Practice Makes Perfect

Even though it seems that Thanksgiving is a time most people eat too much and begin to think "CHRISTMAS", this year I want to focus on what I'm grateful for. Ty, Todd, my family, my friends, my life, my job...well, that I still have a job in this crazy economy, and the list goes on. Sure, my life has been good. Actually great. But Ty makes it more meaningful. More...well, he just makes everything make sense now. Life is so precious, so short, and until I had Ty I forgot to cherish the moment. Now, my "moments" mean more.
Last year at this time I was pregnant. Todd and I were in Vegas for our first anniversary and we were watching the Cards!!! Anyhow, I'll share the "How I told Todd" story. Warning...this may be too much information but if you've had a baby you know what I'm talking about.
Okay, so in Vegas I was realllly tired. I thought it was jet lag. I had sprained my ankle really bad playing basketball (the last time I will play until I'm playing with Ty) about 3 weeks before. It was still swollen and black and blue and not pretty. Well, when we got off the plane in Vegas my foot resembled a puffer fish. My feet aren't the cute, sandal made feet anyway but this was terrible. This should have been clue #1. Swelling.
Another night we saw the Beatles Love show. Great show by the way. I mean the 20 mintues I actually saw. The show began at like 10 or 11 pm (2 hours later Owenboro time) and I was like a narco. For those of you who know my night time habits (pre-Ty but still occasionally after Ty), I am an early bird. If I sit still, I will fall asleep pretty much anywhere. I like to go to bed early and I like to get up early. No offense to anyone around me, it's just the way my clock works and you can say that I'm like my Dad in that area. Okay, so the show is going on and I am OUT. Embarrasing really, but I honestly could not help it. Clue #2 I was with-child. Can't get enough SLEEP!
Well, Vegas was a great trip and the week after was full-speed ahead. Each night Todd and I had meetings, dinners, practice, etc. So, we're going on Tuesday and I had went to the gym after work (again...clue #2...too sleepy to get up in the AM). I was in a rush to be somewhere, so I ran up stairs to hop in the shower. For some reason I decided to take a pregnancy test. I really don't know why. I don't know if I had a feeling something was living in me or what, but it was only the second one I took. I was in such a rush I just took it (you all know how you do that) and then sat it on the sink. No sooner than I turned the shower on and moved the shower mat off the tub ledge I happend to glance over to the sink and saw 2 lines. I grabbed the box that I had already thrown away and made sure I saw what I thought I saw. Those two lines did mean prego. I'm not sure how long it took me to digest that, but I instantly opened another test to take. Of course, I had just used the restroom so I couldn't go. I jumped in the shower and started drinking shower water. Gross I know, but get over it. I had to make some urine!!!
After I got out of the shower I trickled enough for the other test. This time an immediate + appeared. I couldn't believe it! I had to be at a meeting so I rushed out the door after getting ready and I was in a total zone the entire night. I came home and Todd was still at his meeting. I know I must have called and texted him 20 times asking him when he was coming home. Finally, he pulled into the driveway. I was pacing around the kitchen when he walked in I opened the pantry door pretending to look for some food. Actually I just wanted to hide my face because I knew it would give it away that something was up. He came over to me making fun of the fact that I blew his phone up and I just cut him off mid-sentence and said "I'm pregnant". He kind of had a deer in headlights look and then said "shut up". "No way!" "We're going to have a baby? When are you due? How do you know?"
Well, off we went to the computer for a calculator. It intially said Aug. 12th (my Mom's due date with me). The Dr. moved it up to Aug. 6th, and then Ty was actually born July 9th. So due date, shmoo date...it's all a guess I think. If you really want to get technical, Clue #3 is the whole mother nature thing but we don't need to get into that. Let's just say Todd and I were fertile myrtles and didn't know it would happen so quickly.
Okay, so there you have it. One Thanksgiving were "practicing" as Todd called it at the time, and the next we're enjoying a little 4 and a half month old. So, Ty Baby is who I'm thankful for this year. Mommy's Little Turkey. Practice did make perfect if I do say so myself!

Up To Date With Ty Baby!

Ty, Ty the Baseball Guy. That’s what Dad calls him. My Dad always comes up with rhymes about names. One of mine was “Audie Pooh Bear…she goes everywhere”. He also made “Eddie McMuffin’s” when we were little. Come to think of it…he hasn’t done that in a while and I may request one soon.
Anyhow, is this picture awesome or what? My Dad was blessed (haha) with two wonderful girls. We are known as Amy and Audrey. Okay, I’m joking. He did have two girls that lucky for him loved sports. And, the Cards. And, pink. Now that Amy and I both have boys, Dad is in what you call “Hog Heaven”. All he talks about is taking them to all the baseball parks. He collects autographs for them on baseballs and is totally eaten up with it. Ty’s got quite the collection between his Daddy and his Papaw. Lucky boy!
Let’s see…back to the title of the page again. Ty has many adventures to mention. A few of them that I haven’t forgotten are:

~a few more trips to Louisville
~ a trip to the outlets in Edinburgh (which he did extremely well!!!)
~ a trip to Huber’s Orchard for family pic’s,
~Halloween as the Donald (Donald Duck I mean…another post on that when I can get the pic’s on here because he was too cute!)
~many trips to his sitter’s house (Stacey is the sitter, however her three girls spoil him to pieces!). LaLa, who is 6, treats Ty as her baby. She drew him a picture that says I love you. Yes, you guessed it. I cried! How sweet is that!
~many trips and visits from Diane and Garry, Todd’s Mom and Dad/AKA Nana and Pop. Diane keeps Ty one day a week and she spoils him to pieces even more and has really come to the rescue to help with our crazy schedule.
~he’s a champ when we go out for dinner. Mexican waiters seem to love him!
~He stayed in the nursery at church. He’s in the Guppie class. It’s the most high tech church nursery I’ve seen, but then again I haven’t been to one in 20 years. We have picture swipe cards and you check him in and out on a touch screen. They gave us a pager that thank GOD didn’t go off. Mom and Dad went with us to church with us on this day.

And, the most recent big adventure for Ty was the 4 month Dr. appointment. Ty’s pediatrition is Dr. Ray. Todd actually went to high school with her so we feel like we’re talking to a friend when we’re there. Anyhow, Ty’s a whopping 17 pounds. He’s also 25 inches. Our little man who wore Newborn clothing for almost 2 months is a BIG BOY! He’s got chubby cheeksters, a cute fat roll (actually 2) on his thigh, and a laugh that will make your heart melt. And his smile…breathtaking. It’s almost got an Elvis twist to it. Yes, I’m biased. But my little flirt knows his way to his Mama’s heart!

Family

Family.

One simple word that means so much. This is the three of us. We're happy. We're madly in love. And, for the first time Todd and I have a FAMILY that is ours. It's not his and it's not mine. It's ours.

What I love about...

...being a Mommy.
What do I not love? Ty's smiles. His laughs. The way he watches me across the room. They way I watch him from across the room. The way he spits his rice cereal out in my face. Holding him before placing him in his crib each night as he cuddles up on my chest. The way it's brought Todd and I closer. Shopping for him :)
The list goes on of course, but these are few of my favorite things at the moment. Yes, I still gag changing him sometimes. Spit up and pee get on my nearly everyday, but I don't care. His innocence is so precious. And, it's not going to last long!
Many people told me before I had him that time goes by even faster when you have a child. They're certainly correct and it makes me so sad. I've filled up 2 large bins of clothes for Ty that he can't fit in anymore. Yes, I cried. I also cried when he went from Newborn diapers to 1's. And, I cried again from 1-2's. I cried when we started cereal. I haven't cried yet over him sitting up, but will soon because he's nearly there. Oh, and I cried when I felt his first tooth on the way in. These "happy tears" flow so often now Todd doesn't even notice. He laughs at me.
Anyhow, being a Mommy has been the absolute greatest gift. If I would have known that it was this much fun I so would have done this a long time ago!!!
Also, my best friend Taryn (trooper Mom of Irish twins Ethan and Aiden 11 months apart) is heading to Dallas with her family this week. Aiden is having a very tedious surgery. Please keep them all in your prayers. Ty loves Aiden (we do too) and can't wait to see him after surgery. If y ou want to know more check out www.theskeesfamily.com