3 Months: A Letter to James

 Dear James,

Wow baby, you've been having a blast this month!   You started out with Christmas and meeting so many new people. They loved you, you know. Of course they did. You are 11 lbs. of cuteness in your sweater and baby jeggings pajama jeans. The holidays were a little rough on your mommy and daddy because we just couldn't figure you out at family gatherings! Later in the evening around 9, momma would feed you, play with you, and then you'd fall asleep. You'd be passed around to grandma, grandpa, and your great aunts. Sound asleep and then... "Waaaaaah!" out-of-control crying. We'd leave the gathering with you screaming in your carseat. We'd be sad for allowing you to get to is point. I'm sorry buddy! We're new at this! We did figure out that you enter a trance when we turn on white noise on the radio. Thank goodness for that! One awesome thing: you slept through Christmas church so momma and daddy got to worship and sing carols. (mommy's favorite!)

Another of mommy's favorites is you sleeping through the night! On Christmas you slept from 11:44 to 6:32. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.   It was the perfect gift.  We all needed that sleep! 

We rang in the new year with you. You swung in your swing while we ate a delicious meal. We played with you on your gym- little kicker! Then we read books, you ate, and we all went to bed by 11. Can you believe how wild your parents are?  We're a little worried about you being a party animal when you're older.

We started talking baby talk to you is month. "Ma, ma, ma, da, da, da, James" is our favorite phrase to say to you.  (I'm only slightly offended that you smile more at the 'da, da, da' part) All of the goos and gahs, mahs and dahs have paid off- you're now talking back to us. I love watching your little mouth change shape as you start making new sounds. Your tongue moves around and you smile as you coo. It's amazing watching you develop language. 

You are sitting in our laps and looking at books when we read to you. It helps that you have better head control now- you even hate tummy time a little less these days. Can you believe it?  Your teacher (from Parents as Teachers) was impressed by your head control and hand-eye coordination.  She was so amazed that a 2.5 month old baby could look at something and decide to hit it.  Her eyes were wide as she watched you, and she told mommy and daddy, "This is really good, you know, for a 2.5 month old baby."  We just shrugged and said, "It's just what he does."  After she left, we praised you for being a genius and bought you this hat.

source

These days you eat like a champ. I can hardly believe we're a quarter of the way through nursing! It's such a part of our lives that I am not sure how to be a momma without it. Maybe this is greedy, but I love that it's time just between you and me.   You are becoming such a chunker- especially those arms! 

This past month we celebrated our first snow day together.  Mommy got up early to feed you since school hadn't been called off yet.  She sat there thinking about how great it would be to stay at home with you all day.  Then 15 minutes later daddy came in and said school was cancelled.  Mommy got her wish!  You started the day off with a bang by rolling over from front to back for the first (and only) time. We were all so excited for you!  The rest of the day was spent sleeping, kicking, eating, and reading.  It was perfect.

You mean the world to me buddy! I can't imagine loving anyone or anything as much as I love you! I look forward to spending the rest of my life watching you grow.

                                                                                    Love,
                                                                                      Mommy

Baby's First Christmas

Some people are really on the ball about things and actually send out Christmas cards.  We are not those people.  However, if we were those people, we would have a tie for the picture on the card.

James was busy Christmas Eve through the day after Christmas.  He undoubtedly had the most fun Christmas morning, when these pictures were taken.  He loved meeting all of his great aunts and uncles, second cousins, second cousins once removed, and our friends.  He was especially excited to meet Lucy, who we've told him all about. It was incredible to see the difference between a two month old and a nine month old!  They have one thing in common though: they are both adorable!  We were  so happy to share James with everyone over the holidays and hope to keep in touch throughout the year!

I've got to say, James made quite the haul this Christmas.  Most of his swag came from his grandparents which is good since Santa only brought him books!  We've already put some of James' loot to use.  Here he is enjoying a walk at the park in his Bjorn.  

Why did we wait so long to get one of these?

He's also had a blast reading all of his new books! Auntie Caitlin gave him a book called A Sick Day for Amos McGee.   It's adorable.  James' BFF Evangeline gave him Little Polar Bear.  Thankfully it's fiction; we're not ready for the story of the present day polar bear. Santa brought him my old favorite- Go Dog, Go! which is not as amazing as I remember it.  My favorite page was where the dogs party it up in the tree.  Now, it's not as cool.  How aging 20 years changes one's perspective!

Well, we hope you had a Merry Christmas and are ready for the new year!  Here's to 2012 being full of teeth, talking, and walking!  

Crafty Cousins

I love going to Saint Louis for the holidays, but nothing beats coming home.  My bed was so comfy last night that I slept until 10:30 this morning which is perfect since tonight is New Year's Eve, and I want to be able to stay up late!  Listen to that old-lady talk!  But seriously, it can be tough staying up that late.  I stayed up past midnight 7 consecutive nights in Saint Louis which explains why I was EXHAUSTED all day and everyday of my stay there!  All in all, I had a wonderful time and got to spend time with everyone I know and love.  Seriously, everyone.  It rocked. Christmas day was especially fun as my parents hosted a gathering of 20, and we had our annual gift exchange.

Every year the extended family on my mom's side does some sort of gift exchange.  Last year we played rob-your-neighbor with booze.  This year we were challenged with the task of either making or buying a locally-made gift not exceeding $20.00.   How green is this challenge?  I LOVE supporting local artisans and businesses, so I knew I would be buying a gift.  That, and the fact that I have yet to make anything anyone would remotely be interested in having in their home!   I pulled my cousin Lindsay's name and knew exactly what I'd get her: beer and lottery tickets.  She loved it, but didn't win any cash from the lotto tickets.

My cousin Matt had my name, and he made me this stylish and functional table for my patio.  It's made out of an old bed frame and an extra piece of tile.  Impressive, right?  Puts my beer and lotto ticket gift to shame.

There were many other creative gifts given that night:  grow-your-own shiitake mushroom logs (courtesy of my dad), Wisconsin cheese curds (from my cousin who lives in northern IL), and a hand-carved walking stick (from a shop in Kimswick, MO).  But perhaps the most thoughtful, beautiful gift of all was the one my sister received from my cousin Alison: a knitted vest.  How amazing is this garment?  I love the color!  The vest took Alison 10 days to make.  Isn't she talented?  We all told her she should put her stuff on Etsy.  To which she replied, "What's that?"  LOL.  I feel lucky to be related to such an artist!  I hope she gets my name next year! 

 Now check out this beauty. You are looking at a coat rack made out of deer hooves.  This was not part of the gift exchange but rather a thank-you present from my cousin's husband to my dad.  A regular DIY taxidermied coat rack.  Hilarious, right?  Still, it's nice to know someone who knows taxidermy.  It will be a nice way to preserve the dogs when the time comes.

I'm digging the handmade gifts and after seeing the performance my cousins gave this year, I need to step it up a notch.  Next year, I want to give a gift I actually made.  This has inspired a New Year's resolution: learn how to make something.  Will this manifest itself in taking a class at the Career Center or scouring  Young House Love for the perfect project? Either way, I'm ready for this adventure!

Feathered Christmas Trees, Glittered Ornaments, Green Wreaths- Oh My!

Is it just me or are Christmas tree lots one of the most depressing sights of the holiday season? All of those innocent trees, drying out in the cold winter air. I can't help but think of how many won't fulfill their purpose of bringing holiday cheer and will instead be turned into mulch. I also think of all the gasoline that was used to haul them from where they were grown- way up North- to that lot in front of my local Wal-Mart. If I'm not a fan of tree lots, I must like artificial trees. Not a chance. With their perfectly formed branches and pre-strung lights, they have very little character. Not to mention artificial trees take a gajillion years to decompose in a landfill. YUK!

I'm actually a fan of Christmas tree farms. I love walking through rows of trees. Picking out that 'perfect' tree and cutting it down makes me appreciate it that much more. Plus, all of the trees that don't get chosen at the Christmas tree farm get to live through the winter to continue being part of an eco-system. Think of all the birds that will build nests in their branches? To be honest, we aren't even putting up a tree this year. It's a combination of a. it costs money, b. the dog's would tip it over multiple times a day and eat the ornaments, and c. no kids would be around to enjoy it. But if we were to get a tree, we would scout it out and cut it down ourselves.

While I haven't gotten a tree, I have put up all of our Christmas decor- two Santas, a candle holder, and five ornaments. As an avid garage saler, I have over the years literally seen a TON of Christmas crap for sale in people's garages, on their front lawns, and in the gyms of various churches. There is so much Christmas decor out there for sale on the cheap. The majority of it is tacky, but some of it is cute. Thus, I made an oath to myself and to the environment a that I wouldn't buy a single item of Christmas decor new- ever. I did this is a. to save money and b. to keep junk out of landfills (not to mention all of the pollution caused by manufacturing!). I'm happy to say- I've been true to my oath. Sure, all of the shiny, sparkly, trendy decorations at Marshalls and Target are tempting, but their true 'cost' is not worth it to me. And that's how I keep holiday decor cheap and eco-friendly!

Making a List, Checking Thrice

The holidays are upon us and my favorite way to celebrate is to eat cookies, but that's not what this post is about. It's about my second favorite way to celebrate- giving gifts. Every year I go through the same decision making, "Who do I need to buy gifts for?" The usual people are on my list- hubs, mom, dad, bro, sis, McMom, McDad, McSis (gotta love Irish in-laws!), and a friend or two. Then of course, there are the gift exchanges, and this year, in addition to the fam and friends, I have added "co-workers"- six of them. Last year they got me presents and I felt guilty not reciprocating, thus- they've made this year's list. I make the list in a fun little green notebook with butterflies on the front. I write everyone's name and then go back in to write in the gifts I will be giving them this year. Across from that I put the approximate cost of all the gifts. It helps keep holiday spending under control.