from waiting to chasing...

it really hadn't hit until just now... 
one year ago today i was sitting in  strange room, waiting for Manny and my mom to get to the hospital, waiting for my contractions to get stronger, waiting for my body to react to the medicine, waiting for the minutes and hours to pass, waiting for November 1st, waiting to meet our baby boy! 
today i'm chasing around this crazy baby boy. i'm picking up his messes, feeding him lunch, changing his diaper, holding him, kissing him, talking to him, laughing with him, and loving him!
 this boy is all spunk and fun and silliness. he's all boy and messes and crazy. 
he's all opinions and 6 teeth and running.
this crazy boy is ours. 
i'm so thankful!

the nursery!

it only took a year... 
but here is joshua's nursery! 
i talked about what it would look like. 
i worked on a lot of different project for this year. 
i really love his nursery. 

i talked about the layout/ floor plan. 
we ended up moving to a new place so his room actually looked like this: 
{sorry for the over exposed picture} 
 
i talked about an ABC wall. 
this is by far my favorite part of his nursery!
 some letters i bought. and a lot i made. 
as you can see his initials are the only letter type repeated & they're the largest.
my favorite it probably the G- a race track with hot wheels :) 
i also really like the yarn-wrapped W
one letter is not finished... can you tell...? 
i was suppose to wrap the C in a Colorado map. never happened. 
but really, i am very proud and really love this thing!

talked about the crib & bedding. 
and that's exactly what i did :) 
the crib was a gracious gift from my parents. 
i love that bumper. 
the only difference between when i first decorated the room & now...
is this cute boy standing up in that crib!

 talked about the dresser that would double as a changing table. 
craigslist for $35- check
painted my my lovely husband- check
adorable knobs from ikea for $2.99- check

i didn't have any other Nursery Decorate posts... 
but i did a bunch of other really great things for his nursery... 

including this mobile made from paint chips:

this glider i got off craigslist for $35:
i just recovered the foot rest & made a matching pillow :) 
the nightstand table i got from ikea for $19.99 and the lamp from target for $16

 i love the bedding i got for the extra bed. ikea! (don't remember price)

here's the reading nook: 
"bookshelves" ie ikea spice racks painted orange
all his stuffed animals
and a bucket full of books!
(plus a fan)

and lastly, the bookshelf:
this is obviously only one shelf. 
but i took a bookcase we already owned, my dear husband painted it white,
and i mod podged scrapbook paper onto the back. 
it's probably one of my favorite things in the room!

so that's the breakdown of sweet Joshua's nursery. 
once we move and set it up again, i'll some new pictures :) 

Joshua Manuel: 11 months

Joshua,
are you really 11 months old? is that even possible?
well i guess it is... you are walking everywhere

you are very talkative. very opinionated. very loud. very cute. very sweet. very smart.
and just pretty wonderful.

this month you decided eating anything mushy was lame. also being fed was lame. all big boy, all the time. you eat plenty! you love toast with avocado, all types of big boy food, chicken, turkey, and blueberries still.

you have a very strong opinion about everything and have no problem telling me how you feel. you are very aware and always watching what is going on. nothing gets past you! you've started to have a little more separation anxiety... you just know more and want to be with momma more. it's hard at church and i don't like to see you sad, but this too shall pass & soon you'll remember how much you love church! 

you are moving from 3 naps to 2. some days it is a struggle because if your first two naps aren't long enough you get very cranky but then don't want to sleep. the transition is always difficult but we're figuring it out. you usually wake up between 7 and 7:30am and go to sleep between 7:30 and 8pm.

you love to dance! you also LOVE music. your favorite toy right now is this little bear that sings and lights up. you like to go "bye-bye," especially when we go to Kma's & Opa's house. you love hanging out and playing with the big kids - your cousins & all your friends at church. you're learning how to play chase. that is very fun!

you've grown out of all your 9month clothing & are in size 4 night diapers.

you are learning how to give hugs and kisses (i really like this part). you really just smile all the time! even when you are sick, you smile...

yup, that's right this month you got the flu AGAIN. for the third time in your short 11 months you got the flu. it lasted almost 6 days and you threw up plenty. you also had the runs something terrible. it was super sucky. and i really hate it when you are sick. not to mention you got sick when we were moving...

yup, that's right this month we moved! we were suppose to close on a house at the end of the month, but that fell through. so we moved in to Kma's & Opa's house and now we are looking for a new house. thankfully you have your own room here. you love seeing Kma, Opa, and Uncle Johnny everyday. you have lots of fun exploring and walking all over the house. we are thankful we have somewhere to be as we figure out where we should live next!

my joshie, my joshie, i love you my joshie. even when the days are hard and long and i'm way past weary with sickness and house stuff and life stuff YOU MAKE ME SMILE. deep down, love more than i ever thought possible, smile. i am so thankful for you. i'm thankful for your laughter and silly vampire teeth. i'm thankful for your silliness and mischievousness. im thankful for your loudness and opinions. you keep us on our toes and we love chasing you around.

joshua,
we love you more and more everyday! 
love,
your momma & daddy

His mercies are new every morning

yesterday was rough. 
it was our first real day in this "temporary" living space
{my parents home}
joshua woke up at 5:45am soaking wet in his own waste
the poor baby was freezing cold and the stench was unbearable
{bath#1}
he's been stomach-flu-sick since thursday
bottle & cheerios for breakfast
throw it all up
{bath#2}
lots of crying.holding.sad. 
overwhelming amounts of work
{it's sprinkler shutdown season}
small naps because his stomach is less than full
eating a few ounces at a time
so much work to do
another mess in the pajamas
{bath#3}
another nap
no real appetite for any real food
i'm struggling. more tired than i thought possible
piles and piles of laundry to fold
more work
he's in bed by 7:40pm.
we're asleep by 9:40pm. 
{earliest we've ever gone to sleep}

and this morning...
normal wake up 
happy baby
accomplishing work 
good naps
plenty in his belly 

and i couldn't get it out of my head- 
Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
    for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
    great is your faithfulness.

it's been a rough couple weeks
but reading Lamentations 3
i am reminded of so much

The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him,
    to the one who seeks him

my hope is in HIM
not in the things of this world 
{they are fading}
my hope is in HIM

and every morning His mercies and compassions are NEW
praising God for the setting sun and the rising dawn 
for new mercies 
and new mornings
for my hope