Feeling better, feeling blessed

I was pretty down last weekend because of taking Reid to daycare and my mom being in the hospital. Well daycare has gone pretty well. Reid is a very happy baby and seems to be doing well at daycare. They have all kinds of toys for him to play with and other babies to play with.

My mom is home from the hospital and is on her road to recovery. She called me the other day to tell me she loved me, that's my mom. It is nice to know that she is herself again...not 100% but getting there. My mom and I talk at least once a day, and it was hard not to be able to talk to her for those few days, we are now back to talking 1-2 times a day...thank goodness for unlimited long distance!

It is such a good feeling to know that I have people in my life who can help get through these hard times. When I cry at night, Rudd puts his arms around me- doesn't say anything, but lets me know he's there and that he will do whatever he needs to do, like driving over White Pass at midnight to get me to the hospital in Richland to see my mom. Then there's Lisa. When I called her to tell her that my mom was being taken to the ER in Hermiston, she offered to go there and make sure she was ok. She stayed there for hours until my mom was taken to Kadlec in Richland. I was a mess, but knowing she was there put my mind at ease.
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Good Bye Summer Hello Day Care

This summer was so much fun- staying at home with Reid, visiting my friends and family in Eastern Oregon, and spending time with Rudd. With the end of summer came Reid's first day at DayCare. I was a mess all of Labor Day weekend knowing that on Tuesday I would drop Reid off and spend 8 hours without him. I was sick to my stomache I was so nervous and anxious. When I went to pick him up at the end of the day he was sitting on the floor playing. I could tell he was having fun. As I walked in, he heard my voice looked up at me and smiled. When I picked him up, he reached out and touched my face, almost like saying "I've missed you Mom". I was relieved to see that he had a good day and was happy. His "teachers" say nice things about him, like "eats very well"- (that's my guy) and "is a very happy baby". I can't wait for the weekend when I get to spend 2 full days with him!

Not Ready

I was laying in bed crying the other night because I realized how scared I am to lose my mom. I know death is a natural part of life, blah blah blah, I don't care, I am not ready to lose my mom. Just over a week ago my mom, who is only 56, had a stroke. It took 5 days for the doctors to figure out it was a stroke. She was on a ventilator and had a central line. Right now her speech is altered and her gross motor skills are affected. I have heard of people bouncing back from these, but I have also heard of people having more strokes. My mom has already been through so much- a heart attack, going blind, and diabetes. What more can this woman handle? She is so strong, I love her so much and am just not ready.

First Tooth

I can't believe it! Reid (my little man) is getting his first tooth. I can feel it in his mouth. The second one is showing through the gums too! It's amazing how fast he is growing. Just the other day during tummy time, he scooted backwards on the floor. The next day he started moving his legs like he was crawling, but his hands weren't doing much. The day after that, he had his arms and legs moving, but couldn't get any levrage (spelling?), so he didn't go anywhere, but you can see it in his eyes, he wants to get moving. He also rolled over from his tummy to his back. It is sad to see my baby grow up, but at the same time, it is SO MUCH FUN watching him go through these "firsts".

Ok, Raymond's not that bad...

Having a baby makes me want to move closer to my family so Reid can be around his grandparents (he is lucky to have both sets), wonderful cousins, an awesome Uncle, and my good friends Lisa and JD and their boys. But Raymond has it's perks...Rudd and I have made a good life here. We have almost remodeled our home from top to bottom, have put our personal touches to the house, and have great memories here. We even have a small family of deer living in your backyard- ok not right in our backyard, but right behind our fence. They come to our fence and eat fruit and veggies we throw out there. There is a mama deer and two - yes twin- fawns. I love looking out our kitchen window and seeing the bay, green trees and our three deer friends! So maybe Raymond's not that bad. I would like a little more sun and less rain though.

Summer Time

Reid and I had a mini vacaction in Eastern Oregon last week. We spent 10 days at my mom's house in Umatilla. It was a jam-packed week and a half. We visited Rudd's parents a few times so they could spend time with Reid. Papa Skoubo can really get Reid laughing, and I think he enjoys the toys on the Exersaucer as much as Reid does. Reid's cousins, Chelsea, Drew and Alyssa were able to spend time with him too. He LOVES his cousins, and is always looking at Chelsea and smiling. She is so good with him, she even changes his diapers.

We went to the water park with Austin, Chelsea, Drew, Alyssa and Grammie Winters. Reid loved the water! He looked so cute in his hat and swimming trunks.

We also celebrated Chelsea's 11th birthday. I remember when she was a baby- time flies by way too fast, now she will be in 6th grade next year.

Reid met a student of mine from Sandtone Middle School, Sierra. He really liked her. We ate lunch at Pizza Hut, I love that place and Rudd hates it so we hardly ever go to Pizza Hut. When we found out we were having a boy, we celebrated by going to Pizza Hut!

Lisa and I saw the "Sex in the City" movie, and it was as good as I thought it would be, a little on the long side. On our way home from the movie we stopped at Hastings and I bought two CD's- something I haven't done in a really long time.

It was a great visit and I was sad to leave, but excited to come home to Rudd, I know Reid missed his daddy.

Falling in love with life again!

My cousin Erin made me a wonderful scrapbook from the shower her and her mom had for me. She used brown lunch sacks, and put wrapping paper from the gifts on the edges. She is so creative. The scrapbook has pictures and things that the guests wrote to me and Reid. Lisa wrote "You are going to fall in love with life all over again". I have been trying to find the words that describe the feelings of being a new mom. Lisa's words decribe it perfectly. I am falling in love with life... a new life with Reid and Rudd. I can't imagine anything feeling more perfect that what I feel when I look at Reid and see him smile at me, giggling at his daddy, falling asleep in my arms after singing "Itsy Bitsy Spider" twenty times, and laying in bed with him and Rudd. It's the little things that make my day brighter.