My "Other" Half

1. Mike was born on July 5, 1975.
2. Mike likes his birthday: 7-5-75
3. While growing up Mike thought that all the fireworks and picnics and parties were all for him.
4. He still thinks this.
5. Mike always gets an entire week off of work around the 4th of July.
6. Mike was due Aug. 13th.
7. Mike weighed 5 pounds and 4 ounces
8. Mike's mom's doctors told her and his dad to prepare themselves for life with a special need's child.
9. They told them he may never do well in school.
10. Mike was in honor's classes through grade school and high school.
11. Mike has two bachelor degrees.
12. One in physics - because he likes physics.
13. The other in engineering - because he wanted a job that paid well.
14. Mike went to Illinois State University for his physics degree.
15. Mike and I met at ISU
16. A semester after we met Mike went to the University of Illinois to get his engineering degree.
17. Mike finished two bachelor degrees in 5.5 years.
18. When we first met - Mike always took care of me.
19. Mike would always walk me home if I was by myself.
20. He'd also walk my friends home if they were by themselves.
21. I loved this about him.
22. Mike would give me his coat whenever I felt cold.
23. Mike still gives me his coat (or shirt) whenever I feel cold.
24. Mike still takes care of me.
25. Mike used to say that he'd walk "10,000 miles just to be the one that fell right at your doorstop."
26. In college he used to keep track of how many miles he walked for me.
27. Mike would walk about 5 miles to the bus stop at U of I to come and visit me at ISU.
28. Mike stopped keeping track of how many miles he walked for me shortly before we got married.
29. I think he reached his goal of 10,000 miles one night while walking around the house with Liam.
30. Mike designs diesel engines.
31. Mike loves his job.
32. One of Mike's designs is in the Ford F350.
33. Mike has three US patents.
34. One of Mike's goals growing up was to get a US patent.
35. Mike's job is very flexible.
36. Mike goes into work early and comes home early.
37. About a month before our wedding, a disgruntled ex-employee, went on a shooting spree at Mike's work.
38. Four people died there that day.
39. Mike stopped and talked to one of the victims as they passed each other in the hall.
40. Mike was walking away from where all the action was to take place.
41. That was a very scary day for Mike (and me).
42. That was a long time ago.
43. Mike always knew he wanted a son named Quinn.
44. Mike's first son is named Quinn.
45. Mike likes to grill.
46. Mike likes to cook.
47. Mike is the messiest cook I know.
48. Mike doesn't have to do the dishes (usually) after he cooks.
49. Mike hates emptying the dishwasher.
50. He doesn't mind cleaning the bathroom.
51. Mike likes to brew beer.
52. Mike's wife hates the smell of beer brewing.
53. Mike grew his hair out for his wedding day.
54. He shaved it soon after.
55. Mike has been shaving his head ever since.
56. Mike has gray hairs, but you can barely see them.
57. Mike has blue eyes.
58. Mike's eye lashes are so long they hit the lenses on glasses.
59. He is practically blind without contacts or glasses.
60. He sleeps with his contacts in most nights.
61. He knows this is bad for his eyes, but for some reason, can't remember to take them out.
62. Mike falls asleep in the car faster than a baby.
63. Mike rarely drives when we go out.
64. Mike can sleep in the car with a screaming baby.
65. Mike falls asleep on the couch all the time.
66. If Mike has more than one beer he falls asleep very quickly.
67. One time Mike fell asleep on a train ride home after a bachelor party.
68. Mike missed the train stop in our town.
69. Mike ended up at the End Of The Line.
70. At 2:30am.
71. Mike's good friend, Amy's husband, picked up Mike at the End Of The Line.
72. Mike thought it was close to his house.
73. The next morning when Mike's good friend took Mike back to the train station Mike realized it wasn't that close to his house.
74. That's okay, 'cuz his good friend maybe owed him one?
75. They've been friends since high school.
76. Mike doesn't like to wear shorts.
77. Mike doesn't like to wear gym shoes.
78. Mike wears black socks.
79. Mike has been "practicing" wearing shorts, white socks, and gym shoes.
80. He's done that twice so far this summer.
81. Mike's favorite thing to wear is a button up shirt.
82. It's even better if it's from a thrift store.
83. Mike also likes to wear combat boots.
84. Mike would never be considered a metro-sexual.
85. Mike is a manly man.
86. Who also likes to write or read poetry.
87. Mike has written many poems for me.
88. My favorite includes the phrase, "oh I'll wait, you have to pee..."
89. He wrote it while I was pregnant with Quinn.
90. Mike does the grocery shopping.
91. He almost always forgets to use coupons.
92. Mike's been having strange symptoms: shaky hands, strange sensations in his arms, increase in hair growth on this arms, heart racing, and other various things he cannot describe.
93. Mike has been to the ER 3 times within the last year.
94. Mike has had many blood tests done.
95. They have found nothing wrong - everything within normal range.
96. Mike thinks that his body handles "normal" differently than most.
97. Mike's wife agrees and is worried about what it all could be.
98. Mike is a really good dad.
99. Mike is an amazing husband.
100. Mike's favorite time of day is when he can sit in the living room and play with his boys.

Liam 151

1. Liam was born 1 year ago today.

2. It was quick and fairly-easy delivery.

3. He was a fuss-bug for the first 4 months of his life.

4. Then he turned into a little love-bug.

5. Liam loves to laugh.

6. He thinks his big brother is so funny.

7. His big brother is funny.

8. His big brother loves to copy him.

9. Liam loves this and encourages it with big smiles.

10. Liam is bathed in the kitchen sink.

11. Liam loves to splash in the sink.

12. He loves his 15 minutes of post bath naked time.

13. Liam does not like getting his PJs on before bedtime.

14. Liam makes it very difficult for his mom or dad or grandma to change his diaper.

15. He likes to roll over or push himself up and almost off the changing table.

16. Liam has never been left with anyone other than a blood-relative.

17. Liam's mommy and daddy are desperately seeking a non-related babysitter.

18. Liam's mommy and daddy have gone out alone two times since Liam was born.

19. They're working on this, really they are.

20. Liam still nurses - once a day - right before bedtime.

21. He seems to enjoy this (again).

22. He won't be forced to stop for at least 3 more months.

23. Liam does not enjoy using sippy cups.

24. Liam is given a sippy cup with every meal.

25. He enjoys shaking sippy cups and dropping them onto the floor.

26. Liam's favorite baby food is sweet potatoes.

27. Liam's favorite toddler food is ravioli.

28. Liam's favorite real food are popscicles.

29. He doesn't like peas.

30. Real or baby food peas.

31. He'll eat baby food peas.

32. He likes to drop any food he doesn't want to eat onto the floor.

33. This makes his mommy really miss their dog every day after dinner.

34. Liam communicates very well.

35. He can sign more.

36. He can sign please.

37. He can sign "stinky".

38. He can sign hello and goodbye.

39. Liam's family is still trying to figure out which is which.

40. He can sign all done.

41. His first word (after mamma and dadda) was More.

42. He asks for more food all the time.

43. He'll also ask for more tickles.

44. Or more wrestling.

45. Or more chasing.

46. Liam likes to wrestle with his mommy and daddy.

47. Liam likes to be "pinned" down on his back and than pushed onto his tummy over and over again.
48. Liam likes when his big brother chases him around the house.

49. Liam likes to be the leader in "Follow the Leader."

50. He thinks it's pretty cool that his big brother will follow him and do whatever he does.

51. Liam likes to cruise on the furniture.

52. Liam can stand all by himself.

53. Liam will stand by himself in front of his mommy, then grin, and fall right into her arms and laugh.

54. Liam's mommy really loves this.

55. Liam tried on five different baseball caps.

56. He did not get a new cap for his birthday.

57. He likes to pull off any hat that does not have a strap.

58. He gets mad at hats that have straps and will kick his legs while trying to take them off.

59. Liam's mommy thinks his temper tantrums are cute.

60. Liam's daddy does not agree.

61. Liam is very determined sometimes.

62. He will lay down flat on his tummy and scooch under the ottoman to reach something he wants.

63. Liam likes to hold remote controls.

64. Not only does he hold them, he points them at the TV and presses buttons.

65. He usually presses mute or channel up or down.

66. Sometimes Liam's mommy will take the batteries out of the remotes.

67. If the remote doesn't do anything to the TV Liam gets mad, kicks his legs, and throws the remote down onto the ground.

68. Liam's big brother thinks this is funny.

69. So do Liam's mommy and daddy.

70. Liam's mommy is a Sox fan.

71. Liam's daddy is a Cubs fan.

72. Liam likes to dance.

73. He bounces up and down whenever there's music on.

74. Liam likes to clap.

75. Liam will stop nursing if he hears clapping on TV (Wheel of Fortune) so that he can clap too.

76. Liam will clap if he hears anybody say, "yeah!"

77. Liam does not like Baby Einstein movies.

78. They make him cry. A lot.

79. Liam does not like flowers.

80. Liam pulls away from flowers and refuses to stop and smell the roses.

81. Liam likes to crawl in the grass
82. He likes to try to climb up slides.

83. He likes to play the ball/slide game. (Don't know this game? - you stand at the bottom of the slide and push the ball up the slide only to have it come back down to you.)

84. Liam cries if the ball doesn't come back down during the ball/slide game.

85. Liam loves to swing.

86. He likes to go pretty high.

87. Liam likes to go to parks.

88. He likes to play with mulch.

89. He likes to play in dirt.

90. He enjoys eating dirt, or mud.

91. He enjoys chewing on rocks.

92. Liam changed the way his mom parents.

93. Liam was carried in a sling for much of the first 6 months of his life.

94. Liam is still sometimes carried in a sling.

95. Liam slept swaddled for the first 4 -5 months of his life.

96. Liam's Grandma Chris made extra large swaddle blankets for Liam's older cousins that Liam got to use for months 3-5.

97. Liam usually sleeps in sleep sacks now.

98. Unless it's too hot. Then Liam sleeps in two piece PJs that make his mommy a little sad because it means he's growing up. Or it just means it's hot out.

99. Liam has very blue eyes.

100. Liam has blond hair.

101. Liam has not yet had a haircut.

102. He will probably get his first haircut at DisneyWorld in the Magic Kingdom.

103. Everyone loves Liam's blue eyes.

104. Liam was born on a Sunday.

105. Liam was born during the year of the cicadas.

106. Liam loved the sound the cicadas made outside.

107. Liam likes to walk with his walker.

108. He goes pretty fast and barely uses it for support.

109. Liam doesn't like car rides.

110. Liam rarely falls asleep in his car seat.

111. Liam almost never fell asleep in his car seat when he was an infant.

112. Liam's mommy can't believe he's not an "infant" anymore.

113. Liam has a lot of awesome "hand-me-downs" from his mommy's friend.

114. And they're all from Gymboree! (Thanks Melissa!)

115. Liam's mommy loves his clothes.

116. Liam likes to pull his socks off.

117. Liam likes to go for walks in his stroller.

118. He likes to watch his big brother ride his trike in front of the stroller.

119. Liam tried to ride in his mommy's "trail behind" this past weekend.

120. He loved it.

121. He signed more whenever his mommy would stop biking and try to rest.

122. Liam's mommy tried to pull Liam and his big brother in the trail behind.

123. Liam and his big brother didn't go too far together in the trail behind.

124. Liam's mommy is determined to go further and further each time she lugs those two around in that thing.

125. Liam's mommy can go really fast when it's just Liam.

126. Liam needs a helmet that fits better.

127. Liam has 4 swimsuits.

128. Three of them used to be someone else's.

129. Liam and his big brother have one set of matching swimsuits.

130. Liam's big brother likes to choose clothes that will match him.

131. Liam couldn't care less.

132. Liam can also say "Ba Ba".

133. He says this while his mommy makes a bottle for him.

134. Liam takes a bottle twice a day - once before each nap.

135. Liam does not fall asleep, usually, with the bottle.

136. Liam's mommy sings, "This Old Man" to him while she rocks him before his naps.

137. Liam takes two naps a day.

138. One at 9am and one at 1pm.

139. Liam's mommy loves schedules.

140. Liam's mommy sings, "Snuggle Puppy" by Sandra Boynton to Liam before bedtime as she rocks him.

141. Liam goes to bed at 6:30pm.

142. He usually wakes up at 6:30am.

143. Liam's mommy really loves schedules.

144. It's not decided if Liam is truly allergic to dairy.

145. Liam was very sensitive to dairy and wheat and soy when he was an infant.

146. Liam's mommy still rarely eats dairy.

147. Liam has eaten much wheat.

148. Liam has not eaten dairy.

149. Liam's mommy and daddy love him so very much.

150. Liam's big brother loves him except for, "When he's not being nice to me and not listening to me. Then I don't love him."
151. Liam is short for William.

My Hundred

I kept seeing these all over the internet. So I guess it's my turn. Seeing that I posted my 100th post a long time ago I figured I might as well do it today. Enjoy!

1. When I first read someone’s 100 list I thought, “Gosh. I would never do that.”
2. I tend to change my mind about things.
3. I once changed my mind 8 times within 30 minutes on whether or not we were going to go somewhere. Then I changed it again twice while in the car on the way there.
4. I’m the youngest of four.
5. I’m pretty sure I was an “accident”. The youngest of my siblings is ten years older than me.
6. My mom says I was a good accident. =) Actually - I just found out my mom told me she always felt she wanted another baby, but my dad - not so much. She claims that's why it took me so long to come along.
7. My parents still live in the same house I grew up in.
8. They built that house with their own hands (seriously, there are pictures of my dad and brothers working on the house) after their other house was blown down by a tornado the Day After they Moved In. (all before I was born)
9. I love that house.
10. I spent my childhood trying to make everyone happy.
11. I still like when people are happy, but...
12. I’ve learned to stop trying to make everyone happy.
13. I took piano lessons from a woman who had polio. She was very old and her house smelled funny. Every week I’d have to wait for Jeopardy to end before my lesson would begin.
14. I started playing the clarinet in 5th grade and didn’t stop until my last year of college.
15. Being in band was the best thing I could have done.
16. I went to Florida and Europe with my high school band.
17. I went to Sacramento with the pep band in college. The athletic department gave us a meal allowance of $75/day and flew us out with the basketball team on a private jet. It was awesome.
18. I’ve been to San Francesco for one day and would love to go back.
19. I love vacations that involve beaches and warm weather.
20. I married a man who loves vacations that involve rainy climates (think Europe or the northern east coast).
21. We went to Florida for our honeymoon.
22. I got married when I was 23.
23. The only mistake I made was the bridesmaids’ dresses. I wanted to make my sister-in-law happy so I had her sister make them. She made them all a tad too big and didn’t want to take them in at all.
24. When I started college I was majoring in music.
25. I switched to Early Childhood Education my first semester.
26. I got a D in Global Environment.
27. I was taking Global Environment when I met my husband.
28. I get addicted to things easily.
29. I’m addicted to paying a lot for a good haircut.
30. I’m addicted to having someone else wax my eyebrows.
31. I want to have my hair highlighted/colored but know I will get addicted to that as well so I’m just waiting for my summer highlights to come naturally.
32. I only use Creative Memory scrapbooking products.
33. I started selling that stuff 4 years ago.
34. I have about 15 completed albums.
35. I never went to prom.
36. I spent way too much of my teenage years crushing over two guys.
37. The two guys were complete opposites.
38. I married a man who reminds me a little bit of each of them.
39. Except he’s not a jerk.
40. I weigh less now than I did in high school.
41. My high school band director told me I shouldn’t wear such baggy clothes. And he may have also said something about make-up.
42. I didn’t like to wear make-up until after college.
43. Wait. I still don’t like to wear make-up, but notice a huge difference in how I look and feel when I’m wearing it. So, I wear it when I go to work or out. On all other days I use a tinted moisturizer from MaryKay.
44. I don’t “do” my hair unless I have to go to work or something.
45. I like to dress up. Once in awhile.
46. I rarely cook.
47. I rarely go grocery shopping.
48. I can count the number of times I’ve cleaned our bathroom on one hand.
49. I got really lucky the day they handed out husbands.
50. I used to want to be a dancer.
51. I took tap, ballet, and jazz lessons growing up.
52. I quit jazz class after one year. I didn’t like the girls in the class and I think I may have farted or done something equally embarrassing in class.
53. I love tap. There were four of us in the class and we went to a bunch of competitions and did pretty well.
54. I think I stopped taking dance classes when I started high school.
55. I wanted to be a Broadway singer.
56. I can’t sing very well.
57. When I was five or so I told my mom I wanted to grow up and be her maid.
58. When I was a teenager I used to argue with my mom that it wasn’t fair that I had to stay inside and clean and my brothers only had to cut the grass.
59. I like to cut the grass.
60. I like to shovel snow. (when it’s not too heavy or too cold)
61. I wanted to be a dolphin trainer.
62. I didn’t want to go to school out of state. (A problem when you want to major in marine biology and live in the Midwest.)
63. I finally decided on being a teacher.
64. I think I always knew I wanted to be a teacher.
65. My preschool and kindergarten teachers were at my wedding.
66. I still send them Christmas cards and get some from them.
67. I had to go to speech class when I was in Elementary school.
68. My friend, Gina, and I would decide before Speech time that we wouldn’t talk to Mr. S. on certain days. (poor guy or as I used to say, “poow guy”)
69. My neighbor and I used to choreograph and perform dance skits for nobody. Sometimes our parents would watch.
70. I always thought my neighbor was so spoiled – she had like 100 cabbage patch dolls. I had one.
71. My sister gave me my cabbage patch doll.
72. I don’t like to talk on the phone. Ever. When I call someone it's for a reason, a question, and once that question is answered I'm done.
73. This sucks since I tend to lose touch with my friends.
74. I started blogging because many of my friends moved out of state or were traveling around the world.
75. I’m not sure how many of them actually read my blog or even remember it exists.
76. I’m glad I don’t have a daughter because I really feel like Mike is a way better role model for the boys than I would have been for a girl.
77. Sometimes I like my husband’s small family better than my own huge family.
78. Sometimes I think his family is BORING…while mine never is.
79. I wish my sister lived closer to us.
80. My sister is only 80 minutes away.
81. Growing up, my cousin, Gina, was like a sister to us all.
82. My brothers and sister used to tease us all the time. They even locked us in the bedroom after they threw my cousins Tigger doll out the window. I will never forget that. My cousin was so upset! (And I couldn't make her happy!)
83. I have a lot more cousins – and used to love the chaos at family parties.
84. Almost all of my cousins have moved out of state.
85. I was never spanked. And I have never spanked Quinn (or Liam, but that's a given, right?).
86. I remember a girl in grade school. I didn’t know it at the time, but looking back, I think she was a victim of abuse. I remember the day she didn’t come to school. I don’t know what happened. I like to think that DCFS came and took her to a happy family.
87. I didn’t have a curfew in high school.
88. I once got home as my dad was getting ready to go to work (it was about 4am).
89. He wasn’t mad at me. The mornings are when he’s the happiest and he knew I was working on a big physics project with someone.
90. I get stroller envy when I go to the mall. All those fancy strollers.
91. I don’t like to spend a lot of money on things.
92. I have a list of things that will cost more than $200 that I’d like to buy.
93. I will probably never cross everything off that list.
94. I don’t think I could handle staying home full time.
95. Sometimes, I look forward going to work just to get a break from the kids.
96. I teach preschool. Go figure. At least there I get an official lunch break.
97. My favorite time of day is getting ready for naps. First I nurse Liam, lay him down, then I cuddle with Quinn and tuck him in. Then, they nap. =)
98. Or…my favorite time of day is when Mike gets home and plays with the boys before making dinner. =)
99. I love my boys.
100. I thought this would take me a few days to complete. I started it 20 minutes ago and I’m not going to edit it. I hope you enjoyed it! Okay, but I didn't post it right away - I finished it January 3rd and am just posting it now.

All About Maggie

**Everything you've ever wanted to know about the dog I never talk about. Plus some flashback pictures of Quinn!**
Maggie was originally purchased by an overweight couple. (obese, really)
Said couple felt Maggie was too hyper of a puppy.
I offered to take Maggie from said couple.
Maggie was 2 months old when she came to live with me and my parents (I was student teaching at the time).
Maggie loved to play fetch with my dad when he got home from work.
Maggie loved to go for walks when I got home from student teaching.
Maggie would then crash for the night – not a hyper puppy at all.
Maggie continues to get compliments of being the calmest lab.

I took Maggie to obedience school.
We did great.
Maggie likes to eat.
Maggie likes to eat socks.
Maggie likes to eat Kleenex.
Maggie likes to eat Christmas ornaments.
Maggie likes to eat wooden blocks.
Once Maggie ate 7 of my dad’s socks while Mike and I were in Vegas.
We spend over $1000 on a surgery for her to have one of the 7 removed.
She is usually able to, um, remove whatever it is she chooses to eat on her own.
That was a very expensive vacation. Quinn loves Maggie.
Maggie tolerates Quinn.
Liam loves to pull Maggies ears.
Maggie tolerates Liam.
When Maggie gets tired of the boys she’ll go to our room and go to bed. Maggie is a bit neurotic.
Maggie likes to walk on carpeted floors only.
Maggie will cry by the edge of the carpet in the middle of the night when she wants to get to her water.
Maggie has no problem walking to that same area when it’s time for her to eat.
Maggie will cry every morning at 2:30am (or so) until we invite her up onto the bed.
She seems to want a frickin’ written invitation.
Not only do we have to say, “come on Maggie,” We also have to move part of the covers to make room for her.
Maggie has caused me many frustrating early mornings between her crying to get up on the bed and crying to get to her water.
Maggie is loved very much by everyone in this house. Maggie is a smart puppy and can usually trick one of us into feeding her, even if she’s already just eaten.
Maggie likes to swim at the dog park.
Maggie is a very good dog and will stay by us in the front yard without a leash.
Maggie likes to play in the snow. Maggie has hip dysplasia.
We found it when she was 7 months old.
Maggie will be 9 years old in August.
Maggie takes vitamins twice a day to help with her hips.
Maggie has nasty smelling farts.
These farts scare her.
Maggie rarely barks.
When Maggie does bark it’s a very low bark.
Maggie likes to chase squirrels up trees.
I can walk Maggie without holding onto the leash. ( I usually drape it over my shoulders.)
Maggie likes to chew on plastic bottles and will watch me intently while I finish my water. Maggie loves to go for rides.
Maggie sheds the most at the vet’s office. Maggie sheds a lot.

Maggie is not allowed to give me kisses. Quinn loves Maggie kisses. (Yuck!)