Happy New Year!!!!!

Happy 2011!!! This has to be the most eventful year of our lives! We found out on New Years Eve last year that we were pregnant and we became parents to Michal Anthony this August! We have learned so much about ourselves and what it means to be good parents and to work as a team. I have learned what people mean when they say they would do anything for their child and how unconditional your love is for them. It is absolutely amazing to be Michael's mommy and to be able to raise him with Anthony. I'm sad in a way to see 2010 go because it was such a perfect year, but I know that 2011 will be just as wonderful as we will watch our little boy grow!

I don't know what my resolution is, but when I figure it out I'll write it down........

Bed time.....

Since we brought Michael home from the hospital (and even in the hospital!) he has primarily slept in our bed. I love to have him all snuggled up with us, and I know he loves it too. I especially love when he wakes up in the morning and he is giggling with happiness! We don't want him to be sleeping with us forever so we're trying to make him a little more of an independent sleeper. Well, sort of!

We used to spend an hour or so rocking him, or walking around with him until he fell asleep before we put him in bed. Our bed that is. Well it wasn't working out so well because what was happening was he would wake up as soon as we would put him down. Then we would have to hold him until we went to bed and sleep with him.

Anthony and I have started a bedtime routine where I give him a bath around 6:30, then a massage, then dressed, then a story, and then a feeding. Once we do the bedtime routine, he goes in his crib sleepy and goes to sleep with Anthony or I holding his hand or patting his back. The first few days we would have to go right back to his room to pick him up and sooth him back to sleep. Tonight he only needed us to go in his room twice to put his Binky back in! What a big boy! It's very nice to get 5-6 hours of sleep without my little man next to me. I do LOVE to cuddle with him, but when sleeping next to him you aren't completely in a deep sleep. At least I'm not. I'm making sure he's ok throughout the night. The best part about it is that he doesn't cry himself to sleep. We're there as soon as he needs us to help him go back to sleep. I CANNOT let my little boy cry his eyes out! It breaks my heart.

When he wakes up around midnight he does make his way back to bed. :) I think that for now, that's perfectly fine with us!

More shots :(

Michael had another set of shots and I was very worried he would have a bad reaction to them again. I was prepared for a night of crying and swollen little baby legs. :( He was such a brave little boy and took the shots without crying at all. I gave him baby ibuprofen this time hoping to stop the soreness before it started. It was like a miracle! He didn't cry or complain at all. He felt so good, he was babbling away and acting silly!

Dog Run

We just finished with the concrete work on the side of the house. Next Anthony has the task of installing a gate. When it's all done the dogs will have a great big place of their own to trash! As of right now, they have complete control over the back yard. It's impossible to even walk out there without rolling an ankle in one of the giant holes they dug much less do any yard work. Trust me, we have tried and within hours they have done their very best to ruin our hard work. I like to think they feel like they are helping us. :) Hopefully this spring, with the pups out of the way, we'll be able to have a nice backyard!

Cutie Patootie!

Daddy and his Boy

Elf

Michael's Papa John sent him an elf outfit to wear this Christmas. I have to say, he's the cutest little elf I've ever seen!