Uprooted and Four

Who ever said "Home is where the heart is" is a big fat liar.

18 months ago, Will, Solomon and an in utero version of Shiloh and I moved from sunny Southern California to Western Pennsylvania.  I was excited.  We were all excited (mixed with EXTREME sadness) for what we thought would be a new and exciting adventure...

It didn't quite turn out that way. 

What makes it hard is going back to California for visits, and seeing what we are missing...and then coming home to a void that cannot be filled by dear sweet Pennsylvania.  There are so many things that we love here.  The season changes (apart from that awful one that brings all that white crap that forces you to stay in the house for like 5 months straight...ugh winter!) the beautiful greenery, the way the air smells, thunder storms, and just nature in general...But when we got home to California, its just different.  Everyone is swarming around to see us.  There isn't enough time to even fit everyone in, which is just so flattering and amazing, that I nearly burst just thinking about it.  There is so much love there...and nothing can compare to that.  My kids were in heaven.  Disneyland, the beach (did I mention heaven??), family, friends, sunshine and love...doesn't get much better than that.  I just walked around Disneyland remembering going every week, pushing Solomon in his stroller.  I watched my kids just LOVE their time there and I imagined it being a time where I could live that life again.  The beach became a magical place that I can't ever remember it feeling like.  Both of the kids seriously just wallowed in the water, cracking up when the waves were crashing on them.  They literally rolled around in the sand for hours...oh how I miss it. 

It was so great to just hang out with old friends who have been apart of you for more than half of your life (woah...am I old or what???).  You don't have to be anyone or entertain...you just sit, and be.  That is a good feeling.

And family...oh family.  You are weird and coockoo, and often annoying and embarrassing ..and there are times where I probably almost hate some of you ;) but being near you was so completing...Will and I feel like we still belong there in so many ways.  Its painful to feel so out of place for so long...and its breaking my heart that my kids are missing out on so much...they deserve to have nearby what they have in California.

I am really working hard and digging deep...trying to "bloom where I am planted" but until now, I don't think I actually realized just how deeply rooted I was.  I feel like someone ripped me out of the ground, and my foundation, my roots, are still on the other side of the country.  I don't know how to right that.  I don't know if it is intentional.  All I know is that I am sad.  We are sad.  Its nothing that any one thing, or any everything could change...its just that there is a California shaped hole in our hearts and I'm pretty certain that it cannot be patched up.  My heart hurts...and Im genuinely looking for any words of support/advise that you are willing to offer...

In other much more spectacular news...Solomon is FOUR years old today...The most beautiful four year old I know.  I love him with my entire heart!!!!

Birth Day

One Wonderful Year

Two Wild Years

Three Incredible Years

Four Unbelievable Years.

Walkin' All Over Me

As usual, Shiloh own me...she is still having sleep issues.  Every two weeks or so she will give mea night where she only wakes up twice.  But usually it is 4 times or more.  So yeah...not only does she walk all over me...

BUT....

She is walking all over the house :D!!!!  So proud of her.  Its not technically all over the house, but she is taking 4-6 steps at a time and because she is so stinking tiny its super cute.  She also can climb all the way up stairs in about 15 seconds...pretty impressive!

She's a CD addict...like me.

This definately sums up thier relationship haha

On another note, Solomon has been super sensitive lately.  He used to be the bravest kid ever...like, would get seriously hurt and wouldn't flinch and he just never cried abotu anything.  Now, the slightest bumps and he is like falling apart and needs super long cuddles.  Poor thing.  He is really been longing for more and more attention...Also, his elbow pooped out of the socket AGAIN!!!  Thats three times now.  I popped it back in though so thats good, no trips to the ER.

I have been getting ride of abuot 50% of our belonings.  Its been SO time consuming and SUCH a process but omg, I am feeling SOOOO great.  As of tomorrow afternoon, this house will be spankin' spotless!!!  :)

In Case You Are Wondering Where I've Been...

I've gone crazy...and here is Shiloh doing a perfect impression of me...freaking out, while trying to take care of my children.



In case you think I'm kidding...I'm not.  Sanity may or may not be heading back my way...but I'm not sure.

Dada and Bruh-Bruh

Shiloh has kind of abandoned calling me mama and takes every opportunity to talk to dada now. 

Thanks little one!

She is calling Solomon bruh-bruh which is one of the most secial things ever...

She Speaks

Shiloh, standing in from of my dads photo saying "papa"



Shiloh says:
All Done
Hi
Mama
Papa

Still no dada yet...but Will is working on it :)

Catching Up With Shiloh...

Its been too long.  I miss blogging.  The teeth have been taking a toll on my family and my sanity. 

Tooth #2 popped through today so I guess we will see if tonight is any better.  I picked up some homeopathic, fast acting, sleep aid from the health food store...so...we will see how that works for the sleepless one.  The thing is, she goes to sleep and can't stay asleep.  She is waking up every 2-3 hours, nursing, and then (typically) going back to sleep with ease.  I'm convincing myself hoping, that once the teeth are in, she can fall back into a longer healthier sleep pattern.

I do get so upset at night.  She wakes up and I just get so angry at her.  But in the morning, when I've come to, haha, I see this face, and I almost forget all about it...well, when Im not falling asleep haha.

She is doing so many fun things.  She is babbling like crazy.  She is standing ALL of the time.  She attempted to climb the stairs, and by that I mean. she made it up one stair.  She is finally drinking a little from a sippy cup. 

She still doesn't eat a ton of food.  She rarely finishs a whole "jar" (sometimes we make our own baby food) but she does try just about anything.  Here is own home steamed/pureed organic butternut squash.

Shiloh LOVES the new kitchen that the Wansors gave her for Christmas.  She plays with it all of the time.  So does Solomon for that matter.  In fact, I'd say he thinks its his.

She is also waving and attemping saying "hi" it is soooo cute.  This video, however, is a little obnoxious. haha

All in all, Shiloh is such a sweet baby and I don't know what I would do with out her.  Perhaps sleep a little more...but I can live with that.

Toofers

Shiloh FINALLY got her first tooth.  Monday morning I was fishing around in her mouth to see if any had appeared, but there was nothing there.  By the evening, I stuck my finger in and her bottom right tooth had popped through!!!  I squealed and Solomon happily joined in.  So much fun...and yet, hell has also broken loose here...HATE TEETHING!

Shiloh (not that this is much different that the usual sleeping habits of Shiloh) is having a terrible time sleeping.  I feel like it is never going to end.  It is HORRIBLE.  I do not know what to do.  I'm trying to work on some sleep solutions right now, which invole some room rearranging and perhaps moving Solomon in with us to give Shiloh her own room, but we have to try some things first.  Its not a happy place right now...our house consists of a whole lotta grump!!!

I stuck my finger in Shilohs mouth just a few minutes ago and it feel like another tooth is on the verge of popping out...Huray!!! (NOT)

Like A Solid Rock I...

...STAND

I saw her "stand" up in her crib about a week ago, but I thought that didn't really count because, I mean, after all, its about THE easiest place to stand up in. But last night, she did THIS!!! How did this happen people?? She is EIGHT MONTHS OLD!!!!! wow.

As most of you know, Shiloh was a perfect, freakishly angelic baby. Her second night at home I had to wake her up after 6 hours to nurse her. By two weeks old she was sleeping through the night and would sometimes even sleep in until 10am!!! She NEVER EVER EVER cried. Even when she was hungry, she'd just grunt a bit.

UNTIL...dun dun dun...

Five month birthday rolled around and she started waking up, two to three times a night!!! COME ON!!! That is a cruel joke! I feel like if I had been doing it all along, it wouldn't have been so bad but I thought I was out of the woods, and NO!

So, I started noticing that I could not have ANY caffeine, even decaf, because she is SO sensitive to it. Which is just wrong, since she is robbing me of so much sleep. Once I figured that out, she started, at least, going right back to sleep instead of staying awake for TWO HOURS!

Well...idiot admission is to follow.

I found these awesome stevia sweetened sodas. I grabbed the root beer flavor off the shelf d check it out. 0 calories, no caffeine, no sugar...AWESOME! So I try the root beer, love it. Go back for more flavors. COLA flavor!!! HEAVEN!!! I haven't drank soda in like 5 years but Shilohs pregnancy got me CRAVING Pepsi ALL of the time. And since it makes my insides rot, I try to avoid it :). So for the last month I have been having these Zevia Cola's. LOVE them. I don't have them everyday but about every other day or so, when we have them at home.

Shilohs sleep gets worse. I'm getting like 4 maybe 5 hours of sleep. I’m losing my mind. You know how sleeplessness makes you this super insane angry person? That was me. For WEEKS!

Last weekend we were with our lovely friends Candice and Patrick. I bring the sodas to share. Patrick takes one and he is checking out the ingredients. (here’s the kicker, be prepared)

"Wow...45 mgs of caffeine!" he says.

"WHAT??? They are caffeine free!!!"

I take the can in disbelief...OH.MY.GOSH!!! This is not even funny. That is MORE than a regular pepsi.

CRAP!!!!!!!!!

So stupid me, didn't (but I still swear I did!) check the Cola flavor and have been shooting my poor sweet and apparently tired child up with caffeine. Clearly I’m don’t with those. The night before last, she gave me perfect 4 hours stretches, and went right back to sleep. And last night...wait for it...

SEVEN AND A HALF HOURS STRAIGHT!!! Nursed, back to sleep, slept until EIGHT THIRTY!!! (which is like sleeping the day away from my kids who are up between 5-6 everyday.

Heaven, sleep is heavenly. I am soooo excited. I cannot believe I did this to her and myself, but here's to hoping to find sleep again :)

Trying Our Best...

Trying me best at so many things...and always seeing to come short...this seems to be the theme of my life.

My sweet Shiloh is rolling from back to tummy now. She is laughing and chatting up a storm. I love her. She is so cuddly. Im convinced that if she could spend the rest of her life in someones arms, she totally would. That said, she is also SO content when she is put down. She spins all around in her excersaucer and plays with her little toys. She drags her favorite toys to her mouth and just plays like a crazy babe...she is wonderful and magical. She got a little cold recently, nothing to fuss over, just restless for a night...

Which brings me to a recent visitor. Jen came to visit. She and I spent in Will's and my room with Shiloh and the boys camped out in Solomons room. It was fun...well by fun I mean, one night we tossed and turned and got to sleep WAY to late...the next night, Shiloh was awake like every ten minutes and the night after that, good sleep finally came. She took some photos of us, which I cannot wait to see (hint hint) and also had about 5 other shoots that she did here. Can't wait to see those either.

Solomon started preschool yesterday. Orentation consisted of us parents listening to a run down of the day and month while the kids had free play and then the kids cleaned up to come listen to a story...Now my sweet Solomon is not a fan of play ending. He was very said that he had to give up a motorcycle that he was playing with to have circle time. He raised his hand and tearfully said, "Excuse me, I am having a hard time!!" His teacher was very sweet and told him that it will get easier as time goes on. I know she is right. Structure like that will do him good. Im excited to see him begin loving school. They sang If You're Happy And You Know It and he came home singing it for the rest of the day. That really warmed my heart. First day of school photos featured below :)

I have to add that I do not enjoy this photo of me...eww..I look terrible...but how cute is Solomon???

Hello cute preschooler!!!

I think I caught Will off guard

I forget if I have mentioned this or not. Will is committing two years to be his dads associate. Which for me is a HUGE relief. I do not like paying bills, AT ALL. But I like it even less when our income changes every month. So this way, things feel much safer. We are working on getting out moving debt paid off and once we do that, we are going to put all that money toward...dun dun dun...a NEW CAR!!! I am really over sharing a car. Im ready to have a nice comfortable 2 cars. I knw that puts us in like the 5% wealthiest people in the world, and ok ok ok ...I don't need but I will be truely thankful for it. On the money topic. Will and I (emphasis on the I since I do our bills) had slacked off on tything...simply because we just didnt have any extra. Well I decided that I was just going to trust that God would provide...and lo and behold, the first month...to the DOLLAR, we had just enough to pay everything. That made me feel so cared for by my creator...I am so thankful that we made that choice to trust that God would take care ofus...because he does and He always will.

We booked our flights to CALIFORNIA!!! We get to go home for 10 lovely days and it could not come any quicker!!! WE are going in October and I am SO excited. I miss everyone and everything more than I ever thought I would. Its been really hard on me lately. I miss the cultural diversity. Its SO different being in a town of ALL white people. I mean, seriously, seeing an African American is like shocking...and an Asian, Indian, or Latino...I would gasp. I miss that. I miss having Solomon around diversity. I miss good restaurants (there are like 900 different pizza places, Italian Restaurants  and McDonalds...no Open Sesame, Ngoma, heck even BJ's, Baja Fresh, Don Joses and Jamba Juice have me tearing up in homesickness.) I cannot wait to go home for a visit. Im really looking forward to good food and good company...not that I don't have that here, because I do. I love where we live even though it has annoying traits, but so did California...I have made awesome friends here, really kind lovely people and I am happy that we can afford a nice, spacious place to live. That is something we could not currently have in California.

A lot has been on my mind lately in regards to people and trusting so heavily in the medical community. How can you do it? How can you just beg for antibiotics or some other drug just to eliminate your symptoms instead of asking questions, educating yourself and getting to the seed of the problem. I cannot believe people would put their children on life long doses of HARMFUL things, rather than change their diet, get to the cause, and eliminate the problem all together. It really makes me sad. I know so many people dealing with ear infection after ear infection, or constant breathing treatments, or constipation and all they do is drug them up...makes me so sad...I can't even touch on it. I know most people are doing their best, but I just don't understand why so few people ask questions. Its as if they trust a stranger more than they trust themselves as the MOTHER/FATHER of the child. No one could tell me something was the best for my child...I know what is best for him. There is a place for medical professionals to assist parents in making serious decisions like in emergency rooms for drastic emergencies...but not for constipation and colds...my goodness...no wonder this society is so unhealthy...and no wonder MDs and Ins Co's get bigger and better cars/houses/swimming pools as the days go by....sad...makes me so sad.

TV fasting is still semi in place. It wasn't a permanent thing but it has made our lives SOOOO much more wonderful!!! Solomons addiction to it is totally gone. IF he watched TV at all, its only for about 30 minutes or so. WE LOVE IT!!! HE loves to play so much more now...and I could not be more thrilled.

I am struggling a little bit. With some anger. I feel like Im always angry at myself for not being enough...not being who or what I want to be. I have such high standards on myself and it is tiring, exhausting and disappointing. I hold others to these standards, whether it be my husband, ids, or friends....and I don't want to be angry when other and myself cannot live up to these ludicrous standards...i want to give the anger up. More than that, I want to lower my standards, relax a little, enjoy the moment and be present.

Finally. I have been working out. I have like 50lbs to lose!!! I still have 20 from Shilohs pregnancy and another 20 that I never lost with Solomon...I know that is only 40 but, ok 50 would be awesome! I started doing Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred. I got everyone I know doing it because it is a 20 minute work out that seriously KICKS MY BUTT! Because I am nursing, I didn't want to diet or restrict my eating (I eat very healthy for the most part and I need to eat a good bit to keep my milk supply up...its just how my body works). that in conjunction with some burst training has landed me 8lbs lighter in 4 weeks and stronger than I think Ive ever been. Im proud of myself for sticking to it, scared of failing at it, but I wanted to say it because its important to me, no matter the outcome.

So many times in life, I lose my focus...actually so many times in my DAY I lose focus and I need to stay grounded...its hard for me. Emotionally, I can be so unstable...but thankfully, I have awesome family and friends to see me through...

And The Little One Said... "Roll Over..."

My sweet baby girl is 3 months old now. She rolled over...and continues to do so. But seriously...she moves...like REALLY moves...she creeps to all corners of her bed. I swear she crawls when I am not looking. Its kind of freaky...

She is as wonderful as ever...so sensitive and in love with her big brother. If she so much as hears a hint of his voice she begins frantically looking for him...and smiles bigger than ever as soon as she spots him. It is SO special.

Solomon is doing well. Will buzzed off all of Solomons hair today...I am NOT happy...oh well...it just better grow back before my sweet friend Jen from jenbeasley.com comes to do our photos...

I think that is all in new news...trying to think of new ways to save money...any suggestions???

I'm Sad To Say It....

But I did it...and I TOTALLY regret it by the way...I mean of course he is still as cute as ever but oh the curls...they are gone for life...I wept...the ugly cry...and I still feel sick to my stomach.

(Note: he wasn't fussing to anything "haircut" related)

Binkie Rehab

Well...I must say, our first day without binkies only got worse...it was terrible. He was getting physically sick...i don't know if it was from anxiety or from crying so much but he had a stomach ache and a headache and was obviously miserable to be around...


I didn't even want to try and put him to bed that night because I couldn't take all of the drama of him not having a binkie. We had to pick Will up (he was away for business) from the airport and it was an hour drive...Wills plane came in at 10 and Solomon is usually asleep by 8...so...we left at 9 pm and I noticed a few things. He was soooo much more talkative (and the child is rarely quiet so that is saying a lot) and I wondered how much binkies were holding him back. He told me every single thing he noticed on the drive there. Also, he was super touch and attached to me, which is rare...he wanted to hold my hand while I drove and stuff, so that was really special. By the time we got home it was midnight and Will carried him up to bed as he was already asleep...whew...drama avoided. April sleeps in bed with him and she said that in the middle of the night, she heard him sucking and thought we had given in and given him a bink to sleep with. She felt him mouth and he was sucking in his sleep...poor baby.


The next day he was sooo anxious. He was really clingy...REALLY clingy even to me, which is abnormal. Will went to put him down for a nap...he had been beside himself ALL DAY...after 90 minutes of trying, Will and I had a meeting...we decided that we were going to...gasp...give him the binkie for sleeping only! We lied...and said we bought him a sleeping binkie...and its only for sleep...we will take it away as soon as he wakes up and keep it in a special spot. Will gave it to him and before we left his room he was almost out.


How can he NOT fall asleep without it???? I mean, its just sooooo hard for him. Its really frustrating but at this point, I cannot be battling for hours to get him to nap, or risk having him skip a nap, because with 2 kids...that quiet time is CRUCIAL!!! So for now...it seems to work for us. He is more plesant, he isn't asking for it constantly, and we dont even give him the bink to sleep with unless or until he asks for it...so that is where we are...


Here are some photos of our somewhat failed ceremony...

Bink Addict

Today marks what is turning out to be a very sad day in the Cole house. Let me explain...

Solomonhas been a MAJOR binkie addict from DAY ONE!!! He is going to be 3 at the end of the month (tears!) and I have been noticing his teeth seem to be shifting, as in, his front teeth are kind of leaning forward. So Will and I, who have attempted to get rid of the binkie to no avail before, have been trying to think of how we are going to do this. it just so happens that the softy of the two of us (Will!!!) is away on busienss this weekend. My sister and the kids and I were going to go to Target. Solomon said "can I get a fire truck?" I said..."Hmmm...well, would you be willing to pack up your binkies and trade them into the Target lady for a fire truck?" He thought about and agreed. We went around the house on a binkie hunt and collected all 50 milion of his binkies and put them in a bag. I let him hold them on the drive there and while we looked around Target. I explained that we were going to pick out a HUGE fire truck, a BIG BOY TOY, and he was going to "buy" that toy with his binkies. But he had to know, they wouldn't come home with us (ok that was a lie but I had to get him to understand) and that he would NO LONGER have binkies. I was VERY VERY thorough!!! He definately got what I was saying. So we picked out a massive fire truck that is as obnoxious as can be...makes noise and has a ladder that moves...its JUST what he wanted...

So...I ran ahead to our cashier, who I picked our specifically bc she is always SUPER nice...and ask her if she wouldn't mind playing along...she said "OH OF COURSE!!!" So...the transaction takes place, she tells him what a BIG BOY he is...my sister and I make a HUGE deal out of it...

On the ride home he was holding his massive fire truck and just being SUPER happy that he had it...

Until........

We got home...

He looks at me with panic on his face..."Mommy, where are my binkies?"

"We gave them to the target lady..."

"no...no....nooooooooooooooooo...I want to go back to Target...I want to go hit that lady for taking my binkies!!!"

He starts to get really upset, hitting and throwing and kicking everything in sight! I tried talking to him, holding him, giving him his blankets...nothing...he was still inthis horrid state of rage!!!

So I took him outside...and I told himhe could hit and kick and throw anything he wanted...and he did. He seemed to feel a lot better. After we came inside he said "Mommy if I throw my fire truck outside may I have my binkies back?" I told him no and that the target lady had them (which by the way...I feel AWFUL for lying...because she gave them back to me and they are in my purse...is that terrible??? What would YOU do?"

Nap time...on how that time of day is bliss for me. Solomon has always been THE best napper on earth...even now, I just lay just him to get in bed, turn out the lights, kiss him and close his door...and he is out...well that was WITH binkies!!!!!! Ahhhhhhh....I feel like I have a heroin addict for a child...he was writhing in "pain" (heartache), weeping, talking about how much he wants to hit and kick that target lady...I kid you not he said "mommy, I am not ok...I am not going to get thru this!!!" Its was HORRIBLE!!!! He cried and cried and cried for 45 minutes!!! He asked me to rock him, which I haven't done in forever and he still cried and cried...gosh...it was torture. I was near tears...and near marching down to my purse and getting those damn binkie for my poor addict...who would have ever though a 3 year old might need bink rehab!!!

He finally fell asleep...but how long is this going to last? Did I do the wrong thing? SHould I let him have them back? Am I totally ripping something away from him that he NEEDS???? Please....help me!!!!

Its Time...

I really don't know where to start on here. I feels so foreign to blog. I miss it, so much, but I truely just cannot find the time. Why? Why is that?

It may be because um, we are STILL unpacking. Its taken so long for us to get the guts up to pile on the credit card debt to get enough furniture to actually unpack all of our things...but it is official now...we have all the furniture that we need to store our things OUTSIDE of the boxes. So now we need to finish off the last 8 or so boxes that we have. We also have random things to do like hanging pictures/wall hangings and reorganizing certian things in the kids room and stuff...but I better get a move on' cause Im stinking 8 months pregnant people...how oh how did this happen?

Also, I need a baby shower. its been really hard adjusting financially...and this is pretty person and I HATE when people play the poor card, but my goodness...Will needs patients...and SOON!!!! We sold all of the things we had for Solomon apart from his crib because of our limited space in California, so we have nothing. We have, for the most part, enough clothes (and I DO NOT want anyone to buy us clothes!!!!! Its a major pet peeve of mine) to get us through the first month or so...and we bought a baby bouncer and we have a play gym thing...but thats about it...so baby shower anyone??? ;) Its will all work out

Will is still working for his dad, on salary, that is not that great...it pretty much barely covers our bills...which in a way is good because it means Will has to get his butt out there and market like mad. He is doing a free spinal screening in two weeks so we are hoping that that gets at least a few patients for him. Next weekend he has a Chiropractic training seminar with his managment company in stinking Salt Lake City!!!! So Im alone with Solomon again...from Thursday to Sunday...how sad...Candice, I hope you're ready for some tag-along-ing ;)

Solomon is just a wild man!!! He has changed SO SO SO much. He is just this giant, chatty, brilliant, kid now. He is totally into "bad words." Ok seriously, every five seconds he says, "Mommy, can I say stupid? shut up? kill?" What the heck??? Where does he here this kind of stuff. It drives me insane. He is SOOO impressionable and his memory is impecable!!! He took a drum stick the other day. held it between his pointer finger and middle finger and started "smoking" with it...even tilting his head up as he "blew out"!!!!!! People...he is TWO!!!! I said, "Honey where did you see that." He said, "The man outside the grocery store." Wow...Also, tutoriffic is his favorite word...which in many ways is super cute. He says that whenever he farts..."Mommy, Im tutoriffic..." But the other day (and again I cringe yet kinda laugh cause its SO shocking) he said, "Mommy am I allowed to say 'holy crap'?" My eyes got huge and said, "Um no...that is not a nice word." He shruged and said, "Ok, I will just say 'holy tutoriffic crap'." I do not know where he gets this stuff. They certianly dont say it on Sesame Street, which is about all he watched (at our house at least!!!!). But I have a feeling taht certain teenage aunts and uncles with potty mouths play a big role in that!!!! Its kinda depressing as a mom, because I want to protect him for all the "yucky" things of the world...but I mean if I can't take him to the grocery store without him fully understanding smoking, then I can't really go anywhere...does any one elses kids talk like this???

In other Solomon news...he is so happy here. It is hard being away from loved ones but soooo much of me is so glad that we are here. He loves his room. He loves his house. He loves his yard. The air is soooo clean here...a child that used to have allergies just like me...now has NONE!!!! (neither do I by the way) He loves "the forest", which is pretty much anywhere with trees and sticks...which he is obsessed with collecting. We do actually get to take forest walks...which um is just awesome!!! He is thriving and I truely couldn not be happier for him!

We have a GPS now which I got for my bday...and um I LOVE IT!!!! I can find my way places now...which I am SUPER excited about.

Pregnancy is flying by. Lots and lots of things have been going on within me, emotionally. I am starting to feel kind of uncomfortable in thsi chair though so I will save it for another blog...but here is a picture for the records :)

Oh...did I mention April and Brian are here...yeah I cannot be happier and I DO NOT want to think about next Wednesday when they leave me...and then Will leaves on Thursday...bleck...happy thoughts happy thoughts...

Just Call Me The Wife Of Dr William Cole...

Yesterday, my amazingly brilliant husband graduated...I haven't the slightest clue just how amazing it felt to him, but for me, the day was a wild array of incredible emotions.

First of all, I haven't mentioned this on here before, but Will's parents decided not to come. Will said he was OK with that, but I was crushed...for him. He has worked SO hard for the last 7 1/2 years and it made me sad that they couldn't be there. I kept tearing up all day thinking of the fact that they didn't come.  We really missed having them here.

We got all ready and headed off to Will's school. Solomon did EXCELLENT. I was truly amazed!!! We brought lots of snacks, MACK from Cars, paper and pen, Uncle Aaron's lego cars, and Aprils boyfriend Brian was there...so he was set with everything his little heart could have ever wanted.

The processional began and tears welled up instantly. Jen said to me right before the ceremony, "Remember when you found out you were pregnant with Solomon, you said 'I am going to have a TWO YEAR OLD when Will graduates!!!!' and now here you are...?" It was so surreal. I saw Will heading down the aisle in his gown and I felt the crying coming...not just a few sobs, but the UGLY cry!! I managed to suck most of it down, but I did let out one heinous gasp/sob. I just couldn't believe it. He was done. He is a doctor!!! Life is taking a whole new and exciting turn for us. I was beaming with pride. I couldn't have been more proud of him.

I was so nice for me to finally be able to see every one of his classmates. These are all people that I have heard about for the last, nearly 4 years, and I got to put a face to every name, meet Wills friends families, and spend time with some of our friends that this school has brought to us...it was a wonderful day.

A lot, in fact, most people that RSVP'd for Wills party didn't come. We had SOOO much left over food and it was a little sad because that was going to be the last day that we saw several people... But it was still really nice.

Jen took some awesome photos so I'll be excited to get them up on here...here are some photos from Aprils camera though.

My amazing, brilliant husband, I am SO SO proud of you...there aren't words to let you know just how proud I am of you and how excited I am to start this new journey with you...I love you honey!!!

This is Will getting hooded.

And here are some photos from the party.

The three trouble makers...Will dearest friends Will and Patrick.

Me, Will, Patrick, Will, KelliAnn (who is getting slapped by) Kaitlyn haha.