Where oh where have I been...

Every time I would go online I'd see my blog (it's our homepage) and think, "I need to update this."

Then I'd say I'd do it later.

Then the task became quite daunting, so I kept putting it off.

Now I don't even know where to start.

Timeline? I think so...


12.2.10
4 month check-up
15.2lbs, 25", 43cm head (50th% for all three!)

12.6.10

Tries rice cereal and LOVES it!

12.9.10

Eli Lilly flew me to Texas to interview for a pharma sales position. Though the interview went really well, I found out on my birthday (:-/) that they ended up needing to honor some transfers so I did not get the job. While it was a huge disappointment, I'm still so grateful I have the best job in the world- Max's Mama and Ben's wife!

12.12.10

Tries squash

12.14.10

Athena's 2nd Birthday :)

12.16.10

My 28th birthday

I got a glider for Max's room!!! My Mom and I had lunch & got mani/pedis, and then Ben and I went to the Gold Class Cinema at the Arboretum... I don't think I will ever be able to watch a movie like a normal person again.

12.17.10

Tries peas

12.19.10

Tries sweet potatoes

First visit to Immediate Care with fever- diagnosed with upper respiratory and ear infection. Weighed in at 15lbs 9 oz :)

12.22.10

Made Christmas cookies with Mimi, Uncle Ryan and Grampa

12.23.10

Tries prunes

12.24.10

Christmas service at church

Annual Christmas Eve part at Gigi and Papa's house

Spent the night at Gigi and Papa's for Christmas

12.25.10

First Christmas!

Later that night, we were back to Immediate Care with what I thought was ear pain- thankfully his ears were actually looking great so it was most likely acute teething. Call me a crazy first-time Mom, but when my baby is screaming like he's never screamed before and pulling like crazy at the ear that had the infection, I'm gonna take my him to get checked out.

 Still a sweetie at the Immediate Care Center!

12.27.10

Slept from 7pm-3:30am then 4am-7:30am!!!

12.29.10

Drove up to Milwaukee for Great-Grandma Norma's Memorial Service

Met Grampa Poling's whole side of the family!

 Car ride to WI

 Dinner at PF Chang's

My handsome guys

 First time in a big kid high chair! He slid around a lot, but it was cute for the few minutes we had him in it.

 Kinda over the high-chair

But back to his happy self once Daddy started making faces :)

And that about sums up December! I'm looking forward to actually doing something tomorrow night for New Year's Eve as last year I was SO sick from being pregnant we just stayed in. Additionally, I fully intend to update more

I also want to note, for Max's sake, I'm aware I did not write his 4 month letter. Sweetie, your 4th month was awesome and I love you.
The End.

:)

Norma May Flickinger Poling: 1/3/15-11/29/10

After a long and full life, my beautiful Grandmother passed away this past week just shy of her 96th birthday. She had been relatively healthy up until September- she had a serious brain infection that caused her to have a seizure and never quite recovered.

When it was evident she needed around the clock care, my family moved her to Manor Care down here in Elgin and I am so grateful to have gotten to see her multiple times in her last few weeks.

She leaves behind her four children (my Dad was her youngest) and their spouses, 7 Grandchildren and their (our) spouses, and 15 Great-Grandchildren. She was the oldest of 5 children and her 3 sisters are still living, but her brother passed away a while back.

I am so glad she was able to celebrate Max's birth with us and that, even though he won't remember her, he still got to meet and be loved on by her. His first overnight away from home was at her house when he and I drove up there :)

Meeting Mr. Max

My Mom, Grandma and I at Max's Baby Shower

Gram at our Wedding

I love you Grandma Norma. I hope you are dancing in Heaven, fully restored and enjoying being in His presence!

Max's First Thanksgiving!

I LOVE hosting Thanksgiving at my house, and this year was all the more special with our little guy. I tried to buckle him into his high chair for the first time, but he still is a bit too small:

And that concludes the pictures I took of his first Thanksgiving. Seriously. Bad Mom.

You may notice the teething toy and "cloth" I soaked in cold water... yes, my poor little not-even-four-month-old is teething. While I am proud he's such a little over-achiever, this is one thing I hate seeing him go through... so much pain, he just cries out and looks at me like, "Mom! PLEASE make it stop!" It breaks my heart into a million tiny pieces. Hopefully this first one will come through quickly and we'll have a break before more start.

Christmas is in full swing at our house, and Max is dressing accordingly:

He also had his first meeting with the Big Guy... he wasn't in a smiley mood so I didn't buy the pictures, but I snapped this sweet one to remember the event :)

We are going to attempt to take both Max AND the dogs for their picture with Santa tomorrow night at Springhill Mall... Crazy? Yes... but totally worth it :) Pictures to come FOR SURE.