Party

Yesterday my parent's had a party. It was a thank you party to all the people who helped them and prayed for them as they went through all they did with the house fire. Tomorrow, one year ago, we were woken up to a terrible phone call. My dad called and told us the home we grew up in, my parent's house, was on fire. Yesterday was all about celebrating. Celebrating all that God has blessed them with and all God has done for them. We had so much fun. It was so great to see so many different people, some of which I have not seen in years.
God has blessed my family soooo much. And he is always taking care of us. God kept my family safe in the fire. My younger sister and my mom were home when the house started on fire. God made sure that they both got out safely. God provided a great rental place for my parent's to stay and it was only 1/2 block from our house. Unfortunately my parent's house had to be tore down because the fire destroyed so much of the house, but God gave them an affordable and nice new house. It was a foreclosure house and needed a lot of work. One of my brothers stepped up and helped my parent's tremendously. He did almost all of the work, and he did an amazing job. God helped my parent's in so many ways. I am so thankful for everything that God has done for our family. God is so awesome and he amazes me each and every day. Thank you Lord for everything you have done, and for just being an awesome God.

Jane, one of my best friends, and my older sister, Abby

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My Auntie Trish and Uncle Pat

Marlone, the cutest little boy

Flora Jean and Tom

Zander got to spend some quality time with his Uncle Andy

Zander taught himself how to get down a step

And he did it the safe way

He is a careful boy at times. He was walking up my parent's driveway yesterday and there was about an inch difference in 2 parts of the concrete. SO, my careful boy was walking, and when he got to the change in the concrete, he got down on his knees to carefully go over that part. He is so funny.

A little bummed...but I'm taking care of my baby

Zander woke up sick this morning. We had plans to go to the Museum of Science and Industry with some friends, but unfortunately we couldn't go. Zander has a bad cough and a runny nose. His nose has been running all day like a faucet. He took an hour and a half nap this morning at my mom's house. We did visit my mom at her house today because my little sister was over and wanted to see us. Then we came home around 11 a.m. Zander didn't eat much today. Then he went down for a nap at 1 p.m. and has been sleeping ever since. I am bored at home. I should be packing, but I sooooo do not feel like doing that. We will see how Zander feels after his nap.

Doctor's Visit for Zander and MOPS BBQ

Zander had a doctor's appointment. It was his second one year appointment. After he turned one we had an appointment, but he had a low grade fever at the appointment, and they couldn't give him one of his shots. He only had a fever because he was teething. Today, Zander weighed 24 lbs. and 2.5 oz. I was a little surprised at his weight. My baby boy is getting so big. He had 2 shots today, MMR and Hepatitis A. He took them like a champ. While we were waiting for the doctor to come in Zander had fun exploring the room. They had some small mirrors on the wall with some beads to play with. He loved it. I wish I got a picture of it. I addressed some things with his pediatrician. She thinks he gets a red face and red ear from allergies, probably hay fever or maybe an allergy to dogs or cats. She just told me to give him Benadryl for the itching or puffy eyes.


In the evening I had a MOPS BBQ to go to. I will be a table leader for next years MOPS group, so the leadership all got together. I had a lot of fun. And the house we went to was gorgeous. They even had a home theater in a basement with a full kitchen and a popcorn machine. It was so cute. We had a meeting for MOPS too, mostly to get some dates down for future meetings. I was supposed to have a doctor's appointment this afternoon for the baby, but it had to be cancelled because she had to deliver another baby.

Pizza Time Yesterday

I had to work yesterday after having 5 days off in a row.  I enjoyed the time off.  And I jumped back into work with a busy work day.  But now I have 3 days off in a row.  I love that I only work 3 days a week.  And this week is a shortened 2 day work week.  After work I met my family at Aurelio's Pizza.  My cousin Den and his wife Danielle are in town visiting from North Carolina, so we got together to visit with them.  It was only a small gathering for my family.  It was my Uncle Den, Auntie Ree, Den, Danielle, my mom, my dad, my sister Abby and her husband Andy that got together.  And I was late because I had to work.  Brian was supposed to be there with Zander, but he didn't get out of work until 7:30 p.m. 

We did meet up at my parent's house after dinner, and Brian and Zander were able to be there for that.  Zander was the entertainment for the night.  We were all sitting around in the living room visiting, and Zander just ran around greeting and smiling at everyone.  And he would yell squeal at times because he was having so much fun.  Lately Zander has been very clingy to me.  He doesn't go up to someone that he doesn't know very well.  Zander does not know my cousin Den well because he lives so far away.  But last night, he LOVED Den.  He went right up to him and put his hands out showing Den he wanted to be picked up.  And he couldn't stop smiling.  He loved Den.  I couldn't believe it.  Unfortunately Zander and I could not visit long because Zander was so tired, and it was way past his bedtime.  We miss you Den and Danielle and wish you didn't live so far away.  We can't wait to see you again.

A super close up of Zander.  Look at those gorgeous blue eyes.

Letter to Zander

Dear Zander,

I am awake at 12:00 a.m., early Wednesday morning, May 26th, 2010.  I tried going to sleep once and couldn't.  So I just got done peeking in on you.  You were all curled up in your crib, sleeping so soundly.  I touched your forehead twice, I was giving you kisses, and each time you reached up with your cute little hand.  I hope you weren't rubbing those kisses off.  I want you to know that I love you very much.  You are growing up so fast.  Even though you are only 14 months old, I feel like it is already going way too fast.  In some ways, I want you to stay little forever.  But, I do look forward to watching you grow up.  I hope I will cherish every day God gives me with you, even the hard ones.  I hope that you will always know how much your dad and I love you.  I love you more than I can ever tell you.  Even though you are only 14 months old, I worry so much about you.  I think I am most worried about the teenage years, but I have all the faith that God will get us through those years.  Zander, I am so blessed to have you as my son.  I am so thankful that God gave us you.  Your dad and I pray with you every night.  And I pray for you often throughout the day.  God is most important in my life.  And I pray that one day God will be most important in your life.  Your dad and I pray every night that He (GOD) will become your Lord and Savior.  I pray God brings you happiness and love.  I pray that you love God and you love life.  I know there will be hard times in your life.  I know you will have struggles.  I know you will make mistakes and I know you will fail at times.  But I pray through all of these times, you will always seek God.  I promise to teach you about God.  And I promise to read the bible to you and with you.  I promise to pray with you and pray for you.  Zander I love you.  I hope you will always know that, even when I discipline you.  I will discipline you because I love you. 


Zander, I'll love you forever, I'll like you for always, as long as I'm living my baby you'll be.  (a quote taken from the Children's Book "Love you, Forever" by Robert Munsch)

Zander, I love you so much.

Love always,

Mom

Play date at the Park

My day started early. Zander woke up around 6 a.m., which he never wakes up this early. I guess he wanted to see his dad before he went to work. I fed him a bottle and then decided to try to see if he would go back to sleep. He did very easily and slept until 9:30 a.m. I couldn't believe it. I was unable to go back to sleep. I didn't even try because once I am up I am rarely able to go back to sleep. It was nice to have a few hours to myself this morning. It was eerily quite, but I was able to shower, do my devotions, and just relax by myself before Zander woke up.

After he woke up I fed him and then we got ready for his play date today. My friend Amanda and her daughter Ava came over today. We haven't seen them since Zander was 3 months old.

Amanda with Ava.  Amanda is pregnant with her second child and due at the beginning of July.

We had so much fun together. We went out to eat at Buffalo Wild Wings, then we headed to the park to play.   Zander and Ava loved the see saw and did not want to get off of it.

They also loved playing in the sand box.

Zander ate a little sand while playing.  And he loves to get dirty.  He is definitely a boy.

After a while, we went back to our house to play a little more inside.  Ava was getting too much sun.

Zander had fun pushing Ava.

 

They played so well together.

Until they got tired.

We had so much fun.  Thanks Ava for playing with us.   Zander hopes you can come over and play again really soon.

Firehouse

I am going to try to catch up on my blog a little. We will see how that goes. You see we are moving at the end of May, and I have been busy packing.

Today I had to observe 8 hours with paramedics at a firehouse. I am taking a 2 day class to get my ECRN certification. Basically this certification is so that I can answer the radio calls that come in to the E.R. that I work at. Every EMS or paramedic must radio in about the patient they are bringing in to the hospital. I decided to do my ride time with the South Holland Fire Department. It was a fun filled day, and I got a couple of perks for riding along today. South Holland Fire Department had a training session this morning at Dolton's Fire Department. They are getting a new ladder truck, and Dolton has one that is similar to the one they are getting. The ladder on the truck extends 100 feet into the air and has a bucket on the end of the ladder. I was invited to ride up in the bucket. Of course, they extended it the full 100 feet. It was so cool. From that height we were able to see the City of Chicago. At that height we were higher than the water tower that was next to us. The ladder turns in each direction, so while 100 feet in the air we made a 360 degree turn. I loved it. I went on a total of 3 calls, they did not have a very busy day. But, the other perk was a towing company was having a luncheon and invited the firefighters, and I was able to tag along. It was a delicious lunch. It was a very nice day. I wouldn't mind being a paramedic with the fire department, except for the heavy lifting part. I don't think I could handle being a firefighter. I don't think I could stand the heat. Thank you to the men and women of South Holland Fire Department. You all were very kind to me.

I dressed Zander up for the part today since his mommy was going to a firehouse.

And being at the firehouse today reminded me of all the hard work that the firefighters of many towns, including South Holland, did to try and save my parents house. I salute all the firefighter of the world. They put their life on the line every day for others. Thank You.

A dear friend, Jen, watched Zander while I was away and Brian was working. Shortly after I got home, Zander woke up from his nap. We played together until his dad got home. We even had some fun outside, until the wind made it a little too brisk to be outside.

He loved to play with what I call "helicopters."

And sticks too.