Light Up the Sky

I was surfing the web yesterday and stumbled upon this "working Mom" blog and she had a post with this video link in it. She said that she always turns it up in the car and feels comforted when she listens to it.  She always knows that no matter what, Jesus is there.  I clicked on it and now I can't stop listening.  I love it and I love the message it brings.  Hope you it brings you the same comfort.

Corey's Development - Part 2 (6 and 7 months)

Corey - 7 months

loves the Puppy's shoes

Hmmmm, these look very interesting...

Puppy tastes good!

About mid-October Corey started sitting up on his own with only the Boppy behind him for the chance he might fall back and hit his head. He sits well in the bath now with my hand behind him. He rolls all over the place when he's on the floor and is really into playing with his toys. He has this thing where he likes to turn everything over and see what's underneath. It's almost like he's a mechanic trying to "lift the hood" and figure out how everything works. He's a smart little cookie. He reaches for whatever you have in your hand and gets mad if you take it away. He is doing the whole, "what happens if I drop this" routine at the dinner table and has one of us (ashley included) pick up everything he drops.

In his play pen.

He has two teeth now! He got his first bottom tooth on October 4th and his second on November 4th! He loves to chew on anything and everything including Ashley's "baby" which she is not too fond about. Although, she does share her things with him very well and is just crazy about him.


Love my kids.

On November 1st we started hearing him be more consistent with his "consonant-vowel" combos. Like BaBaBa. and Gee Gee Gee. He slowly started incorporating these sounds in September, but you hear it all the time now. He babbles on and on and it's adorable to listen to him. Sometimes when you say hi to him, you sware that he says "Hi" back. His sounds more like "Hah!" He has a really fun squeal he does to get your attention and is just absolutely nuts about his Daddy! He'll do anything to get his attention.

One of his other favorite things to do is to BOUNCE and JUMP! We got him a Jumparoo a couple of weeks ago and it has been our best investment. That kid would live in there if we let him. One time he bounced himself to sleep. When I no longer heard the bouncing sound, I went over to him and saw him conked out. He stirred a bit when I came by and started bouncing again, but totally asleep, eyes closed. Cracked me up!

I love the smell and feel of his hair and the look of his adorable, chubby, dimply hands. He is just a sweetheart and melts the hearts of anyone around him. I get comments from strangers all the time on how alert and aware he is of his surroundings. He is so much a part of this family and I am so glad that he's here.

Corey's Development - Part 1 (6 months and 7 months)

Our little wee man (as Paul would say) or "gee gee" (as Ashley would say) or little Core-man (as I would say) is already over 7 1/2 months old!  He is growing up so nicely. Getting rounder, plumper and even sweeter than before. His little smile just makes us smile wider!  He just beams with happiness. This poor little guy has been suffering from ear infections since he was 3 months old.  He has consistently been sick since the end of September with congestion and more ear infections. Even through it all, he has been an absolute doll.  He has his fussy moments for sure, but all in all, he's just been a great patient.



Corey with his Puppy from Ashley - 6 months



Been sitting this next to him every month and he just really wanted to play with him this month.



He wants those shoes!

At his six month checkup on October 4th he weighed 16lbs 8oz (31%) and 26 3/4 inches long (60%) and his head circumference was 43cm (28%).  At one of his most recent doctor appointments in late October to get his ears checked, he weighted a little over 17 1/2 lbs!  So he's definitely growing! And quickly!  Too quick if you ask me.  Comparing to what Ashley was when she was 6 months old, they are almost exactly the same weight. He is just a bit longer that she was.

With some cereal drool

We've started feeding him more solid foods.  He had a hard time adjusting to the rice cereal so we didn't really reintroduce it to him again until he was about 6 months.  He had been sick and I think that disrupted his appetite in addition to all the traveling and events we had during the month of September. But he has taken to solid foods very well now.  He loves rice cereal and at first he wasn't too crazy about solid foods.  He tried sweet potatoes, carrots, apples, peas, bananas, squash, and pears.  The first one he really liked was carrots! He gobbled it up! 



The first time he ever gobbled up a jar of food. Carrots.



Then I got brave and after trying out some jarred foods, I started making my own baby food.  And to be honest, it's super easy and WAY cheaper that buying it in the jars. The best part is that I know what's in it and there is just something extra special knowing that whatever I feed him, I made it with love.  I have made him butternut squash, sweet potatoes, baked apples, acorn squash with apples and cinnamon, peas and bananas.  He really loves it all, and I am so happy!!  He has also started eating whole wheat cereal too and is doing very well. 

I am still continuing to breastfeed him too which has been wonderful. If there are days when I don't pump enough at work, I may have Judi feed him a formula bottle every once in a while, but 99% of the time, he is breastfed.  I am so glad that it is working out. I really struggled with Ashley and did the best I could with her for the first four months, but she just preferred the bottle over the breast.

Our chubby little Eagles fan with big sis!

He sleeps very well other than the issues with him being sick that have thrown off his sleeping schedule.  He wakes up coughing or with pain.  As of now, I wake up maybe once or twice a night to feed him and put him back down.  He has been sleeping in his crib since about early October.  He was sleeping in his glider to keep him upright for the coughing, but he just grew too long for it, so that made it hard. He loves his crib and falls asleep to a humidifier and the baby soothing vibrations machine that clips onto his crib.  He makes the same "sleep sound" that Ashley did when she was a baby. The loud hum that sounds more like "mmmmaaaaahhhhaaahhhhhahhaha" over and over again.  He also falls asleep at the breast but those are nights when he's suffering from pain and discomfort and just needs a bit o'Momma time.

Ashley Does the Cha Cha Slide

The title says it all.  She cracks us up!

My husband

Ok, without sounding totally corny or cliche I feel the need to post about someone who makes my life wonderful and complete. He knows me better than I know myself, always takes the time to listen to me and talk to me whenever I need him, makes me feel beautiful and pretty all the time, puts my needs before his own, helps me around the house because he knows it will make me feel better even though I know he would rather be doing something else, loves and cherishes our children, is a great friend to others, manages our budget so that we can do fun things with our family, has GREAT decorating sense (hehe), has an awesome sense of humor, is a wonderful musician, can be trusted no matter what, puts together wonderful videos of our family that will be treasured for years to come,  is sensitive and sentimental and above all loves our Lord and Savior.

Paul, you are so amazing and wonderful.  I felt moved to write this because I thoroughly enjoyed talking to you last night.  We turned off the TV, and had a wonderful engaging conversation that I will remember for years to come. Felt like we were back in college again just chatting through the night but with more adult, parental content. :)  I am so thankful that after over 10 years of being together I still learn more and more about you and can fall even more in love with you.  I am so grateful that God blessed me with you.  We have our share with the ups and downs of marriage but when the push comes to shove, there couldn't be anyone more perfect for me than you.  You really said all the right things that I needed to hear at the right moments last night and I can't stop thinking about it.  You are awesome. I don't want to ever forget it so I am capsulizing it in this post today.

I love our life together.  All the messes, all the wonderful messes. :)

On our 6th wedding anniversary at Ruth's Chris Steak House

An awesome Daddy

Such a good sport

My Paulie. I love you.

Papaw

This post is over a month late, but I didn't want it to go unnoticed.  Plus, it's Veteran's Day and being that Papaw served our country, I felt it appropriate to post this today.  On October 2, 2010 our sweet Papaw went to heaven.  He was 92 years old. An amazing man, husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. Paul was so close to his Papaw. When we were dating he used to tell me all the fond memories he had growing up when he came to visit his grandparents in Texas.  Some of the experiences I remember him telling me about were going on the glider with just him and Papaw letting him take the controls for a bit, or riding in the car and with him and letting Paul use the garage door opener, Papaw cooking pancakes for him and his sisters for breakfast, and always having Nutter Butter cookies in the pantry. 



The oldest and youngest Remmert - Corey will now carry on the Remmert name

I always said that Papaw reminded me a lot of my Pop-Pop who passed away in 2004. My Pop-Pop was very close to me and I shared a special relationship with him.  I along with the rest of my family suffered a great loss when he died.  I missed my Pop-Pop so much and it was wonderful feeling like I could have a relationship like that again -  only months after he passed away when we moved to Texas that same year.  Papaw was so warm and comforting.  He always made you feel like you were the most important person in the world.  He never forgot to tell you how much he loved you. He called you when you were sick to check on you. He tracked your flights when you were going out of town to make sure you arrived safely.  He never forgot your birthday.  He came to visit you while you were in the hospital after having a baby.  He gave the best hugs.  Had the best hair. Always smelled good.  Every so often he would just grab your hand and hold it just to remind you that you were special.    These are just some of my experiences from only knowing him over the last 6 years of his life.  Paul had his entire lifetime with him.  The Remmert Family suffered a great loss.  He was the patriarch.  He was their (our) hero.  He will be deeply missed.  Rest in Peace sweet Papaw. 

Paul and his Papaw with Corey



All of us with Papaw at Corey's Christening just about a month before he passed away

Click here to read Papaw's Obituary

Halloween 2010

This year was great because Ashley actually got to Trick or Treat! Last year, we all were sick with the swine flu and were unable to go out on Halloween night, so we really appreciated the opportunity this year.  Ashley wanted to be Shamu for Halloween and luckily my friend Brandi loaned us a costume that her daughter wore.  I wasn't sure how I was going to come up with a Shamu costume, but Brandi came to the rescue!  We had originally planned for Corey to wear the infant Pea in a Pod costume that Ashley wore when she was baby, but Corey is just too long and it wouldn't fit!  So Judi came to the rescue with an adorable pumpkin costume and he just looked precious!

We had a great time trick or treating in the DiMaio's neighborhood and especially with little Mary Teresa.  She was Mr. Bump and had an awesome time with Ashley.    It was funny, after about an hour or so of trick or treating, she said, "Phew, Mom, I'm tired. I think we've done too much trick or treating."  She was so adorable.  She even went in a little haunted house that one of the people in the neighborhood set up. She went through it three times!  Lots o'candy, lots o'fun.

Our little crew with Teresa aka "Mr. Bump"

Our little Pumpkin

Shamu and Mr. Bump

The held hands almost the whole first block

The "haunted house" Ashley went through 3 times! :)

What's Really Important

After a long day of work, there's no greater feeling than picking Ashley up at school and being greeted with a picture that she drew of us holding hands.  We think of her all day long, and it's so great to know that she's thinking of us too! 

Ashley and daddy holding hands with a rainbow behind them.
(Notice Paul's spiky hair....she nailed it!)

Corey has to get Ear Tubes

Our little guy has to get tubes for his ears in two weeks.  Corey has had 4 ear infections and he's only 7 months old! The last couple of infections have been over the last two months and he hasn't been able to breathe normally since the end of September.  He hasn't been sleeping well at night and is up coughing and just uncomfortable.  I am constantly trying to clear out his nose, use humidifiers, saline drops, Vicks baby rub...you name it.  I have cleaned up so much phlegm-filled spit up, it's nuts!

I am nervous about the surgery because they have to use anesthesia to put him out. He's so small to be put under. :(  Although, I do know that the benefits FAR outweigh the risks, so I am ready for him to get the tubes and hopefully we'll start to see him feel better.

He's scheduled for the surgery on Monday, November 22nd at the Methodist Children's Hospital.  Thankfully the surgery is at 11:30am so it's not super early in the morning and Ashley will already be at Preschool.  Here's a photo of our little man.  God love him...through all of this sickness he has been the sweetest thing. He's always smiling and happy. 


At Judi's in front of her Fall decorated tree. 
October 2010



Ashley's First Day of Preschool

Ashley just completed her first week of Preschool on Friday at the Child Development Center at UTSA.  She did great! It has been a rough week emotionally (mostly on us) and Ashley has adapted quite well.   On her first day (November 1st) , she didn't cry, but I went to work with mascara-stained cheeks.  I didn't let her see me cry, I held it in until I walked out of the door.

When we arrived, she was so excited and ran right for the sea animal toys.  "Look Mommy, they have a little Shamu!" were her first words.  We were planning to be there for the first hour to get her acclimated, but there was no need for that.  A quick kiss and hug and me saying over and over again, "I love you, goodbye.  We're going to work now".  I must have stared at her from the little peekaboo window into the classroom for at least 20 minutes just observing her little actions.  She didn't notice me, but I watched her as she walked away from the sea toys and some of her new classmates, to go and do some puzzles on her own, looking up every so often to see who came in the room, or just observe the teacher and children.  I constantly wondered what was going on her mind. She certainly was taking it all in, and my heart was breaking because all I could see was my little baby Ashley.  (ughh, tearing up as I type this....still rough....I am going to be a mess when she starts REAL school).  Anyhow, her first day was good other than her saying at dinner that night that she didn't like her teacher (only to tell us later in the week that she does in fact like her...thank goodness!)  Then to wake up on Tuesday morning puking from 5am until about 9am!  Paul stayed home with her that day.  We haven't quite figured out whether it was nerves or just a virus, but she was only sick for the morning part of Tuesday and was back to school on Wednesday.  She did well during naptime on Wednesday, ate all of her lunch and started a little "journal".  She likes circle time, and came home on Friday singing songs in Spanish ("Cinco y Cinco es Diez")!  So all in all, we've adjusted well and are happy that she is liking school.  We knew she was ready, but it is just really hard knowing that our little girl is going to "school" now and before you know will be starting kindergarten.  Thankfully we still have about 2 years for her in Preschool since she is missing the cutoff and will start Kinder when she is about 6, so she's still our "baby" for a little bit longer!! :) I'll take what I can get.  Attached below are some photos on the front porch from her first day...new Tinkerbell backpack and all!

My crazy girl is ready for the day!
(check out the "doggie eyes" watching her in the doorway)

"if you are a good girl getting ready for school, you can have a piece of Halloween candy"
(that explains the Dum-Dum in hand)

Walking with Daddy to school.... (my big girl)

My Beautiful Little Girl

Just some photos that I finally had the time to upload from our trip to Baltimore.  I just didn't want to miss posting these since she is constantly changing every day. And to be honest, this was just in September and she just turned 4 the week before.  Only two months later and she already looks more mature now!  She is precious and I am so blessed!

Hamming it up for the camera with that adorable smile.

See if you can spot the hint of leftover chocolate ice cream on her face.  hahaha

Her true personality.

She is wonderful.

Mommy's Little Helper

Recently, Ashley has taken an interest in the everyday things that we do around the house.  Incorporating her into those projects helps us blend the world of our responsibilities and the world of play into one.  Think back to your childhood and what do you remember the most?  Sure, vacations were nice and you probably remember some of your favorite toys.  Above all though, I’d be willing to bet that you remember the little things… riding on the front of a grocery cart, eating cake batter from the mixing bowl, being a “big helper” around the house, etc.  Distinguishing everyday responsibilities and play time as two separate things only creates unnecessary pressure on us since there is not enough time in the day to always balance both.  We make such an effort to be superhero parents when simply being a part of what we are doing may be the greatest memory that she will have of her childhood.    

Barbie Cake

Since Ashley was 4 months old, she has been in the care of Judi Jaime (Juju as the kids call her).  I can't even call it a daycare since that feels so institutional and we truly felt like we were leaving her with family.  However, Ashley is getting older and her thirst for learning prompted the difficult decision to start her in a Pre-K program at the Child Development Center at UTSA.  Thankfully she is on campus with us and just a few buildings away.  To make things extra special for Ashley on her last day, Juju made a Barbie cake with her.  Ashley has watched the video of how to make this cake over and over again on YouTube and Juju thought that it would be a fun project for them on her last day.  Below are the photos of making the Barbie cake:

 Laying out all of the pieces.

 Assembling the pieces around Barbie.

Icing and Sprinkles

"Ta-dah!  Look at my Barbie cake!!"

We are so grateful for the love that Juju gave our sweet Ashley and we take great comfort in knowing that Corey is in her loving care while we are at work.