Back on Top

So, I think it's pretty safe to say that I'm not a great blogger.  Maybe I'm an okay blogger but inconsistent at best?  At any rate, for the next 5 minutes I will no longer be on the bottom of my friend Kim's blog roll.  Everytime I check in on her (via the blog) I see my name at the bottom.  Last updated: 5 months.  Last updated:  7 months.  Last updated: 9 months.  Gulp. Geesh.  So much guilt over a silly blog...

Week 52.  My tiny one is no longer tiny.  He is wiggly and busy and a chatterbox.  He is curious and fast- crawling that is.  For now, he walks slowly by himself but if you take his hands he is ready to RUN!  He is a bottomless pit.  He loves balls -especially basketballs- and trains.  He loves his Daddy and sometimes calls him Dat which always makes laugh.  He knows that Uncle Bert, Bogey, Nana and Aunt Bear mean it's time to have fun.  He gives kisses and head bonks and hugs where he pats my back.  He calls me Momma in his beautiful high pitched baby voice. He is still (and maybe forever) tied to his paci- his most favorite toy.  He calls all dogs 'kkkeee' like Zeke.  He makes my every day.  

We went to the doctor for his one year check up today.  Since he was born he has grown 9 inches and gained 14.5 lbs.  So, here we are.  Week 52.  3 days until his first birthday. 

He has made me a better person - more patient and hopefully more merciful.  Seeing Todd with him makes me love Todd even more and I didn't think that it was possible to love him any more than I already did.  

And that's where we are.  Time has flown by since my last blog but I know you guys need to catch up so here are the last 9 months in pictures...to make up for the 9 months when I didn't blog.  :)  

God bless.

Abbey

More pictures coming...soon-ish...hopefully before his 2nd birthday. :)

Hanging out with Uncle Tripp on Mother's Day.

Mother's Day.  

Playing 'ba' with 'dat'

The zoo.  Need I say more?

We couldn't get him to look at the camera.  He just wanted to see the animals. :)

April : Basketball Easter 'egg'

At his friend Dylan's birthday party.... and a little partied out I might add.

Early in the day and still going strong.

February:  SNOW!

I love those big brown eyes.

Pulling up all by himself and so proud.

Our self portrait - double chins and all. :)

He couldn't stop looking at the snow...

Ready to go play!

Still groggy but we had to see the snow.  

Baby feet (and a little bit of toe jam.  Sorry)

Trying to hide under the dining room chair.

Christmas in VA with the Leshers.

Where has the time gone?

Seriously.  How did 6 weeks goes by so quickly?  Since my last post we have spent a week in northern Virginia/Maryland with Todd's family and a week at Lake Lure, NC with my family.   Allen has found his voice.  He has started drooling- a lot.  He is trying desperately to roll over.  He went swimming for the first time.  He has decided that he doesn't like the car seat after all.  He tries to sit up whenever you lay him down.  He has finally spotted Zeke.  He is 3 months old today and has grown another inch and a half and I'm sure gained another pound.  (25 inches and about 13.5 lbs is my guess.)

I've been reflecting for the last few days on how my life has changed/what I've learned since becoming a stay at home mommy:

-painted toenails are a luxury instead of a necessity

-a trip to Target by myself feels like a day at the beach

-I start cooking dinner at around 3 in hopes that I will get to the last step before 7:30

-it takes a full month to read a magazine

-my needs come last - my boys come first

-being a stay at home mom can be a little lonely at times

-I am happier and more tired than I have ever been before

3 months in and a lifetime to go but I wouldn't trade it for the world.  Life is good at the Lesher house.  Todd and Brett both start classes again this month and I've had more chances than ever for my photography.  Finding time to edit is a challenge but I love it!  It gives me a chance to be creative and feel like the old (pre-mom) me is still in there somewhere.

Enjoy the photos from the last 6 weeks!  I'll post pictures from the trip to the lake when Carey sends them to me.

Allen with GG (Big Popi's mother) and Grammie.

Getting ready for my first time swimming at GG Wrenn's pool.

The sun was really bright but I liked it!

A little better...well, except for the hat.

Here I am.  They don't make swimming diapers for little babies so I had to wear my regular diaper.  It weighed a ton!

All of the boys having tummy time. Even Zeke!

Mommy, I know you think these shoes are cut but I don't like them!

Todd and Allen with his cousin Shannan and her little girl Zoey at the Leshers in VA.

Zoey stole my paci.

And then tried to put it back in my eye. :)

Allen and his Gram Spratt.

Enjoying a meal with Aunt Molly and the Biddelmans (Todd's cousin Shannan, her husband Jason and their little girl Zoey)

Three generations of smiling Lesher boys.  Allen, Big Popi and Todd.

Allen and Pop Lesher.  Pop was singing him the Missouri Waltz.  

Week 6

Week 6 started off with Allen's one month check up with Dr. Anne.  Our little man is weighing in at 10 lbs 15 oz and 22 inches long.  WOW! I thought we may have to get one shot but she said we were close enough to his 2 month check up to go ahead and get 3.  Great.  I'm not sure who cried more - me or Allen.  I hated that he had to feel pain for the first time.  Thank goodness Todd was there to hold him and comfort me. What would I do without him??

The doctor warned me that Allen may be a little fussy and run a low grade fever but that he would feel better the next day.  He woke up from his nap that day screaming like he had just had another shot - and he cried all afternoon.  I held him for the better part of 3 1/2 hours that day.  So maybe ' a little fussy' was an understatement... maybe.  By Wednesday he was feeling much better.  

On Tuesday my college roommate Dorothy and her family came to visit and to see Allen for the first time.  Sweet Taylor Grace tried to steal Allen's pacifier and wasn't so sure what to think about her Mommy and Daddy holding another baby but we had a great visit. I can't wait to do it again.

On Friday, we went to my grandparents house for our annual 4th of July pool party and cook out.  This is one of my favorite holidays because...well, i heart fireworks.  We had to skip them this year but I can't wait until next year.  

On Saturday we went to church and dropped Allen off in the nursery for the second time.  I did get paged but by the time I got there he was asleep.  He is such a good baby! (Of course, in true Allen fashion, he's crying every time I write about what a good baby he is.)
That's it from us this week...it's not very insightful but for now it will have to do.  Hopefully in a few more weeks this blog will be more about lesson learned but for now we pretty much repeat the same 3 hours over and over again.  Kind of a perpetual state of deja vu. 

Enjoy the pictures!

Like my outfit?  My Aunt Carey bought it for me.  I'm so sure about the collar though...

The Post shots shot.  

Taylor Grace going for Allen's paci.

Momma Lesh, Allen, Roommate, and Taylor Grace 

Sophisticated Guy Time

The beginning of probably many bad habits.

Furrowed Cuteness

The Great Mat of Stimulation

The Sleeping Swing

Week 5 - Daddy's home...

but he has a cold. Allen and I waited and waited for Todd to come home from Pittsburgh on Saturday only to find that he has a cold and can't snuggle his little boy. It's hard for me becaue that means he can't help me take care of Allen but it's harder for Todd. I know if I had been gone for a week I would just want to kiss him and talk to him and snuggle him to make up for lost time. Allen is growing and changing so much right now and I'm sure that Todd sees it more than I do since I'm with Allen all day every day.

This is just a short post to ask you guys to please pray that Todd will get over his cold quickly and that Allen and I will won't get it. We're washing hands like crazy around here and probably keeping purell in business.

There is good news in all of this: Allen is taking a nap in his crib right now - a place his Nana calls 'the wake up place' because his eyes usually pop open when you lay him in there. It's the little things that keep us going right now. Thank you God that Allen is napping in his crib and that Todd is off today and can nap in the bed.

Zeke is hiding under the desk due to the thunderstorm outside so I think I'll make my way over to the couch, turn on Oprah and try to snooze for 15 minutes. Wait...was that a cry I heard from the wake up place? Oh well. Thankful in the little things, right? Thanks God for 25 minutes of peace and quiet. It was lovely...

A crazy few weeks...

Mommies have told me that the days go by so fast with a newborn. As I type, Allen is 4 1/2 weeks old and growing like a weed...and crying in the background despite Grammie Pam's fabulous bouncing skills. 8:30pm seems to be his breaking point each and every night - the time of total exhaustion and ravenous hunger when no one but Mommy will do. I am baffled that I have the ability to comfort him like that. Baffled! But I love that I can make his whole world better just by snuggling him.

Let's see, week 3 was spent trying to keep the house as cool as possible while the temperatures outside were climbing up past 100. It's stressful to have such a little one when it's so hot outside. Carey and I ventured out to the mall only to find it wasn't much cooler there. Such a disappointment.

The 'highlight' of week 4 was my exit interview at church. As of June 30th, I am officially a stay at home Mom. WOOHOO! I know it will mean that we cut back on things that have felt important in the past but Allen has definitely changed our perspective on what is important. I do really miss the ladies I worked with though. They are such great friends!

And now, week 5. Unfortunately, Todd misssed his first Father's Day and Allen's one month birthday because he has been in Pittsburgh with the high school students. I've talked to him every day and he is having a great week with the kids despite missing his little buddy like crazy. His family has been here helping me with Allen --which has been a huge blessing. I don't know what we would do without our families. They so love our little boy. This week has been a challenge for me. It's been hard to share my husband with the students that we both love so much. I selfishly (selfishly for Allen and I ) wanted him home with us. Nana (my mom) and I keep telling Allen that he can't do anything new or grow this week so his Daddy won't miss anything. 2 more days to go until he's home and I can't wait. I feel like Todd does for me what I do for Allen- make the world right again.

Enjoy the pictures of our little man. He's growing so fast!

Bath time is a huge hit at our house these days!

Rubber ducky, you're the one...

Me and my Daddy before he left for Pittsburgh. Our heads are the same shape. See?

Mommy makes me wear this silly hat when I go outside.

This is me telling her what Daddy and I think about the hat!

Sitting with Aunt Molly and wearing tye-dye.  Thanks for the shirts, Becca!

Week 2

Week 2 was a busy week at the Leshers.  We went over to PawPaw and GG's on Memorial Day for his first big Wrenn family gathering.  Uncle Brett moved in on Thursday.  He'll be living with us while he works on his Masters degree at Winthrop University in Rock Hill SC (about 30 minutes away.)  Allen Miller came to visit and meet his namesake and on Friday Little Allen went to his first rehearsal dinner and wedding at just 13 days old.  And then, for a big finish, Uncle Tripp (my brother) came up from Charleston to meet his nephew.  It was a packed out couple of days!

Todd was back at work this week for almost full days so my mom and sister came every day to make sure that I was able to shower and rest and continue to recover from surgery.   I couldn't have done it without them!

Overall, Allen slept well, ate well and gained back all of his weight (plus some) like a champ.  We can't believe how lucky we are to have a healthy little boy.  There are no words...

Right after his first bath - he didn't love it but he didn't hate it either.  Guess we'll have to wait and see how bath #2 goes.

My boys- fast asleep.  Todd couldn't wait to come home every day and hang out with his little buddy.

A special visit from the groom the day before the wedding.  Congratulations Carter and Megan!

Waiting to go in to the reception with Lucy, Michelle, Kathleen and Prue.  Prue was a life saver during the rehearsal dinner and reception.

Little Allen, Big Allen and Todd

Prue, Allen, little Allen and us at Carter's wedding in Concord.

Uncle Tripp and Aunt Bear (Carey) --my brother and sister look so much alike!

Great Winnie loves Allen!