Lets Eat POPSICLES!

Dalton had his first push-pop ice cream. Boy did he like it. As you will see from the photos and the video he was a mess!!!!

Family Picnic in MD (thanks for hosting Sheri and Shannon)

All the grandchildren at the party

Jen and Nolan

Nolan Doing Situps

Best Buds in the making...Cousins Nolan & Dalton

Jen, Cheryl and Dalton!

These posts are in no particular order...just whatever photos I came to first.

Long Over Due Update

Ok so I know I have been MIA from Blogging for Dalton but things at work have been CHAOS! And not to mention a "never sit still" infant doesnt leave much time for the blog site...haha! I do have many photos to upload and some great video too but those will have to be tonight sometime when I get time to upload the actual photos.

As for some updates on developemental things here goes....
Dalton is now 14 months old.
Weight is somewhere around 22lbs.
not sure on height because his next appt is not until Oct 20th.

Things he can do....
CLIMB CLIMB CLIMB...the more dangerous the better for him...haha! Seriously he is a daredevil. He now climbs on his little stool and onto the top of the coffee table and over to the other side and figured out how to get down.
He says a few words....we have taken the paci away except for only naps and bedtime and it really has helped his vocabulary advance quickly. He can say...Da-DY...not Dada but Daddy!!! He also has started saying Mama and before it was NAMA...so now I can truely tell it is for me. He also said DOG the other day.
He says Ma...which really means MINE...haha! So selfish.

He is (at daycare...that little turkey head) taking steps and standing up by himself...but not at home...I guess he is perfecting it before he shows me.

He can climb the back of the slide and turn himself around go down.

He will only eat a few things (such a picky eater)...
Chicken Nuggets
Grilled Cheese
Cheese Quesidilla
Scrambled Eggs
French Fries


And the final thing that is really big for us is Dalton is starting his 2nd month at Daycare. For the first time this morning he didnt cry when I dropped him off. That was a MAJOR improvement. They have figured out a trick for him though. Sit him directly in the high chair and give him some snack and he forgets all about me. haha!

For now that is about it...I will post the fun photos and video tonight.

Dalton's Turning 1!!!!!

Ok I know I am like almost a month late posting this but with work and a bunch of other really crazy things going on it is what it is...haha!

A Special Thanks to Shannon Loper (Photography by Shannon Loper) for taking some really great photos.

We had a blast and Dalton is a big boy now!

Dalton's 1 year photos (photography by Shannon Loper)

10 days until my baby is a toddler....

I am not sure exactly how I feel about this....

I am sad because he will be a big boy now. He will start walking and talking back to me...needing me less and less for daily things.

I am excited because I can't wait for him to be able to do the things that are new and adventurous...I am excited to stop having to buy formula...and hopefully someday no diapers...haha!

I am scared because as he gets more adventurous so do the boo boo's that come along with it.

But most of all I am honored to have a beautiful, amazing son that gives the greatest hugs and kisses, loves me even when he is being bad and knows just how to brighten a bad day! He is one little firecraker alright and for those of you who havent seen him in a little while photos do no justice...just wait...he is so different and amazing!

I love my little Monkey...and I cant wait for everyone to help us celebrate his big ONE!

Dalton gets a hair cut

Dalton has his second hair cut yesterday...he is so good with it. I was a little fearful this time becasue he was such a good boy the first time and with him being older and more active I just didnt know. Well the place we take him is just for kids and he was in a racecar this time and he LOVED it. He was really funny too when they put the clippers up to him he just has this really excited mouth open look that stayed there the whole time she cut his hair. Too freaking funny and also when he saw himself in the mirror he just laughed.

Such a cutie pie!!!

Our First BLOOD

Ok...finally 11 months into Dalton's life we have our first blood shed. I was waiting for this day (not happily waiting) becasue I knew sooner or later is was bound to happen. Mike was playing with Dalton and he was crawling down the hallway (Dalton not mike...haha) with his pacifier in his mouth. Dalton got too excited and tried to take off too fast. Well, down went the face right into the tile. He started to cry the whole not breathing cry thing and Mike blew in his face and that is when he saw it. Mind you I am on the phone in the livingroom so I didnt see what happened just heard him crying. So, Mike comes in practially running, and says "he's bleeding" and while yes he was it was VERY minimal. So the calm Mommy I am just said ok....got a wet washcloth (the bleeding was in his mouth) and put it in there and let him chomp away. Then I got the frozen teething ring and Dalton was a happy boy. Thankfully we didnt loose any of the teeth he already had. Hopefully it will make this top teeth come through the gum....that only time will tell.

Some random photos....just for Tiff

At Monkey Joes playing in the UNDER 2 Zone.

Lovin' on MUSHA. This is what he does when he is really tired.

Dalton and his trusty Monkey George!

Since Aunt Tiff has been bugging me to put some photos up with my updates here you go. These are ones I have taken with my phone so they are not the best quality and I do have more on my camera that I have to do download too.

Day 2 of the "Can we get Dalton to sleep before 10pm" chronicals

OH YES WE CAN!!!!

2 nights in a row and to top it off...he was down for the count at 7:50pm this time....40 minutes earlier than the night before. I really think Dalton likes this routine not to mention he sleeps great with it and is happy in the morning. He even let me get him up a few minutes early this morning to cut his fingernails while he drank his bottle....ahhhhh this is the life!!!

Day 1 of the "Can we get Dalton to sleep before 10pm" chronicals

Day 1 was a success....

Dalton for the last few weeks has really been fighting us on getting to sleep at night...not during his naps but just during the evening and it would at times take anywhere from 1-2 hours to get him down....fighting with him...then giving up and letting him play then fighting with him again.

Well finally after MUCH research online I was reading about how kids if they dont sleep well at night they wont take good naps and the vicious circle will keep going...so I figured we needed to do something not to mention that 10pm is entirely too late for a child that age to be going to sleep. Especially when he gets up at 6:45am it is not even the 12 hours they recommend. Well a lot of the things I read said 7pm but that is way to early for me...so 8-8:30 is what Mike and I thought would be best.

So...yesterday he got home, played in his car in the driveway, had a snack, played some more in the house, had dinner and at 7:20 we got in the bath. I let him play extra long in the bath because he was having so much fun. Then I put him in his room, dried him up, lotioned him down and got his pj's on. At this point I went and made an extra warm bottle for him and we went back to his dark room (now mind you it is still daylight out so the light is still coming in but we have black curtains which help a bunch). So at 7:45 I was rocking him, reading him a story, and giving him a bottle. he fell asleep...I put him down at 8:03 and walked out the door. Now within 5 min he was up but not crying. he played "rattle my jail cell" with his crib side for a bit and then layed down again. If only he could get George the Monkey to cooperate as his pillow he would be happy and have gone right to sleep. We did this routine a few more times until at 8:15 he was out...well that is until Mike came home and he heard the door chime from the alarm...he got up and did his jail rattle game again but this time since he still had some bottle left I went in and gave it to him (and again in the dark room with not much talking and not leaving that room either) and he was out. At 8:30 when I walked back out he was down for the count and left WONDERFULLY the whole darn night. When I checked on him at 6:45 this morning he was laying there playing with George the Monkey again and just hanging out.

Now lets see if it was a fluke or if we are on a roll here?

Dalton's First Word

A little while ago Dalton said what we thought was his first word...well we werent really sure until just recently when he started saying it more....

His first word....

Uh Oh

How funny....I didnt realize I said it that much...haha!

Getting so big

Everyday is something new with Dalton. He is getting so big and things change so quickly that I dont really get a chance to update fast enough....well here goes a list of some of his newest (tricks) adventures!

He is strictly on table food and formula now...he has banned anything baby food or like baby food. His favorites right now are....mac and cheese, baby goldfish, pizza (oh so healthy I know), applesauce and really anything he can get his hands on...haha! He really likes pretty much any fruit or veggie. Last night he had broccoli just plain and LOVED it.

He is on a move in a fast way. He loves to take off like a bat out of you know what down the hallway and then turn halfway down and laugh so you know he wants you to follow. He is pulling up on everything he can and slowly (and I mean really slowly at this point) cruising along the stuff. His favorite things to pull up on...the window sill and he likes to beat the ever living crap out of the window and yell out to whatever is outside...haha!

He is fighting going to sleep so bad lately and all he wants to do is play...you get frustrated but then he is sooooo freaking funny and gets all in your face and laughs that you cant help but giggle.

Also, and this one cracks me up...no pun intended...he will "toot" and look back at you and laugh histerically....even better is right after the bath and when he does a puff of powder pops out the back of the diaper...haha!! So funny I am actually chuckling to myself as I am typing this.

He loves to crawl away from you while he is naked...what a flasher...I have my hands full with that.

He LOVES LOVES LOVES the toilet paper and if he is even near it I have to take it off the roll or else it will be everwhere.

Hmmm...lets see what else...oh he is a water boy at heart...he lets the water squirt him in the face and it doesnt phase him.

and best of all...he gives really good kisses now. He will actually keep his mouth closes and just kiss you and not be trying to eat your face.

He did the cutest thing yesterday...he was crawling away from me down the hallway and found Elky (our Am Staff) laying on the floor...he crawled up really close to her and leaned down and gave her a kiss right on the side of her snout...she liked him back and he went along his way. Oh how he loves his protectors.

I guess that is enough for one posting. This was really long but I did have lots to update. Only 5 weeks until he is not a baby but a 1 year old...times flies!!!!

Who Does Dalton Look Like

I have never really been able to see how much Dalton looks like me but everyone has been telling me that he did...well I DEFINETLY saw it today!!!

Breaking a Mommy's Heart!

Ok so I know most of you being on Facebook have an idea of what is going on with me and Dalton but I figured I would fill you guys in.  

If you looked at my blog or email from last Friday you saw the "Good Night Gone Bad" update where I talked about Dalton throwing up EVERYWHERE....well what we didnt know is that was the start of it all.  He got sick Thursday night, Friday night, Saturday AM and Sunday during the day...then Monday morning he got sick again and then again at the sitter Monday morning...needless to say this would usually alarm me but since it was only 1 time each day I just thought he was overeating himself sick...that is until Monday when I got 4 phone calls from the sitter and 8 missed calls from Mike.  When I called her back she said that Dalton was lethargic and out of it...throwing up, not eating anything and just scary kinda...so I rushed over and picked him up.  At this point I asked if he had any wet diapers (my concern being dehydrated) and they said NO.  So I got there and seriously guys I dont over-react to much with Dalton (not sure why I am a calm mommy but I am) and when I picked him up I was about in tears...I called Tiff to talk me down from the ledge because I was shaking...He was barely opening his eyes (which scared the living crap out of me that he would stop breathing while in the backseat when I was driving) and he body was limp.  I IMMEDIATELY took him to the ER and thankfully they were not busy (SHOCKER RIGHT?).  They have a seperate Childrens ER which is great at our hospital.  So they got me in within 5 min and here was the conclusion....He was NOT dehydrated thank goodness but he was hypoglycemic from throwing up...hence the lethargicness...so they gave him this HIGHLY POTENT anti-nausea med that they give chemo patients and we had to wait to see if he could keep it down, then they gave him some liquid to see if he could keep it down...after 4 hours we finally got to go home.  Our plan of action was that he was on a straight liquid diet (but NO FORMULA OR FAT OR PROTIEN) of gatorade (they said they dont normally suggest high sugar drinks for kids but they have to in this situtation) for 6 hours and then after that if all went well and he kept it all down they said to start the BRAT diet...Bananas, Rice, Applesauce and Toast!  He has to be on that until tonight.  So far so good...he had a very contaigis stomach flu...which basically they have said to Mike and I that we should just expect to get it at some point...oh how fun to look forward to that....(Lu...I might have to reschedule if I start getting sick!!!)  On a side note he is starting to play and smile again all good signs...yay!!!!  Also, he is STARVING and screams everytime I have to give him this crap plain food...haha!  

Oh and one more thing about this...there a things that will break a Mommy's heart and I have had 2 in 2 days...A baby feeling so bad he cant tell you whats wrong and when all your baby wants is his Mommy and you have to leave him.  I stayed home yesterday with him and even with my Dad there (which he LOVES his Pop Pop he ONLY wanted Mommy....no one else not even Daddy...and today when I took him to the sitter (because they said he has had this for 5 days and it is pretty much out of his system) he just screamed and cried when I had to hand him over.  This is the first time he has ever done that at the sitter...he loves being with her during the day....Ugh...the heartbreak...I welled up with tears getting in my car....Oh...I cant wait to get my baby today when work is over.  

Other than that fun stuff GOD LOVE MY DAD....he is here for a week doing house projects for us that we have no time to get to...things are rocking and rollin' at our house to prepare for the party in July.  Yeah!!!!!  

10 Months....the countdown is on!

Dalton is officially 10 months old.  I cannot belive my baby is going to be a year old.  We were out shopping for some party good ideas for his BIG O-N-E!   He was a hamball this day!  

He thinks he is COOL DUDE!!!  haha!

How Easily Good Nights Turn Bad....

Ok...true story here of how quickly a night changes when you have a kid...haha!  So last night things were going great...I got off work, Mike picked up Dalton (as he always does on Wednesdays because I work until 5:30 that day) and I headed home.  I got home around 6pm, fed the pups and then Dalton and I went for a really nice LONG walk around the neighborhood (we do this any day it is nice out).  Then I came back in and mopped all the floors in the house while Dalton so sweetly watched his baby einstein video, we played a bit, made his dinner, he ate and then it was bath time.  By this time Mike got back from work and was helping get Dalton with his last bottle while I got our food all ready for us to sit down and eat...AND HERE IS WHERE THE NIGHT CHANGES!!!...I hear from the kitchen Mike yell "Oh Crap...Dalton are you ok".  My first thought was that maybe he fell off the couch, lord only knows that was running through my head at this point...so I walked into the room and Dalton was throwing up EVERYWHERE...seriously it was like the ENTIRE bottle he just ate and he was not even bothered by it...just sitting there watching American Idol while he did it!  It was all in the leather couch, all over Mike, the floor, Dalton (who mind you had JUST been bathed) and the carpet by the couch.  So....Mike is in panic mode...I am much more calm under pressure...haha!  I just grabbed Dalton, changed him, RE-MOPPED the floor that not even 2 hours before I had just cleaned, took the couch apart to get under neath the sectional and mop where the milk had gone down, cleaned the carpet and then finally at 10pm got to eat...oh the joy of Children...just thought I would share...haha!

Dalton's Treat on Saturday

On Saturday Dalton was such a good boy so I got him a little treat.  His own ball pit right in his playpen!

Lovin' my letters

Dalton really likes his letters that stick to the fridge.  He now knows that they are there and will come all the way from the livingroom into the kitchen to find them.  They LOVES them!  

Road Trip to TN

This past weekend Dalton and his parents took a scenic road trip to TN to see Mr. Scott and Ms. Meg get married. He did so good in the car and had a great time. We had HOT weather and lots of fun.

9 Month Checkup Update

Dalton was 9 months officially on Friday so I took him in for his 9 month checkup.

The stats:
19lbs 10oz
28.5 inches

He is in the 50% across the board which is perfect to the Dr's and us. I asked the Dr because I was concerned...I knew he was growing well and all but he still wears some 3-6 month clothing and I wanted to make sure he wasnt in the low end of the % range...she said to me "no...your child is where he is supposed to be...the problem is that most kids are overweight and they are off the charts". That made me feel better.

Developmentally he is great...doing all the things that he is supposed to. One really cool thing she said to look forward to in the next few months is that he will start saying Mama and Dada and Baba and ACTUALLY know what he is saying. Right now he says them all just for the fun of it.

I did get to see his little teethers coming in. There are 2 right at the surface at the same time. That explains the ear infection. Poor baby!

On a food note...Dalton has been really banning Stage 3 foods (which are chunks of food in puree) but is still hungry with Stage 2 foods (bigger containers of puree only) so I asked what to do. She said give him people food instead and that is fine...so Friday night Dalton had Turkey, Stuffing, Mashed Potatoes and carrots. Saturday he had chicken and Sunday morning he had some great pancakes...YUM! He is going to be a little pigglet and eat me out of house and home...haha!

He is growing so fast. His next checkup is not until 1 year old so no updates on official Dr visits anytime soon.

Dalton's First Haircut

Today, Mike and I took Dalton to this really great kids hair salon called Toadly Kool Me for his very first hair cut. He did FANTASTIC! He sat still better than most 5 year olds the hair dresser said. We did have one little mishap from Dalton though. She had the clippers and he was doing great until he heard something on the cartoons and turned his head and ZIPPPP...a nice chunk of hair...soooo she recovered well and did a fade in the back and it looks great now. He is a sharp looking little boy. Oh how he is growing up so fast.

Soakin' In the Sunshine

Saturday was a FANTASTIC day for some sunshine. Dalton got a great little treat from Dad and Jeanne so we tried it out!

He had so much fun I cant wait to use this all summer long. It has a mirror in the bottom to look at and spouts all over the place. Best of all it is not deep enough to worry about drowning (Yes I know they can drown in an inch of water) but it is deep enough to occupy him.