1 Year Old

Seriously? 

Miles is one!

 One year ago we got a phone call to let us know that little boy was born and that the c-section went well.

It was three days before we got to see that little boy.

But, it was all worth it.

Every tear....worth it.

For the last year heaven has touched our home.

Miles is pure joy.

He is so sweet and wins the hearts of many.

He is getting so big, I'm not sure if I like it or if I'm sad about it...

a little bit of both I guess.

One thing that I do like is...

Miles likes to stand in the carts at the store.

Now his big ol' car seat doesn't take up all the space.

I put things in the cart and he casually throws them out on the floor with a quick 

UH OH.

He loves to play in Magnus' water bowls. 

This is a love/hate relationship I have with this one.

It's darling! He loves it!...Therefore I smile and love it too and say "how fun"

But he ends up sitting down and dumping all the water on himself....

you see? 

love/hate.

Sooo....when he's done, we go up to the bath and get cozy warm again.

I love that he loves his bunny.

I ask if he can give bunny a kiss...

and this is his smooch.

It makes me sad that I don't have to sit down and spoon feed him everything anymore.

He sits in his chair and chomps down whatever we are eating.

He's still a good eater.

The only thing that he doesn't love is broccoli.

But he'll eat it if its pureed. 

Now with all the sadness of him feeding himself...

it is kinda nice because,

We can all eat at the same time and that is fun.

After each bite he says MMMMMMMM. 

I love that he knows who dad is and that he loves to be with him!

Dads are fun

Dads are wild

Dads throw babies into the air,

and Dads use jammies for long ears

(look at those chubby arms....mmmm)

Some fun 12 month facts about Miles:

-He is walking 100%

- He has 7 teeth

-He points to things he wants or sees (not grunting just pointing)

- Says "ah" after we say prayers

-Throws his drink on the ground when he's done drinking 

-He squeals/squawks like a monkey when you say the word monkey

-He blows raspberries still

-Takes my glasses off my face every bottle feeding

-He  is starting to "dance" when he hears a beat

-He whispers...its adorable.

He can say:

Dog(da) Duck (duh), Ball (ba), Uh Oh, Hi, Bye, Car (tar/ca), Mom, Dad (da), Bunny (bouie), Button (bun)

Miles, we love you more than you will ever know.

You are our favorite one year.

We are so happy you came to our family.

HaPpY BiRtHdAy!

11 Months

How is this happening? 

11 months.

Really?

 This is going by so fast.

Miles' little personality is really starting to come out.

He is a funny little one. 

In public he seems pretty shy but at home he's loud, giggly, and on the go.

He LOVES taking baths and the love of splashing water is an UNDER STATEMENT.

We put towels over us to protect us.

He now grabs the spoon.

But not gently may I add, he grabs it pretty rough and flings the food on the floor before it gets to his mouth.

 

Last month he discovered toilet paper.

This month....

he discovered that it can REALLY ROLL.

He is still Magnus' biggest fan!

He points at him hourly and says DA.

He flaps his ears, pokes the eyes, whips the tail and hurdles over him daily.

Lately he has been really interested in his toys.

And toy basket for that matter.

He pushes the toy train around and its so sweet.

We've been playing in the back yard more.

I gave him some chalk.

After he ate it over and over and over

he FINALLY wrote on the ground.

His first art project is in the yellow box.

Proud Mama.

Miles is liking the big boy stuff.

Like sitting in the wagon with his sippy cup with a friend without the little seat belts.

And a super fun highlight of 11 months is:
WALKING.

He is still crawling most of the day but gets in the walking everyday too.

This was the first night two weeks ago.

He was so happy about it.

Fun Facts:

Miles has 6 teeth. (four on top and two on bottom)

He can say BA (ball) Da (dog) Hi, Bye, Uh Oh, Car/Tar (car)

He finally started clapping (literally three days ago)

He goes to bed at 7:30/8:00 and wakes up at 7:00/7:30

He likes pushing buttons

He can't ever seem to get enough of pulling off my glasses

He protests getting buckled in the car seat...but is fine the second you strap him in

He loves facetiming with grandma and says HI the second he sees himself on the screen

He gives open mouth kisses

He is pointing out a few objects you ask him to find in books 

He likes to try to climb on your back when you are sitting on the floor

He is starting to get opinions 

eats about anything you give him

and

crawls away super fast and face plants when ever you say "I'M GONNA GET YOU"

You will be one next week!

I think I may cry.

10 months

Month 10 has brought so many smiles.

To start off his 10th month of life we went to St. George for Thanksgiving.

While on our visit, Miles only broke a custom made floor lamp.

Super sweet.

However, he got to see Zion National Park for the first time.

We hiked Emerald Pools and it was Awesome.

I swear, ever since thanksgiving, Miles is INTO EVERYTHING!

The second the dishwasher opens Miles is there to "help."

He pulls out the silverware and throws it on the ground.

He would climb in if I let him.

He cruises everywhere.

He gets into every cupboard.

He likes pulling out the hand towels, tupperware, cupcake liners, and pretty much whatever he sees.

(we have broken the glass measuring cups...I wasn't fast enough)

He has loved the entrance table and those silver coasters.

Magnus is still a hit.

Our friends little guy was over to play and Magnus wanted in on the action.

Magnus is being a good horse for Porter.

Miles is loving the outdoors,

Espeically his yellow car.

He likes being pushed around our trike track over and over and over.

He is starting to fuss when it's time to come in.

A new discovery is the shower.

Miles eyes are so goopy and crusty and we have found that the showers do wonders to clean those bad boys up.

The constant running water and steam seem to really get them clean so he can see better.

Poor fella.

Now when he hears the running water, he crawls over to the shower and waits to get in.

Such a sweetie.

Miles babbles and jabbers throughout the day.

However, he has said his first official word.

D O G . 

It sounds like DA or G (g sound)

He points to Magnus and repeats DA.

We're not surprised his first word is DOG.

It's adorable.

He is waving Hi and BYE.
No new teeth. We're still at 5.

He is starting to be a little more interested in Patty Cake.

It's hit or miss on HIGH FIVE ( Most of the time he gently touches your hand with his pointer).

He likes to stand and cruise on the furniture and walls

He is starting to really smile for other people, not just us at home.

We can ask him "where is the ball?" and he'll look for it and crawl to the ball.

He is starting to put things "away" when it's time to clean up (obviously i help him, but he is holding the object then letting go of it in the basket)

He has started intentionally sharing his food with the dog.
Discovered that toilet paper rolls.
Mastered climbing up the stairs

and

we kinda think he thinks his water is called UH OH.

(he always drops his water cup and says uh oh)

Here is Miles 10 month video of some darling babbling with an adorable wave.

Christmas tears

 

 

 

A few years ago I was decorating the Christmas tree.

I love decorating the tree, it's one of my favorite things to do.

Romney was taking a nap upstairs and I was listening to Christmas music...another favorite. 

 I was singing along with the carols when the phone rang.

I jumped over boxes, tiptoed around ornaments and ducked under the ladder to answer the phone.

It was my nurse from the infertility clinic.

She said: Hi Erin.

I nervously asked: whats the word?

She gently said:  Negative.

I thanked her.

 I walked to the living room and went back to work on our tree.

I hung up a few ornaments ignoring what I just heard...but within seconds I fell to my knees and began to cry.

I cried tears of sadness, frustration, loneliness, and confusion. 

 Why was this happening?

 

Fast forward to present day:

I was pulling out the Christmas boxes and started to decorate the family room.

I was working on the mantel specifically.

I was unpacking the stocking holders when I started to cry.

You see....

I was on the hunt years ago for specific silver picture frame stocking holders.

My mom came across some at Aaron Brothers.

She called me and said she found what I had been searching for.

She asked how many I wanted.

I told her 6.

2 for Romney and I and 4 for our future kids(not knowing I was infertile).

For Y E A R S  I have only pulled out 2 stocking holders for Romney and I.

 But this year I pulled out 3.

3 stocking holders...for MY mantel.

I cried tears of joy, gratitude, and love.

 

I know exactly the answer to my pleading "WHY" many years ago.

It's simple.

Miles.

We just had to wait for Miles.

He has been worth all the tears, and sadness we had to go through.

and now...

look; there are three stockings hung with care.

Three.

And it doesn't even matter how long it took.

ALL WORTH IT!

ALL OF IT!

I am grateful that my longest days of sadness were during the Christmas season.

I was able to focus on the birth Jesus Christ,

and through Him,

my tears of sadness have been replaced with such JOY.

 

Eye appointment for the little tyke

When Miles was a new born he had clogged tear ducts.

We talked to the doctor about it and she told us it would clear up on its own.

And somewhere at sometime it did clear up.

Then in September Miles got some goop in his eye....

the DREADED PINK EYE(so we all thought)

So he was put on  antibiotics for a week and they got better.

Then a week later it was back.

More washing the sheets daily and scrubbing the hands.

Well....

it came back a third time.

So I called the doctor A G A I N and she didn't want us to come in but that she wanted to refer us to the eye specialist.

Here are Miles goopy eyes on a daily basis.

 

They are super red and gunky. 

They look more sore than they really are.... but poor fella.

SOOOO... the little tyke sat with daddy in the chair and followed the tiger...

...fought the drops for the pupil to dilate...

...he helped the technician hold the instrument...

After the eye exam the results are:

 

His eyes are developing correctly and he sees what he should at this age...

However, he DOES have clogged tear drains and is scheduled for surgery after his first birthday.

Boo.

With fully dilated pupils he got to work thee awesome sunglasses they provide.

9 Months

MILES! 

You stop growing.

This is going toooo fast.

We feel like every month is better than the last.

We feel like each stage is the cutest.

We feel like there is NO way we could love him anymore but, our hearts keep filling up on more Miles.

We're obsessed,

and

It's awesome.

Miles is a-crusin.

He stands up where he wants to stand and slowly moves those feet a couple steps to the side.

He can open the cupboards and pull out the bowls.

He tries for the glass bowls BUT I do stop that one.

He LOVES Magnus' kennel.

Anytime the door is open, Miles automatically makes his way inside.

He doesn't care if Magnus is IN it....

or NOT.

He just makes himself at home.

He loves going through his basket of toys everyday.

He really loves this cupboard in the corner of the house.
He stays pretty busy back there.

He uses his pointer finger all day.

He points to everything. 

Right now he is into noses.

We are greeted by a happy boy each morning.

and if we dont go get him relevately quick 

he starts....

eating the crap out of his crib.

 

Fun 9 month old facts about our cool baby:

Miles now has 4 teeth (two top and two bottom--another is trying to poke through now)

He is starting to mimic what a monkey and Lion say

He responds to his name 

He will drop everything, crawl to you while crying when asked: "Miles do you want a BABA?"

He loves crackers and drinking from his big boy straw cup

He tugs on your leg to be held

He loves to find you when he sees you crawl away from him

He likes to eat our shoes, cherrios, and rice chex

He LOVES blowing raspberries still

He lights up when dad walks in the room

He makes the hard "C" sound a lot

He lays perfectly still while his ears get cleaned

He uses his pointer finger for everything....even rolling the ball back to me

He got his second hair cut

He weighs 22 pounds

He is starting to bounce up and down while standing on the couch

and...

He is very difficult to take a picture of now that he is mobile.

Yep, he's a cool one.

8 months

I really needed to post this today ...

because tomorrow Miles will be 9 months.

I am so behind in blogging. 

I am so tired and so busy and my house always needs attention before the blog.

Sorry, its the truth.

Anyway back to the title of this post. 

8 Months.

Miles rocks a babyhawk and is already due for another hair cut.

What can we say...

the boy has good hair.

 

Miles has discovered the grass!

Fall isn't here yet in California, so we are still outside in onesies and no shorts daily.

He enjoys relaxin on a blanket pulling grass and trying to eat it.

Magnus runs around and keeps us entertained.

8 months has brought not 1, not 2 but 3 teeth.

The two top teeth and one bottom tooth.

You can see a tiny white speck in this picture.

We have a great love and fascination with cords and plugs.

Every time I vacuum, Miles is there to play with the cord...which eventually he tries to eat.

He loves string too.

He will pull on shoe laces and try to gobble them up,

He pulls on my dangling apron strings from behind just so he can eat it.

Miles doesnt sit still in his high chair any longer.

He twists and turns and likes to drop things.

I love to watch him look over the tray onto the floor to look for his toy.

and his UH OH is adorable.

Miles is on the move!

He crawls everywhere and plays on his knees.

He is using his pointer finger a lot lately. (especially on my nose)

He loves taking baths.

He is a fan of squash and drinking from his sippy cup.

He adores Magus and has fun playing with the kennel and his water bowl.

Miles is pulling himself up to stand at the couch, bathtub, stairs, and toys.

 Sitting for too long isn't fun anymore. Just last night he took a step to the side while standing at the couch....he'll be cruising very soon.

He always wants to hold the remote control and push all the buttons.

He likes to play up by the fireplace and look out the back sliding door.

He SCREAMS and CRIES when I say "Miles, do you want a BABA"...ummm I'll take that as a yes.

He is such a fun little guy.

He truly is a joy.

 Happy 8 Months little one.