Neighborhood tattletale?

So here is a fun fact about me: I keep all metro service phone numbers in my phone. And I use them...often. It comes in really handy that I have them actually. Once, I was driving down Frankfort Ave. and saw a homeless man wearing a heavy camo jacket, no shirt, pants and no shoes with his little friend hanging out, peeing on the sidewalk...and people were WALKING RIGHT BY HIM!!! Ew. I don't really want to see that. So I called the police. In our old apartment, our downstairs neighbor left his dog alone way too much. And the dog barked...way too much. Once, he went on spring break and left the dog with someone who NEVER came to feed him or let him out. So I called metro animal services. And then I let the neighbor have it when he got back...not in a mean way. In a pretend, playing dumb kind of way but it got the point across that I was disgusted with his actions towards his pet.

I am sure there have been many more instances that I have called, I know there have been. Like today. For about three weeks now, Justin and I have been calling the city about our backyard neighbors. They are across the ally from us and I honestly had no idea what was going on until Justin showed me how to open the back gate (it's like a fortress! haha). I walked outside and was so upset at what our alley looked like. We believe that they have abandonded their house and apparently before they did, took every ounce of crap from their house and put it in the alley. SICK. So that's being taken care of now...or they will get many more calls from me :) THEN...baby boy and I were coming home tonight from dinner at my inlaws and there was our neighbors puppy running around everyones yard. So to make a long story short, I knocked on the door a few times and stuck the pup in our yard. Now, he is a beagle puppy and the thing about beagles is that they can squeeze through anywhere! So after calling metro animal services and finding a way to keep him in the yard, an hour later the owners came home and I brought the dog back. Meanwhile, it was thirty minutes past Liam's bedtime, Toby was trying to attack the poor puppy and Ellie went and hid under the bed like usual. Oy vey. Momma is cleaning up for a showing we have tomorrow (fingers crossed!!) and off to bed. I am wiped!

Liam

I still can't get over that my little boy is a toddler now! I kind of feel like he was born yesterday and forever ago all at the same time. I have a horrible memory so the first 3 or 4 months of his life are kind of a blur...lots of sleeping, nursing and changing diapers from what I can recall :) Here is our first family picture, the morning he was born...

And here is the two of us at Liam's birthday party:

Right now Liam is ALMOST walking-he gets mad when you want him to take steps holding your hands but he will stand on his own and then take a step or so at you and then fall towards you the rest of the way. Glad he trusts us to catch him! He isn't saying a lot of words or animal sounds but we work on them everyday. He mostly laughs at me when I do animal sounds! He points at EVERYTHING! If you say Liam where is the airplane, he points at the airplane. Liam where is the doggie, he points at the dog. He even knows that the ultrasound picture in his room is him. If I ask where is baby Liam he will either raise his hand or point at the picture :) He knows what things are but isn't saying the words or sounds yet. I am totally ok with that-he has taken his time doing everything else over the last year so I know when he is ready to talk he will.

He shakes his head no when I try to give him veggies.

He loves to wear his sunglasses!

He is an AWESOME swimmer. I am not even kidding. He does reach and pull, kicks his legs, and puts his face in the water. I admit, I feel like a proud momma bear when we are at the pool and he is swimming around and I hear other parents go "Look at that baby!" or "The baby can swim, you can do it too!" He loves the waterpark, we go at least 3 or 4 times a week.

He loves Toby and Ellie (our dogs) althought he isn't too gentle with them. The dogs put up with it but the vet told me Ellie has signs of really bad anxiety-gee, I wonder if it's because of a certain 1 year old who hurls himself on top of the poor thing??

If I put food on his tray that he doesn't like, he throws it over the edge or flings it backwards and thinks it's hillarious. Then he waits for Toby to come eat it. I guess one day if I'm wondering if he ate all his veggies or not I know where they went :)

Liam is such an awesome kid. There are times when I still think it's crazy that I am a mom. I still feel like a kid and that I am not responsible enough for another life. But I guess God thought I was ready and I'm glad He did!

All the single ladies!

Ok, so I'm not really single. But being home without husband makes me feel a little bit like it. I was telling a friend last night that my schedule has not really changed-Liam and I are doing the same things as when Justin was here-but I feel different. I don't have to make dinner if I don't want to and that is kind of nice...kind of sad though too. So here are some things I have learned by day 3 of husband being gone:

1. I have to take the trash and the recycling out. Sick. I hate taking the trash out. And even worse is Liam's diaper pail trash bag. Sick. I hate going in the alley...I didn't even know how to unlock our back gate until Justin showed me last weekend. I just have never had to!
2. No one is there to turn my lamp off and put my book away. It's inevitable...I fall asleep reading every night. I used to be able to read for hours before bed if I wanted to and since Liam was born, I can seriously read one sentence and pass out. So the last few nights I have woken at 2 or 3 in the morning with my book next to me and my lamp on. Justin always does that for me.
3. I don't have a lot of laundry to do now! I love my husband but he changes clothes a lot. In one day he can change a lot...work clothes, working out clothes, after work clothes, etc. I knew this when I married him so I am not complaining but it makes for have to do at least a load of laundry a day to keep up with it and not get too overwhelmed. Right now, my laundry basket isn't even half full and I am kind of excited about that.
4. Leftovers. I don't usually have a lot of leftovers because ya know...dudes eat a lot. But now I do. No cooking dinner tonight you say? Sounds good.

With that though, I really do miss my husband. I would rather have no leftovers, do 5 loads of laundry a day and whatever else to be able to move to Raleigh with him right now. I miss him a lot and I know Liam does too. I am still praying that someone buys our house quickly. We are thinking of renting it out if something doesn't happen soon.

On a more fun note, Liam is starting to walk! He has taken a few steps away from his walking toys or the couch/chair towards me. It usually is like step, step, leap onto me :) Love that kid. Can't believe he is one! He loved all of his fun birthday gifts that he got at his party! We have great friends and family who helped us make his big day so special! Off to wrangle the kiddo who is "petting" the dog right now :)

So long!

See, I knew I wouldn't be good at this blog stuff :) I haven't written in awhile but life has been busy! We've been packing up the house a little bit at a time, had Liam's first birthday party, trying to spend as much time with friends and family as possible, our 5 year anniversary is tomorrow and Liam's first birthday is Monday. Then on Tuesday...Justin leaves for North Carolina without us. So sad. I thought I would be ok and be able to suck it up and do it but I am really, really sad about it. He's my husband...of course I don't want to be seperated for who knows how long. And he's Liam's daddy...I don't want to Justin to miss anything new. Liam is almost walking and I don't want Justin to miss his first steps or some new words. I know we will be ok. That doesn't make it any easier though!

Going to visit family in Lexington today...I will write and post pictures of Liam's birthday later!