Baby Steps

Last night I wanted to share my thoughts about my dreams for my future. One of those dreams was to go to college. Well my husband and I talked this morning and he said, "why don't you just go down to the college and talk to them, it's not going to hurt just talking". I was nervous and wasn't sure if I was going to do it or not but I decided to go. I ended up filing an application to be a student at the college, got my student id #, filed for financial aid @ home, and took 3/4 of the placement test. I have to go back tomorrow to finish it but I took my first step at becoming a college student and it feels great. My husband is very happy for me and proud that I am working on a goal. I have no idea what I am doing as far as what I need to do but I am sure there are people at the college that will help me along the way. I know I am a late bloomer with the whole college thing but it's better late than never.

1st Tooth!

I keep forgetting to blog about it but it's better late than never. Michael cut his first tooth about two weeks ago, I think. A few days later, another one came through, and then a few more days after that yet another one. Total of 3!  So far things have slowed down and I don't see or feel any more. Little guy sure is not liking it though. His personality has changed since he cut his first tooth and I am not used to my little guy being so fussy. His hands are constantly in his mouth biting down on his fingers.

I wish wish wish I knew where my camera was hiding and believe me I have tossed this house up, down, and around looking for the darn thing but I just can't find it anywhere! So until I find it, I just have to make due with typing everything and no visual images.

Dreams?

I have been thinking about my future a lot lately and what it will bring. I wonder how long I will be at where I am at now in my life. I usually like to things day by day and not worry about tomorrow and bite my teeth about yesterday. Whats done is done and what is going to happen will happen but............I can still wonder about the future and how I can take steps now to help bring on a new tomorrow. I have one big goal and that right now is to move into a larger place. We are so cramped in this tiny little place. I am so grateful that my son has his own room but our living space is nothing to crack a smile at. So far I have hosted 2 thanksgiving meals and x-mas days with family here and does the heat go up fast and the space lessens even quicker. Now that Michael is on the move and rolling ALL OVER, my urgency to want to move outta here grows stronger and stronger EVERY DAY. So when we do move, where do we go? Do we stay in Vancouver or the surrounding area? Do we move further up north more towards my husbands parents? or Do we say goodbye to the pacific northwest all together and start a new chapter somewhere else, but where would that somewhere else be? I love it here but I want to try something new, but I'm scared. My husband doesn't care where we go, just as long as we get away from the big city. I'm not sure what we will end up going,  but like I said before, just one day at a time. Another dream/goal of mine is to go to college. I am so scared & frightened of trying to tackle that mountain. My high school memories always come flooding into my mind every time I get the thought about wanting to go to school. I was a terrible student. I was lucky to even graduate. I really walked on thin ice my senior year. If it hadn't been for my high school counselor I wouldn't ever have gotten my HSD. I can only blame me for the poor decisions I made back then but I can also be grateful because they taught me a valuable lesson, don't give up and fight for what you want. I hope that when I finally decide to make that leap and go back to school that I am able to keep my head held high and remember those words. So besides taking that leap, what do I want to do for a career? I know it will have something to do with medical. Since I can remember, everything I was interested in involved something medical related. Kids watched cartoons, I watched surgery, and was fascinated! My mom has always told me I have a knack working with geriatrics's. She said there is just something about the way I interact with them that is humbling and it takes a very unique person to do that. Those words always made me feel better about who I am as a person. My dreams of becoming a brain surgeon are just dreams, but I do long to become a nurse. Working in Activities also gave me a strong urge to want to become a social worker. Don't ask me how the two are combined, but a feeling deep inside me wants to have a voice for those who need it the most. I want so much to be able to heal and to help. I know I can't have my cake and eat it to, but who says I can't try? So hopefully these dreams are not just dreams and maybe just maybe someday they will be my reality, but right now, just one day at a time.

My Sweetest Heart~7 months

My Sweetest Heart

My Sweetest Heart in all the world

I think of you each day

I love you so much

More and more everyday

When you wake each morning

Your smile is all I see

My heart is filled with joy

You mean so much to me

You fill my days with love

And feelings I can’t explain

I hope you feel my heart

And know I’ll never be the same

The day I knew you were true

And growing safe inside me

I promised to do the best I could

To always make you happy

We shared one body for so long

And have a bond no one can break

My heart is yours forever

Not anyone else’s to take

How did I get so blessed

That God picked me for you

I am so very lucky

My Sweetest Heart

"Michael"

 Mommy Love's you!

(author unknown)

Mother's Day

Sunday May 9, I celebrated my 1st mother's day! I still am in aww that I am actually a mommy. I love it so much. My little boy is my world. When he looks at me and smiles, it just moves me. I can't believe that here in a few short days that he will be 7 months old. It still feels like he was born yesterday. My husband and I find ourselves talking about the birth and little things we remember at least once a week. I am finding it harder and harder when I see little newborns. I look at my boy and wonder, where has time gone? I barely remember him being that small. It's just amazing how fast time has gone already and I cherish every moment. I wish time could take a break and hang around for a while but at the same time I can't wait for tomorrow to see what the new day will bring and the new things michael will be learning and doing next! So for mothers day we just stayed at the house and I was able to relax. Hubby let me sleep in, but as he said it he always lets me sleep in when he's home. We had Bar-B-Q'd chicken for dinner which hubby made and it was Delicious. Mom came over and we gave her a card, wind chimes, and some homemade from scratch cookies-Chocolate Chocolate Chip Bacon Cookies. Thats right BACON. I was looking for a recipe for white chocolate chip macadamia nut cookies when I saw that and was intrigued. It sounded gross but after reading the reviews I thought well my mom loves bacon and chocolate so why not give it a try? They were actually really easy to make and turned out really good. You could hardly even tell there was bacon in them, my mom sure couldn't. There was just enough to give you that sweet, salty flavor. So all in all I had a wonderful first mothers day and look forward to spending many more wonderful happy years with my family!  

Helmet?

On Monday we took Michael to physical therapy where he was evaluated. She asked when Michael was born and also asked if he was born on time or early. I told her he was born 3 weeks early and She said she in real time Michael is around 7 months but he actually is only about 6 1/2 months. She explained in depth what she meant by that and I began to find myself actually taking it all in, like a fog was being cleared. She thouroughly checked Michael's head. She then tell's me that there is a very minute flat spot in the center but more to the left of his head. She asked how Michael was doing with tummy time and how he slept. I told her that since Michael was a month old he had been sleeping roughly 10 hours through the night and how we would turn his head from side to side as much as we could to avoid the dreaded "flat spot". I also told her that he is never on his back during the day anymore. He is always and I mean ALWAYS on his tummy or wanting to just stand up. She said with as much as he was sleeping that flat spot would be impossible to avoid since he slept on his back. She said we did what we could and the flat spot was really really tiny. She said she could really only see it by looking down and even then it was hard to spot. So therefor NO HELMET REQUIRED! Whoo Hoo. Let me tell you what a relief that was to hear! So after looking at his head she then turned her attention towards his developement which I was secretly freaking during that assesment, BUT then she said he is right where he should be. Ahhh! Whew! She watched him play on the floor and roll over and grab for toys. She then sat him up and watched him grab at toys again. She then stood him on his feet and that when she realized the strength that boy has in his hips. She barly had him and he pushed up off the ground and away he went haha. She gave me a few tips on getting him to roll over to his right side and be comfortable with it. Right now he only rolls over to the the right very seldomly and she says its because he is not used to it, and when he rolls over he feels like he is falling which is very understandable. So all in all Michael is doing great, is RIGHT where he should be, and I am doing the best I can and I believe that now! So all we need to do now is go see the specialist for his eye which I know won't be a happy story like this one. Action will be required to make his eye better and I am not looking forward to that meeting but if it helps his eye get better then its ok.  

2nd foods

We started our second foods yesterday. I gave Michael his first bite of Chicken noodle and he gave me the most interesting look as almost to say "Mom, what is this? I don't know what it is, but I like it!" It was really cute. We also tried apples and cherries which of coarse he liked, sweet stuff is the best stuff. I am really adimant about giving him lots of vegies. He still loves his peas and green beans so hopefully that will continue. Tonight we tried mac n' cheese but I didn't get that cute look like I got last night. I am so proud of Michael at how much he is progressing. Only a few short weeks ago I wasn't sure if what I was doing as a parent was right or enough but I am feeling a bit more confidant now. Michael is sitting up, grabbing items, rolling all over the floor, is a pro thumb sucker, he is babbling saying Dada, MaMa. He says is just to say it now, he hasn't quite figured out which title goes to who but just hearing him say it for now is amazing. I love it! Another interesting thing is doing is spitting now. He LOVES doing that! He purses his lips together and tries blowing spit bubbles. YUCK! But boys will be boys, and right now he is enjoying himself and it is kinda cute in a weird sort of way. My mom was also playing with him and started coughing and Michael started to do the same thing. We started laughing thinking he had a tickle in his trought and it was just coincidence but she did it again and once again Michael coughed and then smiled. He was mimicking her. I wonder what more he will be picking up? Haha.

Walker's

We had bought Michael a Kolcraft Walker from target about two weeks ago. I really liked it in the store but once we got it home and put it together I really wasn't so fond of it. It was extremly wobbly and not the easiest at breaking down for storage. Michael would play with the teething toy and his fingers would get stuck in the toy handle, not good. So we looked around at found a safety 1st at wal-mart for the same price and the material on it was so much better. It clicks to 3 height adjustments and it lights up and makes noise. So much more interactive for him. It also moves around a lot better on our carpets then the Kolcraft. 

He's Sitting Up!

We have been working on our sitting up. Michael was sitting up for a good minute or so then would flop backwards or did a face plant. Now he is sitting up for about a ten minute period. He starts to lean forward and I think he is going to fall but he manages to pull himself upright again. It's really interesting watching him process new things, and body movements.

My Sleepy Boys

Michael was having a hard time going to sleep the other night so daddy grabbed him and laid down on the couch. Michael played for a while and then.............silence?  

Both of my boys, asleep.

Zoo Trip May 2, 10

Today we took our second trip to the Zoo. Michael was sooo much more alert than our first trip which really excited sean and myself. It was so neat to see him smiling at the animals and looking at all the people. He was just so interested! We had a great time being out for a family fun day. The weather could have been better but it didn't rain so I can't complain. We ended up getting a zoo membership because this is our second time going already and we def. plan to going a lot more so we saved ourselves some money today, which is always nice when your on a budget. Heres to many more Family Fun Days!



                                                     (Michael and I with the sean lions)

The Tigers were really playful today

This was Michael's Fav. thing at the zoo. The Larakeet's. he was so interested in the sounds and watching them fly around and he really liked it when the birds would land on us to eat. 

Daddy and His Little Man

My Hubster and I

Mommy and Michael

Our happy boy

My two Fav's

Bar-B-Q'n Time

It's spring time so that means more outdoor time for the Gandy Family. We love being outside! That also means eating food outside, and even cooking outside. For the past couple years we have been cooking up our goodies on this small little travel grill, so this year we decided to buy a full size grill. We knew we would get some good use out of it. Here some pics of the first time we used our grill.