November 19

Make a Smilebox greeting

May 27

There Is A Reason We Call Him "Tank"

Time is flying and my baby is getting BIG. For all my friends that told me Patrick would slow down in size once he starts crawling, well...I'm still waiting. I took Patrick to see Dr. Blum for his 9 month check up. It's always a treat to see our pediatrician. His parent care is the best and he just loves to play with Patrick. Today, I was a little nervous because it was another shot day. I was a little apprehensive since he cried at his six month shots. So in walks the nurse to do the preliminary "stuff". But the most important thing she is going to do today is weigh Patrick. Drum roll please..........In this corner, weighing 28 lbs 1 oz., Patrick "The Tank" Rickman. Wowza! He is getting so big and long. He measured 30 1/4 inches.

Dr. Blum walks in and reassures me that he is doing great! As usual, we go over my list of items to discuss. The issue that I am concerned with is Patrick's inability to sleep through the night. I told the doctor that he is waking up more than when he was a newborn. Then he tells me that parents are "lucky" if they get any sleep before their child begins eating solid foods. He told me not to worry, that things would be changing soon. Then he told me to give him his bottle and then put him in his crib. I'm thinking to myself, "What! Let him cry it out. Oh, no." Looks like Greg and I will need to talk about this. Another issue was allergy testing for foods. The big question is, "Will Patrick have the peanut/shell fish allergy like his father"? We'll know when we take him to lab to get his blood drawn. His check up was great and we ended the appointment with the dreaded shot. The nurse prepared the shot and then BAM, in goes the needle and Patrick just looks at her like, "What are you doing"? Whew! No tears...not even from mama. Sweet! My big boy didn't cry. Maybe there is something to him having chunky thighs!

Save the Date

Please put this date on your calendar. Patrick’s first birthday celebration will be August 2, 2008. I’m working on the details, but Uncle Mike said he’d dress up like a clown and collect “2 tickets for the pony ride”. I can’t believe how fast the year is going and my little baby is now a big boy.

May 23

Trip to Visit Great Grandma Grace
On Memorial Day weekend, we went to Iowa to visit Great Grandma Grace. We didn't know at the time, but most of Greg's extended family was going to be there over the weekend. Patrick was able to play with so many cousins and we were able to spend time with Grandma Grace. It was such a special treat to have Grandma hold Patrick; especially since he's tipping the weight scale. But Grandma was able to hold little man and we took several pictures.

Patrick with Great Grandma Grace

Patrick did well during the traveling time. We took our time and pulled over for diaper changes and feedings. Sometimes, we just stopped to make sure Patrick stretched and wasn't in the car seat for too long. Although it made the traveling longer, it was worth the extra stretch.

Patrick with Great Grandma, Grandparents, and Parents

We took so many family pictures, but here are a few from the trip. Patrick was crawling all over the place. He also had an opportunity to play with his cousin Lauren.

May 20

Happy Anniversary

I Love You For Sentimental Reasons

~Nat King Cole

I love you for sentimental reasons
I hope you do believe me
I’ll give you my heart

I love you
And you alone were meant for me
Please give your loving heart to me
And say we’ll never part

I think of you every morning
Dream of you every night
Darling I’m never lonely
Whenever you’re in sight

I love you for sentimental reasons
I hope you do believe me
I’ve given you my heart

I think of you every morning
Dream of you every night
Darling I’m never lonely
Whenever you’re in sight

I love you for sentimental reasons
I hope you do believe me
I’ve given you my heart

May 19

Family Time
Today we went to Kaitlynn’s graduation from kindergarten. She was a little ham as she smiled for the camera and sang her little heart out. It was too cute! There was a little boy in the group that made me want to take over as a parent. Not for bad behavior, but for having a boogie near his lip. It was so gross! I wanted to go clean his nose. What do I have to look forward to when Patrick brings me a handful of worms. Yuck!

Patrick’s Update - 9 Months

After being so sick last month, our little boy bounced back. He started crawling and just took off and loves to pull himself up. He also has teeth...8 total and loves to bite his crib. His hair is growing more and he's gaining the weight he lost last month back. He's an eater...all kinds of food. I try and give him as much homemade food that I can make, but we also use jar food when we go out. He loves mash potatoes, mango, and banana's. He loves to smile and wave to people. He's our little social butterfly.

Here is how the month went:

Date of Birth: 8/18/07

Child’s Full Name: Patrick Andrew Rickman

Current Nicknames: Tank, Bubbie, Patacake, Lug

Proud Parents: Julie & Greg Rickman

Eyes: Light Brown

Hair: Light Brown with Blond highlights

Feature’s most like mom: Eye’s

Feature’s most like dad: Big Feet

Burps - More like Dad

Passes Gas - More like Dad

Cries - More like Mom

Smiles when: He see's his Mommy, Daddy, Mia, Elvis, and Priscilla

Favorite Toy: Jumperoo, Musical toys-he love's to dance

Favorite Song: Patty Cake or the song I made up called Bubbicito

Favorite Book: Peek-a-Boo book

Games we play with Baby: Patty Cake, Peek-a-boo, Itsy Bitsy Spider, This Little Piggie, How Big is Patrick....So BIG

Games baby plays with us: “Hey, you change my diaper” , “Give me my bottle NOW”, flirting with weirdos in public

Baby Crawls: like a wind up toy

Most disgusting thing to-date baby has tried to put in mouth: Mommy's flip-flop

Security object includes: Mommy, blanket, bottle, Ellie the Elephant

Funniest thing baby does dances to any kind of music. It can be on the radio, the television, toys, person singing at church, mommy singing, bagpipes playing.

Patrick sleeping in the minivan

May 18

Lesson In Life

On a gorgeous Sunday after, we went to Baker University to give support to my cousin Timmy's graduation. I'm an alumni and love the traditional last walk across campus to the sounds of the bagpipes playing as the graduates walk into commencement. It's such a beautiful sound to go along with a milestone event. The keynote speaker was Michael J. Nolte, the author of “Burned But Not Broken”. He had the entire audience's attention with his moving speech. Five years ago, he was trapped in a burning car and was severely burned. It took years of rehabilitation before life returned to near normal. His speech left a lasting impression on me; especially when he talked about not wanting to get out of bed. He said, If you can get out of bed by yourself, suck it up, it’s going to be a good day".

I hope to teach Patrick some lessons in life that will leave a lasting impression. My cousin Tim, set the standard for his generation in our family. He's the first grandchild that not only graduated with a college degree, but he wants to go to medical school. Good luck Timmy! You are teaching many lessons for your cousins. We are so proud of you.

May 16

Picnic At The Soccer Field
Today, we went in the hot sun to watch Andrew play soccer. It was hot! I tried to keep Patrick’s hat on him, but he wasn’t interested in wearing it. To much of my disappointment, I think the “Patrick Hat Show” might be over. We had to put son block all over his body so he wouldn’t get a sunburn. I hope he get’s mommy’s skin tone because if he get’s daddy’s, he’ll be a lobster. Since it was around lunch time, we grabbed some turkey wraps and had a little picnic at the soccer field. It was fun, but it sure is beginning to get hot fast.

May 16

Worried Mommy
You know your a first time mommy when you call the doctor because you notice this bump on your son’s chest. Immediately, you think something is wrong with your child. So, you call the pediatrician’s office and let them know that when you were giving your child a bath, you noticed a bump on his chest. Then when you put on lotion, it seemed more defined. So, even though, next week you have a 9 month wellness visit, you go ahead and take your son into the doctor.

The doctor looks at your son, feels his chest and says, “Are you talking about this bump”? “Yes, doctor”. “Oh, that’s just a part of his sternum”. Oopsie!

We love Dr. Blum and he told me to come in, not matter what. He’d rather look at something that I’m worried about, then to let something happen to Patrick. So, he gave me a big hug and a kiss and told me I was doing a great job! I love Dr. Blum. His patient care is the best!

May 12

Best Mother's Day
I had the best Mother's Day ever. We didn't plan anything, but Greg did whatever I wanted. It was just so relaxing and fun. We mainly spent time together as a family. A lady in Williams Sonoma overheard me telling my sister what a wonderful Mother's Day I had and she said that was so sweet. Greg brought me flowers, a spa treatment and yummy lotion from Mario Tricoci.

On Sunday, we began our day at church, then headed over to my sister's house. She was treating all the mother's in my family to a delicious brunch. There were waffles, strawberries, cream, and croissants that melted in your mouth. Yummo! I was treated like a princess.

Here is a song that sums up how I feel about being Patrick's mommy:


You Are The Sunshine Of My Life
~Stevie Wonder

You are the sunshine of my life
That's why I'll always be around
You are the apple of my eye
Forever you'll stay in my heart

I feel like this is the beginning
'though I've loved you for a million years
And if I thought our love was ending
I'd find myself drowning in my own tears
Whoa whoa

You are the sunshine of my life
That's why I'll always stay around
You are the apple of my eye
Forever you'll stay in my heart

You must have known that I was lonely
Because you came to my rescue
And I know that this must be heaven
How could so much love be inside of you

May 11 - Mommy Loves You Patrick

Dear Patrick,

Today I celebrated my first Mother's Day as being your mommy. When I first met daddy, I knew he was special. I instantly knew that I wanted to spend my life with him and raise a family. We love each other so much that it was only natural to extend our love and have a beautiful baby.

Growing up, I had the best example of motherhood right in front of my own eyes. Your Mia provided the best care a mother could give her children. She taught me unconditional love. She made it look so easy and I've admire her dedication towards her children. She has shown me how to be the best mother I could be. I hope that I can create a loving environment where our family stays close.

On the day I found out I was pregnant, my life changed. I cried when the nurse showed me your picture of the sonogram. You were beautiful. Then I saw pictures of your 3-D sonogram and I couldn't believe I could see my gorgeous baby boy. I loved being pregnant with you. I enjoyed every kick and hiccup and I loved going swimming with you. The very first time I held you was such an incredible moment. I loved smelling you and holding your "tiny" hands. You just sank into my chest and I felt the most incredible feeling my heart has ever felt.

Each day I get to watch you discover the world through your eyes which is so innocent and pure. My heart melts each time you give me hug or a kiss or a big huge smile. You have been such a delight and bring so much joy to my life. I love you Patrick Andrew! Thank you for being such a wonderful son.

Hugs & Kisses,

Momma

May 3

First Date

Dear Chloe,

I really had a great time at Deanna Rose petting zoo. I enjoyed sharing my sweet potato puffs with you. I think you are very pretty. Maybe our mommies will let us play again soon.

Love,

Patrick Andrew

May 1

Baby Chase
I was sent an email to pray for Baby Chase who is only 6 months old. He was born with only one bone on the top of his skull instead of two and he was having surgery. While I was reading the email, tears rolled down my face. I wiped away the tears and just sobbed for this little boy that I didn't know. Then I went over to pick up Patrick Andrew and held him tight. Chase is only two months younger than my sweet boy. I just couldn't get this baby out of my mind. So, of course, I kept him in my prayers, but I had this need to do something for his family.

I received emails about the surgery and even had pictures of the days that followed his surgery. This little boy is adorable. I can't imagine how parents handle their baby having surgery. So, I continued to think about this family until finally, I decided that I would make them dinner. That's the least I could do. Baby Chase's mother didn't have to worry about what to make for dinner for one night. I asked Mia to help me and we made a delicious Italian dinner along with some yummy chocolate chip cookies.

When I went to deliver the food, I met Chase's father Matt. He shared several pictures with me after the surgery and told me about his progress each day. He said that he was sitting up again and even showing signs of crawling. I still get email updates of this sweet little boy. This family has made a significant difference in my life; especially being a new mother and knowing what really matters in life. So, before you go to bed tonight, think about Chase and say a little prayer that he continues to grow strong.

April 26

Mommy's Day Out
My nephew Andrew had his First Holy Communion, so Patrick and I were up early to get to the 10 a.m. service. Surprisingly, we were there at 9:30. Patrick was being his charming self and shamelessly flirting with the ladies. In fact, he was playing so much with the lady behind us that she actually picked him up. She loved it! It gave me an opportunity to take pictures of Andrew and actually watch him as he accepted the sacrament. He looked so adorable in his tie. Then we celebrated by going to eat breakfast and enjoyed the family outing.

In the afternoon, my mommy's group gathered for another N.A.N.O. (Need A Night Out) event. It was lunch, pedicures and shoe shopping. I skipped the lunch, but joined the ladies for the rest of the afternoon. Mia graciously volunteered to watch Patrick since Daddy went to the lake to help get things ready for the summer. I always have so much fun with the other mom's. We talk about what is happening with our babies, new baby products, and proudly show off any new pictures. I couldn't resist buying Patrick Baby Gap overall shorts for summer.

In the evening, Aunt Bel and Uncle A were in town, so we had an extra special treat of visiting them. Patrick loves his great aunt and great uncle. It's so lovely to see him bond with them. I have such wonderful memories at my aunt's house and playing in the backyard. Patrick was crawling every where. They couldn't believe it. Then they spoiled him with giving him some yummy whipped topping from a dessert. Oh, no, what did we start.

April 24

Crawling All Over The Place
Patrick has been rolling over in his crib and moving by holding on to his crib. But today, was the first time that he decided to get off all fours and begin to crawl. He just took off, like a rocket jet.

I sat Patrick in the middle of the floor and decided to "play" on the 'puter. The next thing I know he's near his jumperoo. So, I put him back in the center of the room and watched what he would do and he took off. I always thought babies began crawling slowly, but not my son. Bazoooom! There he goes. If there are any baby crawling contest, I must enter my son. He would win easily. Look at daddy! Remember when you said you couldn't wait for him to crawl...well put your sneakers on.

April 19

The Main Event
Rise and shine everybody. There is going to be a wedding today. The bride slept great and was feeling so much better. She was still weak, but this was her wedding day and she was going to enjoy every moment. So, we headed to the salon to get our updo's and then it was picture taking time. Patrick was a ring bearer and I really wasn't sure how the day would go. It's hard to be the matron-of-honor and try to take care of your son. Thank goodness for daddy, aunts, and my in-laws. They helped throughout the day.

Patrick took a few catnaps, but we really interrupted his schedule. So, I worried if my baby would be Mr. Cranky Pants. But he did a great job! He was actually sleeping during picture time and when he woke up, the photographer was taking different pictures, so we had to wait until after the wedding to get pictures of Patrick.

My sister walked down the aisle looking gorgeous. But before she had her shining moment, my son was stealing the show. He was wheeled out in a red Radio Flyer wagon, dressed in his little tuxedo. "Ohhhh", was heard from the crowd. Patrick looked so serious, but then he enjoyed the ride. He loves wagon rides!

After the wedding, it was picture time. Now, Patrick was a little crabby. He didn't want to be in his tux anymore and he was getting hot. So, there was one last shot that we needed which was a family picture. Patrick was wiggling so much that Mia began singing, "Itsy Bitsy Spider". The next thing you heard was my entire family of about 80 people singing the song. Oh, was it a moment. Too cute!

The best part of the wedding, (other than to see my sister enjoy her day), was dancing with my son. He loves music and loves to jump up and down. But when he heard the Macarena, he was tired and just fell asleep on mommy's chest. My little boy had enjoy the day and it was time to take him home. Good night Patrick!

April 18 - Eight Months

Month Eight
Just when Patrick was making progress with getting up on his hands and knees, he got sick. It lasted for about two weeks and was so horrible! My little ray of sunshine didn't feel like smiling and wanted his tummy to stop hurting. This was so hard on his mommy & daddy. Finally, Mr. Personality was back.

Here is how the month went:

Nicknames we have used: BoBo, Bubbie, Monkey-Boy, Bubbers

Most persistent habit: Doing raspberries while he has a mouth full of food

Kiddo likes: toys, lots & lots of toys, music, books, spinning in his exersaucer, sitting up on his own, dropping his toys and biting on his crib.

BoBo dislikes: Being left in a room by himself, being sick, and having a dirty diaper.

Favorite Book: Cloth books, taggie book and a Peek-A-Boo book.

Favorite Nursery Rhyme: Itsy Bitsy Spider

Places I went: After being sick for two weeks, Mommy didn't take BoBo out. She needed him to get better.

Favorite moment: watching Patrick wrinkle his face after trying new foods.

Mommy’s favorite moment: Seeing my sons personality come back after being sick for soooo long. It's great to have Mr. Sunshine back. I had a new mommy discovery....overnight diapers!

Highlight: Having so many friends & family telling me I have a cute son.

April 18

How Sweet It Is
It's amazing what can happen in a couple of days. As Patrick was getting better, my sister, "The Bride" became ill. On Monday, she was actually hospitalized because she had this pain near her stomach. I can't even imagine how you handle the week of your wedding in the hospital. On Wednesday, she had surgery because their was a mass of blood the size of a grapefruit. So they removed her ovary and the excruciating pain was gone. Finally, she was able to focus on her wedding.

Family began arriving on Thursday and we were so pleased because they helped so much. Everyone was willing to do anything to assist my sister. And I wasn't afraid to ask for help. My husband, Greg, actually picked her up from the hospital because my sister wanted all plans to continue and we all had some type of appointment to get ready for the big day. So Greg willingly went to get his favorite sister-in-law. She wanted her "Dream Day" more than ever, and a "little" surgery wasn't going to stop her. She insisted that she was going to get married on Saturday. The groom said he'd marry her on Saturday; even in the hospital.

Any whoo, she managed to get to rehearsal, but she was very weak. I was worried about my big sis. Maybe the wedding should have been delayed. She was moving very slow; slower than a turtle. But she insisted that everything go according to plan. So we had a shorter version of the rehearsal, then headed towards my brother's house for the rehearsal dinner. I actually made the Italian feast along with my aunts and my Mia. Oh was it so tasty and everyone had a great time. It was such a relief to see everyone relaxing and having a great time. After the week we had, I actually kicked back myself. Thank goodness family wanted to hold Patrick. It gave me a much needed breather and Patrick was able to get plenty of squeezes and a few red lipstick marks on his face.

April 13

You're Doing a Good Job, Mom!
Patrick is getting better. Last week was a long week for us. It's been real scary to know that my sister is getting married on Saturday and I'm still trying to help my son get better. He went to the doctor twice because I was concerned with weight loss, but to my surprise, he didn't lose as much weight as everyone thought. I guess that is good news. The doctor said I'm doing a great job at helping him get better. So, we'll see how this week goes.

On a side note, I'm worried about my sister. She got sick too, but her symptoms keep lingering. The groom even caught the bug too. But, the bride can't get sick. Perhaps, she has the jitters. I guess it's time to bring out the rosaries.

April 7

Rock Chalk Jayhawk
Where did March Madness go? I'm a huge fan of college basketball and I look forward to the tournament. But this year, March flew by and I really didn't get to watch entire games of basketball. Maybe a peek here and there. So, how excited do you think I was to know that the Kansas Jayhawks were in the Sweet Sixteen, Final Four and then crowned 2008 NCAA Champions? Well, I didn't' get to see the game. With Patrick being sick, I knew I wouldn't be able to see the whole game. Then, when the game began, I didn't feel well. Oh, no...I can't be getting sick. Yes, indeed I did. Let's just say I was praying to the Porcelain God at the exact time the game went into overtime. I was sick during the most exciting part of game.

Being a mom comes first and I wasn't exactly sure how I was going to care for my son when I was throwing up. But I did. I stopped by the bathroom about 4 times and then sucked it up to take care of Patrick. It was one of the hardest things that I've had to do. I just wish that my little boy would feel better and that I would get to see his joyful smiles. I miss my happy son.

So, congratulations to the Kansas Jayhawks. You've made this sport fan extremely happy and gave me an opportunity to say to my Oklahoma Sooners family, ROCK CHALK JAYHAWKS....KU!

April 6

Hanging In There...Barely
Patrick is still sick. How much can a little baby throw up? Nothing is staying down. He's thrown up all over me, but I don't care. I can always clean up, but my little boy feels sick. I keep wondering, "Will he ever get better"? I didn't know motherhood would feel like this when your child is sick. The wonderful moments are fabulous, but the feeling that I'm having with seeing my son in so much pain makes my heart ache. I'm sobbing at night, praying to God that he will protect my child. I even asked my father and grandmother to protect Patrick. It just seems like he isn't getting better. He's losing weight, I can see it in his diapers. Please give me the strength to hold it together. My son needs me.

April 5

Please Pass The Throw UP
This was the scariest night since I had Patrick. Greg and I were woken to this frightful cry coming from our son's nursery. Greg entered first and screamed for me to come help him. Patrick was drenched in vomit...all over his head. I was scared. What happened to my baby? The cry was like a sound I've never heard before nor do I want to hear again. He was hurting and I didn't know why. I scooped up Patrick in my arms and ran to get Mia. What do I do? We took off all his clothes and gave him a bath at 1:30 a.m. My baby boy wasn't himself. After contemplating what to do next, we called the pediatrician. I hated to wake someone up so early in the morning, but I needed their help. My child was sick and I didn't know what to do. I love the pediatrician group. She not only talked to Greg, but she talked to me too, repeating the information that she had already given Greg, just to comfort a first time mom's fears. She gave us a care treatment plan which included monitoring his temperature and giving him Pedialyte. So Greg went to get some of that yucky salty drink to give to our child. Patrick continued to throw up anything we would give him. I decided to pull an allnighter to care for Patrick. At 3:30 a.m., I sent Greg back to sleep. Someone needed to get some sleep because it was going to be a long night. Mia went to bed at 5 a.m. and I stayed awake, rocking Patrick in my arms...all night. Around 8 a.m., Mia relieved me and I went to get a couple of hours of sleep. Greg called his parents and we discovered that his mother was sick too. Same symptoms.

This day would be one of the longest days for us. On top of throwing up, Patrick has diarrhea. So our day consisted of being thrown up on and then clean up a runny diaper. Patrick's demeanor was gone. No laughter, no smiles, just a whiny little boy trying to figure out what was happening to his little body. As a mother, all I could do was comfort my little boy by holding him, and just reassuring how much he was loved. Mommy loves you Patrick.

April 4

Move Over Brad Pitt
Our favorite photographer was taking another round of pictures of Patrick. She did such a fabulous shoot for his 3 month pictures, we were extremely pleased with all the pictures. Even though we take tons of pictures, I asked Greg's parents to join us for this photo shoot. I wanted Patrick to have some "professional" pictures that included his grandparents. Once again, Lea worked her magic and the pictures turned out wonderful. We are hoping to post the picture once we get the cd. Patrick looked gorgeous! Look out Hollywood, our boy will give you a run for your money.

March 29

Oooopa !!!
Today was another gathering with our couple friends; Greek Style. As part of our N.A.N.O. (Need A Night Out) group, Greg and I joined our friends for another monthly activity. This time, it was movie and a dinner for the parents.

I sent my husband to watch the movie without me because all morning I was trying on my matron of honor dress for my sister's wedding. Boy was I amazed at how I looked in my dress; especially after having a baby. I thought I looked beautiful. Now, I'm not being conceded, I just felt pretty because I was all dressed up. Rarely do I wear makeup, yet get all dressed fancy in a formal gown. So, I'm relishing in myself discovery. "You Look Marvelous"! After spending so much time on wedding planning, I wanted some one-on-one time with my baby. So I spent a couple of hours with my sweet boy before, mommy went out and had some fun.

Finally, the evening arrived and I joined our couple groups at a greek restaurant. We had a blast! Opa! Belly Dancers! Plate Throwing! What else could I ask for? Perhaps an exciting evening of talking to other first time parents about our experiences, our children, our lives. We have one of the best circle of friends and I feel fortunate to have them in our life. Cheers!

March 28

Social Butterfly
Rise and shine, it's an early start today. Patrick is all dressed up. Looks cute as a button. Today we went to celebrate with Aunt Jamie at her bridal shower at her work. It was so nice for them to throw her a shower. They went all out and it was gorgeous. I feared that Patrick would 1) throw up carrots on his cute outfit, 2) poop at the wrong time, or 3) be cranky during the entire party. But guess what? None of it happened. My sweet boy was WONDERFUL! The little social butterfly just played and smiled at all the ladies. They just slurped him up and then all wanted to hold him. When Patrick was very little, I took him a couple of times to see Aunt Jamie at work. All the ladies thought he was adorable and couldn't believe how much he grew. He put on the charm as usual.

March 27

Cruising For A Sale
I heard about a baby sale happening at the race track. It's an odd place to sell baby items, but Greg and I decided to check it out. The sale began tonight and was open to first time mom's. Very cool! We were able to pick up several toys and clothes at a very reasonable price. And the best part was that we were in the center of the race track. The only problem...we were driving a minivan. :)

March 23

Hoppy Easter
It's Patrick's first Easter celebration. I wanted to dress him in a cute Easter outfit that said, "Baby's First Easter", but with Big Boy's size, I couldn't find any outfit in a size 18 month. So, I settled for dressing him really cute in a special outfit. We gathered at my brother's house and had a wonderful time spending with family. Life is good!

March 22

Bubbie's Friends
Patrick is going to his friend's birthday party. It's Jack's 2nd birthday. We had so much fun as a family to take our son to social with other babies. Patrick was the youngest, but that didn't stop him from trying to play with all the kids. Of course he didn't get to eat the cake and ice cream, but he did get watch Jack open all his presents. We had a blast! We look forward to other parties; especially once Patrick interacts with all his friends.

Tonight we decided to go to the Easter Vigil candle lighting service. I thought this would be much fun for Patrick to see the lights out and the parishioners hold candles. Mia and I took Andrew, Kaitlynn, and Patrick. Well, you want to know what happens when all the lights are turned out and it's really dark...You have three kids falling asleep. First, Andrew was getting tired and he fell asleep, then Kaitlynn was leaning closer and closer to Mia. And finally, Patrick began rubbing his eyes. We had already been at church for 1 1/2 hours and we just finished all the readings. And the church was crowded. So, we decided it was time to go and put the sleepy kids to bed. Good night!

March 20

Not Quite Ready
So maybe I'm a little eager. Patrick has two teeth, so why not try teething biscuits. Today, I tried to give him one that I bought at Whole Foods. It has maple flavoring...yummo. He immediately grabbed it and put it in his mouth. Then he made the funniest faces. After trying a several times, mommy decided he's not quite ready to have a teething biscuit. Soon, he'll be chompping them down.

March 19

Mum Mum

I saw a new baby food item that I wanted Patrick to try. It's called Baby Mum Mum. They are rice husks and apparently babies love them. When I went to the store, they were very hard to find, so I guess babies love to eat them. So, I tried them out on Patrick. I first broke them up into little pieces and then soaked them into some formula. He liked them and said, "Mum Mum". I guess that is how they came up with the name. I might have to wait until he can handle finger foods better, but for now, he likes eating soggy rice husks.

This afternoon we stopped and ate lunch at Panera's. Again, Patrick decided to have a blow out. So, we head to bathroom, praying there is a changing table and with luck, I was able to clean Patrick, change his outfit and then head out the door. The next stop, Whole Foods grocery store. I'm attempting to make my own baby food for Patrick. From my research, I see the benefits of making your own food. Whole Foods carried organic foods, so I thought I'd give it a try. It's going to take a little time for me to make his food, but it will be so worth it. Now, I'm not opposed to jar food; especially when we have outings, but I'll try to give him prepared baby food as much as possible.

March 18

Month Seven
Another month has gone by. Where does the time go? Month seven has kept us busy with new developments. Big Boy has teeth and loves to eat....EVERYTHING!

Here is how the month went:

Nicknames we have used: BoBo, Bubbie, Little Man, Monster

Most persistent habit: Dropping toys on the floor from his high chair, pulling himself up in his crib, and poops up his back.

Kiddo likes: eating anything, loves music, car rides, listening to mommy read him books, grabbing and tossing his toys anywhere, holding his Fisher Price puppy, jumping in his jumperoo, talking to the dogs, and spending time with family.

Big Boy dislikes: Mommy leaving the room, riding in the minivan by himself, and not a big fan of bananas.

Favorite Book: Sesame Street: Nighty Night Baby Book and Eyes, Nose, Fingers, and Toes Baby Book

Favorite Nursery Rhyme: Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes...knees and toes

Places I went: To mommy's hometown and saw so many cousins and great aunts.

Favorite moment: Slobbering all over mommy and giving her big hugs & kisses.

Mommy’s favorite moment: Rocking my sweet boy to sleep and listening to him make noises before he drifts off to sleep. Then Mommy whispers, "I love you Patrick".

Highlight: Watching my son lifting his thunder thighs in the air and reaching for his toes, then sucking on them and say "Yum Yumm Yummm".

March 17

Happy St. Patrick's Day
It's our sons special day. Go celebrate! Unfortunately, it's cold and rainy, so we'll miss the parade and just enjoy playing with his new activity center. Lots of fun!

March 16

Roll Over, Roll Over
Aunt Bel & Uncle A fixed us a delicious breakfast before we headed back home. She also gave Patrick a walker activity center and some airplane spoons. I can't wait to play with our new stuff.

Patrick slept the entire way back. I think the weekend wore him out. Daddy was so happy to see us and gave us big hugs and kisses. I truly missed Greg and have a new appreciation for him when we travel. It's hard trying to get everything done by yourself. He knows what I need or will ask me what he can do. Thanks honey!

Patrick played in his crib. I showed Greg how he's been turning himself over. Then, Patrick grabbed the bars and pulled himself up. He stood for three times before he became frustrated. Oh no!

Over the weekend, Patrick learned to sleep on his tummy. This scares me, but I guess he is getting older. I put him in his crib, so daddy would see him turn over from side to side. Then Patrick was cranky, so I rocked him to sleep. As soon as I put him in his crib, he flipped over to his tummy. I guess this is his newest trick.

March 15

Bridal Shower
Family has gathered for my sister's bridal shower. After waking up, Aunt Jamie gave him a bath in the hot tub before we left for the bridal shower. She also wanted Patrick to look his best, so she bought him a new outfit. Oh, he looks too cute! He received lots of hugs & kisses from my family. He had red cheeks, red forehead, and red head from all the lipstick. Perhaps we'll have to give him another bath.

While family laughed and chatted with one another, Patrick snoozed. He was tired. I'm always amazed how my sweet boy and sleep during the loudest conversations. But when you're tired, you're tired.

Back at the hotel, Aunt Bel and Uncle A played with Patrick. He just laughed at them and was giggling so hard. Then, Aunt Nito played jump jump with him and he bounced and bounced. I thought he wouldn't go sleep because he had been energized. It was a wonderful day spending time with my family. I'm so pleased that Patrick isn't afraid when they want to hold him. Actually, he doesn't hesitate when anyone wants to pick him up. Life is good!

March 14

Going Home
My aunt is throwing my sister a bridal shower for her upcoming wedding. It's in my hometown and I love to go back and visit. It's about 3 1/2 hour drive and Patrick was a trooper. He did so well in the van. When we arrived at the hotel, we saw Aunt Nito. I finally was able to show my baby to my aunt.

For dinner, the family decided to go to a restaurant. When I tried to put Patrick in the restaurant chair, the belt was broken. My uncle helped me come up with a quick solution, using his belt around his jeans. It worked! Then Patrick began to grunt. Oh, no, not now. And to make matters worse, there wasn't a baby changing table in the restroom. So, we head out to the minivan and changed his blow out. Then we went back inside with a new outfit on as if nothing had happened.

Later that night, my family sipped on chocolate martini's. I'm still not drinking alcohol and the thought of a chocolate martini, didn't sound appetizing. So, I drank my cold water. Yummo! After a little visiting, it was time to go to sleep. Good night Patrick!

March 13

Life's Circumstances
When I was pregnant and people would ask me if I wanted a boy or girl, I usually responded, "I just wanted a healthy baby". At my age, it is so true. From the beginning of my pregnancy when I was bleeding, I prayed for a healthy baby. And God answered my prayers. I am so thankful and feel very fortunate to have such a great family and a wonderful baby.

I suppose that once you've become a mother, you become aware of life's circumstances. Well, I've met some people that I've been wanting to share their stories, but didn't want to exploit their situations. So here is my best shot at paying a special tribute to people that I think of often.

The Power of Love - When I was pregnant, my brother's neighbor was also pregnant. But during a sonogram visit, the doctor knew something was wrong. Their baby girl was sick and the parents knew she wouldn't survive her birth day.The parents have two little boys. They made their decision to have the baby no matter what. Actually, the birth of the baby girl became a celebration. They contacted Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep, an organization for infant bereavement photography. Her pictures are gorgeous. The family gathered around on the birth day and were able to have a special moment as a family. I often think of the parents and how hard it must have been to know they would lose their little girl. She is now an angel in heaven that has touched my soul forever.

Daddy's boy - Recently, I met a lady during business encounters that loves to see Patrick Andrew. She also has a little boy that is older. Slowly, she shared a little of her story. During her pregnancy, her husband was killed in an accident. With the support of her family; especially her sister, she gave birth to her adorable baby boy. She is raising her son by herself and she has shared wonderful stories about her husband and sweet boy. I also have a friend that waited several years to have a baby with her husband. Three weeks before the birth of their son, her husband found out that he had lung cancer. Sadly, he pass away after a couple of months with his son. I think of my friend often and pray that God will give her strength.

These families have truly touched my soul and I think of them often. They are always in my prayers.

March 12

Million Things To Do
This weekend, I'm taking Patrick to my hometown, where I grew up. There are a million things that I need to do before we leave. Like an oil Change. So, I scheduled an oil change mid morning, so that I could get there on time and have Mia watch Patrick. I took the Honda as the same place where my sister-in-law's husband works and guess who was there. Uncle Rob. We chatted during the entire oil change. Whew. One thing done....a million more to do.

March 11

Poof!
Having a baby and trying to pamper yourself is difficult. Okay, so I don't get the massages, manicures or pedicures very often. But I must control my crazy hair. I always schedule my appointment with Mia. It's like a mother-daughter thing, where we both relax. But now, with Patrick....it's not so relaxing. It's getting harder and harder to settle down Patrick in the salon. Next time, Daddy will need to take care of Patrick. My sweet boy wanted attention all the time. Last time, he came with us and he did super. I guess he is getting older and wants to explore more. This appointment wasn't relaxing, so I'm a little disappointed.

After my little pity party, I turned back into "SuperMom" and played with my son all afternoon. He didn't want to take a nap for mommy. Daddy picks him up and *poof*, Patrick falls right to sleep.

March 10

Good Night
Last night Patrick went to sleep at 9 p.m. Whew! Finally, he sleeps. Oh, wait. He's up. It's 9:30 p.m. Mama puts him to sleep at 10 p.m. and wait for it....he sleeps until 5 a.m and then goes back to sleep at 6 a.m. and doesn't wake up until 8 a.m. Yippee! I slept 8 hours. Wow! I'm energized. It feels GREAT!

March 9

Beef, It's What's For Dinner
Patrick woke up three times last night. Greg and I went to bed at 11 p.m. and Patrick woke up at midnight, 2 a.m. 4 a.m. and finally 6 a.m. We need sleep. Lots and lots of sleep. Oh great, it's daylight savings time. We lose an hour on sleep and we are hoping that our little boy will sleep. Please let Patrick sleep tonight. Mama is having a hard time functioning. Is it teething? Is it a growth spurt? Is he just testing mommy's patience? We'll see.

This evening, after our power shopping at Costco, Aunt Jamie stopped by for a visit with soon-to-be Uncle Mike. We decided to grill steaks. I thought my cravings for beef would disappear after my pregnancy, but I still crave Greg's grilled steak. He is very pleased.

March 8

Showered With Love
Every time I want Patrick to have a great night of sleep, he always wakes up several times. Last night was no exception. In fact he has been waking up this entire week. Boy do I long for the day when he is on a constant schedule. He woke up three times last night. I really wanted a sleep because I was going to a baby shower. But Patrick decided to wake up at 5:45 a.m. and I just began my day. He was very cranky and I was worried because Daddy was going to be by himself while I was gone. Patrick must be teething again, because my sweet angel screamed all morning along. I felt like missing the shower since I was worried about my little boy, but Greg insisted that I headed out to have some fun.

The shower was another opportunity to show off baby pictures of Patrick. I just love the reaction from people when they see his picture. Greg and I joke about people's reaction because we get the feeling that people didn't think we would have a gorgeous son. Then we both say, "He takes after me". Any whoo, I shamelessly showed Patrick's pictures and took in all the oooh's and haaa's. I had a fabulous time at the shower. It's a great opportunity to see if there are baby products that I haven't heard about. One lady tie-dyed little Gerber onesies. They were too cute. But after the shower, I headed home to give Big Boy hugs & kisses. I sure did miss him.

March 7

Routine
Woke up at 6 a.m. It feels really early. Eat, pooped, napped, woke up, eat, pooped, played, catnap, played, eat, tried to sleep, played, crashed. Whew! A little break. Routine.

Every time, I put sweet boy to sleep in his crib, I whisper to Patrick, "Mommy loves you Patrick". Even if I leave the room and realize I didn't whisper to him, I go back into this room and then blow him a kiss and then whisper in his ear. Routine.

When Patrick sleeps, he makes noises trying to fall to sleep, hits my boobs right before he sleeps, then snores. He sucks air when he sleeps and I take the bottle out of his mouth. Routine.

Daddy came home early. He's not feeling well. Oh, my gosh! He decided to rest instead of going out tonight. Great idea! NOT Routine!

Momma tries to take naps, but there is too many things to do while Patrick is napping. Even when I'm tired, I have to get things done. My only playtime is trying to blog and record our lives together, but even that is becoming harder to do. Sorry, bloggers...being a mom comes first. Don't give up on me...Trying to establish a routine for myself.

March 6

Playtime
I love playing with my son. I get all his toys out and toss them on the floor. He gets his basket of toys and pulls all the toys that I left in the bucket. His favorite toy is his Fisher Price Laugh & Learn Puppy. He loves to play with the puppy. Patrick also enjoys his books. He loves the rhymes and loves to eat the board books. I'm still amazed to watch him discover new adventures. He's so curious at sounds, lights, and objects. His brain is soaking it all in and I so pleased.

March 5

One, Two, Three, Drop
Patrick loves playing with his toys. When he's in his high chair, I'll put some toys on the tray and he begins to play with his blocks. Then, one by one, he starts dropping them and watching them fall to the floor. If I don't pick them up, he's learned that if he screams, I'll come over and clean them and then give them to him. He also loves to play on the floor. I am trying hard at having him sit up. Since he is on the large size, it's been a challenge to have him sit without falling over, but lately he's doing a great job. I guess it's time to call our photographer for his next round of pictures.

March 4

Everybody Poops
I thought I would buy the book, "Everybody Poops", when Patrick was going through potty training. For the last several days after Patrick eats his food, (mainly sweet potatoes and squash), he's been pooping in his high chair. Well it took me three days to figure out that when he is pooping in his high chair, maybe I should take him out. With his bottom on the high chair, where would the poop go? That's right, it has been going straight up his back. The first time this happened, I thought "Oh, No". Then scooped up "Monster Baby" and cleaned him up. But after three days in a row, and holding him to clean his back, I've decided to immediately lay him down. This will help the poop to stay in his diaper. Greg's parents love to tell the story of Greg's poopie experience when they were in a restaurant. Thank goodness we have been home when this happened.

March 3

Baby It's Cold Outside
Today we went to check on Uncle Mark. He is feeling better, but he is weak. So Mia, made him some homemade chicken and noodle soup. Yummo!

I can't wait to give Patrick this soup. Carrots, celery, chicken and noodles. Oh, it is so tasty; especially since we've been having cold weather. It's hard to dress Patrick because he gets so hot. His cute Winnie-the-Pooh hat is getting smaller and smaller and smaller. Monster baby continues to grow. He gets upset when he gets hot in the van. He let's out this little whine and then a raspberry without opening his mouth. He has a little shower of spit all over his face with his big puffy rosy cheeks.

So the weather is beginning to get to me. It's cold. Very cold. I want to start taking Patrick outside to play in parks, but it's too cold. I'm ready to put him in a swing at a park with the wind slightly blowing. When will the warm weather get here.

March 2

Woof!

Patrick played with his cousins. They love spending time together. The dogs react, the rowdier, they get. Patrick loves the interaction. And he loves Elvis. He smiles every time, Elvis comes by him. He shrieks, so loud and then drools from all the excitement.

Patrick is making attempts to roll over. He eats his toes and just sucks on them all afternoon. I've noticed that he doesn't like it when other people are eating food. He wants to eat too. My heart just melts when he lets me smother him with hugs and kisses. Then he grabs my face closer to his and slobbers all over my face. Priceless.

March 1

Go To Sleep
The big day for the Couple Shower is finally here. Patrick played with grandma and grandpa, but wouldn't take a nap. Oh, no! Is he going to be cranky? Not, my social butter fly. He loves to be around people, but it does throw off his sleeping schedule. He loved Aunt Jamie's party and wanted to be a night owl. Once everyone left the party, my sweet boy was exhausted and fell asleep in my arms.

My nephew was going to spend the night, but when my niece found out, she began to cry. She came up to me, with big crocodile tears falling from her face and asked, "Aunt Julie, *sniff* *sniff*, Can I come spend the night with you? What is an aunt to do, but comfort her and say, "Of course, Kaitlynn". I want Patrick to know his cousins and it must begin when they are young. Family is so important to me. All the kids fell asleep in the van. Greg carried them inside the house, one by one and all stayed asleep.

February 29

Leap Into Playtime
It's leap year and that means we have an extra day of play time. After playing all morning, we went with Mia to PT. I dressed Patrick in his puppy hat and dog shoes. I love dressing him up. Boy is this outfit an attention getter. I always hear so many comments about how cute he looks. But then, it began to warm up. Actually it's hot! I had to change Patrick into a onesie because he gets so hot. What will summer be like? And on this hot day, I had to make two cakes for the weekend. They turned out perfect.

An update on my brother: He still is sick. He's not getting better. My sister, Nurse Rachett, will be calling the doctor. He's getting worse instead of better. What is going on?

February 28

We're Going Riding On A Freeway
Patrick slept from 9:30 to 6 a.m. All night, without waking up. Maybe we are on to something.
Rise and shine! First thing we did was go try to get things ready for the part at Aunt Jamie's. Patrick loves riding in the minivan; especially when the semi's pass us. He looks out the windows and is very content during the rides. Some times, the crazy drivers scare me. Your surrounds sure change when you have a baby. I realize how horrible people drive. Run red lights, cut people off, drive too close. Wow! Was I really not that observant before Patrick. People slow down....what's the rush! Fially, we arrive at Aunt Jamie's. I gave Patrick a bath in her sick. He loves it. Then he was so tired, he took a 3 hour nap. I needed the time to prepare for the party. I shouldn't try and to do too much, but this is my sister's wedding that we are getting ready for and I'm hosting this Couple Shower. Thanks Patrick, for giving Mama a break and taking a long nap. I was able to get so much done.
Patrick slept from 9:30 to 6 a.m. Didn't wake up.

February 27

Just Checking In
We checked in on Uncle Mark and he has been sleeping. He needs sleep. He still isn't feeling well. He is really sick! I've never seen my brother like this and it's scary.

I headed over to my sister's to get ready for the Couple's wedding shower on Saturday. Patrick ate in his bumbo on the kitchen counter. Don't worry, it's a big counter and he wasn't going to fall. Then I changed him into his jammies and he fell asleep. Greg and I left to go home and Patrick stayed asleep when we put him in his crib. He slept from 9:30 p.m. until 7 p.m. YES! We needed sleep.

February 26

Uncle Mark, Are You Okay?
I was tired and just put Patrick to sleep. I could hardly wait to crawl into bed, but then Greg stopped me and said, something is wrong with your brother Mark. You need to talk to Mia. I rushed to my mother and she said that the ambulance had gone to my brother's house. Tammy was on her way to the emergency room. What is going on? Mark had been sick with flu like symptoms, but began to shake with the chills. He had a 104 degree temperature.

At the emergency room, they were providing face masks to prevent the spread of "cooties". I saw my brother, but didn't recognize him. He had layers of clothes and blankets around his body. When the doctor saw him, he told him he had the nasty flu that was going around, but a very bad case of it and then sent him home.

When I arrived home, Greg was still up with Patrick. I was tired! It was already 12:30 a.m. I finally put Patrick to sleep about 1 a.m., pumped and then tried to get some zzz's myself, but I kept thinking about my brother. When will I ever get a good nights rest?

February 25

DOGS FOR SALE

Yellow Labrador & Jack Russell Terrier Mix

Lab -100 lbs adorable, happy, friendly dog. Responds to "Dumb Shit. Loves to lick babies toes and hands. Enjoys pooping on cute airplane rug in nursery and ruining it.

Jack Russell Terrier Mix - 30 lbs neurotic dog, loves to bark at dishwasher and wake up baby. Loves to play with the lab and bark at him while waking up the baby.

We love Elvis & Priscilla, but some days....

February 24

My Little Helper
While Patrick was sitting up in his crib, Kaitlynn decided to join him in his crib. She is so tiny and just climbed on board. Patrick loves playing with her and they actually "play nice" together. Kaitlynn loves to play like a mom and she is really good at taking care of Patrick. She dressed Patrick for the day, helped fed him and did chores to help Aunt Julie. She loved cleaning Patrick's toys after he dropped them one by one on the floor. She went around the house to fill up the formula containers, making sure she had just enough scoops in each one. My niece makes me want to have a baby girl for our next child, but the most important thing would be to have a healthy baby. Greg loves being around Kaitlynn. They definitely have a wonderful bond and she loves her Uncle Greggy.

Being Patrick's parents has been the best! He is such a sweet baby, kind and gentle. It will be great to give him a sibling when the time is right. So, don't read anything into this posting. We just love our niece and love watching her take care of beautiful Patrick.

February 23

Nano Nano
Today was the first N.A.N.O (Need A Night Out) with my mommy group. We met for lunch at Panera's and shared pictures of babies. Oh, it was so much fun to be around the girls. We laughed and talked and had so much fun. Then we went to see a chick flick, "Fools Gold", with the luscious Matthew McConaughey and Kate Hudson. It was such a relaxing day and I enjoyed every moment, but I missed my little boy. He was asleep before I left and just went down for a nap when I arrived home. It seemed like the longest time until I could hold my beautiful son. When he woke up, he flashed those brown eyes at his momma. I think this outing was the longest that I've been away from my son.

In the evening, my niece Kaitlynn wanted to come over to her Aunt Julie's house. So, of course I said "Yes". She had a blast taking care of Patrick. She fed him and made the comment that "Patrick is in love with his food". You bet he is. He loves to eat and makes all kinds of noises when he opens his mouth wide and tastes the delicious food. So far, he likes all the vegetables (carrots, sweet potatoes, squash, and green beans) except peas. He'll eat them, but you can tell they are not his favorite by the way he wrinkles up his nose.

Momma is exhausted! It was a long day for me but I couldn't wait to grab my son and put him to sleep. I love rocking him to sleep because it's a special time for the two of us. We read a book, play, and then listen to music. He pats my face and give him gentle kisses on his hands and then I squeeze him tight. It's going to be hard to get him to go to sleep on his own. I think I'll do some research on this to help make the transition smoother. I suppose I'm not going to be able to just put my son down in his crib and he magically goes to sleep on his own with out a fuss. Haha! Any advice from mother's out there is greatly appreciated. Suggestions Please!

February 22

Elvis Has Left the Building
It's a cold and snowy day this morning. I decided to add a few more things to the recycling bins for pick up. Big Mistake! My 100 lb lab, Elvis decided to bolt out the front door. He was having so much fun. Then he decided to take a little adventure and went next door to visit Sarah's house. I called for the beast to come back and he looked at me and went "Woof" as he headed towards Susan's house. I kept yelling at the "Dumb Sh*t Dog" to come back and he kept going down the neighborhood. Luckily Mia was inside and Patrick was sleeping. Before I went outside, I decided to put on my fleece and tennis shoes, but I wasn't ready for the day. Elvis was going to far, so I had to get in my van and go down the street. Thank goodness my neighbors helped me out. Titus, the big dog in the neighborhood was outside playing with his daddy, Kent. Elvis went up to him and began to play. Whew! I was able to get the beast and put him in the van. One of these days Elvis!

In the afternoon, I ran a couple of errands and one was at the bank. This crazy lady noticed Patrick and decided to come and talk to us. Now normally I don't care, but this lady seemed a little off...you know a little nutty nuts. I was polite, but didn't want to spend too much time with her. She was telling me about her grandchildren and then went off on a tangent about no one would be able to take her grandchildren way from her. That was my cue to leave. Sometimes it's best to to politely leave.

February 21

Reach for the Stars.
It's time to put the swing away. Patrick is reaching for the mobile and is leaning forward and pulling on it. He is reaching for anything in arm's distance. Some times, he'll scream if he can't reach objects. I've been putting his toys on his blanket and he managed to reach and grab all of them. It's amazing how he can get things that are out of his reach. He's quick.

Daddy went out and bought a new computer. It was a complete surprise; especially since he bought a Mac. We love it! I want to redesign our baby blog and do fun things with our photo's and film. The Mac will give us so much more flexibility. Now if I only had the time.

We watched a little bit of "American Idol". Greg and I love to sing, so we love to watch the contestants. I'm the one that usually records the show and if we have time, we'll watch it. Greg won't admit to it, but I don't have a problem saying I like the show. I don't like it when the contestants are bad, but when they are talented, oh wow, do I love to listen to the music. So there was a guy that sang Queen's song, "Bohemian Rhapsody". Oh, did he sound fabulous! All day, I've been singing, "Mama....Ooooo". We'll Patrick picked up on this song and he is trying to sing the "Ooooo" part. It's the cutest thing. He gets this serious look on his face and then screams, "Oo-oo-ooo". I think he'll love singing in the future. I'm always playing different types of music around him. I want him to love music the way Greg and I love music.

Patrick might be teething again. He's been drooling more so I gave him some Tylenol. He goes "Yumm Yumm Yumm", then growls because the sweet tasting cherry flavor is gone and he wants more. I sure hope he doesn't get daddy's sweet tooth.

February 20

Six Month Appointment
Today was Patrick's 6 month appointment. Aunt James decided to go with Greg and I to the doctor. I was happy to have her along because I just hate shot day. I need support on these days. Patrick handles shots well, but I just hate seeing my baby get his shots. We were anxious to see how much "Tank" weighs and how long he's getting. So once the nurse called our name, we quickly ran into the room and began stripping him out of his clothes. Wow! He weighed in at 22.26 lbs. and was 27.56" in length. My boy is growing! His weight is in the 97% and his length is at 87%.

During Dr. Blum's examination, he pulled Patrick's penis and testicles. I must have squinted my eyes because the doctor noticed. I was just a little uncomfortable with how he stretched his penis to examine it. Let's just say the doctor made me blush when he saw my reaction.

Dr. Blum gave us a feeding schedule for Patrick. He'll eat cereal in the morning and evening and work through the vegetables and meats, then introduced the fruits. I told him Patrick was a great eater. He thought Patrick was doing great. The next visit will be 9 months and the doctor wants to draw blood for allergy testing. Greg and I hope he doesn't all the bad allergies and asthma from us. Send positive thoughts our direction.

February 19

Sweet Dreams
My little boy is growing up. He's becoming so big and he has changed from being an infant. But today, I reminisced of our early days when we brought him home. He still has the little cry from when he was born. It's not as strong and loud, but I can still hear the same cry.

I've been rocking Patrick to sleep. The doctor says to begin putting him down in his crib and letting him fall to sleep. I've been working on this for his afternoon naps, but today, I made an exception. I rocked my baby in my arms until he fell asleep. I always put his lullaby music on so hopefully he'll associate music with falling asleep. There are two songs where he usually falls asleep: Bach's Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring and Canon D. My sister is having instrumental music of these two songs at her wedding. I think Patrick just might fall asleep when he hears these songs at her wedding. This wouldn't be a bad thing. :)

After holding my baby when he falls asleep, I love hearing his wimpers and looking at his lips as he tries to suck air. It's the cutest thing. I always give Patrick a kiss and then whisper in his ear, "Mommy loves you Patrick". It's my routine. Sweet dreams little boy.

February 18

Patrick’s Quarterly Update - 6 Months

Date of Birth: 8/18/07

Child’s Full Name: Patrick Andrew Rickman

Current Nicknames: BoBo, Little Man, Tiny~Tiny, Bubbacito, Sugar

Proud Parents: Julie & Greg Rickman

Eyes: Hazel/Brown

Hair: Brown with Blond highlights

Feature’s most like mom: Eyes

Feature’s most like dad: His size; especially the feet

Burps - More like Dad
Passes Gas - More like Dad
Cries - More like Mom, quiet at first with a few tears, then belts it out

Smiles when: He looks at the dogs

Favorite Toy: Chew toys, books, rings

Favorite Song: Pat-a-Cake

Favorite Book: Green Eggs & Ham

Baby is currently saying: Aaaaaaahhh
We’re not sure, but we think it means: I'm hungry, hurry and feed me!

Favorite New Food: Sweet potatoes and squash

Food Most often spit out or rejected: Peas

Bringing along a bottle allows us to stay at public places longer

Baby Meltdown: 5 minutes

Things we found most enduring about baby twirling his hair when he's sleepy, smiling when somone walks in a room, and being a social butterfly no matter where we go.

February 17

YUMMM
It snowed. Big time. And the wind is sending chills up and down my spine. It's one of our biggest snow storms this winter. Grandma and Grandpa decide to leave this morning. During their recent travels, they have been getting snowed in on several trips, so they decided to leave early to avoid bad weather. I was relieved when Grandpa called to let us know that once they left our house and reached the main highway out of town, the roads were in good condition. Before they left, Grandma Linda was able to feed Patrick cereal. I thrilled that she gets to experience some of the fun we have each day.

In the afternoon, we watched "Bubbie" try to roll over. It's so funny to watch him grab his feet, then toes. He hikes up his thunder thighs and all of a sudden, he is rolling side-to-side. Lately, he's been reaching for his mobile in his crib. I guess we should move it or move the mattress down another level. Perhaps both.

Patrick loves to eat food. He tried Sweet Potatoes. Looks like we have a winner. He kept saying, "YUMMM" and wanted more. It appears I have an excellent eater who doesn't seem picky.

February 16

With Six You Get Eggrolls
Grandma and Grandpa came for a visit and played with Patrick. Mama helped Aunt Jamie work on wedding invitations. It was great to see Bubbie throughout the day which gave us a break from wedding planning. The wedding will be here before we know it and it seems like there are so many things to do. They always happen at the last couple of months before the BIG DAY. We are getting excited.

After our long day, my sister, mother, and Greg' and his parents went out for dinner. We had Chinese food and as we were sitting at the round table, it occurred to me how fortunate we are to have a loving family. Everyone gets along and it was really cool to go out to dinner together. Patrick is surround by lots of love. How cool is that!

February 15

Vroooom
Mama was getting the house ready for grandma and grandpa's visit. Vrooom. I fired up the vacuum cleaning. Oh, Patrick loves when I clean the rugs. He gets real quiet and watched me go up and down the rugs. Then he turns his head towards the dogs as they become scared from the noise. Most of the time, the dogs want to go outside, but some times Elvis, likes to go in another room, but always has to come in for a peek. Patrick shrieks as he sees the dogs. It's quite the scene with so many noises happening at the same time. I am constantly running the vacuum because of the dog hair.

February 14

Happy Valentine's Day
It's Patrick's first Valentine's Day. He's such a sweetie and just so darn cute. I dressed him like a boy today; overalls and a red t-shirt. Yep, it was warmer today and the wind wasn't blowing in the afternoon. We ventured out to take Mia to her physical therapy. I took the stroller inside and away we went to tour the hospital. As usual, I received comments about his cuteness. Then I got the "ooh's and aaahh's". He fell asleep, chubby rosy cheeks and all. On the way home. He played with his toy "Chewy" and hurt himself. Bonk! Right in the eye. Ouch! Oh, no, baby, don't cry like that. I haven't heard that type of cry since he was born. It broke my heart. I'll see if it leaves a bruise.

Cousin Andrew spent the day with us. The boys played in the afternoon and then Andrew wanted to film Patrick. So, at dinner time, our little Steven Spielberg grabbed the camera and away he filmed. He added his own special commentary that was actually brilliant. Perhaps, he has a future in the entertainment business.

Greg and I celebrated our usual Valentine's Day. Pizza and beer. We started this tradition several years ago when I was tired and not feeling well. I asked Greg if we could stay in and eat pizza and drink some beer and so a tradition was set. When I was out running errands, I brought some beer for Greg and made the phone call to D'Bronx pizza. Yummo. Perfect evening at home. I wouldn't want it any other way.

February 13

Like Father Like Son
After Patrick's early morning feeding, he was ready to go back to sleep, but it's still early. Greg's alarm hasn't gone off yet, so I put Patrick in between us. I look over and Patrick was sleeping with his right arm under his head and his mouth open. Then I glanced at his daddy and he is in the same position. I see so many similarities between my son and his father. It's quite interesting. Then I see Greg around his own father, both at their laptops...spitting image. I guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

Routine. It happens every day. Kiss Greg goodbye, get up, feed Patrick cereal. Once he is finished, I put several toys on his high chair to play. Then he tries to eat them and slowly, they all fall on the floor. So I wipe them off, put them on the table, then he eats them and they eventually fall again. Same routine, different day. He loves playing and wants to play with all his toys at one time. Some times, he'll put a toy in each hand and then tries to eat both of them. It's okay for a while, then he gets frustrated and let's out this scream. Wow! High pitch noises from such a sweet boy. Where does he get this from? :)

This afternoon, Patrick was cranky. He needed some sleep, but I needed to run some errands. So after several attempts to put Patrick down for a nap, I decided to take Bubbie along for the ride. He wasn't going to go to sleep. As soon as the van started, he became calm. No longer does he get upset when we stop at the stop signs. He just looks around at the cars. He's interested in everyone and everything. It's amazing how much he is taking in.

This evening, he gobbled all of his carrots. It doesn't appear that he'll be a picky eater, but then he's only had rice and carrots. I'm anxious to give him fruit, but I must be patience. What will all this food do to this body? Well, I found out when I changed his diaper. Oh, the smell. I'm not use to this. Carrot poop. Yuck!

February 12

Give Me Some Kisses
Mia can make Patrick laugh and giggle nonstop. It's the cutest thing. She just looks at him and he begins to laugh. Then, she says, "Give ME some KISSES"! Patrick let's out a giggle and then he is laughing loud. When we try the same thing, he just looks at us. We don't get the same reaction as his Mia. She has the touch.

Carrots. Yummo. Loves them. That's right! Patrick ate carrots for the first time tonight. He loves them and wanted more. His first reaction was , Give me MORE mom! After gobbling down several bites, he decided to sneeze and carrots went every where...on the bib, all over his mouth, on the high chair and on Mommy's clothes. While mommy tried to clean him up, he gave me a raspberry and wanted more food.

One of my favorite things Patrick is doing is pulling me near his face to give me hugs and kisses. He grabs my face and pats it and then tried to eat my face. He is recognizing his mommy and daddy. He knows our voice and will turn his head when he hears us coming. Patrick has been having fun with the dogs. He loves Elvis and tried to carry on a conversation with him. Elvis puts up with him because he thinks he'll get food. I can't wait until Elvis eats his Cheerios. And then there is Priscilla. She loves her boy. Lately, she's been getting a few licks to his hands, so I'm constantly cleaning his hands. Of course, my boy doesn't like getting his hands or face clean. What little boy does?

This afternoon, I was rocking Patrick to sleep, when suddenly, I began tearing up. I'm happy. And I thought about my husband and how wonderful he treats us. He tells us he loves us, he gives us hugs & kisses and he checks on us throughout the day. So, I texted Greg to tell him I loved him and we share an intimate conversation. Later that night, Greg said I caught him off guard and I made him tear up. How sweet! I love my husband.

February 11

Happy Happy Joy Joy
Laughing. Giggling. Playing. That's how Patrick woke up. He's such a happy baby and most mornings this is how he's waking up. Then I hear the sounds of him sucking his fingers. They must taste great because all I hear is smack, smack, yum, yum. When I make eye contact with him, he gives me the biggest smile, followed by a raspberry.

As the days go by, my love for my son grows deeper. I love being his mother. I didn't know it would be like this. I knew that I would have a special bond with my child, but every day my baby surprises me. I tear up just thinking about him and how fortunate I feel to have such a loving child. He's the best!

Mamma's little sidekick is connected at my hip. I don't know when it happened, but it did. He can hear me from another room and he turns his head to find me. Once I pick him up, he pats my face and pulls my head closer to him, then he tires to eat me and ends up slobbering on my face. I just let him have fun and hold him tight and give him kisses. He let's me smoother him with love all over his head, and cheeks, and neck.

Patrick and I have really developed our routine. No longer do I have days where I don't shower until the late afternoon and pray that Greg doesn't come home early to see me in my nightgown. We have it down. Rise and shine after Greg gets up, off to feed him cereal, pump in the morning and then grab a quick bite to eat while he plays with his toys. Then I shower. I'm amazed at how fast the day goes by and then the next thing I know, Greg is opening the door to come home from work. Wow. Feedings, diaper changes, and playing nonstop makes the days go by quickly. Maybe a few naps for the Big Boy.

February 10

Lazy Day
Patrick woke up at 2:30 a.m and then 6 a.m. Oh, No! Budda Baby is wide awake and it's Sunday. Daddy managed to play with him with one eye open, but then we felt a puddle in the bed. Yuck! Budda Baby has peed through his diaper and onto the sheets of our bed. I know Huggies diapers are absorbent, but he can really pee in the diapers. I get up and change him and play with him so daddy can sleep. Then around 8 a.m., I rock him back to sleep. I'm still tired so I decide to go back to sleep too. Shazam! I glance at the clock and it says 10:30 a.m. Greg, Patrick, and I slept in. Momma feels refreshed. It felt great! I must have needed the sleep or else the bridal shower yesterday wore me out....probably both.

The rest of the day was a lazy day at home. I love days like this. We did what we wanted, when we wanted. Patrick took several naps today, so I was able to do stuff throughout the whole day. I hope he sleeps tonight. He did sleep more than usual. It must have been the all the squeezes at the bridal shower.

Mia watched Patrick while Greg and I went to Target. It's was very cold outside and I try not to take him out when it's freezing. I don't want him to get sick any more. It's hot one day and then cold the next day. And this winter, well don't let me get started on that tantrum. So we bought a bookcase and hutch for my desk. The first thing I put on my desk was our picture of Patrick and his mommy. I love this picture. Lea sure can capture great pictures.

February 9

Oh Snap!
Why is it that when you want your baby to get a good night sleep, they always wake up several times. Patrick decided to have several parties with mommy throughout the night and the alarm was going to go off at 7 a.m. This is unusual for a Saturday; especially when we try to sleep in. Who are we kidding? We can't sleep in on the weekend when our "little alarm" wants to play with us. And who schedules a bridal shower for their sister in the morning? What was I thinking? We had to be showered, dressed, and ready to leave by 9: 15 a.m. So, since we just happened to be up early, (thanks Patrick), we were heading towards the van at 9:13 a.m. Whew! We are going to be early. Oh snap! We are really early; especially since I can't pick up the cake until 10 a.m. Well, I guess we'll have to get some coffee. Thank goodness Greg is going along for the ride, to help me out with Patrick. The bridal shower begins at 11 a.m. and I'm still in the van at 10:30. My wonderful sister-in-law is co-hosting this event, so that helps take the pressure off of me. Whew! We made it before anyone arrived. But wait, we still have to unpack the van. All this stuff for one baby. Oh, and how could I forget the bridal shower stuff. Why do we always take the entire house for Patrick when we go for an outing, or visit family? And this time, I didn't take everything. Hmmm...I must make a checklist to help make our outings quicker. In my free time, I'll get to it. :)

Some how, I manged to get things done on time. But wait. Where's the blushing bride? Late as usual because she had to make a grand entrance; especially since she had her hair done. So this gave me the opportunity to show Patrick off to all her friends. These are the friends that have given Patrick nicknames like "Chunky Monkey, Pork Chop, and Rump Roast". I don't mind the names because they gushed all over my baby and enjoyed squeezing his thunder thighs. He was passed around until people realized how heavy he can be from holding him. He saw lots of love. Speaking of love. Patrick also met Mike's cousin Tiffany and her 10 month daughter Flora Jane. They played side by side. Patrick was so excited to see another baby. We need more interaction with other children. Any volunteers? Who wants to play with us?

February 8

This Little Piggie Went to the Market
It was a bright and early start today. My sister-in-law called at 8:03 a.m. to let me know that my brother, Mark was sick. She needed someone to watch her son Andrew because he didn't have school. So, I said I would do my morning routine with Patrick and then head out to take my niece to school and bring Andrew home with me. Five minutes later, I receive a phone call from Andrew.

"Aunt Julie"
"Yes"
"Well, my dad is sick and mom said you were going to come get us, but I didn't know if she called".
"Okay, Sugar, I'm heading out the door"
"Okay, Bye".

When I arrived, I asked Andrew how he called me and he said, he just looked on the caller id. Kids are so smart these days. After taking Kaitlynn to school, I helped get ready for the bridal shower that was being hosted at Mark & Tammy's house. While I was there, Patrick was hot. He had little rosy cheeks. I looked in the diaper bag and realized I didn't have anything cooler. I really wasn't planning on staying there, so I wasn't all that prepared. I cruised into Kaitlynn's room to look to see if she had something small enough for Patrick to wear. Sure enough, she had a KU t-shirt. Wow! Patrick could wear her shirt. I know my niece is little, but I didn't realize how big Patrick was getting. I have to admit, the shirt was a little big, but not by much.

In the afternoon, I was playing with Patrick. Finally, he can eat his toes. He's been trying to put his little piggies in his mouth. Then, today, it happened. He started sucking on his toes and kept lifting his legs in the air until his toes went in his mouth.

The dogs love Patrick; especially Elvis, our 100 lb yellow lovable lab. Patrick tries to talk to Elvis. He gets so excited when Elvis comes by and tries to lick him. Of course, I am constantly yelling at Elvis to leave the baby alone. Patrick decided to scream in a high pitch tone and Elvis just looked at him as he tilted his head. I guess it was a little too loud for Elvis.

February 7

Soooo BIG
Today we took Mia to her doctor's appointment. It's always get to see her doctor because she just had a baby too. The doctor always has to take a look at Patrick and will visit about what he is doing. While we were there, I noticed a scale and asked the nurses if I could weigh my son. Get ready...with his clothes on , he weighed 22 lbs 12 oz. Yikes! He's our Monster Baby! All the nurses had to come and take a look at the Budda Baby and said, "I can't believe how big he is getting".

Patrick continues to play in his crib and we can just watch him all night. He's trying to get that leg up and over so that he can roll over. He does great tummy time, but he is having a hard time rolling over on his tummy.

February 6

All Dressed Up
Finally, Clause and Ida from Europe met Patrick Andrew. We had such a wonderful evening visiting that I couldn't wait for them to meet Patrick. And he was true to form...being adorable. They squeezed the baby while their children played outside in the snow having snowball fights. Then they were heading to the lake for some R&R.

Lately, Patrick discovered my hair and how to pull it. I've kept it short, but long enough to pull back. Some how, Patrick's little hands found my hair and loves to pull it. I've been saying "Ouch", but it just makes him scream and jump in my arms. It's a game to him, but some times he can really get a great hold and pull. Hmmm...I'll have to come up with something cleaver to get him to stop.

I'm still fighting off feeling sick. Perhaps, it's because minimal sleep. So Mia watched, "Little Munchkin" in the afternoon and I took a nap. A little sleep goes a long way.

We've been putting Patrick in his bumbo but he'll be outgrowing this soon. They need to make baby products for bigger babies. Lately, he's been trying to knock off his leather shoes. I thought I would miss out on dressing up a little girl, but it's amazing what shoes, overalls, and hats can do for having fun with clothes. Patrick always looks too cute in what ever he wears and I love to show him off.

Feburary 5

Hurricane Patrick
Grandma and Grandpa friends from Europe came to America for a visit. We were fortunate enough to spend some time with them. Unfortunately, Patrick decided to sleep during the two visits when they came over to see him. My son, who loves to be awake and boy did he stay awake until company came over. He was very cranky and fussy, so I let him sleep. I felt really bad because the two times that they tried to stop by, Patrick was asleep. So that evening, we went to eat barbeque at Haywards. Since the weather has been snowy, many people stayed away from the restaurant. Luckily for us, we were given special treatment. Patrick stayed home with Mia so that he could sleep and it allowed us to enjoy the visit. Ida, gave us a wonderful book that is very common in Europe. She gave us the English version. I love reading books to Patrick, so we'll have to read this gem soon.

When Greg and I came home, I rushed to get Patrick. Oh, how I miss him when I'm away. The rest of the evening, we watched our son playing in his crib. Very soon, he'll be rolling over and crawling. He is showing signs of wanting to crawl. Look at world, here comes Hurricane Patrick.

February 4

Mr. Sandman
Grandma and Grandpa Rickman arrived to squeeze the baby. Patrick loves seeing them. Grandpa loves to play jump-jump with him and will bounce "Thunder Thighs" on his legs. Grandma Linda loves to say, "How Big is Patrick? So, BIG!" I enjoy seeing Patrick interact with his grandparents. Greg and I are fortunate to be so close to family. I truly don't understand when families don't spend time together or call one another. We are blessed. :)

This afternoon, Patrick and I have been playing a game. I will blow bubbles on his cheek and then Patrick immediately grabs my face and pulls me forward. Then, does the same thing on my cheek. We do this several times until we get tired. It's the cutest thing to watch your son give you love. He loves to "play" with my hair. Some people would say he's pulling my hair, but since he gives me kisses, I call it hug. :)

Mr. Sandman, bring me some SLEEP. Mr. Sandman is coming to our house and sprinkling sleepy dust on Patrick. It's a good thing because momma is getting tired. Patrick slept from 11:30 p.m. to 7:15 a.m. then napped from 9:30 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. This was so great! I felt refresh and energized. Perhaps we are being re-introduced to nap time. Thank you Mr. Sandman!