Things Change

Traditions have always been a really big deal in my family. So big of a deal that I thought this was completely normal for all people to have so many and such big traditions - then I met my husband, who enjoys the holidys with his family, but is much more of a go with the flow type of family.  I say all this to say that A LOT of traditions have changed in our family over the past few years, but this year has topped them all for several different reasons. 

My family has always gone and picked out a Christmas tree and then cut it down and put it up in their house - they have a vaulted ceiling, so it's usually 23-25 foot - yes that's tall for a normal home.  I actually cried the first year we were married because the were going without me, so they actually changed their plans and we went with them - my husband was sweet to do this even though he truly didn't understand.  Well lets fast forward to this year.  We decided we were going to go and cut a tree this year with Tucker and I was really looking forward to it.  Well plans don't always go as expected around here, so I am learning to cope, but I digress...Jonathan's great-grandmother passed away and the funeral was in the middle of the day the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, so I asked my parents if they could watch Tucker.  They had already decided that they were going to go get their tree that day, so they we SO SO excited that Tucker was going with them.  To my dismay I was ready to fall apart because I selfishly wanted us to be the first ones he went to get a tree with, but I had no other option.  He went with them and had a blast. 

We didn't even get around to getting a real tree this year because Jonathan was so busy at work and in school that we just enjoyed the time we had at home, so Tucker's first tree cutting was with my parents, but they enjoyed every second of it!  Here's photos to prove he was there :)

9 months...10 months...and on to 11 months!

Well, the new year has welcomed us here and I'm far behind! I'm going to wrap up the last three months of our little man's life!

9 Months - Who would have thought that 9 months of carrying a precious little life would change our world so radically?  Not I.  I knew it was going to be a change, but man what a ride so far!  I can't wait to see where God will lead this little boy.  Now 9 Months after he arrives it's SO fun! My little man has surpassed 9 months and quickly moved towards 10 months. We love you so much! 

When we picked up Tucker from Sunday School a few weeks ago they asked if we wrestled with him at home because he thinks all the other kids want to play like he does - and they don't.  What can I say? We have a rough little boy who likes to play. :)  And you know what? Every week since then they have asked us that again.

On another note, we now have 7 teeth - that's right - 4 have come in during the last two months! 

Our new favorite past time is climbing stairs and getting help to walk. He loves his walker and seems to enjoy running into every wall he can find.  He also has a walk behind walker that is very helpful and he enjoys.

Thanksgiving was an especially fun holiday.  It's always wrapped up with lots of family, shopping, and celebrating Jonathan's Birthday.  We had a get together out at the house and it was supposed to be a bonfire, but two years in a row now it has rained on his birthday, so we moved it inside.  It was still fun though - and it was a year he has been looking forward to for quite some time - he turned 26 on the 26th, and he got to go DUCK HUNTING (opening day) on his birthday - he pretty much died and went to heaven.  He left at 4 am, and the first time I saw him was at 6:15 when it got dark and he finally came out of the woods - all in all it was a good day.

Here are a few photos from 9 months:


                                                 

10 Months here we come...We have starting walking on our own!  He quickly went from standing, to cruising around all the furniture, to the best Christmas present he could give us - walking!  T man started walking on December 23rd.  We were celebrating Christmas at the Golding's and has just finished up opening presents and he was in their bedroom with Katherine, Mrs. Pam, and Bethany.  He was standing up and holding Bethany's hand and just let go and took two steps.  I was in the other room and her them screaming, so I ran in there - I just knew I missed his first step - and I was right.  I scooped him up, gave direction for Mr. Mike to run and get the camera and Jonathan and we did it all over again - he walked right to me like a little champ.  Can I say that I was so proud?  I sure was!  I almost cried.  It was so exciting seeing something that he had been working towards for so long to really happen.  I can't even describe the feeling - I'm sure I'll have it several more times over the coming years.  So after that night - he didn't walk but maybe one or two steps a day for a full seven days!  I though it was a fluke and he wasn't going to walk for a while maybe, but then one day he just decided ok, I think I liked that!  He is not walking only now, it's a combination of walking and crawling, but he is getting better every day and taking on more steps and longer distances constantly.  It's a very fun stage :).

Christmas was so anticipated!  Tucker didn't really care much about opening presents - if it was a bag he would pull the tissue paper out and peer inside, but not pull out the present, and if it was wrapped he wouldn't even pull the paper off - even though his favorite thing seems to be finding magazines and tearing them apart page by page. Funny Kid. He doesn't quite know what to think of people making over his gifts - I think it was a tad overwhelming. He did gets lots of cool presents, too many presents, but it was his first Christmas and he is the first grandchild on both sides, I guess it was to be expected.

Christmas at the Goldings

Christmas Morning

Christmas Morning

Christmas at the Gillands

 

Photo Dump

Here is a photo dump from the last month:

This might be a little over board, but I haven't posted in so long and I don't want to forget any of these photos, so here goes.

 When we got home from the grocery store last week he would NOT let me put him down, and with lots of cold/frozen groceries in the car and several hours before his daddy arrived home, I had to figure out what to do, so I thought I'd try the "Baby Genius" on demand that is offered on our TV - and I know I shouldn't have, but it was 3 minutes and I thought it might work - to my utter surprise, it REALLY worked.  He was glued to the TV for the entire 3 minutes - which was exactly enough time for me to get out all the groceries and take this quick photo...no more TV at our house though.  It's crazy how it completely takes all his attention, I've never seen anything like it.  Scary!

 He found my plastic storage in the kitchen and just climbed right on in.  To my dismay, the cabinet he is in connects under the sink and then over to my cleaning products and he figured that out very quickly.  We now have a new plastic storage cabinet in the kitchen - and it's the only thing he can get to.

 For some reason my little man LOVES the bottom rack of the dishwasher.  He was working with the tires and trying to figure out how to get the entire thing out of the bottom, so I pulled it out and placed the diapers on top so he could roll it around.  He thought that was the greatest thing ever. 

 The new cabinet he can get in...and the mess made.

T man loves his new friend Avery.  They are really about the same age, but he didn't really get too interested but just recently.

Anything that moves is invariably entertaining to T man, and he has to know how it works.  Here he is checking out the stroller tires and making sure they are all on there correctly. :)  Jonathan says he is trying to figure out if we can lift it and add some mud tires...ha ha.

 We had a garage sale a few weeks ago and he played in the driveway with all the pine cone droppings while we cleaned up - he was so dirty but had a blast.

 Here we are matching...all three of us in grey - this seems to happen so much and we never plan it!

 Fall festival at our friends Nick and Lucy's church is Somerville - all the other kids were wearing costumes, but I didn't realize that it was actually a fall fest until we arrived...we mistakenly thought it was a bonfire with the church.  It was a ton of fun though!

Sweet boy playing with the coaster.  He is fully fascinated with the stone coasters we have.

 This walker has been a life saver.  He loves to walk around and get wherever he wants to go without crawling or getting our assistance.

 A little pumpkin fun.  This was the first pumpkin he has seen, so he was very interested in touching it and checking it out.

Loves swinging!

 T man loves playing in his toy chest in his room.  The day after he rode on daddy's tractor (which is red), he pulls this out for the first time and starts playing with it....I don't know that he really relates this, but it seems like he does.  We don't give them enough credit for figuring things out.

 A little Autumn Photo shoot:

Once again, we match...we went to church and didn't realize it until we were walking out the door, so I grabbed my camera on the way out the door and took a few photos before we changed and had lunch with my parents.