Mom Anxiety

I'm having anxiety. To be honest, it's not something "new". I've had it almost a month now. I think it's a mix between the calendar flipping to 2012 - in 2012, my baby turns a year old. That makes me slightly anxious for some reason. But the underlying cause of my extreme anxiety is that next weekend we are going to New Orleans - without IV. Eeep! I'm getting butterflies just typing this.

I'm looking forward to our trip to the Big Easy, but I'm not looking forward to leaving IV. Did I mention that it's not just for the weekend? It's for the loooong weekend. Our flight is Friday morning and I get back Monday night.

I feel horrible. 

IV will be staying in the comforts of my parents home, where he has his OWN room! Yes...full on, his own room. Everything about it is similar to his own room here at home, from the blankets to the bath stuff...everything is the norm for him. He loves my parents and lights up every time he sees them. I know he won't have any problem being there with them. I however, I'm different. I'm going to have a very hard time. IV has been with me in one way or the other since August of 2010. That's a long time. We have never been apart for more than 24 hours.

I'm dying inside with guilt.

I worry that after a day or so he'll wonder where I am and think I left him for good. I know that is not the case...it's just how my crazy Mom brain works. I know that my parents are worried - not about taking care of IV for the long weekend, but they are worried about me. They know that I'm the type to get so upset that I'd land in New Orleans - turn around and get back on the plane to come home.

I'm going to be ok.

I'm going to get through it and enjoy myself and my time with Stew. I have to. What's the point of going to a city that I'll probably never go back to again and NOT enjoy my time? We have some tours set up, fancy dinners out and plan to watch the Pats in the SUPER BOWL at a cool bar.

It will be good for me.

I'll be able to FaceTime and Skype with IV and my parents - I'll send him plenty of pictures and love on him so much when I get home - he'll be sick of me.

But until then, I'm going to sit here with butterflies in my belly and tears in my eye. Hmph!

9 Months

Happy 9 Months Love Bug!

I know I'm speaking like a typical parent, but you are amazing. You are such a joy to be around. Even on those days when you are super whinny or refuse you nap by standing in your crib and pulling your monitor down...you are still such a riot. You crack me up 90% of the day...the other 10% I'm ready to pull my hair out.

You can't sit still...you are always on the go. Sometimes I will even say, "don't you just want to snuggle?" And you don't - you are a lover though and adore your Mama. Good thing, because I adore you as well. You are our world.

You love music - Adele, Kelly Clarkson and J-Lo. You enjoy screaming and hearing your voice. You can eat, boy...you love everything I've every given you. You name it...you'll eat it.

You have four teeth now. Two on the top and two on the bottom. And you GRIND them...all. the. time. Ouch.

Happy 9 months - you've almost been on the "outside" as long as you were on the "inside!"

Thank you for being you little Man. We love you.

Birthday Card - Snapshot of the Week

Linking up with Happily Mother After today...for Snapshot of the week.

Off to celebrate with my boy - I'll post more this weekend about my day...and gift! Happy Friday. 

BIG and small

One of IV's favorite books is Winnie the Pooh's - Pooh's Favorite Tree. In the book, there is a line from Owl, who enjoys sitting in the tallest branches of that tree and looks out on the 100 Acre Wood - thinking about the BIGNESS and SMALLNESS of things.

That can be said for what happened this morning -

At 8am, the doorbell ran - my new home office desk arrived! I started to organize and clean out my old desk, which always leads to reminiscing and looking through IV's medical folder from the day he was born. I found his medical bracelet and ankle bracelet. I could not believe the size of the ankle bracelet. It's not cut, because it fell off when we got home because it was a little too BIG. I think about how BIG that day was for us and how BIG I thought he was - yet he was so small, so tiny on such a BIG day.

And today, that ankle bracelet would barely fit on his chunky little toe. My boy is so BIG, yet still my baby.

Enjoy those BIG and SMALL moments - they go by way too fast.

Innocent vs Not

Sweet and innocent:

And not:

Regardless, he's still stinkin' cute. Happy Monday .



TGIF

Happy Friday!

Yesterday we got our first snow storm here in New England! So we bundled up, grabbed the sled and went out for a walk. A lot of work - for about 10 minutes outside, but well worth it. These are a few of the photos I snapped with my phone. Clearly - he was having a blast.



And after we warmed up - my adorable little model was good enough to let me snap some photos of him for my Valentines Day Card special - be sure you check it out. Even if you aren't in the New England Area - Send me your favorite photo and I'll personalize a Valentines day card for you - for print or web viewing.

Snippets of our Day:

I did it!

I did it. I finally decided to start my own photography business - Allison Mary Photography. For now, this will still be my hobby and something I will do on the side. I will remain a stay at home Mom to IV and a full time marketing manager from my home office.

This is what I love to do...I'm beyond excited.

So if you are from the New England area or know anyone that is - please feel free to pass along my name. And - if you click on the camera button above, it'll take you to my new website - you can link up and like me on Facebook, follow me on twitter or even check out my Pinterest page.

And what would a post be without a few pictures of my biggest fan:

First week of 2012

Happy New Year! It's funny - I asked Stew what the protocol was for saying Happy New Year to people. How far into January is it socially acceptable to say Happy New Year to someone? His response was - "You can say it any time during the year if you haven't seen that person yet". Ha...I beg to differ.

So here is what the first 7 days of our New Year looked like:

We stayed in on New Years Eve - had a ton of food and drinks with my parents. We actually went to bed at 11:30, but hey...8 month olds are chipper at 7am and they don't care if you had too much to drink the night before.

Pictures are via my iphone:

Mom and I eating oysters.

We were up bright and early on New Years day - to head down to Foxboro for the Patriots game. My parents watched IV for us - and even got him home, he had his bath and they put him down for us. Ahhh...what a treat, as always.

Awesome way to kick off the New Year - 50+ degrees

Us with my boss and his wife.

On Monday - I had my first Newborn shoot! I spent over 3 hours taking photos and just yesterday I mailed the family their CD. My two boys came along as well - we know the family personally.

| I snapped this during my shoot |

These are some of my favorites:

Tuesday it was back to reality - back to the grind. I really don't know what happened to my baby, but all of a sudden he's a big boy. TWO...yes TWO teeth now. Top tooth and bottom! That's a far cry from a 1/2 a tooth on Christmas. He now will not sleep on his back...he's always on his belly and he loves to pull himself up and stand. It's amazing how quick it changed.

My boy - heading out the grocery store:

This is supposed to be nap time.

My little bed head.

So that's our first week of 2011. 

It's nap time. I need to shower and get ready to head out to our lunch date with my Mom. Happy Weekend!

And stay tuned - I have an announce time make: No, baby number 2 isn't on it's way! It has to do with my side business.