The Act of Being Thankful

I realize that it is waaaay past time to update the ol' blog. I couldn't think of a better time to write an update than during this time of thanks and gratitude. Listing the things for which I am grateful makes for a nice update, I think.

I am thankful for a strong, happy, and healthy son who makes me laugh so many times a day. His very existence makes me thankful for every single day and makes me realize that there is no room in this life for being selfish. With every choice that I make, I take him into consideration first.

I am thankful for a supportive and loving husband who takes me for who I am...good and, well, not so good. He is kind, positive, and helpful. He supports my endeavors and respects my choices. Even though he doesn't share my love for rising at 3:00 in the morning to go scrub green manure stains off my horse and drive to a horse show with the hope of (maybe) winning a 25 cent ribbon, he supports it. (Wow...after typing that, I think that maybe I AM crazy!)

I am thankful for my loving family who is there when I need them. I can call any one of them at any time and they will do what they can to help out. This also includes giving me kick in the backside when I need it.

I am thankful for my friends who, no matter where they are, are ready to offer a kind word or inspire a good laugh. My friends "get" me. You've gotta love that!

I am thankful for my warm house, my health, my snuggly pets, and the opportunity to live my dreams.

Tomorrow, we celebrate a day of thanks. I am fortunate enough to be able to host a scrumptious dinner at our home. I can't wait to spend this day with my family and reflect on how wonderful my life really is.

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

15 Month Check-Up

Justin had his 15 month check-up with Dr. Tomek yesterday. He is still above the 97th percentile in height, but has "dropped" to the 97th percentile in weight. This is most likely due to the increase in his activity. It's certainly not due to a decrease in his eating...this kid is a great eater. He had his first taste of baked chicken nuggets yesterday and loved them. In fact, he walks around saying "meat" like a good little carnivore should.

Dr. Tomek was very impressed with J's vocabulary. He used that word - "impressed". My heart swelled with pride.

Justin now knows the difference between the different types of vehicles...truck, car, bus, and train. He demonstrated for Dr. T his knowledge of body parts, his toy bus and toy truck, and even showed how he says "please". As always, J-Man was a very good boy...even when he had to wait for the nurse because another child was having a complete meltdown down the hall. J just took it all in stride.

A Quick Update

Wow. I have really been MIA lately. My apologies.





Things are great. Justin is doing very well. His increasing vocabulary impresses us daily. Just this morning, he was looking at a picture book, found a photo of a goldfish, pointed to it, and stated, "Fish." Other words in J-Man's vocabulary:

• Mom
• DaDa
• Nana
• Papa
• Ba
• Cat
• Dog
• Truck
• Please
• Up
• Down
• This
• Go
• Fast
• Duck

Justin also knows the sounds made by the following animals:

• Horse
• Cow
• Dog
• Duck

As you can see, our little man is progressing well. We are waiting on pins and needles for his acceptance letter from Harvard.

Jeff and I are doing well. Jeff is on a one week break from his classes at U of R. His band, The Revelers, is playing out next week (April 3rd) and I am sure he is looking forward to some non-school activities.

I am gearing up for the 2009 horse show season. Lots of riding and practicing of showmanship. I have several personal goals that I hope to meet with Chester this year. Let's hope it all goes well.

I hope you all are well. I promise not to be so lax in my posts from here on out. Justin hates for his adoring fans to be disappointed.

Walking, Talking, and Testing the Limits

Well, Justin's 13th month has been one of immense growth and maturity.

Justin can accurately identify a cat, a dog, the ceiling fan, the TV, a tractor, Da Da, both sets of Grandmas and Grandpas, and knows what a horsey says ("Bbbbbbmmmmmmrrrrrr"). He still mistakes random blonde women on TV for Ma Ma. At least they are all movie and TV stars and really good looking.

Justin is now walking just about everywhere he goes. He's tried running, but with little success. He'll get there soon enough.

If he sees a cat or a dog, whether in real-life or on television, he clearly says, "Cat" or "Dog".

Grandma DeBadts told Justin 'No' when he reached for the big screen TV. He turned to her and said (clear as day), "Yes". See...it's not ALL cute.

While J-Man is just about the sweetest thing ever, he is certainly independent and tenacious. He likes to stand up in his rocking chair and push the buttons on the television. He also likes to swirl his hand around in the toilet. He seems to know what the word 'no' means, but doesn't really like to stop what he's doing. We'll keep working on it. But, in the meantime, we are enjoying our little man so, so much.

Happy First Birthday, Justin!

Justin celebrated his first birthday yesterday with Mommy, Daddy, Grandma and Grandpa DeBadts, Grandma and Grandpa Simpson, Great-Grandma Auble and Great-Grandma Simpson.
Here are a few pictures of J's first experience with cake and pieces of his celebration. Happy Birthday, Little Man!

More Quotes from The Justin Files

More, actual statements made from me to my beloved son, Justin Reid:

"Please don't bite the toilet."

"Please don't climb into the dishwasher."

Again, things I never thought that I would say...

At any rate, Justin is still the love of my life. He is walking now...sort of. He walks with his shoulders hunched up, his arms bent at the elbows, and his lower arms straight out - it's a pretty accurate impersonation of Frankenstein.

He also points at things and asks, "Wasssat?"

When asked where the ceiling fan is located, he points right to it.

He knows the sign for "more" and uses it at will.

When we say, "I'm gonna get you!", he squeals and makes a break for it.

Justin loves books, baths, and carrots. He's not a fan, however, of animated or battery-operated stuffed toys or wearing pants. But, you've gotta hand it to the kid...battery-operated stuffed animals are kind of creepy and, if given the option, I think we could all say we'd rather be pantless.

J-Man also has a great sense of humor...he's very funny and laughs a lot. Just yesterday, he pointed to Katherine Heigl on TV and said, "Mama?" Hilarious.

Justin will be celebrating his first birthday next Friday. I can't believe he'll be a year old. I will be sure to post pictures of a cake demolition!

Happy Holidays to all and stay warm!

Justin's Holiday Photos

My little man had his photos taken last week and here are two of my favorites:

I've Been Tagged...And, Thankfully, Not with a Blowdart Flying From a Hovering Helicopter, This Time...Thanks, Shannon!

RULES
1- Post Rules on Your Blog
2-Answer the Six "8" Items and Post on Blog
3-Let Each Person Know They Have Been Tagged

8 Favorite Shows
1. House, MD
2. Arrested Development (RIP...but I have all three seasons on DVD...)
3. Criminal Minds
4. The Office
5. Law & Order: SVU
6. Fringe
7. The New Adventures of Old Christine
8. How I Met Your Mother

8 Things I Did Yesterday
1. Got a super-cute new haircut (my neck is cold, though)
2. Went Christmas shopping
3. Had Justin's one year old pictures done (also, super-cute)
4. Went shopping for Thanksgiving dinner supplies (and, in doing so, single-handedly paid Danny Wegman's car payment for this month...ugh)
5. Spent $50 at Lisa's Liquor Barn...Bailey's for the Irishman coming to visit next week and two bottles of wine
6. Worked at my new position as an online facilitator for the University of Phoenix
7. Watched "The Office"...hilarious, as usual
8. Spent time with my in-laws

8 Things I Look Forward To
(Only Eight?!...OK...)
1. Bree and Eoin's visit (can't wait!!!)
2. Thanksgiving with the family
3. Seeing "Twilight" tonight in Buffalo with the girls
4. Riding this weekend...if my arm is OK
5. Finding out what the devil is wrong with my arm
6. Justin's first Christmas
7. Justin's first birthday
8. Completing my training for the University of Phoenix

8 Favorite Restaurants
1. The Kitchen Table in Burlington, VT
2. Mario's
3. Biaggi's
4. Qdoba
5. Basil
6. Aunt Cookie's
7. The Distillery
8. Brio

8 Things On My Wish List
1. To Raise a Happy, Healthy Child
2. Show Chester at the Pinto World Show in Tulsa, OK
3. A Kindle E-Reader
4. An Overhauled Horse Trailer...new paint, wiring, etc.
5. Go back to Sedona, AZ
6. See the Pittsburgh Steelers play
7. Run My Own Horse Business
8. Travel to Greece and Crete

Adventures with Justin

Do you ever find yourself making a statement that, if overheard or taken out of context, might land you on the 6:00 local news? Trust me...if you're a parent, you know exactly what I mean.

Nine words I never thought I would say:

"Hey. Get your finger out of the cat's butt."

Yup. I said this. On Saturday. With a straight face.

No...it was not a punchline to a joke. It was me, trying to redirect my child. Justin has recently become very intrigued with buttons and, apparently, Seamus'...um...hiney closely resembled a button that needed pushing.

Any parents out there willing to share any phrases you never, ever thought you'd say, but made perfect sense once you had a child?

Nine Month Stats

Another visit to Dr. Tomek and another list of off-the-chart statistics for J-Man:

• 27.5 pounds (97th percentile)
• 31 1/4 inches long (>97th percentile)

Dr. Tomek remarked at J's good health and thinks he may be the biggest baby in his practice at his age. We have the go-ahead to gradually start J on table food around 10.5 to 11 months old.

Justin has been doing extremely well. He is crawling, pulling himself up, cruising along the sofa, and climbing the stairs with lightning speed (all with supervision, of course). He is not fond of having his diaper changed and prefers to be stark naked. He is funny and laughs a lot. He imitates facial expressions and is talking like crazy. He does laps in the bathtub and likes to grab the washcloth and whip it around, splashing everything and everyone within a five foot radius. He loves to jump on the bed and adores his daddy. When Grandpa Simpson comes to visit, J will not let him out of his sight. He loves shopping sprees with Grandma DeBadts. He cheers for himself when a cereal puff actually makes it into his mouth, as opposed to landing on the floor. He stops in his tracks when the Marineland commercial or the weather comes on the television.

My little man is becoming his own person with likes and dislikes, distinct personality traits, and a wonderful sense of humor. He continues to bring joy into the lives of everyone he meets.

WARNING: Major Cuteness

I'm sorry, but this post needs no commentary...

State Fair Paint and Pinto Show

Chester and I competed at the New York State Fair two weekends ago. I have just now gotten around to uploading the pictures from the photos taken there and wanted to share them. Chester was an absolute angel in the coloseum...a place where most horses think they've gone to die and act accordingly. All Chester knew is that there were shiny lights, American flag banners, and cushy stall lined with six bags of shavings just for him...and he loved it. We did quite well in our placings, but the biggest accomplishment, in my eyes, was the fact that Chester was a dream to ride and show through both days of our classes. I could not be happier with his performances.

**Photos courtesy of Mark Pedersen and Quickshots Photography** Mad props, Mark...you rock!

The Story of Edgar Sawtelle

I am a self-professed book nerd. I love books. I love books more than chocolate, jewelry, and new shoes. I love to buy a new book, curl up in a chair, and lose myself in the words. It is silly for me to buy books because I finish the good ones in a day or two and those that don't grab my attention within the first few sentences get slapped onto the bookshelf never to be read at all. I guess you could say I am a Book Snob. My dream gift (besides a book...or a new horse) would be the new Kindle - the iPod of books - a portable electronic device that uploads full novels and such. It costs, like, $350, though, so it's just a dream right now.
Anyway, I am on my way to Borders today to buy "The Story of Edgar Sawtelle". Stephen King compares this book to "Watership Down" and "Life of Pi" - my two most favorite books EVER. I usually don't give much credence to critics reviews, but, (A) It's Stephen King, and, (B) The comparison to my two most favorite books of all time makes it a must-read.
Anyone have any books they would like to recommend? Let me know...

Sippy Cup

Justin is learning to use his new Sippy Cup...sort of. Right now he just chews on the spout and, sometimes, even gets some juice! Doesn't matter, though, becuase, as you can see, J-Man loves his cup regardless.
If you look close enough, you may be able to see Justin's new teeth...two on the bottom. The little man is growing up so fast...

A Sunday Off

The horse show scheduled for today was cancelled due to the impending stormy forecast. A good thing, too, because it's raining buckets right now. A full day to get stuff done around the house and, in between storm clouds, maybe ride Chester.
Next Sunday, we show at Centerpointe Stables, a farm just five minutes from our house. Yay! This is a show I usually invite those I know to come and watch, simply because it only takes a few minutes to get there. Auburn and Stanley are quite the hike for people to make, just to watch a bunch of horses trot around in a circle. I get it, but, I am nuts. Spending hundreds of dollars to spend the day in the swampy, sweltering heat and humidity wearing a wool jacket and tall black boots, all to (maybe) get a 25 cent ribbon. If anyone is interested in coming out to Penfield to meet Chester and watch the show for a while, e-mail me (drsimpson17@yahoo.com) for details or directions. I know a few of you are curious to see why I am MIA every Sunday during the summer. We would love to see you! Have a great Sunday!

Six Month Check-Up

Justin went to visit Dr. Tomek yesterday. Once again, he is just about off the charts. He weighs in at 22 pounds (97th percentile) and is 29.5 inches long (over the 97th percentile). Justin was very good for the doctor...except when Dr. Tomek went to look into J-Man's ears. Justin wanted to play with the "toy" with the fun light on the end and kept on turning to look at it. He got a little upset that this man with the million dollar toy wouldn't let him play.
Once Dr. Tomek left the room, the lady with the pokey sticks came in. Three pokey sticks to be exact. J-Man endured three shots into his thighs, cried for less than a minute, and then proceeded to tell us how much he hates that Pokey Lady through low, long whiney grumbles. Then, all was well.
My niece, Hadyn, gets her very first horseback riding lesson today. She is very excited! I promised to let the girls ride on their own once they turned eight and Hadyn's 8th birthday was last Friday. She didn't waste any time taking me up on my offer. Hannah will ride, too, but I will lead her around. No solo ride for her for two more years.
We are headed down to the lake this evening for the 3rd of July festivities. Hopefully, the rain scoots out of here fast and we can enjoy the company, the lake, and the fireworks. Happy 4th of July, everyone!!

Weekend Horse Show Update

Chester and I had a great weekend at the show this past Sunday. We placed first in three classes and no lower than third in all of our riding classes. We ended up with High Point Open English Champion and received a brand new show bridle for our efforts. The really cool thing is that the bridle is of the same brand as my show saddle and it matches perfectly. I already have the same bridle (although it is a few years old) and it was $90 when I bought it, so the new bridle that I won covered the cost of my entry fees. It was a good day, indeed.
Next up, Westwind Farm Open Horse Show on July 13th!

New Post Time...Finally!

It's been a while. Sorry for the delay.

Updates:

Justin:
J-Man is growing up so, so much! He is rolling around everywhere, sitting up when propped, and is very close to crawling. He is working hard on his coordination - he has great front end control and can drag himself around in a circle, but his knees haven't quite caught up yet. Soon. He is on to Stage 2 foods now, and LOVES carrots and apple-blueberries. This kid will sit with his mouth open like a baby bird for hours waiting for the carrots.
J is also in love with his Jumperoo. He gets jumping so fast that he tires himself out. He grumbles when he becomes tired, but gets cranky when he is removed from the Jumperoo.
Needless to say, Justin is doing very, very well. He has his six month (OMG!) check-up next Wednesday, so I will report back with the stats. I'm not a doctor or anything, but this kid is so big, he could play QB for the Bills. God knows they could use one.

Jeff:
Jeff began another grad class at the U of R last Monday. Still working toward his MBA, playing with The Revelers (join us on July 3rd at the Little Red Cottage to see them play!), and jamming when he can. He is a great dad and Justin just loves him to pieces. J-Man tells me that he misses that Daddy guy all day long and can't wait until he gets home at night. Jeff is still at Harris and doing quite well there. He is planning a trip to Vermont in August/September to camp and hike. He goes on a week-long solitary retreat every year to recharge. He has been attending music shows in Rochester and is looking forward to Summer Hours at work - four 10 hour days with (most) Fridays off. Justin and I are looking forward to this, too!!

Tyson:
Ty is as cute as ever. All day alone in the house yesterday with no accidents, but will poop on the rug when we are all home and standing next to the door. Go figure.
I realized today how much he is beginning to enjoy just being a dog. I usually don't just let him outside to stay without being tied up and, if I do, it's usually just long enough for him to go potty and then be let back in. Today, however, I was busy doing approximately three and a half billion things and just let Ty out into the backyard. When I went to retrieve him, he was in the middle of the yard, rolling in the grass, and laying in the sun. He grabbed a stick and began to demolish it. It made me smile to see the little mutt just living in the moment. A reminder to us all, perhaps?

Horse Activities:
Show season is underway! Three shows under our belt and it's going pretty well. A few high point championships and several blue ribbons. Chester is (mostly) behaving himself, and that's all I really ask for. We are improving every week on our Showmanship skills and had an absolutely killer pattern in one of our classes at yesterday's show (first place under both judges!). Chester is still quite orally fixated and likes to bite at my hand during Showmanship patterns, but we're working on that, too. I think it's time to bust out the cayenne pepper spray and coat my hand and lead line with it. Let's hope Chester isn't into Cajun cuisine. This weekend, we travel to Ionia for another open show. We will continue to prepare for the State Fair in August and the Pinto World Championship Show in Tulsa, OK in 2010.

This And That:
I added two more of my favorite websites to the list: http://ihasahotdog.com/ - like I Can Has Cheezburger, but for you Dog Lovers out there - and http://punditkitchen.com/ - political funnies. Check them out!

A Silly Post For A Hot Day

Justin To Mission Control...

...the asteroid has been destroyed, saving the entire Earth from annihilation. Please inform the president. Over and out.