Time for an update

I haven’t posted in awhile. I’m not sure why...it’s almost like now that I’m done with school, I have less time. I’m not sure how I’ve managed that.
Ian is 19 1/2 months old. I can’t believe how big he is getting. It makes me sad sometimes, but it’s mostly fun to watch him grow and change. He tries to repeat most words now, and can say "fruit" and "juice", although they both sound like "joooooo!". He does part of the sign for "fruit" though, so that’s how I can figure out which one he’s asking for.
He has started signing "milk" when he’s hungry, so I need to push the "eat" sign a little more. It’s very frustrating when he asks for milk, is given milk, and shakes his head and pushes it away.
He enjoyed Easter. He got some of the Crayola Tadoodles toddler paints, a book, a coloring book, some plah doh and some peeps. I’m on a "my-toddler-is-going-to-be-an-artist" kick. He really enjoyed the paints, and I learned a little about painting with a toddler. Today we will paint at the table since painting on the floor was a bad idea. I covered the floor with newspaper, but he still picked up his paint and tossed it onto the carpet. That was fun to get up. The play-doh confuses him. He’s not really sure what to do with it--he keeps tasting it and then spitting it out and looking at me like "Why would you give me that???!" I have a lot of pictures to upload from yesterday, so hopefully I’ll get an album put up today.
Hazen is in San Antonio for 7-level school. That sucks. It’s only 2 weeks, so it’s really not bad, but Ian is having problems adjusting. He was fine for the first few days since it’s not uncommon for him to go 2 or 3 days without seeing his Daddy, but as soon as that 4th day came, oh my goodness. He walks around all day saying "Daddy! Daddy!". I’m constantly showing him that Daddy isn’t here, but he won’t accept it. Five minutes later he’ll be back at the bedroom door saying "Daddy! Daddy!" again. He won’t nap, he wants up, he wants down, he bit me in the thigh and broke the skin. In short, he’s driving me nuts. I did just read an article about how stress can cause some undesirable changes in personality, so i’m wondering if that might be what’s going on. He definitely misses his daddy, and I know he can pick up that I’m stressed, too. To help deal with it, I’ve been trying to get him out of the house everyday. Today we’re going to get renters insurance, we’re going to Barnes and Noble to pick up a couple of books (I’ve finally gotten to take up reading things OTHER than accounting and business!!!--Nicole, I love that Good Reads site and I finally finished a book to add...I’ll need to do that today), and we may even head to the BX if munchkin is still in a good mood and the morning goes smoothly.
Ian is sleeping through the night now--it’s AMAZING to get 8 or 9 straight hours of sleep consistently. I actually woke up an hour and a half BEFORE he did today. I love it. He’s in bed by 8 and wakes up between 7:30 and 9--it was ALWAYS 9 before Hazen left. Today it’s close to 8:30 so we’re making progress again. The last two nights he’s even gone to bed without nursing. It’s a little sad--I don’t know if I’m ready for it--but at the same time he needs to start going to sleep for other people if I’m going to start working again. He knows what he needs better than I do, I guess.
I graduated a couple of weeks ago, and I just got to pick up my diploma on Wednesday. It was so exciting--I got a frame and put it up over the entertainment center. I like to look at it, although it reminds me that in 5 months the student loan repayments are going to begin...
My sister, Britney, is going to be here for a week on Wednesday. It will be her first time in Vegas, so she’s excited. We have about 20 malls to hit up, so we’ll be busy. And hopefully on Saturday we’ll be taking her down to the Strip since Hazen will be home then.
Ian is awake now and I need to get in the shower (I should have done that instead of this, but this is more exciting). I guess I should hurry so I can get him up while he’s in a good mood.

*updated Update* Spring in Vegas is awesome--the weather is incredible. However, with that come.....COCKROACHES. I pulled back my shower curtain, and waht did I find? A massive ALIVE cockroach in my shower. I grabbed my stuff and used the other bathroom. My husband needs to come home soon and take care of these creatures for me. This is the third one in three days.