Almost Nicoda's Birthday....

With Christmas comes all the gift buying, the Advent season, all the anticipation for Christmas morning...but for me (this year in particular) it reminded me that I am just a couple weeks away from Nicoda's 4 th birthday. Wow! 4 years he has gotten to be in heaven and 4 years I've missed him. Maybe it's silly, but a part of me hoped that people were right and I'd be 'better or happier' once I had another baby. They were wrong, I was foolish. Having and loving Kyler just makes it all the more real of what I didn't get with Nicoda. Like in 1 Corinthians where it says 'the message of the cross is foolishness to those perishing'. I didn't know all the things to miss about Nicoda...sweet giggles, smiles in the morning, first steps.

This Christmas I was struck by what it must have felt like 2000 years ago when God watched his son be born all the while knowing in 30 years he'd die. Such joy and grief mixed together. That is how my thoughts of Nicoda are now....joy and grief all intermingled.

Father God, I praise you for letting my Nicoda know only heaven! I beg that you continue to bind up my wounds when missing him overtakes me. Help me use my grief to better love on others.

1st Snow!

(if we are going to technical  it did snow/sleet when he was 4 days old....but it was only for like an hour and it didn't stick...so no sticking means i don't count it!)

Bundling up to go outside for 1st Snow takes so much time!  Getting me layered, then making sure Nana was layered enough, then layering the kid who hates getting dressed ...but whew!  We went for a walk to Quiktrip to fully take in all the snow.  When we got back, I put Kyler down in the snow to get some pictures!  ha ha ha ha  He looked up at me horrified and took off for the front door as fast as his little snowsuit body would take him.  My mom and I laughed til we cried!  He is totally content to stare at the snow from the patio door from now on.  :)

the quick glance to the front door

the beeline!

can't climb these stairs fast enough!

almost there!

Whew!  Thanks for holding the door open Nana!  ;) 

Meeting Santa

I think Santa costumes must be soaked in a special 'make babies cry' solution.  Ha!  I was shocked that my little man who loves every stranger, screamed at Santa before I even attempted to give him to Santa.  Ha ha!   It was amusing -- but he was grouchy afterwards, like how could you mom?  :)  

Cousins (3rd or removed or whatever type!) :)

I love this picture of Kyler and nephew, Sky.  (He is my niece's son.)  So sweet and precious - like they are sharing in something only they can see.  :)

Thanksgiving 2012

My boo's first Thanksgiving!  I loved it! We won a Thanksgiving shirt on Etsy for him -- and then it never came, so Thanksgiving eve I had to improvise and make him one (and why not just make a couple more for his cousins...aka I didn't really sleep!).

 

We got to see Uncle Timmy and Aunt Laura a few days before when we helped them get ready for their Thanksgiving meal (aka shopping!). (oopps! no pictures!!!)

 Then on Thanksgiving morning we went to Brian and Nicole's for breakfast and to watch the parade.  When both Phil and Kyler were needing naps, we headed out to Raymore to visit with Aunt Missy, Dave, Bre, Ash, and play with Sky and Zack.  Kyler slept the whole way there, so was ready to play once he got there.  He and Sky had some funny momements when they (naturally) wanted the same toy.  :)  Kyler detested the pumpkin I tried to feed him, but liked the rest of the food. We both took a nap and then got geared up for a Monopoly game...to which my 9 year old nephew won (BY A LANDSLIDE!) against Missy, my dad, and I.  Kyler was super good and snacked or played on the floor during the game.  Then the drive home where Kyler slept again.  One of my favorite things about Thanksgiving is the pies for days afterwards.  I love me some pie.

Boo's 1st Halloween

I was super excited for his 1st Halloween.  Him...well, I don't think he even noticed minus the trick or treaters which he LOVED!  :)  He was a super, uber cute cow though!  And a Chick-fil-A cow to boot.  We got his pictures taken in time to send out Halloween cards.  We went to Boo at the Zoo with Linda, to a pumpkin patch, to our church's Trunk or Treat, and then on Halloween we went to the Dollar Store and got a balloon (since he is candy free!)  :) It was a great Halloween season!

Nicoda got a pumpkin before we even did.  :) 

Monthly Pic

Its getting harder and harder to take his monthly pictures with Andi....as evidenced by below.  :)

He went in for the hug and toppled over.  ha!  He likes to attack, I mean hug, most of his animals. 

8 Months (a little + a month late!)

 So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do,

 do it all for the glory of God.

1 Cor. 10:31

Stats: Honestly no idea since no dr visit -- but he seems to be getting bigger and not taller as evidenced by a little belly.  I don't think he'll ever gain enough to get rid of those cute chicken legs though.  :) 

Development: 

• Professional crawler -- this kid can move fast!  And he moves the fastest when he notices that baby gates aren't up.  YIKES! 
• Eating more and more foods, but no baby food.  He just gave up on baby food, I got tired of trying and he just is much more content with finger foods, so thats what he gets.  :)   Favorites right now are cucumbers and tortillas.  Loves water if it is out of Mommy's water bottle or glass.
• Stand up on all furniture.  You might inch along on the furniture, but not really moving once standing.  But you do love to stand up using pant legs to indicate PICK ME UP!  And if the pulling on the pant leg doesn't get you picked up, you start yelling as if anyone could not know you were there.  :) 
• Favorite toy:  the front door.  He will stand there for up to 15 minutes just staring out.  
• TICKLISH! His feet are ticklih, his back, his legs, his neck....just plain TICKLISH! 
• Signs 'more' and 'milk', but just sporadically.  
• His favorite things to chew on are cords of any kind -- you know, things he isn't allowed to have.

Kylerisms: 

• Got lots of Aunt Missy time this month because Mommy started a job and is/was searching for a babysitter.  He does great with others, eating and sleeping, but I struggled alot especially on the 1st night of not being there to put him to sleep.
• Loves to be thrown up in the air and to be tipped upside down.  
• Got kicked out of the baby class at church and moved up the 1 year class.  They said he was too mobile!  ha!  Sounds about right to me!  :)  
• Got so excited about trick or treaters coming to the door, he let go of the door to clap and then face planted into the door b/c he can't stand alone.  After a good wail and huge bump, he was fine again and back standing at the door. 
• when he holds a balloon, something snaps in him and he has to shake, shake, shake it til we are both dizzy.  :)  

Play til you drop!

Balloon Crazy

My tired lil pumpkin

Weee!

Personality showing -- LOVE THIS PIC!

Food, not really.  Spoons, love them!

Outside time is my favorite!