Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween from the newest goblin on the block!

Bosch Family Weenie Roast

Every year, on that last Sunday in October, you can see the billow of smoke rising up from that farm out in the middle of nowhere, IL. The cars are lining up down that long, gravel road. The smell of bonfire & hot dogs fills the air. You're handed a Schlitz. It's that time of year again - Weenie Roast time!

This time every year all of the Bosches get together for an annual family reunion & weenie roast. And when I say all of the Bosches - I really mean ALL of the Bosches. There are a lot.

My grandfather, Edward Bosch, is the oldest of 9 children (8 living). He had 8 kids of his own. His other siblings had anywhere from 2 - 6 kids. That makes 37 grandchildren for great grandma Bosch. Those 37 people had kids, and some of their kids have had kids, well you get my drift. And they all reunite (well most of them) every year. While great grandma was still living, the weenie roast took place out at her farm. I was pretty young, but I do remember always seeing her in the garage playing cards. And there were always some really good homemade chocolate chip cookies in her kitchen. The location has changed a couple of times since then, but there are some things you can count on staying the same - card games, chocolate chip cookies & other various desserts, bacon-wrapped chicken livers (my personal favorite), and cow tongue. Yes, you heard me, cow tongue. Pickled cow tongue. It's there every year, and it really isn't that bad.

This year Aaron got to experience his first weenie roast. He slept the whole time - go figure. He even slept the whole way back to Bloomington. And this is what happened when we got home.

"But I didn't even get a hot dog!!" 

While I can't tell you the names of everyone that attends the weenie roast (although it's really fun to try & I think I just thought of a fun game to play at Christmas!), and I might not even recognize some people (it's an ever growing family), it is a fun family tradition that has been going on for 49 years. I know it makes grandpa Bosch very happy to be around all of his family on that last Sunday in October.

And, yes, you will want to throw your smoke filled clothes out the window on the drive home. Maybe some of you have.

Look Alike?

Baby Bryan

Baby Aaron

I think Aaron might look a bit like his daddy, too. I think he'll have big eyes like his dad. I don't think that baby picture looks like Bryan, though.

Now this picture looks like Bryan :-)  Sooooo cute!

I need to find a baby picture of me, and then do a side by side of the 3 of us.

Lullabies

Does it make me a bad mom that I don't know any lullabies??  Let me rephrase, I didn't know any lullabies until I Googled "Top 10 lullabies" last weekend.  Well - I did remember "Twinkle Twinkle". And I like to sing "Moon River", but I only knew the first and last lines, the rest was hummed. Bryan could only recite "Rock A Bye Baby", so that made me feel better. I find myself making up my own "lullabies" throughout the day. Anything can become a lullaby as long as you sing it in a sing-song voice, right?

Here are some of my go to "lullabies":
(sing in whatever sing-song voice you like, or to the beat of a favorite song)

"Push out the poops, push it, push it" (this can easily be sung to the tune of "Pump Up The Jam")
"Somebody's got a poopy diaper, somebody shit their pants"
"Drink your milk, drink drink your milk"
"Burp baby, burp baby....1, 2, 3, 4, Burp baby, burp baby....1, 2, 3. Burp baby, burp baby....1, 2. Burp baby, burp baby....1" (ok, we all know this is to the beat of "Rump Shaker").

Besides my friend, Amanda, who knows all things lullaby (and sings them all quite lovely), who can really say they knew a good amount of lullabies when their first baby was born? Or, if you're not a parent, can you say you know 5-10 lullabies now, including the words?? You do!? So it's just me?
Well I'm glad to report that I did refresh my memory on the more popular lullabies, so I'm ready to add to the songs I sing throughout the day.  I'm still in the running for Mom of the Year!

Home Alone

It's my first time being home alone since Aaron was born. Bryan took him to visit his grandma & grandpa Nickel. While it's hard being away from him, I understand that I, too, need a break every so often. And man have I gotten crazy over here. I took a leisurely shower (and even shaved my legs - OW!). I enjoyed an ice cold Budweiser. I organized my room & made the bed (and by making the bed, I mean I threw the covers on it). I started some laundry. I vacuumed. And now I'm just twiddling my thumbs waiting for my baby to come back.

And this is what happens when he goes to visit grandma & grandpa Nickel. While the hat makes me want to throw up a little, I have to admit, he is pretty damn cute. Grandpa Jay says the Cards will win the World Series since Aaron was born this year - he's the good luck charm. I know he'll be a Cards fan when he gets older - his daddy is, so it'll just happen. At least he won't know pain like most of us do. Being a Cubs & Illini fan is like having someone piss in your Cheerios every single morning.

Here are some more pics from the week: 

This is a Moby. It is like 500 yards of fabric, but it is the best invention EVER! I'm still not sure how he feels about it, but mama loves it. I can actually do things during those times where he just wants to be held. 

Here he is being very alert. He's starting to have more periods of awake/alert time. 

Mesmerized by the fan. He will look at that thing for ever and coo and grin. So bizarre, yet so adorable.

Did I just hear the garage?!? Tootles!

1 month!

How is my baby 1 month old already?? Where did the past 4 weeks go? Blink. I can't believe how quickly this time is flying by. I'm enjoying every second of it. Even the seconds where he's screaming, and I could really use a nap, or a shower, or a drink. I wish it would all just slow down. By the end of the day he was already growing a Tom Selleck 'stache.

Pretty soon he's going to be going to school, and dating girls I don't approve of, and heaven forbid moving out of my house!

Here's a little recap of the past few weeks. (Most of these pics are taken with my cell phone - so not the best quality.)

-Aaron is growing. He has definitely put on more weight. He weighed approx 8.6 pounds last week. That makes this mama very happy. Not only is he getting the proper nourishment, but I am getting a great upper body workout. Sometimes he wants to eat every hour, and other times we can get a 2-3 hour stretch out of him. But when he is hungry, man oh man. It's like the end of the world until you feed him.

Before Meal

After Meal

-He got his newborn pictures done, and I am so in love with them. I have so many favorites, but here are a few of them: 

-He suffers from baby gas which makes him quite uncomfortable at times. We are giving him some gas relief drops to try and help him. I'm also trying to put him on his tummy, and massage his tummy to try to help him get it out. He'll grow out of it soon, but I feel so bad for him sometimes.

-He hasn't nailed down a routine sleep pattern yet, which makes for one tired mommy. He's still too young for a pattern, though. I'm pretty sure he doesn't like sleeping in his pack 'n play. He sleeps best in his bouncy seat. Whatever works, I'll do it. I'm not ready to put him in his crib yet. I like him in our room. I have been trying to put him down in his crib for naps. He wakes up the second I put him in the crib, and immediately wants out. It'll take some work and practice I think.

-He still enjoys blowing out his freshly changed diapers - pretty much daily. It scared the crap (pun intended) out of my dad last weekend. He asked if everything was ok. HA!

-I love catching these milk drunk grins. Usually a blowout follows.

-Bryan's starting him early on all things sports & WWE (gross). 

YAY Sports!

He's either upset the Cards lost, or he's upset with what he was
forced to wear

-My absolute favorite part of the day is our snuggle time. It warms my heart. Can he just stay like this forever? 

It's been a great month. This little boy makes me very happy.