One year ago today..

One year ago today I was blessed to welcome a sweet little boy into my arms.  Since that day I have learned more about life than I could have imagined.  I was telling someone last night that every cliche thing people say about having children is true, but the truest of all is the saying "having a child will change your life forever."  Not only does it change your life, but it teaches you all of the best things about life.  Archer has taught me more about myself and how to live than any old wise man could.  Live simply and live happily!  I remember shortly after Archie was born Colin went away for the weekend to play some shows.  There was some band drama etc and Colin came home, scooped up Archer and said, "this is JOY, this is what life is about."  It's true.  Life is still good---and our buddy boy reminds us of that.  Everyday is about trying to have fun.  You always hear people say that after they have a baby they almost instantly "don't remember what we did before the baby."  SOOOO TRUE...we have no idea what we used to do, besides get a whole bunch of sleep!  

Last night we welcomed lots of our best friends into town and Colin suggested having a conversation about what we have all learned in the past year.  We have a best friend from Washington that recently got divorced, some best friends that just recently got married, we had a kid, and our other best friends just finished school/are on the brink of deciding what to do and where to go.  We haven't had the conversation yet, but I asked Colin what he has learned.  He said, "that I don't matter."  He didn't mean it in the pity party way, he meant it in the way that having kids is always putting someone before you...a very humbling experience indeed!!!  

Ok, party is on, birthday boy just woke up from his nap!!!

Needless to say, having a kid is the best thing I have done all year, and the most rewarding thing I have done to date (blah blah cliche cliche), but thank god for the lessons I have learned! 

new words...

Today Archer started saying three new words...

"Hot" which is "aut"
"Yuck" which is "ut"
and my personal favorite "Ouch" which is "out"

there is something beyond adorable in seeing a little, not even walking, baby bump into something and say, "out" while looking at you with a furrowed brow...

Colin went to New Orleans for the Saints game today and had a blast, at least I think he did--he got home from the game at about 6:15pm, and I scooted out of the door around 6:25pm for work. I missed Colin like he had been on tour for two months today, it was weird. I always enjoy having him around (unless Archer is napping---then I LOVE alone/quiet time) but today was Sunday, and a football day, and it felt beyond wrong not to have Colin in the kitchen cooking chicken wings with the game on our little TV way too loud! There is something to be said for the whole "opposites attrack" theory---that man continues to blow my mind daily.

I will work Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, and then we will prepare for the arrival of guests on Thursday and Friday, CELEBRATE Archer's birthday on Friday, and then have his party on Saturday!!! HORRAY!

Archer continues to crawl to just about every window in the house looking for his "biph", which if if he is in the back of the house he can see in the garage....it has rained now for about 3-4 days and he is having a horrible time adjusting to no biph rides---therefore, I took him out yesterday and today in the drizzle...not enjoyable for me but seeing him happy made me happy so it worked!

We got him a few fun things for his birthday-and Grandma Jo pitched in and helped up buy him a "Cozy and Tidy Cottage" which has a mailbox, doorbell, and telephone. I have a feeling that he is going to LOVE it and that his cottage in the backyard will compete with biph rides!

If you are reading this and wanting to get Archer something for his birthday and wondering what to get (since I have had several inquiries) the follow are some ideas:

*Clothes (even though his fall wardrobe is fattening up-size 18-24 months (if it is short sleeves I would get 24 months, he will be able to wear it over long sleeves in the winter and it will still fit when summer hits---hopefully)

*Shoes-size 4, or size 18-24 months

*Books and CD's. We have a CD in the car that we listen to NONSTOP--and in fact when he starts fussing in the car we play it and he generally stops. HE LOVES TO READ (board books).

*Art supplies. Crayons, paints, brushes, canvas, etc.

*Anything else you think he would enjoy! He really likes pretty much everything. A couple of weeks ago we went to his girlfriend Eliza's bday party and he loved everything she got, in fact, he was REALLY into her presents!!!

Archer has blond CURLS at the nape of his neck, that get REALLY curly outside, and A CURL ON THE TOP OF HIS HEAD!!! He looks like a cupee doll. :)

One week from One...

Oh my dear Archie boy...

My how time flies (I instantly have tears in my eyes...)!!!  I am not "sad" that you my sweet boy are going to now be a "toddler" but soooo thrilled that I am mama to such a wonderful boy.  Everything you do, and everything about it is something to be adored by your daddy and I.  Often times I worry about you when you are grown up, and about you making the right decisions-but your dad reminds me that you cannot rebel against true love---and son YOU ARE LOVED!  Just tonight we took our Friday night bike ride to Zippy's burrito shop like we have been doing for the past few months.  We sat and watched you the entire time while you "acted a fool" and did anything you could to make us laugh....anything!  The best part is-you know you are funny.  It seems like more and more you do things to make us laugh and if we don't notice--you laugh for us!  I love your sense of humor and the fact that you are always looking for a good laugh or a way to light up the room!  Tonight at dinner you were also eyeing the lady in the booth next to us.  You were laughing and smiling with her and to see the joy in her heart that you had caused just about made me lose it!  You are the sweetest/happiest little soul.  At one point during your dinner "ham it up" session your dad and I caught each others glance (yes, for a moment all attention was diverted away from you--perhaps this is when you made initial contact with the cute girl next to us)-and it was magical.  The two of us made one happy little you!  There are times where you are in the other room and I hear your laughter (for some reason hitting Jonezy..softly...makes you laugh hysterically).  Boy oh boy of mine, you melt me!

New things this month:  not much stepping action, you def. prefer to crawl and almost resist any motivation to walk.  You say several things, lets see: mommom, meme, dada, dad, or daddy, Jonezy (Ja ja), UP (which means up, out, done, etc) and is super cute because you are uhP, bike (which is biph...the ph sound instead of k), duck (dut), dog, bye bye, just tonight I asked if you were ready to go night night and you said "ni ni", book bath and every other random thing that starts with "b" is ba, ball ball ball, "bob" when you want a sippy cup, you shake your head no for things you know you aren't supposed to do, and when daddy tells the dogs to "get out" of the kitchen while we are eating you LOVE to replay his actions by pointing your finger and saying "ge  ut".  You are still signing eat, more, bath, brush teeth, finished, etc.  MR. SMARTY PANTS!  There are several other things you do that clue us in to your intelligence-like your love for reading...well "reading".   You crawl into your room at any given time and simply sit and flip through book after book-always oriented the correct way, in fact we test you!  While you read you will call out things in the picture, balls, dogs, etc.  Other times when you cannot say what you are looking at you simply read the book "apica pica pica".

Just tonight I was nursing you to sleep and thought I was going to melt away.  Holding you there in my arms so snuggley and warm---is bliss!  You boy are about to be a TODDLER and I cannot wait for all of the fun we have ahead of us!!!  

I love you so much.

-Your mom mom.

Cloth diaper report to follow...

For now---this is our stash (I think we have about 17-18 diapers total--and hopefully that is IT!)

Smarty Pants McGee...

Baby signing is super cool---and funny! We have been signing to Archer for awhile, but never very consistently...until we realized that we would like for him to be able to communicate in ways other than a very unpleasant whine-or grunt :) Once we started being consistent he INSTANTLY starting signing back--like "why didn't you guys have faith in me..." Needless to say, he now signs: more, eat, brush teeth, nurse (his personal favorite I am convinced--and the one he looks the cutest signing), bye bye (which means he is tired of being stuck inside and would like to go out to his pool or on an outing--and generally he signs bye bye while standing at the side door)=and then does some other cute "so big" and "high five" gestures. Tonight at dinner we did a run through of the list and he did one sign after the other, very cute--followed by a huge PROUD smile!

Alright...work calls me back suddenly!

Work Smerk...

I feel like lately life has been all work, no play!!! Somehow the measley three shifts/week I have to put in seem to be a hassle as of late. Thank goodness there are only 8 more months of this madness, and then back to mommyhood!!! I cannot imagine how amazing that is going to feel! Put in my one shift/week and spend the rest of the time doing all of the things I cannot while working (like having a clean house, cooking dinner...being a domestic diva basically..)

Archer is sweeter by the day (and more work too). He seems to be talking a ton--the other day I was cooking and he leaned against the oven and I said sternly, "Oh no, that's HOT." Everytime he got near it I made the same concerned mom face and said "hot buddy." Archer then started to tempt fate and hang out close to the oven saying "aut, aut." Interesting and didn't work the way I had intended, the same thing happened with "uh-oh." One toy fell sopping wet from the bathtub and I muttered "uh-oh" and then suddenly every toy from the tub was laying sopping wet next to me on the floor with a very cute little boy saying "ut ut" as they fell...this also seems to be a favorite while eating dinner and while playing in the baby pool.

It seems I was a poor birthday party planner already! I planned the party for the day after his birthday(Sept. 19th), but apparently missed the step where you talk to the people you really would like to be in attendence and make sure their schedule is free---sadly Archer's girlfriend Eliza and our friends-her parents-are unable to attend, along with our dear friends Andrew (Archer's buddy) and Lauren and Drew. I'm pretty sure Grandpa Keith and Grandma Kathy are unable to come (vacation) BUT on the up side, my dad is going to attempt to come, along with a dear friend from Spokane, and my frient Tyne from Iowa/Philadelphia/Wisconsin. You know your kid is awesome when people not only drive, but FLY to his birthday party!!!

I should have mentioned this before, I do LOVE my job---I honestly do! But I would be very content doing this one night/week instead of three... :)

Oh yes, we have fully converted to cloth diapers. We should have done this from the start (ok, maybe disposable until we got through up all night/really tired/baby pooping 12 times daily...) BUT it is very, very, VERY easy--not to mention all of the other benefits!!! No leaks..ever, and Archer looks cute in his colorful dipes! Thank goodness they are one size fits all--so when the next Kimble comes along we will have a stockade of diapers ready and waiting for FREE! I suppose Archer will have to use the potty because his baby sister or brother will need his diapers (hmm..I think rule number one of potty training is not to force the issue...this is an expensive problem). Perhaps it will be awhile before we add another baby to this brood. ;)

We are waiting soooo patiently for the weather to cool down! Right now our afternoon activity consists of a mall playground or soaking in the swimming pool in the backyard. We long for the days we can go on bike rides, to the park, or take our peaceful afternoon walks (without me worrying about having a dehydrated baby).

Oh, watch the movie "The Duchess" whoever happens to be reading this..who does read this?!?! It was a fairly good movie---at least we enjoyed it.

Alright, back to work for this mama. Hurry up 7am!!! I need to see my boys!

The things that kid can SAY!

Within the last week and half it seems like Archer has changed a ton.  He now stands almost all of the time, and either uses props (coffee table, walls, etc) to get around-or his handy dandy cart and push toy.  He also started saying quite a few words---very suddenly!  He now still says, and very clear: "mom mom" "da da" and even says "daddy" every now and then, "ball"--he has a little pink and little purple ball that he carries around with him everywhere-he even sleeps with them..and if he doesn't have them he will wander around the house saying "ball...ball" until he gets them from us or finds them.  He is also saying "uh oh" and "no" which sounds more like na, "jonezy" which is always whispered and sounds more like "juh juh".  There are several other things that he will say the beginning sound for, like book and baby are "b".  He has also taken a liking to kissing things..which is interesting.  He is constantly giving him stuffed animal toys kisses, and even surprises us with kisses out of the blue.  Just this morning I asked for a kiss and was attempting to get it on the cheek (I have a horrible cold) when he pulled my mouth towards him and planted one right on my lips. 

Life in the Kimble house is awesome (and will be much better once we get over our horrible colds and Archer gets that tooth in he has been working on---which will make 5)

Oh yes, and First Birthday Party planning...what the heck?!?!?