Almost 13 months

Cash is just growing up too fast. He has 6 teeth, waves bye bye and hi. He plays patty cake and can almost blow kisses. He has been off of the bottle and formula since 2 days after his birthday. He didn't miss it one bit. No more baby food either. Just table food! Today he had his first hamburger and he almost ate the whole thing! He sleeps in his crib and most nights he goes down without crying. He plays well by himself in his playroom. He is intrigued by pushing buttons and turning on switches, ringing the door bell and pulling the chain to turn on the fan. We can't watch movies when he is awake because he turns off and opens the bluray player constantly. We even covered the lights with black tape but somehow he still knew the player was on. He knows how to throw fits now too and screams till his lips turn blue sometimes. When he has something in his hands you can say, "give me that" and he takes off running. He loves being chased. It's his favorite game. He will laugh and laugh. His little laugh is music to my ears. He lives to dance and every time he hears music he will look at me and just start dancing! He has gotten picky with his food and won't eat corn, peas or green beans anymore. Watermelon gives him a bad rash. Too bad, watermelon is good!

I look at his baby pictures and I can't remember him being so tiny. Bittersweet.

Seriously?

My family is crazy. I didn't invite extended family to Cash's birthday party. I posted on Facebook about me being tired after prepping for his party. I got comments from 2 cousins and 2 aunts saying, "my invite must have gotten lost in the mail". And, "Cash may not remember but it is important for family to be there". I just commented back and said that I hoped feelings weren't hurt but I wanted it to be a small party. I let that go. Then today one of my aunts comments on my status and says, "I can't believe I didn't get invited Tiff, I'm so disappointed". WHATEVER! You have never been to my house in the 6 years I have lived here and have seen Cash 2 times in the last year. You didn't visit when he was born. The first time you met him he was 6 months old. I invited people that he knows and that are present in his life, people I knew that would come. So sorry you are selfish and got your feelings hurt that you weren't invited. Go ahead, talk trash to the rest of the family. I don't care. They weren't invited either. THAT is the reason YOU weren't invited.

First Birthday

Today was my baby boy's birthday party. The theme was based on the book that we read together, "The Very Hungry Caterpillar". In the book the caterpillar is born, eats through all kinds of food then goes into his cocoon and becomes a butterfly. We had close family and friends in attendance. Some of my exteneded family got upset because they weren't invited but oh well. I didn't want it to be that big. I worked very hard on decorating and planning all the food. I made cupcakes and his smash cake, which he LOVED! He wouldn't stop eating it! He got tons of toys and was running around like a crazy man all day. He had a blast and was passed out at 7:45.

Preparing for the First Birthday!

I can't believe I am ordering Cash's first birthday stuff. He is growing so much and he even pointed with purpose last night. I was trying to get him to sleep in his crib and he pointed to the hallway. He wanted to leave that room! He is taking a few steps each day. I think he has taken at most 10 steps in a row. My little baby is almost a toddler! I can't believe how, wonderful and stressful this year has been. My next post should have pictures of his birthday party!!

Cash's First Christmas

We started a few new traditions this year: 1. Prime Rib for Christmas dinner. 2. Christmas is for our family only. We will stay home and in our pj's all day. 3. Dad will make breakfast burritos.

Cash was blessed with lots of toys this year. Santa brought a jungle gym with a swing, a slide and a ball pit. Dad stayed up until 4am putting it together. We also got him a Baby's First Christmas ornament, bathtub toy holder, a recordable book titled I'll love you Forever and an elephant that blows balls out of his nose. Papa Tiger and NeeNaw got him a dinosaur he can ride on and push. Aunt Lil K got him an aquarium toy that you put fish in and a train that rides on a track. Aunt Big K got him a dog with a string he can pull and a blow up horse. Granny and Papa got him a keyboard, a leap frog musical book, a book called "the going to bed book", camo socks and boots and a toy cell phone. Santa put bubbles, pacifiers, a toy car, a candy cane and a sippy cup in his stocking! Lil J sent a Leap Frog fridge toy that he adores! Grandma and Grandpa Bliss got him a ball that rolls all by itself and does music and a set of sesame street books.

We are going to have to finish his play room tomorrow so we can put all his toys in there. There are too many to fit in the living room! On a sad not I took all his "baby" toys out he doesn't play with anymore. So sad :(

Sleep

For about 6 weeks Cash would wake up between 1-4 for a bottle. I went to the pediatrican for his 9 month check up and she told me to give him water when he wakes up. That very night he started sleeping through the night again. The past week he has stopped taking long naps. Now in the morning he will wake up at 8 and take a nap at 11 and sleep until 1l. Then he will be super tired in the afternoon but won't nap and won't go to sleep until 11. One night I had to put him in the car and drive around. It has driven me to my breaking point. Two nights in a row I have broke down and cried. Today I added a nap at 3 and he slept until 6. It's now 10pm and he is asleep. I guess it's back to the "sleep when he sleeps" thing we did when he was a newborn. Ugh. I an exhausted all the time. NOT tired, exhausted. I wake up at 5am, drive and hour, work 12.5 hours, drive and hour home and P doesn't understand why I'm so tired and don't want to stay up with Cash so he can go to sleep to work the next day. We constantly argue about who gets to sleep. I love that kid more than life itself but lack of sleep really leaves me with little patience. His lack of sleep makes him really whiney and all he wants you to do is hold him. Hopefully this is just a stage and once he is off the bottle things will be better.

Few and Far between

I don't think anyone reads this blog but I still feel the need to apologize for the few and far between posts. You see working 3 12 hour shifts with 2 hours of driving a day plus call and weekends is kicking my butt. I had the worst week ever and am thankful for the best husband ever. He stepped in and took care of Cash while I was at class, studying for a test I failed, got mad because I failed the test, worked the next 2 days then was on call this weekend and by Sunday I was very sick and thought I was going to die. He got my nyquil and ice cream and only griped a little. Cash is growing by leaps and bounds. He is standing by himself when he has something particularly interesting in his hands. The pediatrician sent a checklist of developmental milstones and if he is doing the things on the list. So far so good. He waves hi and bye bye and will repeat noises back and forth with you. He crawls so fast when he wants to go somewhere that he knows he isn't supposed to be going. Still no teeth though. He is walking around on everything but won't let go. He had a great Thanksgiving at granny and papa's house. He ate all kinds of stuff and LOVES pumpkin pie! He cried everytime I took it away. What can I say the kid knows good food when he tastes it. Getting ready for Christmas and just put up the tree after Cash went to sleep tonight. Don't know how long the ornaments will stay on but oh well. It's officially winter here in Texas. Temps in the 30's and 40's. Very cold. It even snowed a little this morning! I am ready after the scortching summer we had. Hopefully it will snow and Cash can enjoy it. It won't be his first snow as it was a blizzard the weekend after he was born. LOTS of snow and ice. First birthday pictures are this Friday. I am SO excited!