Missing Matt

Matthew has been down in Alabama with SueAnn, Rachael visiting the Roderick Family. They will have been gone 3 weeks before I get to see him again. At first it was sort of nice and after a week I started going a little crazy so I have been keeping my self busy. We cleaned the garage and the basement. Rob is working on a little painting project for me. And Over this last weekend I was at work because we had a coach come in and work with all our students so I was their 10 hours a day Sat. Sun. and Mon. With all that it has been keeping my mind off missing my little boy. On top of that my car sprung a leak. It started with a new radiator and has escalated to a missing engine. We won't know what is going to happen to my fantastic little car for a little while so in the mean time I am driving Rose's car. I hate shopping for cars so I hope we can get it fixed. I miss my zippy little car.

On a happier note I fly out Thur. morning to go see Matt and spend a weekend in Alabama before returning home with him Mon. I hope he misses me as much as I miss him.

I Got A Play Date

I was able to go over and visit Sarah, Morgan and Shelby the day of the floods. Lucky for Sarah I didn't have to go into work right away so I was able to help her out. It is strange to find how same and different Matt and Morgan are. They are really growing up and becoming little people. Hard to remember they start out as little as Shelby. Both girls have very soft skin it must be all the water their mom drinks.

Morgan loves any attention given to her, she will either be a big help or keep mom on her toes. Just look at this ham!!

I caught Shelby smiling, or releasing some pressure, I like to think it's smiling. She looks just like Morgan so fare I can't wait to see how she will look in a few months.

Hot Summer Days

It gets very humid in Wisconsin as most of you know, so lately Matt and I have been doing water activities. We have a little zero depth pool near our house that Matt and I went to to cool off, he had so much fun!!

Yes that is my finger but the look on his face was just so cute!!

We also set up a sprinkler in the back yard . . . . . . .

I'm just glad he loves the water so much.

2010 Moss Reunion

We had so much fun over the 4th of July weekend! Rob and I both took off work so we could play with everyone. It was great to see everyone who made it and we missed those who couldn't. It was a jam packed fun few days. We went swimming . . . .






Had 4-wheeler rides (ya that's Hunter). . . . .


We had the kids do crafts . . . .





Ok some big kids too.

A talent show . . . .

Calvin even helped clean up, Thanks Cal!

And of course fireworks, this time all the neighbours gathered around to watch also, I think the Moss' are getting a reputation for this kind of thing.

I had to put that one in Rob is actualy smiling!!!!!!




Our little contibution to the Moss family How Cute is HE

And all the cousins minus three . . . .

All in all a great time was had by all. It was sad to see everyone go but we did make plans to have another one in 2013 which we are looking forward to.

OH NO THE BIG 3 - 0 !!!

Friday the 25th of June I celebrated my third decade of life. I was able to go out to brunch with Matt's two grandmas and Cindy and SueAnn. Then off to work where we had a Caribbean theme party. It was lots of fun. I had Rob bring Matt out for a little while so I could be with them on my birthday. The studio got me a cake and made a big deal out of it for me.

I didn't start to celebrate till the next day. I got to sleep in till 10am! I had to go in to work for a little bit but it wasn't bad. Then Rob and I got to go out to dinner just the two of us it was nice. I asked everyone for a wal-mart gift card so I could get a nice new camera for my birthday and it worked! Soon I will have fun pictures to go along with this (and I wont write as much). The only person who didn't listen was Rob he got me an i-pod touch. I love it!!! I don't have a CD player in my car just a tape deck (old school) so Matt suffers now I can play songs he can sing to. Thanks Hubbie : )

Some people say turning thirty sucks, some say they enjoyed them better than the 20s. For me it feels like I'm still 22 I just know a think or two more, however I still act like I'm 18. I hope I can stay feeling young a while longer so life stays fun. I look better than other thirty year olds I know so I have that going for me. I'm waiting for it to catch up with me.

I'm 30 and what do I have to show for it?: A fabulous Hubbie, a wonderful child, good health, a fine house and loving family.
What elts could a girl want? $$

Fathers Day

For fathers day I asked Rob what he wanted to do and he told me fishing. So bright and early off he went. That gave me some time to go visit my father with Matt. We got to play in the sandbox and clime up in the fort (I don't think any one has done that in 10 years or more). From there I meet Rob at the Home Dump to give Calvin his fathers day card and bug him a little, it keeps the fire in his eyes going. Then Rob went to help his brother and I went home to clean and etc. We had a barbecue and had the evening together as a family. Rob is really a great dad, he gets in and helps out and loves spending time with Matthew. Matthew got his dad a biking shirt some movies and a home made card for fathers day. I got him a four wheeler. I knew someone who was getting rid of theirs so I took it and gave it to Rob, everyone at the Moss house is enjoying it seeings as how our house is too small to keep it.

In other happy news my Brother and his wife Sarah were able to come home from the hospital with their new baby girl Shelby on fathers day. She is so tiny and sweet. Check out their blog for pictures of the happy family. What a special day for them.

Bug Bites

Matthew LOVES playing outside this summer, especially with his cousins in Oconomowoc. With the weather being nice and night time showers the mosquito farms are hard at work. Well the other day Matt was having too much fun playing outside at dusk which is when they feast on yummy blood. I went to get him the next morning and I had to do a double take, it looked like he had a black eye. On further inspection he had over fifty bites mostly on his face and neck. It looked like he had black eyes, a ping pong ball size swell on the side of his neck and the chicken pocks.

All that day he was just miserable I could tell in his eyes. So we went and got benadryl for him and hoped for the best. I am happy to say aside from a few scabs from scratching he his looking better.

The next day we went to the zoo again, he still has fun. When entering they have a grassy area for those who wish to have a picnic. They also have a brick border between grass and side walk about 6 inches off the ground. Well Matt wanted to be like the big kids and clime all over it. After telling him to stay off a million times and getting distracted fate stepped in and of course he fell backwards and hit his head on the concrete. Just a scrape and a goose egg, nothing a little Tylenol can't fix. I hope for his sake he learns a lesson that he is not invisible. The kid just can't catch a break!

My How Time Flys!

As of June 7th this year Rob and I have been in our house three years. That gives me two more years to get things squared away and move. Matthew will be three almost four and not in school yet. I hate living in West Allis!! The streets are busy and the yards are small and we have an infestation of hood rats (kids with nothing better to do than wander around and cause trouble). I never feel comfortable to let Matthew outside to just play and stay out of the street and in our yard, besides someone might take him.

Don't get me wrong we (Rob) have done a lot of good things to our house. The master bedroom has been repainted, Matt's room has been re-drywalled trimmed and painted, our front room has been re-drywalled trimmed painted and new wood floor, a spare room repainted and made into a playroom, and a new deck out back and new grass to go with it. A few more rooms, kitchen, bathroom, big room and we should be done. I have been keeping Rob busy.

When I look back at the last three years a lot has happened. A new car, a pregnancy, a baby grown to a toddler and many other memories. I do enjoy the fact that we are so close to the state fair grounds we can walk to it. However I do miss being close to other family members, it is a bit of a drive to go visit people.

When we move I hope it will be closer to people we love.

COUSINS!!

Aunt Cindy and her family has been able to come to Wisconsin from Alaska for a month before the Moss family reunion in July. Matt and I have been spending a lot of time out at the Moss house playing with his big cousins. He will ask every morning "Jake, Nick, Calob, Megan?" then moves on to "SueAnne, Rachel?" He is so cute.

He loves to jump on the trampoline with all the big kids, I just pray he doesn't get hurt so I look the other way. Jake and Nick are great cousins they involve him from time to time and hold his hand and talk with him. We went to the zoo last Thursday with every one and had a great time looking at all the animals. His word vocabulary is getting bigger and bigger every day like trampoline, swim, special, wagon, bicycle, turtle, fish and many more. We love having our cousins here and can't waite for more to arive.

MEMORIAL DAY

Better Late Than Never. This is my new thinking on posting.

Our Memorial weekend was jam packed full of fun! Saturday morning Matthew and I went over to Grandpa Russ' house (dad was on call) for a visit and a tractor ride. On entering the house Matt immediately went to the living room looking for the choo choo that was their during Christmas. He looked every where calling Choo Choo, behind chairs, out the window and around the piano. he was a little sad he couldn't find it. I was able to talk grandpa and uncle Jeff in digging out the tractor. Matthew LOVES the one at the Moss house, i thought he would have fun on a big one. The engine started, a smile lit his face. Grandpa and him set off for a ride and he was soo scared! He cried all the way down and back up the court. He was OK if it wasn't running. Oh well perhaps when he is older.

After a nap it was on to the park with grandma Lorna and Steve. Mind you that the two days before Matt had a fever of a hundred and one which finally broke that evening. We played in and on everything and had a pick nick at the park. With all that going on the kids never do eat well but they wear themselves out.

Sunday morning while getting Matt dressed I noticed he had a rash started around his cheeks and chest area. It had been hot and I thought it was due to the heat. Latter we had a tickle fit and I got a good look in his mouth when it was wide open having a good laugh. It looked like he had canker sours on the inside of his cheek, he was teething. Not wanting to be an over protective parent I figured it would go away on its own, rub some dirt in it kind of thing.

Monday we were headed out to the Moss house for some cousin fun, great food and togetherness. However the rash had spread from the top of his chest to all down it, his arms and legs also. I thought it was connected to the sours in his mouth and worries got the better of me. So on Memorial Monday Matt, Myself and my mother in-law (I asked her to go because she has more experience than I do about kids, she is so good to me) went to the urgent care. By now it is about 11:45 and Matt is getting hungry. Unfortunately I didn't pack any snacks for him to eat like I usually do. After waiting 2 1/2 hours we are seen, Matt is tried and cranky and doesn't want to cooperate. Apparently the fever he had a few days ago then the appearance of the rash indicates 5th disease. Common but nothing can be done. In his mouth he has gotten thrush and needs meds. Poor Matt was so tired he fell asleep in my arms and didn't move when transferring from arms to car to bed.

His rash went away in a few days and we a re almost done with the meds. What a trooper.

Sprinkler Fun

SueAnn took these for me when the kids were playing outside on the 19th. I hade to share how cute they are.

It is hard to believe how cute and good looking Matt is turning out to be based on his parents.

Play Date

SueAnn and I decided the cousins don't see each other enough so we arranged a play date on Monday the 10th. They came down to my house and we had wanted to go to the children's museum however they were not open on Mondays. So a thought occurred to me it has been a while since I have been to the Milwaukee Public Museum. With a quick look any Milwaukee resident gets in free on Mondays! Yippy!!!

We packed the kids and off we went. Matt & Rach are a little young to be interested in too much of it yet so we didn't get to stop and read much. They enjoyed having different surroundings and stuff to look at. They rode in strollers and pushed them and ran all over. They took a good nap that day. It was a fun something to do on a cold and cloudy day.

They got to see butterflies.

Mom & Matt (mom looks funny without makeup)

Brown Sprout & White Sprout

Mothers Day?

Mothers day has come and gone. I had to work that weekend and go to a birthday party for one of matts friend. Rob got to help his brother re-roof his house. Well it takes more than one day to re-roof a house so he went down Sunday to finish the job (Mothers Day).

For mothers day Matthew was such a sweety! He took me to McDonald's for breakfast just him and Me. After that it was cleaning and laundry and keeping Matt occupied long enough for me to work around him. After a nap, for matt not me, we went down to Palmyra to meet dad for dinner. I felt like I worked all day long!

Thanks reality for that slap in the face. THIS IS WHAT MOTHERS DO!!
(I hope Matt doesn't spend too much money on his therapy)

Chaos Strikes Again

Life at our house has been crazy! With Rob and I working I have also gone to Canada for training and I had a sitter for Matthew all lined up. The day before I leave I get a call that my sitter needs to go out of town due to a death in the family. Of course I understand, however I can't cancel my plans. My sister in-law Sarah came to my rescue for a day and grandma and grandpa and even Uncle Aaron helped the rest of the time. They say it takes a village to raise a child and I am thankful for all the help.

The next weekend I had students graduating so we had a dinner dance for them to celebrate. Rob stepped up and helped a lot, I think he has fun hanging out with Matt. You know guy time.

On top of it all I am changing day sitters for Matthew this month. I had thought about it a lot and Rob and I thought it would be good if Matt got to hang out with his cousin Rachel. So Sueann will be watching him for us starting tomorrow. Good luck to her for watching two kids that don't slow down much but they will have a fun summer together. She is looking forward to it.

The lady that was watching him for us was doing a fine job and her kid and Matt had fun together. We will have play dates but Matt never really napped for her and it seamed like I was putting her out. However on the last day when Rob came to pick Matthew up, Matt gave her huggs by-by like always and she stared to get emotional. Now I feel like a big ASS but just have to remember that in the long run it will be good for Matt. It's not like I will never see her again, i still feel a little bad.

Cute Side Note

Robs birthday was last saturday and I had gotten him a nice gift from me, then it dawned on me! I haden't gotten him anything from Matthew. So Saturday morning Matt and I go to the store to pick out a card and a gift for dad.

We head straight for the cards and while walking down the row Matt reaches out and grabs a card from the shelf. It turns out to be a happy birthday daddy card that would be great so in the cart it went. On to the gift.

We start wandering down all the rows again and I keep telling him we are looking for a gift for dads birthday. Matt hardly makes a peep. we turn the corner and on all the shelves are brewers items, hats and shirts for all ages. Matt pipes up "dad . . . dad . . . dad" and points to an old school logo shirt. So by the time I find the right size all I hear is "dad . . . dad . . .dad" once it was in the cart he was quiet again.

Just like a man shopping, know what you want, get it and get out! I thought it was cute how Matthew picked out everything he gave to dad for his birthday.

Zoo Crazy

We love free zoo day! It was a wonderful day to spend outside learning new things. SueAnn and Rachel met Matt and me at our house and we took my car (Rob was helping re-roof a house). Now I drive this little car so fitting the wagon in was interesting but only took one bungee. Booth kids did really well. They loved riding in the wagon together. They got out and wandered all the buildings with us and had a pick-nick lunch by the lake. They fought a little about whose cup got to go where but no major melt downs or public beatings. We took a train ride at the very end and I thought Matt would come unglued when we had to get off, he did really well and had a great fun day. He learned how to say, Turtle and Fish, he is learning things so quickly.

All right a train ride!
I don't know about this cousin.

We then decided to keep playing together at the Moss house. With a fast pit stop at my house to change cars and get provisions off we went. I was sure Matt was so tired from the day he would nap in the car, no luck. Not even a snooze when I layed him down at the house. So back outside we went to jump and run and play.

By 6:30pm Mom was tired of being on the move all day and Matt was so tired he didn't know what to do more, whine, act goofy or throw fits. We could hardly stand each other. He was in bed and asleep before 7:10. It was a fun day and I'm glad it only comes around once in a while.

Happy Birthday ROB

Rob turned the big 33 this year on saturday. We really didn't do much to celabrate. I had to work most of the day. I did take him out to dinner at Texas Road House. We had a great time. It is not offten we get to spend adult time together. Either we are passing eachother, sleeping or wrapped up in Matthew. It was even hard coming up with things to say that didn't envolve Matthew, how our lives have changed! It was nice to remeber that we are still a couple who need together time. Before it was what ever, now it is all for what is best for Matthew. My inlaws took Matthew overnight for us, it really sucks living 30 min away form our biggest supporters otherwise ue would have picked him up and all gone home.

Sorry to say Robs birthday was not all about him. I fianaly got a room in our house finished. All we needed was the celing painted and trim put up. That trim really makes a diffrence, it looks like a room now. We made it a room for all of Matthews toys to go.

Rob did however get a really nice Birthday gift from me. He has been wanting a fast lap top for work so he can talk to some of the machines through it. Well he got it, and it is much nicer than mine I almost want to trade but then he won't be able to work so I'm stuck with the older one. I guess it is better than nothing.

So here is a happy birthday to a swell guy.

Happy Easter

Sadly some little fingers wanted to play with the lense on my camera and now it is broke. I feel at a loss bloging without the aid of pictures and we miss the fun firsts of Matthew exploring. Oh well what did they do 40 years ago?

Matthew loves running around with his cousin Rachel ouside and tries to do everything she does. A few weeks ago the moss house had a digger there hooking htem up to the main sewer. Matthew was glued to it and really wanted to drive it. A week ago daddy was asked to help take down some trees out there. If the wood chipper was going that is were you would find Matthew watching trieing to figure out how it worked. Rachel wanted nothing to do with these things so I guess they are a little diffrent in some ways.

SueAnn has taken on the challange of watching Matthew for me when I go to work. I think it will great for the cousins to be able to play with eachother and get to know eachother. I never got that chance with my cousins and I wish I did.

Easter was great, all the good food, all the family and the egg hunt. Matthew was all about finding the eggs and even putting them in his bucket, but if he egg made a sound when it was shook he had to open it to find out what made the noise. It only took once for mom to figure out to watch him like a hawk, he opened one to see and all the candy whent in the dirt. Now how am I going to raid his loot if its all in the dirt? I had to help him put his eggs in the bucket. Oh well now with the weahter getting nicer we are visiting the park more ofter, Matt has no fear! I wants to climb to the top of the BIG kid slide and go down so mom has to climb up with him and go to. I must be having a b-day soon, man I getting to old to play at the playground. I go to wear matthew out but it is usually me how gets tired first.

Manic Monday

I had to take some time to tell you all about my manic monday.
After working all weekend at a dancing showcase with late nights and eirly mornings Matthew and I had a play date with Rachel and Sueann to go swiming. After getting him started on breakfest I gathered everything up we would need for the day. On the way we stoped by grandmas work to put some money in Matthews account, he looked really cute walking into the bank with bank book in hand and haning it to the lady and everything. Anyway lets get to the good part.

I picked up the girls and we were on our way to the YMCA to go swiming with a pass that would get us in for free. I was driving so Sueann had the pass. She put it down to put her seatbelt on, safty first, when she looked back the pass had slid between the door window in to car door itself. I stared laughing then trieing to figure out how to get the pass out so we could still go swiming. I called Rob to help us figure it out, Sueann was able to get the pannel off and I was able to get the pass out. The door whent back together fine.

So with one more call we were going swiming. I had to call Rob and let him kniw all went well. Insted I desided to play a joke. I told Rob that in the prosess of getting the pass I broke the car door window, and that the door didn't go back together well so we might need a new door. (Us being women and all not knowing anything). I think I now know what a heartattack sounds like over the phone. He got very quiet for a long time and then got a little paniky. I had to tell him all was well fast before he had a stroke. After I did he didn't think it was very funny and was a little pissed. Just trieing to keep the spark going ha ha ha ha.

Hope this gave you all a little chuckel.

Stat Fair Augest 2009

We live about 13 blocks from where the state fair is heald so we look forward to it every year. We eat the junk food see all the animals and go watch the horse pulls with grandpa Russ.

Last year Matt had fun looking at everything!

That year the horses broke the truck for the horse pulls. It was realy quite amazing.

About a year ago then I was 9 months pregnant and walked the 13 blocks there and back plus all over to see everything. So much has changed from those waddling days to now, now I chase!

Looking back it is cool to see how much Matthew has changed and everything he has learned.

MATTHEW TURNES ONE!!!

Well he made it to a year and I didn't kill him but that might change in the next year when he pushes his limits. Looking back and seeing that I can do it gives me hope. Hope he won't need thousands of dollars latter for shrink bills.



A little perspective for you. This is how he looked in his car seat the day we brought him home.

And this is what he looked like the last day he was in it.

We graduated him to a front facing car seat at about 11 1/2 months. It is hard to remember what he was like when he was just a blob on a blanket. he hardly moved now it is hard to keep up with him.

For his birthday I desided to go get his hair cut. This is his hair before all long and girly. . . .

And this is my handsome boy after his hair cut. . . he did really good!

I had planed a birthday party outside at a park half way between oconomowoc and west allis thinking the weather would be really nice to play outside, run around and play at the playground. Boy was I wrong!!! It was the coldest weekend for the end of August i can ever remember. I am so done planing outside events. First a cold outdoor wedding then a cold out door party. Next birthday will be inside!

Matthew loved playing with lots of people and eating corn on the cob and hotdogs. As well as the cake. Yum Yum!!

UTAH TRIP 2009

So much stuff to show here are some more photos



This is such a cute picture. This is Matthews favorite thing to do still. Sit in Daddys truck and drive it. He cries when we pry him out. He is all boy what am I to Do? If you look close you can see the air conditioner blowing his hair.


This was swimming at the pool, he had so much fun. We also took Maddison and Katelyn Robs side neices to the pool with us.

At the reunion every one needed to have a skitt put together. This is Chad and his dad Ken singing patty cakes. He is so cute.

This is one of the waggons to pull around a path to see what it was like to pull a hand cart on the trail. Talon had a great time pulling everyond and Matthew would love it when he did.

Just some more fun photos of the trip.

UTAH TRIP July 2009

Having an icecream cone on the way out and getting a handle bar mustash

The family went west for two weeks at the end of July for the Patten Family Reunion. An adventure and a half.!!!!!!

Matt at a parade in his shades

Mom afeter a four wheeler ride time for a shower

We palyed with EVERYONE. Went on four wheeler rides, saw all kinds of animals, we went to a parade, went to a pool to go swiming with Greg Sarah and Morgan. We stayed with Jordan and his family in Heber. Viseted the Dell and played in the pond and got our legs so cold they turned red. Viseted great grandmas house and played the piano with our toes. We jamed so much stuff in two week we were glad to come home.

Morgan at the parade in her shades

The reunion was in Wyoming in a prarrie. It got very windy during the day and very very cold at night. Poor Matthew had a hard time at night. Me being the bad mom thaught it wouldn't get so cold in the middle of summer so he came to sleep with mom and dad. And anyone who has sleeped with a baby knows they don't sit still even sleeping. It was fun to see all my Patten relatives. The cousins had fun playing with eachother.

Again a reminder to how well I really have it in 2009!

A GREAT time was had by all and we miss everyone out in Utah! come and visit us soon.

4th of July 2009 Camping

I plan on posting a few highlights till we get caught up. We have done so many fun things I would like you all to see.

We went camping with Russ over the 4th of July last year. It had its own challanges but is was very fun. We had brought a walking toy for Matthew and he crused all over the camp with the aid of his toy.

We went for a hike around a lake. Spent time with Grandpa and hit the beach. Matthew had so much fun splashing around and we sure tired him out.

Camping with a 10 month old is a lot of work but we could have been pionears trecking across the country without a camper to protect us from the elements.

Hello from the abiss

The internet in our house has been FIXED!! I need to update everyone on what we have been doing but that will have to waite till later this week.

TTFN