O-MAMA

We have had a fun week although all three of us are fighting off being sick and at this point it seems like Zach and I are losing the fight. The nursery attendant at church today told me that Zach didn't want any goldfish! If you know him you know that means he is definitely sick. We all enjoyed watching Tuesday's events on TV all day. We were thinking of going down to the National Mall to experience it all since we are so close, but when nap time rolled around that day I was very thankful that we were home and not standing on The Mall among 1.something million people. Zach loved cheering for Obama on TV all day and everytime his face would show up Zach would yell, "OMAMA!" Experience it yourself by watching the video! 

Zach has a new best friend, Ba! Quite a creative name don't you think. BA BA is the sound he makes for dogs barking so now he calls his little blue dog "Ba." Ba comes everywhere with us and his nose is getting very dirty from all of the sloppy kissed he gets each day. Zach loves to make sure Ba is happy all day so we comfortably set him up in the crib under the blankets so he can nap while Zach plays with other toys. He also likes to set Ba up in his rocking chair with a book to make sure he doesn't get bored. The other night he sat Ba up so that he could watch the fire and then decided he would sit next to him to watch as well. So sweet! 

We have a fun new development these days and that is that Zach now recognizes letters on the signs as we are driving around town and calls them out with great excitement. I was driving around the parking lot of Fitness First the other day looking for a parking spot (because it is January remember...a few more weeks and parking shouldn't be a problem again) and Zach starting yelling "F" "I" "T"! I couldn't believe it! I was one proud Mama! I mean it is one thing when I am chasing him around the house with magnetic letters, but to recognize them on his own completely out of context! Wow! Now its what we do everyday! We drive down the street yelling letters and trying to be the first one to spot the digger or the trash truck! I will tell you one thing, I am blessed to be that little boy's mommy!

And the letter of the week is...

*Note* Before watching, be sure to pause the blog music at the bottom of the page so you can hear Zach's sweet little voice. 

Zach has been getting really into learning his letters. There are quite a few that he knows now and it is really exciting to watch him learn new things. Enjoy the little video where he is performing some of his skills. I could only get him to talk about two letters before he wanted to hold the camera himself though. We have had a great week and he is recovering nicely from his surgery. We went in for a check up this week and the Dr. said everything was healing perfectly. So glad that one is behind us! I have started classes again so Andy and Zach are getting their boy time which they both loved. It was so nice to see how happy they both were after getting time together on Wednesday afternoon! One cute story to leave you with. The background on this one is that he has a CD of the music from Vacation Bible School last summer that he loves and listens to while dancing in his room everyday. He calls the CD "Power" as that is one of the main words in the first song.   So at his gym class they turn on the bubble machine at the end of class, put on some music and have a dance party. All of the kids were dancing and Zach came running over to me yelling POWER...apparently he didn't like the song they had chosen and wanted to dance to VBS music instead! 

We Were So Brave

Well, I should admit that Zach was braver than Andy and I were. He had surgery this week to repair an inguinal hernia. The Drs. said it was a very simple surgery, but since he had to go under general anethesia we were pretty anxious. He did so well and it was so obvious by how smoothly everything went that there were so many people praying for him. So if you were one of them...thank you! 

Here he is before he went in. We had to wear the garb too as we were able to go back with him into the OR until he fell asleep. He laid in my lap while I rocked him and we sang the ABC's (his favorite song at the moment). The worst part was when he was asleep we laid him on the table and walked out of the room. 

I guess Andy was too cool for the OR hat. Zach's least favorite part of the day was the hospital bracelet they made him wear. He hated that thing! He wanted it off and was willing to do almost anything to make that happen. He was not impressed by the fact that I was wearing one to match!

The surgery only lasted about a 1/2 an hour. Felt more like 1/2 a week! They brought us in while he was still asleep and as soon as he woke up I was able to pick him up and cuddle with him in the rocking chair. The nurses gave him some apple juice which he loved (not something he gets very often) and a cute stuffed duck. He was much more excited about the apple juice. 

He has been doing great and is healing quickly. The only problem is that he is not supposed to play too rough or do anything where he may hurt himself. Not so easy! It is everything I can do to keep him from swinging from the chandeliers. Thanks again for all of your prayers, and encouraging notes and messages. We felt so loved! 

Am I really about to do this?

Yes I am! I realize we have all moved on from Christmas by this point but I just had to get these Christmas pictures up here. We had a wonderful Christmas morning at our house. We even let Andy out of the house for a run while Zach and I took a walk around the lake. We went up Aunt Ginny and Uncle Blackie's house in Hagerstown for the evening and had a delicious and festive dinner with lots of family. We are so thankful to be living in Maryland so that we can celebrate Christmas with lots of extended family even though we aren't in Colorado with everyone else. 

We did get to go to CO the next day for a week and had a wonderful trip! Enjoy the pictures. 

Zach's stocking. You may notice that one of the angels on the mantle is missing a head. After doing three Christmas Eve services on his own this year (good job Andy!) he came home and beheaded an angel while filling Zach's stocking! 

That sneaky Santa came all the way into the kitchen and left magnetic letters on the fridge. "Cool!" says Zach. 

Goldfish in the stocking??? Santa must really love Zach!

Even Maggie thinks that some of Zach's Christmas toys are kind of cool!

A new dust pan and broom for my neat and tidy little guy who loves to clean!

The ABC's are a favorite in our house these days.

Reading the new digger book in the new green chair-Thanks Grandma! 

This chair really came in handy during surgery recovery time. 

A new digger from Jackson!

Hurry daddy Hurry! I can't wait to get my hands on that motorcycle!

Steven: Zach tormented this poor little guy, chasing him all over the house. Its fun to have a dog just his size!

Thanks for the fire truck uncle Berkeley, or as Zach calls it, the "wadder"