It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

We've had such a good time visiting family!  We've been staying with Caleb's brother and sister-in-law and visiting family for the past few days.  I've never been to Caleb's hometown or seen a lot of his family, so it's been really nice.  I'm thankful we've been able to be the visitors this year instead of making everyone come to us.

Grandma sent some early Christmas gifts

Christmas morning at Jonathan and Liz's

Christmas night with the whole family

My Christmas present!  Yay Patriots!

Spending time with his great grandparents

Tuesday night we'll be headed on another long drive to see some of my family and have Christmas all over again!

First Christmas

Warning:  These pictures & video are probably pretty boring.  I posted them so the grandmas could see him opening his first presents.

A cell phone!  He loves anything electronic so we found a baby version.

An elephant stacker...at the moment he is more interested in the wooden base

This is what happens when you give my child a teething biscuit.

You Can't Always Get What You Want

 

He now goes after what he wants...in quite a combo of ways

Sorry it's sideways i'm not sure how to fix it.

Does anyone else get excited for the mail when you know a package is on the way?  We ordered most of our Christmas presents for relatives online this year and i've been so excited to go get the mail every day knowing some should be arriving : )  Even more exciting...going to the mail and getting an unexpected package.  We got festive socks from my mom this week.

We have a busy week this week!  Thursday...if all goes well...we're hoping...we will be heading to New York to go to a Patriot's game and while we're up there celebrate Christmas with Caleb's side of the family.  I'm bummed we won't get to be with my family like originally planned, but hopefully they'll be visiting soon.  According to the weather it's supposed to be 20 degrees colder in New York than it is here.  I'm going to freeze!  Then we're planning on heading to North Carolina to spend some time with a couple who's also in the Marines.  Should be some fun times headed our way.  Hopefully lots of pictures to follow.  I'm hoping Casen cooperates with all this traveling!

He can stand with the help of the couch and is quite proud of himself

Early Christmas

Caleb and I opened our gifts a little early this year.  We're bummed about our plans being changed and will most likely be traveling on Christmas, so we decided there wasn't much point in waiting.  We'll wait and do Casen's gifts the day before we leave and pretend it's Christmas...not that he's going to remember any of it.

Caleb always does so well with my gifts.  This year he got me a shorter chain for this necklace he got me a couple years ago that I lovee

And he also is taking me to a Patriots game.  My favorite football team : )  He's the best at thinking of things!  I'm excited to go out and enjoy the day, our first time going as a couple somewhere without Casen since he was about 3 weeks old.  Much needed!
I love the Christmas season and i'm so thankful Caleb gets to be home with us this year.

This boy loves remotes!

1. What is the longest road trip you’ve ever taken?
I think the trip from New York to Virginia, so not that long. 
2. Do you collect anything? Tell us a bit about it.
I collect(ed) hippos.  I have so many!  I keep them thinking one day i'll give them to Casen, but I highly doubt it.
3. What is your favorite part about being an adult?)
Being able to set up our own schedule and doing what we want when we want to.
4. What song brings a tear to your eye?
Wait For Me: Theory of a Deadman...Caleb's deployments and Amazing Grace My Chains are Gone: Chris Tomlin....the song I sang at grandpa's funeral.
5. Describe your first plane ride (how old you were, where you were heading, etc).
I've still never been on one!

Laughing/Talking Baby

Sleep and Picture Update

We had a successful night!
3 nights ago we started cracking down on a bedtime routine and really sticking with the CIO method throughout the night instead of just initially to get him to sleep.  We start a bath at 7:30, read a book, have some milk, and he's put in bed at 8.  The first night was pretty rough.  He still got up every 45 minutes to an hour, but never made it to the ten minute mark before putting himself to sleep.  The second night he woke up four times and only needed to be tended to for one of them.  Last night I put him down and he was still wide awake.  He fell asleep on his own with no tears and slept from 8-1:30, ate, and then went back to sleep until 5. I hope this pattern continues.  He seems to do better in routine... a creature of habit like his momma : )  I'm thankful for my MIL's encouragment to stick with it.

I take too many pictures!

Guilty perhaps?

I'm not quite sure how he managed this one, but he was content to continue playing under there

I found this tugging at my feet when I had placed him across the room.  He's getting pretty good with the scooting and tiny bit of crawling

I love Christmas shopping!  Or really any kind of shopping, especially for some reason, online shopping.
Last year for Christmas Caleb and I went to the mall and got all our Christmas shopping done in one night and we had a really good time.  This year I've done most of our Christmas shopping online.  I've taken a different approach to the shopping, picking out things that aren't found at most stores, going to places like etsy and picking out each present after thought on each person. But I really must finish up if I have any hope of things arriving in time.
It's been fun!...although I miss the night out with my husband babyless.

And He's Off!

5 and a half months just seems too little for my baby to be crawling!

4!

Today I have been with Caleb for 4 years!  

It's crazy to me thinking back that we became best friends, dated, were engaged, got married, and had a baby all in 4 years.  Time really is flying, but it seems like forever ago we were in high school together.  

I love him!

Sleepless Nights

Any hope of sleep we once had has seemed to have gone down the drain.

I thought it was the teething, but his teeth have popped through...how long are they in pain with the teeth for?

We let him cry it out to go to sleep, which usually doesn't take long anymore, but he sleeps at most two hours before waking up again...usually more like 45 minutes to an hour....all night long. 

I don't want to be a bad mom and leave him if he's in pain with the teeth, but I've also read around 5-6 months their sleep pattern changes and they'll continue to wake up more often until you sleep train them otherwise.

I'm not sure what to do.  I'm hoping our visit to the pediatrician Thursday helps with some answers.

We made Christmas cookies today : )  Funfetti cake mix cookies are delicious.  Now waiting for the potato soup to get done slow cooking in the crockpot.  I love Christmas time!

Military Spouse Friday Fill-in

1. What do you see your life like in 10 years?

Hm.  Ten years seems so far away.  I think settled down in to whatever job and area Caleb decides on, raising our ten year old boy and possibly sevenish year old...if I got to choose boy if Caleb got to choose girl, although at this point in time I still can't imagine having another one.

2. What do you like most about your job?

I think being a mom is the most rewarding job.  Even after the most frustrating nights his big grin in the morning makes it better.  It's not an easy job though!

3. What are the three things you do everyday, no matter what day it is?

Change diapers, make dinner, take a shower

4. What would you do with an extra five hours in the day today?

Sleepppp


5. What is your favorite Christmas cookie recipe?

I don't really have one?  But I love my mom's sugar cookies, so i'll say that one.

All Smiles

All smiles in the mornings

Our Little Frog

My favorite, but done with the blackberry, so not as good quality

Get this off me mom

Menu Planning

Today...assuming Casen's cooperation...I am going to menu plan and coupon cut.  We are spending a ridiculous amount on groceries and it seems like when we get home I have enough to make three complete meals and lots of odds and ends leftovers none of which I can't make a whole meal with so we end up going shopping again before a week is complete.  I printed out some templates and have been doing some recipe research.  Hopefully taking one day a week will make the rest of the days go much smoother and save money.

On another note...maybe I should post my wishes more often...we have two bottom teeth popping through this morning!  And he only woke up twice in the night, after putting himself to sleep with no crying or fussing at all, just got tired of playing with his blanket.  Hopefully the worst of it is over until some more decide to come through.

 

His "singing" when he gets tired

All I Want for Christmas Is His Two Front Teeth

I wish these stubborn teeth would pop through!

Casen's nightly sleeping habits have gone down the drain.  Even if we let him cry it out he still doesn't sleep longer than two hours at a time.  I'm blaming it on the teeth in hopes that things will go back to normal once they pop through.  He has a visit to the pediatrician next week, so i'm hoping she can help me out with some answers.

His newest:
He's preferring food over his bottle.  He says mmm when he's hungry and lately when the bottles offered he turns it down and waits to be fed real food.  I don't think we're going to have a problem weening him and i'm not sure if he's going to make it to a year.  When we go to the grocery store we hear mmm mmm mmm down every aisle.  The boy loves his food!

Caleb made me breakfast this morning : )

Trying to get Casen to participate in Christmas pictures this year was a big failure.  Maybe next year when he can sit...although then I probably won't be able to get him to sit still long enough.

I love his big blue eyes...still shocked he has them

My Boys <3

And he's now standing supported by things instead of mom and dad....Ah so big so fast!

Military Spouse Friday Fill-in

1. If you were given $1,000 right now, how would you spend it?

Probably finish our Christmas shopping up and put the rest into savings.

2. If you had to choose a movie title (a real one that already exists) for your life story, what would it be?

New In Town...I've never seen the movie however

3. If you were a teacher, what subject would you like to teach?

Art...although i'd need to become a much better artist, I love it.

4. Has being a MilSpouse changed how you view holidays or how your holidays are celebrated? If so, how? If not, what hasn't changed?

After not being able to be with Caleb for our first Christmas as a married couple I have become much more appreciative of the times, especially holidays, we are able to spend together.  We're celebrating our holidays as our own little family, starting our own traditions and truly enjoying every minute.

5. What is your favorite Christmas memory?

I'm thinking this year watching my baby boy and husband for his first Christmas is going to be my new favorite memory if that counts : )
I can't think of a specific memory, but my favorite tradition that i'm hoping to pass on to my child(possibly in the future ren) is getting new pajamas on Christmas Eve.  Is was so fun to have a present to open on Christmas Eve and wake up on Christmas morning in brand new special pjs.

On another note...
I came in to the livingroom today to find Casen had scooted from his play mat across the room and decided to take his nap here...curled up with his changing mat...and yes, his socks don't match.

It's Beginning to Look Alot Like Christmas

We also have lights hanging from our balcony...but lack an extension cord to allow them to work...soon I will be able to add them to my picture collection : )

Our Tree

We're starting a tradition of buying a new special ornament each year.  This was our pick for this year.

My Little Helper

My little helper folding laundry

Casen is 5 months old today!  I can't believe how big he's gotten. I can't even remember being pregnant anymore and being in the hospital for his birth seems like it happened a long time ago, but it just doesn't seem like he should be five months old already...if that makes any sense.

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