I have always loved the holidays but I can't even begin to describe how incredible they are this year. Jeff and Ethan did the Christmas train last weekend near our house (http://www.nhvry.org/) . There is never enough time to get everything done these days but we started on the house, the lights, and of course the tree. Ethan is amazed at the tree and we had a great event getting it up and decorated. We went and bought it at this great local farm where we could also browse the crafty store, sip cider and eat home made cookies (http://www.jordanlakechristmas.com/). They also have the best dog around...an old yellow dog that looks part hound but acts like a lab and the kids just adore him. They really make a nice event of it. We then took it home (with their help since it is 8 feet and change), put it up and put the lights on. Took us another few nights to put all the ornaments on it - it is huge! I still think we need more ornaments. :-)
Every day Ethan would watch us, help, and vacuum up the needles after us. All the while, touching it with reverence, blowing kisses at it and telling the tree how much he loves it. Here are a few pics of us decorating. The little ones had to stop for a snack break at one point.
Day 1 - the lights
Day 2 - the ornaments
Notice the looks on the faces in that last one. I don't usually think they look alike but something about their expressions makes me almost change my mind.
We took the boys to see Santa this morning and they had such a great time. Ethan was able to tell him how he wanted "presents" and Jason managed not to scream until right after we got him off the lap. Phew...crisis averted.
I also took Ethan on the carousel ride as is our tradition. Jeff and Jason watched and took pictures.
We had our 6 month appointment today and yet we are wearing 9 to 12 month sized clothes at a minimum. We are in the 95 percentile for size (oh ya...and head size too) and doing well developmentally. After being sick all week and unable to eat, our weight still was a very healthy 21.0 pounds. We have certainly seen the pediatrician a lot in the past few days...our very first illness. Ethan and Jason both had a viral infection in their throat and JT couldn't suck or swallow easily and was just miserable. He slept a lot and just wanted to be held. His nights were spent coughing or propped up on pillows with Jeff and I taking turns sleeping next to him and watching over. Ethan's turned into a sinus infection but the good part of that was a few days on antibiotics turned him right around. And he got a few extra days of vacation so was thrilled. After missing school for the Thanksgiving week, the transition back to work and school was hard on all of us.
We have had a momentary lack of rolling but have taken to standing and trying to actually take little steps and walk if you hold his hands. And with Jason's sheer size and grip, he can actually pull chairs to him. Not a lot of impetus to waste energy and roll or crawl! :-) We are sitting up more now on our own and using the tri-pod approach as opposed to the weeble impersonation. No teeth yet but they seem to be right beneath the surface. E had his first one just shy of 5 months but there couldn't be two children more different. E is so independent, JT is a big mush and very sensitive. E can play on his own and entertain himself a bit...Jason wants you to entertain him and you had better not leave his sight. E has been in the 10th - 50th percentile so far so even their size is totally different. My largest awakening was when I realized that E is only 8 pounds heavier than JT. Wow.
We had quite the Thanksgiving adventure. We packed the kids up and met Christopher at Seatac to visit Aunt Jean and Uncle Russ. Grandma and Grandpa came too and the plane ride went way better than expected. Ethan loved the plane and didn't really remember being in Ed's or on the last trip to Seattle at 9 months old. Jason mostly slept on Jeff and Grandma. The only stress is breaking everything down to go through security and get on and off the planes. So much stuff. And packing for an infant is just amazing....a pod to sleep in, portable chair, clip on high chair etc etc.
Once there, we rented a minivan and a corporate apartment in Bellvue for the week and had a blast. Most days were spent at the Phillips residence eating, cooking, napping, playing games, and enjoying the lake and the playground. But we also walked to Bellvue Square and went shopping for Christmas and took the boys bowling, out to eat and to see Jean at work. CJA and Jeff did some golfing as well. We had such a wonderful crazy time and it was great to be all together for a holiday.
Here is a video of Ethan "reading" his truck book and dressed to impress on Thanksgiving day
Here are some random pics of our week. The guitar heroes:
Christopher and Ryan during our dinner out.
Ethan and Grandma at Jean's house:
Ethan bowling: CJA showing his bowling prowess:
Sacked out at the apartment. Can you believe I got both of them down at the same time???
In Bellvue at the Christmas parade with Aunt Jean and Uncle Russ:
Mommy was dancing with a toy soldier on stilts and then made Ethan pose with a majorette:
Showing Aunt Jean how to use the slide and hanging out at the playground:
After you read this one, you can send the medal of valor to Jeff. He was a trooper and let me plan our holiday. We decided to spend Thanksgiving out in the Seattle area. So we packed up 2 kids, 2 diaper bags, 2 carseats, strollers, suitcases, and our sanity and flew out for a week to go visit Aunt Jean and meet Uncle Russ for the first time. We rented a great corporate apartment in downtown Bellvue and Christopher met us out there as well so we could have a total family vacation. We managed to drag my parents and grandfather with us as well and without them, I am not sure how we would have carried everything. We will be going by tractor trailer next time.
It was great to be together with all the kids and Jean, Mom, and I cooked a traditional Becker feast with all the trimmings. Jean really went all out and we had such an awesome meal. We had turkey, stuffing, sweet potato casserole, homemade mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans almondine, sauteed spinach, stuffed mushrooms, a cheese, fruit and nut tray, little piggies in blankets and 10 kinds of pie. Okay, maybe not 10 but it sure felt like it.
After cooking for 2 days and cleaning for one, we did a bit of shopping, caught a parade and basically just spent LOTS of time enjoying the kids and each other. Here are a few of my favorite pics for the week. Check out E's blog for all the happenings from his view point.
Morning at the apartment in Bellvue:
Kisses from Aunt Jean:
Bowling with the boyz in the hood:
Prepping the day before:
Napping on Aunt Jean's bed:
The boys "hanging" after nap time.
The big day - Thanksgiving at the Phillips residence:
Some of the sharp dressed men in my life:
What? This isn't turkey? I get plastic toys and bananas?
I just have the BEST time:
Here is our Thanksgiving bib and Aunt Jean. The day is done and JT is clean and jammiefied.
We had a special dinner tonight with Grandmother and Susan. Ethan was thilled to see them and wanted lots of lap time, stories, and kisses. They were both quick to accomodate both boys and we had a great time until it was time for bed. We have been really struggling to get Ethan to go down and stay down and to go to bed and wake without screaming and getting hysterical. Our persistence is finally paying off and bed time has gotten much more pleasurable but Jeff has had to take the brunt for a while. On a brighter note, we got some great pictures from our evening together.
I updated E's blog with tonight's happenings but wanted to also add some recent Jason photos here. Below is one with Jason in his costume and one with Aunt Marie kissing on him after he put on his jammies.
You don't really get many trick or treaters over our way. Something about the mile long dirt road and only 10 houses seem to deter most. So I packed up the costumes and took E over to Uncle Mikey's. The Becker grandparents met us there and so did Aunt Marie and Uncle Teo. We had pizza and went door to door with Ethan as Bob the Builder. He walked most of the time, and was totally fascinated with the costumes and decorations.
The neighborhood really did it up with terrific pumpkins, lights, ghosts, skeletons and all the trimmings. Jason stayed with the adults answering the door and passing out candy. Jeff missed E's first Halloween since he was in Virginia seeing an eye specialist. This is the reason I got the pics up so quick....I just wanted to share it all with him. Ethan had to call Daddy 3 times today to share in all the happenings as well. We miss you!!!
Ethan loved all the candy and started getting rather greedy after a while (he tried to grab a handful). He almost forgot to say trick or treat and thank you a few times as well and even pounded on one door after ringing the door bell. The same kids all kept running into each other as we went down the block and were all calling out to him, "Hi Bob" as we went along. He just loved it and wasn't afraid of anything. Here is his favorite house with the ghost lights on the walkway and one on the porch on the right that he just couldn't take his eyes off of. I think I know what I will be doing this week...getting decorations half off for next year. :-)
Thanks Michael and the Zanchellis for a great night and all the lovely things for the boys. The cupcakes for E (and to celebrate JT's 5 months) were very well received. We had a wonderful time!
Speaking of our incredible youngest son, here is little JT with his costume and with his big bro (we won't mention how, uh, well, he fills out his little pumpkin costume but let's suffice it to say that he really loves his oatmeal):
