Post Christmas; New Toys

Like I mentioned previously, the last two days have been low key and relaxing. Yesterday Connor and I hung out most of the day, then we all went out with Nessler's to the Wow Zone in Mankato. It was quite an impressive place and a very fun night. Baby Kate slept the ENTIRE time, she missed all the fun, and I missed playing with her :( Next time.

Today Connor and I went grocery shopping (hosting Christmas #4 tomorrow) and then cleaned the house, got all the laundry done and put away and prepared as much of the food as I could for tomorrow. Fun fun. I also rented a few movies, Step Brothers and Get Smart. Both kind of disappointing.

Last post for the night, going to bed. We put Connor in his crib awake tonight, screamed for probably 45 minutes? With us going in there 2 times to put the nuk in and calm him down. He did fall asleep eventually, so we'll see how long it lasts. (we're breaking EVERY good baby sleep habit in the books. We go in there as soon as he starts crying to put the nuk in, we wait to put him to bed until he's asleep, we bring him into our bed in the middle of the night, and the list goes on. Pretty sure we're doing everything wrong, but hey, we're new at this :))

Connor discovered yet another cabinet, leftover Halloween candy that no one likes. I really, really need to get to this baby proofing thing. (how many times have I said that?)

Bryan cleaning the garage floor with his new pressure washer from my parents.

Connor watching Dad clean the garage floor. The kid could watch Bryan all day. Mom? No. Boring. Dad? Thrilling. I suppose that's a good thing. I'd be worried if he sat this nice while I scrapbooked...

Three Christmas' tires a guy out. Connor woke up all sweaty, it was pretty funny. At least there is a 3 day break before the 4th and final Christmas.

Kind of a weird video, I wish I could figure out how to edit them or at least crop them in some way. Anyways, the point of the video is to capture Connor's latest sound. The heavy breathing, panting thing he does in the beginning of the video. Does it all the time. It's kind of become his new laugh. Weird.

Christmas #3

Christmas day it's tradition that we go to my Grandma's house in the cities. It's a big party, lots of people, lots of fun. I have very few pictures...but only because my Aunt Mary was there :) So, she'll be sending pictures in the next week or so, but for now, I have just one with the promise to share lots more once she sends hers.

The subject in this picture (besides Connor) requested that his identity remain anonymous quoting that he was "a very private person". But, I just couldn't help it. I mean, he basically posed for the blog. Sorry Bernie. Er...I mean, Steve.

Christmas #2

After Christmas with the Loula's we headed to Courtland to go to Christmas Eve church service and then dinner with the Bode family. Again, we had a great time! Connor definitely started getting a little more into the gift opening.

Uncle Aaron trying to get him to attack the packages.

Grandpa showing Connor how to work his new cell phone.

Getting into the gift opening...

Oh, and did I mention Aaron and Jess got us a Wii? Yes. They did. It was WAY TOO MUCH...but, I can't lie, I'm pretty excited. I think Wii fit will probably be an upcoming purchase. The games are just far too fun.

Christmas #1

Hope you all had a great Christmas! It's been such a relaxing time (well, since yesterday) and I'm sad there is only one day left of Christmas break :( So, for a recap, it'll take a few posts but we'll get through it.

Christmas Eve afternoon we hosted the Loula family Christmas, Mom, Dad, Joe, Krystal, Ashlyn and us. It was a wonderful afternoon!

Gifts of plenty. And my tree that leans a little to the right.

Connor playing in his new 'shed'

He really didn't get how to open gifts yet...for weeks we've had to say 'no' to going by the tree, playing with the tree and playing with the gifts and now we just expected him to tear into them. Such a good boy. Ha.

Cousin Ashlyn looking cute in her sweater dress. She might have pooped on me later.

But I still love her.

When everything else fails...fake him out by getting him all ready to go in the car seat. But no need to go anywhere...just place the seat in a dark quiet spot, like the mudroom.

Works like a charm.

The aftermath.

Playing catch with Grandpa. The shrieks in the background are Ashlyn, she's expanding her vocal range. :)

Santa!

I FINALLY took Connor to see Santa tonight. The past few times I've been to the mall, the Santa line has been non-existant. Could have gotten right in. Not tonight. It wasn't too bad, but we did have to wait 30 minutes maybe? I lost track of time. I was surpised how well Connor did, he was getting kind of restless, a little tired, and is kind of getting to that 'stranger anxiety' stage. But, I just plopped him right on Santa's lap and he did great. Smiled at the camera for a few and then was just fixated on the man...and then...he got really, really close to crying...I rescued him just in time. So, aside from the super cheesy border and ugly green chair, I think it's a great pic!

It's cool, mom, I'm fine.

christmas spirit

Christmas has just come SO fast this year. I basically started Christmas shopping this past Saturday, I'm still not done, not done wrapping what I do have (and generally I LOVE wrapping gifts but this year it's just a 'need to get done' task), haven't taken Connor to see Santa yet, I'm only taking 4 hours of work off this week, so it certainly doesn't feel like Christmas and yeah. I just feel so unprepared for my son's first Christmas :( (as if he'll even notice or remember)

So, enough of the complaining and whining. I ask for no pity, I know lots of other people are feeling the same stresses and not having any problems with it.

I generally am not very good at vocalizing the 'look what we have to be thankful for'...but, I think becoming a mother and seeing people we know and love go through such pain and troubles...sure makes you see things in a different light. So that said...I have a healthy baby boy, a loving relationship with my husband (well, most days :)), families that are close by, healthy and love being with them, and Bryan and I both have jobs and work to be done. We have lots to be thankful for.

annual vikings game

Dad and I go to the last Vikings home game before Christmas every year. We tried to figure it out on the way home how long he and I have been going, we finally estimated this might have been the 10th year. Good year to FINALLY get a picture, huh? I know. Sad. But, as it normally goes, the Vikings lost but we still had a good time. The seats are 4th row about 25-30 yard line or so behind the opposing teams bench so that certainly adds to the fun! I look forward to it every year...maybe Connor can join us next year :)

riding high

A fun new game around the house...

Muesing Christmas

Friday night we had the Muesing family (Bryan's mom, Cheryl, is a Muesing) Christmas at Whiskey River. Unfortunately the whole clan wasn't able to make it due to a funeral on the in-law side, but we still had a nice time. The following pictures are terrible, I know, but I feel I've been a bad mom and haven't taken many photos lately, so I took the camera out at the late minute and tried to grab SOME memory of the evening.

The future married couple...looking great with babies already :)

9 to 3

These are my new hours at work!

Riiighhht.

This actually was one stretch of Connor's sleep last night, which is probably the best in months? NO nuk replacement needed. From 3 to 6 I probably was in there twice or so, but still, definite improvements. I think the key is that the past two nights he's taken a little nap from 6 to 630. He doesn't nap at daycare very well, so I'm sure he's just over tired.

Today's agenda:
Start and finish Christmas shopping (ok, we have 3 gifts done)
Wrap all gifts
Clean house
Start and finish all scrapbook type gifts (why do I do this to myself?)

That might be it, but I'm not really looking forward to it.

Tomorrow, annual Vikes game/shopping trip with my dad! Excited! Row 4, 30 yard line or so. Always a good time! Next year maybe we'll include Connor in on the tradition.

warm and cozy

Mom got Connor a little snow suit type thing, so adorable. Plenty of room, fits right over his clothes, perfect. We needed it mostly because we're upgrading to the next car seat soon and then I'll have to take him out of the seat every morning when I drop him off at daycare...therefore he probably needs some warmer clothes. Right now I just stack a ton of blankets on him. (well, before we got the suit anyways)




Ok so he might not have been SUPER happy for this picture.

8 months!

Time goes by so amazingly fast. I don't have any pictures from exactly today, but will try and take some tomorrow night.

As a copycat of my friend Sarah, I'm going to try and start detailing things Connor is doing at various ages. Okay, so it's not a total copycat, but basically.

At 8 months Connor is...
...getting into everything.
...putting everything into his mouth.
...learning how to go over the ramp at daycare.
...opening and closing his fists while he eats or is excited...I'll to get a video loaded of this.
...starting to miss me when I leave him (at daycare, gets sad and sometimes cries).
...less easily distracted. Take a toy (or a beef stick) away, and he's ticked.
...still getting up at least once a night to get plugged back in.
...doing great from his surgery at 4 days old, no side effects. (occasionally someone will ask so I thought I'd update you all)
...crawling all over the place, taking laps.
...able to find dad when he hides in the mudroom bathroom from him.
...obsessed about the fireplace and getting up on it.
...standing up on anything and everything.
...opening drawers, loves swinging doors back and forth and door stops aren't as cool as they used to be.
...apparently fascinated by the windows at daycare.
...loving his zwieback toast.
...loving his puffs although it is still tought for him to get them into his mouth.
...eating real food at daycare in mashed format.
...has roughly 250 bags of mommy's milk left to drink.
...wearing 12-18 month clothes, however 6-9 still fit. (he's short)
...actually seeming to understand 'no' (are we dreaming?)
...not getting into the Christmas tree thank goodness.
...still smiling and laughing all the time.
...not talking...nor is he close...but he sure makes lots of noises.
...into blowing bubbles at a rapid pace (again, will try and get a video)
...not really waving yet, but we're working on it
...liking books and sits pretty nicely while you read them to him.
...still HATING getting dressed (more like, hating being confined or restricted for 3 minutes)
...loving his bath time and we've graduated into the big tub, no more baby tub.

Well, I think that's about it. I need to get to bed. I wish I would have done this for his other month birthdays (and not that I'll continue this monthly forever, they just seem to change so quickly!).

'human' food

Daycare started feeding Connor the 'big kid' food (well blended of course) and I think he's digging it! I haven't yet blended anything at home yet...but we did give him a beef stick today. Now, I know, these are probably NOT the best baby food (but I feel better knowing it's me that gives him something we're unsure of). But you should have seen him watch us eat them. He was OBSESSED (similar to the water bottle fetish) with them. So, we gave it to him. And, when we took it away..he was NOT happy. This was really the first time we haven't been able to easily distract him with something new when taking something away. We had to document :)

The love for the beef stick...

Taking the beef stick away...

I know. Bad parents. But it was funny, we couldn't help it.

moving up

This is a terribly picture, I know, but it's the only one I got. He's now onto the second level of drawers. And he LOVES the dishwasher. Just this week or the last few days, he's standing up on everything he can. The stool, the couch, his crib. Doesn't really 'walk' along stuff yet, but probably not too far away. (fun to see new things, but so sad he's growing so fast!)

catching up.

This week went really fast! I think I forgot to mention that last Friday after Thanksgiving my friend Kacie came over in the afternoon to help me put up my tree (well, I think I bribed her into that one), we went Christmas shopping (didn't find much, wasn't too crowded) and had great grub at b-dubs. (didn't intentionally rhyme there). I will try and post a picture of the tree, I'm really happy with it! Surprisingly, Connor hasn't gotten into it yet! He's only been interested in it once or twice, and since he listens SO well to the word 'no' (okay, he laughs everytime we say it, no lie), he has since stayed away.

Anyways. I'm working on getting some pictures and videos posted. Aaron and Jess are over for the night and we are playing Wii...it is SO fun (first timer here). I want on. Very addicting. However, not exactly something I see Connor allowing me to play it very often. Oh well. It's fun. And it's nice to have company.

Oh, and we put Christmas lights up today! Bryan refused to do it, so I told him I would do it all by myself. I put our 3-step stool/ladder thing on the tail gate of Bryan's truck and kept backing it up to the house. After like 3 times I realized it would be SO much faster if Bryan would at least drive the truck. So, I got him to do that, he and Connor just hung out in the truck and waited for me to signal to move, etc. Connor just fell asleep sitting in the passenger seat. It was ADORABLE, but I didn't get a picture :( But, the lights aren't anything special, but, they're Christmas lights!!

Enough text. More pictures. I get it.

open...shut...open...repeat

And so it begins...he hasn't figured out how to get anything out of them...yet. This was from about a week ago I think.

thanksgiving table

A late post of the table that Mary set for us at Thanksgiving. She's amazing! She brought all of this stuff down (stuff = tablecloths, placemats, silverware, pumpkin centerpieces, twigs, napkins and napkin holders, beads, candles and more), and then enough for 2 more tables!!

Thank you so much Mary!

day two

Well, day two went really well in Infant II (and I think day one went really well too, he was just starting to get a fever when I picked him up). I went over there and played with him at lunch, while we were sitting there reading a book, a little girl came up and stole Connor's book. We need to work on his reaction time a little... :)

Then Bryan picked him up early and took him to get part II of his flu shot. Went well, was running a little bit of a fever tonight, but went down at 6:30. (we'll see how long that lasts)

diaper box

Connor is definitely getting more mobile, but fun to watch. No serious falls yet, but I think it's inevitable.

tough day?

Well, Connor's first day in Infant II was today. I was sad about it, but only because it means he's growing up. When I dropped him off today he looked totally excited looking at the new toys and 'safe' things to crawl up on, over, through, etc. So, that made me feel better.

Then, when I picked him up, he was sadly sitting in the swing. When she took him out he started crying, when I got him, he nuzzled right into my shoulder and was crying/whimpering. I was too concerned with trying to make him feel better, I wasn't fully listening to what his daycare lady was saying, but I caught something about 'friend got too close...scared him...think babies are step stools'. Step stools?!?!? Poor Schmo. I guess this is probably what the babies in the Infant I room thought of Connor, but man, I felt so bad for him. Then, when I got him home, as soon as I took him out of the car seat he nuzzled again into my shoulder and has been laying there every since, except now it's Bryan's shoulder.

So sad. Not sure what's up with him. Hopefully he's our happy little Connor when he finally wakes up! And to think he gets another shot tomorrow! (part two of the flu shot)

pool again

I forgot to mention, the morning after the wedding we took Connor down to the pool again, just Bryan and I, and he did much better. The park was empty and so we just sat with him in the baby pool, and eventually he warmed up to it, thought it was hilarious that he could 'crawl on water', and didn't really get it when he would crawl into deeper waters... It was a little cold, too, so had it been a little warmer I think he would have had more fun. Definitely will be trying it again!

bathtime

Mary took a few shots of Connor's new 'look' in the tub the other night :)

Such a ham in the tub.