St. Patricks Day!!

So yesterday (the 17th) was St. Patricks Day! We didn't do a whole lot other than dress in green (well Kaizen anyway) and take some pics.

First off......does anyone know why we celebrate St. Patrick?? Or who he even is for that matter.......

Well here is some interesting facts.....

So Saint Patrick is the patron saint and national apostle of Ireland. He was born in Roman Britain and was kidnapped by Irish Leaders and brought to Ireland as a slave at the age of 16. He later escaped, but returned to Ireland and was credited with bringing Christianity to its people. Irish folklore tells that one of his teaching methods included using the shamrock to explain the Christian doctrine of the Trinity to the Irish people. After nearly thirty years of evangelism (the practice of relaying information about a particular set of beliefs to others who do not hold those beliefs.), he died on 17 March 461.



Why do we where green you ask?.......
Well, Bridget Haggerty, author of The Traditional Irish Wedding and the Irish Culture and Customs Web site says that in the United States, it's customary to wear green on St. Patrick's Day. But the color was, for a long time considered unlucky in Ireland. As Haggerty explains, Irish folklore holds that green is the favorite color of the Good People (the proper name for faeries). They are likely to steal people, especially children, who wear too much of the color.

Others say the reason is because the colors of the Republic Flag of Ireland are green, white and orange. The green represents the Catholic side of Ireland and St. Patrick, the Catholic who converted many Irishmen to Christianity.

So there it is.......the history behind St. Patty's Day.

 

We are gonna get this potty training thing done and over with! Lol! just kidding

 



Memories

Today I found myself thinking about the past........ I thought about living back at my mom and dad's house, doing homework everyday after school, getting ready to cheer at the games and early morning practices getting ready for the big competition! I thought about dating Josh and how much we have changed.........how much we have grown. I thought about all those nervous butterflies I used to get when he came to pick me up, when he first held my hand, when he first kissed me. I thought about all the morp dates, prom, and senior ball. I thought about graduation and how I thought for a moment my life was over! I thought about my wedding and how amazing it was and how wonderful I felt. 

As I thought about all of these things, I couldn't help but smile.........laugh............and cry. Cry not because I want it back but because I got to live it! Cry becuase yes these are memories........but they are my very own memories.  Smile because I get to share all of these crazy stories with my children and my grandchildren someday.

I think about my past not wanting to relive it.........but to remember it. I love where I am at in my life.......I love that I got to start my family young so I can have energy to play and watch my children grow. I love that I have somebody in my life that truly loves me, and wants to be with me for eternity!

I have changed.....I am not the girl that I once was, and I'm ok with that. I am a wife now! I am a mother now! And I love every bit of it!! I have so many more things to do.......that will one day..........turn into memories!

I found this box as I was cleaning today.....it was filled with tons of memories

from my old jewlery to how Josh asked me to prom on little slips of paper.

my picture box. :)

Sunny....Sunny...and more Sunny!

     Ok so I hate do not like Summer! It seriously is my least favorite season! I hate the hot hot hottness that I seemingly cant ever get away from, I hate the spiders, bugs and other disgusting creeping, flying things, and.........I hate my allergies that come in the summer! I could go throughout life bouncing back and forth from fall and winter and completely skipping over summer............I can deal a little bit with spring......BUT........... with having a new baby, and wanting to take him outside to see all the beautiful things God has created.........I am loving this early sun and warmth!

     Today we took Kaizen and one of the dogs to the park..........
   ..........He didn't really know what to think but his eyes showed us that it was really, really bright, something he just wasn't used to.

     He got to swing with daddy..........

go down the slide...........

and play in a tire.......

Ha ha.......he looks thrilled.

He had so much fun..........this was the result............

But not before we got some family pictures in..........

 well we got half of his cute little face...........

Buckley......enjoying some shade

So bring it on...........bring on the sunshine! I know I will get sick of you at one point and be wishing for Fall, but for right now.............I love you, I need you..........so this precious little boy can get out and learn about this amazing world.

Growing, Developing, Loving

     Since baby Kaizen had a rough entrance into this world.....he has many people that are here to support and help make sure he is growing like he should be. Because we never really found out what was wrong with him and why what happened to him happened, doctors tell us we don't really know if he will have any long-term affects, only time will tell.

    It definetly is scary for us first time parents to go throught the "not knowing" phase. Not knowing if he will be able to do what a "normal" boy will do. So far he is developing beautifully. He was never diagnosed with anything but he is at risk for a few things so by going to specialists every now and then and monitoring his milestones we can make sure we catch things if anything does arise.

     He is so strong and smart and we are so excited to watch him grow into a cute little boy, a teen, and eventually a handsome man!

     He goes to the Physical Therapist about every month or two to help stretch his tight little muscles. Kaizen is a strong little boy and is still pretty stiff so by going to the Physical Therapist, she can help excersise his legs, arms, hips and so forth so that he won't be so tight. She patiently sits and interacts with him, playing with toys, helping him to roll-over, and helps stimulate his brain.

     She makes me a list of the milestones that his age group should be doing........things that most children can do, some can do, and few can do. This list helps me so much to make sure I am doing what I should be at home to help stimulate in all the right areas.

     He also goes to the chiropractor. I know some of you think it's crazy to take your four month old baby to the chiropractor, but in reality it is best to start chiropractic care while they are young. Kaizen was throwing up a lot after we would feed him.......it was getting to the point where he was projecting his food about once a day. Since we have been going to the chiropractor he very rarely throws up at all.
    
     Some think that going to the chiropractor is somewhere you go to get your back and/or neck "cracked" but its so much more than that. Chiropractic care has everything to do with the spine, which is controlled by the brain..........

     Chiropractors identify and correct the cause of health challenges which arise when misalignments of the vertebrae (the small bones that make up the spine) disrupt neurological communications between your brain and the cells, tissues, and organs of the body.

     Chiropractors correct these misalignments by gently adjusting the position of the vertebrae of the spine, reducing or eliminating neuropathy (changes in the pathology of the nerves) thus allowing your body to properly self-regulate, adapt and heal.

 I would really advise you to look into it, it's amazing.
  
      And Kaizen loves our chiropractor......

 

     Kaizen has so much more support including other doctors and lots of family that love and care about him and wants nothing but the best for him! He is doing so good and hitting all the milestones that he should be..............some are a little late but all babies are different.........

                                                                     

and this one............

...........he truly is a heaven sent ....................perfect little angel.