Happy Easter!

I wish I could say it was a long 40 days and 40 nights, but lent this year was different for me.  Because I gave up so much to breastfeed, I didn't give up anything else up for lent.  However, with the end of lent came the end of breastfeeding.  I was sad, but yet relieved to be done.  With my work schedule and amount I was producing, I knew the end was near.  I'm glad Easton likes the formula so well, that helped!  I'm glad I was able to give him the BEST milk for 6 months, some Mom's don't get past the first couple days ;)

Back to the importance of this great Holiday.  Easter is a day of celebration because it represents the fulfillment of our faith as Christians. Through his death, Christ saved us from sin. But it is His Resurrection that gives us the promise of new life, both in this world and the next. I'm so thankful that he died for us, because I'm so grateful to have my life and those in it!

We traveled to West Bend on Saturday night after Mark got off work, to spend time with my Grandma Joan.  On Sunday more relatives made the trip, and we all celebrated with a wonderful Dinner! Easton and I both spent our 1st Easter in West Bend which I think is pretty cool ;)   He seemed interested in his Easter basket (as interested as a 6 month old can be).  He was spoiled by the bunny this year, he's all set for Spring/Summer!  Hope you all had a blessed Easter, we sure did!

Happy Easter!

2nd cousins

Cousins

Carmen, Marty, Grandma and Dad

Chocolate bunny?!? Good thing it's fake ;)

6 months old

Our sweet little boy is already 6 months old! I think the hardest part is that the first 6 months went sooo fast, and if the next 6 go JUST as fast, he'll be turning 1!! Now I know what people meant when they say "they grow up way too fast", because they really do!

You want me to hold this sign?......

This is what I think of your sign Mom.....

Hahahah :)

Saturday morning coffee in Sioux Falls

I can remember many Saturday mornings spent with my Mom and our friends.  They had coffee almost every weekend.  We would rotate between houses and enjoy donuts, rolls, muffins, or Mom's famous coffee cake!  I'm still friends with those gals, so I guess when you start a bond early, it will last a lifetime!  When I lived in Sioux Falls my friends and I would get together frequently and do the same thing.  Easton and I were both excited to enjoy good company & coffee this past Saturday morning!

Stella & Easton

(Makes me laugh that his face looks bigger than hers!)

Opland was showing Easton some games on the kindle ;)

Happy Baby!

Easton has continued to be a happy baby through so much lately! He has been fighting an ear infection since we got back from Colorado.  I picked him up from daycare on 3/27 and they told me he just wasn't himself all day.  He ran a fever 99.7 throughout the day.  His cough was a little worse too (which they said cough & congestion accompanies most ear infections).  He didn't seem interested in eating or playing, just wanted to be held or swing.  Poor baby :(  They also mentioned that there were a lot of kids out this week with respiratory illnesses (RSV).  I took him to the clinic right away! He was tested for RSV, but it was negative! Thank goodness.  He did however still have an ear infection :( I guess the antibiotic wasn't strong enough.  So he's on a second string of antibiotics, and I'm hoping that this kicks that nasty bacteria!  Unfortunetly, I'm also on my second antibiotics for the same reasons.  We are really hoping that the warm weather sticks around, and the meds work!!  One positive thing from his doctor appointment, we found out he weighs 20 lbs! Such a big boy ;)

By the looks of these pictures, you wouldn't know he's sick!  He's such a good tempered little boy :)

This was the morning of 3/27, wish he could talk and say "Mom, lets stay home today, I'm not feeling very well!"

Cam & Easton, Palm Sunday after Church.

He loves to sit and play!

H2O

Easton had his first sips of water and seemed to like it! He did really well with his cup, knew that he wanted to suck on it, just took some help to know where!  It made me realize I should have been giving it to him sooner, but oh well.  I think he enjoys chewing on it the most!  I won't be surprised when a tooth pops through!! He's been a drooling King for so long, it's got to be coming anyday! ;)

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Cori, Cameron and I ran the 1 mile St. Patty's Day Race in Sioux Falls on Saturday.  Very proud to report that we did it with no walking in a time of 11:35!  We were thinking 10-12 minutes so we were happy with our time.  The temps could have been better, but the 32 degrees was do-able.  I'm very proud of Cameron, and shocked at myself!  I haven't run since before I got pregnant and I didn't train at all.  I just kept telling myself, it's only a mile. I am looking forward to getting into shape to continue my races this summer.  Next one will be a 5K in May, that I will have to train for I know I can't run 3 miles without walking ;)

We went to the Fireman's dance in Rock Rapids on Saturday night.  Had a nice steak dinner at the VFW and good conversation with friends.  We arranged our first paid sitter from 7 PM-midnight and it went well!  She did great and Easton was sound asleep in his bed when we got home. 
On St. Patrick's Day we went to church and enjoyed simple things at home.  Easton had green beans in honor of the "green" holiday and he seemed to like them! I haven't found a food he doesn't like, which is awesome.  I snapped this photo right after church, my two loves in their green :)

I don't think flying, running in the cold or just the month in general has been good to my family in terms of health.  First Easton comes down with an ear infection last week (still coughing) and Mark and I have been fighting a cold for over a month now.  How to distinquish the common cold from an actual infection is hard.  But today I bit the bullet and went to the doctor.  I had so much ear pain the last two days, accompanied with sinus pressure I knew I had an ear infection.  Sure enough I had it all : ear infection, sinus infection, bronchial infection- yuck! I got two shots on the spot so hopefully that does it.  I am making Mark go in today because I think our fmaily has just been passing it back and forth to each other.  Here's to SPRING and warm temperatures :)

First trip to Acute Care

We got Easton home on Monday, gave him a bath and got him ready for bed. He slept great, but woke up doing the same thing he had been for a coupe days.  Coughing, pulling on his ear and starting to get a sore throat.  Tuesday at daycare when I picked him up they said he hasn't been himself.  Didn't eat much & pulled on his ear.  The mentioned "ear infection" and I (first time Mom) chalked it up to teething.  But once I got home I decided to google signs and symptoms of ear infections.  Sure enough I thought he had one.  It was after 5 PM so the clinic in town was closed, we got in the truck and met Daddy at the acute care in Sioux Falls. I'm glad we went, hopefully he starts feeling better. Got some meds and lots of love and care and hopefully that will be the trick ;)

You woudn't know he was sick, he slept the whole way up to SF and in the waiting room! Poor peanut :)

Easton has landed- Colorado

Easton was a champ!  He slept through every night, started to nap after day one, and enjoyed all his company.  His Grandparents were delighted to see him and were shocked at how much he had grown since Thanksgiving! We were lucky to see so many friends and family on our trip.  We got to experience both climates of Colorado, beautiful 68 degrees on Thursday and 9 inches of snow on Saturday :) We had a great trip! Looking forwad to going back this summer.   As you can see I am not a photographer.  We don't have many pictures from our little vacay, but here are a couple. 

Love the snow covered mountains!

Lunch with cousin Kelsey

Play date with friend Teddy

Busy jumpin' at Grandma's house!

First Flight

I was so anxious to fly with Easton, I stressed about it for weeks!  I learned a lot and feel like the next time around I know exactly what to bring!!

Lesson 1.  Skip the rice cereal- I wanted to keep him on his schedule as best as I could, so I packed rice cereal to eat in the SF airport for supper, bad idea.  One swipe of the hand, and it was all over. 
Lesson 2.  I realized that they don't care how much breastmilk or formula you bring, you just have to WAIT forever to get through security so they can check it all.  FSD airport wasn't so bad, but DIA was another story.
Lesson 3.  Suck up to the flight attendants.   They all seemed to think Easton was a sweeite, even when he was fussing :) We were seated in the very last row on they way out and way back.  It worked out ok, I got to stand up and rock him until we had to sit down.  When we landed it took forever to get off, but I was able to stand in the back again.
Lesson 4.  Teething baby & airplanes don't mix.  We ended up with an ear infection the day after we got home :(

But really the flight went well, Easton did better on the way out than the way home.  But I think the ear infection started on Saturday night.  And by Monday on the flight home he had enough.  He was still decent, but more fussy than he ever is. 

Here are a couple pictures.  They didn't turnout very good, but keep in mind it was dark on the plane the the flash kind of scared them both!! :)   I'm sure the guy next to Mark wanted to punch me for taking them.

The Baby Bjorn was a lifesaver.  On the way home we turned him the other way!  He loves it :)

Easton's Fan Club

I had an afternoon appointment in Sioux Falls to get my hair done.  I had arranged for my friend Dayna to watch Easton.  She said her kids would love it!  Much to our dismay, the weather didn't cooperate.  I ended up running to SF over my lunch hour, but Dayna called me late afternoon and said that her kids were so sad he wasn't coming over, that I'd have to stop by! This little story melts my heart :) - She asked her little boy how his day at school went, and he said, "it wasn't very good, but at least I get to play with Easton today!" 
So needless to say we made a pit stop and had a play date.  They even envited friends over that afternoon, knowing Easton would be there! I love that all these kiddos are in love with my babe, they will make excellent babysitters in the years ahead :)