Colton is 1

May 22, 2008

I can hardly believe it's been one year since I had my baby Colton! It was such a whirlwind of a day. I didn't expect to have him that day, I was just going in for an ultrasound but he wasn't moving so we went to Labor and Delivery to be watch but I was adamant that I wanted him out now. So, at about 5-5:30pm they began to induce me. I wasn't even able to get a prego pic because the Dr. broke my water before Danny was back with a camera and my suitcase. I expected to be in labor for a while but he came quicker than expected. By 11:30pm he had joined our family. Colton Ryan Fritz came in at a whopping 9lbs 10 oz and 22inches long. He won the family record for biggest baby. That made a proud Daddy even prouder that his son holds the chubby baby record. He surprised his mommy too coming in that big, I was expecting big but not that big at 2 1/2 weeks early. He maintained quite a fast growth rate for the first half of his life, 12lbs @ 1 month; 19lbs 8oz @ 4 months; and 21@ 6 months but finally he has slowed down to about 22-23lbs currently. With him walking, we have nicknamed him "little godzilla" but we love our big guy. He has been an absolute joy to have in our family. I really feel like he helps bring our family together. Every morning Colton ends up in my bed and when both his big brothers get up they head straight to my bed and race to be the first one to lay by Colton. You would think this would have ended long ago but a year later and they are still going strong. He is so sweet and cuddly. I love to just hold him and squeeze him while he sleeps. He has been an awesome baby! I'm honestly sad that he's growing up so fast, sometimes I just want to freeze time and make him stop growing. I have just absolutely loved having him around. I think that since he's my 3rd baby I've really stopped worrying about the small things, the crying, the messes, the little fevers and running noses, just don't bother me as much as they did with the first 2 so I've really enjoyed his first year. But it's probably also because he is so dang sweet, I know I say that alot but that's the best I can think of to describe him. Colton looks up to his big brothers. No one can make him laugh like his big brothers. They try to treat him equally, which sometimes gets hairy because they forget he's still a baby. So, his big size really has been a saving grace since he has 2 bigger brothers. It doesn't take much to keep Colton happy, give him food, if you are eating in front of him you'd better be prepared to share with him. If you go outside, he has to go outside too. If you go downstairs- he has to go with you. If you cook dinner- he has to cook with you. If you do your hair- he has to play in the bathroom with you. Ok, you get the point, he just likes to be with you. And I don't mind having a little tag-along because he's been a great blessing in my life and a wonderful addition to our family. Our family would not be complete without this little chunk. We are so lucky to have him in our life. Here are a couple pics of my "baby" over the last year. I have one for every month for the last 12 months of his life. The last 4 pics are some of him currently that I thought were cute and couldn't decide what "1" to post so I did 4 that I liked.

June 29, 2008


July 26, 2008


August 21, 2008


September 9, 2008


October 8, 2008


November 28, 2008


December 24, 2008


January 22, 2009


February 15, 2009


March 15, 2009


April 10, 2009


April 30, 2009


Today, 1 year later!

Oh, to be Limber!

So, after dinner I knew Colton was tired and he really doesn't feel good so I tried putting him to sleep. He was almost out but kept tossing and turning because he was so sweaty. It is a super humid, muggy day today so everyone is really sticky and wet and he was feeling it too. I had him really close so I thought I'd take him to his room, turn on his fan and let him fall asleep in his own crib cause it's always cooler in his room somehow, the lucky kid. Well, he cried when I left but I figured it wouldn't take him long to go out. And then I had to go to the salon to cut hair and he was left in Daddy's care. Well, this is how Danny found him sleeping after he had cried himself to sleep. And I was lucky enough to have HIM actually take a picture without any prodding on my part. What initiative on his part, yeah! I think this is the weirdest position yet that are kids have slept in. It's a classic in my book! I only wish I could be that limber again!

1st swim of the year

So, this past Friday was a super nice day. In fact it was so nice that I decided it was warm enough to get the hose out and let them swim. Although, the turtle is suppose to be for sand I felt it is better served as a small swimming pool for Colton. Especially since the boys have a much bigger pool for themselves to get in. This was Colton's first time playing in a pool. He wasn't so sold on it yet. I think it was because the water was cold and his brother's kept splashing all over. Josh was just plane wild in the pool, he would jump in, slide in, dunk in, he did it all. Nate was a little more gun-shy, again because it was too cold for his taste. They had a blast that day even if I was a bad mom and completely forgot the sunscreen. Poor Josh got a sunburn on his shoulders:(



This is the best I could get of all 3 of them.


Josh's smile says it all for him, Colton on the other hand not loving it!


Colton says, "I'm outa here!"


"I'm getting as far away from here as I can!"


Nate is trying to be brave and sit in it!


Nate and Josh being goofy!


A little clip capturing it all on film!

T.G.I.F.

Ok, this is barely going to make it before Friday comes to a close but better late than never!

1. I am very grateful that I was able to go out on Thursday and have a girls night! It was so nice to just go out and be Jen! I had a fun time hanging out with Melissa. We went to and Art Museum, a farmers market and of course the best part of the night was dessert. We got a slice of cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory! It was so yummy! And it was my first time down to the plaza and I am so going back! I'm thankful to have girls nights because there are going to be many more to come!
2. I am very grateful to have a husband who was more than willing to let me go out and watch the boys so I could have my own time. I was very thankful that he was so obliging because I really needed it. It's so nice to have a husband back in town!
3. And finally I am thankful to have groceries. I love when my cupboards are full of food! Is that just not the best feeling to see food there that you actually will eat! And I don't know if it's just me but the prices of groceries seem to have some down some or they are having more sales but whatever the case may be I feel like I'm getting more for my dollar! So, I'm so grateful that we have plenty of food (and even junk food) in the house!
   

Sleeping baby

I love watching my babies sleep. I just think that there is nothing sweeter than a sleeping baby. I realized the other day that I don't have many pictures of Colton sleeping so I snapped some this morning of him sleeping. Isn't he so precious? When I was trying to wean him of his midnight nursing, I slept with that lion for a few nights and then put it in his crib with him so it would remind him of me. And let me tell you, it did the trick! He now sleeps all night long. He doesn't wake up until 6:30-7am to nurse and then goes back to sleep for a little bit longer. But I just love these sweet moments, I wish I could just freeze time! They just don't stay babies for very long, they grow up so stinking fast! And not that I'm prejudiced but isn't he such a cute litte sleeper?!

Rain, Rain, Rain

Look at our "sandbox" filled with water


RAIN, RAIN, GO AWAY AND COME AGAIN ANOTHER DAY! According to our weather forecast it looks like we got our wish for the afternoon. It's been raining, and raining and raining lately. But by mid-day it finally stopped for the rest of the day. But rest assured it is hasn't gone away for good yet, I think it said we have rain in the forecast everyday at least until next Wednesday. The other day it said we had something like 6 1/2 inches of rain just in April alone. I was trying to find an exact amount but all I found was that since March 1st we have had a whopping 12 inches of rain. Is that crazy or what! But as a plus side, everything is soooo green and vibrant. It's just absolutely beautiful. Our lawn is loving it, loving it too much. It is getting out of control long but there's not been a chance to mow it because of all the rain. But, tonight I decided since it wasn't raining and it felt nice out I would let the boys play in the pool a.k.a sandbox. I got them into some old play clothes and let them play to their hearts content. There are a lot of pictures, I just kept snapping. And sorry if they aren't that clear, it wasn't until I was downloading them that I noticed I had a smudge on my lens. Oh, yeah, and since it's T.G.I.F I am thankful for 1: Rain, it's making everything vibrant and beautiful and the smell of rain is awesome. 2: Thankful to know that there is a reason behind Nate's accident and have a course of action to correct it. 3" boys that like to get down and dirty and brighten my day.


My three guys


Notice Nate, he's jumping in the puddle


Now Josh is running through the puddle


Colton gets his hands into it


Not afraid to get dirty!


Josh and Colton filling up the dump truck


sand + buckets + shovels + dump trucks= happy boys


Colton helping fill the truck


I'm having fun


Need to fill my bucket


Look at that plummer's crack


Nate makes sandy soup


Need more sand

Wet baby

What do you do on a warm spring day? Wash your car of course! It was such a beautiful day that we took advantage of hosing down the mom-mobile! I only had 2 little helpers today; Josh ended up having a nap while we cleaned. And finally here are some fun pictures to look at, (well fun for me to look at) So, I'll let the pictures do all the talking. Side note, Nate was there but he didn't want any pictures of him taken so I focused my attention on the wee one! And Colton is walking now, well, the very unstable walking but here are the first pictures that I've actually gotten of him doing it. Sadly it's been going on for like a month and I just haven't captured it on the camera. Again, that poor 3rd child gets left behind in so many ways!



Colton finds a puddle of dirty water


Look at how dirty his pants are! (I really don't care if they come clean cause all 3 boys have worn them and they've served their purpose)


We teach them young to wash our cars


I'm a stud, I can stand!


A little bit of attitude


Colton is stepping forward to give me his dandelion


Look mom, somehow it got all wet


Ok, I'll hang on to it myself

T.G.I.F.

Wow, another week gone by and not much has happened on my blog. I have been in a blogging slump for a while now. I promise I'm trying to get back to it again. But for now I'll do my gratitude list.

1. I am sooooooooooooo grateful to have my husband back home. It has been wonderful to have him around, it makes the evenings less lonely and the boys are able to get some wiggles out by wrestling. The best thing of all has been meal time, it doesn't end up being an all night event for me, he can distract the boys so I can fix it, he helps get them served and helps clean up; it makes the whole ordeal so much quicker and easier so sadly to say that this has been the highlight of his homecoming.
2. I am grateful for my big, fenced in back yard. I love having a big yard for the boys to play in and run around. It's been one of the best advantage of owning a home. I love knowing that I can send them outside and close the gate and let them play while I'm inside. I love that I can do that!
3. I am grateful that I know own my very own piano. I am loving having a piano in my home. Thanks to my mom and Danny making it possible to get me one. It's been so fun to just sit down and play the piano and practice my "skills" again. I am a bit rusty but I have sat down and played everyday since I got it. I love looking over and seeing a piano, I've had a goal to own my own piano for a long time and now it's been fulfilled and I love it.
   

T.G.I.F.

So, boy, has it been like forever since I last made one of these posts! I feel like I'm always on the go. I'm always running around picking Nate up from school, or shopping or doing errands or cleaning, always cleaning. Something is always going on and it's not until like 10 or 11pm that I'm able to literally sit down and just veg so then I'm up way to late. I thought I'd have all this down time to do all sorts of things and projects since Danny would be gone but now, I'm a week out and I haven't done one thing that I'd hoped for, life has simply been to busy! But as busy as it's been I definitely have many blessings to be grateful for which in no particular order:

1. I am so grateful for friends. Good friends who have kept me sane while I've been flying single. I have been so blessed to be surrounded by such great people who willingly have given of their time and services (especially jump starting a van). I'm not going to name names because there are just too many but thank your for awesome friendships.
   
2. I was listening to my ipod the other day and the country song "Let them be little" came on (I don't remember the singer) and I had tears in my eyes. I have been fighting alot with one of my sons and it really made me stop and think; kids are little for such a short time and they grow so fast. The years just seem to fly by, it seems like yesterday that I just had my first and that was 5 1/2 years ago and now I have 3. But it helped me realize that I need to focus on the bigger picture of things, not the poopy underwear and the constant messes, but the bigger more pertinent issues like them gaining a testimony of our Savior and our Father in Heaven. So, I am grateful that I've been given the opportunity to be a mother, their mother. And I'm grateful that I can be a stay-at-home-mom and really see them "be little".
   
3. I am grateful for prayer. I have turned to prayer so many times in my life and continue to do so because I know He can hear me. It doesn't matter what I pray for or when I pray, I know He is listening and nows my heart. When I'm scared or lonely or in need I know He is there waiting to comfort me. And I know that He does comfort us, He has comforted me many, many times. I am so grateful our Father in Heaven has given us the gift of prayer and since He can't be here to put His arm around us, He does however, wrap us up in His spirit of love and concern. So, I'm forever indebted to Him!
   

Josh's party on his birthday

I know, another post about Josh and his birthday and it's a lot of pictures. This was from Friday, Josh's actual birthday. It was just me and the 3 boys celebrating his birthday. I think he had a lot of fun. Nate and I would sing to him all day and he would just get so smiley. He loved all his presents but I think he's really enjoyed his very own back pack. We ran some errands that day and he wore it with us to the store. He and Nate really enjoyed his jumper, they had fun with it that day but now it's been to cold to use it. That night when it came time to light the candles and have some cake, I could not find any lighter or matches. I seriously searched my house everywhere for an hour and found nothing. So, I ran to my neighbors and borrowed a lighter from her, then when I returned it she handed me a cheap one to keep cause she figured I should have one in my home just to be safe. But it was really nice of her, I'm just glad that Josh had candles to blow out cause that just wouldn't have been a birthday with out making a wish. All in all, I think we let him know it was his special day cause he was smiles all day long.

Josh all excited about his backpack

Nate eating his ice cream cone (this is out of order but I couldn't get it to move)

He loved "our" scobby doo movie as he called it.

He has enjoyed this Velcro glove.

Everyone gets in on the fun of unwrapping.

Testing out his new jumper

My 3 boys. I couldn't not get Colton to stop chewing on it no matter what I did.

These are the pics of Josh's cake that I made him. Although it's suppose to be a car, I think it looked a little more like a van but it still turned out pretty fun. Josh loved it! The tools that Ronda gave me really made all the difference. I know it's not perfect but for me it was pretty good, I just need lots more practice. But this cake is pretty easy to make. I spent about 2 hours on it the night before and the boys were right there with me the entire time watching it come together. Josh really loved his cake even though now he says that Mommy ate all his cake. (oops, I really did it was so yummy and moist, I just couldn't stop myself.) But here's another look at the cake.

My big 3 year old with his cake

Blowing out his candles

Enjoying his cake and icecream.

My mister Colton finishing his icecream cone. And yes, he really did eat the entire thing and actually whined to have more but I held strong and didn't give in.