Thanksgiving!

Holidays are always so fun but so crazy!

This Thanksgiving we spent the "eve" at my Father-in-Laws.

We had fun eating junk food and playing games!

The next morning we spent eating biscuits and gravy and watching the parade. Well, the parade was on for like 20 minutes and then Chris starting playing video games. Ha.

We went to lunch at my moms. Its always guaranteed for yummy food. We tried brussel sprouts for the first time, and they were yucky. I love almost every vegetable, so I'm surprised that I didn't like these. They have a funny taste that I can't quite describe.

Everetts cousin Ryan is so cute with him. He kept putting his head on Ev's belly and they'd both laugh.

All the kids!

Everett tried a lot of new foods on Thanksgiving. He had a whole sweet potato in his mesh feeder (which he LOVED), and even chewed on a whole green bean. My mom also snuck some mashed potatoes and "pink stuff" to him.

Later we went to my Mother-in-laws, and we snuck out to try and get a few Christmas card photos. We got one! Thanks Rebecca!

As of late...

We have had a lot going on around here!
My little boy is getting so so active! He can manage to get anywhere he wants to go, he scoots and lunges himself everywhere. Its so adorable. He is also trying to communicate more, so I think. He can kinda give high fives and wave bye, so I am starting sign language with him. We will see how that goes!
I have also been very busy with my photography business. I really love doing it (even though at times it can be challenging) and I am so grateful to be able to work from home with Everett. It is not a consistent job, but its so great this time of year to be busy and save up a bit! Helps out with Christmas gifts too!

Last weekend Chris and I went to a wedding across town and my mom offered to keep Everett overnight. I never imagined leaving him so young, but I hadn't been sleeping well and when she offered it sounded too good to pass up (I hope that doesn't make me sound like a horrible mom ha!). Anyway, it worked out good and he got to go to ZooLights with my mom and his cousins. I picked him up the next morning and I felt so great! It was amazing having my first full nights rest in 6 months. Since then he has slept 12 hours in a row about 5 times! He was thrown off around Thanksgiving, I am thinking it was due to being over tired and not going to bed at a consistent time. Now that we are back in a regular routine he is sleeping much better.

Here is Chris and I at the wedding:

Some photos from Thanksgiving:

(me with Chris' sisters being silly)

(thankful for daddy shirt for Thanksgiving Eve)

This little bugger getting into the tree! Already!

and his best new thing: giving kisses! About 90% of the time when you say "kisses!" he gives you one! Sweetest thing ever!

6 month "shoot"

You'd think as a photographer, I'd have a lot more photos of this boy. Most days we just hang out and I don't think of pulling out the camera. Little snap shots of our day are what the phone is for...at least thats what my lazy side tells me. I really need to do things like this more:

I took some shots of him on our bed in the afternoon when the light was just gorgeous. One day I will take him out and try to get some good shots of him clothed.

Eating.

Eating (solids) around here is not going so well. I was so looking forward to solids since that would mean a little less nursing time. Not that I don't love the fact that he is solely breastfeeding- I just thought it would mean we could go a little longer than 2.5-3 hours between feedings.

Well he is not interested in food. I think he still has a bit of the whole "tongue reflex" thing.

And, I think I bore him. Look at that face!

This particular morning I gave him pears and oatmeal. He gagged, then laughed. I think we may have a little boy with eating habits like his daddy....very picky....but I will keep trying!

And yes, in case you were wondering, or if that babes hand on the glass bowl made you nervous- it happened. And no, no one was hurt.

that was a MOM FAIL on my part. lesson learned.

6 months old

Everett, you are SIX MONTHS OLD! How did this happen!!

I am so thrilled to see you thriving and growing, but I miss that squishy little baby!

You have changed so so much this past month.

In your fifth month of life you:

started sitting up

started crawling backwards

started eating fruits and veggies

started giving kisses

You are more playful this month. You get excited over toys and when we play with you. You and your dad are having more fun now, he can be a little rough and tumble with you now. He adores you! He's been trying to teach you to crawl, but you only do it backwards. You end up in the funniest spots and I have no clue how (like between the media center and your swing, or under the nesting tables). You are on all 4's often and just sit there rocking back and forth.

This whole month I thought you were teething. I am sure in some ways you are, but at your 6 month well visit the Dr told me what we thought was a tooth coming through is actually a cyst on your gums. Kinda frustrating because we were at the Dr two weeks prior to that thinking you had an ear infection, but the Dr (a different one we don't normally see) said you had no ear infection, but were just cutting a tooth. Well at your well visit we find out that little white dot you've had for a month is not a tooth, it is in fact a cyst on your gums. And the reason you've been kinda fussy is because you have another ear infection. Oye.

We started more foods this month. You like yams, but thats about it. So far you've tried: bananas, avocado, green beans (those gave you gas), yams (love them), squash, pears, apples, prunes, and oatmeal. Oh, your Nomi (my mom) gave you a little baby yogurt. Nothing interests you as far as food. You are content with just nursing, but I try to give you food in the morning and evening just so you get used to it. You rarely take more than 3 bites. You are distracted and just plain not interested. I'm pretty sure once we introduce table food you'll be happy!

You sleep so so so well now. Your schedule isn't much different, but you like your crib and go to sleep when you are put down.

You talk and babble a ton. You like to say "haaaiiii" a lot. You also LOVE to grab chins and faces and put your whole mouth on them. Those kisses are too sweet!

You are very very grabby now. You want everything!

I am pretty sure this may be our last month with a non mobile baby. You are so close to crawling. I better start all the baby-proofing!

Things I don't want to forget:

• How you scratch almost every surface. You slap at a table, chair, carpet, anything really- and then scratch your nails over and over on it. I think you think you are trying to pick it up.
• Your early morning babbles.
• How you grab my face, and say "argh!" and proceed to bite my chin.
• How high your little tush sticks in the air when trying to crawl

on the move

well, sort of.

this was what we did the other morning. it was rainy and cold and someone decided 6 am was a great wake up time.

get up on all 4's.....

rock back and forth....

and back and forth....and smile...

then pivot back on the hip...(he sits like this A LOT. we think its some sort of sultry "pose")

starting to get over this...

yep gonna roll right on over...

take a breather...

and do it all over again!

where does the time go??

Tomorrow my son will be 6 months old! I have no idea how the time slipped right out of our hands. He has changed so much. I want to savor every second of this baby....

minutes old...

days old...

one month old... (oh that acne)

two months old...

three months old...

four months old...

five months old...

Vertuccio Farms

Last Thursday we went to a pumpkin patch/farm with Chris' side of the family. Yes, we went after Halloween, but it was the way to go! We had the whole place to ourselves and it was a blast! I loved it there, I think everyone did, and I hope we can do this yearly!

The light was so perfect and there were some pretty trees! I put Ev in the grass to take some shots of him and he hated it. Every time I try to do a "shoot" with him, he never smiles. Ever.