Eleven Month Birthday and Merry Christmas Eve

Eleven Months Old

 

My Appearance:  Well we are still on the road so I don’t have the exact numbers on what I weigh and how tall I am.  I think I have gained some weight because when I take a bath my belly looks pretty round and I also think I have grown because I can get into almost anything I want.  I got a hair cut a couple weeks ago and since then people say it has a tint of red to it.  I guess I get this from Mommy because her hair turns a little red in the sunlight.  I am starting to fill out a little this month even though some of my pants fall off of me when I standing.  My thighs, arms, and belly are all a little thicker then last month. 

Milestones:  The day after my ten month birthday I decided that it was time to walk and I haven’t slowed down since then.  I am so good at walking now that I can almost run.  I think that walking is a blast and can’t believe that it took ten months to figure it out.  Just a couple weeks ago I figured out how to stand up by myself, I no longer need help from furniture to get up.  I get lots of practice doing this because I still fall a lot.  I also got my first cold this month.  This was not fun and I felt really sick for about 5 days.  Mommy and Daddy gave me lots of cuddle time and that helped me feel better.  I got my 7^th tooth this month, this time it was a bottom tooth. 

Daily Routine:  My routine is not much of a routine anymore.  Mommy and I are staying with G-ma and G-pa while Daddy works up in Fort Collins and things are a little wild at their house.  Some times I have to take my naps in the car or at someone’s house but I always end up back at their house to go to bed.  I have had a lot of fun trying to play with all the Christmas decorations and have broken a few of G-ma’s things.  I love to play with the Christmas tree, there are so many shiny and sparkly thing on it I just can’t resist it.  I also love when my cousin Hadley comes over to play.  I can keep up with her a little better now and so we have fun playing together.

Special Events:  Well we are still traveling and so things have been a little different but I can adjust pretty well.  This month has been really special because I have got to see all of my extended family.  I have spent time will all my Grandma’s and Grandpa’s, Aunts and Uncles, and even my Great Grandma’s and Grandpa’s.  I have had fun being the center of attention and really know how to keep the attention on me.  I have met Santa Clause twice this month and gotten some pictures with him.  I was not to sure about it the first time and then the second time I really didn’t want to see him and started crying so Mommy would take me back.  Tonight is my first Christmas Eve and I got to open a present.  I didn’t really know what was going on but Daddy helped show me what to do.  I had fun and Mommy and Daddy said I would get to open a lot more presents tomorrow on Christmas.

A Korpi Weekend

When we got into Colorado we came to see our family the first weekend before Fred had to go up to Ft. Collins to work.  It was a surprise to our families because the original plan was to stay up in Denver, go to the game on Sunday and then Blaiden and I would get a ride back to the Valley with my mom on Monday.  

On the next weekend Larry and Tonja picked up Blaiden and me to head up to Ft. Collins and spend the weekend up there with all the Korpi’s.  It was the first time Phil and his girlfriend Felisha, Casey and his girlfriend Stacia, Fred, Blaiden, me, Larry and Tonja had all gotten together.  It was a great weekend.  We got some shopping done, spent a ton of time together as a family, and had a wonderful Christmas dinner. 

Every time Blaiden looked at Casey he would smile or laugh.  It was so cute.

I am not sure what was wrong in this picture but Blaiden really does like Tonka.

Felisha is a great cook!

Look at all them Korpi boys!

Walking at 10 Months!

On Sunday November 25th Blaiden took his first steps!

We were still in Missouri and Fred, Andy, and Pam all went to the Broncos vs. Chiefs game and so Blaiden and I were home alone. The entire previous week Blaiden was getting so close to walking but would only lift up one foot. We decided we would not count it unless he took at least two steps. So on Sunday when it was just Blaiden and I, I was really trying to get him to do it. I guess Blaiden finally worked up enough courage because after he woke up from his afternoon nap I was trying to get him to walk towards me and he took about 6 steps before he fell over! I got so excited I think I scared Blaiden a little. So for the rest of the day we just kept practicing. Fred called when they were on their way home from the game and I was a little worried to tell him but I was so excited I had to. Fred couldn't believe that he missed it, but told me to try and keep Blaiden up until he got home so he could see him walk. Blaiden stayed up about 30 minutes later than he wanted to, but when Fred walked in the door Blaiden just walked right over to him like he had been doing it for weeks.

Here is a few action shots of Blaiden taking some of his first steps.

Now he is a pro at this walking business. He falls and he has gotten a few bruises but I guess that's how it goes when you are learning to get around on 2 feet.

Traveling... Part 1

We are on a 2 month vacation from our house and will be traveling across the country while Fred is working.  Now the first part of our trip is over with. We were in Columbia MO for 2 weeks. We decided that it is easier for us to travel at night and so when Blaiden woke up at midnight that’s when we decided to hit the road. Our car was loaded up the night before so we were gone within a half hour. Our car was packed to the brim and we even had to put things on the roof. Fred started out driving, Blaiden and I were in the back seat and Kiara was in the back. The trip went well, I only drove a few hours and Blaiden slept most of the way and would go back to sleep soon after he ate. By the time we made it to Columbia (12 hours later) we were all ready to get out of the car.

We stayed with our friends Andy and Pam and had a great time seeing them on a daily basis again. We were there for Thanksgiving, Black Friday, the Chief vs Bronco game, and the most exciting event: Blaiden’s first steps. Kiara also loved it there because her sister lives there. I don’t think those dogs ever stopped playing. We had to try and keep them contained because one of the first nights we were there the fighting was a little to close to Blaiden and he ended up with his first black eye. We are planning on stopping by again on our way back to Ohio to see them again.

 Now on to Colorado...

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy First Thanksgiving Everyone!

While Fred is working in Missouri for 2 weeks we are staying with our friends Pam and Andy.  We were not sure what our Thanksgiving holiday would be like this year and did not plan on a normal dinner.  Well it turned out to be a great day.  Pam and Andy had Thanksgiving dinner with their family the week before and so we stayed at their house and had a great Thanksgiving dinner for 5. 

I love Blaiden's Thanksgiving Day shirt!

 We did not make everything that we normally have but with only a few of us we did not want a ton of leftovers.  We had a turkey breast that was so juicy I didn't even miss the dark meat, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes and gravy, dressing, rolls, and green bean casserole for Fred.

TEN Months Old!!

Ten Months Old

My Appearance:  I am not sure exactly what my weight and height are this month because we are not at home to check but I think I weigh about the same as last month.  I think I have grown a little in the last month because I can reach a lot more things this month.  My hair is getting longer this month and Mommy says it is time for another haircut.  She is also very happy because I still have a few curls in my hair.  I now have 6 teeth.  One came in right after my 9 month birthday and another came in just a few days ago.  Now when I smile you can see my mouth full of teeth with 4 on top and 2 on bottom.  I am still in size 3 diapers and 12 month clothes.  This winter weather is not good for my skin and I have a few patches of Eczema on my arms and legs so I get lathered up with lotion everyday. 

Milestones:  There were not really a lot of firsts this month.  I have been practicing standing by myself and now I can do that whenever I want.  I love this because now I can use both of my hands to examine whatever I come across.  I have also learned that I can stand up by myself and don’t need to have something to pull up on. My balance is getting so good that on Thanksgiving I started trying to take a step.  I could just lift my foot of the ground but I am not sure what to do next so I just fall down and crawl where I want to go.  Mommy and Daddy did get very excited though. 

Daily Routine:  My routine was much of the same until about a week ago.  Mommy and Daddy had the car packed up and even Kiara was in there and we drove all night to someone’s house.  We have been here for about a week and I have been having a blast playing with all of the new things even if I am not supposed to, like the dogs water bowl and power cords.  There is also a new puppy at this house that is really fun to play with but she plays with Kiara more then me.  I still take my naps and eat whatever I can pick up but I am just in a different place. 

Special Events:  This month Mommy and Daddy have taken me out to eat a few times.  It has been so fun to play with different things at restaurants and I get to eat some really good food.  I also got to dress up for Halloween, this year I was Tigger.  It was fun to hand out candy to all the kids that came over.  The next weekend we all took a trip to Cincinnati so Daddy could go watch the Broncos play and while we were there we went to the aquarium.  I loved to see all the fish especially the sharks.  Later that week I fell and bit my lip and it was pretty bloody but Daddy took real good care of me.  I was playing with the puppy’s this week and one of them hit me in the face.  The next morning I woke up with a black eye.  It wasn’t too bad though and was gone after about 5 days.  I just had my first Thanksgiving dinner.  I tried all of the good food and I think this is a pretty awesome holiday.    Another thing we did this month was take family pictures.  Mommy was so excited about this so I showed off my smile for her and she said they turned out great!

The (almost) Perfect Day

Nothing really special happen this Saturday but it turned out to be an almost perfect day.  It started out by Blaiden sleeping in until about 8:30!!  This never happens and I was so happy I could sleep in a little too.  Blaiden and I went downstairs and he ate and we played for about an hour then decided it was time to wake Fred up.  We all played in bed for a while then I started to get ready for the day.  This is where the (almost) comes into play.  Blaiden was standing by me while I was putting my hair up and he fell straight backwards and hit his head on the floor.  Fred came and picked him up and after a few seconds took Blaiden into the bathroom.  I got worried and so I went in to see blood coming out of his mouth.  He must have bitten the inside of his lip when he fell.  It was so sad to see him in pain so we cuddled on the couch until it was time for him to take a nap.

When Blaiden woke up from his nap he had blood all over his face.  His lip must have been bleeding a little during his nap, but as you can see he is not on any pain.

 While he was sleeping I got to clean out my car and do a few things around the house.  When Blaiden woke up we ate lunch and then got ready to take Kiara to the dog park.  The weather was great today and so we all wanted to spend some time outside.  When we got home there was some more playing before everyone in the house took an afternoon nap.  In the early evening we went outside to do a little work in the yard.  We just let Blaiden crawl around on the grass and he was having the best time.

This is a blurry cell phone picture of Blaiden having a blast outside.

It was such a great day spent together as a family.

Halloween

I was thinking about posts for this month and I realized I hadn't wrote about Halloween yet so better late then never.

A week or two before Halloween we went to a pumpkin patch to show Blaiden all of the fall festivities. He really loves to people watch and so he hardly ever looked at the camera.  We had a great time walking around and taking a ton of pictures.  It was a pretty nice day and a great little tradition we started with Blaiden.

Then a few days before Halloween we carved our pumpkins.  Blaiden was stripped down because I was going to let him play with all the guts but he was not that interested.  He grabbed one piece and decided he did not like the feeling and put it down.  He didn't even get dirty.  We cleaned out all three pumpkins and then after Blaiden was in bed we carved the designs.

Fred's, Blaidens, and my pumpkins

Massillion always designates 3-5 the Sunday before Halloween as the time to trick-or-treat.  When Blaiden woke up from his afternoon nap I put on his cute Tigger costume.  We found this costume on clearance while I was still pregnant and so we thought a 6-9 month size would work perfect, but it just barley fit and the legs were a little short.  It was worth it though because he really only wore it for about 3 hours.

Long Weekend Getaway

This past weekend we all went down to Cincinnati.  Fred wanted to go to the Bronco's game and he couldn't find anyone to go with him so he convinced me that we needed a little family getaway.  So we loaded up the car and made the 4 hour trip to Cincy.  We even took Kiara with us.  We left early Saturday morning during Blaiden's first nap.  We wanted to go to the aquarium and show Blaiden all of the fish.  He had a great time and he was actually interested in what we were doing this time compared to when we went to the St. Louis Zoo. 

 

 

 

After the aquarium we went to eat at a grilled cheese and tomato soup place.  We love this meal at home and it was even better at this restaurant.  Blaiden also approved with lunch.

On Sunday Fred went to the Bronco's game.  We took him down and walked around the stadium for a little while before we parted ways.  While at the game Fred met up with an old coach/teacher/friend from Colorado and watched part of the game with him.  Blaiden and I met up with them after the game was over and we all had dinner together.  It was great to see him, and Blaiden was very friendly, which Coach Geiser loved.

39 weeks 4 days old

Well it is official, Blaiden has been out in the world longer then he was in my belly!  I can't believe how fast the time has gone, I remember the day I found out I was pregnant.
I am keeping this Blog more as a journal and turning it into a book at the end of the year so when Blaiden asks questions about when he did things or what he was like as a baby I can just pull out this book and tell him all about it.  I thought this would be a good time to tell the story of Blaiden's birth since I didn't really do that when he was born.
 I had a doctor's appointment on Monday January 23.  Fred came along like always and we brought along my hospital bag because we were hoping that I could be induced that day.  Fred had the week off so we thought it would be perfect timing.  I was also so ready to not be pregnant.  I was so big and so uncomfortable.  Well things did not go as well as we wanted and the doctor said I could be induced but the chances of it ending in a C-section were pretty good, so we decided to wait.  That day Fred called the doctor he was supposed to work with the following week and planned to go to work the rest of the week and take the following week off. 
 Looking back at that night I remember feeling a few pains before bed but it wasn’t bad so I didn’t even mention it to Fred.  We went to bed around 9 that night.  At 12:45AM I woke up to a very wet bed and woke Fred up and said “I think my water just broke or I peed the bed.”  We got everything together and went to the hospital.  We called our families on the way there because it was before 11PM in Colorado.  My mom found a flight and said she would be there by 5PM.
I didn’t start to have contractions until around 2AM.  At this point I was not sure if I was going to get the epidural or not.  Once I started, however; things went fast and the contractions were rough.  I will spare you all the gory details, but around 5AM I was having very long contractions and Blaiden was starting to get stressed.  After a contraction lasted over 2 minutes they were starting to get worried and were going to give me something to stop it.  I don’t know if it was Blaiden or me who was afraid of the shot but the contraction finally ended.  I had to be placed on oxygen for the rest of the labor.  At around 7AM I decided that I wanted the epidural.  At this point I was dilated to 8cm and they didn’t even want to set up a drip, but I’m sure glad they did.  The doctor was there and she was thinking I would have him within an hour.  That did not happen, after the epidural my labor stopped.  After 15 minutes without a contraction they started me on Pitocin to try and get me started again.  From this point I dosed off and on until about 1PM when they said it is time to start pushing.  I had to work hard for over an hour before the most amazing little person arrived at 2:11PM on January 24^th 2012.
After he was born time just seemed to stop.  There are really no words on how to explain how I felt when I held my son for the first time.  There is nothing like it in the world.  The love I felt for him was so strong I could not hold back the tears (I even saw a few tears from Fred).  My life changed from that moment, I was a Mom!  It is truly the best title I could have ever wished for and I would not change anything about it.  I’m a MOM!