Our First Family Christmas

This was my best Christmas ever! Not because of the presents or the food, but because we are a FAMILY! And this was the first time I really felt like a family. I was determined to get a family picture and we did! Brett was looking right at the camera and we only had to take it once!

I got Brett this cute little santa outfit the day before!

 No my child was not riding in the front seat of the car....I just sat him there for a second! :)

Brett is lucky and has LOTS of cousins that love him!

 I have never seen a kid, let alone a boy, be SO good with a baby! :) Griffin and Brett are the only 2 grandsons in the family...the other 6 grandchildren are GIRLS!

 Brett also received his first pair of Nike's!

 

 Brett and Daddy got matching shirts for Christmas!

Its kinda like Where's Waldo haha! Can you find baby Brett???

 Uncle Davey and Brett!

I hope you and yours had a Merry Christmas too! Now I can't wait for next Christmas when Brett will actually be able to get toys and open presents himself!

We are leaving tomorrow for the mountains with friends and it will be Brett's first car trip!! Pray for us haha! Although he is an amazingly good baby he doesn't like be trapped in his car seat very long so I will be sitting with him to keep him entertained! :)

Happy New Year!

Is it too early for a resolution?

I am not a cook....well I like to cook, and I am getting better at it, but time is  never on my side and I make one heck of a mess when I do. I am fortunate to have a husband who likes to cook and is VERY good at it. 

Just to put things into perspective,  Josh taught me the right way to cut an onion and a tomato. He taught me how to cook a baked potato in the microwave, he showed me how to cook squash, fry chicken, cook a pot roast, make sweet tea, and that there are more options for dinner than casseroles and stouffer's lasagna! :) While on maternity leave I have done a good job of cooking for my husband and with my return to work looming, I want to try my best to continue this. I think it is very possible, with a little organization.

I have always heard people talking about making their weekly dinner plans on Sunday, and going shopping so you will have all the ingredients. Well, this is what I am resolving to do this year! One of my main problems with cooking dinner is what to make! I hate making that decision and never have anything laid out which makes it harder. SO, I have already made a list of all the dinners we normally rotate through, and I am going to sit down every weekend and pre-plan my meals! This way I will know what we are having and can avoid making that decision when its 6:00 on a Tuesday night and we are starving. And luckily Josh will cook some nights too, but as long as we know what we are making, it will be easier on both of us.

Does anyone have any advice on how they plan dinners? I think this plan will work as long as I stick to it! :)

2 Months!

Well Brett is now 2 months old! I cant believe how fast the time has gone...but at the same time, I feel like his birth was so long ago! I definitely feel like things are getting (dare I say) easier! I feel very comfortable with Brett and know what he needs when he makes certain noises, how to comfort him, and know what he likes and dislikes. I know that I do not have to wait until he is asleep to get things done, that he will be ok swinging in his swing while I do the dishes or fold some laundry. I must say that Brett is such a HAPPY baby! He smiles all the time and has really started talking a lot! Here are some other things that have been going on:

*He LOVES bath time and Josh tries to make him pee by pouring warm water on him :/

*Eats 4-5 oz every 3-4 hours

*Sometimes he just wants to be put down....he really likes his "me time" :)

*Loves Baby Einstein, or anything on TV for that matter!

*Still can't keep a paci in his mouth more than 2 minutes......yet fusses when he spits it out!

*He has discovered his fist, and loves to suck on it.

*LOVES classical music (Thank to his Mamma!)

*Technically sleeps through the night (5 hours) but sleeps from 9-3 then wakes up every 2-3 hours to eat.

*Is starting to bat at the animals on his play mat.

*Is seriously the happiest baby! Sometimes when Im nursing him in the middle of the night he looks up and smiles and I cant help but laugh! 

*He only cries when he is hungry, or needs to burp. He is very easily settled.

*He wears 3-6 months but some 3 months are a little tight in the feet. He has a long body (like his daddy) so some 3 month onesies are a getting tight. We go to the Dr Monday but I think he is around 14 pounds and 23 inches long.

*Is really starting to talk more and more!

*Is SO close to laughing. He looks like is laughing silently but no real sound comes out yet.

Here is our photo shoot!

"I like this pillow!"

 

Hanging with his sister

My happy boy!

"OK Mom, enough with the pictures!"