Terrible Tuesdays

Lately I have found myself feeling this way. Just wanting to punch folks just because it would be fun. Ever since everything with my Sister I have a low tolerance for bullshit, yet at the same time I find myself getting more overwhelmed by the day-to-day mundane.  I still think I need to catch up on the days worth of sleep I lost driving back and forth to Richmond.  And I think there are some issues/emotions that still need to be addressed/dealt with. All in due time.

This week is slam full of "to dos" getting ready for our trip to Savannah (so excited to celebrate Kate's 21st birthday, see a friend and her sweet sweet little girl and see lots of SC and GA Bradshaws!), getting ready for Halloween (more like getting Noah's costume ready!), laundry, packing and of course attempting to get this house in order for the Scott Family visit the following weekend. Lots to look forward to for our little family, but lots to get done too! :)

Weekend Recap

The end of last week was brutal, I had so many ideas for whitty posts and updates, but alas work got in the way. This was the first weekend in ages where we just stayed home, the three of us and RELAXED, did errands and had a little bit of fun too. Friday was a chill night in the Casa La Zelman. We've DVR'ed a lot of scary movies from our 1001 movie list and been saving them up for Halloween. Needless to say most of the more recent scary movies, I must watch during daylight hours. So Friday we watched some of the old movies on our list which was a nice distraction and break from the crazy we have been caught up in for so long.

Saturday we headed out to run some errands, where we ended our afternoon with treats at the mall. Pretzel for Matthew, Chocolate Covered Godiva Strawberries for Me. :) Noah took a nap and missed out on the fun. We wrapped up our day by busting out our Halloween decorations and getting the house a little festive. Noah loves all our decorations. He'll walk over and point. :) So adorable.

Sunday we went to the Northern Virginia Fall Brewfest at Bull Run Park. Everyone came out a winner, beer for Daddy, Treats for Mama and tons of people watching, music and lots of room to run around for Noah.

They were very excited that Great Lakes made an appearance at the festival!

Uncle Dan joined us for the fun!

Walking around...no big deal.

Favorite pic of the weekend! Love these two so much!

Weekend Update

We made the trek down to Carrsville on Saturday, giving us all of Friday to run errands and regroup for another weekend away from La Casa Zelman. Our DVR is slam full of awesome movies from our 1001 movies list that we have been watching when we have a free minute.  Noah's bedtime routine has really been working (knock on wood) so he's been in bed between 8:30-9:00 so that gives us about an hour each night before we are ready to pass out like the old folks we currently are.  He's been waking up 1-2 times a night but going right back down within 1-2 minutes.  And I've only cheated once, when I picked him up and brought him into bed with us at 6am to allow us all to have some cuddle snooze time.  Much needed and well deserved all around. And last night (Monday) he slept through the night with one wake up only (but he immediately put himself back down and we didn't have to go into his room so technically i see this as a full night's sleep victory)!

Car rides with the monster have become much more bearable (ha! bear!) since we moved him to his big boy seat, started timing the beginning of our trips with his morning naps AND started using the iPad as a pacifier.

Snacking on a chicken nugget and watching a movie on the iPad

Thankfully 95S wasn't a complete parking lot so we were able to make it down to Carrsville by lunchtime which is record time. Of course we stopped for a pee break at Wendy's and got Noah a kid's meal which he loved! Chicken nugs, apple slices and a juice box...that held him over for the last hour of the ride.

Playing blocks with Jo Jo!

Saturday was filled with Noah getting into EVERYTHING...needless to say my parents' house is NOT Noah proof. And we spent a ton of time with my parents and sisters.

Noah and Aunt Lissa celebrating a Hokie Win!

Sunday we went to church before heading back to Centreville.  It was a good sermon on Mark 10: 17-31. Really made me wonder as I looked around at all the nodding heads, how many of these "Christians" really listen to the message and follow in Jesus' footsteps on a daily basis.  That's one of the things about this time of year that really gets my goat. You'll see folks post all these political messages and statements about this that or the other, but then in the next breath they'll be telling you what a good Christian they are. I really could care less who you are supporting, but when the political issues or messages aren't "christian" well that's when I have a problem with it. Stop being a hypocrite! In one breath you'll support being Pro Life with a bible scripture but in the next breath you're against well-fare because they are able bodied individuals that need to get a job.  Really do you think that's what Jesus would do? Come on now. Seriously I don't care if that's how you feel or not, but don't use Jesus only when it's convenient for you or for you to make a point.Okay off my little soap box.

Finally the new season of Sesame Street has started and let me tell you they have had some winners. Like this little gem where the Cookie Monster is now the Veggie Monster. So last night we found discovered the new Cookie Monster when we solved the case of the oreo bandit.

Guilty as charged!

What's happening at the stately Zelman manor?!

Tuesday was crazy hectic! Malissa was discharged!!!! We had to cram in Noah's one year check up at the doctor's office, get back home and get all gussied up for my award's banquet at the Tyson's Ritz Carlton...high rollers!  Side Note: Matthew and I made a bet in regards to the amount of money I would be gifted from my company for said award, if I was correct...shopping spree. If Matt was correct, then we'd have to jointly agree on the funds, most likely paying off our 2010 tax mistake that the IRS grabbed us for this month (does anyone else see the irony in this?!). Shopping spree here I come! wooot wooot! Noah had a wonderful check up! :) We left with the following goals for the next three months and a reference for a pediatric neurologist (aneurysms are genetic--Mama has to get tested/checked out too):

• Phase out baby food completely (easy peasy...we are just trying to use up the rest of our baby food!)
• Phase out the bottle completely (honestly--I don't see that night time bottle going anywhere anytime soon until we get this boy sleeping through the night again...more on this below)

Noah has made a seamless transition this week to whole milk...holler! :) Our #1 goal before we more towards the other two is to get this baby sleeping through the night again. Needless to say the last two months have been extremely taxing on our entire family.  He was teething then BAM Mama is gone for two-three days then back. Then gone again. It was rough for us all.  We've established a bedtime routine to help get him comfortable at night, but there were not results. So we asked the doctor about it and she told us that we're at the point where we're gonna have to let him cry it out. OMG it breaks my heart. When he wakes himself up he is normally standing in his crib screaming by the time one of us get in there and the first thing he does is fling his little arms in the air to be picked up and rocked. So I'm following the doctor's advice to put him back down and get him settled and pat his back, but DO NOT pick him up. MURDER. We started this approach on Tuesday night, which that first night was brutal. I was DYING. Since then he has had 1-3 little wake ups a night but goes right back down after 1-3 minutes. Progress.

In other news we have a little boy wonder on our hands...Noah is counting in SPANISH! Uno, Dos, Tres! Adorable. I have a video that I will have to get loaded on here later :)

This weekend we will be on the road yet again, going to Carrsville to visit my Sister. Since discharge on Tuesday she has been migrated to BFE with my parents to finish up out patient rehab until she is able to move back to Richmond and live on her own again. We are very excited and blessed over her progress!

Columbus Weekend Recap

On October 1st Malissa was released from the neuro ICU and admitted into the brain trauma and spinal cord injury rehabilitation floor of hospital to undergo PT/OT and speech therapy.  Kateland came back to NOVA with me on Monday afternoon, one of the perks of working from home. We had a really nice week filled with shopping and lots of cleaning and errands. We were originally planning a trip to RVA to visit Sister on Saturday, but found out that she would be getting a day pass from rehab on Sunday and be allowed to go home to her apartment for the day. Plans changed and we went to Richmond on Sunday. And enjoyed a WONDERFUL day together as a family.  I am beyond amazed at how much progress she is making on a daily basis and I'm so proud of how positive she has remained through her journey through recovery.

Team Bradshaw in full effect!

Sister with Josh and Mollie

On Monday, Columbus Day, Matthew and I had taken the day off since it's a federal holiday and we would not have anything to do since all our customers would be off. We took a little trip to the zoo, Noah's very first time going! Do I need to tell you....He loved it! :)

Baltimore

The weekend after Noah's dinoriffic birthday bash, we headed to Baltimore for the weekend! We spent the entire day Saturday down by the inner harbor walking around and of course visiting the aquarium. Noah had a BLAST! Here are a few pictures of our awesome adventure:

So excited!!!

Matthew and Mini Matt :)

Sunday was our BIG day...Noah's first baseball game!!! We first went over to the Legends Museum (if you are ever at an O's game you should def check it out!) since we were a little early for the ball park opening its gates to us.

Calling the bull pen!

The next cover of GQ

Seriously where did my Baby go!?!?

curls! <3 br="br">

 We had an amazing weekend, but I'm not gonna lie, I'm so tired and exhausted from driving and trips....blah!