Will: 11 Months

There are so many problems with this post that I don't even know where to begin. For starters, I am 10 days late posting and to finish, these are the WORST pictures I have ever taken. Have I mentioned that I will be thrilled next month when it is that last time I have to take his pictures in a onesie. I mean it was cute at first but now that he's older, he looks more like a little homeless child, particularly because he has completely outgrown the 12 month short sleeved onesies and these 18 month long sleeved onesies are HUGE! hahah It truly is just comical.

None the less, let's get down to business! My sweet, very active little boy is 11 months old!!! In so many ways these past 11 months have flown by and then in other ways it seems like so much life has happened. But for all you mommas out there that are a few months behind us, just know that this is when it gets really fun!

The Skinny on Will:

Height: No Clue but definitely taller

Weight: I would guess 24 pounds give or take

Head: Not sure

Eating: Well life is a changing here in the Shipman household and we have dropped down to 3 bottles a day. One when he wakes up, one before bed and then a late afternoon bottle when he gets up from his nap. He has majorly slowed down on his milk intake which I assume is natural since in one month we will be transitioning completely to whole milk and sippy cups! Will does wonderfully with the sippy cup. He mostly drinks water with the occasional splash of juice to entice him! He eats just about everything but from day to day he can still be finicky.

Sleeping: Will sleeps 12- 12 1/2 hours at night from 7:45-8:00am! Praise Jesus! And then he takes a quick morning nap, usually lasting 45 min- an hour and then a longer 2 hour nap in the afternoon. But recently he has been fighting the naps and talking for up to an hour!!!! Not fun to deal with! That said, I think in the next month he will be ready to drop the morning nap and go to one nap a day which will certainly have it's pros and cons.

Milestones: Will is one very ACTIVE little boy. He is no longer just walking he is RUNNING. This week when I picked him up from the YMCA nursery (which he absolutely loves) they told me he just runs around the room the whole time, falls down and then without crying gets back up and keeps going! It reminds me of how my Daddy use to call me Timex as a little girl- "Takes a licking and keeps on ticking." It seems that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Will continues to be a very happy little boy but has become a lot more clingy in the past few weeks, only wanting mommy. He is very verbal with noises and recently started saying "Uh Oh!" and basically says that and "Dada!" allll day long. Still no waving hi or bye just yet but I'm sure it's coming soon. I have notice a huge amount of comprehension though. I can ask Will to "bring momma the ball or bring momma her shoes" and he promptly goes and gets the item and proudly brings it to me! so sweet!

Other than that, we are staying very busy trying to get ready for Mr. Will's first birthday party! I am so excited I can barely stand it!

The night that time stopped...

Last Monday (Labor Day), Zak and I had a very tearful morning saying goodbye to our sweet Daisy. Her new family came to pick her up, we gave her lots of hugs, told her to behave and watched their car drive away. That evening our family headed to Bonefish in Cary for a delightful dinner out to celebrate my Dad's 57th birthday. We had a fantastic time and were super excited and surprised to hear that my big sis is expecting her 2nd in the Spring. The evening was in no way stressful, we finished dinner, said our goodbye's and headed home in the torrential rain...

I had left my phone in the car when we got home and Zak and I did a quick bedtime routine with Will, and were chatting at the top of the stairs when Zak's phone rang. After a brief moment he looked at me with panic in his eyes and said "you need to call your sister, something has happened to your Dad"...

The hours that followed felt like slow motion in the movie of my life. I found out that my Dad had been rushed to the hospital after having a seizure soon after they arrived home. Praise Jesus he wasn't driving! He stayed in the hospital for 3 days and after running MRI's, MRA's, EEG's, EKG's and a slew of other tests the Doctors were able to conclusively say that he had indeed had a seisure and two weeks prior had experienced a silent stroke. To say this news was devastating to my family would be an understatement. I spent the remainder of the week back and forth from the hospital, bringing meals and attempting to cheer up Dad.

We're not sure what the future holds for my Dad but I am hopeful that this incident simply served as a warning to start seriously paying attention to their health. It's sad to say that we who were once just little kids who saw Mom and Dad as invincible are having to come face to face with the harsh reality that this will simply be the first incident of many between our parents...

The hope we hold fast to is the Lord is the one who numbers our days and ordains each step we take. He is the great healer and physician and so we rest in that truth and ask the Lord for his Mercy to sustain our lives. As believers, this world is not our home and so it is these moment that cause us to long for Jesus.

Thank you for all of your prayers for our family and specifically for my Dad. I don't know what I would do without him in my life. He is the greatest man I could ever know...

First pair of tennis shoes!

The time has come. Time to put some shoes on these sweet little feet since walking is now our main method of transportation! After a brief mention to my Dad, he quickly said, "Let's go get that little boy some shoes!" Now I should start by saying that I have been the bad momma who has NEVER made my son wear a pair of shoes so I'm giving my little monkey a grace period to absolutely hate the things.

We started out at Rack Room and then to Shoe Carnival where we found these puppies. The same tennis shoes that every single member of my family own- grey New Balance tennis shoes. Shockingly, my son has HUGE feet. He is already wearing a Size 5! I have a few other pairs for Will to wear too but so far, he has tolerated these pretty well, but he won't walk in them he goes straight to crawling. Anyhow, thanks Dad!

Dear Daisy...

Your new family just came to get you and you are on your way to your new home. I feel as though my heart has been ripped out... I still remember the day your Daddy and I went to pick you up from the breeder and you cried in my lap the whole way home. Then you set out to make our home your home by de-landscaping the backyard, pulling up whole trees and bringing them to us very proudly. During your very long-lived chewing phase you chewed a set of kitchen cabinets along with our recently purchased kitchen island along with many other things...

We tried the pet smart puppy training, shock collars and I even paid to have a private trainer come to our house all to no avail. We loved you after you broke Tucker's leg by unintentionally jumping on him.... but even with all that, you were and will always be our Daisy pup. The sweetest lab in the world who loved peanut butter, bones, fetching balls, long walks but most of all... your Daddy. You taught us how to love without condition as you have always loved us. We are truly sorry that we had to say goodbye, but when it came down to it, we had to make sure your baby brother Will was safe and even though you were often rambunctious around him, I know how very much you loved him, and he loved you too.

In a few months when you're all settled in we want to come and visit you and your new family. A family that I might add has 3 other labs who all get a spot on the big beds, a big floppy eared rabbit, a kitty cat and an 8 year old little girl who counted down that hours to when she would be able to call you hers. Never forget how much we have loved you and that you will always be a part of our family.

Daisy pup, I love you with all my heart...