A new look...

I decided to do a little switch to the look of our blog...hope you all enjoy it! I don't have any real exciting news but just wanted to say hi to everyone, plus I wanted to see how a new posting would look. Ciao!

A New Beginning....

This past year has been one of many changes - some that I have welcomed and some that have been a little harder to deal with. Max of course being one that I have waited for and welcomed...the move to New Jersey was a little more difficult.

I can remember when everything started happening at Bordine's and how Karl and I were really unsure as to what we were going to do - should he try and find a different type of job or should we bite the bullet and see about finding a job in the horticulture industry?? Well it's obvious which one we chose. At the time it was exciting to think about moving - for anyone that knows me knows that I have moved a million times in my life, as a child and adult, and I have never been one that ran away from change. This was one change that took me by surprise.

First off I was 4 months pregnant and was not really looking forward to trying to find a Dr. to replace the awesome one I had in Michigan (was sooo lucky to find the Dr. I did - she was phenomenal). Secondly I was going from working a full time job to being a stay at home wife and soon to be mother (can't imagine leaving Max and going back to work!). Thirdly Karl and I had to leave our beloved home in Grand Blanc for which we had just put our blood, sweat, and tears into. Fourthly we did not know a single soul in New Jersey. All of those things combined made it very difficult for me to willingly accept New Jersey.

As the next 5 months went by I became more and more homesick...luckily I was able to come home for a small shower my mom and sister planned for me and just recently came home again for my step-father's 50th birthday. A trip that I had been looking forward to for weeks....counting down literally to the day we left. Karl was only able to come home for the weekend but I was so excited to get to stay for a few extra days....but as the days quickly passed I realized that it was getting harder and harder to think about going back to New Jersey...how could I leave all of my beloved friends and family to go to a place where I had no friends and no family??????????

It soon became apparent to me how I could---- my husband! As many of you know Karl is not an emotional, "public displays of affection" type of guy. During one phone conversation with him he told me 3 times how much he missed Max and I. I made a decision at that moment that I had to accept New Jersey as my new home and it was up to me to make it great. That is was a hard pill to swallow because even though to many of you I am an outgoing, loud, energetic girl, on the inside I really am shy and I do get very nervous when I have to meet new people. Plus this was a situation where I did not have a job to fall back on, (most of my friends I have met while working with them - except for Melanie, we went to high school together). It's a scary thing to be an adult and to have to make new friends. Today was a turning point.

Right before came home to Michigan I did an online search for Mom Clubs and found a cute one called "The Little Yellow Duck Club". They do all kinds of different events from story time at a local library to going to orchards and picking apples! I e-mailed the organizer and finally willed myself to RSVP to a story time. This morning I must have talked myself out of going about 100 times - I was tired, Max was being fussy, I didn't want to leave the dog outside...blah, blah, blah. I am so glad that I told myself to shut the hell up and just go! I met 4 or 5 great mom's and plan on going to some other events that they have coming up in September! I am hoping that my insecurities don't get the best of me and I just continue doing things to get out of the house. If not for my sake for my wonderful husband's! He is the most amazing man and I truly cannot say enough of how thankful I have him in my life and even more thankful that Max has such a great dad!

Well I hear Max stirring from his nap so now that I have wrote a novel I am off to hopefully be just as great a mom!

Homeward Bound...

Well our trip to Michigan has come and gone ( I am very sorry for all the people that I did not get to see - but please know that you are all in my heart!). It was a very short trip for Karl. We got to Michigan Friday and he flew home Sunday - bummer for him because he did not get to see hardly anyone. But I, the lucky girl that I am, was able to stay for a few days and get some much needed time with Family and a few Friends. :)

My trip started with a fantastic visit with up north to see my grandma and great-grandma, my mom, sis, and I went up there specifically to get a 5 generation picture. Check it out..(by the way, look at all the pics on the wall behind us - those are all pictures of my great-grandma's grand children and that is not even all of them! Crazy!).....

We had such a great time, I just wished that we could have stayed longer! I spent the rest of the next few days running around from friends house to friends house sharing Max with the world! As well as cramming in family time with my mom, dad, sister, and brother....so little time! Here is a really cute picture of Max with Camerin and Brady....so adorable!

Anyhow, we are all home and trying to get back into a routine of some sort!! To all my Family and Friends....I love you all dearly and can't wait to see you all again soon!!

1 Month Old....already?

I can't believe that my little tiny baby Max is already a month old. He was a month old this past Monday! Crazy huh! He is doing great, we had his 1st well visit appt w/ the pediatrician last night and he is a chunky monkey! He now weighs 10 lbs 9 ozs and is 22 inches long. Growing so fast already.....for his weight he is in the 75th percentile which means that if we are not careful he is going to be overweight for his age - crazy to think that a newborn can be overweight but I guess it can happen. Max finally fits in his little carrier that my mom got us - we have been going for evening walks with Max and Magoo...see below! He sleeps just like his mommy (with her mouth wide open!! LOL! Check out mommy's developing guns from toting little Max around!)

I forgot to take an actual picture on Monday but here is one that I took yesterday....he looks so damn cute in his little jean shorts!!

On a side note we are going to be coming home for the weekend, well Karl is coming home for the weekend, I'm going to stay for a few extra days so I can go up north and visit my 100 year old Great Grandma and get a 5th generation picture - I can't wait to show him off to everyone. I have been feeling very homesick this past week which makes it even more exciting to be coming home!

Uncle Kurt, Max, and Magoo

I have been meaning to post these pictures for the last week and kept forgetting to do it, plus I downloaded them and could not remember where I saved them! Anyhue Karl's brother Kurt came down last weekend and visited Max....



He also gave some much needed love & attention to our other little bundle of joy - Magoo! Boy was she soaking it all in!!!! She didn't even care that daddy was home...she was loving her Uncle Kurt!!!

On a side note here are a few more pics of Max that I took yesterday. He was sleeping on the couch and was making the most hilarious faces...I coudn't resist taking his picture. I think that is all I do these days!!

Hanging in there...

It's now Wednesday and Max and I are still making it without Daddy, although we miss him tons! Mom-Mom (Karl's Mom) is a huge help! She has been coming over almost daily to keep me company and of course getting all kinds of Max love! Max is doing great, he is in the computer room right now in his bouncer staring at the animals hanging from it making all kinds of cute sounds....I am just amazed that next Tuesday he will be a month old already! How time flies! Here are some new pics of our little love bug.....that is my new nickname for him!! He has the cutest outfit on today - from his only Aunt, Aunt Jenny (well his actual Aunt...all my friends I call Aunts!). Enjoy!

The other one has him in new Pj's that say "I Love Mommy!" on it and I was so happy to find them because most of the stuff that said that in the stores was pink...HE HE...he could most definitely not be found in that!!

3 weeks old...

Well Little Max has hit his 3 week mark and Daddy and I are still hanging in there! :)


I have not weighed him recently but he is starting to chunk out a little bit...getting cute little rolls on his arms and legs!! Love to pinch them!! He is really starting to focus on us more when we talk to him and he is becoming a little more vocal, doing some cute coo's and grunts throughout the day. Things are going ok...still really tired but that is to be expected. I think that I have finally given up on the breastfeeding - he just really doesn't want to latch on so for the past week and a 1/2 I have been pumping every few hours so that he can at least get breast milk. I am hoping to be able to keep that up until he hits his 6-week mark and then most likely I will move to formula - it really is a burden to keep pumping all day long!



On a side note Karl and I had our 1st date night and it was very, very nice! We went to this great Italian Restaurant in town and had an absolutely AMAZING dinner. I had a couple glasses of wine and after 9 months of no drinking I am pretty sure that I was buzzed! Karl thought it was pretty humorous!


This next week ought to be interesting because Karl is going out of town for the entire week on a business trip and I am a little nervous to be here all alone - thankfully Karl's mom is down for the week to help out and I am sure that I am going to need it, being that Max doesn't like to sleep for more than a few hours right now! I will keep you all informed as the week goes on! Here are some new pics that we just took! Love the outfit (Got Milk!).

Here is a really cute close up of Little Max!! Do you think that he could a little more like his Daddy!!

Date night...

Karl and I have decided that we are going to try and have a "date night" at least once a month...maybe more but we are starting slow! This Friday will be our first night out since Max arrived. MIL (mother in law) is going to baby sit him...woo-hoo!

I am nervous and excited all at once. Nervous about leaving him, although I know that his mom is completely capable, but excited to get out of the house. We are going to go out to a restaurant here in town that we have not been to and it looks really cute. It looks like an Italian place right out of the Italy, or what I think it would look like! :) Friday seems so far away!