Checking out Dadio's new airplane
Styling
Wind blown look
My personal stylist
Poor quality but such a sweet moment. And yes, he went to Earth Fare in his PJs.
Supported Employment: The End of an Era
1 year ago
Monday, February 17, 2014
Big Helper
Tuesday, February 11, 2014
34 weeks
Jameson's nursery at 32 weeks
Baby #2's nursery at 34 weeks
We will get there. Sigh. Good thing I survived being the second child and now look at me, I'm the favorite!
Sunday, January 26, 2014
This is happening...
Wow! Life is full of surprises! We will start with this: 
That's right. In the last few weeks naptime & bedtime have turned in to "undress myself time" for Jameson, but I was rather surprised when I walked in to this earlier in the week. PTL it was just wet! I could have sworn that kid had fallen asleep, his mommy did-- that's why I can't say for sure, but maybe I was wrong? He was very quite for a good hour to say the least. Sigh.
And to top it off, for a few weeks I've been trying to convince Jake that Jameson has been calling me by name. For a while he wasn't buying it, until this weekend, clear as day, Jameson is calling me "tori". Who is this kid? And who taught him my real name! I'm "mama" :)
I'm pretty sure combined with his late sleeping habits, opening his own granola bar (yes!) and calling me by name he is already applying for college. Slow down little one!
Little bro/sis is happily cooking as we roll in to 32 weeks. I feel as though my last 10 weeks with Jameson went very slowly, but I am hoping that is not the case. We still have lots of preparing to do. The crib has arrived and that is about as prepared as we are so far. Oh and I've pulled out a handful of clothes that J wore that could possibly pass in case we have a girl. Hmmm, I see a lot of shopping in my future, which makes me happy happy happy but with this polar vortex I may have to do it all online! Brrrr!
And seriously, isn't he the cutest?
Friday, January 17, 2014
30 weeks
Welcome to the third trimester! Here I am at 30 weeks on the left with Jameson and on the right with our 2.0. I'm still struggling with what to call this little baby. I hate to say the "new baby" or "it". Oh well, he or she will be here soon enough and then they will have an official name. I ordered our crib today and it's time to do a little shopping for this little cutie. I really have few complaints.
We have had a lot snow recently and Jameson had a blast playing outside in his snow gear and drinking hot chocolate. He is a typical toddler. We have really good days and really exhausting days but I think it's safe to say the days are mostly good. He has an ever expanding vocabulary and grows every day I swear. Naps are few and far between and have mostly become an exercise in undressing himself which always make for an interesting surprise when I walk in to his room.
We also welcomes our first niece into the family. She is so beautiful and just to sweet. Perfect and pink! I think she looks like my brother but that could just be a familial bias. I can't wait for the upcoming years of raising families with my family.
The house is really coming together. We keep adding things to the walls and Jake has been constructing some awesome built ins by our garage door. I'll post pics of that soon.
Practicing the potty
Sledding thru the street
Putting his paperwork in his pocket
Wednesday, January 1, 2014
2013
Oh hey there! Hi! I can't believe we are on the of 2014. As I reflect on this year, I see this year as a year of extremes for me. I struggled with moments of feeling unseen by God and even greater moments of extreme blessing. These are not just the monumental blessings of a new home and a new baby, but the smaller riches of having my home filled with friends from afar now gathered with babies of our own, and celebrating a quiet christmas with Jameson as he hollers "look what I got!".
This year we lived in three different homes. We even got to experience generational living, which I have to admit I rather enjoyed. The highs being we sold our home with relative ease, we got to spend 8 weeks with Jake's parents in their home, and we were just thrilled to move in to a home we worked hard for and dreamed about, maybe not a forever home, but a good long while home. We started looking for a new place in 2012 so it was a long road, but it helps having your dad as your realtor and your mom as a babysitter! The lows being two hard moves (one while just 6 weeks pregnant), jealousy over cries that turned from "mama" to "Mimi" or "dada" (not my finest moments) and more stress than I have experienced in maybe ever. We are rather settled in our new home and though we still have walls to fill and closets to arrange we have already made some lasting memories here and I wake up thankful everyday for the blessing of being close to family, and with space for our family to grow.
A few times this holiday season my mother in law commented that I am such "a happy pregnant person" and I have to agree. I love being pregnant, I am even crazy enough to say I loved the actual work of having a baby too, the end result is just too sweet. We are so happy to be growing our family, so far in my life I have experienced nothing greater than being a mother. I am even more thankful for this pregnancy after spending more than half the year just trying to get pregnant, crying with friends over their own losses and struggles to conceive and just having experienced pregnancy and birth once before and the anticipation of getting to do it all again (see, I am slightly crazy!). Yes, there are discomforts in pregnancy but I think most will agree those seem to fade in comparison to a late night snuggle or an early morning hug from tiny arms. Jake and I (and Jameson) can't wait to meet little bro or little sis in 2014.
This fall I was devastated to receive a call that I was being laid off from my job. Nothing could have prepared me for the emotional roller coaster of being laid off and trying to start over again. As a nurse, the threat of job loss never seemed real or pertinent to me, but with changes in healthcare and the consolidation of the three downtown NICUs almost half of our nurses were told they weren't needed anymore. It's difficult to explain to people who didn't work there, but I felt like I was losing my very close friends, women who taught me how to take care of tiny sick babies and women who I text on my day off and meet up with for play dates. I was losing a job that defines a large part of who I am what my mission is. After working on that unit for 4.5 years there wasn't much you could throw at me that I couldn't handle and I had worked so hard to get there. Of course there were also concerns of affording our new home on one income, being pregnant and losing my health insurance, being pregnant and finding a new job that would hire me and then let me take maternity leave. A lot of it left me an emotional wreck, but it wasn't long before I found a new job. I still get to take care of tiny babies, even sicker babies and I am so happy to be working closer to home, and though there are new challenges of learning a new unit and new people and working 12 hour night shifts I am just thankful for God's provision.
All in all 2013 was a good year, though not without it's low points. But it is these valleys that make the peaks so much greater, and I never lack things or moments to be thankful for, even when I feel drained or at my lowest.
Our best attempt at a family photo on thanksgiving
Jake and Will
Growing baby
Yes, I can now balance a coffee cup on my baby bump. Christmas morning.
Holding baby Annabelle
This year we lived in three different homes. We even got to experience generational living, which I have to admit I rather enjoyed. The highs being we sold our home with relative ease, we got to spend 8 weeks with Jake's parents in their home, and we were just thrilled to move in to a home we worked hard for and dreamed about, maybe not a forever home, but a good long while home. We started looking for a new place in 2012 so it was a long road, but it helps having your dad as your realtor and your mom as a babysitter! The lows being two hard moves (one while just 6 weeks pregnant), jealousy over cries that turned from "mama" to "Mimi" or "dada" (not my finest moments) and more stress than I have experienced in maybe ever. We are rather settled in our new home and though we still have walls to fill and closets to arrange we have already made some lasting memories here and I wake up thankful everyday for the blessing of being close to family, and with space for our family to grow.
A few times this holiday season my mother in law commented that I am such "a happy pregnant person" and I have to agree. I love being pregnant, I am even crazy enough to say I loved the actual work of having a baby too, the end result is just too sweet. We are so happy to be growing our family, so far in my life I have experienced nothing greater than being a mother. I am even more thankful for this pregnancy after spending more than half the year just trying to get pregnant, crying with friends over their own losses and struggles to conceive and just having experienced pregnancy and birth once before and the anticipation of getting to do it all again (see, I am slightly crazy!). Yes, there are discomforts in pregnancy but I think most will agree those seem to fade in comparison to a late night snuggle or an early morning hug from tiny arms. Jake and I (and Jameson) can't wait to meet little bro or little sis in 2014.
This fall I was devastated to receive a call that I was being laid off from my job. Nothing could have prepared me for the emotional roller coaster of being laid off and trying to start over again. As a nurse, the threat of job loss never seemed real or pertinent to me, but with changes in healthcare and the consolidation of the three downtown NICUs almost half of our nurses were told they weren't needed anymore. It's difficult to explain to people who didn't work there, but I felt like I was losing my very close friends, women who taught me how to take care of tiny sick babies and women who I text on my day off and meet up with for play dates. I was losing a job that defines a large part of who I am what my mission is. After working on that unit for 4.5 years there wasn't much you could throw at me that I couldn't handle and I had worked so hard to get there. Of course there were also concerns of affording our new home on one income, being pregnant and losing my health insurance, being pregnant and finding a new job that would hire me and then let me take maternity leave. A lot of it left me an emotional wreck, but it wasn't long before I found a new job. I still get to take care of tiny babies, even sicker babies and I am so happy to be working closer to home, and though there are new challenges of learning a new unit and new people and working 12 hour night shifts I am just thankful for God's provision.
All in all 2013 was a good year, though not without it's low points. But it is these valleys that make the peaks so much greater, and I never lack things or moments to be thankful for, even when I feel drained or at my lowest.
Little doctor
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
20 Weeks
We had our 20 week ultrasound and the baby looks great. We did not find out the gender so we have a few more months before we know if Jameson is getting a little brother or a little sister!
Friday, October 18, 2013
17 weeks
Hi all!
My world
Yes, I've done it again, it has been over a month since my last post. Where does the time go? Is it the toddler I am I chasing? Or the lie I tell myself daily "I will not nap while Jameson naps today"? I always take that nap! Growing a baby is hard! If anyone is actually still reading this then the few who are probably already know we are eagerly anticipating another baby. I am 17 weeks. See?
So far this pregnancy feels basically the same as the first. The only difference is I was not ravenous in my first trimester. With Jameson I could eat all the food in my house in half the day and still be hungry. But so far my appetite has been normal and subsequently, so far at least, my weight gain less. Just like last time Jake won't commit to any of my many excellent baby name suggestions but just strings me along. He thinks it's a fun game I guess.
Jameson really has no clue except that now when he looks up at me he has to back away a few steps to peer around my burgeoning belly. He is very much unaware. These days he is quite the talker. A lot of it is understandable (at least to me) but just as much isn't. He still loves to be outside. He spent almost every minute of last weekend outside at the cabin just entertaining himself. He has an obsession with shoes, most importantly his boots, he thinks they "go" with everything. He continues to adore/torment Maverick and Lila and loves anything with wheels he can push around and make noises, trains, cars, trucks. He is a true joy to be around and it's so hard to believe we are planning his second birthday already!
Jameson loves this kitty
Carosel at the children's museum
The boots
Daddy's deer is delicious! Want a bite?
Friday, August 30, 2013
Hi
Remember us? Yeah, we are still here. Actually we are in a new "here". It has been quite a while since my last post, and I have had it on my mind for about 2 weeks to write a update, and finally, I have sat down to do just that (thanks for the nudge, Kelli).
Looks like I left off at the end of June. July was the last month we spent living with Jake's parents. It was wonderful to have extra hands, way less chores and plenty of good food. We celebrated the 4th of July on the lake as usual. It wasn't sunny but it was warm enough to hang out on the patio. Jameson went to his first fireworks out on Geist Res, which he very much enjoyed until he decided he was ready for bed, about 10 minutes in to the show, but he did wonderful. It was amazing to see such awe and surprise on his face and in his expressions.
The last few weeks of July were filled with moving and moving preparations. Jake and I made a day trip to Ikea, while Jameson hung out on my aunt and uncle's farm. Our new house needed a lot of window coverings and we got the whole first floor covered with our trip and could easily use a second trip soon. We are so blessed to live near family and friends who made our move very easy. We closed on a Tuesday and our POD was completely unloaded that night, beds set up and pizza and beer brought over so we could spend our first night in our new home, albeit with out a refrigerator. While we have everything moved in, it isn't necessarily organized or put away in a way I would call "done" but we are starting to get settled and every day it feels a little bit more like home. I do love all our new space, but as I expected it does take a bit more time to keep clean.
We have also had a couple of trips in July and August. At the end of July, Jameson, my mom and I flew to Boston just days after we closed on the house for a baby shower. My oldest friend Kaily is expecting a baby any day now and I knew I could not miss that shower or rubbing that belly. It was a quick weekend trip with early flights, but Jameson did great and I just love the comfort of being around Kaily. We were perfectly content to catch up on the couch, watch J "baby proof" the apartment and not do much more than enjoy each other's company. It makes me truly cherish our friendship, it is easy in a way that old friends are and we can always pick up right where we left off.
Next we were off to Colorado about 2 weeks later for our annual family vacation. I got to catch up with my other true friend Megan (I'm such a lucky girl!), the girl who straightened me out and with whom I share many many fond memories. We actually got lost in the rockies once about 15 years before on a church trip, so it was fun to relive some of those old memories. We had a cabin in Estes Park. Colorado and also spent some time in Denver and Boulder. It has been a long time since our family has been out west and you remember the scenery, but the beauty of it still surprises you. We took a drive on the Alpine Ridge Trail that was very memorable, spent a day at Grand Lake, and finished off the trip with an overnight backpacking trip with my dad, brothers and Jake to Lawn Lake (and Crystal Lake for the more adventurous). I know Jameson won't remember much about the trip, but hope it leaves a lasting impression on him about God's creation and how incredible the world (and America) truly is.
Now back home we have had a solid couple of weeks in our place and though we have been here for about 6 weeks this weekend will be the first weekend Jake and I have both been around to work on finishing up moving in. We have a few more lights to install, some more window treatments to buy, and plenty of other things on our list of things to do. This was quite a long post, with not nearly enough details on our trips and new home, but for now this will suffice and I hope to be more consistent with posting, but life doensn't appear to be slowing down any time soon :)
Kaily & Scott
Kaily & Sean
Us!
Jameson is currently obsessed with stickers
Daddy's helper
Took a trip to the state fair
12,000Ft
Father-son duo
Lots of days spent at the park
Drumming
Fishers splash pad fun
Looks like I left off at the end of June. July was the last month we spent living with Jake's parents. It was wonderful to have extra hands, way less chores and plenty of good food. We celebrated the 4th of July on the lake as usual. It wasn't sunny but it was warm enough to hang out on the patio. Jameson went to his first fireworks out on Geist Res, which he very much enjoyed until he decided he was ready for bed, about 10 minutes in to the show, but he did wonderful. It was amazing to see such awe and surprise on his face and in his expressions.
The last few weeks of July were filled with moving and moving preparations. Jake and I made a day trip to Ikea, while Jameson hung out on my aunt and uncle's farm. Our new house needed a lot of window coverings and we got the whole first floor covered with our trip and could easily use a second trip soon. We are so blessed to live near family and friends who made our move very easy. We closed on a Tuesday and our POD was completely unloaded that night, beds set up and pizza and beer brought over so we could spend our first night in our new home, albeit with out a refrigerator. While we have everything moved in, it isn't necessarily organized or put away in a way I would call "done" but we are starting to get settled and every day it feels a little bit more like home. I do love all our new space, but as I expected it does take a bit more time to keep clean.
We have also had a couple of trips in July and August. At the end of July, Jameson, my mom and I flew to Boston just days after we closed on the house for a baby shower. My oldest friend Kaily is expecting a baby any day now and I knew I could not miss that shower or rubbing that belly. It was a quick weekend trip with early flights, but Jameson did great and I just love the comfort of being around Kaily. We were perfectly content to catch up on the couch, watch J "baby proof" the apartment and not do much more than enjoy each other's company. It makes me truly cherish our friendship, it is easy in a way that old friends are and we can always pick up right where we left off.
Next we were off to Colorado about 2 weeks later for our annual family vacation. I got to catch up with my other true friend Megan (I'm such a lucky girl!), the girl who straightened me out and with whom I share many many fond memories. We actually got lost in the rockies once about 15 years before on a church trip, so it was fun to relive some of those old memories. We had a cabin in Estes Park. Colorado and also spent some time in Denver and Boulder. It has been a long time since our family has been out west and you remember the scenery, but the beauty of it still surprises you. We took a drive on the Alpine Ridge Trail that was very memorable, spent a day at Grand Lake, and finished off the trip with an overnight backpacking trip with my dad, brothers and Jake to Lawn Lake (and Crystal Lake for the more adventurous). I know Jameson won't remember much about the trip, but hope it leaves a lasting impression on him about God's creation and how incredible the world (and America) truly is.
Now back home we have had a solid couple of weeks in our place and though we have been here for about 6 weeks this weekend will be the first weekend Jake and I have both been around to work on finishing up moving in. We have a few more lights to install, some more window treatments to buy, and plenty of other things on our list of things to do. This was quite a long post, with not nearly enough details on our trips and new home, but for now this will suffice and I hope to be more consistent with posting, but life doensn't appear to be slowing down any time soon :)
Spoiled with a cupcake
Our new place before landscaping and grass
Thursday, June 27, 2013
Summer
I wish I could say we have been away doing something fantastical but really we have just been right here, soaking up the good life. Things haven't slowed down since moving out of our home four weeks ago. Summer is in full swing with trips to the zoo, parks, splash pads, swimming pools and weddings and grad parties. Our new home is moving along quickly and many of our days are filled with trips to go check on the progress. Most recently we had our cabinets and counters installed, our trim and walls have been painted, next up will be floors and we will be in before we know it (in about 4 more weeks). We still have some summer trips planned but for now we are sticking close to home.
Jameson is coming up on 20 months and boy does he love to swim. He will promptly put himself in any water within sight. His new favorite words are "boats" and "birds" and loves to point out airplanes, tractors, trucks and cars. He went to his first baseball game and seems to grow an inch every night. I'm trying not to mourn the apparent disappearance of my "baby" and enjoy the fun moments of having an active toddler. He definitely wears us out, but I count every moment as precious, most especially when he finds it in his heart to bestow upon me an unasked for kiss or a brief moment to hold his hand.
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