Curtis' BIG Birthday!

Curtis just wanted to go to Chuck E Cheese for his 6th birthday. He said, "I got the H1N1 shot, can we go NOW?" It's been a few years since we were there last. So, he invited two of his closest friends, and away we went!

The Three Musketeers!

We had a lot of fun too! Anyone that knows Erik should NOT be surprised by the fact that he was buried in the pinball machine ALL day! Good thing I had other adults with to supervise! He was worthless in a place full of video games! LOL!Opening presents!Playing heated games of air hockey!
If this doesn't look like his Daddy, I'm not sure who does!

One happy Birthday Boy!

Cousin Meredith came for a taste of her first cup cake!

Mommy wasn't too happy! YUMMO!

The twins came up from collage as well!

Nothing is better when you are 6 and your cousins win you hundreds and hundreds of tickets!

Reminiscing:

Six years ago tonight, I called my mom and dad while I was lying in bed. My dad answers the phone and I instantly began SOBBING! "Daaaaadddddd!" (Mom and dad were both probably laughing in bed on their end of the phone.) I was being induced the next morning, bright and early. My neighbor downstairs had a baby a month before me, and as I was lying in bed, all I could hear was him SCREAMING! "Mom, WHAT IF MY BABY DOES THAT? Mom, when I use to babysit, I could not WAIT to be done! What if I get sick my my own kid?" What if, What if, What if? I was an emotional wreck!

On January 25th, 2004, Erik's dad, his step-mom Deb, and my good friend Carrie all were with me for my birthing experience. It was one of the happiest days of my life. But NOTHING and I mean NOTHING could prepare me for what was about to happen to my life!

It first started with the anxiety. Who KNEW I would now worry more than I ever have in my life. I couldn't sleep, b/c I was afraid the baby would stop breathing. That was just the beginning of it! I was having contractions in the middle of the night and I called the nurse in and said, " I had my baby 7 hours ago, and I'm still having really painful contractions!" She looked at me and said, "Oh, honey, if you are nursing you are going to have contractions for a weeks!" Ummmmm, in all the classes I took, and talking with people, everyone left out that little detail!!

I was POSITIVE that when I became a mom, I would stay home and spend half my day at the gym with my baby in the daycare. My kids would throw NO fits, and they would never talk back! I could go on and on about what I THOUGHT life would be like! I was sure I would be a slim and trim mom! Well, no one filled me in on the part about feeling guilty when you put your baby in the gym day care. I wish I could, but I could never do it. Then I thought, oh, I'll just walk with the stroller all the time. Well, people also neglected to tell me I would have more laundry, dishes, and be VERY, VERY sleep deprived. I thought one kid was hard. Now, if you give me one kid, it's EASY PEASY! I thought two kids were busy and hard. Now, give me two and it feels like nothing! It's amazing how your perception changes!

Six years ago, I remember putting a sign in Curtis' crib at the hospital that said, "NO NUKS, MY MOM IS NURSING!" I did exactly what those lactation consultants said! NO NUKS...they would get the nipples confused!

My first full day at home. Erik and I walked in, and looked at each other like- "What now?" He read Curtis the Cat in the Hat. Then we did tummy time, then the swing, then the bouncy chair. Then we set up toys. This kid would NOT stop flailing and crying! I called Carrie my friend and said, he will NOT stop crying! She came over and told me baby's just eat, sleep, and poop. I needed to just let him sleep. He was way over-tired! She laid on my couch, and put a nuk in his mouth! (The "DEVIL" according to that lactation consultant!) He instantly took it, and slept ALL day on her! I was amazed! Who knew they needed something to sooth them, and just wanted to sleep all day.

With each kid, you learn more and get to be more of a pro. Andrew had a nuk in his mouth within an 20 minutes of being born! I was a total rookie mom the first time around! Life has changed for us, but in a great way! I wouldn't take back a minute of it!

Happy Birthday to Curtis!