Happy Holidays!

ERIK UPDATE
      Erik has started his physical therapy and is making some progress.   The PT suggested that we walk with him with a Hula Hoop so we tried, and it's making him able to balance on his own without leaning into you. Here's a video of him doing it. Just in case the video doesn't show up....as seems to be happening with blogger lately.

  It's hard to have a 2 year who can't walk, everyone treats him like a fragile little baby.  I took him to school today for a couple hours since he will start in February and the children kept calling him "Teacher Becky's Baby"  and they would say things like "Wow Teacher Becky your baby talks so good!" to which he would answer "I not a baby!"...and crawl away.....which only reinforced to the preschoolers that he IS a baby.  Going to be school is likely going to be a bit tough for him.  He did work VERY hard on standing at school today, I could tell he was trying so hard to hide his non-walking.  He knows he should be walking, and perhaps the peer pressure at school is exactly what he needs to motivate him.
     Here's a picture of him before the other children arrived so happy to be "at Mommas cool"

           
    Taking him to school this morning was tough for me, it's my school, and I have to say it's the best damn preschool I've ever seen.  Not to brag, but we are awesome and we work very hard to make sure children are gaining the experiences they need to learn and grow at the pace they are ready for, but I still felt like I was throwing my child to the wolves this morning (and I was with him!). To all you parents who have ever walked away from a crying child as your dropped them off at school.....more power to you.  Erik was thrilled to go, and I didn't have to say goodbye, and I still wanted to scoop him up in my arms and beg him to stay little and cuddly forever. 
     That craving for another child has begun.....but really how realistic is that?  I'm FORTY-TWO! I doubt that will happen, but there is certainly a piece of me that would love another baby....and another piece of me that smacks me in the head every time I consider it. 
     
SURGERY UPDATE
      I still have 6 pounds to lose....damn Halloween, damn Thanksgiving, damn every single day.  I find it such a struggle to walk by anything without popping it in my mouth.  SO, I still have 6 pounds to lose, next check up is Jan. 26....SURELY by then I can be down! 
     I work for a wonderful company who has just started a wellness program and I am on the committee so I must set a good example. I've been walking everyday and using the "imapmywalk" app which tells me exactly how far I've gone, how many calories I've burned and then sends me an e-mail each week with my progress.  I walked 7.35 miles this week.....WOO HOO!! Thank you PACCC for allowing me to walk during the day and encouraging me to do so!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS
I can't believe Christmas is almost here. It feels like just yesterday Erik was an infant. I thought time went by fast before I had a child, but now it seems to be moving at light speed and I want it to stop!!  Here is our family portrait for the year.  Doesn't Erik look so happy?  It's better than the scrunched up "CHEESE" face he makes for the pictures I take of him, too bad he couldn't have looked a little happier.  The only reason he looks happy in the second one of him is because the photographer let him have a book.  In all the other photos he was yelling...ALL DONE!!
See how he's leaving back a little (he was sitting on a stool) as soon as she snapped the picture he fell over backwards and smacked his head on the floor.  Happy Day.