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This week started off ROUGH! Last week, Conor started running a fever on Wednesday, right before his 15 month check up. So he got out of his shots for the second time in a row, I really think he is beginning to plan it. Well it was all down hill from there. Last weekend he really started getting super cranky, wanting to be held all the time and sometimes not even that. We watched movies and cuddled and whined all day Saturday. Sunday we went out to the Brandon mall for some new shoes. It was overall a better day, minus the melt down in Ruby Tuesday.

Then came Monday... Conor stayed home with Ren, who was also sick :( It wasn't so bad until I got home. I don't know what it is about "mommy", but Conor just let it all go on me. If I was around, he was miserable! But I didn't have much of a choice, since Ren was half in the bag himself. Anyway, he has been slowly improving over the week. No more fever, but replaced with a super runny, stuffy, snoggy nose, poor baby. It has been trying, since I had really gotten use to the new, happy Conor he has been since he started walking around on his own. I have been spoiled with nothing but good times for the past three months, so this last week was a serious adjustment. What if he is reverting back to old ways? What if he doesn't go back to happy Conor? How selfish of me, right? Of course I love him and eat him up anyway.

He was NOT very good for miss T.T. today, but he was actually in a fabulous mood for us tonight, so I will take that and be happy mommy.

On a lighter note, here are some recent shots that are just mushable:

Conor playing at Bubbe & Zayde's the weekend we were in GA for our anniversary

New definition of BAREback riding

My hubby with the green thumb. Thank goodness for him or I don't know what our yard would look like! He bought blueberry and blackberry bushes last weekend at the annual Spring Obsession festival and started our very own garden. More to come with a raise box garden including (but not limited to) cucumbers, tomatoes, lettuce, peppers and more... stay tuned!

St. Patty & Playground Fun

First of all, Happy St. Patrick's Day. I have to say I am a little more than disappointed that Bennigans is no longer in business because I could definitely have gone for a Turkey O'Toole, green beer and some Irish atmosphere tonight! Oh well. Poor little turkey has a fever and hopefully he is not coming down with what his buddy Lane has had, a nasty stomach virus. It figures, because his 15 month check up is on Friday and he always seems to be sick for his check ups.

Here he is in his Irish day gear. New nickname from daddy for St. Pattys Day: Lepraconor. Love it.

And we have been having LOTS of fun on the new playhouse. We play out there every night. In and out of the house. Up the stairs and down the slide. He even put his juice cup on the little picnic table in the house. And he tries to sit in the little seats. It is so cute to watch him back up to it and wriggle his little butt into the seat. He makes me laugh!

One more picture before I go watch tv... His hair was sticking up all over the place when he woke up this morning that I had to just spike it up. He loves it :)

The First Year

I have been wanting to do this for a while. I love progression. Here is a compilation of my favorite pictures of Conor from birth to one year. One (or a few in some cases) for each month of his precious life.

Watch how much he changes.

Welcome to the world Conor Caiden.
born 12.17.08 | 9:57a.m.
After being induced and in labor most of the night, you, my son, were NOT tolerating the labor. In true Conor fashion, you wanted out and you wanted out NOW. So I was wheeled into the OR and delivered by c-section. More on this story later.

Take note that I only saw him through pictures for the first 5 hours after he was born, so I was totally freaked out by that bone thing sticking out of his chest... no worries though, it went away.

Also notice the crocodile tear... they say babies can't have real tears right away, but this picture begs to differ.

Fresh baby smell. One of my (and Ren's) all time favorite pics of our little man. I wish I could relive that day and take it all in. Savor it, without being the wreck that "new mom after full night of labor, c-section plus drugs" was for me.

Month One

Month Two

Month Three   tummy time. not Conor's favorite activity

Month Four   still not sure what color those eyes will be...

Month Five   just after his first taste of "real" food (rice cereal)

Month Six   you know I can't pick just one when Cari Vaughn photos are involved...

Month Seven   the squishy face emerges

Month Eight   big happy boy, new floors, crawling, still no teeth!

Month Nine   still loves the dishwasher... might need to enlist his help soon

Month Ten   another biggie. mega-vacation & first Halloween

you know the saying "a picture is worth a thousand words"? Point taken Con-man.

Month Eleven

Month Twelve ONE YEAR OLD | You are no longer a baby, you are a toddler now, but you will be my baby always and forever.

Thank you to everyone who has been a part of Conor's first year. You are all so special to us. We are so grateful for our friends and family!

6 Years

March 6, we celebrated our SIX year wedding anniversary. In some ways it doesn't seem like it has already been that long, and in others our wedding seems a lifetime ago! We have been through so much together:

Buying our first house, selling our first house, moving away from family and friends to try out a new home in Raleigh NC, only to realize that home really is where family and friends are. Building ANOTHER new home back in FL while we lived in one bedroom, with our dog and cat, at Ren's dad's house.

Vacations to Rhode Island, California, North Carolina along with several cruises (including our honeymoon cruise) to places like the Bahamas, Grand Cayman, Cozumel, Belize and more.

Changing jobs, changing careers, changing goals, changing opinions.

Fights, ups, downs, laughter and most of all LOVE.

These past six years have been tough and they have been wonderful. Of course, the most amazing thing we have accomplished over these past six years is our love and light, Conor Caiden. I am a true believer that everything happens for a reason. I am happier now in my life than I ever have been before. It is not because of the things we have or money. It is because my life is complete and full. I have always wanted a family and I have the best one I could have asked for. I love to watch what a wonderful father Ren is becoming. How he learns and loves our boy more every day. I am excited that we are maturing together and have so much in common still, but are at the same time different and learning from one another. Happy anniversary my love.

This year we decided to actually do something to celebrate. So Conor stayed with his Bubbe for TWO whole nights while we drove up and stayed in beautiful Buckhead, GA. It is a part of Atlanta, and I would have to say, it is the best part. We got off at the wrong exit and took a scenic drive through a neighborhood of mansions nestled in the hillside, picturing how beautiful it must be with a thick blanket of winter snow.

Then we arrived at our lovely hotel and I couldn't help but to snap a few pictures of our posh room before we unpacked...

Then we were off to the Lenox Square Mall for some shopping. Let me tell you, I have never before seen a Masarati being valet parked at a mall before (or anywhere for that matter), but that seems to be the norm in Buckhead.

After shopping, we went back to the hotel to get ready for dinner at a local Atlanta restaurant, Hal's. They told us that they had the BEST steak in Atlanta, and they weren't lyin'. I got the Chilean Sea Bass, and Ren got the steak. It always ends up that I like what he gets more than what I get... I guess I should really learn my lesson and just say "I'll take whatever he's having". Mine was good, but his filet was INCREDIBLE. Hands down, best steak ever.

Yummy pomegranite martini, my newest fav...

Beautiful presentation, naturally...

After dinner, we got back to the hotel (compliments of the hotel driver in our Cadillac Escalade... we were playing the part of rich people for the night)... changed into comfy clothes and went for a walk. We found a World Market and perused through there, then stopped into the Kroger next door and got a bottle of bubbly to celebrate. It was so fun to be out and about at night (with a slight buzz) and no responsibility, just for that moment... remember that feeling? I almost forgot it!

Overall, a wonderful and memorable anniversary. Here's to many more...

Outside

It is true, my baby boy has loved being outside pretty much since the day he was born. His Bubbe discovered the trick, when he was no more than 2 months old that if he was crying and nothing else seemed to help, all you had to do was step outside and he would immediately calm down.

He is still an outdoor boy today. He loves to go "outda" as he says. So we thought it was only right to get an outside playset for him. He had some birthday gift cards to Toys R Us and a bit of birthday cash left over. So we found a wonderful playset (on sale!) that has a little house attached to a climbing/slide area.

We worked until dark on Sunday putting it together all the while Conor supervised and played, helping hand daddy tools and climbing into the house to "help" daddy build!

It came in a million pieces, of course. Thank goodness for Ren's building skills!

The house even has a real, working light!

Almost all finished, and too dark and chilly to play any more for the night!

One of these days it will be warm enough to stay outside for more than 15 minutes at a time! Isn't it supposed be hot in March in Florida...