Time in a Bottle

Time is just flying by.  I swear, just yesterday, Collin was born.  Yet, somehow, he is 15 months old!  It feels like just a few months ago that I changed jobs, but it's been 4 years!  and just last year that I was saying "I do." to the best guy ever, but it's been almost 9 years.  I have always had a terrible mental clock - "I'll be ready in 5 minutes" actually means 20 minutes.  In college, I kept a journal - I'd look at them from time to time so that I could remember.  I don't write in my journals anymore, so I started blogging to document - to remember, and I've been not so awesome at that.  Most of my life is in my phone - just sitting there in pictures that I snap and forget.

Here's a stroll down the memory lane of my life in 2016...

In January, Collin turned 8 months.  Sitting up, crawling backwards, and had three teeth that he had cut months ago.

At the end of January, we finally put away the Christmas tree.  We'd left it up so long, because Collin LOVED it.  Any time he was sad or crying, we'd sing "O Christmas Tree, O Christman Tree, O Tree Tree Tree Tree Tree Tree Tree"  Obviously, we don't know the words to that song.  To this day, if we sing that song, he looks to the corner of the living room.

In February, we went to a super fun b-day party.  Collin loved the hula hoop.  I also spent my first night away from him on a work trip, and Chris and I had a dinner date to a local steakhouse for Valentine's Day.

Also, Collin had his first day of "school".  It's daycare, but school sounds much better to say.  Maybe I'm a little biased, but he was the cutest kid in the class.  With school came ear infections.  So many ear infections.

March brought the Houston Rodeo.  We buy season tickets each year, so that we can go to the concerts.  This year, I only went to one concert with my Mom.  It was fun, but I missed going with Chris.  One day, we will enjoy taking Collin, but he was a little too young for the loud noises and the crowds.

It was also Collin's first Easter.

 In April, we sold my car, and I got a new one.  With a car seat, the old one just didn't have enough room left in the front passenger seat for am adult to sit.  We also participated in Run for the Rose to raise money for brain cancer research.  I lost my Dad to brain cancer in 2009, and we participate in his memory each year.

My employer also sponsored a night at the Astros game.  We stayed for most of the game, before leaving to put a very tired boy to bed.

Right at the end of April, Collin started walking.  He had been taking a couple of steps for a while, but he started taking 5 or 6 steps in a row - and that definitely counts.

May brought Collin's first birthday.  On his birthday, we took him to the aquarium in Galveston.  He loved looking at the fishes.  The weekend following his birthday, we had a party at our home.  My Mom and Grandma, Chris's Mom and one sister, my two best friends, and some of our neighbors came to celebrate.  I learned that having a party at home is stressful - cleaning, decorating, how much food is enough?, how much cake is enough?, why won't my child smash a cake?


I worked so hard on this banner with a picture of Collin each month.  I loved how it turned out.

At the end of May, Collin got a hair cut.  He did great with it.

In June, I took a trip to Hobby Lobby and found a whole bunch of wall decor on sale.  I made a gallery wall in the laundry room.  Now, I have a smile on my face while I iron - not really - but I love the way it turned out.

We also took our first trip to the local children's museum.  There is an upstairs section for young children.  We had a great time.

At the beginning of July, Collin got ear tubes.  I worried that we were making the wrong decision, because mosts parents do - always.  but we were told by the doctor that he actually had an ear infection when she put in the tubes, so we were reassured that this was right for him.

There were tons of toys to play with in the waiting areas, and how cute was he in his scrubs??

We met friends at the aquarium in downtown Houston.  Collin, again, loved the fishes.

Collin made this.  little artist in the making? maybe, maybe not.

Also in July, our sweet dog Lily turned 10!!  She is the sweetest, cutest dog.

Collin got ANOTHER hair cut.  This kid has some wild hair.  I love it.

before. during. after.

In August, we have been watching Collin's vocabluary grow so much.  The cutest thing ever is when we ask "What does a dog say?" and he does his best to bark.  I put my phone on video, dressed him in a Louisiana Tech onesie (we are the Bulldogs), and tried to get him to bark when I asked the question.... nope.

I'm excited for the Fall and holiday season but am just trying to enjoy every day.


Title from Time in a Bottle by Jim Croce