mama confesses:: 9 months

Most mothers get excited about 1-year birthdays and milestones but I prefer the 9 month celebration.  Knanon is 9 months old today.  That means he has been alive and on this earth for as long as I carried him in my womb.  FINALLY! 

They never tell you how long 9 months really is.  When you are pregnant, it seems like eternities pass by.  The days slow, you stumble out of bed frustrated with the gigantic weight you are carrying and you beg (BEG!) for your little one to arrive.  And then....bam!  Your little one has arrived, kicking and screaming, and is suddenly turning 9 months old. 

Life is a miracle.  Growth, development, change.  I was always wowed reading weekly pregnancy milestones.  Reading about ears, skin, and fat cells developing--it all seems so unreal.  In 9 months Kannon went from a merger of a few cells to a living breathing baby.

Now, in 9 months, he has gone from a vulnerable, helpless, sleeping and pooping all the time baby to a little man with quite the personality.  He crawls, stands, laughs (adorable body shaking giggles) and feeds himself.  He plays with Daddy, the dog, and the cats.  He thinks mirrors are amazing and fans blowing wind in his face refreshing.  Kannon, once our tiny 7 lbs baby, is now 19 lbs and 12 oz and 27 inches long.  And he just keeps growing!

We are so blessed to have him in our lives.  He constantly showers us with love, amazement, and amusement.  He makes Dale smile in a way I never knew existed. Kannon makes me tear up for no reason, just because I love him.  

Even amidst the chaos, we remember how lucky it is to have family.  Without family, we would not be where we are today.  Those of you that have supported, encouraged, and loved us--we say thanks!  We hope you feel the same.  I hope Kannon knows how much he is loved.  

Today, on Kannon's 9 month birthday, he gave me the most precious gift---he said "Mama". 

there's something about.....kannon?

Umm....Dale what were you teaching our son while I was napping?

mama confesses:: miscommunication

Parenting comes very natural to Dale and me.  Very rarely do we disagree or challenge one another.  In fact, most days we are on the same page without even communicating.  I will think to myself that Kannon needs water and I turn around and Dale is holding a sippy cup with water.  We communicate very well and apparently we are even somewhat telepathic. Creepy that we know each other so well. 

But like any normal family, even we have our miscommunications and little misunderstandings.  Like today, when I thought Dale was taking Kannon for a nap while I could do the dishes.  A few dishes in, I look at my feet to see Kannon holding a fork that he pulled from the dishwasher!  Um.....I guess I was supposed to be watching him? 

Other days, our misadventures are hilarious.  We end up running around the house, scrambling to leave, and get in the car only to realize that Kannon was still in his crib--waiting. Life is sometimes just pure chaos. 

Last week, Dale left a dirty diaper full of poop on the changing table.  A few hours later, when Kannon woke up from his nap, I was surprised to open the door and see Kannon's face, ears, hands, crib sheets, and musical seahorse COVERED with poop.  Apparently, his reach is longer than we realized. 

And Wednesday, we headed to the beach in search of water and a chance to cool off only to get there and remember that we forgot sunscreen, towels, and even our swimsuits.

Sometimes our communication skills simply fail.  They get lost in translation, chaos, and searching for the diaper bag. 

Nonetheless....we have fun, especially when there is sand and one happy baby.

photo therapy:: great american camp out

We were in need of some fresh air and family fun so we loaded up the car and headed south. Being so close to a lake campgrounds are sometimes are hard to come by....but nobody camps at McCroskey State Park because there is no lake. So we got ourselves an empty campground, beautiful view, roam to run, and delicious food. It was Kannon's first time camping and he did well! He loved being outside, trying to eat rocks, grass, and whatever else he could grab. We hiked, picked flowers, and enjoyed new sightings. All was well and good until bed time.....and then it was every man for himself as 2 people, a dog, and a baby do not belong in 2 man tent. But hey, we survived the night and look forward to doing it again!

mama confesses:: no longer a baby

I always wondered when I would stop looking at Kannon as the fragile newborn he once was.  He will always be MY baby but lately it seems we are witnessing Kannon become the man he is destined to be.  Hi personality is shining.  He is independent.  He crawls, stands, scoots, and cruises for the things HE wants.  We can't just hold him and stare at him as he squirms to get away.  Kannon sleeps sprawled out in his crib--he is a bed hog!  The past few days, we have found him quietly standing in his crib staring out the window--peacefully and content.

He no longer looks like a baby.  He no longer acts like a baby.  He is no longer a baby.

Once he was able to pull himself up we knew he would be growing up soon.  Now, he crawls around the living room, into the kitchen, and to the bathroom.  He tries to pull himself up on garbage cans, desks, and chairs.  He cruises along the couches and yesterday he tried to take his first unassisted step.  It was wobbly and more of a fall but he landed safely in my arms.  It won't be long.

Kannon has teeth.  He eats graham crackers, lasagna, and bananas---whole.  He knows how to drink from cups and prefers water in plastic cups.  He is down to 2 bottles of formula a day.  He takes man-sized poops.  He is no longer a baby. 

We went to the park and Kannon wanted nothing to do with us.  He tried crawling downhill, eating grass, and sat and watched the dogs playing.  I think he finally remembered that we there and he turned around smiling.  He is learning and growing and it is happening all to quickly. 

Video Uploads---Watch Kannon!

I finally uploaded a few videos of Kannon crawling, eating, and playing the piano!

Here is one and follow the link to see the others:
http://www.youtube.com/user/katdizale

photo therapy:: fast food

Baby meets lasagna.

photo therapy:: long overdue update

I was posting weekly pictures to my blog but now that I am juggling three blogs (one for Dale), dryer balls, and a baby things have been busy.  So I am finally sharing a few pics from last few weeks as a family.

We went camping in our back yard.  Kannon was kind enough to sleep on the very edge of the tent giving us plenty of room....but he woke up at the earliest glimpse of dawn at 4:30am so we packed up and went back inside for a few more hours of rest.

We made a delicious meal...Food&Wine Magazine's Pan Roasted Chicken with Citrus Sauce....it was amazing!!!

We headed to Missoula for MADEfair where we sold dryer balls and traded them for awesome merchandise.

Kannon and I even made an appearance on TV!!  

mama confesses:: growing up

It seems each week our lives get busier and busier and I realize that I am not the young carefree soul I once was.  I can't sleep in.  I can't ignore phone calls or let my mail pile up.  I can't let the dishes sit for more than a day.  I am a grown up. 

I go to the bank.  I pay bills on time.  I stumble down the stairs at 7 am each day in search of strong coffee and a light switch.

Our dinner conversations are about parenting ideas, cloth diapers, laundry, and budgeting. 

While we are glad we took the risk and moved, we are under stress.  Money is tight.  Bills keep piling up.  Our trust in people (insurance companies, utility companies, internet providers, and banks) is dwindling.  Dale and I are close to packing up and moving to the woods.

To make matters worse, we only have one car to run two businesses and a household.

Sometimes, I want to crawl in bed and wake up a 21 year college student again--skipping class and sleeping in.

Then reality hits.  I see my husband and son rolling on the floor pretending to be dogs.  I see Kannon smile and bounce up and down excitedly when I walk in to a room.  Bean#2 is kicking away in my belly.

I make dryer balls, I sell crocheted and knitted hats on Etsy, I take people's pictures....and I get paid.  I may not be using my degree but I am certainly having fun and its all for my family. 

I wake up, start the coffee, and get to business.  My days are no longer the spontaneous, carefree days I once had...they are so much better.

I take comfort in the routine.  I love knowing that 1pm is naptime for Kannon and I finally get a chance to sneak away and blog.  5pm is dinner and see how much banana Kannon can shove in his mouth at once.  8pm rolls around and we are all exhausted.  I love crawling into my bed knowing that Dale is by my side. 

Yes, this party-going, class skipping, beer drinking mama is finally growing up. Growing up means bigger responsibilities but it also means bigger rewards, finally understanding what your parents were doing all these years, and learning to love unconditionally.