Going going back back to Cali Cali!!!

We're leaving in the morning for Sacramento to introduce little Roman to his great grandmother and grandfather. It's going to be a quick, short trip. Pictures to come! Then, when we get back, Matt and I are leaving for our beach trip while Meema stays with Roman. We're going to "wing it" and fly standby to either Jamaica or the Bahamas. Matt made a spreadsheet of hotels and flights once we get to either destination. This could get very interesting!! I can't wait to post how it all turns out!! To be continued...

Crawling!!

Matt finally got Roman crawling on video!! I just love my little boy!!

Trip to Springfield!

I left last Friday morning for the airport for Roman's first flight! We went to Springfield for my 10 year high school reunion. Matt met us there from Memphis, so I was by myself with Roman. I was all ready to take pictures of his first flight and be that hands on mom. Didn't happen. I was more concentrated keeping him from crying. He did great on the take off. I nursed him and then he played on my lap. I kept feeling like he didn't get enough to eat, though. Sure enough, on the landing he started screaming! I kept trying to nurse him and he wasn't getting anything. It was horrible! I was that mom with the crying baby! After all the drama, I have finally decided to give up and quit nursing Roman. This has been more emotional for me than anything. I just have to do what's best for him and he was not getting enough food. I was having to supplement with formula after each feeding. This will definitely make our lives easier in the long run. It's just so hard when you set a goal and can't make it. At least I made it 7-1/2 months! Matt has been so supportive through this with me. I'm still able to nurse him in the mornings and then we are giving him frozen milk and formula throughout the days.

Anyways, we had a great trip. My mom got to watch Roman on Friday night while Matt and I went to the reunion. He got some great Meema time!

Meema and Roman!

The reunion went great. It was so fun to see all of these faces that I haven't seen in 10 years. It's so surreal and crazy!! I loved catching up!

Here are lots of pictures from the evening...

Saturday morning, Matt and I headed over to Sarah and Clay's house to watch the OU/Texas game. They're big OU fans too, so it was perfect! It was so fun that Roman got to meet his partner in crime, Carter! Sarah has been one of my best friends for such a long time! It's so fun that we both had little boys so close in age! Let's hope that they don't do some of the things that we did back in high school... like sneaking out of the house and calling a taxi to pick us up. Anyways, we had a great time with them!

Sarah and Carter

Boomer Sooners!!

The Franks!

Saturday night, my brother and Elizabeth watched Roman so Matt and I could go out to dinner with all of the girls from high school. It was a great time! We ended up having to pick up Roman early because he wouldn't go to sleep for my brother. Oh well, Andy enjoyed having one on one time with his nephew! I will post pictures later of Roman and his cousins playing. They're on my mom's camera.

The girls at dinner!

In ten years everything can change...

I'm leaving tomorrow for Missouri for my 10 year high school reunion. It's so crazy to me that I graduated 10 years ago!! I've been thinking a lot lately about how much has changed in my life the past 10 years. I have grown up so much and experienced so many good and not so good times in the past 10 years.

Here are my top ten life experiences that I have encountered since 1999...

1. Moved to Texas with no friends at all except for my brother, Andy.

2. Graduated college in 2003 at Baylor University with an Interior Design degree (The actual degree that I set out to get!) and passed the NCIDQ in 2008.

3. Helped my dad as he battled cancer and stayed by his side the last night before he passed away on July 24, 2003.

4. Met the absolute love of my life, Matt Franks, in May 2000

5. Moved to Dallas in 2003

6. Bought my first house! Matt and I bought our condo in July 2005. We weren't even engaged, but I knew that we were going to be married. Don't worry, he didn't live there. I had my good friend, Helen, live with me until Matt and I got married.

7. Married Matt on March 25, 2006 in Dallas. One of the best days of my life!!

8. Got a maltipoo!! Captain is the first pet I've ever owned besides a fish!

9. Became a landlord with the condo and moved into Matt's childhood home in 2008.

10. Had the joy and blessing of becoming a mom to Roman Matthew on March 12, 2009.

What an amazing 10 years! God is so good!

laughing!

I finally got Roman's cute little laugh on video. It melts my heart when my baby boy laughs! Don't mind his umbilical hernia. It sticks out pretty big, but the doctor says it will go away once he starts walking. Enjoy!

7 months old!!

I know I say this every month, but I literally can not believe that my baby is already 7 months old! Here are his latest accomplishments:

He now weighs 19 lbs! We just bought our new car seat for our big boy. His infant car seat is getting really tight around his big belly!

Roman still eats 2 meals a day. He eats either baby oatmeal or rice cereal with a stage 2 baby food. Fruit in the morning and a vegetable at dinner. We also made baby food that he eats too. He loves to eat and sometimes I think he would just keep eating, so I have to stop him! So funny!

He is still taking 5 milk feedings a day. I am still nursing, but battling with my milk supply daily. I am currently taking 8 fenugreek pills a day! I don't want to stop yet, but I may not make it to my 1 year goal. I just want what is best for Roman, so if formula will be better, we might have to go that route. We'll see...

Roman can crawl!!! The first time was on October 1st! Six months was a huge milestone! It all started when I came home from work one day and told Matt that one of the other mom's who's son is one month older than Roman can crawl and pull up to stand. Matt looks at me dumbfounded and says, "So you're telling me that Roman is behind!" I am dying laughing!! The next day, Roman was crawling! Matt stayed home with him for a week and worked with him constantly. It finally took putting a laptop on the floor in front of him. Roman now crawls only when he sees something that he wants. Wow, mobility changes everything!!!

He can pull up to stand! The same day he started crawling, I put him in his crib and he pulled up to look out. This changes everything! Nap times are a little more difficult when I put him in the crib. He will crawl around, sit up, and then look out and cry for me. It's so sad, but cute!! It's like he's in a cage trying to get out!

Pulling up!

Standing on his own!!

Roman still sleeps around 11 hours at night with 3 naps. He's a great sleeper. The past few weeks, he's been waking up some in the middle of the night and moving around. I've even seen him sitting up in the crib on the monitor. I think he's just wanting to try out his new skills during the night. sigh...

Roman got his first big sickness. Matt was off for a week at a time and decided to keep Roman out of daycare because of the flu and H1N1. Sure enough, Roman got sick as soon as Matt left town for work! He had not been around anyone! My poor baby got a fever of 103.6! He had no other symptoms than fever. It was horrible to see him in pain. Roman and I got through it together. I managed to work from home a few days and even flew in Matt's mom one afternoon from Tulsa to help me out while I went to some work meetings. It was stressful! Roman is much better now and it's so great to see his little smile again!!

I can really start to see his personality now. He sits calmly and plays with himself a lot and then also likes to play with others. He is overall very "chill" and happy like his father and very determined and strong willed at times like his mommy. I love watching him grow and guiding him. I am so blessed to be his mom!! Thank you God for my little boy!!!

"Okay, sit still so I can take a picture of you..."

"No Roman, don't crawl off the couch!"

"No, sit still please!" Don't try to get the camera!"

Now, it's funny faces time!

Got ya! You're still cute even though you aren't smiling!

It's fall time!!

I absolutely love Fall!! I love the cooler weather, the leaves changing, football games, and pumpkin spice lattes from Starbucks!! Last Friday, I met my friend from church, Amy and her precious 3 month old Faith, for a fun day at the Dallas Arboretum. We had a great time with the kiddos and the weather was so perfect!! What a great way to ring in the new season!

Roman and Faith

My little pumpkin!