Christmas

We have made our way home after a busy four days of travel and family. I am not sure who was happier to be home Jay and I or Griffin. He did pretty well on our travels but he giggled and smiled and talked up a storm when we got home. He is a pretty shy little guy and he struggled with big crowds at our gatherings, he needs his down time and time alone with mommy and/or daddy. Plus lots of car time (Riverton to MacGregor, MacGregor to Winnipeg, Winnipeg to Lorette to Winnipeg, and finally Winnipeg back home) over the four days was a little much for all of us! I think next year things will need to change around here!

That being said we enjoyed our time with family and friends. We had small gatherings with both immediate families, and larger ones with aunts, uncles, cousins and Griffin's great-grandparents. We ate three turkey dinners, and enjoyed our traditional Christmas breakfast of eggs benedict. The cousins played, at least as much as a 6, 8 and 21 month old can play together :), and we all got very thoughtful and lovely presents. It was a busy way to celebrate the birth of our King.

But sleeping in our own bed last night was wonderful!

Christmas At Our House!

 After some back and forth discussions we decided that rather than hauling all our stuff around with us next weekend we would have Christmas early at our house. Griffin doesn't know the difference, and it will make packing the car so much simpler next week. So after nap time we opened presents. Here are a few pictures:

Griffin's presents and stocking.

Our family stockings ready to be opened!

"Stacking cups/barrels, just what I wanted!!"

Every little boy needs a ring stacker! Thanks mom. I will eat it now!"

We tried not to go to crazy for Griffin's first Christmas, but clearly he did get some toys (stacking cups, ring stacker, sensory balls, puzzle, and a piano/xylophone), he got a book, toothbrush and paste, sippy cups, and a fork and spoon. Somethings he would have needed whether it was Christmas or not. He so far has been very interested in the sensory balls and the ring stacker, but I know he will enjoy it all in time!

Forgotten Photo Friday Number 2

 Last week as I looked through pictures I realized how many great memories I had from my childhood. While the activities may be different for Griffin I hope we can create great memories in his childhood too. For now a look back on my great memories:

Anyone can be in the Field Parade!

I spent every summer from 9-15 showing my sheep.

I love skiing and started at a young age at Lake Louise, we took a few multi-day trips to Mt. Washington when we lived on Vancouver Island.

By the sea.  I grew up in the mountains (Field), by the sea (Sydney, Cowichan Bay), and on a hobby farm (Cowichan Bay, Rocky Mountain House). I love how many experiences I had because of it.

Forgotten Photo Friday

I was going through old photos looking for Christmas Pictures, while I struck out on that front I did find baby pics of both Jay and I. Made me realize that maybe my little boy looks more like me than I thought!

Me!

Griffin

Jay

STOCKINGS!

 After many days of working on our family stockings they are finished! No they aren't perfect but I think they will work. I have actually complete a number of projects in the last few weeks, but I will save them for another post (I need to take pictures).

Yes, I made four. One day we hope to add a sibling for Griffin, he or she will need a matching stocking! No, I am not pregnant!

Three up for now!

What A Week!

We have had a very busy week around here, we have learned a bunch of new things and we have gained new skills. Well at least Griffin has, we are trying to keep up!

For months now we have had a roller on our hands, over and over he went, he did pretty well at getting around the living room. Last week our roller became an army crawler and is now tracking down whatever toy he wants wherever it is. Just the other day he learned how to get onto his knees; he was only rocking back and forth on them, but now he can push himself back to sitting. Today he also has discovered that while on his hands and knees he can go backwards... I can't imagine that it will be long before he is realizing that forward motion is possible!

All this while TEETHING! Yesterday while giving him is vitamin D I felt a sharp little tooth, you can barely see it but it is certainly there and coming up!

He hasn't ventured too far out of the living room so for now I am not chasing him everywhere, but I imagine it is coming! When did my little man go from a little new born to a seven month old busy little boy!!

How Does He Sleep?

I have discovered that new parents get some pretty standard questions: Are you breastfeeding? (yes, now I am), Is he a good baby? (Yup, I have no other baby to compare him to, but he is great to me), Does he sleep well? (ummm...).
My little guy is a great eater, he loves to play, read books, and laugh (especially at his mommy). He doesn't like to sleep, especially alone. From day one he was a cuddle bug, he loved to be held and rocked. My lactation consultant told me to hold him skin to skin as much as possible in those first weeks in order to help him nurse. I held and held and held, it worked... and created a baby who loves to sleep next to a parent. Of course many people ask how he sleeps, and the answer is that he sleeps pretty good, as long as he is in our bed! He naps in there alone (after being nursed to sleep) ; we often put him to bed in his crib at night but he wakes up anywhere from 5 minutes to 2 hours after we put him down... and then comes to bed with us. Sometimes we just skip the crib step and we all just go to bed together. Truth be told I love waking up to my happy, playing little boy. I also love that I get enough sleep, and my baby gets enough food, and parent cuddles. He doesn't usually fall asleep until some time between 10:30pm and midnight, which I find difficult because I am not a night owl, but he sleeps until some time between 8am and 9am and has at least 2 one-two hour naps during the day (often with a 30-45min nap in the early evening which we are trying to get rid of). He explores his world, giggles, laughs, listens to stories, plays games, eats like a horse, and jumps likes crazy during his awake hours. We bat around the idea of changing things... and always come to the same conclusion: he (and we) are not ready to let him cry it out. We know that lots of people do it, and it works, and the baby is just fine afterwards; and I am sure Griffin would be fine too. The truth is I can't stomach the idea of having to listen to him cry and doing nothing to help him, plus I don't enjoy the idea of getting up to nurse him once or twice a night, now it is so easy! So for now our little boy is a co-sleeping, happy baby; and we are co-sleeping happy parents. If it ain't broke, don't fix it! We know that eventually he will have to move to his own bed, but for now we will enjoy this time we have with him... they grow up so fast!