I am so sorry to have been MIA for TWO Thankful Thursday posts! It's a first! I know you've been worried. I'm actually surprised that I didn't have any police officers show up at my door to follow up on a missing persons report. I'm sure you were just about to pick up the phone and call them.
Well, rest assured. I'm here. We're alive and well. We've just been crazy busy. I feel embarrassed and am kicking myself for not being able to keep this ball in the air (and my other blog, which is actually farther behind than this one), but something had to give! I'm a little amazed that I was able to stay on top of writing with a newborn, but yet somehow the events of the past month kept me from it. Regardless, I'm back. And long overdue for an update, so here goes:
The weekend after my grandmother's funeral, we left for New Smyrna Beach with David's family. Usually about 40+ people go, but this year it was just his grandmother's family branch (as opposed to his grandmother's brothers' and sisters' branches) so there were about 15 of us. We flew down and Audrey began running a fever the afternoon of our arrival. It lasted the first three days, cleared up for two days, and then she had a runny nose and cough for the last two days. She didn't sleep great every night, but she acted and ate relatively normal. Even still, we did take it easy and didn't venture out as much for fear of her getting overheated or dehydrated.
I spent almost every one of her nap times working on a slide show for her birthday party. I had planned to finish on Monday and spend the rest of the week writing, reading, and relaxing, but it just didn't work out that way. I'll spare you the boring details, but let's just say that it's almost impossible to make a DVD of pictures that can be played on a DVD player (without compressing the pictures and with music) using a PC. I tried everything. I literally spent hours upon hours working on the thing and by the end of the week, there was still no slide show. Incredibly frustrating. David's parents ended up taking the files home on an SD card and using their nephew's Mac to put it together for us. Next year, we'll start with that or send it to Uncle B to do.
We returned on Saturday and David started coming down with her virus that night. Originally we thought her issue might have been teething because she cut four teeth while we were down there, but then when David got sick we deemed it a virus. It may have been a combo of both. Regardless, he mustered up enough energy to celebrate her actual birthday and Father's Day the next day. We kept it relatively low key, which was nice. I got him breakfast from McDonald's and we made pancakes for Audrey. I/AJ gave him a new outfit (clothes are a Father's Day requirement, I think) and an order receipt for a new iPhone (it was a joint Father's Day/Anniversary present.) When she went down for her morning nap, I took off to the grocery store and David put together the Cozy Coupe car we'd gotten her. After she woke up and ate lunch, we surprised her with it and took it out for a spin around the neighborhood. She loved it! We spent the afternoon playing and then when she took her second nap, David watched golf while I fixed him a big dinner and baked a homemade cake for Audrey. After dinner, at her official birth time of 7:29pm, we sang Happy Birthday to our baby girl and let her dive in it. She wasn't a huge fan, which I think was partly my baking and partly the unfamiliar texture of the icing. We cleaned her up and then went out for another car ride around the cul-de-sac. We came in and began our nightly ritual of bath, story, and devotion/prayers then I nursed her and tucked her in. All day we'd been reminiscing over the way we spent the day a year prior. We congratulated ourselves for surviving and thanked God for our healthy, happy one year old.
I'll fast forward through the next week with a quick recap of events: Audrey had her one year check-up (healthy at 20lbs 6oz and 29 3/4" long) and shots, I did some major errand running for the party including FIVE trips JoAnn's and three trips to Wolf Camera, she had her first haircut (she did great and didn't cry at all! It took me a few days, but I like it and am glad we got rid of the mullet) and first Stride Rite shoe fitting, I got a haircut and shopped for party outfits for both me and David, and made 40 chocolate butterfly pretzel molds. Then more party prep. And unpacking. And assembling centerpieces and favors. And spray painting various things. And 18 loads of laundry. (From the trip, not the spray painting.) Etc.
On Friday we packed up the car (to the point where I had to sit cross-legged it was so full) and drove to David's parents' house where the party was going to be the next day. We got there late afternoon and began setting up. On top of opening up their home for this event, they had put in countless hours to make sure everything looked great and that their home was ready for our guests and guest of honor. Then, they kept Audrey occupied while I completely took over the place! They sure do love us.
Now I know I've got you on the edge of your seat waiting to hear how the biggest party of the year went, but it's getting late and I'm going to have to leave that cliff hanger unanswered a little longer. I should be able to write about it tomorrow, but if not, I do promise it won't be another two weeks until you hear from me. Good Lord willing and the creek don't rise, that is.
Until then, my thankfulness this Thursday will mostly be a summary of the events previously detailed in this post plus a couple extra (what can I say? I have a lot to be thankful for!):
1. Our healthy ONE YEAR OLD precious daughter and all that she, her Daddy, and I have survived and thrived under since her arrival.
2. New milestones that help me cope with Audrey's growing up. When you're excited about first haircuts and shoe fittings and teaching her how to blow kisses, there's hardly any time to be sad over how quickly it's all happening!
3. David. Who is not only an amazing husband, but a wonderful Daddy. He's never once had a "that's a mom's job" attitude about anything when it comes to Audrey and he's always so willing to step up. Plus, he wasn't even upset that I couldn't top last year's Father's Day gift (of a daughter).
4. A safe, fun trip with family. It may not have gone exactly as I would have liked, but the time spent with family and the beautiful scenery change was much appreciated.
5. An amazing birthday party for Audrey that went as perfectly as I had planned. That's all you're getting for now - You'll just have to check back soon for the details!
6. Sweet friends of ours who are relocating to a new state next week. I have shared so much with this fellow first-time Mom, who has patiently answered my never-ending questions about nursing, schedules, naps, and countless other things. We have logged miles and miles around the mall since Audrey was just a month old and laughed over every possible rookie Mom mishap you can have. She was the one who introduced me to the Thursday morning Bible Study group, which came at a time when I couldn't have needed it more. I will forever treasure your friendship, SR, and am praying for you and your precious family!
7. My sister-in-law, Kim, whose birthday is tomorrow. She is another first-time Mom all-star in my life and I'm so grateful to have her to empathize with and share "is that normal?" stories. Better yet, it's great to have her to laugh with over the "we're not normal" stories. No one could be better suited for my brother and I'm glad she's so willing to
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