The Big 3-0

Yup.
I'm 30.
Exactly 21 minutes ago I turned 30.

If you ask me right now, I'm okay with it. How often do you tell people your age? And does it really matter? Isn't age REALLY JUST a number?
But if you ask me tomorrow, I might be completely depressed about it. Because by then I'll be 20 years old PLUS one day. You know....the more I think about it - I don't think 30 is that bad. I think 31 will be bad. Because then you're not 30, you're IN your THIRTIES.

LOL

Who cares anyway?

Happy Birthday to Me.

So......in light of my 30th birthday, in addition to my newly tradition of taking a picture with Cooper (who was my birthday present from Steve 2 years ago) and a picture-taking tradition we started last year - I decided to ALSO make a list.
Because I love me some lists.

30 Things to Do in My 30th Year
1. Get a tattoo
2. Renew my passport
3. Go camping overnight
4. Take a class
5. fly a kite
6. Catch a fish
7. Take a self-portrait
8. Paint a big painting
9. Get some moo cards
10. Do some charity work
11. be crazy
12. do something meaningful
13. Start a photo project
14. Buy a lottery ticket
15. Romp on the beach with my family
16. Explore some old dreams
17. Reconnect with some important people
18. Get IN some pictures
19. Finish a project
20. Make a Blurb book
21. Visit the Little Grand Canyon
22. Stretch myself as an artist
23. Memorize a piece on the piano
24. Grow personally in tangible ways
25. Invest in a stranger's life
26. Get published
27. Do something spontaneous
28. Write a letter
29. Get a family picture that I love
30. Love. Laugh. Often. More.

AJ's 5 yr. Old Pics

More on the biz blog.....
And more to come once I get around to editing the rest. :)
Life is busy.
Good...but busy.

5 Years Ago This Day...

He came into our lives.

Owen was 6 months old when we unexpectedly got pregnant (we're good at that) with baby #2. Shocked, we were attempting to process that news when about 2 weeks later that baby was lost. And with that loss came questions that got us thinking....about what it would be like to have another. What it would be like to have 2 children, siblings close in age. A pregnancy that we had actually planned. LOL :)
The loss of that unknown baby led us to a surprising desire for another child.

9 months later....AJ arrived.

He slept in our bed from the day he was born -- a habit we just recently broke him of about 2 months ago.

He was born with startling blue eyes...a trait I expected to fade over time and turn into creamy brown - like mine, like his daddy's, like his brothers. Today, he is the only blue-eyed member of our family - a characteristic that I bring up frequently and praise for it's uniqueness. I always want him to be proud of his individuality.


He is full of life and laughter, thrilled by the smallest of things - a frog on the side of the house, a trip to the park, a rainbow in the sky - all are exquisite and exciting and worthy to be shouted loudly about.

He is sensitive and caring - willing to give you the shirt off his back. His eyes fill with tears and his lower lip trembles when he realizes that he's hurt his brother or done something naughty enough to warrant disapproval from us.

He is snugly and physically engaging - willingly giving hugs or begging for tickles or a wrestling match.

He is a patient big brother, playing with Ty while Owen is at school - whether entertaining him with his silly antics or sharing his cars, he is thoughtful enough to play with the things that Tyler would like, not what he would like.

He is funny and loves jokes - telling us lies with a twinkle in his eye only to shout "JUST JOKING!!" a minute later with uproarious giggling.

He is all boy - lover of legos and trucks and dirt and Star Wars. Imaginative and playful, most often around the house in costume or a land of make believe - "puming" you with his guns (it's the gun sound - "pume, pume") or "swording you" with his light sabers, jumping from furniture and racing around with his blanket around his neck like a super hero.

I can hardly believe he is five years old already.

Happy Birthday Skittle - we love you and are so proud of you and the man you will become.

Some pictures from the last 5 years....


And some snaps from his birthday celebration over the weekend:

For the 'Obles

Recently our good friend the Nobles (or, if you're one of the Nowack children, "The 'Obles") gave Owen a Webkinz for a birthday present. If you don't know what a Webkinz is....well, you're totally out of it and you can go here to learn more about it. Basically it's a stuffed animal that comes with an internet code so you can "play" online with it.
Owen loved his Webkinz and immediately named him "Best" (?I don't know and we don't ask?) and he carried it around non-stop for about 3 days. I'm also fairly certain that he snuck it into his backpack and took it to school the day after he got it.

Here he is the night that he got "Best", zonked out on the couch in front of the Christmas tree. Just thought that the 'Obles might like to see it. Consider this a virtual, visual thank you card. :)

As Promised.....

Photos of the ever-elusive Steve-o, on the eve of his 30th birthday. :)
The entire "shoot" took all of 6 minutes - and he hated every one of them.

I am Sooooo clever.
LOL :)

This was his reaction when I told him to stare directly into the camera and "look badass"

:)

Birth Day.....30 Years to Date

Let's start things off by talking about...well, ME.

Steve and I both have milestones birthdays this year.....turning thirty.
THIRTY.
Leaving the comfort of our 20's in our wake, we drop the "young" off "young adult" and I suppose that now we're just.....well, regular adults. It somehow seems so much more serious and imposing.
While I approach this milestone with alternating bouts of depression and sheer panic - Steve on the other hand is very calm and nonchalant about it.

So, how do you feel about turning 30 next week?
Fine, doesn't bother me at all.

Can you believe that in 3 days you'll be THIRTY?
Yeah, I guess so. It doesn't seem that different to me.

(20 minutes before the clock strikes midnight and his birthday is official): You STILL feeling good about turning 30?
Yeah, I feel fine. It really doesn't bother me. You're going to let me sleep in tomorrow right?

Okay, he didn't actually SAY that last part. But he was thinking it.

So today....as he's sleeping in, as a 30 year old - I draw courage from his calmness about the whole thing. Maybe turning 30 ISN'T that big of a deal, ...maybe you're NOT knocking on death's door, maybe you're NOT leaving behind your inerrant coolness to pick up the nerdiness of being a mom, a dad, a responsible parent. He's still cool, right? He's still a fantastic dad, a great coach, a beloved teacher. A loving husband, a levelheaded man, a fair parent, a fun guy. Nothing has changed between yesterday and today, save for a number to tag as his age.

So to my husband....my 30 YEAR OLD husband: Happy Birthday - I love you more than you know and I'm glad I've got to spend the last 12 years of my life knowing you.
And I'm glad I'm still younger than you for another 6 months.
:)
--------------
Side bar: Stay tuned for PICTURES of Steve on his monumental birthday. He's letting me take some pictures tonight to document the occasion of another decade of his life. Okay....so "letting me" is a bit of a stretch. It's more like I'm making him, and he's not complaining TOO loudly about it. Should be fun. :)

About a Boy

Hates:
Vegetables.
Cleaning his room.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (The "Blueberry Girl" is especially distressing)
Getting his hair cut.
Spiders.

Loves:
Lizards.
StarWars.
Thomas the Tank Engine.
His spongebob underpants.
"Smarshmallows"
Playing Super Mario Brothers, especially with his daddy.
Tacos.
Erica.
The Phantom of the Opera.
Being tickled under his armpits.
Having his daddy put him to bed.
Books.

Is Usually:
Getting into mischief.
Being a good big brother.
Smiling.
Rummaging around the refrigerator.
Pulling his hands up to his chin.
Getting Crayola marker on his fingertips.
Asking for a "big bowl of popcorn".

Is always:
The first one to wake up in the morning.
Thinking creatively
The first one to whine about having to go on a bike ride
Bossing around his brothers.
Drawing pictures
LOUD.
Sensitive.
My first baby.

And he's six years old today, though I can hardly believe it.

Happy Birthday Owen
I love you to the moon and back.

For Rob and Amanda

If you don't go completely banana sandwich over this image, then you're out of your gourd. Please tell me you'd like to get a large print of this framed and hung in your living room.

For all those who weren't in attendance for this little photo shoot....it was pure DRAMA. There were tears, there were gummi bear bribes, there were fart noises being made, there was baby poop in Robby's hand. It was eventful, to say the least.

Hope you like it guys, and I'm emailing you a copy of it right now.


Oh, and HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my nephew Johnathan - my football partner, my Mario Smash Brothers arch nemesis, and all around great kid whose antics never cease to make me smile. Love you buddy!

Cake, Presents, and His First Airplane Ride

Some pics of Tyler's birthday celebration yesterday.....

Here's after he "blew out" his candle - and by "blew out" I mean that he swiped at the candle with his hand and extinguished it with his finger before I could get a picture of it. This lovely cake was made by big brothers Owen and AJ, with a little help from mama and daddy. Egg shell fragments courtesy of AJ.

He wasn't to sure about this large plate of high fructose corn syrup and refined sugars and sprinkles we set before him....

He felt it would be safest to test the consistency first with his fingers....

Hmmm....interesting.

Better smear it around the mouth and hands first to check it out....Yell a few times too, just to make sure it isn't still alive.

Smash it a few times to get it good and flattened....

THEN it can be eaten.
Yum!

On to the presents...with a LITTLE help from big brothers.

Lemme just tell you, that Tyler has no toys. I'm not kidding. He has a small hodge-podge basket about the size of a large shoe box of baby rattles, book, and random toys in his room. I diligently bought him a new toy now and again when he was about 4, 5, 6 months old - after he started sitting and was interested in toys, but I swear to you: the kid didn't like toys. He was much happier to smash his hands in the dog food and push a stack of post-it notes around the floor. An empty water bottle with some coins in it?? WAY more entertaining than that $15 toy you just bought him.
So we quit buying him toys.
And we were hesitant to get him anything for his birthday even....terrible right? But we pored over the toy aisle at the store and thought that maybe, just maybe...he might like this:

And he did. And he actually played with it for about 20 minutes.
Success!
Now if we could just get AJ and Owen to leave it alone and let him play with it.....

This cool musical clock and old-skool phone are from Lisa. She was pretty geeked to find this Fisher Price clock at the store that was identical to the one she had growing up. And she also found this phone which I think every American kid born in the 60's, 70's, or early 80's had. Come on?! The Fisher Price phone...with the googly eyes? Tell me you had one. It looks exactly the same...except the cord is shorter because it's a choking hazard. It's a wonder we didn't all strangle ourselves on those long cords, right?

Anyway...I broke out those toys this morning, since O and AJ had stolen away his ball popper from yesterday and were hoarding it in his room. He enjoyed them.
Vintage coloring for vintage toys....
:)

I think he looks like this because he hears the boys coming to take away his stuff.
Oh no they di-n't.

Here's one with his new luvy teddy bear that AJ picked out. It's super soft and squeezy and I'm hoping that this little bear quickly starts to take the place of my boobs as a source of comfort and security.
(*fingers crossed*)

And just some randoms from his room this a.m. as he attacked me and tried to swat the camera out of my hands.

Totally blew this one out, but I like it anyway...

In other news...Tyler and I are flying to Michigan tomorrow to visit my family and await the arrival of my new niece, who better not come anytime tomorrow because Rob will be in Detroit picking me up from the airport and indisposed for several hours.
I'm more than a little nervous about flying with Tyler on my lap. I've flown with the boys TONS of times before, and lots of times I've even flown with both of them by myself when they were 1 and 2 years old...but I've never flown with a baby at THIS AGE. This wiggly, squiggly, loud, and demanding age. He is BUSY.
I'm anticipating a LONG 2 hour flight.
And I'm crossing my fingers that there will be an empty seat on the plane that I can buckle his car seat into and strap him down for the duration of the trip.

Less frequent blogging to come, but I WILL try to update from Michigan when I can. Be back in about 2 weeks or so.

Have a great weekend!

Can't Take My Eyes Off You....

It seems hard to imagine that it's been 1 year and approximately nine months since that fateful day we discovered that --surprise!-- we were indeed pregnant with #3. And then there was the day, a few months later, when I shared it with the world, via this blog.

You stuck around and read as I bemoaned my ever-expanding waist-line and listened to me whine about my various cravings. You grimaced and smiled politely when I discussed the wonders of my bellybutton and we all watched that blasted Baby Ticker counting down the days, the months.
And you were here waiting to hear the story and see the first pics the day he was born and steve-o stepped in as guest blogger and filled you in.

And you've seen him grow over the last 12 months....from bald sleepy newborn to spunky walker.

He was so unexpected...news of his impending arrival caught us so off guard, had us moping about for weeks trying to digest the news. And now it's hard to imagine life before him. Before his happy grin at 6:30 a.m. or his gap-toothed smile and his long lean legs.

He is goofy smiles and dirty hands.
He is climber-of-the-dog and blueberry lips and chocolate brown eyes.
He is rhythm and dance and sharp little teeth.
He is mischief and twinkly eyes and the fastest crawler in all of Georgia.
He is temper tantrum and belly laughs, warm footie jammies and baby powder hair.

And today is his first birthday.
And we love him to pieces.

AJ's Birthday Shoot

Here's a few of AJ's pictures from our birthday photo shoot last night. I'm sure I'll have tons more, but these are just the ones I pulled up this morning for some quick editing and show 'n tell. There's more (some the same, some different) on the Photoblog....
And thanks to Greta, for tipping me off to a cool wall downtown that I used in a few of the shots.

(click any to enlarge)

This is one of my favorites:

I told him not to smile in this one....so he gave me a snarl:

Yup. He's four. :)

I like this one too....this is exactly how he looks when he's pouting. LOL

New Birthday Tradition

As you may remember, Cooper was my birthday present from Steve last year. He's come a long way from adorable little puppy (i.e. poop and pee machine) but he's definitely still a ball of puppy energy, although now its more like gawky adolescent horse instead of roly poly ball of fluff.
Since Coop and I have birthdays that are so close together, we decided to take a picture of the two of us together every year to document how we change and grow, year by year.

So here's the first one - taken yesterday by Steve. :)

May 2008
Tammi - 29 years
Cooper - 1 year

Happy Birthday.....

to me!
I'm 29 years old today and I must admit that I'm starting to feel a little old. Not physically or anything, because I still FEEL like I'm 18, but when I think of the actual NUMBER 29 I think...damn. What happened to 25-28??

So yeah.
29.
Which might as well be 30.
Which is only 10 years away from 40.
Which is midlife.
And then you're 50 and you're on the back nine of life.
So...what I'm trying to say is I might as well be dead.

:) LOL

J/K! You're only as old as you feel right?? Well, most days since I feel like I have the maturity of an 8 year old I guess I'm good to go.

Although I think that having a yellowed picture of yourself definitely pegs you into the OLD category.


All I know is....

I'm going to go out and cut myself some bangs exactly like when I was five years old. And they'll go all the way to the middle of my head.
Because that. is. HOT.
And who doesn't like some strawberry shortcake pajamas??


:)
Later friends.

Sunday

Here's a handful of pictures from AJ's birthday on Sunday.....for all you family and friends out there who are far away....

His scooter from grandma and grandpa N

Playing with his soccer net from Uncle Sean and Aunt Jen (and Sloan and Sammi)

His nerf gun from Owen (a favorite) and his rain boots from Grandma and Grandpa T

Playing outside in the pool with Owen

Blowing out his candles on his cars cake

Little Fire

To my middle. To the one I hoped for, prayed for, yearned for, fretted over for 9 months until I finally saw your face. To the one who I pushed from my body for over 2.5 hours. To the only one with startling blue eyes and shocks of blond hair. To the crazy one - the one who makes us laugh - who has the biggest heart - the gentlest soul. To the one who drives us bonkers with his whining, exasperates us with his mischief, melts us with his softness. The one with the vivid imagination - the one who frequently turns to "da kitty" and asks us to pet and play with the kitty, or "throw the bawl for da kitty, mama". To the one who has ended up sleeping beside me since the day he was born - to the one who still wants a binky - to the one who craves our touch and always asks, "will you ruuuub me?". To the athlete and the acrobat - the the lover of swords and trucks and guns and dirt. To the one with the twinkle in his eye and the strong desire to please - To the one who adds such fun and vibrancy to our family....
To A.J.....

Happy 4th Birthday Skittle
We Love You to the moon and back.