Happy Memorial Day! (Tons of Pics!)

We went to Wilmington for Memorial Day weekend to visit Justin's side of the family. We had a wonderful weekend! 

We stayed with Robin (Nana) and Holt Friday and Saturday. 

Dexter's Great Aunt Jan and Great Uncle Jimmy.

Miss Peabody

Dexter is making a funny face here, ha, but it's still a good photo.

Bateman checking out his shadow.

On Sunday we stayed with Justin's Dad and Renee. 

Dexter with his Great, Great Grandmother

Fell asleep when his Great Grandfather was holding him.

Bateman didn't like being tied up, he's not used to it and didn't really understand that he could move around.

Bateman went swimming and attacked the water again :)

Happy Six Months Dexter!

Little Shark Teeth (And, Weekend Hangouts)

This past Saturday morning Dexter grabbed my fingers and began chewing on them, like he usually does, and I felt something sharp! It was a tooth, or it may be his two bottom teeth. We can't really see them too well yet, but there is definetly something there.  I hope they come all the way in soon. I hate to see him uncomfortable.

In other news, we had great weekend hanging out With Danny, Lauren, and their kids, Alanna and Malcolm.  We ate some good food, went to IKEA, and went to a park.  Of course, I neglected to take pictures, like I had planned. So, I only have a few from our trip to IKEA. 

Malcolm is two years old and wants to explore everything. It was funny to see the boys interacting. Dexter was really interested in him and looked like he wished he could move around and play. And, Malcolm was really sweet to Dexter (he called him "Dedder").  He wanted to check out all of his baby toys and tried hard to get into his swing, ha.

 Hanging out at IKEA, both boys are over it by now.

 

 

Dexter is really into jumping in his Jumperoo now. It's so fun to watch him, check it out... 

Dexter going crazy in the Jumperoo!

Working Mommy

Everyday I think about the what is good and what is bad about being a Working Mommy. I'm an obsessive list maker and I'm always weighing the pros and cons. So here is my list of positives and negatives for me as a full time Working Mommy...

-The obvious, I miss so much of his little life.

-I get worried that he may bond with someone else more than me.

-I know he's safe at the sitter's, but I don't really know everything that goes on.

-It takes 2-2 1/2 to get both of us ready and out the door in the morning.

-I do laundry pretty much every evening to keep up. 

-The house cleaning has to be done on the weekends, when I really need to be just spending time with Dexter.

-It's hard to find time for play dates. Dexter is in high demand, and we can only do weekends.

-I feel like some people may think I'm a bad Mom because I don't stay home with him.

 

(Ok, I thought these faces would be the same size, oh well.)

-Being out working, I feel like the old me.

-Lunchtime pedicures

-Contributing to financially

-Lunchtime errands

-Some days I work through lunch so I can go to the gym before picking Dexter up.

-Getting dressed up for work makes me feel better about myself.

-Dexter gets to socialize with other children.

-I get to be around other adults. (And, bombard them with pics of Dexter, haha.)

Over all, I know we are doing what's best for our family. In a perfect world, I'd like to work 2 or 3 days a week and stay home with him the other days, but I don't foresee that happening.  

I'm sooo thankful that he is such a good, relaxed baby. I don't know how I would be able to handle our busy schedule, if he didn't just go-with-the-flow, like he does.

Hanging with his best buddy Bateman.

Started using the high chair. He's such a messy eater!

Mother's Day Gift!

My Mother's Day gift from Justin and Dexter arrived in the mail yesterday! Its a necklace I had been eyeing on Etsy. I had sent the link to Justin just to show him the super sweet necklace I found, and he ordered it! Yay!

It's an owl with an octopus body! I love it. It's so weird. I think Dexter likes it too :)

I <3 my husband.

Happy (Belated) Mother's Day!

I guess I didn't even realized that I was supposed to celebrate Mother's Day for myself too this year.  I spent most of the day with my baby. Sara and Kary came over and hung out with Dexter so I could go to Yoga class. (Justin was busy getting his hand tattooed.) Later that day we went grocery shopping. The above pics are from that outing.  It was the first time I used the Baby Bojorn. I think he liked it!  It worked well, but I wouldn't be able to do house work or anything wearing it. I guess I should have bought a wrap or sling a while ago, but I just don't see myself using that often.

On Saturday my Aunt Corky and Uncle Bob came to visit. They were on their way from PA to Charleston, SC. This was the first time they got to meet Dexter. We had a wonderful day. 

This is a little basketball hoop toy they got him. He'll be able to play with it a bit more in a couple months. For right now he's just trying to figure out how to get it in his mouth, haha.

Here he is, getting ready for the day. This little outfit is from Nana. He looks so freaking cute in it!

Dexter's new thing is putting his hand out for Bateman to lick, he thinks it's hilarious!

If I turn my back for even a second after feeding him, before cleaning him up, Bateman runs over and cleans his face, Dexter just laughs.

R.I.P. Uncle Gary (Giggins)

August 22, 1952 - May 4, 2010

This week my Mom's Brother, my Uncle Gary passed away.  He was 57 years old. His primary cause of death was cirrhosis of the liver, caused by alcoholism.
I've been putting off this post all week.  I started it, saved it, and tried to write it a few times now.  I tend to avoid being emotional, but it always ends up catching up to me at some point. I have a very close family and although we knew this was coming, it's still not easy to think about never seeing him again.  So, here it goes...

When I was a little kid I remember my Uncle picking me up and taking me places and taking care of me from time to time. At one point, he lived with my Great Grandmother, whom I spent a lot of time with.  I remember him always being funny and very caring. It wasn't until I was around 10 or 11 that I became aware of how bad my Uncle's drinking was. He drank from the time he woke up until he went to bed, every single day.  Still, it was "normal" for me to see people drinking and doing whatever. So, even then I never really realized the severity of his situation.
There are other alcolholics in my family, but my Uncle Gary is in a class of his own. Drinking, and a lot times drugs, carried him through life.

As far as I know, he never went through treatment. I don't even know if that would have even helped. It helped my grandma (Ammy) get sober and stay sober. 
But, other family members getting help only helped them for a while.  It angers me to think that his life was ruined by an addiction.  He had no relationship with his three kids. I don't believe that was entirely his doing but, his way of life was a reason.  I see other people I love hurting themselves like this and it makes me want to scream.  Besides the alcoholism and addiction in my family, alcohol also played a role in the death of my cousin, Ryan. He was 16 (I was 13 at the time) and was killed walking to my house by a hit-and-run drunk driver. (That whole story is for another time, maybe.)
My point is, all of these things were reasons for me to go Straight Edge (complete drug and alcohol free lifestyle) about 12 years ago, when I was 19.  I don't think there's anything wrong with people (other people) having a drink or getting loose from time to time, I just hate seeing it take over people's lives that I love.  Enough said on that.

Uncle Gary was definitely a character. He was known for his hilarious, usually inappropriate jokes.  I have many funny memories of him.
Here are a few:
*He stole cowboy boots and wranglers from K-Mart when I was a kid and we had to go get him from jail.
*When I was really young, he was sleeping on our couch and he thought the door to the downstairs was the door to the bathroom and he peed down our carpeted stairs. The carpet had to be taken out.
*I came home one day (during my late teens) and uncle gary ran out of my house in his underwear.
*Christmas about 6 or so years ago, he pulled out a bag of weed at the dinner table to show everyone what his friend got him for xmas.
*(I wasn't there) But he punched my brother Joshy in his face at his high school graduation party. Joshy was instigating this.
*This past summer was the last time I got to see Uncle Gary, at my diaper party.  He was looking frail, but still funny as ever. Justin interviewed him about his tattoos. Here is the link. Warning: It may be offensive to some :)Uncle Gary's Story Time

I love this picture. Christmas 1980.  I am the little blond girl sitting on the guy with the plaid pants lap, that's Uncle Gary. My Mom is standing behind him.  This photo is actually pretty hard for me to look at because my Grandma (Ammy) is in it too.

I'm not sure exactly what year this is, maybe 1990 or so, my Brother Joshy is in the background, so funny. This is how I'll always remember Uncle Gary, laughing.  Laughing his loud raspy smokers laugh :)

This is from Xmas 2008. This is when I think his hep C and other issues really started to show. He started getting skinny and way older looking. He spilled that beer on the carpet right after this photo was snapped, haha.

I know that this coming xmas when I go home just won't feel right. 

Uncle Gary will truly be missed.

Uncle Gary's Obituary