Merry Christmas to all...

traditions from years past. 

Christmas morning.

gifts for him.

gifts for me. 

our baby's first.

Merry Christmas to all!

month one

month one [written 12.18.12]

Well, I’m sitting here on the couch [listening to Sister Hazel], once again, letting you sleep on my chest…soaking in every minute that you snuggle me like this [it's my favorite]. I know that our days like this are limited. Too soon I’ll be enjoyin’ your next stage, chasing you around the yard & spending countless hours playing with Match Box cars on the deck daddy built. I can’t believe how fast our first month with you has flown by. In this first month you’ve already changed so much little one. For one, you’ve gained about 2 pounds and grown 1.25 inches! Your hair is getting thicker in the back and on the sides, but you’re a little bald up top. Your dad has commenced to calling you “Harold” from Harold & the Purple Crayon (don’t worry, he’s a cute little cartoon boy). Other nicknames include: Little Buddy, ‘Mos, Stink, and Blondie. Currently you wake up one - two times a night to eat and mama usually falls asleep with you in the chair for at least an hour. Those hours are hours that I will forever cherish. I don’t even mind that I haven’t gotten to sleep through the night for weeks now. You grunt and make noises all the time. We think you’re going to be a talker! And, I swear you’re the gassiest infant that has ever been. It seems that it doesn’t matter what I eat – everything messes with your little tummy. Sorry bud! We do get a kick out of your old man farts…all I can say is, “you get it from your daddy.” (: Just recently you’ve started staring at lights. Once you lock your eyes on a light we can move your little body every which way and you’ll crane your little head around to keep your gaze on the light. You sleep better on your tummy than your back [just like mama]. And, you’ve rolled over twice!

Christmas on a budget

Mike & I have always had a $100 budget to stick to for each other when it comes to Christmas gifts. We knew before we had babies that we wanted to teach them Christmas isn't about the gifts that they receive. I've gone back & forth over how many gifts and how much money to spend on our kids at Christmas & finally [with Mike's help] landed on the following. We'll give our kids 1] something to wear 2] something to read 3] something they want, and 4] something they need. So yes, our kids will get 4 presents from us at Christmas. [Don't worry, if yo know me at all you know that I'm already secretly planning Amos' 1st birthday party...birthdays will be our chance to spoil our kids.] we also decided this year to do the 4 gifts [something to wear, something to read, something we want & something we need] for each other while sticking to the $100 budget. And, it's been so fun! Our budget has allowed / forced us to be extremely creative & intentional with our gift giving! [Something else I want to teach or kids is to be good / intentional gift givers.] (: Merry Christmas to you and yours.

Christmas is a comin'

Our first tree that we picked out as a family of 3 is up and decorated. Our stockings are hung (minus Amos' because Mimi is working on making it]. Presents are under the tree and the manger scene [hand carved by my dad] is up on the mantle. Christmas, do hurry!

 

Thanksgiving 2k12

[don't judge because it's almost Christmas]

Thanksgiving 2k12

Mike's parents [Mimi & Papa] graciously took all of us to Highlands this year for a Thanksgiving vacation & to pick out Christmas trees! We had a B-L-A-S-T toting Amos around one of our most favorite spots, spending time with family, eating way too much good food, hangin' out & catching up and picking out our 1st Christmas tree as a family of 3! (: 

Thanks so much, Mimi & Papa! 

sweet child of mine

Amos, sweet child of mine, you’ve been here for almost a month and you already have us completely wrapped around those tiny, long fingers of yours. To say we’re smitten is an understatement. We’re content to spend hours at a time holding you, staring at you, talking to you, watching you. You make the funniest faces that make us smile all the time. My favorite is the one you make when you’re stretching really big. You really are a sweet spirited, relaxed baby. You only fuss when you’re hungry and I’m not feeding you fast enough. Our tell-tell sign that you’re hungry is that you start sucking / gnawing on your little hands. And when you’re angry you kick your strong little legs straight out (you do this when you’re nursing too). You don’t like to be swaddled one bit – maybe because you were cramped in mama’s belly for so long?! And, thankfully for mama and daddy, you really don’t like a pacifier and haven’t seemed interested in sucking your thumb yet. You already like having your head stroked just like both your mama and daddy. One of your favorite things to do is to snuggle with daddy while you both nap. You’re so cute with your arms thrown up over your head when you sleep. We’ve noticed recently that you push your tongue against the roof of your mouth when you’re just hanging out and sometimes when you’re sleeping. You hiccup all the time – something you also did in utero. Your hair is getting thicker and more blonde / red by the day. Mama’s going to have to learn what to do with a pale skinned babe in the summer! One of my favorite things is when you snuggle up against my chest and sleep there with your little arms thrown over my shoulder and your legs squished up like a frog. Another one of my favorite things has been to hear your sweet daddy pray for and over you when he puts you down for bed every night. Little one, you are loved beyond measure!