It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Dax's first Christmas had it's ups and downs...he wasn't feeling very good but despite that he managed to maintain his cuteness and cheese it up- he has one great (and not-so-little) personality!

He opened his first present on Christmas Eve morning with just Ryan and me, we were a tad selfish but felt entitled to it since we spent the next two days with family!

He had a preference for tasting the wrapping paper as opposed to ripping it and playing with the toy inside. Ryan and I mostly opened all of his presents, which probably neared about fifty+ by the time our Christmas celebrations were finished. It's amazing how loved that child is!

One of our favorite presents this holiday season came from my great-grandparents Verna and Wayne who have mostly been watching Dax since school started in August. They have been taking pictures of him everyday that he has been with them and compiled them into one big picture book, complete with cute little captions to every picture and a very special letter to Dax at the end. Everyone who has looked at the book and read their letter has cried, it's touching. Dax is truly blessed to have shared some great experiences with his great-great-grandparents! I truly hope that I can do the same someday with my own great-great-grandchildren.

We spent Christmas Eve evening with my grandparents and family, but spent the night at Ryan's parents' house. Everyone is so impressed with how well Dax is pulling himself up and standing now. He's even getting brave enough to let go for several seconds, although he's not so confident with getting down and cries out every time he sits down.

This holiday season was especially good to us and even though we have suffered our financial struggles this year our family was exceptionally generous with us this year and we couldn't be more spoiled or thankful for how supportive and loving they all are. Although the 'stuff' we got was fantastic, the most amazing part of Christmas was being with our family, especially Dax.

On Christmas night, after being away from home for all of Christmas Eve and most of Christmas day, we came home and before even putting away anything we got Dax ready for bed and cuddled with him on the couch. As I was tickling his face and singing to him, like I do every night after reading to him and brushing his gums, he popped his thumb out of his mouth and began rubbing my face and singing back to me. It was the sweetest thing and I nearly cried. He's catching on to everything so quickly and is such a sweet boy, even though he definitely has his rugged boy qualities too, and I'm so proud of everything he does.

Ryan and I have decided that despite the difficulties of our life right now, this is definitely the happiest time of our lives. We wouldn't exchange it for anything in the world.

Birthday!

Today is Ryan's 24th birthday!! It's our sixth one together, although we are not technically together due to Ryan's new job taking him out of town half of each week. I miss him so much! In celebration of his day of birth, since I can't spend it with him, I'm going to make a list of 24 of my favorite things about him!! Here we gooooo...

1. His smile, it's contagious

2. That he has a few different laughs depending on how funny something is, each of which makes me laugh as well

3. How he can cheer me up NO MATTER WHAT

4. His eyes, especially when he wears green

5. What an amazing father he is, hands down my favorite thing about him.

6. His arms, they wrap around me just right

7. The gap in his front teeth, it's a unique quality that makes him all the more special and handsome to me

8. His hands, they are huge

9. What a fantastic snuggle buddy he is, he always keeps me warm

10. How well he gets along with my family and what he did to gain my family's approval

11. The way he can make Dax laugh like no one else can

12. The way he can make me laugh like no one else can

13. How much he enjoys surprising me and how proud he is of each surprise and keeping it a secret

14. That he put up with my immaturity in high school, it makes me appreciate him soo much more

15. His arms, they're nice.

16. When he lets his facial hair grow out just enough so he's a little scruffy, yum!

17. How he complimented me and told me I was beautiful everyday when I was pregnant and not feeling the most confident about my swollen appearance

18. He allows me to vent to him, which can be intense

19. He brings out the best in me

20. How he pushes me, as in not allowing me to take a break from school but to keep going and now I'm so close to being done

21. His sense of humor

22. His smell

23. How he told me he loved me for the first time

24. How he talks about the future

I love him so much. Happy birthday darling

!

Seven Months!!

Dax is officially seven months old today! We are so proud of some of his latest accomplishments too!!

As of tonight he actually crawled forward, twice! Until today he has only managed to crawl backwards and in circles, using a half roll/army crawl to propel himself forwards, but managing to stay on all fours for quite awhile- he loves to rock it out in this position, it's so cute!!

He has mastered maneuvering from a sitting position to a crawling position,

Can almost sit all the way up on his own,

Is able to pull himself up to a standing position from sitting while holding on to my fingers or his crib bars and can maintain a standing position so long as he has something to hold onto- such a table or walker.

He is also a very eager eater of solids and really wants to eat adult food- even though he's not quite ready, lacking teeth and all.

One of my most favorite facts about him these days is that his most favorite person is ME! His face literally lights up whenever I come home and he gets extremely upset whenever I leave, even if he is with Ryan. If I am holding him and then hand him over to Ryan or set him down so I can go do something in another room he will literally do everything in his power to maneuver himself to a position where he can see me. It makes me smile. He's always preferred me to others, but these days it has taken on more noticeable characteristics and while it may become a problem later in life, right now I am enjoying all of his love! It's such a wonderful feeling to know that my love for him is requited in a similar manner!

Seven More...

I may not be so good with my daily thankful posts, but I'm going to update with a list of seven other things I am thankful for. Here it goes!!

1. I am thankful for new experiences with Dax

Today was the first time it has snowed and I've been able to take Dax outside to experience it. It wasn't too exciting but it was pretty cute. He didn't quite know what to make of the white stuff and would spaz out and shake his head back and forth whenever a flake would fall upon his face. He's too cute!!

2. Movie nights with Ryan. We have developed a routine whenever we get a new Netflix DVD where we run down to the Reel Theatre (which has the BEST popcorn) and grab some popcorn, soda, and candy and then pig out on the couch during the movie. We did this just last night and it was fantastic!

3. My car. I do not have the nicest one but I have a car that is nicer than some and is paid off- thanks to my parents. And after today, I'm especially thankful that it has four-wheel drive, driving in the snow makes me nervous and I'm even more stressed out about it now that I travel with precious cargo.

4. Bonding with my little brother.

I'm not as cool to him as I used to be, back when he was about two years old, and, thus, enjoy the little experiences here-and-there when he and I get together. I helped him answer back his girlfriend to a dance the other night and had a lot of fun helping him with it.

5. Pictures.

I love capturing moments and being able to look back at them and realize how much things have changed and people have grown.

6. The morning when Dax lefts me sleep in, even if it is only for thirty minutes. Sometimes that makes all the difference.

7. Thanksgiving break. It is much needed.

Eleven..

It's the thirteenth of November today and I have only succeeded in posting twice about what I am thankful for, to make up for my slacking I will now explain eleven more things that I am thankful for:

1. Ryan.

I've known him for nearly five years now and still think every joke he makes is the funniest- whether I've heard it once or 1,000 times. He and I may not have had the most romantic, perfect relationship in the past but we have grown up together and stayed together despite our struggles. It's comforting to know that we are strong enough to make it through the worst of times to enjoy the best of times. Not to mention that he is one of the greatest fathers I've had the privilege of knowing, let alone being married to.

2. My house! Of course it is our first house and is not the biggest or nicest, but it has the charm and comfort that I sought after meticulously for years.

3. My dad.

He's the hardest working person I have ever met and has done so much to make sure that my family is well taken care of. He is also one of the proudest grandpas I've ever met. He lives for the weeks he is home to watch Dax in the mornings and pesters me for picture messages nearly everyday when he is away at work. Dax adores him too!

4. My job!

Boy, has it taught me patience! Working at "the Goose" has always been a fun experience and prepared me well for my new favorite role- being a mom. The kids there are some of the sweetest and silliest I've ever met and I always look forward to being there with them.

5. My family, in general.

I have some of the most supportive and caring grandparents ever! They have helped me out so much lately and I don't know where my little family would be without them! Not to mention my aunts and uncles who make life more interesting and my new family (the in-laws) who are some of the most compassionate people I've known. I'm also a pretty big fan of my baby brother. He can be a turd at times, but he's a good kid.

6. My physical and mental health! In no way, shape, or form am I saying I am an uber healthy person at this point in time (I still have a ways to go thanks to the beauty of pregnancy) but I could definitely be a lot worse off.

7. My friends.

Certain friendships have started to really develop for me this year and I'm so appreciative of that! I've experienced my fair share of disheartening 'friendships' in the past and am thoroughly enjoying the benefits of true friendship! It's funny that some of these people I've known for years and years but have become closer to them thanks to the major blessing in my life (Dax-he's quite the matchmaker.)

8. My education. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel! Although I will be graduating a semester behind what I initially had planned, I'm so fortunate to have received the education I have and can't wait to put it to use!

9. Lilly.

I know I already made a shout-out to my awesome friends, but she's a special friend. I know I can rely on her anytime for anything; she's my midnight call at a moment of desperation that arrives with chocolate delights and Diet Pepsi but still takes a minute to take a peep at my baby bear- she is a bomb "auntie."

10. My wedding. I never could have imagined a more special day in my life to celebrate the love that Ryan and I have for each other. My family went above and beyond to provide everything I wanted and made our wedding day the greatest; just another of the endless reasons why I'm so lucky to belong to them.

11. Dax.

I know, I know. I already posted about him in the other two thankful posts, but I'm extremely thankful for him. He's my all-time favorite thing and brings me happiness unlike anyone else. It's remarkable to me how much I can miss him, as I do now when he's in the next room, just because I want to hold him and snuggle him and play with him.

Bouncing Baby Boy

I am thankful to be the mommy of a healthy baby who is developing wonderfully both physically and mentally. Dax has quite the personality at this point in time and frequently entertains family and friends with his silly faces, babbling, and spastic movements. He's so much fun and he melts my heart every time I look at him!

The other night Ryan and I set Dax in his jumper while we were cooking dinner. He was getting so excited watching us move around the kitchen; he kept shrieking at us and whenever we would turn to look at him or talk to him he would flash us this silly face. It was the funniest thing he's done all week and I had to document it!!

I am also thankful for my own mom! She's done so much for me and I find myself constantly feeling incapable of ever appropriately repaying her. She is my best friend and the one person who understands me best of all. I do my best to imitate her parenting because of what an amazing mother she is and I hope that I am at least half as great of a mom to Dax as my she has been to me. I love you mom!

Appreciative November

Today at work I did a craft with the "school kids." I had the children write one sentence about just one thing that they were thankful for and then draw a picture to depict their sentence. For some reason a majority of the boys picked football, except for one who wrote that he was thankful for pilgrims. After finishing the assignment we all sat together and went around the circle telling the others another thing that we were thankful for and why, and it had to be something that they didn't write about.Most of their picks and reasons were pretty cute, ranging from "I'm thankful for you... Because you are a nice teacher" to "I'm thankful for my mom...because she is nice."

But my favorite "I'm thankful for" today came from little Taylor. She is in first grade this year and is the cute girl that is blunt and silly. When it was her turn she said, exactly, "I am thankful for my grandma. You wanna know why? Because she spoils me." At least she's honest.

Want to know what I'm thankful for?

Story-time with Dax and Ryan every night before we put Dax to bed. We all cuddle up on the couch together while Ryan and I alternate reading the pages to Dax.

Our First Halloween...

was fantastic!!

Dax did so well with visiting everyone in his costumes, yes plural, despite having a cold. He truly is a fun, easygoing baby!

One of his costumes was Thing 1 from the Dr. Seuss book. We dressed up with little Nixon and enjoyed getting pictures taken and spending Saturday morning with Katelin and Nixon. They were the sweetest little 'things' ever!

Dax's other costume was a turtle. He wore this costume to the Mother Goose Halloween party and parade and to Ryan's parents' church party. He sure was the cutest little turtle and everyone was a big fan of his costume.

This is him trying to grab more grass! He had a blast at the park playing with it and pulling it out of the ground. He's pretty strong and talented!

Honestly...

I really dislike being home alone at night. And it's nights like tonight, when Ryan has to work a midnight release, that I really don't enjoy being a grown-up and living on my (our) own.

The biggest problem is that I have become accustomed to sleeping next to Ryan and struggle to fall asleep without him next to me. On rougher nights I will gently take Dax from his crib and set him on Ryan's side of the bed, just so I know

that I'm not alone.

It's funny how many things Dax can and has improved in his short little life....

This was at the ISU Homecoming Parade. Although it was the second parade Dax has been to, we were in the Chubbuck Days Parade for Mother Goose, it was the first parade we attended as a family! While he enjoyed gnawing on his sunglasses more than watching the floats, he was in a good mood the whole time.

Among the list of activities that Dax has improved:

- unproductive afternoons at home (I cherish these which we get to spend together 2x a week)

- waking up early (he is always in such a good mood

and acts so pleased to see us pop our heads over his crib, it's impossible to not feel perky with him)

- lunch dates (we definitely get invited on these a lot more since he arrived and he never allows one to be dull, he keeps things fresh)

- walks (he loves to be outside and has helped us to do these more often; too bad the weather will stop cooperating soon)

- watching Yo Gabba Gabba (for some reason he LOVES this show and it is so entertaining to watch him get so pumped while watching it; otherwise, we can't stand it)

- bed time (we have developed our own little routine and I look forward to bathing, feeding, reading to, and rocking him before setting him in his crib- where he puts himself to sleep- it's the perfect way to end any day and helps cheer

me up no matter how hard of a day I have had)

This was Dax during out first adventure with baby food. It was a couple weeks before his six month mark, but we were getting so antsy that we had to just try it for one dinner. We did applesauce and he liked it. Although when we tried it the next night, adding rice cereal to the mix following the advice of a fellow mother who has been feeding her son baby food for a month, he was very displeased. He kept spitting and razzing it out and growling at me after every spoonful. We are just going to stick with plain old baby food from now on.

Dax will be turning six months old on Saturday. The months have flown by so quickly!

We picked out his Halloween costume last week and are getting so excited to celebrate the holidays with him! (We've already bought him several Christmas presents!)

My mom took Dax to get his six month pictures taken while I was at work today. He was in a great mood all day so we felt assured that he'd be in a good mood during the session. While Dax is normally a very easy going baby, there are times that he can be a little dramatic. His photo shoot today ended up being one of those times. Regardless, we ended up with some excellent pictures. Even when he's upset, he's the cutest little boy with the most amazing blue eyes ever!

TEN

In honor of 10-10-10 here follows three different lists

of ten different things, in no particular order:

Top 10 Favorite Things To Do:

1. Wake up to Dax playing in his crib (cooing and squealing to himself)

2. Look at old pictures and picture albums

3. Pillow talk with Ryan

4. Read (especially in a hot bubble bath)

5. Rock with Dax (in our rocking chair)

6. Ask children for adult advice (best advice I've ever been given)

7. Family dinners (especially at my Grandma Candy's)

8. Early evening walks in the summertime

9. Spend time with my best friend

10. Eat :)

10 Things I Want to Do Before I Die:

1. Visit at least five different countries

2. Run a marathon

3. Zip-line in an exotic location (or skydive)

4. Write a book and get it published

5. Own a house with a wrap-around porch

6. Attend at least one major sporting event

7. Find and aid a cause

8. Own an English bulldog

9. Be an inspiration

10. Meet at least one of my great, great grandchildren

10 Of My All-Time Favorite Objects:

1. Pictures

2. Ballet flats

3. Boyfriend fit jeans

4. Nikon camera

5. Victoria Secret sweats

6. Flip flops

7. Bang straightener

8. Anything Apple

9. Treasured jewelry- from Ryan and family (especially my new wedding ring)

10. Books

Cloud Nine

The wedding day yesterday could NOT have been anymore perfect! The weather was grand, (despite many doubts,) everyone was absolutely amazing (even Dax was very cooperative considering his age and the circumstances,) and everything ran smoothly!

I also had the greatest wedding day surprise that I have heard of yet: a brand new wedding ring! Ryan surprised me and upgraded! I discovered this surprise during the ceremony!! He's so cute!

He also surprised me by splurging on a suite in Jackson! Although we had to drive and were a tad tired by the time we arrived, we had a wonderful one-night honeymoon! (Even though we both missed Dax A LOT!)

The word of the day for our wedding is simply PERFECT! My crafty Aunt Nikki created nearly every one of the decorations and did a splendid job! All of her creations turned out more beautiful than I could have imagined and the venue looked gorgeous, beyond all of my expectations!

My parents and Ryan's parents helped us plan our dream wedding and we couldn't be anymore grateful to them! We have such an amazingly supportive and loving family! We are extremely blessed and appreciative of our support system!! Dax is by far the luckiest too, getting to be spoiled by both sets of families and us!

To sum it up: The Matthews' family is on cloud nine right now!

Fast Five Months

Today, Dax is FIVE MONTHS OLD!!

While it seems that he's always been with us, I still can't believe he is already five months old...

I'm still loving everything about being a mom and can't believe how easy-going of a baby I'm lucky enough to have!

He:

-puts himself to sleep every night (after a story and a good cuddle) and has just barely started to get a little fussy, due to the fact that he is teething.

-can sit without support fairly well, although he still needs supervision for when he gets a little too excited and topples over or head dives forward.

-is able to stand up from sitting using all of his leg strength and only my index fingers for support

-can easily roll over any direction (from stomach or back) and uses this as a method of traveling across the floor

-has recently discovered his toes and is obsessed with grabbing and holding onto them, he

loves to curl up in a little ball and try to get them into his mouth

-enjoys being in his jumper more than anything and is a master at maneuvering it!

-is obsessed with sucking his thumb, and only sucks on the left one now causing some to believe he will be left-handed

-has the most contagious laugh ever and the greatest sense of humor to accompany it

-is super ticklish, especially on his chubby thighs, stoma

ch, and armpits

-can get up on his knees, while on his stomach, and push forward allowing him to scoot across the large blankets that we lay out for him and onto the carpet (which can be too nice of a feeling on his face, which he uses as support)

-is kind of my most favorite thing in the whole wide world

It's also only nine days until the wedding! And my Bell's Palsy is gone! While nothing much will change in our day-to-day routine, it'll be nice to be considered an official/legal family!

Adjusting

Since school has started I have had to work out a new schedule with Dax, while I go to school everyday I only have to go for three hours at the most and I only work three days a week for about four hours each day. All-in-all it's not bad and I still have four long days that I get to spend with Dax. One thing I make sure to do each day I spend with Dax is snuggle up with him in bed and take a nice long nap. It's always the best nap he gets because instead of sleeping for 30-45 minutes like he does whenever I have him nap in his crib, he sleeps for 2 and sometimes 3 hours.

In other news: It's been about 2 1/2 weeks since I found out I have Bell's Palsy. While it is improving, it's a little discomforting to have it so close to the wedding. Ryan likes to tease me because of it and says I look like the terminator. Hasta la vista!