Good-bye 2011, hello 2012!

2011 was a pretty good year for Matt and me. In March we welcomed Mr. Nate and have been having a blast with him ever since! Matt also started his second year of residency, we celebrated our 5 year anniversary, Nate and I saw the last shuttle launch, and I began teaching 3rd grade. I've always heard that time passes more quickly the older you get and I agree. The year has flown by and I'm sure 2012 will probably do the same. Like last year Matt is on call this New Year's Eve so Nate and I are at home hanging out. Nate went to bed early and I decided it was time to write one final blog for the year. I'm going to make this a 2011 in review blog and post some of my favorite picture memories from the year. However, before I get started with that I feel that I must share a few new updates in our world.


Matt and I are joking that Nate will become a chef when he grows up. If we are in the kitchen without him he will begin to scream until one of us picks him up, brings him in, and lets him watch whatever we are doing. I was trying to catch up on home housework the other day as Matt cooked and that meant no free hand to hold Nate. So, to appease the child we rolled his high chair into the kitchen and he was as happy as a clam. I will still put him in the Moby wrap when I cook and he loves it! The other morning he helped me cook pancakes. Afterwards, he chowed down on his pancake and decided to save some for later. As I went to change his diaper a little later on, the child had chunks of pancake that had somehow fallen in his pjs. It's hard being a baby.

Pancakes! 

 He was a huge fan -- can you tell?

On Friday Nate felt a little nostalgic and decided that he wanted to play in his old vibrating, bouncy seat. I put him in it and turned it on. He had a blast! 

 Big enough now to really make it bounce!

After eating his baby food for lunch today, my big eater decided that he wanted some of my lunch --Taco Bell. I have him a few bites of the beef and cheese from my Mexican Pizza and he chowed down. He also ate some blueberries for dessert!

 He ate the blueberries after polishing off the taco meat.

Blueberry and taco face!

Now here are a few of my favorite shots from 2011. Happy New Year everyone!!

Wishing you a little belated Merry Christmas!

Christmas was different in our house this year! By the end of the day it looked like Toys R Us had exploded in our living room! Nate was completely overwhelmed with toys and Matt and I spent our day picking up and stepping over toys. Nate was awake by 6:15. He ate breakfast and was back down by 7:15 for a quick nap. He took an hour long nap and all of the fun started to begin around 8:15. He opened his presents over the span of several hours and took time to play with most of them. Matt and I exchanged our gifts and enjoyed the day. We got some cute pictures of Mr. Man as he enjoyed his first Christmas. Overall, it was a quiet and peaceful day with us just enjoying our time together.

Nate has discovered the window and likes to look out! 

 He decided to help himself to a few gifts a little early!

He entertained himself one night as I was cooking supper. 

He loves juice, his puffs, cookies, and Wheel of Fortune! 

 Cookie face!

Merry First Christmas, Nate! 

Our tree this year. Sadly, I never finished decorating it.

 Matt had to assemble a few toys Christmas morning.

Nate was quite patient as the toys were put together. 

His new ride has a bouncy, squeaky seat! 

"Check out my loot!" 

 The stockings!

Nate did have a meltdown Christmas morning. He did not like the sound of ripping paper. 

I have no idea where we are going to put all of these toys! 

Puzzles!

We hope you and your family had a wonderful Christmas season. Here's to a wonderful 2012!

Ooh, sometimes I get a good feeling...

Happy Holidays!! Things have been somewhat of a whirlwind the past few weeks. Nate is crawling, my parents came to visit, the house is now somewhat baby-proofed, school is now out, and the Jetta could potentially be dead. Like I said -- whirlwind!


Here are some pictures from our latest adventures....

I don't know how he sleeps with this booty in the air!

 And we found the cat food...

 "You mean I'm not supposed to eat Moose's food?"

 Happy 9 months, Nate!

 Happy baby! 

 It's getting harder and harder to take these pictures!

And finally, this is what I slept with last Sunday night. Matt was on call and some little boy was teething. He normally wants nothing to do with our bed or cuddling -- unless there is a tooth coming in! Go figure.

Hide your cats, hide your wires!

It has happened. Yes, it was a bittersweet moment in our house Saturday night. Nate is officially crawling. Moose was a HUGE help in getting my not-so-eager little beaver to finally realize he can now mobilize himself and set a track for anything he wants -- mostly Moose, the computer, any remote control, and his Slinky. Matt and I need to make a trip to either Home Depot or the baby store in order to prepare the house for what is sure to be an adventure. We put up the Christmas tree yesterday and now I must devise a plan to keep little fingers away. Amazingly enough he started crawling amid the nastiness of an ear infection and the second top tooth coming in. The poor kid has been drooling and pulling at his ears all weekend. Thankfully he is somewhat returning to his normal, happy self. He's still not eating well, but I'm not a huge fan of food when I feel icky either! His teacher said that's how she knew something was wrong with Nate. He wasn't eating his food. Hopefully we'll have him back to his old self in a few days before my parents arrive. I'd hate for them to travel all that way to hang out with a sick baby! 

He didn't eat a lot of food, but he did enjoy the puffs! 

The sweet baby decided he needed to help me in the kitchen. 

 He's a baby on a mission!

He decided to stop and pose for a quick picture! 

Buddies!