What Do Ya Know, HE CAN WALK

So, Christian has fought walking every "step" of the way.  He  has been crawling since he was 8 months old and I would bet money on him in any baby crawling race.  Do they have those?  Anyways, so when we try to practice walking, he will just lift his legs up off the floor and go all noodle leg on us.  For about 2 months now he's been consistantly walking around while holding onto furniture, for about a month he's been standing solo without assistance, and for about 2 weeks he's been taking 1-3 steps on his own, but nothing I would call serious walking.  In one week, he will be 14 months old.  I began feeling a bit anxious about just how long my child would prolong this milestone.  I know, I know, I have heard it a million times, "Once he starts walking, you'll regret wishing he could" but I also get the question, "He isn't walking yet?"  Apart of me feels he'll walk when he walks, but secretly I'm impatiently waiting to witness his first steps. 

A couple of weeks ago I volunteered in our church's nursery class.  Christian was by far the BIGGEST crawler!  At one point this little 8 month old girl just walks right by him all Frankenstein-esque and I had to laugh.  She looked down at him and I swear she was probably thinking, "Does his legs not work?"

So tonight, he took the most amount of steps in a row without falling down!   The song he is walking to in the video is called, "I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas." Why was that the song my husband decides to pull up??  I don't know, but it got him haulin' baby booty.  I'm just happy I got some video of it!~

 

Fun Fact:  Matt and I both took our first steps at 14 months.

Wordless Wednesday - Then & Now

Weekend Recap - High School Reunion and Family Birthday Party

Over the weekend, my husband and I attended his 20 year high school reunion (class of 1991).  I never went to my 10 year reunion (class of 1999), so I was curious how this would go.  I had so much fun!  Great people + great 90's music (i.e. "Too Legit to Quit" "...That Girl is Poiiiissssoooon") + 3 margaritas = A Super Fun Night :)  I think I had such a good time since it wasn't my own reunion...I didn't feel the pressure of looking better than my high school self and finding people to chat with.  My graduating class was so large and everyone I would want to see I have kept in contact with...I decided to skip it.  So far no regrets.   There is an 8 year age difference between us, so Matt feared I wouldn't have a good time, but quite the opposite.  It just reminded me of a different time in my life....6th grade! Don't be a hater Matt, you're married to someone still in their 20's...for about 6 more weeks :(

What better time to take a self portrait while in the restroom...

Earlier that day, we had a lil' family gathering for June birthdays.  I love going to Matt's Aunt Sam and Uncle Paul's.  They live out where your neighbor is a little down the street and you're surrounded by trees.   It's always great food and great company.  I've really enjoyed having family in driving distance. Growing up, I never was close enough to family (which is unfortunate since I have some super awesome cousins), so when Matt and I got married I immediately loved "family time."  Usually the weekends are reserved to "make the rounds."  It helps that I like his family...or should I say they like me...right??? :)

Everyone have a good week!

Wordless Wednesday - A Family of Chucks...Converse that is :)

Father's Day Weekend

Friday when I got home, my super awesome husband had a little surprise for me to cheer me up from a stressful week.  There was one vase in the living room and one in our boudoir ;)

Saturday, I took some AMATEUR photo's for my friend Sammi of her kiddo's.  It was a little intimidating pulling up to the park and seeing a handful of professional photographers workin' away with their fancy lenses and tripods, but I just pretended like I knew what I was doing >-)

...and then Sunday was Father's Day!  The three of us ventured to Academy to get Grandpa a gift certificate, since his new hobby is golf.  Christian got daddy the new Eddie Vedder CD and mommy got him a leaf blower...hey, that's what he wanted.  What can I say, my man likes to do lawn work :) 

 

Christian thanked his daddy for all that he does for him. 

"Thank you daddy for always being there for me when I need you.  You always put me to bed and read me a story that usually puts me right to sleep, you teach me things like just because you can't see something doesn't mean it's not there, and you get up every morning to feed me, dress me, and fasten me in my car seat so mommy can take me to daycare.  You always play cars with me and tell me you love me.  What more can a kid ask for?!"

I have an amazing husband and he's a wonderful father to our son. 



The first day of fatherhood

 

Daddy and Son just hanging out :)

Flashback Friday - 1991 and the Iceman Mummy

The year was 1991 and I was 10 years old.  Like most unaware tweens, I didn't have a care in the world.  I went to school, played outside until dark, was SUPER in love with New Kids on the Block (I think I've mentioned that a time or two), and most likely never thought about death because I'm pretty sure I would live FOR-EV-ER...Until one night my dad is watching some PBS special about THE ICEMAN MUMMY.  Anyone remember this?  Well, just in case you missed this PBS special in 1991, let me school you my friend.  It was this 5,000 year old mummy they found on the border between Austria and Italy.  He is Europe's oldest human mummy and if you want to see what freaked 10 year old Cristal out, refer to this link: ICEMAN MUMMY.  Anyways, this "special" traumatized little me.  I'm still not sure what specifically about seeing this mummy changed me from happy-go-lucky to EMO in a matter of minutes, but it did.  I went through a week long phase where I would say to myself, "Whats the point? We're all going to die someday like that mummy..."  So I just laid around and did nothing.  Yes I know, that's pretty dark and morbid...and let's not forget DRAMATIC!   For a week, death consumed my every thought!  I would lay in bed and wonder how it was all going to go down one day...my own demise that is.  Would I just be truckin' along like OZTI (that's what they named the iceman) and keel over dead...so 5,000 years later they could excavate my body and find the last thing I ate was an obscene amount of sugary sweets? (I was a chunk).  They found grains and unleavened bread in Ozti - what a crappy last meal.  I'm sure my dad did not think this would send his daughter into a week long journey into all things DEATH, but it did.  This is also the same man that took his 6 year old daughter to see ROBOCOP....which also traumatized me, but that's another day. 

So, after about a week of being consumed with the thought of death, I eventually was distracted by something else...most likely my first love...NKOTB or FOOD. 

Have a Good Weekend Everyone! :)

Wordless Wednesday - Fruits of {my husbands} Labor

My First Quilt {in the works}

So, I found this beginners quilt pattern online (geared towards kids) and decided it would be my best bet for my first quilt. Let's just say once I began the quilting process, I was given a reality check.  It's almost like the sewing machine was saying to me, "Not as easy as you thought I would be huh?!"  When I saw the quilts my husbands grandmother had stock piled in her closet, I thought to myself, "Well I'm sure once I get the hang of it, I could assemble a quilt pretty quickly..."  How over confident am I!?!  After my first attempt at machine sewing and fabric cutting, I realized this little quilt pattern I thought wouldn't take me too long would take me longer than I thought.  I had to learn how to assemble the thread onto the sewing machine and then look up what all these sewing machine and quilting terms meant!  Words like tension, bobbin, foot, etc...

So here is my top layer...

If you were able to see this up close, you would see MANY faux pas, but for my first quilt, I was proud I didn't sew my finger to it.  I've always liked pink and brown together.  Thank God for Grandma Solomon, she has helped me so much.    I will post the finished product once I'm done. 

On a side note, I got my new camera lens today :)  The Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 recommended to me by Amy Lee from the blog A Good Life.  She always takes amazing photos with great use of aperture.  Here are a few photos I took today.



Customer Service at its Finest

My husband is in the drive thru line at Braum's (it's a local burger/ice cream shop) to get a gallon of milk for Christian....

Begin Scene

Matt: Could I get a gallon of whole milk please?

Braums Associate: Sir, we don't sell gallon milk through the drive thru, but we do sell half gallon...

Matt: So, could you sell me TWO 1/2 gallons??

Braums Associate: Yeah sure! Is that all?

Matt: Nevermind, I'll just come in...

End Scene

REALLY???

Over Memorial Weekend:: First Haircut & Our Growing Garden

I like in the last photo he's pulling his dad's hair like, "Is this what they are going
to cut???"



He looks like a big boy now :(



Our little garden is growing :)