Roll your shoulders and take a deep breath

Ah...what a different day today is from yesterday. Yesterday was pandamonium trying to pull the final pieces of little c's second first birthday party together, hosting the party, and then cleaning up. It was a wonderful day, spent with wonderful people, and photos and descriptions are coming soon, however...

I logged onto the computer tonight after a friend left (we had such a lovely visit, talking about the trials and tribulations of life with babies) and had every intention of writing about little c's Christmas and birthday parties but I decided to first check a blog that I read every day (thank you KD for showing me this site). Well, it had me crying for so many reasons I just had to share. Little c can wait. This cannot. Please click on the link to see how you can make a difference in the life of 400,000 individuals in the U.S. (Canadians, you can make a difference too)

Click here  (ignore the fantasy photo at the top...it's kinda weird)

Here's a teaser photo so you'll come back soon to check out my first dessert buffet.

 
Paper garland that I sewed on Saturday night. It's got me planning other creations for Valentine's Day. Maybe I should start now.

Thisth

Little c's favourite new word, when pointing to anything and everything: thisth. I'll try and capture it on video and post it so you can hear it. It's pretty darn cute.

Happy Friday to everyone from the little firecracker. Updates and photos next week on all things Christmas and birthday!

Catching up

I can't believe it's been a couple of weeks since I sat down and shared a snippet of little c's life. SO much has happened since then. Here's a recap:

-First flight with Daddy. I'd give it a 5 out of 10.

-Stranger danger. Wouldn't even go to my sisters, who look just like me. He eventually warmed up but sure put up a good fight at the beginning of the trip home.

-First Christmas. Who cares about the gifts! Just give the boy paper and bags 'cause that's all he'll play with.

-Calling a bathroom his bedroom for 9 nights. No explanation needed.

-Hanging out at the mall like a champion. Not much else to do in -8 degree weather.

-Watching his first hockey game. The first of many Mommy hopes.

-First birthday with 30 of his favourite Canadians.

-Taking first place in the Best Eater & Sleeper category (trophy coming soon).

-Second flight with Daddy where Mommy held an imaginary gun up to her head to blow her brains out. Again, 5 out of 10. No, make that 3 out of 10 due to the Steven Tyler (Aerosmith) look-alike who talked to me non-stop from take off to landing. If only I'd snagged a photo of her (yes, she was the female version of Steven Tyler).

-And last but not least, first steps taken 4 days after his first birthday. Sadly Mommy & Daddy were not present when this happened and little c has refused to impress us with his talent

More details coming soon. But his second first birthday party is coming up this weekend and Mommy has about 57 things still left to do on her list (with little boxes to check once they're complete). For now, a photo of the 1 year old.

 

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Hunger strike

Today marked day 4 of little c's hunger strike. He's definitely got a virus as his sleep and eating patterns, which are normally spectacular, are out of whack. His "teacher" told big c that he ate only applesauce today and fell asleep on the floor. You know he's sick when he falls asleep on the floor, eh? 

I'm not too concerned. I had a boss always say that a child will not starve themselves and so I haven't tried to force him to eat. Big c has a different philosophy all together. He tries every tactic you can think of to try and entice little c to eat. We've also thrown out far too much food because he pulls everything out of the fridge, freezer and cupboard in his attempts at getting little c to end the strike. Most of it ends up on the floor after little c pulls it out of his mouth. I sit back and watch from the other side of the picket line, knowing this too shall pass. There's no negotiating with an almost 1 year old.

So, we'll see what tomorrow brings.

Tonight we celebrated Christmas with our best friends. Chicken pot pie and chocolate cake were on the menu. And a whole lot of laughter, crying (by the kids, mostly little c), and a surprisingly good group photo (surprising because the kids usually don't cooperate). We only have one more month together as B&S are off to Australia for 7 months. But it's better than being away for a year, like they were last year. I guess that's how it is when you're in the witness protection program.

Alright, I hope you have a glorious weekend. If you're in Southwestern Ontario, stay off the 401 east of London. If you're in Salt Lake, feel free to drop in for some imaginary Christmas cookies and non-existent mulled cider. 

 
 Reading a book with Aunt T.

 
Goofy Aunt S. Little c is going to miss her. (But not as much as Mommy & Daddy will)

 
Merry Christmas from the Widmer-Ross-Hancock Family! 

 

Sick Day: Take Two

Well, since little c woke up again with a fever/bad hair, we've decided to finally take him in to see Dr. Rachel. It's probably just a virus but since he's grabbing his ear, we thought we'd have her check for an ear infection.

I get to hang out with the little bear all day today. He fell asleep watching Sesame Street this morning and has been asleep in his crib ever since, coming up on 3.5 hours. I've been trying to maximize my time by doing laundry, putting things away, making lists, finishing a Christmas project, and stressing over his birthday party plans again. Afternoon plans include a trip to the drycleaners, the doctors, the grocery store and the bank. Good times. I feel like a stay-at-home mom! I even broke out my mom jeans for the occasion!

We hope you have a great day. Enjoy some photos of the sick bear wearing his jeggings (google it). They were a rush purchase at H&M. I had no idea they were jeggings until I tried to get them on his ridiculously fat legs. Had to butter up his thighs to get them up all the way.

 
 
Giving me his best "I'm so sick I'm about to die" look. Takes after his dad on this one.

Bad hair day

Little c stayed home from "school" today. Daddy says it's because he has a fever of 101. Mommy says it's because he woke up with REALLY bad hair and she couldn't fix it and couldn't send him out in public with it.

He is now helping me blog, fzdxzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. Good job Cohen.

The exciting news is that he actually cuddled up with me for 13 minutes this afternoon and watched Ellen with me. Best. Day. Ever! I've been waiting for him to cuddle with me for almost 12 months.

And that's it for now. The crustless quiche is done and a salad needs to be made before big c gets home from work.

 

Living inside a pressure cooker

Okay, life isn't that stressful right now, but I am feeling a lot of pressure. Pressure you ask? Yes, pressure to have a fabulous first birthday party for little c. As a former event planner and lover of themed parties, I feel as if I need to kick things up a notch and throw little c the best dang party that anyone has ever attended. And for the record, no one is putting the pressure on me except for me.

I have started losing sleep over it. Really and truly. I tell myself that if I was a really good Mom, I'd have had the theme already picked out and planned for 6 months ago. Party hats would already be made, a Happy Birthday Cohen bunting would have been sewn, invitations already received, first birthday shirt made, my sister finalizing the cake plans, and the dessert buffet all set to go. But here we are 3 weeks away from the big event and I've got nothing. Nothing at all. No theme to start the wheels in motion. Not even a poem for the invite.

Can I tell you how hard it is to plan a first birthday party at the same time as trying to pull Christmas together? It's not easy. I'm sure some of you reading this know from experience.

I do have hope that I will come to my senses and realize that the first birthday is about celebrating that little life that you hoped for for so long. It will be great even if there is a cake purchased from Costco and little c shows up wearing nothing but a diaper and a paper hat purchased from the dollar store because we will be with family and friends and we will be rejoicing the mere existence of Cohen Gray Hancock.

And so while I feel like I'll be in the pressure cooker for a little while longer, I think I'm going to pop the lid open, take a deep breath and enjoy these photos of my little almost-one-year-old in a few of his cool hats.