The Connell Chronicles: AS THE DAYS ROLL BY...

Because you pay me in love more than any job could.. I am going to commit my morning to you, my beautiful son, and our love letter to you. I found a picture the other day of your 3D sonogram.. dated 9/5/10…

And now here you are....

Again, momma is just amazed that my heart could be so raveled around you, the one that I was so impatiently waiting to meet this time last year. Which brings me to my next “tear”… in less than THREE MONTHS I will no longer be able to look back and be able to compare this year to last when you were still growing away in my ever growing away belly :). We had a big reality put in front of us this last month that made us realize that you are more of a blessing than we could ever put into words… But I most certainly will try. On July 19th we welcomed your sweet cousin Jackson into the world… just as perfect and beautiful as can be. Jackson had a heart condition that caused him to have to stay in the hospital a little longer so that the doctors could fix his brand new little heart. I can honestly say that I have never taken for granted the fact that you are an absolute blessing that we are so very fortunate to have. However, I think we do really take for granted the fact of just how lucky we are. We were able to take you home immediately, able to hold you immediately, able to feed you immediately… that, I admit, is something that I- myself have taken for granted. I have to say that I held/hold you closer and longer every night giving you your bottle and shhhh, shhhh, shhh’ing you off into dreamland.. taking in every moment with you. Those that are fortunate enough to have the experience that we did (less the umbilical cord around your neck twice, I could have lived without knowing that panic :) but you are perfectly fine and that is all that I will reminisce about :)) and be able to take you home.. as healthy as can be.. I have to admit that you just “expect” to have you home and that in all reality is a blessing. Little Jackson is finally at home now, and for that we are so grateful…

Chugalug little guy!

You are in love with life itself.. you take in every little detail and therefore also make your loving parents realize that we need to do the same. I know that we are supposed to teach you, but son I can’t tell you how much YOU have actually taught US.. I LOVE THE LIFE YOU HAVE BROUGHT TO US AND GIVEN TO US. I can only pray (and I do EVERYDAY) that we are able to make you feel the love, compassion, and happiness that you bring to us.

Snuggle Buggin' time with your pops..

You are EVERYWHERE! Last Saturday (August 28th), you did it, you took the plunge that will have momma and daddy on our toes (and Gigi has quite the chore as well EVERYDAY haha)- YOU CRAWLED.

You have been so close for SO LONG.. many movements and attempts would stop us in mid-sentence and catch our attention seeing if “this” might be the moment. You just might be the cutest little crawler I have ever seen! On your first “go at its” you were still trying to figure out juuuuust how this whole crawling deal worked, and getting your arms and knee movements in synch was a lot harder then you thought. You almost seemed to think “awwwww forget it” as you would do this “hopping” with your knees instead of moving one at a time. It was so funny and so cute. You are already doing better and better with it every day… I can’t believe how fast you accelle at things!

You melted Daddy’s heart with your DADADADA…. It was in full force on the evening of 8-18-10… But now.. no more haha! That is what I mean you change so quickly from day to day! You are so sweet and melted my heart when you CRAWLED TO ME yesterday (Thursday 9/2), and then your dad’s heart joined the melting pot when you did the same to him last night. You are very loving and seem to have quite the compassionate side to you as well.

You have started doing this “eeehhh??” sound like a little Spanish kiddo saying what?! You got it in ya, your Great, Great Grandma couldn’t speak a word of English.. so it is down those blood lines deep in the roots of that family tree of ours. It is very funny though.. You love the game of repetition. You love to mimic sounds.. It has become quite the ritual in the truck rides.. eeehhhhh ( you )… eeeeehhhh (me) back and forth, back and forth :). This morning I was singing to you AT LAST (I was going to video this but decided that it might not be the smartest move in the world showing my lack of singing skills lol) and you just started mimicking me. Very funny….

You just aren’t loving solid foods of any kind right now, or I should say “adult foods”. I get the very horrible looking gag face with any type of “morsel” (literally it is the size of a great meal for a mouse hahaha) that I try to give you of very soft foods- I tried a little refried beans, a little bitty piece of the inside of a biscuit, a green bean… NADA..

You are still sleeping like a champ.. have been since SEVEN WEEKS... That is definitely one thing that I so take for granted after the many stories I hear of those sweet babies that are a little less willing to miss what life might bring when they are asleep :)! Right now you are usually down and out no later than 7:45-8 and you sleep alllllll night long! Such a rockstar! Love you..

Have I said that you absolutely adore the SHAKE… SHAKE.. SHAKE……… SHAKE...SHAKE…SHAKE.. SHAAAKE YOUR BOOTY, SHAKE YOUR BOOTY song? Well you do.. or maybe it is the visual that you get with momma actin’ a fool to try to get you to smile when you are “down” :).

You are doing so good at listening… You have been having to hear the word “no” quite often :).. curious little fella as we fully expect you to be. But you usually quickly listen before the “no” has to get too “I mean it” sounding haha… Poor guy you just have so many nicknames I don’t think you know what to answer to hahaha.. I have tried to use your “name”…. but it’s just so hard. To me that is for teachers and people that just meet you… NOT MOMMA :). We had our first loooonnnnnng (and might I reiterate LOONNNNNGG haha) weekend with you over the Labor Day Holiday with your new crawling business! I can’t believe that you are already conquering that new little voyage and already getting to be a little Speedy Gonzales! I think it’s hilarious that everywhere in that house that I thought “might” be of interest to you that wasn’t a good spot for you.. you have not wanted momma to feel like a failure for thinking such things so away you go and head right for it.

UMMMM what in the heck is that black thing??

I think this was the part where the basset used his buddy to get in...

Apparently he has a magnetic attraction to this stool.... I would move the stool.. hunkie would be by the stool... move the stool... hunkie by the stool... over and over :).

I thought it was hilarious that your first few moments on the floor.. your buddy Clyde was laying on the floor a few feet away and there you went Stagger Crawlin’ right for that tail to figure it out. :) He is being so good with you.. y’all are seriously becoming BFF.. Which I am in turn becoming more and more appreciative of that and not letting him get on my nerves so much :). He will bark and want to play with you and in fear that the barking will startle you and upset you as it has before, I tell him NO.. only to look over at you and see a smile from ear to ear. You are very intrigued with him, and he with you.. I see a great relationship developing and hope that it does… On Friday, I was decorating and you were crawling around.. you found the sliding glass door.. Clyde was outside.. but saw you and your little hands pressed against it… Somehow all of a sudden there was a basset inside.. well the door opens pretty easy.. so I guess your sticky little hands :) had opened the door just enough for him to get his nose in there and open it more hahaha.. I could just hear him like on Homeward Bound.. saying THANKS KID… Mercy…we are in trouble.

You have already moved to now “pulling up”..

Phone pic. is noooot so good... but he was practicing with Pappy!

You love to be standing up.. you will pull up to standing by holding on to us at diaper changing time.. and think it’s funny as can be to bounce up and down on your own! That has to be weird for you after all the “jumpin’” you have done in your bouncer to now be able to do it all on your own.

You are also a champ at holding the bottle!! But we still have to "watch out" because sometimes you would rather not :)... NOOO you hold it.. I will just drink :).

I realized last night that with my “every 3 months letter” that the next one I will be writing is YOUR ONE YEAR letter! Just amazing.. You have shown me how to love so very deeply.. how to be so nurturing… how to be scared to death :) of dissapointing you with anything that we do or provide in life.. You have shown me that life isn’t about the trendiest bar.. or getting dressed up to tear up the town.. it isn’t about the quantity of things in my life that I love, but better yet the depth of the love that I feel is more important. I give you my all… I always will. Your dad is one of the hardest working men that I know… You will never have to doubt that he doesn’t put everything that he has, and everything that he is made of into loving you and giving you a life that without his hard work we would never be able to give you. Every moment with you serves as a moment that makes all hard work worth every second. You have unlimited smiles, unlimited love… unlimited little excited “oh” faces (so exciiiiiting, like oh look what I can do :)...

and then you just fold and unfold your knees faster than lightning!).. You also have unlimited energy :0)… We are in love with you, in love with the lives that you have given us, in love with every blessing that you bring, in love with all of the little adventures that you will and have taken us on.. Just in love with the lives of being parents to you, our beautiful son. I will end this now because goodness knows how long the one year letter will be. Thank you son for being the best little God’s creation we could ever hope for. We love you to the moon and back, and back, and back, and back infinity times infinity :).

As always, I also end this letter with my empty promise that I will do better at blogging :). But I better get back to work because even though you pay me so much with your love.. unfortunately I couldn’t talk Howard E. Butts (HEB) into accepting your little love tokens for payment :).

ANNNND, COUNTDOWN FOR CHRISTMAS!!

103 Days, 2 Hours, 16 Minutes :)

I was so excited for Sept. 1st! I am not too sure why.. I think it is such a symbol to me that SUMMER (which is no different then any other month to me except for the heat… oh to be a student again :) same work schedule allllllll year, redundant I know) is OOOOOOVER! Bring on the football games (which on my patio I can hear the sounds so very lightly of the band playing I guess it’s from Cedar Park High School, love it)…. fall colors…. The crisp cool mornings (really hoping my landlord replaces our windows like she had an estimate done to do because next, my love for fall and winter is….) HAVING THE WINDOWS OPEN THROUGHOUT THE HOUSE…. The pumpkin spice candles….speaking of Pumpkin Spice… I was reminded by peeking around at my sweet Kelly Looman’s blog that THE HEAVENS HAVE OPENED AND BROUGHT THE PUMPKIN SPICE LATTES BACK TO STARBUCKS AT THIS TIME OF YEAR.. MMMMMMMM…. this year we are having a HUGE family reunion for Thanksgiving that I am ecstatic for…. Christmas lights…. It looking like Christmas threw up in my house…. Fantastic Food….And did I mention the kiddos.. wow.. what fun is instore for us with alllll the YOUNG UN’S that are on both sides of our family this year! Movin’ and a groovin’ too!! I couldn’t tell you what even happened last Turkey day and Christmas… I was still sleepwalking :). But THIS YEAR… BRRRRIIINNNGGG IITTTT ONNNNN! I am so very excited for fall and winter!

Now for the honorable mentions!

The alligator wrestling diaper change is in full force... every once in a while you just need some "airing" out I guess and refuse to have the booty covered.. This was right before the chase around the room to get that diaper on! :)

You looove you some mirror.. but why wouldn't you! I could stare at that cute face of yours allll day too! Momma learned soon after that the flash does nothing but blur her reflection (thank god on this day ;) ) when it's in the mirror.

This is Brad and our sweet nephew Carson, Jeff and Lisa's young 'un! Such a sweet, sweet, smiley boy!

Hunkie hanging out with Auntie "m" at Grammy's birthday party!

Come on.. one sip.. just one.. PPPWWWEEEASE!

Hunkie does this tongue thing that is just hilarious... The waitstaff was very entertained as he seriously stuck his tongue out at every one that walked by.. they are too young to know what that means right? HAHA!

Give me yo face :)

That dadgum fan will ruin the perfect shot every time :). Loves him some fannie :)

I am telling you.. this economy will NOT bring us down.. I am gonna have that kid working in no time... We are still working on our hand placement on the keys ;).