Overwhelmed but blessed!

Taking a 10-month break from posting on the blog only leads to one feeling - overwhelmed!  After looking at the hundreds of pictures I've taken in the last year, which don't even include the ones on Jon's phone, and I don't even know where to start!  I think I'll start with the present and work backwards, which will most likely constitute several posts, but I think I'm up to the challenge!  Fisher is politely chewing up a flip-flop next to me while I type, so I think I have some time to write down some of our happenings lately.  This week I celebrated my 26th birthday, and it's a little strange to be on the down-hill side of my 20's - closer to 30 than 20 now.  I spent so much of my youth wishing to be older, and once I hit 25 I though to myself, "I've arrived - I no longer want to be older."  However, 26 came despite my best efforts and now it's weird to think I'll soon start saying that I wish I was younger.  Anyways, back to the birthday.  I started off the day with a biting puppy (he forgot it was my birthday and that he needed to be polite to his puppy-mama on her birthday) but my woes were soon forgotten when I baby-gated him into his spot and stuffed myself with Kneaders french toast in some of the best company ever - my dad!  After brunch Fisher went to the groomer and I had three whole hours to myself without worrying about him biting, barking, or using his naptime to the best advantage.  During my beautiful break I worked a little, wrote a letter to my friend who entered the MTC this week (Carolyn will forever be one of my role models), talked to some of my siblings, and responded to a plethora of loving text messages from friends and more siblings.  Next I fetched my fluff-ball from the groomer (the hair-dryer does crazy things to his curly fur) and we went on a pleasant walk with my friend, followed by a shower, presents from my man (flowers, my favorite Haagen-Dasz, knives and a knife sharpener!) and dinner at Fork, a new place for us and a new favorite.  The next day I went to Red Robin for dinner with some of my closest friends to celebrate, and the day before my birthday I had a fantastic lasagna dinner with darn good chocolate cake with the family.  A three-day birthday bonanza that left me feeling very loved! 

Ok, Fisher is getting antsy and I'm not sure how much longer I can ignore him, so I'll finish this post with some of my favorite pictures of him.  He epitomizes a love/hate relationship, but I'm getting to the point where I love him quite a bit more than I hate him.  And can you blame my forgiving nature after seeing his sweet face? 

He likes to ring the bell like he needs to go out, and then once I open it he'll lay across the threshold and refuse to choose inside or outside.  I think he likes to feel the breeze but stay cozy inside!

This is his common sulk pose. After being reprimanded he'll grab one his blankets, plop down with it, bury his face in the fabric and glare up at me.  It's one of the cutest things ever.

Lisa and Josh visited in January and this is about the closest we let Josh and Fish get to each other once Fisher got a little too interested in what baby toes taste like.  I love this picture because you can tell Josh is smiling at him, and Fish is just looking on indifferently.  But boy, did he love that kid!  Always tried to get close to him!

I love when Fisher curls up next to me while I work and falls asleep.  I recently realized that I have a disproportionate amount of pictures with him sleeping, but that's because we love him most when he is unconscious and not biting!

The other day Jon woke Fisher up from a nap when he came home and after a brief greeting, laid his head right on top of Jon's foot!  It was so sweet and he stayed there long enough for us to get a picture.  I love my boys!