San Diego - A Different World!

As I was cleaning out some of my famous "piles" of papers that I have strewn throughout our house in organized disarray. (Tyler may not know what the madness to these piles is all about, but believe me - I know what is in each pile and which one to go to if I'm looking for something!). I'm like my father in this way - that's always how his office desk at work was.



So, I was sorting through one of the piles and found some randomness from our San Diego trip. A ticket stub to the Zoo, our plane tickets, etc. I also found some notes I had written down regarding our trip that I wanted to remember - how different of a culture a 3 hours plane ride can take you to or what you will experience trying to get there.



Here's a sample of what we experienced:



1. I never thought I'd be "the people with the screaming child" on the airplane. Been there, done that. Em did really well once the plane took off as he fell asleep before the nose tipped horizontal. But for the few minutes while you are anxiously awaiting takeoff, it was pure torture of trying to keep him settled in his seat, happy, and we broke into our emergency stash of food before we had listened to the flight attendant show us how to buckle our seat belts.



2. Alerting the airplane company that you are traveling with a child proves to not go into consideration when scheduling what seats we will get. Both times on the flights to San Diego and once on the way back we were placed on the right side of the plane and then asked to move to the left side of the plane (traded seats with others, etc) as the right side of the plane only has 2 oxygen masks, and the left has 3.

3. I never thought I'd want a lay over (but this is a great opportunity for a young child to re-group).

4. We also experienced a different way of life:
a. Saw a billboard "Divorce: The Better Way" (very interesting....)
b. While we were at Target at 8am we experienced a rude interaction with a fellow customer and the check-out guy. Woman "You guys really need to get more help". Guy "It's 8 o'clock in the morning, ma'am (spoken very rudely)". Woman "Well some of us need to get to work and you only have 2 lanes open". Man "Well no one told you to do your errands before work". (No "sorry about the wait ma'am, we're doing the best I can" from this check-out guy! I told Tyler that in the midwest, we think and feel the same way as the fellow customer, we just steam to eachother about it or the fellow customers. We aren't that direct towards our store personnel!).

5. Our first night in our hotel when we arrived it was very dark and you couldn't see the bay at all. We got ready for bed and heard what we thought was a rambunctious couple next door (neither Tyler or I talked about it until the next morning when we realized it was seals on a dock a 1/2 a mile away!) Those animals are LOUD!

6. We came across a homeless man with a sign "Need Weed. Please help". OKay, NOT!

7. You need to show an ID for EVERY purchase - ANYWHERE. I tried to buy a $3 magnet at a store downtown, nope - not without my ID (left at the hotel).

Well those are just a few mementos from our trip! We did have a blast and I posted pictures on facebook and my Shutterfly share site...

ccard 2

Pop Art Ornaments Christmas

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Almost 1 year ago....

Almost a year ago!

I have a very pregnant friend that's air conditioner has gone out not once but twice now on her! And it puts me back to almost a year ago when this happened to me. I wanted to show her this lovely video (NOT) that Tyler took of me and I guess this is the only way to do that. So please no pressure to view this NOT lovely video ;)

Oh and hopefully more of and Emmett update to come soon. But if you haven't heard yet - He's WALKING! Walks everywhere and all the time now! And he cut his first two teeth. yay! Also I think he's trying to sleep better at night. We were kind of forced to incorporate some formula feedings, so that may be the culprit!

I have only 2 1/2 weeks left of his first year and cannot believe myself when I think it or say it! Time flies way to fast, but he's so fun and carefree and learns so many new things daily that it's a great stage to be in with him.

Stay tuned for another update! (yes, it'll probably be in another month! ha!)

Almost 10 months old...

Took some of Em's 9 month pics at the cabin

Seriously?! For those of you who would know,
doesn't this look just like Tyler when he was little?

Also had to throw in the cousin fun at the lake!
How fun to have 7 grand kids together!

I cannot and do not want to believe that my baby is almost 10 months old! But he is showing every true sign that he is indeed leaving babyhood and entering toddler world. Em loves to eat, and eat, and eat. Can't fill that kid up, but it's fun trying to think of new things for him to try. I would never thought he could eat so much of so many different things without any teeth! I don't even see teeth trying to come in yet. Sure are taking their time ;)

Em is now standing up lots on his own in the middle of the floor. Took one sort of step tonight, just to test the water. Loves his new daycare situation (not that he didn't love the old one), but is having a BLAST with cousin Gabe and Aunt Ju. Still manages to see Nana/Papa and Aunt Sue from time to time too.


As for the rest of our household:

I recently went back to work at the Hospital and left my short stint at the clinic behind. This move this time was more personal fulfillment than anything else. I am already some moments thinking "what did I do?!" but still realize that I need to be busy and challenged in my work, even if it means sacrificing the cushy schedule... And the worse schedule means more 3 and 4 day weekends!

Tyler is busy busy busy at work, hence why he hasn't blogged in months. This is his busy time, but I"m sure he is saving up some blog posts for you all to read later.

Not much for updates, but thought I'd throw it out there! We're doing well, blessed beyond our wildest hopes, healthy, and loved.

-The Tracy's

Bath time with Emmett

Good things can come of the husband running the errands to Walmart...

Tyler was given a list of items to buy and on that list was a net for Emmett's bath toys. Tyler also came home with a cheap tub basketball set for Emmett. Who would have known what a riot Emmett would have thought it was?!

Couldn't get any cuter!

After a rough night away from home, this is what I got to wake up to ;)
We pulled him in with us as he was clearly adamant about not sleeping alone that night!

So precious when he first wakes up!

Grandpa and Grandma came to visit

Emmett's first boat ride on Lake Lida!

The pictures above are a short glimpse into what's been happening the last month and a half with Emmett and the Tracy's since I last posted. Tyler's been too busy with Babe Ruth to post anything lately. I've been told he has posts waiting in limbo ready for his Aug/Sept return to the blogger world!

Emmett has done so many things to amaze us these past weeks. He is now crawling like a speed demon, climbs the whole flight of stairs, loves to eat finger foods by himself and loves to try new foods. We have been to the lake twice now and went to Tyler's cousin's wedding in South Eastern Minnesota. I took a position back on my old hospital floor and will be done at the clinic the last week in June. I was able to gain better hours (for the hospital) and will be going down to 32 hours/week so I have 1 more day/week with Emmett. I have begun training into the charge nurse position and look forward to this new role and responsibility along with the return of the old challenge and fast pace the hospital holds.

Back to Emmett, because that's really what it's all about, right?! I think I usually give updates on:

Sleeping: still not through the night. Decided to read "the no cry sleep solution". In this book she makes the statement that if you are reading this book, you probably won't have time to because you are sleep deprived and your child doesn't sleep, hence not having time to read the book. So true. I'm 1/3 way through. It's not bad and the premises is that you help your child sleep better and do not have to do the "Ferber method". BUT I find it very hard to take advice from this woman as she was still breastfeeding her 1 year old every 1-1 1/2 hours during the middle of the night?!

Eating: As mentioned above, Emmett loves to eat. This has not change and probably will not change. If I had enough space for more pictures I would have posted a picture of him with his first helping of mashed potatoes where he ate himself to sleep!! And we do not have teeth yet, but seem to be perpetually teething. I am told this will not go away for years...

Emmett and Brody have continued to get closer and become great buds. Emmett feeds Brody from his highchair and will jump on Brody if Brody is laying down resting. He also does not feel the need to go around Brody but rather climbs over him if he is in his way.

Emmett and Gabe are also still good buds and brothers at heart. They fight and play and smile and laugh together and do everything you want good buds/cousins to do!

That's all folks!

I like to move it, move it...

Emmett decided to show off his moves!