Mowing The Yard

Last night I mowed our yard.

For the first time.

Like I MOWED for the first time...EVER.

The advantages of getting married at the ripe-old-age of 22 means that you go straight from rental house with roommates to apartment or home with a husband!  So, I never had to do the lawn.

Here's some pics:

Our yard...
It's huge!  Scotter did the edging.

 Scott always wears tall socks when he mows, so I had to follow suit, of course!

Here are a few things I learned:

1.  I don't know why my dad never made me mow.  I would have if I were him.  I was thinking last night in the heat that if we have a daughter, (**someday**) I definitely want her to learn how.

2. How to start the lawnmower.  This made me feel weak.  Also, don't put your toe under the sides or front of the lawnmower, ever.  Scott reiterated this with me quite a few times.

3. You get a lot more done in the yard with two people!

4. Making pretty lines is hard, and downright impossible at the corners.

5. When you see someone with a leaf blower and think, "why is that man blowing the leaves that way? He should just blow the other way and it would work way better." Yeah, the leaf blower has no sense of direction.  It's a bit chaotic, just like Britney and K-Fed.

Tummy Bug

Kai got it.

Scott got it.

Then I was taken ill.

What a loooong two weeks!  I won't go into too much detail, but we have suffered over here at our home the past fourteen days.  I'm drinking my first cup of coffee in what seems like forever, so you know that this has been uncomfortable.  I don't know if this was a bug or we all ate something bad, but I'm hopeful no one else got sick.

On a brighter note, I got the iphone 5 yesterday.  The lock button on my 4s stopped working a few weeks ago, but magically in the past few days, it started working again so I rushed to my local RadioShack, and turned it in.  They give you $210 store credit for a fully functional 4s, and the 5 was just lowered to $149, so I was able to get a cute purple cover and a screen protector, with money left over!  This is a great time to upgrade if you are eligible, so go do it!

Kai fell yesterday on the pavement in front of our house.  Can you see the bruise?  He's so manly.

2012 Year in Review

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***The book isn't showing up right, but the link works!

Dear Kai,

You have a 103 degree temperature tonight.  So, I'm thinking that another ear infection is in our future. I'm hoping that is not the case as that would be number four in the recent Hatter history, and I'm not too keen on getting tubes in your ears.  We will see how the next few days go, little one.

These days:
29-ish lbs. (85th percentile)
18-24 month size clothes
Size 5 shoes
Size 5 diapers

A few of the words you are using: caaaaaaaar, vroom vroom, bus, dada, mama, ball, yay yay! (that's for Wheel of Fortune, which you still love), Nana, Hudson (ish), please, thank you, more.

We are amazed that you know lots of letters! You can identify about 10 letters now, and the number 2.  We keep these foam letters out that go in a puzzle mat, and you have just started picking them up and bringing them to us and saying the letter.  I'm so proud of that, and hope you keep a love of letters and reading!  You still love to "read" while you take a break from playing.  I love to watch you sit and flip through a few books, and point at pictures or talk like you are reading a book.

You recently had your first haircut and it was really traumatic...for me!  I thought you were going to freak out, but you did great!  I think it was only because you got to sit in a car, or as you say it, "caaaaaaaar."

You are starting to throw some fits/tantrums, but nothing too bad yet.  It came out pretty nicely when our friend Huddy came over to visit.  You wanted the toy he was playing with and he wouldn't give it to you (That's right, Huddy! Good boy, he can't just steal things from you.) You immediately collapsed into face-to-ground, arms-over-head, wail mode.  I was speechless.  That happened about three times in succession and then we all went about our business.  Other than that, you play really well with other kids, especially kids that are at least a few years older than you.  Recently, we have met some new neighbors and every time we are outside, you get so excited to play and run with everyone.  People keep telling me we need to have a baby brother or sister for you to play with, but Daddy and I just aren't ready yet.  (So, LAY OFF! *polite grin*)

Kai loves the ladies.  I catch you checking out gals in the supermarket, or grinning ear to ear when a lady even glances in your direction.  But, my son, they always love you too.  Those baby blues, a girl can't resist!

I think that sums things up pretty well right now.

February photos...

I picked the wrong album and am starting with February.  The month for lovahs!

...a glimpse into what we have been up to (I will cycle back around to January.)

Valentime's at the Driskill.  There was a proposal right next to us!  squeal!
(I got bangs too....which I love!)

Been trying freezer cooking.  I think I've narrowed it down to doubling 2 GOOD recipes a month.  I've been trying all these different new recipes and most of them come out BAAAAAD, so I have to toss out all this food that is not good.
I'm better at chopping up extra stuff and saving it though.  Now I want a food saver!

The kiddo in his new Cozy Coupe truck!  He was scared at first, but now he's a pro! 

I'm waiting on some pics from my dear friend, Cecily, but here are a few from  the shower that I helped toss for the loverly Cecilia Fritts.  Ainsley is now here, and I get to meet her on Saturday...finally.

Guessing game from the shower.  Cici added a couple of our friends guesses after the shower, and the big winner is....Erin!  I need to send her a prize.  

This looks fancy, but it was a snap! Plus, it was a great gift for AJ and decor for the shower.  
Cici loves elephants, and babies love taggies. I'd say, win win.

The little mister.  I can't even handle this grin.

And this.  I get it from my grandmother, people.

April?

Yikes, it's April!

Kai has pink eye, and another ear infection.  Which makes three ear infections since December.  Come on kid, let's get it together.  No talks of tubes or anything yet, just treating each one as it comes and moving on!  Luckily, this time it did not include a fever.  Last time, he had a virus as well that was a 6 day fever fest.  

Build up that immune system little boy.

Things I'm enjoying these days:

1. rain
2. thunder
3. Sonic runs
4. Getting pictures of my newest goddaughter, Ainsley Jane.
5. Wheel of Fortune (never gets old)
6. Cross word puzzles
7. Friday Night Lights (we are on the last season!)
8. Kai's new haircut
9. Candy Crush

Things I'm not enjoying:

1. Candy Crush
2. Applying for jobs
3. Wanting to create Shutterfly albums, but being overwhelmed by the fact that the last one I made was Kai's baby book.
4. My lack of blogging
5. Pink eye (which I'm eleventy billion percent sure that I'm going to get...)

Christmas 2012

Christmas this year was fun, and tiring...but fun!  We hosted my side of the family at our house on Sunday.  It was the year that we did things super simple, with sandwiches, queso, dips, and salad.  Usually, we do every other year with a ham and all the sides alternating with a sandwich tray from the grocery store.  It worked out well that the sandwiches fell this year because everyone had a lot going on.

I decorated our living room with Mutti's Christmas tree (we lost the top half of ours in the move) and lit garland so everything looked super nice and cozy!  I was also able to get out my Pottery Barn dishes and other decor which is fun.  I love kitschy Christmas stuff!!

The next day, we left for Katy.  That night we had Christmas with Scott's dad's side!  I got schooled, and do do mean SCHOOLED at dominoes by Scott's cousin, Cody.  It was made doubly embarrassing due to the fact that Scott got me a set of dominoes for Christmas that has the TCU logo on it next to the words, "Jane Always wins." He added that phrase because Scott and I have played dominoes many many times and I think he has won once.  Cody, however, knows some serious strategy... I had no chance against him!

The next day we celebrated at my sister-in-law's house.  We didn't get to see Scott's mom's side because his sweet grandfather is in the hospital.  Scott did get to go visit and I kept Kai back and got to spend some great time with my niece, Erin.  I'm always impressed by how smart and grounded she is at age 11.  What a great gal.  There is a little 'tude in there, but what tween girl isn't feisty, right?  I really hope Erin decides to be a horned frog.  She is on the path!

We also got to spend a lot of time with my other sister-in-law, Kelly (and her husband Bogdan) and she is pregnant!  We had some great convos and I really hope I didn't overwhelm/annoy her with advice.  Once someone asks me a question about pregnancy/babies/items to purchase, it's hard to shut my mouth.  There are so many products and ideas/theories out there!

We also got to see the Frittses, Red, Becky and our friends the Turcos took us on a great tour of lights in their neighborhood.  We went to the Trail of Lights at Zilker, enjoyed a great Christmas service with local Austin artists at our church and Kai took a cutey pants picture with Santa!  We went to a church group white elephant party and then two work parties for Scott.  We tried to go to an Elf quote-a-along at Alamo Drafthouse, but something came up and we couldn't go.  Maybe next year!  We also got to swing by a family friend's party that we have been going to for many years! Scott and I really got in the spirit this year.  Hopefully, Kai will be ready for some good lights and fun parties next year!

Good times, and we hope you had a very merry Christmas!

P.S. I have pictures, but I'm sorting through my iPhoto album right now, so I can't find them!  Maybe I'll come back to this post, and add them in.