Christmas 2010 / Happy New Year

Christmas has come and gone and I am left with a bit of sadness that it's all over and a bit of happiness of things to come in the upcoming year. We spent Christmas Eve and day with my Mom and Craig whole family. Started the day off opening presents at our house, went to Mom's and opened there then spent the rest of the day at Tim and Michelle's. Cody was excited to open each and every present then tossed it aside for the next.

It was a truely magical season watching Cody with his expressions and sheer joy with every new experience he encountered. The next year will indeed be filled with a lot of ups and downs with a toddler soon to be a terrible 2 toddler in our lives and I can't wait to experience them all......

19 Months ~ It's almost Christmas....

What an sheer joy it is to experince the Holidays through a toddlers eyes. Last year at this time, Cody was just sitting up on his own, barely moving and not realizing really what was going on around him. This year we are watching Christmas specials, decorating the Christams tree, going to Santa's enchanted forrest (sorry no pictures, he was running around too much to take one) and wrapping presents together.

Since watching Frosty the Snowman.....everytime he sees a snowman figure, picture, lights or anything, he starts singing the song and I can't help but smile. I can't wait for Christmas morning and day to watch him open his presents. I really don't even care about myself anymore, it is all about him......

We were able to have our Holiday photo's taken this year with the pups (above). I was very happy with the way they came out and very excited to have this memory with the pups and Cody. Friends of ours found this photographer that specializes in pet and family photo's, so hopefully we will get great pictures for years to come

Cody is truely the light of my life. I wonder everyday if every mother feels this way about her child. At 19 months he is talking up a storm, mimics everything we say and do and is just a happy little boy. Of course he has his days but for the most part is a joy to have around. .

Thanksgiving 2010

Me, Grandpa and my Daddy

I'm a little late in posting our Thanksgiving festivities, but better late then never. LOL. We ventured up to my Dad's for the second year in a row and had a blast again. The drive wasn't too bad, made it in 6 hours and thank goodness for the portable DVD player we borrowed for Cody. He absolutly loved this thing and kept him occupied for hours at a time.

While we were there we took a drive into Beaufort, which is a beautiful old town right on the coast of SC, even though it was cloudy that day we managed a horse drawn trolly tour before the big rains came in. Cody was such a good boy. The tour guide would let him hold the bottom of the reins and he thought that was awesome. We also went into Savannah one night to see the Xmas tree lighting. We were told we were a day too early, but that was ok, we had a great time anyways and got to go to the Savannah Candy Companny, which was my favorite. We hope to go up to SC every year around the Holidays. it's fun for us and my Dad & Chris too.....

Massachusetts Fall 2010

~We had the most fantastic time on our latest trip to Massachusetts. This is Cody's fourth trip to Mass and by far has been the best. The first 2 times Cody was under 5 months old so there wasn't much for us to do with the other kids. The 3rd time he was 11 months old, so alot more fun, but he wasn't quite walking yet and we were only there 4 days, so not really enough time to see everybody for more than a few hours at a time.

Cody Sandwich

~We spent a few days with Melissa and the girls, then off to Vicky's house for a few then we ended @ Sandi's house with her girls. Within that time were were able to see my both brothers David & Dom, my sister Cindy and all 3 cousins - Brendan, Stevie and Hannah. What a nice treat for us. Cody also meet his Great Auntie Paps for the first time and we had a special day together.

~I was very nervous to fly this time with Cody as he is so mobile now, wants nothing to do with sitting still and this was our last free flight that he would be sitting on my lap. I had horrible visions of him trying to run up and down the isles and him screaming in my arms as I held him. I was pleasantly surprised and very lucky. On the way up we had the seat next to us empty on the first flight and he calmly sat on my lap playing on the second. For the return flight we were lucky enough to get an actual seat for him on both flights so I was able bring his car seat on. Wow what difference that makes. He was a perfect angel and Mommy may have even been able to read a magazine....

~We both had a great time playing and spending time with the people we love, but this trip especially was hard to leave. Watching my little boy playing with his cousins and his far away friends is bittersweet and makes me just a bit sad that it's a couple of times a year :( but also makes me realize just how speical it all is.......

Fall Festivities ~ 17 Months

Wow, what a difference a year makes... Last year at this time Cody was just barely sitting up and with 2 visits to the Pumpkin Patch not even a smile to be captured on film. This year we herd about this Farm/Pumpkin Patch/ Petting Zoo out west. It really reminded me of something you would find up North (minus the 85 degree weather). There was a farm stand with all fresh fruits and veggies as well as fresh baked goods, plants and flowers. Out back they had a small Petting Zoo with chickens (fresh eggs), turkeys, a pot belly pig and some goats.

Spooky Pumpkin Patch

On the far left of the property they set up a Pumpikn Patch with old fashion red carts, they also had a semi spooky maze house for the kids to go through. I was quite impressed with there set up and will continue to go out west for yesars to come

Silly Cody

~ Silly Monkey ~

The last few weeks have been kind of crazy in the Bautz house. Cody ended up having the ear tube surgery. Over the past 16 months Cody had gotten at least 10 ear infections. After the 7th one we were sent to the specialist. Dr. Kay said that if he got 2 or more in the next 3 months then we should consider the surgery. Well he had 2 in 3 1/2 months so we went back to the specialist. After reviewing the surgery and the fact that Cody only has to go under gas we decided to go for it, especially since when we went he for his pre-op screening, he has another infection.

The day of the surgery we had to be there @ 6:45am for a 7:30a procedure. We were ushered back around 7am and @ 7:30 Dr. Kay came back and went over the procedure 1 last time to make sure we didn't have any other questions. Within 5 minutes Cody was wisked away and back to the waiting room we went. Dr. Kay was finished within 5 minutes and Cody was in recovery within 15. Everything went perfectly, except Cody came out of anesthesia. He was hysterical, it was heartbreaking... Luckily once I got him home and gave him a bubba he was ready to go back to sleepy-time and woke up as if nothing happened and was ready to play.

We went back for our 2 week check-up yesterday and everything looked perfect. So relieved. It just might be coincidence, but we swear his words are much clearer and he is saying more. Just in the last 2 weeks he's saying clock, please, more, ball, truck, apple, grape and a bunch more I can't think of. It's so exciting to watch this little person growing up, but so sad to see my baby turning into a little boy....

Cody ~ 16 Months

In the midst of our visitors last month Cody had his 15 month check-up. He weighed in @ 24.6 lbs, 31 inches long and 47 cm in head diameter. Again his head is off the charts @95%. Funny that by the growth charts 24 pounds is only in the 50 percentile for 15 months, but for every childrens medicine, 24 lbs is is the next step... states 24 lbs or 2yrs, kinda weird.

Cody's 15 Month Photo's

Cody's new favorite thing to do is walk. He doesn't want to play with his toys or watch his cartoons, he just wants to walk. At first it was really cute, he would put his chubby little hand up and to grab your finger hand and bring you over to the front door. Now it's a bit repetitious. But off we go every night around the block. Whats nice is we have a little kids area in our complex that has a couple of slides, so we stop off there for a bit, go down the slides a few times then off around the block we go.

~

Cody has also gained a few words in his vocabulary. He's been signing more for months now, but Grandma finally got him to say more. It is really adorable, he says mmmmor and signs at the same time. What he hasn't started saying is NO, which I know is a blessing, but is only a matter of time.....God knows we say NO to him at least 20 times a day, this baby of ours is all boy, he is into anything and everything and the messier the better......