My baby is now one and walking...boo!!

Just kidding, but there is something bitter sweet about your baby turning one. This sums up Alex:

• laid back


• funny


• fussy only when he is hungry or tired


• loves to torture Anthony and pull his hair


• loves to wrestle Anthony


• was the hairiest baby when he was born, especially his ears and lower part of his back


• still has crazy hair- I love his hair!


• really learned to walk a day before he turned one


• will eat anything and when he is done clamps done his mouth and shakes his head no


• loves to take a bath, if he hears water he is cruising to the bathroom


• loved to snuggle with me and sleep with me when he was a baby-always around 2-3 am


• hates to have his face cleaned, clearly does not mind food stuck to his face or a runny nose


• is very strong, can put up a mean fight when dressing him


• definitely worth the wait


• loves his piano and music in general, dance, dance, dance


• loves the camera-hence his modeling career


• has Flinstone feet like his mommy


• looks like a bat baby with only his eye teeth coming in


• loves his papa who will walk him around everywhere to check it all out


• everything goes in his mouth


• poops like a champion

Erik and I are just so in love with him and very grateful he is ours. Happy Birthday Alex!

I lost 22 lbs today!!

YAYAYAYAYAYAYAY! I just got back from a "health" analysis at Cold Fusion. Of course one of the things I needed to do was get weighed. Groan....He puts me on the scale and it reads 22 lbs less than I normally weigh. Although thrilled I tell him that it is not true because I weighed myself this morning. His batteries must be going dead. By the way I weigh myself every morning, why I am not sure?? He tells me it had to be accurate because it is a very expensive scale-blah, blah, blah. So we go to his colleague's office and I get on the scale. I weigh the same as his scale! My scale at home has added 20 lbs to me the past two months. I felt like I had put on 5 lbs maybe but not 20 lbs. So the good news is that we concluded that the batteries in mine were probably going bad. Well I tell you what, when I feel lighter in my new silver ballet zebra shoes from Target today, ladies I mean it!!!

Today is the day.

As you all know our Pug Charlie has been having health problems. This past weekend was particularly tough. He had 8 seizures on Saturday and 6 on Sunday. Those were just the ones that we were witness to. Poor guy is walking into walls, trying to walk through the spindles in our staircase, and cannot find his kennel. Erik and I decided that it is time to let Charlie go and put him to sleep. I am very sad. Even though Charlie is always in my face, has rancid breath, and extremely bad gas. He is also very loyal, has never hurt either of my children or even growled at them matter of fact, and has been my husbands little companion from the get go. When we picked Charlie up in the trailer court in Hawley he was TINY. Maybe 6 weeks old, he was the last one left and the owners told us the neediest. Charlie has always been needy but also very giving. Anthony is very sad about it, he almost talked me into keeping Charlie and not sending him to heaven this morning but I know it is the right thing to do. I love you Charlie.

Happy Birthday Stu!

Last night we were invited over to the Oberg's for Stuart's third birthday party. Which included their pool, pizzas, and a pinata. Pinatas have been surrounding me lately. Anyways, we had a blast! I have a special spot in my heart for Stuart. We waited a long time for him and he has made the wait all worth it. He has so much energy I swear I do not know how Leslie does it sometimes. Anthony made him a card and when he opened up his presents he started to read the card,"Dear Stu..."It was so cute. Stuart is potty training right now and definitely loved the Thomas the Train underwear Anthony picked out. I took Anthony shopping with me yesterday and he was very particular as to what we were going to buy Stuart for his birthday present. It turns out he did a great job because Stu and Jack were all about the hotwheels/ shark/ some kind of track thing we bought. Boys toys still confuse me? We sang happy birthday, Anthony swam in the deep end without his life jacket, and jumped off the diving board. Erik and I were so proud of him. I spoke to Leslie this morning and Stu didn't go to bed until 1:30 (way too much sugar and excitement) and was up at the crack of dawn to play with his birthday gifts. Motherhood is bliss, especially when you are sharing your baby's third birthday with all of his big boy friends. It goes by way too fast!

Water anyone?

So today I was at lunch with one of my girlfriend's. We were chatting, nothing crazy. A person walks past, I turn my head and make eye contact. Keep talking, don't even mention it to my friend. Wonder why I had to wear the "mom" polka dot shirt today? Let me clarify something before all you hens start clucking. I am very happy with my husband. I am very grateful his path is the one I chose to go down. But there are always those "others" in the world that are from you past that have you sometimes wondering "what if"?

Before Erik and I married we were living together, I broke up with him, moved out. and started seeing this other person. It was for a summer. Maybe my "summer romance" like on Grease (lol) but without John Travolta. I thought he was great. We spent a lot of fun unquality time together. He was different than Erik in many ways and at the time was very endearing to me. Until I asked him for a glass of water. He brought me a plastic cup of luke warm tap water. Yep, that did it. Erik always brought me ice cold water with lots of ice in a tall glass, just the way I liked it. I literally left that other person's house, drove home, and called Erik and told him that we had to get back together. I did not want to go another day without him and I never called or spoke to that other person again. Well not until I ran into him Valentine's Day the following year and told him I was engaged. Uncomfortable conversation. Regardless I still tease Erik that he is my tall drink of water without admitting to him why. Some things are best unsaid. I think we are reminded why we have chosen the partners we have when we run into the "what ifs" of this world. If there is one thing I know for sure is I love Erik and he pours a mean drink of water.

Celebrate good times c'mon!!

That was the theme for us this past weekend. Complete with a family conga line with the song "Celebration" blaring from the speakers and a pinata. For those of you who know my family we did not disappoint. We celebrated my Uncle Kenny's 60th birthday and Alex's 1st birthday. My Uncle Kenny is my dad's eldest sibling out of 12. He was born 2 1/2 months premature and was tiny when he was born. My grandma slipped on a stairwell and went in to pre-term labor. When he was born he had the cord wrapped around his neck and the story was always told that they did not get oxygen to his brain fast enough so back then he was deemed "retarded". Funny thing is when that term became socially "unacceptable" my grandma still always called him her retarded son when she was telling a story about him. Not because she was being demeaning because that is just how she knew it. Regardless, Kenny is funny. He is definitely a Capouch. Very social, loves to be with people, and have a good time. He is OBSESSED with watches and wears four at all times, two on each arm. All with different time zones. If your clock is off in your house he will get to it, whatever it takes to fix it. Last year when we were out at Leslie's swimming he stood on a barstool to get to her clock. Did not care if he was going to fall on wet concrete, he was going to make sure her clock was the right time. He also has a passion for pens and his pocket protector. If he comes to visit it is best to hide your pens because they will disappear, but if you go visit him he has ice cream buckets full so he will be sure to send you home with a hand full. At the party was my Capouch family, many of Kenny's friends including his roommate's, etc. My family rented out All Star Bowl for the night-great idea if you are looking for a place to have a party. Leslie brought Stu and we took the kids bowling, they loved it! Anthony and Stu were fun to watch. Anthony scored a troll out of the claw machine, he was SO proud. Probably only cost maybe $20 or so by the time he was done but he got it. Erik bowled with my dad and uncles, he was mostly verbally abused the entire time. In my family it is harass or be harassed. After all these years Erik is holding is own. Besides he knows they all love him. When it came time to eat his first birthday cake Alex did not disappoint. We put it on the tray. He smiled, instead of picking at the cake he started to lick it. He couldn't quite figure out what to do but once Jeff ripped off a piece he went to town! Anthony is crying in the background the entire time. He was beside himself that Alex was eating the only cake even though there was a huge cake three feet away for Kenny's birthday. Jealousy comes out at the most significant moments.

We ended the night with a slide show my Aunt Joann had put together of when they were all growing up. So cool to see how they all wore pretty dresses, hats, gloves, etc all the time. Unlike ho0dies and jeans. My dad and I ended up going to Jeff's for a night cap until 3 in the morning. We both were in trouble the next day...little too much fun for the both of us but what can I say? It is in my blood.

It's official, my child is a genius!!

So today Anthony and I are sitting at the kitchen table. I am looking through his blue folder from school that has his material that goes back and forth. Included in his folder is the Scholastic book order form. Do you remember those? I LOVED these when I was a child, loved the book fairs, and the smell of all the books in the room waiting to be bought. Anyways, Anthony picks it up and points to a book.

"Mom, do you know this guy?"
"I do, do you know his name? It is Martin Luther King Jr." Assuming he doesn't know.
"I know mom, Mrs. Quibell has the book. People didn't like him and were really mean to him. They didn't like what he said and they killed him."

Woah! Threw (or through?) me for a loop. At first I was a little confused why it is necessary for a four year old to learn this. But it is, it is our history. By the time Anthony grows up and is my age there might even have been another black president, a female president, a black female president. Not only was I proud of him but also his teacher. She is awesome! The kids love her and I am very grateful for all of the knowledge she is sharing with my absorbent four year old.

So I told Anthony he could pick out two books.
"I know the one I really want, it is so cool." My heart is so proud because I know it is about Martin Luther King Jr.

Nope-Power Rangers Mystic Force and Wow! Wow! Wubbzy! The Wubb Clubb

"Mom, can you believe it? That's so cool!"
It sure is cool...what do you do?

By the way, kudos to Bonnie for becoming my new referral machine. Bonnie, if you ever need a job....:)

Don't talk and drive...

Today I was talking to one of my girlfriends. Chatting away solving the worlds problems. Cruise through Taco John's, order, go to window and pay, the girl hands me my diet dew (yay!). Put the straw in an take off....get off the phone reach for a potato ole...no bag. I took off without my food and drove to Fargo almost getting to the office on Broadway before I noticed. By the way for those of you who read this regularly I know I was breaking a New Year's resolution-regardless, how stupid? So I cruise back and the girl at TJ's doesn't blink an eye like it happens all the time. That is scary!! With me running around with a chicken with my head cut off all the time I need to be more aware and in the moment.

On a celebratory note we are landing some huge contracts and the business is definitely going in the right direction.

Know anyone in pharmaceuticals? We have 33 postitons nationwide...
A lasik eye surgeon that wants to live in Fargo?
A project manager for an electrical company?

Think, rack your brain and I will take you to dinner for a referral. For a placement I might even do more.

Any suggestions?

So Erik and I bought this amazing king size bed when I was pregnant with Alex because I our queen shrunk when I was pregnant. That is a whole new issue itself. Regardless, at the same time we bought Anthony a full size. Figuring it was a nice bed that would grow with him. The problem is that this morning I woke up staring at a Power Ranger poster in Batman sheets and Anthony woke up in my bed snuggled nice and cozy on my side. I am sooooo tired because he crawls in with us in the middle of the night. Not only invades our bed but takes it over COMPLETELY!!! So he wakes up rested, I wake up irritated, and Erik is too because he has been getting kicked in the ribs all night by a soon to be 5 year old who I swear maps out your body so he can find your kidneys and gave them a swift kick now and then. When it is just Erik and I in bed our bed seems huge. As soon as Anthony hops in it feels like we are in a twin. After Alex was born I thought I had this problem solved. Since Alex now sleeps through the night I am tortured with this issue and it is driving both Erik and I CRAZY!! So....what do I do? How do I reclaim my bed....I always did have a fantasy about Batman but not quite like this.

Summer anyone?? Tony's Campground here I come!!

Today is one of those days I crave to go to the lake. I am missing our little camper on Lake Ida terribly. As well as all the fun things that go along with it-mainly SUN!!! To sit on the deck with a good book, maybe a clamato beer, and feel the sun on me sounds like complete heaven right now. I thought it appropriate to post a pic of Brad and Erik prior to the Wild game. Brad was the one that introduced us to Lake Ida when I was 15. Ironically my first trip to his parents camper was in the middle of winter with weather similar to this. IF my boys decide that is ever a good idea they will pay. Brad's mom Carol still gets irritated when we are walking down memory lane and bring up the fact that 10 of us decided to go to there camper in the middle of the winter. Clearly we were smart kids? It is a miracle that we have all turned out the way we have. Who would have thought?

New pics and Alex's first day!

Above is Alex with his most favorite toy, my Blackberry. Seriously the child received a ton of toys for Christmas but still LOVES my phone.

Below is how he was the entire week before and during Christmas. All of his top teeth were coming through plus he had a double ear infection and was on antibiotics. That is my nightgown-I know it is HOT, if I was not holding him he was hanging on for dear life to make sure I was not going far. I felt terrible for him but would be lying if I did not say my patience level was not tested.

Anthony is holding his picture of Spiderman that he colored at his new easel my sister got him for Christmas. Thank you Auntie Faith! He LOVES it, since Christmas he has sat many hours there coloring, painting, playing with play dough, etc. You name it and he has done it. Great gift and it fits perfectly in the corner of our kitchen. We call it his "art studio".

Below Anthony is playing with his gift from Brad and Amy. Great idea, he loved it and from what you can see not messy at all. I think I ingested about an inch of fine sand before the project was finished but Anthony thought it was GREAT. I loved the little red glasses that came with it. Thank you Brad and Amy. Anthony's godparents are Brad and Faith, they both did really well when thinking of an activity that Anthony would enjoy.

Today is Alex's first "real" day of daycare at Katie's. The same daycare that Anthony went to when he was little. Alex is almost a year and I just cannot believe it. Where does the time go? I am really happy that I have the peace of mind that he is with Katie, I trust her wholeheartedly and I know it will be good for Alex too. Up until this point I had been lucky to find some great girls (I should not call them girls they are either 19 0r 20) to come to the house, my Aunt Diane, and my sister have all helped. I tried to bring him up to the office for like a week-nightmare. It sounded good in theory. Regardless I just want him to have a great day, speaking of which it is time I work.

For Pete's Sake

So the conversations goes as follows:

Anthony says,"For pete's sake Mom."
I respond,"Anthony, why do you say for pete's sake all the time now?"
"Why is it a bad word? Sammy at school says it all the time."
"No, it's not a bad word."
Anthony looks disappointed. He thought I was letting him repeat a bad word over and over. Nice.
He then proceeds to tell me,"Mom, I have a girlfriend at school."
"Really? A girlfriend?"
"Geez Mom, a girl that's a friend." Seriously?
"Yeah her name is Anna and she made a mistake at school. She peed her pants and said for pete's sake."

If this is what I am dealing with at four, I am dreading sixteen. My mother loves it, karma I think sometimes comes in the form of your children.

One other fun story. It has been so busy I have not had time to write about some of these and have forgotten in the interim. Regardless, my best friend Leslie had to put her beloved pug Bob to sleep due to his health. It was extremely sad. Anthony has known Bob and played with him his entire life. So I explained to him what was going on with Bob. He really doesn't say a whole lot. About a half hour goes by and he asks me,"So mom, is Auntie Natalie going to heaven too?" Poor thing thought I was talking about his Uncle Bob.

Update on Alex: His teeth have finally cut through, when you slide your finger across his top gum it feels very sharp. All four are there, they now just need to come through. At my in-law's on New Years Day he took three steps to my father-in-law. I am pretty convinced he can walk but I think easier for him to crawl so that is what he chooses to do.

Erik hit a Wild game with Brad this past weekend. Amy- if you have a pic send it my way and I will post it. Glad he was able to go because he has been dying to go, sounds like they had a blast. I on the other hand worked, said I was going to clean my house-didn't, and relaxed. Today is a brand new holiday free work week and I am thrilled!! Yep, I admit it.