Almost there!

GRRR!!! So I had this whole post typed out last night when blogger decided to stop working! Did it save ANY of it? Of course not! The one time I didn't copy before submitting and this is what happens!

So here it goes again-

Cohen is so close to walking he can taste it! He has been walking with assistance for a few months but had this complex about letting go. He would freestand for a while but as soon as he realized it or wanted to go somewhere, he would slowly lower himself to the ground. He loved to push things around and would move chairs all day long. At any given time, our barstools and dining chairs were virtually all over the kitchen and dining room. The 2 things that prevented them from being everywhere else is the baby gate and the carpet in the living room.

All of that changed literally 2 days ago. First he figured out how to stand from the seated position without help from anyone or anything. Then he laughed that he had done it and started taking steps. He was laughing so hard he fell down...but right back up he went. Every time he does it, he is giggling. It is so cute! Last night at Braedon' soccer practice, he went crazy! He took about 10 steps before he fell and kept getting up again. I was surprised at how long it took him to resort to crawling. He is seriously FAST when he crawls which is why it is taken him so long to try to walk. I have no doubt in my mind that by next weeks practice, he will be running all over the field!

This is an exciting milestone but at the same time, I know what having a walker is like and I have not been looking forward to it. Walking brings a whole new aspect to things. I am just thankful he wasn't an early walker like Braedon who walked at 7 months...no joke!

Where oh where have I been?

Life has a way of getting the best of you. I haven't blogged in a month! :O It has been crazy busy around here and there were so many times that I said "Oh man this needs to go in my blog" then the event came and went.

I am back in school now and 2 weeks away from finishing my second class. I am proud to say that I finished my first class with a 99.3% and I am on my way to a very similar grade in my current class though it is so much harder. Who knew a healthcare ethics class would be so challenging? It is really making me think about my own ethics and how I would handle situations if/when I become a nurse.

Chris is doing great at work and is getting a 20% raise! He has been approached a few times about stepping into a management role and we have discussed what is best for our family. It is a step in the right direction but management doesn't get overtime which is our bread and butter at the moment. I would love for him to not have to work overtime but on the flip side, it is what allows me to stay home with the boys.

Braedon has been doing much better with the herbs he's on and the new diet. However, the last week has been rough. He is falling into old habits and of course, now we know it isn't anything other than him chosing to not make "smart choices" (per the school's wording). I am starting to wonder if he is challenging us in a way to see how far it will go. He has been grounded since last Tuesday and continues to challenge us. We also have a parent-teacher conference tonight.

Cohen is continuing to thrive and learn so much. No, he isn't "walking" yet though he could. He just won't let go and is afraid of falling. He also knows he is much faster when he crawls. He has also turned into quite the dare devil. He knows how to climb on the couch and likes to "throw" himself into the pillows after Braedon has stacked them up. We line the floor of the couch with additional pillows to help with the falls but now he intentionally falls off and laughs when he hits the floor. He is quite the little boy!

Since the boys' birthdays are 5 days apart, we had 1 big party for them a couple weeks ago at the park down the street. We reserved a ramada near the playground and BBQ. We also rented a bounce house which was a major hit with the kids and had a pinata. We were lucky that it wasn't triple digits like the weekend before and that it didn't rain as anticipated. It was very very windy so most of the decorations didn't last and we didn't even bother with the balloons. The general concensus was at least the sun wasn't beating down! The boys were spoiled as anticipated and we still have to go through the play room to make room for the new stuff.

They both had their check ups as well. Braedon came in at 47" and 52# up 6" and 10# from last year! Cohen came in at 31" and 21#. They are both healthy growing boys!