Happy Halloween!!

Tonight was Gus' 1st Halloween!!  He couldn't enjoy the candy but he sure was super cute!!  We continued our Halloween tradition by spending the evening with Amy, Chris and Rylie Sulewski.  Thanks to Kathy and Abby Willis for our monkey costume.  We had many costumes for this season but this was the winner for Halloween night.  Thanks so much!  It was perfect for our chunky monkey.

A few shots of our chunky monkey!!

I'm not sure who was having more fun...Gus or Momma?

This is the ride the Rylie had for the night.  The lights were powered by the battery from her daddy's car!

Just monkeying around!!

How rude!

Do you ever have one of those days where you are just astounded by how rude people can be?  I think that I encountered rude people all day today.  Is it just the people that I have been encountering?  Or is this what our world is coming to?  I felt like there were many people today who had no common courtesy for other people. How hard is it to be polite to others or at least be courteous? 

Many of them were students and although they are kids, I do not feel like that is an excuse.  They are old enough to know how to treat people.  Not to mention how to respond to adults.  I don't know why I am surprised.  I hear how these kids speak to their parents and their parents do nothing about it.  Why would I expect them to treat me with respect?  I guess giving respect isn't enough anymore to receive it.

But then there were staff members who were rude.  Some are always rude so I am not surprised.  Others do things because they feel like they are entitled.  For example, we have to send our documents to the copier to print since we no longer have classroom printers.  Twice I sent something down to print and when I got there, the same teacher had just cancelled my print job in order to run his own copies.  Would it have killed him to wait a minute?  Just because he was standing right there doesn't mean he can just delete what others are doing.  I went to use the staff bathroom today and was disgusted to discover that someone didn't flush the toilet when they CLEARLY should have.  Are you serious?!?  Aren't we adults?  Flush the toilet for crying out loud!!  And as I was leaving today with my arms full and in a hurry, a teacher who is incharge of sending cards/flowers to staff members for new babies, illness, funeral etc stop and talk to me.  She wanted to go into a long conversation about why she didn't send us a card when Gus was born.  Seriously, lady?  I don't care what your excuse is...it is four months later...too little, too late!

I finally left school today and thought that I wouldn't have to deal with anymore rude people....I was wrong.  My friend Amy and I were going to head up to the hospital to see another friend of ours who just give birth to a baby.  Amy called Kroger and ordered a bunch of balloons for us to take up there.  I was going to stop and pick them up before Amy came to get me.  When I got there, nobody was at the flower/balloon desk, nobody at the customer service desk and our balloons weren't ready.  When I finally tracked down an employee, I was treated with rude service as if I was the inconveniencing them.  Seriously?!?  And to top that experience off, Kroger for some reason does not carry baby cards.  I found thousands of birthday cards...no baby cards.  ARG!!!

Finally, I thought, I would get to go home and see my sweet boy for a little while before leaving for a meeting.  On my way to the meeting, I tried to call and make a hair appointment.  When I called the lady asked if she could put me on hold.  Only she never pressed the hold button.  She continued to carry on a conversation with someone else while I waited for her.  And it wasn't as if she were helping a customer.  She was clearly having a conversation.  After 6 minutes I hung up!  Thank goodness I am friends with my stylist and I just called her directly instead.  But really, the lady could have at least pressed the hold button.

Needless to say, I am just fried!!!  I hope to encounter only positive people tomorrow.  Thanks for letting me vent.

The end...

Last night marked the end of the Flat Rock football season.  (Above is Joel and fellow coach, John Lawson.)  I would be lying if I said that I wasn't jumping up and down about it!  We had some of the yuckiest weather for football games this year.  I sat through a handful of games in the rain this year looking like a drowned rat. 

For some reason though, this was an emotional evening for me.  We had "parents night" where the parents walk their kids out onto the field and all I could think about was how someday I would be walking my kid out onto a field and he would be playing his last football game and then he would leave the field in tears like many of our seniors did last night.  But I suppose if Gus wants to be a tap dancer instead of a football player then he won't have that problem.  One more reason for him to be a tap dancer...

I was surprised to see that my husband had a tough time last night.  Joe Conner even got a few tears out of Joel when he hugged him (above).  Joel can identify so much with how these boys were feeling.  He felt that way when he finished playing football in high school and then again when he finished in college.  But for some reason, this group of seniors was special to Joel and he had a strong bond with a couple of them.  Joel has coached most of the seniors since they were pint-sized little 7th graders and has been with them ever since.  He is extemely proud of them and how hard they have worked since they first suited up for him in 7th grade.  It made me laugh last night when one of the seniors said to Joel, "Thanks for everything Coach!  Your the one who taught me how to put the pads into these pants."  It makes me chuckle because I remember when Joel quit coaching Varsity and went to coach at the middle school.  He talked about how funny it was that there was such a big difference between the two levels...at the middle school, he had to teach kids how to put the uniform on!!  It is hilarious to me that it has come full circle and one of the kids remembered that!  "Football season is over....time to get ready for your winter sports, boys!"

Topo, Danny, Koby, Vroman, Stape, Joe and Jake

Picking Boogers

I don't pick my boogers.  This is why God sent us tissues.  So I am just as surprised as you are that I have been picking boogers lately.  Not mine of course, they are Gus'.  The poor kid hasn't learned how to pick his boogers or even blow his nose and yet he really needs to have one of these two skills right now.  So what's a mom to do? 

I have been using the "snot sucker", "boogie wipes" and in dire times of need...my pinky finger nail.  (And yes, to answer the questions my students asked when I told them about this, I wash my hands right afterwards.)  My poor little baby either has a cold or is starting to teethe.  I'm not sure which I would rather have right now.  Either way, I know that Gus is not a happy camper.  He knows what happens when the "snot sucker" comes his way and he does not enjoy that at all.  He isn't sure what to think about the "boogie wipes", which are saline wipes that are soft on little noses.  He doesn't quite know what to think when we use these.  He does, however, try to eat them.  But for some reason, my son does not mind at all when I pick his nose.  How strange!  And how gross!  Never would I have guessed that I would do this.  It is amazing what you do for your kid.

So...I'm picking boogers...

Time flies!!

I can't believe that Gus is 4 months old already.  I am sure I will continue to say that with every month that passes by.  And even more so as the years pass by.  These days he seems to be doing something new everyday!!  It is amazing how much they are able to pick up on.

Sorry...I can't help but love this little guy.  Sometimes I just sit and look at him and wonder what my life would be like without him.  It brings me to tears to think about how blessed I am and what a sacrifice Gus' birthmom made for him.  This little boy is SO loved!!  I am such a lucky girl...I get to keep him!!

I had just finished changing his diaper and snapped this picture.  This is the look I get as I am rocking him to sleep.  Such innocence and curiousity.  Today when I was rocking him before his morning nap, I realized how much Gus has grown.  His head was on my shoulder and his feet were near my knees.  When did my little boy get so tall.  Is there a way to keep him little?!?!  Gotta run....I hear someone waking up....

October Fun

Just some October fun.  Gus and Daddy stopped up to the Homecoming Dance and Gus posed for a pic with his buddy, Joey.  Gus got a fun new toy!  We were able to get his exersaucer out and started to have lots of fun.  Gus also dressed up as a Stapleton chicken and an Otto turkey!!  So much fun and we haven't even gotten to Halloween yet!!!  So much more fun to be had!

Updates

Some of our blog followers have mentioned that they wish that they received an email when we updated the blog. I think that I have figured out how to do it. If you would like me to add you to the list of those who receive emails, please let me know! Thanks for following!


As you can see, I have kind of gotten carried away with the themed blog.  I really enjoy changing it up and making it look different.  And I think I did pretty good with this one considering the fact that I was holding a sleeping baby in one arm and blogging with the other.

It is Homecoming week at Flat Rock High School which means that my life is more chaotic than normal.  My poor son has been going to float meetings, skit practices and banner paintings.  I hope that the weather stays somewhat decent tomorrow.  I have fun outfits for Gus to wear and I would love to be able to have him actually wear them.  Unfortunately, it is supposed to be cold with a 70% chance of rain...fantastic!!

I can't believe that Gus is 16 weeks old today!!!  Time flies!  I am amazed every day by what he does.  He is really loving rolling over these days.  The other day Joel went in to get Gus up before school and Gus was on his tummy and turned around completely in his crib.  He is a mover!!

We interrupt this life for football season...

It has been a crazy time here in the Stapleton household.  Football season is always super crazy around here.  In addition to football and cheerleading practices, we had something going on every night this past week.  Monday- cheer stunt clinic.  Tuesday- dinner with Sara Griffin. Wednesday- dinner with my parents.  Thursday- JV football game.  Friday- Varsity football game.  Saturday- coaching clinic.  And this is what most of our weeks are like.  Gus has been going with me to cheerleading practice and is quite spoiled by all of those crazy cheerleaders. He also goes to most of the football games...if it isn't too cold or rainy.  He has been wearing his dinosaur hat to all of the games.  We have decided that his hat is good luck for the team and therefore needs to wear it.  Every game that he has gone to where he had his dino hat on, the Rams have won!!  We are hoping that it continues to be lucky for the rest of the season and we hope the weather is nice so that Gus can go to the game.  (He didn't go on Friday and we lost...bummer...)

Luckily Gus travels well right now and seems to be okay with the chaos.  So until he isn't okay with it, we will continue to enjoy the chaos.  We only have a few more weeks of football so life will get back to normal soon.

Gus has started to roll over a lot more now.  It has been a lot of fun to watch and he has been scooching on the floor and in his crib.  But watch out!  That means he is going to be starting to move earlier than we thought.  Regardless, it is fun to watch how much he learns everyday!!