Marissa is a year old!!!

Happy Birthday Marissa! I can't believe a year ago you came into our life!

Here's 12 fun facts about you:

1. You are soooooooooooooooooo laid back. This ALL comes from your daddy of course! I can't believe just how much you let it all just go and roll with the punches! Whether it's Carson knocking you over for no reason, or not getting your way, it's just whatever attitude!

2. You are finished with bottles. Mommy ironically had you stop at eleven months and one day, the same as your brother. NO, IT WASN'T PLANNED! You went right with the sippy cup like he did, but maybe even a little easier. :) Goodness, you are such an easy kiddo! I breastfed for you 5 days shy of 11 months. :) Your feeding pattern is much different than his was as well. You were a 4 oz bottle girl all the way! I had a lot of 8 oz bottles that never were even used. I guess you needed smaller amounts but more often. Hope that pattern continues in life and you can surpass the fatness of mommy and daddy!

3. You have some dancing skills. Your brother is madly in love with Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and when the Hot Dog song comes on, no matter where you are, you RUN to get to the TV! It's adorable to see you running, let along getting your groove on. I don't know where you get your dancing skills, but keep it up! Not bad for your age. Thanks for not being into the cartoon though! :)

4. Your blue eyes are bright! You light up the room with those blue eyes. Ok, you might just bat them already and get your way. Let's just say I thought it would only work on daddy, but it's working on me as well. ONE time, I tried to get out the door to go shopping with just your brother. But, the wave and blue eyes sent me right back inside for you! I hope you continue to work the blue eyes when it comes to your father for money! :)

5. WALKER---Goodness girl, you walked much faster than your brother. You were full walking about 9 1/2 months. It's weird seeing such a little girl walking around, running etc. when you are the same size as your brother was at 6 months when you started walking!

6. Tub Time- Just like your brother, you LOVE your tub time. It's a blast to see you have no fear in the water. I will continue to enjoy this part of our night time routine (even if I TRY to get it to every other night, it doesn't happen), so that it pays off for us when we head to the pool in the summer time. You did great this summer, but each day I realize how much more fun you will be this summer since you enjoy the water and have no fear of water in your face. The tub time is both daddy and I and you don't care who does it! That helps mommy a lot, so thanks.

7. Continuing with Ms. No Fear---You enjoy the minute mommy or daddy open the dishwasher, to get on it and help unload the dishes. Laundry baskets are upside down often so you can stand on top of them. The minute the gate is down at home or Missy's you RUN to the stairs to get upstairs. I won't forget the time I was on the phone with your daddy and I heard footsteps upstairs. My heart pounded when I realized it was just you running upstairs. WHY? Because you had knocked the gate down, felt powerful and went all the way up by yourself!

8. It's amazing how hard it is to change your diaper or get clothes on you. Wiggle worm doesn't even describe it! I need to master putting on a diaper in all sorts of methods, but I haven't done this just yet. SO, it's easier to have anybody in sight distract you. :) Tickle bugs are your favorite right now.

9. TOUGH GIRL- WOW! You put both your brother John and Carson to shame. You are a TOUGH GIRL! I can't believe the falls you have had and barely cry! Your brother Carson is harsh to you often and I can't imagine how much you will beat him up when he gets older! :) Often we are told that you are tougher than both of your brothers! They better watch out!!!

10. LOVE- Marissa your love never ends. You enjoy being around your brother Carson even when he is mean to you. You don't care and continue to want to be around him. WHen he's not being mean to you, he REALLLLLLLLLLLLYYYYYYYYYYYYY cares about you. He's sooooo protective of you. He tells us RIGHT AWAY if you have something that is dangerous (why does everything go into your mouth?) Having two kids 17 1/2 half months apart is challenging to say the least, but I love to see the love the two of them share together! You are even precious to your older brother. You MAKE him care about you and reach out and want to sit on his lap. It's adorable!

11. TEETH- At this point in time, you have 11 teeth! Your top two one year molars are already fully through and the botom right one is currently coming in. Thank goodness for Teething tablets! :) Although, you take it much more in stride Ms. Tough Girl

12. Sleep- Goodness gracious, great balls of Fire I MISS THE DROP DOWN SIDE OF CRIBS!! You can be sound asleep in our arms and when we put you down, you SCREAM bloody murder. Carson had a drop down crib (it was recalled for safety) and was much easier to get to sleep than you. He would fall asleep in our arms and then the crib would drop down and we could put him right in the crib. Since we don't have that option with you, we give you some milk at night, and sometimes you fall asleep in our arms. Well, when we put you down, you then never fail to wake up screaming. Crying it out is our only option for you. Thankfully, you last between 3-15 min. and you are sound asleep!!! FINALLY, through the night you are sleeping as well. It seemed like you wanted to wake up much more often than Carson did.


Thanks so much for blessing our lives Marissa!

Not me Monday March 1st

I would never have had my record number of sleep hrs in a row on the 14th and tell my husband I had a shitty nights sleep, just so I could get 2 2 hour naps! Ok, that was also the day I found out I had a sinus infection. I'm tired of barely sleeping. Then, it turned into a double ear infection on the 26th.

I so didn't think I locked my keys in the car for the first time ever and have the cop open it only to find the alarm going off and no keys in the car! I would not have found then in my breastpump bag because I didn't want to take my purse in when I was @ school.

I would not deeply and utterly chuckle when my son decides he wants to clean, especially the toilet!

Carson would not have went into the bathroom with me and stated, "momma phewew" while I was going!

I wouldn't have found perfect timing two sundays in a row to be out for peace and quiet. First, grocery shopping and yesterday upstairs to pump when someone comes to visit on Sundays.

I would not have been giving a bath to Marissa with Carson helping and my cell ring, and when I didn't answer, then home phone ring and I pick up and tell them I'm giving a bath goodness. No way, I'm polite and courteous when I answer the phone. I would not have hung up on my husband when he called to check in, but only after letting him hear both kids crying @ the same time!

I would not have calld two friends by accident at 5 am!
Cara's was a message on her machine.....with the pump going! lol

18 months

TODAY I AM 18 months old! We don't have an official today picture because I'm sick-e-poo! I have another ear infection along with a fever! :( My mommy and daddy were hoping to wait until tomorrow to take me to the doctor, but you can't put a price on my health. So, daddy took me to Urgent Care.

A lot has changed since we posted last!
I helped Grammie and mommy bake cookies. I was allowed to stand up on the chair and help turn on the Kitchen Aid mixer. We did two rounds. One round I had a cool apron on that my babysitter Missy gave me. The 2nd round I didn't have that on, and my Grammie told me to turn on the mixer. She FORGOT that she had a massive amount of flour in there. OOPS! It went everywhere....including in Grammie's hair. Those will be great memories and I hope I can help next year too!

I have my first professional hair cut. It looks pretty shabby and I sat still. I had Christmas and LOVED opening presents. Some of my favorites were my new kitchen, play doll to prepare for my baby sister, and my vacummn. Now, I am a big boy and can help my family around the house! In fact, I LOVE to take the plates of people to the sink. It started me just doing that because I got lots of claps and praises, then I decided it was fun to play in the water, so I wanted to rinse the dishes off. Now, my mommy has decided I should even put them int he dishwasher. That thing is really fun because I can decide of all the holes where I want to put it. My mommy tells my daddy at least one boy in the house knows what to do!

Also, I have a new baby sister, named Marissa (see post about her, this is all about ME!). I called her "sissy" and/or "baby". I am a big fan of hers already. I enjoyed spending quality time with my aunt Carrie while mommy was pushing Marissa out. Then, while she stayed in the hospital, I was spoiled by my Grammie. It was pure bliss, I wouldn't have it any other way! Grammie even took me to Tuttle Mall to play! When sissy got home, I gave her hugs and kisses.

Then, I got this stomach virus. I puked for the first time all over the floor and walls, and some in the toilet. My mommy was crying because her boy was sick and she's got some issues after having the baby, my Grammie ran me to the toilet..like I'm a really big boy now! :) Daddy and Grammie were on Patient control for me while my mommy was in charge of Sissy! I got over that but not without giving it to Grammie, daddy and Non-non (that's what I call John)!

I went out in the snow for the first time as well. My Grammie bundled me up and we had a ball! I got out the summer toys and decided that the sand bucket would be useful in snow as well.

I have a sled but it's sitting int he garage because I have another ear infection! This is getting old!! But, I'm a trooper and continue to play just like nothing has happened to me.

Here's some other things I'm doing.

1. I tell people "wa wa" for water
2. I say "done" when I am finished eating so I can get down.
3. I can recognize a bus out in the real world because I play with a bus that my mom and Uncle Daren had growing up. It makes my Mama and Papa really proud because they drove school busses for so many years!
4. I love to take a shower as well. My daddy fills the tub really, really, really full and I learned how to turn on the shower. It's fun to play in it, so now we are going to try and give me a shower to mix up the bath time because they think sissy needs time in the tub too. But, I always was told that girls stink! :)
5. I'm loving that mommy is home and isn't getting up for work. I get to sleep in as late as I want and it's awesome! However, I miss my friends, especially Ry Rya at Missy's. My mom is going to take me there a few days a week so she can have time with Marissa, get things done during her nap time and just have a few minutes to herself. She says it will be good to keep in a routine, but I know it's different than that!
6. I say please in the right context. I have been saying Thank You and You're Welcome and my mommy and Grammie worked hard on making me saying Please. It comes out "peas" and I have an ornery grin on my face, but at least I have manners!
7. I have hid in the corner to poop as long as I can remember but now I tell mommy after I have went by coming over to her and letting me smell me, or by holding my pants. I overhear my parents talking about "trying" to potty-train. I wonder what that means? Is the potty that white thing that I put the lid down on fast and climb on to get my teeth brushed. I don't get how much training that is gonna take! ;)



---Pictures to follow but I'm tired and it's time for a nap!!!!

Marissa Ann

The journey began when daddy and mommy thought a 12:30 at night fun times would be ok since your brother took forever to happen! However, that wasn't the case! We are very thankful that happened as we weren't convinced we were going to have any more children! I'm thankful you were a surpise!

At the appt when we found out you were a girl, you mom screamed loud...people that work there knew it was a girl! You were stubborn (doomed already) and didn't show us a great heart beat! Therefore, at 28 weeks it was time for another ultrasound and news that you have a multicystic displastic kideny. Therefore, mom was monitored very closey throughout the pregnancy! For example, she was sent to the high risk Dr. At OSU (great facility) and I had stress tests (nst's) two times a week! It was hectic getting ready for your arrival! Not only were we dealing with that throw in 8 weeksof lesson plans and Christmas shopping!!

At 37 weeks and 3 days, mommy went to the dr and she had some protein in her urine (she literally got excited when that happened!!), you had low fluid around the sac and had already weighed 7 lbs 2 oz. so they decided to go ahead and schedule an induction. I was soooo excited, it was like Christmas had already arrived! Plus, I was sick of having my back ache, and waddle like I was pregnant! Also, our insurance was going to go up to basically throw 500.0o out the window, we got a tax break and Grammie was on vacation!

We made it through Christmas, including hosting mommy's side of the family at the house the day before you were born! :)

On 12/28, mommy and daddy went to the hospital at 8am to get the antibiotic needed for the Strep B. I was already 4 cm when I arrived. At noon, my water broke on his own, at 1:10 I got my pain meds and by 3:45 pm you had arrived. Mommy was in la la land and didn't tell the nurses like she was supposed to when she felt the pressure. I got impatient *imagine that* and kept saying "I wanna hold my girl" and we hit the nurse button. Had Dr. Ezzie not already been at the hospital awaiting your arrival, she would have missed the birth! OOPS! But, thanks for being so ready to enter the world, you only made mommy push ONE TIME!!! Daddy, Grammie and Grandma Nino were all present for the birth! Brother John and Carson were at home with Aunt Carrie making you arts and crafts for your arrival home! My surprise baby girl was born at 345. P.M on December 28, 2009 weighing in at 7 lbs and 12 oz. However, you went home with a lot less..7 lbs and 3 oz.

We love having another baby in the house, especialy breaking the all boy pattern on daddy's side!!

Monday we are going to be heading to Children's Hospital to get an ultrasound of your kidney to see what action has to take place!