Finger painting!

Today is a very slow day. It's good to have a lazy Saturday once in awhile. My husband was at work. So i needed something fun to do with Conner. I thought, hey! I have a unopened box of washable finger painting kit somewhere. I was so excited when I found it! I was thinking back when I was a kid. It was one of my favorite childhood memories. I LOVE doing art, especially painting. One of my "mommy dreams" is to have a buddy to do some art/crafts together. Now, today proves that I have a new artist buddy! A messy friend for sure! This was his 1st time at finger painting. Lucky, he didnt even think about tasting it. He tried so hard to "hold it" but it was too slippery. I also made a new baby foot print. I compared it to his newborn footprint. Boy! I didnt think that it would show a BIG difference! Overall, it was a lot of fun!

fun with paint!

always a good thing to have plastic tray & newspaper laid out. EASY clean up!

newborn footprint compared to 9 1/2 months old foot print. WOW!

nothing to do with finger paint but I thought this was funny. Conner's game face!

-One happy artist mama!

Little Details Do Matters

I was just thinking about my son and how much he has learned and grown. Usually, this blog is my place to keep a scrapbook and details of him. It's nice that we, as parents, learned something new about babies everyday. I believe that little details do matters as the big milestones do. So here's a list of things that Conner has accomplished.

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Conner Vance Green, You are 9 1/2 months old! You weight 20.13 lbs. What a big boy you are! You also measured at 29.25 inches long. I think you might be a very tall sports player!

Loves to eat:
   cherrios, cheese, strawberries, banana, watermelon, tomato, baby puffs, baby jar food, peas, summer snow-cone, teething crackers...pretty much anything he can get in his mouth to eat. I haven't found a food that he does not like.

Loves to play with:
   push cart toy, plastic chain links (you would play for hours with just one or 2 links!), books, bath tub toys, baby piano, train, baby telephone, blanket, pillows & jack-in-the-box (you think it's the funnest thing ever).

Hates to:
   Go to sleep, be left out when I'm working in the kitchen (one day when you're older, you can help mama!) & stay on the changing table long enough for me to put your diapers/clothes on.

Favorite activities:
   BATH TIME! Playing in our bed sheets with daddy & mama. EAT ALL THE TIME! Car rides (daddy always sing to you "we're going on a trip!"), go visit Mimi & Opa, swimming, watching your favorite show/dvd & watching people while we shop at the grocery store.

ASL signs that you understood:
  No, don't touch, more, please, dog, mama, dada, sleep, bath, eat, milk, drink, play, mickey mouse, kitty/cat, finish & book.

You can say "mama" and many sounds which we like to guess what you're trying to say.

You get mad sometimes whenever mama or daddy says "no, don't touch". You also get frustrating if we're eating our food & you're not. Smart baby! You know when it's mealtime!

You're the most happy when daddy comes home from work. That makes our dog even more jealous. haha!

You think it's funny when:
 Lyla makes her annoying sounds when she doesn't want you near her.
 Daddy rubs his head on your belly.
 Mommy making a snorting noise like a pig (how embarrassing!)
 Playing peek-a-book/hide n' seek game

I can't believe how much you have learned. Your personality is starting to show. So it's wonderful to see who you are. I love you my lil' bug!

Baby Einstein Is A Genius!

You probably laughed at my title, "Baby Einstein Is A Genius!" No, I'm serious! Let me explain...last Christmas, BG and I wanted to get Conner a baby sign DVD but we couldn't find them anywhere. So we decided to get a Baby Einstein dvd with music. I didn't think that it will be all that great. I have heard a lot about this DVD but I thought that the company were just trying to make money. Well...truth to be told. This DVD is like a blanket to Conner. He loves to watch & listen to it. Sometimes I find myself watching it too (shh)! The show only lasts about 30 minutes but boy! It really puts my son to sleep! Whenever we (the parents) have a hard time trying to get our son to sleep, we would pop in the DVD and within minutes he is sound asleep. YES! So let me say it again, Baby Einstein IS A Genius!

Hot Dog, Hot Dog, Hot Diggety Dog!

Every since Conner first started to watch cartoons, I found out that he prefers "Mickey Mouse's Clubhouse". He loves (I mean really LOVES) the song that they play at the end of every show. It's the "Hot Dog" song. Conner sometimes would be playing with his toys then suddenly whenever the song comes on, his whole world has to stop to hear it! Soon later, BG and I found out that Conner would smile when we sing the song to him. It's a good tricky way to take some smiling pictures. ;) YES! 

Alaska Adventures For The Jaskowiak!

This is James Jaskowiak! He has a pretty amazing skill for growing a full beard. He loves to fly and is getting his pilot license soon! Watch out air traffic patrols, this J-man got some air skills!

Uncle James

This is my sister-in-law, Rebecca (a.k.a. Becky)! She is an amazing cook...especially with sweet treats! She has an A.A. degree from Tennessee Temple University. Also married to this guy up there with amazing full beard. Two of them are the bomb!

Aunt Becky

So why am I blogging about them? Well, my sister-in-law and her husband recently moved from Michigan to Alaska a few weeks ago. NO KIDDING! Just when the weather can't be any colder, they go to an even colder place? Just kidding! A few years back, they have decided to become a missionary pilot in a remote village of Aniak, AK. The time is now to go where God wants them to be. Of course, there's no Wal-mart and not even a shopping mall. Just how a girl gotta do her shopping craving? Well that will be a challenge for both James and Becky. No matter what I know that they will depend on God (and they have each other too). It will be an eye-opening experience for both Becky & James. I heard that Alaska is so beautiful! Yes, sure it can be really cold at times but don't forget they have sunny weather too. Some warmth is abound to come often. We also can't forget the time differences. They live 4 hours apart from us in GA. Hopefully, one day BG and I will plan a trip to visit them! Hey aunt Becky & uncle James, Conner would love to see some moose and go fishing for dinner! ;) We will be praying for you guys! Love you!

Check out her new blog about her Alaska Adventures  http://rebeccajaskowiak.blogspot.com/

Who Knew?

Who knew that Brian's family

2007

will be my family?

2011

It's awesome that I have gained 5 sisters and 2 wonderful parents-in-law. I'm so blessed to be a part of this wonderful & crazy family! I love them all!

Grandpa & Grandma Green

Let's meet Grandpa & Grandpa Green!

All the cuz with the grandparents!
From left to right: Jackson, Grandpa Don, MaKenna, Conner, Grandma Lynn & Carter



 They are so full of life. It's always a party in their house! Who wouldn't know it, that they will have 3 wonderful grandsons and a pretty granddaughter? Let's hope that there will be more grandkids to keep their life busy and blessed! =)

Pitching a Fit, Conner's Style

"Don't touch"-mama
"WaAHHHHHHHhhhhHHHHh!!!" --Lil' C.

This is what we have been hearing almost everyday now. Discipline, love & repeat. That's pretty much what we have been working with Conner. It's a big job for a parent. Sure, it's a lot of fun...NOT! We can either choose to let Conner grow however he please or to follow God's word. In that case, Brian and I choose to be a christian parents. We want to follow God's words. Proverbs 22:6 tells us this,

"Train up a child in a way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it."

Lately, my son has been starting to pitch a fit whenever he does not get things his way. Brian & I have been praying about this long before Conner exists. We pray that God will give us strength and wisdom to train our child the way He wants us to do. Our 1st challenge finally came. It is one of the many challenges we will face in raising our child. We decided to teach him the word (voice & sign) "don't touch" & "no". In return, we will praise him for listening. If he does not, we either remove him from the situation or give a pat on the hand. It will take some time for him to grasp the meaning of why we do this. In additional to this, we also explain why we "don't touch" this or that. Conner understood a simple sign "no" without me voicing it.

Example: dog food. "That's Lyla's food. No touch dog-food" (he already knows the word "no", "food" and "dog"). He will look at my dog and at her food. He realized that it's her food and only for her.

We also can't forget to give LOTS OF LOVE. With every discipline, ends up lots of love, forgiveness and understanding. It shows Conner that "mommy and daddy loves me a lot even though they don't like what I shouldn't be doing. I should obey to them happy." Of course, Lil' C still will tests us. We just need to learn how to be consistency with disciplining. It will all be worth it at the end. Whew!

What are some challenges that you had to face (or are facing right now) with child rearing?

Grandma Fannie Swaim's 4th Generation

Of course, we can't forget about my grandma Swaim (my mom's mother). We got this picture done on my 1st mother's day. So sweet!

Fact: Grandma comes from a big family. She has at least 20 brother & sisters!

Fact: She was former a missionary to Mexico with her husband (Don Swaim), BIMI. So my brother is 3rd generation missionary. Pretty neat how people still carry on their family tradition. 

Four Generations!

Can't you believe it? We have four generation of the Greens' men. Yep, even Conner looks like a Green! Loving how cute they all are! Families are a wonderful people to have in our life. So blessed to have them all a part of my life too.

Who's Opa & Mimi?

Meet Opa & Mimi Vance!

They are Conner's grandparents from Georgia. They actually live close by to us. It is really nice considering to where we had lived before moving closer to them. Back in Chattanooga, we didn't have a family member near by. They helped us so much with my pregnancy, our living situation and helping the newly parents in taking care of the Lil' bug! I don't think BG and I would have survived a month without them since the day Conner was born. Opa & Mimi loves being a new grandparent to Conner and Amira (my niece). They never knew being a grandparent can be so much fun...better than being a parent right? Just kidding! I'm sure there will be many countless days when Opa will take the kids fishing & stopping at a gas station for some Icee. Mimi will be sure to spoiled them as long they are happy. It's all in a good way! We love you very much Opa & Mimi!

Mirror Baby!

I love my Ipod! I can quickly pull it out whenever I want to take a picture or video tape something. This was taken on July 3rd but had problem uploading it. So here it is! I caught something funny that had happened with Conner. He found my large mirror on the floor. And finally noticed his reflection for the 1st time. Watch closely, see how Tank gives kisses to his "buddy"! 

Hello My Mirror Friend!

Conner has discovered his reflection on the mirror about a week ago. I had videotaped the most adorable interact with Conner, but I'm having a difficult time uploading the video on my blog. So this picture will have to do. Loving his smile!




-Erica

9 Months Check-up

Today was Conner's 9 months check up. It was pain-less. NO SHOTS this time! Although, he will have 3 shots at his next appointment, 1 year old. :/ Conner was such a happy baby! He smiled and stared at all the nurses and at his doctor. His belly button is still the same. Only a slightly growth. In case you didn't know, he had a hernia at 2 weeks old. It went back to normal at 5-6 month. But he had a pitch of skin which got stuck and has air/blood inside. It doesn't hurt at all so he has an interesting belly button. His skin condition has been acting weird with "rash" for almost 3 weeks. Doctor said to give him some benadry medicine and use strong lotion (not baby magic or J&J). It may be from the heat or an allergy reaction to "something". We'll see if it will go away in a week. Other than that it's not a problem.

Weight: 20 pounds & 13 oz. (range in 50th percentage)
Height is 29.25" (75th percentage for height).
A strong & healthy boy!

Useless information: Conner ate a cup of baby puffs, 3 jars of baby food & lots of juice and milk. He is one hungry boy! I can't even catch up with him with my eating habits. haha!

Amira (the name means princess!)

My niece, Amira, came over for the day while her parents went to do errards. She is such a cutie! She loves to sign "dog" and "kitty" whenever she sees my pets. Conner really warms up to her and wanted to play with her. They both had a lot of fun together. She has a quiet & sweet personality but once she gets to know you she will open up. She loves to talk, sing and even sign! Here's me and my lil' sweet princess!

sweet smile!

My baby!

all of us!

she climbed on the rocking chair by herself. =)

Smiling In Style!

Ok I couldn't help it, I went to Target to get Conner this cutest newsie hat. Target and I have a love/hate relationship. I like the product that they sell but dont like how it wants my money! haha! After Conner's nap, I dressed him in the nicest simple clothes that I could find. Then took him outside for some pictures. I was really happy how many has turn out well. It was hard to choose which pictures that I will like to post. Sorry but dont be jealous of this lil' guy's good looks!

old fashion color picture

It never hurt to have a little dirt on a boy's feet!

proof that he has 2 teeth. It's growing so fast!

Cuddling With Daddy

This relationship between father & son is so sweet! ♥ my boys!

The Little Pro-runner!

Conner taking his first real stroll with a cart. Such a happy boy!

-proud mommy of a potential future runner!

My 1st teeth!

I finally got a picture of Conner's 1st set of teeth this week. I can't believe he already has 2 sets of teeth. Oh my word...I better keep watch of where my fingers are. =) Love♥ how beautiful his face is when he is showing off his teeth!



-Proud mama to those cute baby teeth!

Oh Pinterest!

Have you ever check out the website, Pinterest.com? It is an awesome place to "collect" pictures of something that you really like. For example: I collect pictures of something in the color turquoise because I like that color. Or something for my house space. It's basically a place to get ideas or some inspiration. I just thought it was an interesting website. Check it out! http://pinterest.com/

Dare To Dress Like A Cow!

Chick-Fil-A had their annual Cow Appreciation Day yesterday. You can get a free meal if you dress up as a cow. Last year, one of my crazy friends did this as their family tradition. At that time, she told us to do be involve. So we did. I was pregnant with Conner at that time. I dragged my husband in this too, of course. It was embarrassing but a lot of fun. At the end, we were happy to get a full meal for free! This year, I wanted to go again with Conner. We also had my parents go too. It was so funny to see my mom, dad and Conner dress up. Of course, Conner slept through the entire thing! He did got his free kid's meal. Yay for another baby hard board book!

This was last year when I was 6 months pregnant with Conner

My cow family!

My parents couldnt stop laughing! 1st time for them =)

Sleeping calf!