Will's First Birthday!

I'm going to keep this post simple. We had such a great time with a few friends and family. Of course we wished all of our family could've been there, but obviously that is hard with our life! Will loved his carrot cake. He got a lot of presents (thanks everybody)! He loved having other kids over & of course seeing Grampy & Uncle Brandon!

Grampy & his lil man

a ball from the Borgs, Blocks from Grampy & Brandon, an outfit & stunnaz from Jessica & Sawyer!

His carrot cake, the song, big bite, & ready for some milk!

After a long day he & daddy cuddled on the couch... that was my favorite part of the day!

Pregnant!

Am I going completely crazy?! I think so!!! I cannot believe it has taken me THIS long to blog about our new to-be-baby! As a second child I promised I would try my best to record the memories of my second child. I remember growing up sad that my brother had a somewhat filled out baby book & I had NONE! The gaul of my parents! Then of course with the coming of the twins 8 years later, they we're special so they got a baby book too.

Now look at me 12 weeks pregnant with #2 & no blogging! Uh I'm horrible! lol. Okay so on to blogging about #2!

Yaye! I'm pregnant again! We were able to see little bean for the first time today! It is very, very active! Flipping around so much that the ultrasound technician had a hard time measuring lil Shipe-y.

I keep wanting to call #2 "him" & seeing babe made me all the more sure it is a boy. BUT if it is a girl, I would be SOOO excited!

I wont lie (I mean I've told most of you already), I was scared at first at the idea of having a girl, but it's spring and I am SO over it! Have you seen all those cute dresses?! Also, I had the idea that I was a really trying, whinny girl growing up & how could I possibly deal with that?! I have a few older friends that have somewhat tense relationships with their daughters that are their spitting images. Oh so worried I couldn't be a good enough mom to a girl! BUT then this awesome guy known as my dad told me I was "crazy" that I was "the best little girl" and I was "sweet and caring". Granted he's a guy & I'm a woman. Granted he is getting older & it's been a long time since I was little (20 years), so maybe his memory is getting fuzzy. LOL. Whatever it was, probably the praying to God to prepare my heart, I would be thrilled to have a girl.

...that said, I just think it's a boy. I would also be very happy to have 2 boys! FUN! ADVENTURE! BUGS! MUD! yes, I can do that!

Corey is really pulling for a girl. As it seems are most people.

So, now for the negatives... unfortunately, I've been really sick this time around. Although I am now starting to get more energy (I woke up at 6:45am, didn't nap, & I'm still up at 10:30pm!!), I'm still sick. With Wills I was sick in the am, either threw up (sorry if that's gross) or at a Jimmy Dean Sausage biscut, and was fine the rest of the day. Well, fine as far as nauseousness goes. THIS time, sick all day, nothing regularly helps & most things make it way worse! Because of this aversion to almost everything (paticularly large amounts of liquids) I have been struggling with major dehydration & weakness from not eating enough. I think the last few weeks I've been struggling with low blood pressure, I for sure did today. It is getting better in all honesty... so hopefully any day now I'll be totally cured!

Now the part you've been waiting for, PICTURES!

Approaching 1...

So here we are, about a week away from Will's first birthday! I cannot believe it!!! I am so excited for my little boy! He is walking so much & with that exploring EVERYTHING!

He loves...
*walking, everywhere as much as he can

*balls, & with that...

*throwing (he was throwing everything & now I'm trying to teach him that he "can throw balls, that's it")

*climbing, he pushed a container to the couch & used it to climb up the couch

*dad & mom, he's starting to become apprehensive of strangers or even people he knows when he first sees them.

*Molly

*stacking cups, endless minutes of entertainment

*the laptop... yeah that's a "No", haha

*eating regular food, especially feeding himself.

he hates...
*not having his paci, we are trying to wean from it, so far he can only have it during his witching hour (6pm) & out in public if he gets fussy.

He doesn't really hate things I guess. He has been a little more fussy, but that's because he is now officially in the stage of wanting things he can't have, or wants to do things he can't.

He is so fun! He has been a lot more cuddly. He's more aware of what a stranger is & is apprehensive of even my friends who he sees often, until he warms up.

Everything is going pretty well. He just recently got over a yucky virus, which was aggravated by some teething. He now has 8 teeth, 4 on the top & 4 on the bottom. That bottom one is still making it's way all the way up, which I think is still causing pain. We all know that means a harder time with naps & bedtime. C'est la vie.

Will is pretty obedient, but of course that is something that will be worked on over his whole life! He tries to listen, except when something is just THAT interesting.

He hasn't said very many words, Momma & Dadda of course. The other words are "sounds likes" but he's trying.

He's eating well. Figuring out how to really use those teeth. I'm trying to be inventive about the foods to serve him. Corey & I are eating more veggies now that we have to make them for Will! hehe. Soon it'll be time to drop his bottle! We are starting with switching the formula to milk slowly & then we'll slowly drop the bottle. I'm worried that he'll have a problem with milk (like lactose intolerance), since he is on Alimentum (milk proteins are broken down), but I guess we'll have to cross that bridge when we get there.

He's such a great kid & wish all of you could know him like we do!

Here he is exploring...

Picking up Daddy's habits...

His first snow, sadly he was getting sick, so he did NOT like it

Jesus' Birthday 2009

We had so much fun this year & I really understand how Christmas becomes all about the kids when you have them!

We started the day by celebrating Jesus' Birthday with cinnamon rolls & then we opened presents! We took a nap & then started on dinner. Grampy (my dad), Brandon, Katie, Michael, Veronica & Andrew came over. We hung out & had a big Christmas Feast of ham (my first ham!), greenbean casserole, rolls, mashed potatoes, gravy, corn, & stuffing. Corey & I had Pinot Noir from the Biltmore (very good). Dessert was brownies made by Veronica! We hung out a little more. After the fam left the Dunham's (V & Andrew), Corey, & I played Guesstures. Then we put Will down for bed, the Dunham's left & Corey & I cuddled.

Here are the pictures (they are out of order)!

Will walking to me!

Will loves books, these will get lots of love

(from aunt barbra, mom-mom & pop-pop)

thanking Grampy for his gift (activity center)

yaye for Socks! (aunt B, mom-mom & pop-pop)

Opening a gift from Tutu & Pa

(stacking cups)

More books he'll enjoy

he is amazed at this fish tank

Will's Birth Sampler from Anut Barbara

Corey's present (except I accidently grabbed the one for Mac's)

OoooOOOoo Catapillar

Me, Katie, Mike, & Brandon, YAYE!

I LOVE them soo much!

He was pointing at the bears on the paper, so cute, my lil genius! hehe

My Birthday- pretty late

This is exactly a month late, but hey whatever.

I turned 25 this year, whoa! haha yeah right! I feel young & do not at all feel like 25 is "old". I feel accomplished & very happy with life.

My day started off with breakfast in bed from my guys! Crepes, eggs, sausage & milk. YUM! (Corey went to IHOP hehe).

Then as the day wore on Will developed a fever. We took him to the Dr. His fever came down quickly & the Dr. wasn't sure if it was bacterial or viral. So we went back the next day and he still wasn't sure. Will seemed a little better, but apparently his numbers (blood test) went up. So he gave him an antibiotic shot (just in case) & we went back again the next day. Will was all better, the Dr. wasnt sure it was from the shot (& he would need follow-up medicine to make sure it was all gone) or he was just getting better. I llistened to my instincts & watched him closely for the next two days (w/o the meds) & decided not to give them.

So the night of my birthday...

We went out with Faith, the Borg's, & the Dunham's to the Melting Pot. It was AMAZING!! I definitely reccomend it! Because we had a large party we were able to order 3 of all the fondues! Now you know I'm a foodie (or fatty, tomayto-tomawto) so here you go...

We ordered the Fiesta Cheese, Spinach Artichoke, & Cheddar Cheese Fondues for appetizers. Fiesta was my fav. The Spinach Artichoke was a little too garlic-y for moi. So with the cheese they give veegies, breads, tortilla chips, & apples. (yes the apples are great with cheese!)

Dinner we had the oil & the vegetable broth. I ordered chicken (not reccomended, it was plain & though they gave seasonings it wasnt enough). Faith however ordered the Teryaki Steak which was YUM! You also get a salad before your entree, I got ceasar (i didn't like their ceasar). You get veggies, batters, & dips with your fondues.

Dessert (are you excited to hear about it?) we ordered s'mores, dark chocolate, and the original (crunchy peanut butter & milk chocolate). Now I LOVE dark chocolate & on a date that would've been it, very sexy to me. However, I cannot deny the heaven-on-earth that was the Original. I would've eaten the WHOLE pot was it not on the other side of the table! haha. Dessert comes with marshmallows, rice crispy treats, cheesecake, strawberries, pound cake, & brownies! & yes, free refills of the dipables! Amazing, right?

If you haven't gone, GO!

That weekend Corey had to work, so Will and I went up to celebrate with my dad and the twins. Dad made our family recipe brisket (sooo good) and bought a good, cute cake. I really loved that they celebrated with me.

That was that! I had recieved a few great gifts & a lot of well wishes! Here's some pictures...

Dunham's, Borg's, Faith & Moi...

again at the Melting Pot, but now with my guys Cor & Wills...

Me, Wills, & My Family Birthday Cake...

blowin' out the candles!

Yummy candle! I LOVE him!

Visit from Korinne & Reese

Yaye, Korinne & Reese came to visit us Monday!!! I feel so blessed!

For those of you who don't know, Korinne is one of my best friends. Her husband is in the Air Force & right now they are living in the Azores. Unfortunately Joey, her hubby, wasn't able to take leave or something, but she and her adorable daughter Reese took a HOP to the states! Luckily, her momma lives in SC, so we were able to see them!

Korinne, is a wonderful friend. She's honest, fun, encouraging, hilarious, kindhearted, real, and well, I could go on, but you probably already think I'm gay for her. lol.

Reese is so adorable & so smart! She's 1 1/2 years old. She is so obedient & loving to animals. I want to eat her little head!

We didn't really do anything special, then again, them being here was special in & of its self. We hung out at the house. I showed her a little bit of the base, since she might move here later. Here's some pics from the Partay.

Highlights of the Week 9/27-10/03

I was so busy this week, but I have a feeling that the rest of this year will be pretty busy.

I'll start with the most recent, cutest thing Will has done. He howled at the moon. We were driving around tonight & I saw the full moon & started to howl, so did Corey & next thing we know, Will starts "howling"! He is so flippin' cute! Granted his "howl" was his high-pitched babble, but it sounded like our howls. haha

So Monday I met with Corey's first shirt & am starting my training to become a Key Spouse.
Tuesday I had a MOPS Steering meeting (the leadership & people in comittees) & finally got to meet all the people in Special Events Comittee (4 people).
There was also a picnic for the Junior Enlisted Appreciation Day for the military, so Corey got home early & we love that!
Wednesday was hectic with little things. I made Shredded Pork in the crockpot & cookies for some friends of ours that are leaving.
Thursday was MOPS, we learned about throwing birthday parties, we decorated cupcakes, & had a 3-legged race. fun! haha
Friday was my "relax" day. Corey didn't have to go in until 7pm! We ended up going to Target in Columbia & got a few things to Autumn out our house. Love it! Of course Starbucks was involved.
Finally, today, Saturday, Will and I went out early to check out the yard sales on base (4) and we got a moving ball thing for $1!!! Awesome find because I really wanted one & almost bought it a few days earlier for like $30! We just hung out mostly this day. We went out to dinner at Hibachi & Will was adored by everyone who worked there. He got free candy too! (Corey will eat it). There is talk of him becoming the Hibachi Baby. lol. We got ice cream & now here I am at home.


I saw the first inkling of his upper left front tooth peeking out of his gums today! The right tooth is pressing on the gum, it's all white. He will be having a gap, because they are about a mile apart! haha. Good news is he isn't more drool-y or cranky.

Did I tell you guys he is growling (I think he learned it from Molly & Corey wrestling) & making slurp-y sounds (I think he learned from me trying to teach him how to drink from a sippy). Both are hilarious.

Now here is a picture of the world's cutest baby!

7 months old

William Thomas Shipe...

is 7 months old today!

This month flew by!

Let's see Willzum's favorite things:
*trying to get my cell phone
*Molly
*eating Earth Best's Teething Biscuts
*pooping while in his exersaucer (everytime!)
*lil crunchies
*playing with paper
*his playskool pop-up toy
*his lovey (a small blanket with a bear body in the middle)

*straws

*peek-a-boo

Things he's doing:

*watching his shadow
*making wierd sucking/slurping sounds (I taught him when I was trying to teach him how to use a sippy cup)

*eating some finger foods (hasn't mastered getting little pieces into his mouth)

*rocking on his hands & knees

*getting from a sitting position onto his tummy/all-fours

*sitting up all by himself in the bathtub!

*starting to climb mommy & daddy to get up

*open mouth kisses!

*2 2-hour naps & 1 1-hour nap a day! Sometimes it's a little less than 2 hours.

*rolling over during diaper changes, nice!

I love him so much! We are having so much fun (me, corey, & wills) I hope life will always be this great!

all-fours, not mastered, but starting

teething biscuts

Hello Shadow

Bathtime! Grab the camera!

Mr. Blow-up Lion (we already had a Mr. Lion...)

This is the baby I get to see every morning, I heart his happiness

Lookin at the world with Dada

Daddy Kiss time

just cute

Preparing for vacation

So, I used to have Will sleep in his playpen once a week at least, so that he wouldn't get too attached to his crib & be able to sleep other places. He slept well enough anywhere, so I wasn't too concerned. Well, somehow I lost that as part of our routine... Can you see where this is going?

In my mind I knew we were going on vacation soon & I kept saying next week we'll start the playpen again for one nap a day, next week, tomorrow. Well, not that his naps had been perfect, but they were good & I enjoy nap time. He is happier & more interactive when he gets a good nap.

Yesterday for nap #2 we used the playpen. He didn't do too well at all maybe 30mins total, maybe. (normally it's 2 hours). My flexible child is now attached to his crib in a dark room. The poor thing looked so tired. Nap #3, better, but not good at all, maybe 45mins. So he went to bed early, he didn't even finish his last bottle.

He slept well last night until about 7:10am & that's when Corey woke him up. Now it's first naptime & he slept for 3o mins. & has been crying/whining on & off.

It's hard once you get pass sleep training to hear them start to cry again. I'm trying to not let my emotions rule me. I know I am doing good teaching my son to fall asleep & stay asleep by himself in different places. Not to mention, he wont fall asleep with us (although I wouldnt really want that), he's not a happy camper without naps, he doesn't sleep anywhere without crying, except maybe when he's really tired in my arms as I'm swaying back & forth for maybe 40 mins.

Hopefully, he will be doing okay by the time we get there. I believe it'll all work out. I'd rather deal with this now than on vacation. I do want him to get rest though (I know if they dont it makes it harder to sleep) so I think I will be putting him in the swing for his 3rd nap if #2 doesn't go well & he can't fall asleep on his own for #3.

I guess I should realize that I have done a good job getting him to nap well in his crib & that is a success. He naps 3x for 2 hours each, that is awesome! He's always getting noticed for being alert & aware. I know that is all because of the training we did with babywise. It was work, it is NOT natural. I am happy for him.

The crazy part is, Corey is in the same room with crying baby & sleeping right through it. Granted he has ear plugs, but I can't even sleep with the ear plugs when he's in his room! Men. Gotta love 'em.

I love my guys.

Yeah, & for anyone who hasn't noticed, he's spitting image of dada!

Picturefest

It's been awhile since I've posted pictures. Hey I'm busy! lol.

Here are some...

This was Will's first bite of carrots (he had other babyfood before)

He LOVES them!

He's working on the sippy cup, we might need to try one that you dont have to suck as hard...

Janet came for a short visit! Yaye!

We went on a trip to Florida for a family reunion. This was Will's first time hanging out naked, hey, we're scared of pee! Of course he LOVES it!

This is what our Mornings of Laziness look like...

notice Corey's wake-up smoothie? I was awake.

Corey went to put Wills to bed & he was in there for a long time, I went to check on them...

Feeding the baby, this is where we always feed Will. It's very worn in, haha, we have to rotate the cushions. Yes I know the burp cloth is yucky sorry.

Finally, this is an exersaucer we got for free. We wanted to test it out to see if he'd like it before we bought one. This one is very old, so we are ordering a new one online, wha what!

Oh yeah, he LOVES it too!

So Will is a very happy baby. I get two compliments almost everytime I go out. "He's so cute" (or something along those lines) and/or "He's so happy/alert". Yes he is. I love him. He laughs, giggles, smiles almost all the time. He is very ticklish, just like mom & dad.

Today, I was out with Will & there was a freak downpour just as we were leaving. It was Will's naptime soon so I decided to just go for it. I brought the car around, so Will wouldnt get too wet, but I totally forgot to unlock the doors! I looked down at him as I was running around the car to unlock to doors & he was laughing! We got soaked! but it was so much fun.

Alrighty I'll update you on more stuff later, I've got to make a baba.