The First Decade

On Facebook a friend posted several of her highlights from the first decade of the 21st century. That got me thinking about my highlights as well and I came to the conclusion that A LOT has happened since the turn of the new century. For me, there's been a whole lot of good, fun memories and a few things I'd rather not re-live. I don't want to end on a bad note so I will start off telling you the few things that I have no desire to re-live: my grandparents' deaths, Sep. 11, 2001, a major car accident, financial hardships, and Preston's time in the hospital. That's not too bad considering it's spanned over 3,650 days. The things I've enjoyed and found memorable since 2000 (really since 2001 because I don't remember a lot from 2000) is that I have traveled to 4 countries and to/through about 20 states. I've seen many things and have done things that people only dream of. I took a 2 year break from teaching after 9/11 because it had such a huge impact on my life at the time, as did that whole year in general. After realizing that I enjoyed being the boss but missed teaching I went back to teach at the district where I used to be a student. Being the boss of the non-profit I had worked at inspired me to get my Administrative Credential and Masters. Although I finished the degree and earned my credential I decided that I'm not ready to go into administration quite yet. Part of that had to do with meeting Rob while the other part had to do with the fact that I think teaching has A LOT to do with the student as a whole and not just test scores (every district I've worked at believes the opposite...tests,tests,tests!).
My world changed when I met Rob at Chili's in April 2007. Little did I know at the time that I had met my best friend and future husband. We hit it off and were engaged 6 months later. In February of last year we were fortunate enough to buy a house in the mountains above Reno. It's been a blessing and a curse, but every day I look out one of the many windows and thank the Lord that we live in such a beautiful place (especially in the Winter). We were married last June in a beautiful outdoor ceremony over looking the Sierras and we honeymooned on the East Coast. In November of last year we were excited beyond belief to find out we were expecting our first child! This year one blessing has outweighed all the frustrations we've dealt with (especially in the past month or so)..... we welcomed Robert Preston Herrington V into the world July 3rd. He is our pride and joy, making us smile several times a day. He is growing so fast and it is fun to experience the world through his eyes.
So, all in all, it's been a great decade. I look forward to what's in store for us over the next ten years! Happy New Year.........

Bed Wetter

I was under the impression that kids didn't wet the bed until they were old enough to be potty trained but Preston proved me wrong. This morning I was in my dream world, loving a peaceful sleep when I heard his little voice in the monitor. Hearing him talk to himself and blowing spit bubbles (his new favorite thing to do) is my favorite way to wake up. I laid there, listening to him babble and blow spit all over his crib for a few minutes. Honestly, I was hoping he'd talk himself back to sleep because Rob and I had stayed up late laughing, talking and playing on the computer. Then Preston had woken up and was having a hard time going back to sleep. That combination was leaving me tired and wanting to sleep in. No such luck though! Preston was up and ready to conquer the day. When I picked him up there was a huge wet spot where his "crotch" had been. Poor guy was sopping wet! The only thing I can think of is that he likes to loosen the straps on his diapers. He must've done it last night before I put his PJs on because the diaper was barely hanging on when I went to change him this morning. I guess I learned my lesson that I need to pay closer attention to him loosening his diapers so we don't have any more bed wetting experiences in the near future....at least until he's old enough for it to be justified.

Them Days Are Long Gone.....

The days where we could put Preston on his tummy time blanket and know he won't go anywhere have passed. A couple weeks ago he started rolling over from his back to his stomach. If we were lucky he'd roll back again to his back Then, yesterday, he started rolling over consistently. I put him on his tummy time blanket and went to make a phone call. When I got back in the room he had rolled all the way to the entertainment center and was in the process of putting the DVD cord in his mouth. I quickly grabbed him and put him back on his blanket. I started taking ornaments off the tree, looked over and he had rolled the opposite way toward the recliners. He had a goal in sight.....the computer cord. I grabbed it out of his way and put him back on his blanket. So goes the past 24 hours of our lives. We joke that we won't need to go to the gym because he will keep us very active from here on out. Within the next month I'm sure I'll be "baby proofing" the house because who knows what he can get into, even just rolling. As I write this he has his piggy in one hand and is rolling toward the woodpile as fast as he can. On that note let my workout resume.......

Another 364 Days Left

Christmas 2009 has officially come and gone. Maybe it's because of Preston or maybe it's because it's the last Christmas we will spend at my childhood house, but Christmas was more special than usual this year. We spent Christmas Eve just the 3 of us, drinking eggnog milkshakes (Preston didn't partake in this even though he wanted to), driving around looking at lights and opening our stockings and presents. Then we woke up Christmas morning, ate a big breakfast then headed to Sacramento for the day. Rob and I don't have the means we've had in past years to buy everyone the "world" but we both got things we wanted and spent a lot of time putting thought into the gifts we gave. We enjoyed opening our stockings and watching Preston "open" his gifts. He enjoyed the wrapping paper more than anything, often putting handfuls in his mouth. Despite all the gifts I opened at my parents', my favorite thing was something that was in my stocking. It was a frame with 2 black and white pictures of my Nana and Papa holding me when I was a baby. And the best part of the day, in my opinion, was when my mom surprised me by baking my Nana's infamous peanut butter pie. I thought we'd lost that recipe forever but not only did my mom find the recipe but she nailed the pie! It tasted just like my Nana's. We did our traditional German pickle hunt (My brother found it) and then left shortly after to get back before the sun went down and the roads got slick. Once we got home Rob built a fire and we watched a Hallmark movie. All in all it was a perfect Christmas! I enjoyed every minute of it, making it one of my more memorable Christmases.

What is Christmas?

I had the privilege (insert sarcasm) of spending 4 hours in a tire store on Christmas Eve morning, waiting for brakes to get done. But, during that time I struck up conversations with different ones waiting and as always Preston was able to wow them. One man told me he's excited about Christmas this year because both of his sons will be with him, one of them in remission after a fight with leukemia. Another lady had a different story. She came in the shop with what she thought was a minor problem and was still there when I left, devastated that the repairs would cost well over $1000 and that she was going to have to miss work later. She talked about the stress that Christmas would be this year after her car repairs. I left in a reflective mood, thinking about Christmas and what it means to people. For some people it means money being spent that they don't necessarily have. Others think of crowds and hours of waiting in long lines. Some of my friends think of days in the kitchen, baking treats. Others think of the hours of decorating and putting everything away afterwards. I think of all these things but with a positive attitude because ultimately this special day is not about us but about Jesus' birth and spending time with loved ones. I look forward to Christmas every year.....listening to Christmas music all day every day for a month, putting a lot of thought into each gift I buy, talking to people as I wait in lines, spending hours sending out Christmas cards and then the clean up and putting away after Christmas is over. Each one of these tasks brings me joy in one way or another. I get frustrated with the "Ba Humbug" attitude that so many have because this is a time of year that is supposed to be filled with love, giving, and memories to last through the next year. It breaks my heart when people say they hate Christmas for one reason or another. This Christmas I urge you to think about all the great things that Christmas means instead of getting down because of money issues or because there are crowds. Use it as an opportunity to be thankful for what Christmas really means....Jesus and family and friends and traditions and wonderful lifelong memories!

Christmas Favs

When I was teaching I'd always ask students what their family traditions were this time of year. I was surprised to find that many families don't have Christmas traditions. My family has always had quite a few. Some I love and some I don't really understand. But, my favorites are decorating the tree, looking at Christmas lights, stockings and the German pickle. One I don't really understand, although I've been told the stories about it, is the "Orange Man". After my parents have scoured the Sacramento area for the perfect tree and have it decorated a bag of oranges "magically" appears under the tree. Like I said, I don't get the significance of it but this year Preston enjoyed it. We came around the corner at my parents' house and Preston squealed with delight when he saw his very own bag of Cutie Oranges. It was adorable! Another one that I started that I, myself, don't get is sleeping in a pile of wrapping paper. Every year for as long as I can remember I'd lay down in the discarded paper, after all the presents were opened, while everyone else went back to bed for a couple hours. I guess it's my way of savoring the hours of Christmas preparation before it gets thrown away. No matter why I have this tradition, I can say I've taken some pretty good naps in piles of Christmas wrap!
Every year holiday tradition starts for me once I find a tree. Unlike my mom, I don't go to several tree lots but I do bargain for the best tree I can find. I love spending hours decorating it, making sure the ornaments are put up just right. After it's decorated I look forward to the sun going down each night so I can turn it on and illuminate the room with its magical glow. Since I usually have a few presents by that time, I like to wrap them and put them under the tree, adding to its beauty.
Another tradition my family has that is one of my favorites is looking at Christmas lights. In years past we've gone to a Christmas Eve service then have gone to In n Out Burger for dinner. From there we drive to a wealthier neighborhood in Rocklin to look at the Disney themed homes. There are so many cars that pass through this neighborhood that it can take up to an hour to drive about 1-2 miles. But it's worth it, just sitting back admiring the neighborhood's hard work. This year I am looking forward to finding neighborhoods in the Reno area to look at with Rob and Preston. It's a tradition that I hope we keep going because there's something magical and special about looking at all the beautiful lights.
Christmas day brings me to my last 2 favorite traditions. Stockings and the German pickle! On Christmas morning the first person up wakes up the others then we all have to wait to enter the living room together. A massive sheet covers a row of stockings. Once the sheet is removed we get to look at what "Santa" has brought us. I could spend hours just going through my stocking alone! "Santa" Dad (and his elf helper)always spend so much time trying to get our stockings just right, loading it with stuff that we'll use but don't necessarily buy for ourselves on a regular basis. Sometimes my stocking is better than any gift I unwrap. It is hands down my favorite part of Christmas morning.
The last tradition that tops off the day is the German pickle. After we've devoured mom's Christmas meal we all go in the family room while she hides the glass ornament in the tree. It's great because she's only 5'1 so it limits how high she can put the ornament and gives us an advantage. When she gives us the go ahead we make a mad dash for the tree, scouring the branches for this shiny green ornament. I don't know who has more fun....us or my mom as she anxiously awaits for someone to spot it. Whoever finds it first- without tearing down the tree- wins a gift certificate. It's been to the movies, to Starbucks, to Blockbuster. No matter who wins I always love searching for the German pickle.
These are the traditions that fill my memory bank around the Christmas season. They are things that I'll cherish as Preston gets older and we create more family traditions. I encourage you to come up with your own special family traditions if you do not have any. It makes the holiday season that much more special!

Thriving Social Life

I love staying home with Preston but I also love when it's Christmas break and I'm able to spend time with friends. Yesterday morning I met up with a friend that has a son who is 2 months younger than Preston. She treated me to coffee and we got to catch up on life, which was nice, especially since we had been getting together every week while she was on maternity leave. After coffee with her, I got home to get the house ready for the Loyal Wives' (inside neighborhood joke) Book Club. The ladies came over and we were having such a good time that they didn't leave until after 10pm. Of course Preston loved them being here because he got to flirt and wow them all! Tomorrow night Rob and I are splurging and going out to dinner. We're meeting up with our friend that has a son 2 days younger than Preston (but is a lot bigger than him!). After that I think we'll go look at Christmas lights as a family....one of my favorite holiday things to do. Friday we're off to Sacramento for the day to spend Christmas with my family. It'll be bittersweet because it's Preston's first Christmas but it'll be our last family Christmas in my childhood home. It'd also be nice if the MS Herringtons were here so all the family could be together.
I'd tell ya that life will slow down after Christmas but it'll just get busier (YAY!). I am meeting a couple friends next week. We have a neighborhood New Years Eve party. Preston is finally getting dedicated to the church, after the gliche got resolved from last time. Then Preston and I have several (routine) doctor appts the first week of the new year. We'll top off the busy schedule by going with my family to San Diego and then to Alabama/Mississippi to see Rob's family again. I have so much to look forward to but writing all this has worn me out. Nap time here we come!!

Zombie Mode

I feel like we've gone back in time to when Preston was a newborn and sleep was a foreign concept. He has been in our room pretty much since we got back from MS. First, he was sick. Then, I passed out and fell down the stairs when I got up to nurse him. Then, I had a surgical procedure. And finally, his crib got recalled. All of that caused him to camp out in our room. I've enjoyed having him there but am ready to get sleep again. The angel care monitor isn't compatible with the pack n play so I am constantly waking up to check on him, making sure all is good. Then it takes me forever to go back to sleep because my mind starts going.
As I posted a couple days ago, he's also been fussy so being sleep deprived and stressed out all the while dealing with a fussy 5 month old isn't the best combination. I'm officially in zombie mode! But, for today, my prayers have been answered. Preston has not cried ONCE! In fact, he's been making me and others laugh quite a bit. We've either been given him gifts or have bought his toys used. We haven't splurged on any new big toys for him....until a week ago. I broke down and bought a "Johnny Jump Up" like the one at Mimi and Grandpa's house. He loves it! This morning he figured out how to really getting going with the jumping so every time he got the music to go on it he would start jumping like crazy. Every time the music stopped he would stop as well. He really had me laughing! Then, at church, he kept putting his feet in his mouth, pulling his socks off and eating them. The elderly lady behind us thought that was so cute. She asked how old he was, saying she thought he was really smart. I think he is too but I have nothing to compare it to. He also had the men in front of us laughing because he kept squealing when it would get quiet then smile real big as if saying, "I'm cute so I can get away with it!". As I sit here blogging he is lying next to me, rolling all around, proud of himself for getting to his toys on his own. I'm glad he's so happy today. It makes being in zombie mode much easier!

Fussy Gus

We have been blessed with such a happy baby so when he's fussy it kind of throws us off guard. This week has been one of those weeks. He started seperation anxiety with me about a week ago. He's fine if Rob is holding him....as long as I'm near. If I walk out of the room or even just out of his eyesight he gets fussy. As soon as I'm back he settles down. He wants to be held a lot more than usual lately. Yesterday I let him cry it out a lot because I don't want him to get used to being held all the time. It paid off because today he only cried once to be held. I picked him up after a few minutes, settled him down then put him back on his blanket. After that he was all smiles again! Other than being held, the thing that has him fussy is the fact that he's teething. His bottom teeth will be coming in any day now because you can run your finger over his gums and feel little ridges. Between Orajel and teething rings, we're doing what we can to comfort him but some times it's just not enough. The poor kid has life rough right now! No wonder he's fussy. I would be too! =)

Been Awhile

Haven't written much lately. Preston and I went to Sacramento for the weekend and had a great time. Going to visit the grandparents (both sets) is like a vacation for me. I can't lift a finger because everyone takes care of me and Preston. But, now it's back to reality....sending out Christmas cards, buying gifts, making gifts, wrapping gifts,etc. I've enjoyed getting ready for Christmas this year because of the gift we're blessed with 365 days a year! Speaking of our bundle of joy, the highlight of the week is that Preston discovered his laugh. He doesn't do it more than once or twice a day but it's hilarious. If you say, "I'm gonna get you" while getting close to him he thinks it's so funny. That's about the only thing that will get a belly laugh but it's sure worth it. Being with family and hearing Preston's laugh are the only things I need for Christmas Day. Tis the season!

A Boy and a Dog

I'm having a difficult time sleeping. Rob is snoring, Preston is scratching the side of his pack-n-play, Holly is passing horrible gas and my mind is going 100 mph. Sometimes that's what happens at slumber parties. Since I can't get my mind to stop, the best way for me to cure it is to get my thoughts out on "paper".
As I laid awake in the darkness of the night, my mind kept wandering to a dog and a boy. There's an unbreakable bond that has formed in the Herrington household, a bond between Preston and Holly. There have been several times recently that I wished our camera was within reach. Times that if I could capture it on film, it would be obvious to all the love between a boy and a dog. Since getting rid of Duke, Holly has fallen head over heals in love with Preston and the feeling is very much mutual.
If I take Preston into the nursery, Holly follows me there and lays down while I change his diaper or his clothes. If Preston is crying, all we have to say is, "Look at Holly" and his tears fade away. When he takes his naps, she will lay by his swing, waiting for him to wake up. Every night Holly starts out the night sleeping close to Preston, whether it be in the nursery or in our room.
Yesterday Preston was finally getting some much needed tummy time. He was fighting me tooth and nail on it....until Holly came over. She knows she's not allowed on his tummy time blanket so she gets as close as possible, sometimes crossing the line. But, yesterday, she laid right along the edge and Preston put his feet on her back. He laid there, moving his feet around on Holly, while she happily accepted the back scratch. Today he was sitting on my lap, playing, when Holly came over and put her head on his lap. He excitedly put his hand on her head and she began moving her head around, once again accepting his affection. When I told her to go lay down she stood up, licked his face as if to say "Thank you" then moved a few feet away from us. That's the thing about Holly. She is never far from him! She has become quite the babysitter and I believe with all my heart that she would let us know if he was in some kind of danger. She not only loves him, but would protect him in a heartbeat~
Although we think Preston is allergic to her, it's a small price to pay for the love they share. Holly is getting old but I pray that we don't have to put her down before Preston can form some memories of his own with her. Because, in my opinion, there's nothing like the love between a boy and his dog!

Family Slumber Party

After passing out last week and being doped up on pain meds after my surgery, I've been leery about going to the nursery for Preston's 3am feeding. So, after my parents left on Saturday we decided to bring the pack-n-play in our room so it'd be easier to tend to Preston. Last night I was going to move him back to the nursery and overcome my fears of falling down the stairs again, but right before bed we got an email that his crib is faulty. I don't want to take any chances so we left him in our room. It's pretty cute to be honest. I get him ready for bed, say his prayers and put him down. Then Holly comes in and lays down right next to the pack-n-play. Preston looks at her until he falls asleep. The fire is going in the fireplace so Holly eventually goes out there to stay warm. I don't blame her as we woke up to -4 this morning and about a foot of snow on the ground. I know Preston needs to go back to the nursery once his crib is fixed because he's a big boy. But, I've really been enjoying our family slumber parties the past few nights.

Winter Wonderland

It started snowing yesterday.....and is still going! We went to bed with snow on the ground and woke up to almost a foot of snow. In the year and half we've lived here I don't remember it snowing this much at one time. That being said, Preston and I declared it a "Pajama Day". We both took our individual baths then got re-dressed in comfy PJs. We laid down for a long winter's nap and have generally been lazy. I'm glad I don't have to go down the hill for anything today and can enjoy the view from the warm indoors. It makes it that much more beautiful!

Our Lil Man

It's hard to believe that Preston was still in me, in the 1st trimester, last year at this time. Now he's becoming quite the little human being. He entertains himself with his toys, has learned how to turn the pages in his books and likes to hold his bottle when eating. Today when I put him down for a nap his paci fell out. I went in to check on him and he was sucking his thumb. Rob and I are not really into the thumb sucking thing but it was cute! He also likes to watch us eat and let's us know if he wants some as well. He talks a lot and is starting to mimic us. Today Rob was waving at him and Preston lifted his arm, trying to wave back. Parenthood is absolutely amazing! It's so fun to watch him grow and change! What a blessing Preston has been in our lives!!!!!

And the Hits Keep Coming!

We survived Thursday...barely...and my parents came to town because I had a minor surgical procedure yesterday (I didn't heal right after Preston was born). They came to help since Rob had to work today. It was a good thing they made the trip because I seriously think I would've had a breakdown had they not! Yesterday I was in and out of a fog when Rob came in to tell me there was a problem paying for the pump. So, I came to long enough to deal with that. This morning I was taking a nap, but woke up chilled. I came out of the room to find out that our propane ran out and we were without heat.....just as it started snowing! Luckily my dad took over and got someone out here to fill the tank so we'd have heat for Preston and hot water for me. I tell ya- I REALLY can't wait for this week to be over because I've been pushed to the limit with what I can handle! We are blessed to have such great parents, family and friends that have offered help and wisdom this past week. Please pray that nothing else happens for awhile!

Can you say CRAZY??

When we got off the plane I knew it was back to reality. Little did I know, however, that reality was going to punch us in the face! This week has not been stressful. It's been downright CRAZY!! The weirdest things have happened in the past couple days to add to the already fun let's-deal-with-a-sick-baby-for-the-first-time. Not last night but the night before Preston woke up crying. I jumped up to take care of him and in the process of walking to the nursery, I blacked out at just the right spot. Just the right spot meaning the top of the staircase. I did a somersault down them, landing with my head mind you, against the door. Between the thud and me calling for Rob he was able to wake up out of a sound sleep to find me sprawled on the landing. The rest of the night I drifted in and out of sleep due to Preston crying and a horrible headache. Yesterday I was worn out to say the least so I took it easy all day. I went to bed with the intent of getting everything done around the house today. WRONG! I went to wash dishes this morning only to find that we were without water. When calling the water filtration company they told me it was pump problem. The first thing that came to mind was a huge dollar sign...$$$$$$$$$. A dry well eluded my thoughts as I waited for the fix it guy to get here. After running tests we were told that there was an electrical short 220 feet down the well. A minor problem compared to a dry well. Through all this craziness this week I am reminded of God's goodness. Things could've been a lot worse with my fall and with the well but God provided, just like He always does. That being said, I will be extremely grateful when this week is over!!!!!

Have I Told You Lately?

You thought I was going to say, "That I love you" but you're wrong. I was going to say, "Have I told you lately that we have an amazing son??" Yesterday he had to get blood drawn to make sure his medicine wasn't messing up his liver and kidneys. I knew he didn't feel well and had already been to the doctor's but the hospital is far from our house. So, it was the easiest option for getting it done. The phlebotomist went to draw his blood and Preston just laid there, smiling. She was absolutely floored! She mentioned several times that she couldn't believe he didn't even fuss. I told her he was a strong cowboy and she agreed wholeheartedly. Then today we could tell Preston wasn't feeling well. I kept taking his temp and it kept going up each time. Finally, it had hit the magic 101 degrees so we called the on-call doctor. We were told to come in and by that time Preston's fever was almost 102. When the doctor checked him out he kept smiling and sticking his tongue out. The real test was when she went to check his ears. He had wax buildup despite the fact that I had just cleaned out his ears this morning. She had to use this "pic" to clean out the excess wax. She said that babies usually cried because it was uncomfortable. Not our amazing baby! He just sat there, waiting for her to finish. She, too, commented on how surprised she was that he didn't fuss especially since he has a double ear infection. He is so sick but you couldn't tell with all his smiles and his happy personality. I found it ironic that when we were picking up his prescription "his" song "Amazing" came on the radio. Have I told you lately that Robert Preston Herrington V is absolutely amazing????? We are so blessed to have such a perfect baby!

Overwhelmed

I really shouldn't be on the computer right now because of all the things on my "To Do" list that are not getting done. Instead of crossing things off, I'm continually adding more things to the list. Tis the season! I've been meaning to put up Christmas decorations since Sunday but that hasn't happened. Preston has a cold so he was fussy most of Sunday, wanting to be held. Yesterday I took him to the doctor's then we went across the street so I could pre-register for a minor surgical procedure and Preston could get his monthly blood work done. That took over 3 hours. By the time I got groceries and picked up our mail we had been gone 6 hours. Preston did a great job but once we got home he got a little fussy again. So, I held him and did online Christmas shopping at the same time (I had to take advantage of Cyber Monday sales). When Rob got home we put up the tree and then I made dinner. I was barely able to eat because Preston was wanting to be held and kept coughing. I finished online shopping then got Preston ready for bed. By the time he went to bed my show was on. I was worn out by the time it was over. To top it off, Preston had a hard night so he nor I got a lot of sleep. I'm hoping he makes up for it with naps today because I have more errands to run, mounds and mounds of laundry to do, suitcases to unpack, a tree to decorate, working out to do, lights to put up, bills to pay...... Ah, tis the season!!