gastro specialist. His spitting up has gotten worse, and it's terrible now that he eats real food. She told me that GERD (reflux) can peak between 8 & 12 months. This seems to be the case. HELP!!! She increased his medicines as he's grown enough to get higher doses. So far - I haven't noticed any difference.

On Saturday morning he went in to his Pediatrician for his 9 month appt. My little man now weighs in at 19lbs 12oz and is 28 1/2 inches long. He didn't have to get any shots and after looking him over she said 'well you can't get much more perfect than that'.

Other than the spitting thing (which I've decided is now full fledged throwing up) he really is doing great. He's mastered crawling and knows when he hears me behind him to speed up. He pulls up to his knees ANYWHERE there's help and up to his feet if he feels comfortable (namely in his crib and some chairs). He loves to walk if you help him. He's also found his vocal chords. His sounds range from flat out screaming when Jarod takes a toy away (and immediate stopage when Jarod gives it back), to a very annoying squak he uses to tell you all about his day, to his ba ba ba's (usually when he's crying) and ma ma ma's. All in all - he's a very busy boy! Oh and I forgot - last week his two top teeth broke through. He's now got 4 teeth and 4 more that'll be coming in any day now.

Which brings us to his big brother. Jarod is just fun (most of the time). He loves going to Donna's house (his babysitter) on Monday's and Friday's. I don't know what she does to him but he always takes an early afternoon nap. As I type he is sitting on the couch eating an ice cream cone - and getting it ALL over. He thinks he's big stuff. He loves going to the pool and to the gym especially when his friends Keegen and Emma go. He thinks they are the best! He also just talks and talks. One night while I was in Mexico it was thundering outside and Sarah's boyfriend DJ told him that the sound was 'tractors in the sky'. Well no when he hears thunder he says 'oh mommy what's that? Is it tractors in the sky?' Today I asked him if he really thought there were tractors in the sky and he basically told me yes because DJ had told him so.

The big moves still loom. But seems like time passes and nothing much gets done. Especially not at my house. I haven't even started thinking about it really. I've convinced myself I don't have all that much stuff to move so it'll be a piece of cake. I'm sure I'll regret thinking that but for now I choose to believe that's the case.

The 4th of July

I might have said I was just going to rest on the 4th after being gone for a solid week. But both boys were up at 730 - and by 8 I decided we were going to the zoo. Called my mom, told her we were getting dressed and going - did she want to come. So off we head to the zoo (forgetting a pair of shoes for Jarod b/c the kid would rather go barefoot).

We had a GREAT time. Normally we go to the zoo and if we spend $5 that's a LOT... I don't know if we were all in the holiday spirit or what but I swear we probably spent over $100 between me, my mom and Rebecca. I bought Zachary a hat (see photo's) and I got myself a hat (which I had wanted to get in Mexico but never found one I liked - who knew all I had to do was go to the Rio Grande Zoo?) (for a peak at the hat see Jarod feeding the Giraffe). Then there was all of the feeding of the animals to pay for, the camel ride, the train ride, ice cream - the list probably is bigger.

It was already hot by the time we got there and a lot of the animals were in the water. Jarod's favorite Rhinocerus were all the way in the back of their exhibit in the shade... no matter how much he called for them they weren't going to come.

We had a great bbq at my parents house. Just the family and we had sooooo much food!! Later we lit off fireworks that Jarod started calling 'fireplace'. Then we walked down the block to watch the city fireworks display. Jarod liked it for about 10 minutes, then he was pretty much done: no more fireplace.. lets go for a walk to trama's (grandmas) house. Might have been he was so exhausted he could hardly stand up! Overall - a great day was had by all.

In other news: my parents finally set the date for their big move. Looks like moving will commence starting August 1st. They are supposed to hire a moving company - so that'll take a lot of stress out of the process but LOTS has to be done before that. We will probably start moving our stuff to the new house the weekend after.

The People on Holiday

Jarod's Camel Ride

Feeding the Giraffe

The Zoo animals on Holiday!

Playing at the Pool in T or C

Zachary Playing Around

4th of July

Well - I wanted to take off to the lake today. My brilliant plan was we could stay at my parents new house... hit the lake, go out on the water, maybe (I have a couple of friends with boats). Well my dad found out that the little 12,000 people town swells to over 100,000 friendly folk over holiday weekends. He wanted NOTHING to do with it (and the house isn't even sort of ready for a sleep-over).

So - we went yesterday! My dad wanted to show my mom and sister the remodeling going on at the house and to get any requests before the contractor's plans were to far gone to be changed. Jake was off yesterday and today so I made him go with me (yeah that was fun). The boys did great on the ride (it's a bit over 2 hours). We also hit the motel pool yesterday evening. The water was FREEZING. I told everyone it was colder than the ocean was in Mexico. Jake had fun swimming with the boys. It's the first time he's been with us at a pool. (I have pictures of that - I'll post them later).

This morning we spent over an hour at McDonald's letting Jarod play on the huge slide. We've sooo got to get one for our new backyard.

The house actually is looking pretty good. The remodel is making it livable for my mom. Wider doorways, ramps, bathroom modifications, new flooring, carpeting, painting, fixtures, etc. I was worried that it'd be way to hard for my mom to get around. Although it won't be her brand new custom home - I think they are doing a really great job of making it pretty accessible. She'll need lots of Becca's help for kitchen things - but I'm a lot less worried after seeing the progress and the plans.

I'm telling her that I think she needs to do a little 'splurging' and get window treatments she loves, some pictures to put up on the wall... maybe a rug or two, some new lamps, entertainment center... really decorate it nice... should help it feel better.

Tomorrow Jake has to work (at least he gets holiday pay). The boys and I will probably just stay home and do nothing. I'm sort of out of tired out. Church has a big party in the evening, the only reason I'm thinking we may go is for the free food & it's at the park and Jarod LOVES the park!!!

One of Zachary's new tricks

While I was gone, Zachary decided to sit himself up and evidently pulling up is in the beginning stages. This was just to cute!

And... she's BAAACK!!!

Well I must say - 4 1/2 days is a long time to be away from my kiddos. But I'm home and hopefully I gained a few more doses of patience. Alright.. so I must tell all about my trip!!!

There were 7 of us, representing 19 children's moms. Of course we couldn't go all that time and not come up with nicknames.. I think we were sworn to secrecy to not tell who's was what.. but I went with Joy, Jamie, Tracy, Karen, Mieke, Sarah and me... I came home with Stubs, Boss, Juanita, Short Stuff, Jelly Belly, Webz and Nelly (unofficial I think).

We left Thursday and drove to Tuscon. We stayed with Mieke's inlaws (note to self: if you want to get somewhere... print your own map... Mieke is VERY helpful with 'oh shoot.. turn around that was it').

Friday we headed off to Rocky Point (Puerto Penasco). It took me about 2 minutes to toss my bags in a room, change and be ready for the beach. Funny enough.. everyone walked out on the beach, turned around and sat by the pool. Everyone that is but Jamie and I. I just drove 11 hours - no sitting by the pool for me!!! The only drawback to the beach is that there are TONS of Mexican's selling things... jewelry, hats, sunglasses, cover-ups, masks, porch decorations, etc. So you don't really have any peace b/c you are always saying 'no thank you'. Unless you are with Jamie, who looks at about everything and then you end up having to say no about 8 times before they finally leave after you've 'looked'. At around 9pm we decide that it'd be a good idea to go eat.. so we head to Hacienda de la something... directions: 'Ok go to main road.. there'll be a huge sign that says something something, can't miss it. We'll turn there then the restraunt will be down the street'... I think it was about 45 minutes after that we FINALLY found it. Sure enough the sign was unmissable... to bad we turned BEFORE it. However, the food was GREAT!!!!!!

That night as we were debating on sleeping arrangments Sarah and I decided that the couch bed would stink. So we found these long, thick foam pads, perfect little cot mattresses... we took them out on the balcony and all 3 nights we slept on our little pads on the balcony. Funny enough only one fly ever bothered me, although Saturday night I found a HUGE cocroach (before I went to bed) - which Tracy was kind enough to 'shew' off the side of the balcony.

Now Saturday was a great day!!! The girls wanted to go to town shopping... Can you hear the conversation in my head? beach.... shopping.... beach.... shopping..... hmmm Back to the beach I go with Jamie... 'have fun shopping girls! Find me a hat!!' When they got back they'd run into the friend of the family who owns the condo we stayed at. He and his wife are in the final stages of construction on their new condo... 15th floor, 5 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms (maybe 6) HUGE kitchen... and a balcony that would make anyone completely gah-gah. He had invited the girls over to the new condo. So off we went. We layed out at the pool and then he found us and took us up to see his new place. While at the pool Jamie and I decided that we'd really love to go parasailing - if the price was right. After looking at the new condo, the girls all went down to the beach to take a banana boat ride. Hmmm.. I was on the WRONG side. I got tossed 4 times.. the other side - once. It was fun.. but I lost my sunglasses (on my last toss). Then we went to find out about parasailing. After talking him down a few dollars, and scrounging around borrowing $$$ (since none of us brought down much) up Jamie and I went. Oh man - it was GREAT!!!! So peaceful.. it was super smooth and relaxing. I don't know what I thought it'd be like - but what it WAS like I loved!!! For dinner the girls went to a restraunt where the fixed up whole chickens right in front of you.. Hmmm.. lets see... who do you know who doesn't do bones??? I opted to stay behind and hold down the fort.. that turned into a nice little nap. That night we went down the beach for the sunset. All the girls went swimming in the ocean - all but me. I was FREEZING so the water wasn't appealing. Turns out - thank GOODNESS for cold!! I was just about to give in and go in when there's these screams coming from the water. I look over and the girls are all running out of the water. Turns out it was a great night for the jellyfish.. 3 of the girls got stung. Sorry girls!

Sunday everyone went off to church... I might have just stayed back and slept in. When I got up I went back down to the beach. I was down there about 3 hours (they'd gone shopping after church). Then we headed back over to the other condo to go to the pool. It was just a nice chill day. When we got back some of the girls decided to make dinner... but Sarah, Mieke and I went out on the quads. Lets just say I'm a WUSS!!! Sarah was INSANE... Mieke just drove fast.. and I was slow. I got stuck on a hill - couldn't get it in reverse.. Sarah had to come up and rescue me.

I'm sure the girls thought I was anti-social... I had just drove 650 miles- I was going to be at the beach as much as possible! They'd look around - and I'd be gone. Love you girls - but I'm a beach bum!!!!

Although I had an absolute FANTABULOUS time I was very ready to come back home to my family. Zachary was very excited and all but wiggled out of his swing to get to me. Jarod said 'oh there's mommy' then waited a couple of minutes before running to me and making me pick him up for hugs and kisses. Jake might have felt left out b/c I hugged and loved on the boys before going and giving him his loves. (Sorry hunny).

I really would like to try to go back soon. The drive wasn't horrible - and the beach was WONDERFUL!!!

Rocky Point Sunset

The Girls in Mexico