It is finally here....

....The word 'NO'! My beautiful, sweet, little boy who answered 'Yeah' to every question has discovered the word 'No' and literally have put it to its fullest use within 3 days - literally! If you had asked me on Friday if he would be saying No this much I would have told you that is crazy. But it is true. Somehow in 3 days he has really changed with this new word. On one hand it is nice because he will actually tell you that he doesn't want something but after a few No's with the swipe of the hand it can get a little obnoxious! I guess this is the start of the terrible 2's. I knew it was going to happen eventually but how quickly he changed was a little shocking.

On a separate note we stayed in a hotel last night which was interesting. The little guy was up way past his bed time - it is kind of hard to settle down when you are in the same room with your parents and all of this stuff is new so we let it slide. He managed to call the front desk right away multiple times and then he got the front desk to call him because he left the phone off the hook. So needless to say I think I would prefer to rent a house and never stay in a hotel with a small child in the future. This time it wasn't an option but I really don't like sleeping in the same room with him. Somehow I got up and ready for work without him completely waking up so hopefully the two of them are still asleep with the room darking shades pulled tight.

April updates

April was going to be my big comeback as far as blog updates go but that obviously hasn't happened. With the addition of the kitchen project to our plates other things have just fallen off the plate and will remain on the floor for a little while.

The kitchen project is actually going really well except for one issue but we have been able to take care of that. The walls are up for the most part and they have been plastered for the most part. We are doing more than just the kitchen in this project but our main concern is to get the kitchen back in working order as soon as possible. So the walls are up, I painted the kitchen yesterday, and the floors guys are there for the next couple of days to do the patching, sanding, and sealing. With the walls up and the floors being completed comes a cleaner house! Which right now is the most exciting thing! We are staying in a hotel the next couple of days while that goes on which will be interesting. I get up a couple of hours before Andy and Murdoch but with all of us in one room I don't know how Murdoch is going to stay asleep so hopefully it isn't too bad.

Getting the floors done is a really big step in my opinion in any project because things look so much better!

This weekend we go to STL to visit my parents and hopefully we get to do a little relaxing! I can't wait. And the cabinets will go up while we are gone so that will be a great treat to see when we get back. We can actually put the stove back in place and start to make a few meals but unfortunately the bathtub will be the sink for several more weeks while we wait for the counter tops. But it is a big step forward.

If I can remember to bring the camera to the hotel I will download the pictures and post them - I have been taking pictures at each step - it is a good reminder of how much you have done when you start to get very frustrated and depressed with your house situation :)

Have a Happy Easter

So this will be a totally random post. Lots little thing going on so I thought I would just put a quick post out there.

Tomorrow is Good Friday and I have a holiday. So I have a 3-day weekend and my son will be at daycare tomorrow and my husband will be at work. I plan on doing some things around the house but I also plan on doing a few things for me, I will have some alone time and I think a pedicure is on the schedule - this is one of my favorite days of the year.

As for actual Easter we aren't doing anything. Maybe we will get Chinese or Indian take-out. No kitchen to cook in so if we ask someone else if they want to do something for Easter we are pretty much inviting ourselves over so I think a meal in the house amongst all of the dust is what we will be doing.

The house is going well. What has been completed - Demo, rough plumbing, rough electrical, and rough framing. The fire stopping was completed yesterday and as long as that inspection is completed today the insulation can start today and continue tomorrow. Our pocket doors were picked up today to be stripped so hopefully they come back today or tomorrow morning and I will either paint or stain those maybe even this weekend. Then when the insulation and a few other details are complete the blue board can be installed which is what I am looking forward to because that really contains the dust. Then plaster on top of that, painting the kitchen, floors redone, and then the cabinets can be installed. Pretty crazy! I think this is the best one of our projects has ever gone so I am waiting for something horrible to happen. So far so good.

One funny thing that Murdoch did last weekend was trying to go down a ramp like it was a slide. Now we do the slides at the play yard and he does them all of the time at daycare so there was this little ramp on the side of a restaurant, I assume for delivers, and he got down and tried to use it like a slide. Ah the simple joys in life! He has also decided that fresh fruit is the new 'in' food so I am excited to get away from crackers and pasta a little bit. Then again we went out to dinner last night and he ate a butter packet, and proceeded to lick the butter off of the table when he spilled it - not our greatest hour but he had such a good time at dinner and so was good which allowed A to take out the pocket doors and have a little downtime.

That is it for our lives. Lots going on but nothing particularly exciting all at the same time. Just hoping for warmer weather - it is supposed to be cooler this weekend which is depressing because that makes for a long day in a dusty and dirty house. Enjoy your Easter!

Happy Birthday Bob!

I don't have any cute pictures so I apologize. We wish we could be there to celebrate your birthday with you but we can do something in May when you pass through the area. Murdoch has gotten very good at hugs and kisses (though the kisses are pretty) wet so I am sure you will be get a lot of those. Enjoy your day!

April 1st - A Great Day!

Due to stresses on the home front and work front I am trying to be more positive. So I decided to pick out reasons why today is such a great day. Here is what I came up with:

1) Today is my 6th engagement anniversary. I know this sounds silly but I like to remember it. 6 years ago we were relaxing in the Caribbean, going scuba diving, diving wine, and then we got engaged on the beach. Maybe on a future April 1st we can redo that engagement - I would love to be on a beach right now! :)

2) Today I am 25 weeks into my second pregnancy. This pregnancy has been harder than the first. I have been sick more often and it is also due to the fact that I can't just come home and lay on the couch after work. There is a very demanding little toddler that wants to play, eat, scream, etc. that doesn't allow that to happen.

3) Street cleaning starts today. I know this sound silly and actually in the past I hated the start of street cleaning. But after watching the snow melt and seeing all of the trash and pieces of asphalt under there I can't wait for the regular cycle of the removal of this dirt. Plus it makes your walk a lot more pleasant.

4) I am getting a new kitchen. Right now this is not a source of joy. With plaster dust everywhere, our kitchen and dining room completely cleared out and housed in our TV room, office, and various bedroom makes this a reason to go into work early every day. Not to mention the additional stress of trying to keep a toddler and a dog out of the work area and trying to keep them relatively clean and occupied during this process which is pretty much impossible - plaster dust is everywhere! But this is needed. We have been in this house for over 2.5 years and our kitchen has basically been a room with appliances. There were a few cabinets in this back pantry like area but that really didn't cut it. So in the end I am hoping the memory and dust are instantly removed when I see the new cabinets, counter tops, and I put my first utensil in a drawer after 2.5 years of no drawers. I am sure these memories will fade but they will come right back when we do our next large project - but that won't be until the next house so I am going to take the time to enjoy it.

5) April seems way closer to Spring than it does in March. Plus on March 1st we got a foot of snow - today it might get to 50 - really I can't ask for more than that.

Enjoy your April Fool's Day!

Bath Time

I am loving these photos! Talli just uploaded them so I wanted to make sure that everyone saw them. Bob & Talli came for a visit a few weeks ago to meet Liam and hang out with us a little. They helped me out with Murdoch on numerous occasions and one night they helped with Murdoch's bath. Right now Murdoch enjoys taking a bath with someone which is a bit of overhead but he really enjoys it and we have found that he is really enjoying the water. Plus now you can just go in for a little while and then he 'swims' around by himself while you just watch. Anyway - Bob took a bath with Murdoch while I cooked dinner which was such a luxury! I hope you enjoy the pictures!

When the walls come tumbling down...

....literally! Today our dining room, kitchen, front hallway, back hallway, and one of the bedrooms in our renters apartment are being gutted. Though thrilling, because I can't wait for a new kitchen that actually has drawers and counter tops, the process is not a pleasant one and I know it because we have done this before. There is dust everywhere - if you have never taken down a wall made of horse hair plaster it is quite a mess task! So it is going to suck to be without a kitchen for awhile and trying to keep a toddler and a dog occupied in only part of the house, especially when the weather isn't great isn't the easiest task but I am going to try and remain positive. But I have a feeling I am going to reach some lows during this process so there will probably be some entries of whining and self-pity so please bare with me. I took before pictures which I will post and I will be taking pictures along the way and then finally there will be after pictures - the best ones of all!

Enjoy your weekend - we are going to be staying in various venues so I don't think it will be the greatest weekend of my life but in no way shape or form will it be my worst.

How you know you are living with a toddler.....

1) When you go to bed you have brush graham cracker crumbs out of your own bed. Yes I said this would never happen and it is yet another thing that I just said who cares to when I was tired. I got home with Murdoch, Andy was installing trim in the bedroom and he really wanted to watch so I got a box of graham crackers and a cup of milk and Murdoch sat in my lap eating away and making little noises as Andy worked with a big smile on his face. It was worth it! I got to just recline in bed for 30 minutes and he barely moved! Nothing a little sheet change won't take care of!

2) Your dog now has to be on a diet because of the carb comma she is in due to a sudden large intake of crackers, cheerios, cheese, and juice! Deucey needs those curves back!

3) Instead of actually asking your husband for the remote control you make a weird noise that is similar to what your son makes when he is pointing at some thing that he wants.

4) Your husband's response to #3 say please and you have to do that in sign language :)

5) Your child says yeah to every question you ask him. I guess this is better than no but I have found this so funny that I started saying it all of the time - including work and I can't stop!

Changes....

So today is the first day of Spring - though it didn't feel like it walking to work in a down coat and mittens. The days are slightly warmer and longer and I am hoping we have seen the last snow of the season.

Starting next Friday our kitchen and dining room will be gutted to begin the lovely process of kitchen renovation. This is our last large project in this house which is awesome but I know the amount of dust that is created, the extra stress on top of normal life that it creates, and just the general annoyance of living without a kitchen. We will still have a fridge and a microwave which is pretty good but losing the stove is going to kill me! Most of the kid meals are fixed on the stove so that is going to be hard. I think there is going to be a lot of yelling and short fuses in the next month or more.

I will post before, during, and after pictures. We definitely need a new kitchen because ours is pretty much a room with appliances in it but because I know what is coming I am totally dreading it. I think I will go to bed desperately holding onto the picture of the new kitchen in order to get through this ordeal. I know others have a much harder cross to bare in life so this isn't the biggest thing ever but I unfortunately am going down the black hole of pity where I will be feeling very sorry for myself once this project starts. Luckily there is light at the end of the tunnel in the form of counter tops, cabinets, and drawers - some very novel ideas to have in your kitchen! :)

Shaving over walking?

I just saw this article:

http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/03/16/hm.shave.childhood.cancer/index.html
I did the breast cancer 3-day walk a few years ago and it was fun and I had a good time - granted the weather was nice and I decided to stay in a hotel instead of camp out with everyone which made it much nicer at least for me. The walk lasted 3-days and there were many weekends before that of practice walks to make sure that I could actually do the 20 miles though I never practiced 20 miles a day, 3 days in a row. But after the summer of training and then the three days it was over. The actually shaving would be easier - there isn't any training you just go in and get it done - but that bald head is going to last more than 3 days! But I think with all of those kids sitting around cheering you on and knowing how it would help them the joy and gratification would last longer than your bald head.

Which one would you choose?

A nice weekend

The snow is just about melted, the days are longer, and it was near 60 and sunny this weekend! It was great. We all got out and did a little bit of outdoor activity which was awesome! Sunday Murdoch and I headed to the park around the corner. This was the first time to a park for Murdoch, and my first time taking my child to the park. At first he wouldn't leave the stroller and just stared at everyone else there. Then after a granola bar he got out and walked around a little bit. We tried the swings - those were okay. Then we went over to the little jungle gym and tried out the 3 foot slide. After about 10 tries on that a little time later we graduated to the 9 or so foot spiral slide that we did about 30 times and then we followed that up with a decent amount of time on the swings. Hopefully this excitement will continue because this is a convenient place to burn off some extra energy and get out of the house. Here are the rest of the pictures.

We have a problem

You never want to pick up the phone from your spouse/significant other or whatever you want to call that person in your life that knows things about you that no one else does or would want to know but still sticks with you. Andy called yesterday morning and said these words. I immediately think of something totally awful though he sounded calm so I figured it couldn't be too bad. Poor Murdoch woke up with hives all over him. We don't know why, we don't know the source. I called the doctor - they weren't particularly concerned. They went away so Murdoch went to daycare and then they were back later in the day. We are crossing our fingers that this isn't a normal occurrence - that can't be comfortable! Andy emailed me this picture so I had to share.

Bob & Talli are coming this weekend to see Liam but I am sure Murdoch will get a little attention and TLC from them as well. I am sure he will eat that up! Hopefully that produces some good pictures and stories - unlike my story from last weekend! :) Enjoy your weekend.

Then and now

There are days when I think why can't I just go back to the way things were 5 years ago, 10 years, ago, etc. Yesterday was one of those days. I was looking through some old emails and I found from pictures from 2005. I was married, but I was in a different house, I didn't have a kid nor was I really thinking about it. I had this job but I had just started and I had just returned from a month-long vacation to Phoenix for wedding and then we traveling along to Fiji and Australia. I can't help but look at myself in those pictures and think god - I was having fun, I was happy!

I am happy now but it is different and after looking at those pictures I had a day where I just wanted that life back. I personally find the lack of vacation after having a kid very hard and right now when it is cold and dark out and there is snow on the ground a vacation for about 2 weeks somewhere warm with boat drinks I think would be my cure. But that isn't happening. So even though I am happy where I am right now - it is really hard not to look back on these pictures and that part of my life and think god I really wish I could have that back right now!

I could go on and on if I stayed on this subject - I am sure you all know what I mean. So here are the pictures:

Halloween 2005

Frye Island 2005 with Scott & Gary

Sarah's 30th Brithday

Catching up on some photos

So we finally got the pictures on the computer and I organized some of them into sets on flickr. Here is what we have so far:


Early pictures of Deucey - that would be B.M.(Before Murdoch) Deucey really gets the short end of the stick these days so I thought I would post these pictures to remind us of when Deucey was the only baby and she got all of the special attention - even when she ripped up and entire bag of potty soil in the kitchen!


Here are a few random pictures of Murdoch from February that I thought were cute. There are a few of him 'playing' the drums from the Guitar Hero game and he had a little fun with his new stroller.


Ellen came up for a visit in January. I realized at the end that I hadn't taken any pictures! So here are a few.


And finally Christmas. Yes Christmas! I realize that we should be getting our green out for St. Patrick's Day by now but we have just gotten around to downloading pictures from Christmas.


Enjoy all of these! Hopefully it won't be as long until the next download.

How was your weekend?

***WARNING - this post is kind of gross so Dad you may not want to read it***

This past weekend held great promise to be a good weekend for the Suthersons. I have no idea what we did on Friday night which means we probably didn't do much because we were tired which is fine. Saturday we had a trip to the dog park with Murdoch's daycare teacher planned followed by errands or house work and then a 2-year-old birthday party. Murdoch decided to sleep in on Saturday which was fine because he was up late the night before. So I got up to make breakfast to make sure there were no tears while waiting for the oatmeal to cool. I made the oatmeal, had my breakfast, watched some tv and it was now after 9. In order to make it to the dog park by 11 people needed to get out of bed pretty soon. So I checked on Andy and he said Murdoch hadn't been making any noise. We decided we should get him up because it was pretty late and I was starting to think something was very wrong. Well I opened the door and the smell that met me said yes something is wrong. Poor Murdoch had thrown up at some point during the night and was sleeping in it. This is the second time this has happened and neither time he cried, he just throws up and goes back to sleep. This makes me feel horrible! Poor guy sleeping in throw-up. So we got him up, he went into the bathtub, and cleaned up the room and we made it to the dog park but it was more like 12. The rest of the day was fine but Murdoch seemed a little out of it and he really didn't want to eat much and I didn't press the issue.

Sunday - we have breakfast/brunch plans with friends which makes it the best day because I love breakfast and Andy was coming which was very nice because he really doesn't like breakfast. We got up and headed out and my car sounded odd on the way over. It was snowing so we thought it just needed to warm up. We got there parked and as Andy was getting Murdoch out of the car I noticed my tired was low - well that accounts for the sound. We decided to eat and then drive two blocks to use the air at the gas station. We get out of breakfast and the tire is totally flat - so much for running the errands right after breakfast! We got to the gas station and the air was out of order. So Andy changed the tire - in horizontal freezing snow! We headed home, changed cars, and headed to the Expo. The store is closing and we needed things for our new kitchen so we thought we would check it out. While in the Expo Murdoch decided to poop. Which is fine but then there was an odor that followed us around. We decided that we would go across the street and change him at Nordstrom - the bathrooms are much nicer and easier for that type of thing. So we pile into the car drive over there, circle for a parking space, Andy loses it, and parks in a handicapped space and tells us to get out so that I can change the diaper and he will meet us in there. Well I pick up Murdoch and as soon as I get him into my arms I hear 'Oh my god!' I have no idea what is going on my I soon do. Murdoch has had diarrhea and it is all over the car seat, all over him, and now it is all over me. Well I guess we aren't going to Nordstrom :) So I put him back in the seat with a towel between him and the seat and I try to wipe myself down. We go home (I think Andy almost threw up on the way home because of the smell) and Murdoch and I went straight into the shower. That caused a lot of crying because he hates the shower but that was just easier. So he got shower, then he wanted the sippy cup. We played for awhile and he went to bed around 4:30. We debated waking him up but decided to let him sleep.

This morning I work up to about a foot of snow and a horrible commute - definitely a day to work for home! But Murdoch slept through the night, there were no accidents overnight, and Andy said that he is eating a ton this morning so hopefully this is past us. Hopefully next weekend is a better one!

Enjoy your week!

Mom = Enabler?

Murdoch went to the doctor yesterday for his 18 month check-up. He has become a picky eater, he is a lot more clingy, and he has been waking up at night crying - not enough for us to go in but that is not his normal routine. Each of these things on their own really wouldn't mean much to me at all but all of them at once lead me to believe that something might be wrong. So for the past week when he asks to be picked up I do, when he wants a different food, he gets it, etc. I had Andy mention this to the doctor - I wanted to make sure there wasn't something physically wrong with him like an ear infection or something like that. Well apparently we are just enablers according to the doctor and though he didn't say it I think I am the bigger enabler just due to the fact of the way Murdoch acts toward me vs. Andy.

Last night when I picked him up from daycare though he screamed, cried, and threw himself on the floor I didn't carry him out. He refused to hold my hand so I held his wrist and though he screamed the whole time he walked out of daycare to the car - granted everyone was staring at us. He screamed for about 5 blocks and then it just stopped and he was perfectly happy. Okay well I survived that one. We got home and he threw himself on the ground again. I offered him food - all things no. I got out little crackers and put some spreadable cheese on them - no again. I ate them. After about 10 crackers and 10 minutes of screaming in the highchair he was asking for the crackers and other food that I had already offered and go the no. After we finished dinner we had a nice time playing and then a nice time in his room before bed - no more tantrums. Clearly I need thicker skin and I need to get through the tantrum because so far they only last 5-10 minutes which really isn't that long.

I am sure that this is something that a lot of parents go through - maybe not but I have to think there are others out there. My goal will be not to give into his every need because right now he seems to be craving attention and if I give into the screaming it just leads to more screaming. Hopefully with this new approach we will all be a lot happier after a long day at work/school. And I am hoping to learn this lesson now so that in 15-20 years I am not on Intervention saying that my picture should be in the dictionary next to enabler because Murdoch is an alcoholic or addicted to some other drug.

Pictures of Liam and the Family

Here are some more pictures! He is such a cute and perfect guy! Murdoch can't wait for him to grow up a little - he is excited that he can get his gang started!

Introducing Liam Kenneth

Karen and Hugh welcomed a new baby boy late Thursday.

Liam Kenneth
Born Feb 19,2009 at 9:41am
7lbs 13 oz 21 inches

Everyone is doing well though tired. The family went home from the hospital yesterday and I have my fingers crossed that they got some sleep - the first night home from the hospital with Murdoch was a tough one for us so we are hoping it went well for them. Of course we forgot our camera but Andy has one on his phone - I will see if he can email that to me and I will post it.

Congrats to Hugh & Karen!

Random Updates

So we went to Target last night to buy a new iron - I have looked for mine for a week and I can't find it. I am sure as soon as I open the new one and use it the old iron will come out of hiding with a drink in hand knowing that his life of manual labor is over because I think this new one is supposed to be better. While I was there I decided to get Murdoch a new toy. Frequently when I pick him up all of the kids are running around the classroom with baby strollers and Murdoch is very upset when he has to give his up and leave. So I decided why not get him one. The only one I could find, without much searching, was a pink one with a purple cloth seat. I know this needs a picture so I will try to get to that now that I am somewhat set up on a new computer. When I was checking out the early-20's guy said - Please don't tell me that is for him. And I said proudly Yes it is! I think that along with the purple Dora the Explorer chair is funny. Murdoch doesn't watch TV so he has no idea who Dora is and right now he has no idea that pink is usually loved by girls. I am thinking that a tutu is up next :) Ah the pictures we can torture our children with later in life!

On a totally different note I saw this article and I thought it was very interesting. Just a little something to read for a raining and cold Thursday - at least that is how things are looking in our part of the country.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/02/17/dying.green/index.html

New Year's Resolutions - a little late

I read this and enjoyed it, I thought you might as well. New Year's resolutions aren't my thing but this year I decided that I could actually take a calcium and iron supplement without losing too much sleep - and so far it has worked. I am trying to eat less sugar - that is my huge issue - I love sweets! So I am trying to eat them only when they are really good and find ways to cut out sugar in other things. This story is a dramatic change but I think if you just try one or two like a little less sugar and flossing your teeth you are much more likely to stick with it. How much better do you think you would look and feel if you got up in the AM and did 20 push-ups - it makes a difference after the first month. So I am trying for small life changes and when I get off track I will enjoy those 10 cookies and then the next day I will happily eat that apple.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/02/16/oprah.habit.month/index.html