The Little Man is One!!

A couple months ago, on Justin's birthday, his mom wished him a happy birthday and proclaimed it was the happiest day of her life.  On February 15th I sat, enjoying a cup of coffee while the birthday boy napped and I thought about Andrea's statement...was that day 12 months prior the happiest day of my life?  It was not.  Does that make me a bad mom for admitting that? No, I don't think so.  In fact, it was the toughest day of my life but that being said every day after Costner's birth have been the happiest days of my life.  His laugh, his smile, his cry, those cute little buns....everything makes me happier than I ever thought imaginable.  Love before a baby is quantitative, you can measure it, it can change, it can disappear.  But the love you are enveloped with once you have a child is never quantitative...it is unconditional and all encompassing.  I am blessed that I am able to experience this type of love every single day with Costner.

Seeing that Costner is One I figured I would give an update of what he is doing:

- sleeping through the night like a rock star (barring any colds)

- naps twice a day usually an hour in the morning and two hours in afternoon

- loves the sippy cup with whole milk, green machine or water

- the quantity of what he eats increases and decreases depending on growth spurts

- he has plateaued at 22lbs but is 32 inches long

- still rocking 12-18 months clothes

- walking skills are improving day by day

- loves music class

- starting to understand when mama and papa ask him something

- not saying much, too much on the move

Here are a few shots from Cman's First Birthday Party.  It was a hungry caterpillar themed party, Costner enjoyed a night of family and close friends.  The oncoming cold did not seem to affect him that night.  

This is my lady friend Teagan

presents galore

"here mama...have some?"

bath time

and now it's bedtime!

Protection

A couple of weeks ago I read about a young mom who had to do the unthinkable to protect herself and her young son.  Home alone with her three month old son she heard two men trying to enter her home, she grabbed her shotgun, pistol and phone.  She called the police and informed dispatcher that two men were trying to enter her home and if they indeed broke in would it be okay if she shot them.  The dispatcher, of course, said that she could not tell this young mom that is was okay to shoot them but that she should do whatever she had to do to protect herself and her baby.  So...as the men broke thru her front door she raised her 9 gauge and shot the first man right in the chest killing him.  The second man, so frightened, ran from the scene and later turned himself into police.  This woman encountered every mom's worst nightmare and I wondered if I would do the same?  The answer is YES!

I am not saying that I am card holding member of the NRA but I would do anything to protect Costner.  My husband tends to be out of town a good amount which leaves me home alone with my lovable yellow lab and my son.  In the past I would freak myself out by watching Law & Order: SVU or 20/20 so much so that I would wrap a butcher knife in a dish towel and sleep with it on my bedside table.  Piece of mind because really how much good would a butcher knife do to an intruder?  Seeing that I was a bit paranoid and scared Justin purchased a hand gun for us while I was pregnant.  We went outside of town and practiced shooting, Costner was not too happy with sounds coming from outside the belly.  My brother-in-law asked me if I would really shoot someone and "What if I came by the house at 2am, would you shoot me?"  My response was "a...Alex, why are you coming to my house at 2am?" and "b...if you were coming to my house at 2am then why wouldn't you call me first?"  But the ultimate question is "would I shoot someone if they broke into my house?"  Yes!  If someone is coming into my house to cause harm to me or my child then hell yes I am going to do everything in my power to protect us.  The Second Amendment gives me the right to bear arms to protect my property and the most important property to me is my son.  I must say this...we live in a very safe community where most people have an open door policy and we have a Eagle County Sheriff living four doors down.  The odds of someone breaking into my house are probably slim but just in case we have some protection.

On a Costner side note, the little man is getting closer and closer to his first birthday.  He is so much fun!  He isn't walking yet though someone told me that the longer he takes to walk the better reader he will be.  I don't know if that is true but I'm going to go with it!  He is working on his top two teeth and thankfully it hasn't disrupted his sleep patterns too much.  Here are a few pictures of my trouble maker.

I am proud that I am a messy eater!

Papa is my jungle gym!

What? I'm not allowed to do this?

Buck-a-ley....take the ball!!

the adventures never end with a baby!!

Sometimes those adventures can be scary and sad but adventures nonetheless.  Last week the Bradshaw Family was stricken with a bad cold...Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, Grandparents, Papa and Costner.  How I did not get sick I am unsure but blessed that I have yet to contract this ugly cold.  Costner has had a small cold before but it was just a two day affair with a stuffy nose being the worst of it.  This time he was stricken with Croup....an ugly upper respiratory infection that left him hoarse, wheezing and with a barking cough.  My poor little man was miserable and Mama and Papa were saddened because we felt so helpless.  Nothing we seemed to do made him feel better and after three days of administering baby vapor rub and tylenol, we went to see Dr. Engle (our fabulous pediatrician).  I don't know how this woman does it but as soon as she walks into the room I feel instantly better.  I know my son is in good hands and she will take excellent care of him. We left her office with some medicine in hand and feeling like we were going to kick some croup butt.  Well...it seems as if we are doing just that.  Costner is already back to his mischievous ways as the pictures below will show.  Parenthood is never what you expect it to be and every day being a mom has made me a stronger person.

It's Ducati's lucky day!!