Mr. Connor, what are you up to????

So I was unloading the dishwasher and Connor was crawling around in the front entry way with a toy. Suddenly it became very quiet. I peeked around the corner to find my little whirling dervish up to no good! The pictures explain the rest.

The Birthday Pary!

The family all came over for Connor's big celebration. Nonnie and Pompa (my parents), Maimo' (Don's mom), Aunt Sarah and the kids: Tommy, Joey and Rachel (uncle Matt was missing because he is an accountant and it is now tax season), Uncle Mike and Erika, and Uncle Tom. Aunt Jeannie, Uncle Tyler, Ellie and Sam couldn't swing the trip from Bainbridge, we missed them lots! We had lasanga, bread, salad, and..... THE CAKE! It was a wonderful night and the perfect birthday celebration for our little man!

Birthday Boy!

Our sweet baby boy turned one today! We couldn't believe that a year ago 17 hours of long back labor would prove to be worth every tear we shed that day! Connor has made our life complete. Each day brings new adventures, new emotions, new joys! We are so blessed by our little miracle! Don went into work super early so he could spend the majority of the day with us. Connor had his own plans though. He went down for a nap around 0845 and didn't wake up until noon! (we didn't know at the time that a virus was brewing...) So while he slept Don assembled the ultimate birthday gift - A Radio Flyer Wagon! When Connor finally woke up from his nap, he was sooo excited for his new gift!

Laundry Day!

Who knew the dryer could be so much fun? While Don was away in Italy on business, I was busy being the good housewife and doing laundry. Connor crawled up next to me and pulled himself up on the dryer and began to shout inside. He was delighted when he heard his own voice echo! So for the remainder of laundry time he shouted various things into the dryer laughed each time he heard the echo. One of the things he repeated was "DAAAAAd, DAAAAAd!" I think because he hadn't seen Don in a few days he was trying to find him!! :)

OMSI

We took Connor to OMSI for the first time today and he had a blast. The place was just packed but we still managed to make our way to the different exhibits and toys in the toddler room. Connor had fun exploring. He especially like the tub of balls. We had the hardest time getting him out of there. In fact, when another little boy tried to climb in the tub with him, he burst out crying! I think we need to work on the sharing....

First Bubble Bath!

Don came home for lunch today and our sweet baby boy had a complete meltdown! We think he is in the process of getting some major teeth! He just cried and cried. We put him down with his toys and he laid in the middle of them and just sobbed and sobbed. Don and I were beside ourselves as Connor rarely cries to the point of no return...Nothing we did comforted him. It was heartbreaking. Then I had a fabulous idea (it actually may have been Don's idea, but since I am the one writing this blog, we will just say it was mine)! Let put him in the tub! Don ran to the bathroom and drew the bath water. I started to get him undressed. His cries got louder and louder. I was panicking. He clearly was stressed out. I thought what would I want if I was really stressed out? A cup of tea and a bubble bath. Connor clearly could not have tea, but what about a bubble bath!!!! It was genius I tell you! I dumped some rosemary and mint bubble bath in his water. The cries grew quieter. He peered in the tub, then looked back and Don and I with a sly smile. I put him in the tub. At first he just stared at the bubbles, then he swished his hands back and forth! Soon his little face broke out in a huge smile! Then laughter! Ahh, our little boy was back. My mom is right. There is nothing a good bath can't fix!!

Nobody puts Connor in a bin!

Sarah and the kids came over one afternoon and we thought it would be funny to put Connor and Rachel in the new storage bins I had bought. Rachel, the little adventurous cousin, thought it was a grand idea! However, our timid little Connor clearly thought otherwise....

What is this in my activity table???

Connor was playing at his activity table and when he opened the little green door, to his surprise and delight, there were cheerios in there! He was so excited, he couldn't eat them fast enough!

My Daddy Dressed Me....

Don took two weeks off during the holidays, but unfortunately, I had to still work! So Don and Connor spent many long days together playing, running errands, doing laundry, cooking dinner, etc. Don was literally my hero when I would come from a long shift, exhausted, worn out and STARVING, Connor would be fast asleep in his crib, toys put away, laundry folded, and dinner on the table! I think Don makes a better "mom" than me! My husband surprises me every day with all these little things - that are actually huge to me! Connor and I are so blessed!! However, sometimes I have to laugh when I see the outfits he puts on Connor! "What?! He is in his comfy blues!" Don would say.... Ahhhh, gotta love the men in my life~

NEW CAMERA!!!

Yipee! Don's mom gave us a generous gift of a new camera for Christmas! It is a Nikon D60 and we are still learing how to use it but already the pictures are soooo much better! We are soo happy so here is to a new and improved blog!!!! Yeah! Here are some of our sample pictures right after I opened the gift!

Notice how it is a picture of yummy icecream. What can I say, icecream is a year round treat in the Corcoran Clan!

NEW YEARS with OLD FRIENDS!

I spent my sophomore year of college studying in beautiful Salzburg Austria with 30 other U of P students. It ranks up there with one of the best years of my life! The friendships formed over the course of that year are very near and dear to me. My friend Kara met the love of her life Iker and they moved back to San Sabastian Spain to be near his family. They come back once a year, either in August or Christmas time. This year they came back over the Christmas holiday so we were able to spend the new year with them! Our other dear Salzburg friend Cary and her husband Ben have been all over the place since graduation. They were in the midwest, London, LA and most recently the Bay area. They too came up to spend the New Year in Oregon along with my dear friend Mary (also a Salzburger, lives here in P-town) we had a fantastic evening! Kara and Iker have a darling little 2 year old Ander (Andrew) and one on the way, and Cary and Ben are expecting their first, a daughter, in May. Therefore, there was not much drinking going on amongst the ladies this year! It was so wonderful to spend time with them! Connor and Ander had a great time playing together. Ander is a very good sharer of toys!