Year in Review: Part 1

This post was inspired by Melissa. She had a great idea and so I thought I'd join in and walk down memory lane. This post (and the 2nd post) could turn out to be really long because I have tons of memories to share and lots more photos :) But I'll try to tone it down a bit :)

January 2008:

Here's Finnegan in his first "trial run" in his high chair, for a little play session :)



Here is Finn and Daddy, snuggling during a teething time. Ken is such a good daddy!!

But he also makes some scary faces :)

Feb 2008:
Happy Valentines Day!!
Happy Baby in his Carseat!!

Snuggles with Daddy in February!



On Mommy's birthday! He was a happy baby!!

March 2008
Finnegan loved his new tonka truck from Mana and Papa for Easter in March!
Happy Easter!!
My baby got his first haircut in March! He is such a big boy!! He's had 4 haircuts this year!! :)

April 2008:
The handsome boy of the spring!
May 2008:
Summer is proving to be a fun time with little Finnegan... First trips to the zoo and our first vacation!
Vacation to the coast to see the ocean!! We walked the coast, and visited Ocean Shores, where mommy and daddy went the week that Finnegan was born. It was special to be with Finnegan in person this time! Very relaxing and fun time with our little family!!

June 2008:
Then a trip to MI to visit the grandmas, grandpas and cousins! We went to the Detroit Zoo, to Ohio to see Great Grandpa Jack and even to see Aunt NeeNee in Flushing. It was a super trip for Finnegan and I to travel together. But we did miss daddy, who stayed in WA.
Happy Father's Day!! (our little baby with his tupee :) Baby Trump) :)

July 2008: We were so glad to be home with Daddy after a long trip to MI!



More photos and memories to come!!

I'm the Biggest LOSER!!!

Seven weeks ago, my girlfriend and I, Shawnta, started working out and keeping each other accountable with what we eat.  She's had two children (14 months apart) and I had Finnegan.  We both have SEVERAL pounds we want to lose and we'd devised a plan.  Now, after seven weeks, we've both lost the weight we were hoping to lose and we've started a great habit!!  Even through the holidays!

So, drum roll please.....  So far, I've lost 12lbs and over 7 inches on my body!!  Can you believe it??  Three years ago, I got really sick and lost a HUGE amount of weight in about a month.  I was unable to eat the weight was falling off of me (unhealthily, might I add).  And at the time, I was wearing these one pair of jeans everyday.  Once I was feeling better, and gained some weight back, I couldn't wear those jeans anymore.  This morning, I put those jeans on and they fit!  And they fit comfortably.  I can sit, and move in them.  I love it!!  

It is one of the best feelngs in the world, knowing that you accomplished something that you worked at the old fashion way.  No pills, gimics, or silly plans.  Just plain hard work, determination and a smart plan.  

So far, I've gotten to my first goal.  My next goal will happen in 9lbs, and then another goal after 13lbs (it will be a total of  35lbs.)  

 

Merry Christmas!!

Merry Christmas!!  Here are some photos from our Christmas excitement.  I have more that I can send individually (if your interested, just shoot me an email).  But these are some of the highlights!

Here is one from earlier in the week.  I can't remember if I posted it or not, but this is my sweetie in the snow for the first time.  He and I build a snowman (well, I built it and he watched) and now he was ready to come back in for the night.  It was getting dark and it was cold (if you couldn't already tell)  :)

This is Christmas morning, with the hit of the day!!  The Rocking Horse is his favorite (I think) and he enjoys riding it.  He's the cutest on it, rocking back and forth!!  I have a video that I might post later in the week!

This is the kids at Nana and Grandfather's house (Theresia and Kelly's house) with Liam's Workbench that he got for Christmas.  They all wanted in on the action!!

Finnegan giving his Angle Tree Figurine a hug!  He loves them!!  It was sent from Aunt Beth.  We get one each year!

Here's a family photo!!  It was snowing outside and a perfect spot for a photo at the McCliman's home (on the porch).  Merry Christmas all!!

Christmas Box

Ok, so I know this is two posts in one day (and that day being Christmas Eve) but I just couldn't resist sharing this story with you.  

On Halloween, we watched as Finnegan amused himself with taking 8 pieces of candy out of a bowl on our coffee table and then putting them back in.  He actually did this for several minutes (like 20 or so).  Well, tonight (as we speak) we are witnessing it again.  My mom had sent a box of Christmas gifts that I'd opened earlier this week.  Instead of unpacking all of the gifts, I left them in the original box to be unpacked tonight, when all the gifts are put under the tree.  Finnegan became interested in the contents of this box a while ago so I went over to solicite his help in emptying the box.  After we'd emptied the contents, I left him be.  He then began to put each item back into the larger box (all of what he could lift).  And then began to take each gift out.  Over and over he's been doing this.  I've tried to distract him with silly antics and it doesn't work.  He just looks at his silly mommy like, "Don't bother me mom, I'm concentrating."  He is very much his father's son when it comes to figuring something out.  

He's moved onto playing with a toy, but keeps coming back to the gifts scattered on the floor and putting them back into the box one at a time, as he sees the time right :)  Very precious, if you ask me, but then again, he's my son :)

Christmas Cards

Can I just say, that I love Christmas cards?  I love sending them and receiving them.  I love the new tradition that's been started since we send new photos of our families as Christmas cards.  Each year, after I've received most of our cards, I sit down and update my refridgerator.  I have small frames all over my fridge that contain all those photos you send us at Christmas.  So if you send us a card, you're on our fridge almost all year long.  I LOVE it!!  

Today was my day to update the fridge and I had an enjoyable time doing it.  Seeing how the kids had grown from year to year and the new cards we get each year.  I just love it!!  

Keep sending them!!  :)

Finnegan's new friends

When we were in Florida, Ken wasn't too keen on the idea of pulling Finnegan out of his stroller at the turn of every character to meet them.  So we just did a few!  I think for the most part, he enjoyed it.  

Finnean playing with Sully!

Goofy:

Buzz and Woody!

Playing with Woody!

Mater:

Princess Aurora (Sleeping Beauty):

Bruce (from Finding Nemo)

Ant from Honey I Shrunk the Kids:

Green Army Man (from Toy Story)

Peter Pan and Wendy.

And a precious Kiss from Minnie

Snow Fun

The snow has fallen here in WA, and I believe that it is in record amounts.  I believe that we have about 6 inches in our back yard.  So here are some photos of our recent snow fun!!  

Here is a photo of our front yard... So much snow!!

Finnegan's ready for some snow fun... in his boots, snow pants and jacket.  

He's knee deep in the snow and not too sure what to do about it!!

It was getting dark fast.  Mommy and Finnegan and our snow man!

Oreo was tuckered out from all the snow fun!!

Smart, Smart Boy!!

I just can not get over how smart Finnegan is.  I suppose that I never realized how smart a child was, at such a young age.  Finnegan understands all tha we say to him and can respond to most of it.  Tonight, we were watching Cars on TV and the old firetruck, was spraying water on McQueen, and Finnegan was staring right at the TV and signing water.  

I am so thankful for a smart little boy.  I hope the rest of our children are as smart as he is (each in their own way, of course).  

My sickly husband...

As most of you know, Ken doesn't get sick, unless he's really sick.  He got food poisoning on our last trip to Disney (from a Cracker Barrell) 4 years ago, and then this past summer he was real sick from a Taiwanese fruit that a friend from work offered him.  So, for Ken to be sick on this most recent trip, just wasn't expected.  And also, most of you know that Ken (being an engineer by trade) is more of a quiet, non communicative being.  He doesn't describe each detail to you or outwardly analyze every situation as I do.  So, when he told me on Monday night that he wasn't feeling well, that was the end of the conversation.  "When did it start?  Do you feel like you'll be sick?  Do you wanna go home?" were all the questions that spewed from my mouth (and I sure a few more) and he had no answers for them.  So, we moved along.  

Mom and Dad (with Andrea, Beth, Jeremy and Izzie) were running late.  So Ken took his first trip to the bathroom and returned without an update.  So I had no idea how bad he was feeling.  Mom and Dad and the crew arrived and we made way right for our photo opportunity before our reservation.  Right after we finished in front of the Christmas tree, Ken and Finnegan were gone.  I thought Ken had gone to explore with Finnegan... But then I didn't see them still.  So I called them.  Ken was in the bathroom with Finnegan.  But still didn't tell me he was sick.  I figured he had to go quickly, but he didn't explain that the "quickly" was coming from both ends!

Our reservation came, and we made our way to the table.  Ken was still in the bathroom of his third visit.  Each visit was getting longer and longer and his visits to the table were getting shorter and shorter.  I began to get concerned and knew that he couldn't return back to our hotel, the way that we arrived (two monorails and a bus trip).  I made a trip up to the guest relations desk to ask for a favor.  I explained that my husband had food poisoning and that he had been sick in the bathroom for several hours and won't be able to return to our hotel, because it was so far.  He'd need another way.  The gal that I spoke with was very generous and offered a free cab ride from this hotel to our hotel.  I gratefully took the offer and returned.  Ken was still in the bathroom so Dad went into the restroom to tell Ken about the offer.  Ken would call us when he was ready to leave and I would go with him.  Finally our dessert was over and we were ready to leave, but Ken was still in the bathroom.  I was packing Finnegan up and I got a call on my cell, it was Ken, and he was still in the bathroom.  The service on Disney property is absolutely horrible, so I couldn't understand a word he was saying, althought I was standing less than 50 feet from him, behind a door.  So I entered the bathroom.  He was in the stall, unable to stand up.  Unable to move.  He was so pale and burning up.  My dad followed me in, and I made the decision to call 911.  There was no way for us to move him, and he needed medical attention

While we waited in the stall, another guest knocked on the door to see if he could help.  He was very kind, and generous, but unfortunately there was nothing he could do to help.  

 

The ambulance arrived with a security escort.  Ken was placed on a guerny and taken outside.  We were receiving all "the looks" from other guests, curious to know what was wrong with him and if he'd be ok.  We boarded the ambulance, Ken in back with a medic, and I in front with the driver.  The driver wanted to talk about the economy and where we were from.  So I appeased him, while my husband was ill in the back.  I heard him a few times get sick on the way.   We exited the hotel from a back enterance, obviously out of sight from regular guests.  

We arrived to the Hosptial ER department and waited to be helped.  Ken sat on the guerny in front of a circle counter, while a nurse and data processor took his medical and insurance information.  He got sick again while we waited.  And no one moved.   The paramedic did what he could, but the nurse didn't turn around.  I couldn't think why they weren't moving to help him.  But I know they have to gather the information and we have to sign on the dotted line before they'll help us.  

The paramedic wheeled him down to his room and got him moved over to the new bed.  The nurse came down and said she'd return with some supplies.  She brought a bed pan and other supplies to begin an IV and take some blood for tests.  Once these proceedures were done, she left and I began to get Ken undressed and into his gown.  He began to get sick again into the basin in his lap and he muttered something... "I can't feel my legs."  What??  And then he repeated it... And got sick again... "Now, my hands are going numb."  I looked down and his fingers were like straight twigs coming from his hands.  He couldn't grasp anything any longer.  I quickly pressed the call button and the nurse came across.  "Um.Yes," she said.  "My husband can't feel his body.  It's going numb!" I told her.  "I'll tell the nurse."  

I couldn't believe it!! I looked back at him, and his lips were turning blue.  Almost more every second.  I had to take a couple of looks to be sure.  I rang the bell again.  And just then, the nurse was at the door.  I told her... well, more like shouted at her "His lips are turning blue!!"  She had oxygen tubes in her hand and fixed him up with oxygen to help him stablize.  It was hard for him to breath in through his nose.  He later told me that at this point, he was on the verge of passing out.  

Over the next four hours, we kept him covered because he was freezing.  The nurse returned a couple of times to check on him.  They brought antibiotics and a second bag of Sodium Chloride.  He was so dehydrated.  After finishing his second bag of saline, the nurse came with a small bottle of gatorade for him to be sure that he could keep things down.  Once he was able to do that, they discharged him with perscriptions and instructions.  

Within 12 hours he was ready for more Disney excitement, althought I was now sick with the flu and required to stay in the room for the day.  :)  Stepping back for our event, I was glad that we made the decisions that we did, to call 911 and to take him to the hospital.  Who knows what would have happened, if we had or he had gone back to our hotel alone.   

Now, we're home in WA again and he continues to take his antibiotics.  He's back to normal and doing his best too help Finnegan and I get over our flu :)  

Three Little Princess's

If you've never experienced the Magic of Disney, let me share a glimpse of it with you. During the past few years, "becoming" a princess is a new "fade". However, Disney has seemed to take hold of the idea and run with it. When first hearing about the Bibbity Boppity Boutique that is on the Disney Property, I was a bit skeptical. Ok, so it's a "salon" for little girls. For one, I thought it was over priced and totally ridiculous to do this for a child. Especially, since I was not part of the generation that had birthday parties at a salon with all my girlfriends having their hair done, while my mom paid the bill. But, my recent experience at the BBB has changed my mind, regarding the need for my daughter, or any other little deserving girl, for that matter, to become a princess for a day.
Our day started by dressing all of my neices (on Ken's side) in their party dresses, as they were going to the Very Merry Christmas Party at the Magic Kingdom that night with their families. Kelly and Kate (the girls mom's) were to meet us at the salon and Jon and I were taking the girls to get started.

The girls arrived on time, and were very anxious for what was going to happen. Each one was presented with a Royal Invitation to the salon and each were serviced with a "Fairy Godmother", who would make them over. In the Royal Invitation, there were three hair styles for the girls to choose. They got to pick the hair style that they wanted. Then, they picked out their make up, for a few selections of eye shadow, blush and lip gloss. They also had their nails painted. After wards, they each were sprinkled with fairy dust, and turned to face the mirror where they got the first glimpse of their new look. Each girl was delighted to see themselves all made up, and truly felt like a little princess.  And too finish the experience, they each were given a wand and a special crown or clips.  They were simply delighted.  Below are some photos of their transformations... What an exciting day for three little princess. :)

On the way to the salon!

Emma, ready for her beauty treatment!

Olivia, is very ready!!  Look at that face!

Bella, a princess, indeed!

And all the girls, with thier favorite Aunt!!  :)