A Gift From the Hubby

Plans have been in the works to switch this blog over since before Lilah was born in July! This morning, Shawn showed me this...

Alligator Wrestling

Switch over cover soon!!

Merry Christmas!

Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas

Sorry to all of those email readers out there. I know you are getting this twice. The first version was published by Miss Grabby Hands (aka Lilah Vivian)!

Since our Christmas card finally made it in the mail yesterday, I thought it was time to share the picture from our Christmas photo shoot! We included Max in the fun and it was so funny to see him arrive dressed almost identical to Brian! I told his mom B was wearing a red sweater and khakis, but she didn't know he was wearing a zip up sweater!

Lilah cooperated really well for the first two hours, but wasn't really having it by the end. Brian was still getting over being sick, so he was super uncooperative, but Cynthia somehow managed to get some good shots of him too.

By the time Lilah was in her actual Christmas dress, she was kind of over it, so we took some pictures of our own the other night. Mom's employee's friend (a woman named Kelly who we have never met), MADE Lilah's Christmas dress. And a dress for her bitty baby! Now that's talent!!

Also, wanted to mention that Lilah is rolling both ways now. She literally flopped over from belly to back and soon as I posted that she wasn't the other day. She is also sitting up for 15-20 seconds and has made her way through three types of cereals! On to veggies soon!! Such a big girl.

Today we have made Christmas cookies and a craft involving paint. I have clearly lost my mind!

Fire House Santa

This morning Brian got a special treat! My good friend and former teaching partner, Erica, treated him to a special Santa breakfast at the Fire Museum! What a great idea for little boys...Santa and firetrucks-how cool!

The event was sponsored by Family Friendly Cincinnati and it was obvious that it was planned by a group of moms!! It was completely age appropriate and fun! Brian came home with three different crafts, cookies that iced, jingle bells, a fireman's hat and a rubber ducky with a fireman's hat on from the gift shop! Whole Foods sponsored the event, so there was a yummy continental breakfast for everyone to enjoy. We also got our best Santa picture of Brian from this year. Too bad Santa isn't looking, but Brian is smiling, so I'll take it!

Not the best shot of B, but how cool is it that there is a fire truck behind them?!

Finally a smiling shot!

Poor Santa!

Lilah found out tonight that hair on one's head is not the only kind of hair that is fun to pull.

OUCH! What a pro, he's still smiling for the picture!!

Brian's not looking in this picture, but it's still not too bad. We will be heading to the mall next week for an official Santa photo, but this guy was pretty good! He was at one of our local restaurants tonight. Brian is going to start to think that Santa eats everywhere we eat!


And, look, I told you Brian is enjoying everything Christmas! He's definitely feeling better. This is the best picture he's taken in awhile. He's looking and smiling!

Lilah, 5 Months

Well another month has come and gone. My baby is now 5 months old! She just so cute these days! So smiley and interactive. She is still a major chunk and is weighing in at just under 17 pounds. Just wait 'till you see her Christmas pictures. To.Die.For!

She's still only rolling back to belly, but is quite happy to be on her belly, so I guess that's why she doesn't feel the need to roll the other way. She is so vocal and so (sadly) close to sitting up! She is still a car ride hater, but is generally happy at all other times of day and night. My tech guy at work even commented that I have the "happiest baby he has ever seen." She watches every move Brian makes (God help us) and is determined to get him in trouble whenever he comes near her. She can get that pout lip going quicker than anyone I have ever seen! She can also turn it off pretty quickly too.

Her chair pictures are so easy to take these days. I snapped 3 just because she was being so smiley, but I got what I needed on the first shot.

Snow!

Brian is so excited about the snow this year! He is also excited about all things Christmas...the lights, the trees...Santa! Poor kid, he is mesmerized by Santa, but also pretty much terrified. It's pitiful. There was an old man at dinner the other night who fiercely resembled the jolly old elf and Brian could not stop staring! As we were leaving though, Nana took him over to say goodbye to the man (who was a sweetheart by the way...he was totally playing along!) and Brian freaked out! He did NOT want to be that close!!

Anyway, it snowed just a tiny bit the other day and Mr. Brian sat in our bay window (oh how I LOVE the bay window) and watched the tiny flakes in amazement. Bring on the snow!!

Yum, Yum, Yum

We started giving Lilah rice cereal a few weeks ago. The new recommendation is to wait until 6 months with a breast fed baby, but we followed all of the food guidelines with Brian and all that got us was a little boy who eats next to nothing, so we decided to follow our gut this time instead. We won't be doing anything out of order, or ridiculously early or anything, don't worry!

We knew Lilah was ready to start eating food because she literally stares us down the entire time we are eating. She watches each bite and tries to grab any food that gets close to her. She LOVES her cereal and gets ridiculously excited every night when we start preparing it.

Lilah has also been taking bottles! This is something she is doing much earlier than her big brother. Brian hated bottles. Lilah wasn't a fan for awhile, but recently she's fine with it. She even likes to hold it herself! Big girl!!

And one more thing Lilah has learned to do. Self soothe...

First Day Take Two

A couple of weeks ago, Brian started at his new preschool. Unfortunately, he has only attend 5 days so far because he was so sick last week!


He really seems to like it though and I am thankful for that. He pretty much went right in on the first day! He is SO happy to have his buddy Bradley in the class and the teacher and aides seem very sweet. I pray that the additional services will help him catch up in all areas! He won't get speech or OT for awhile yet...they are still evaluating him, but the speech therapist does come in once a week for a group session, and I have to think attending a school 4 days a week versus 2 should help him along as well.

Here are a couple of pictures from his first day!

Random Pictures from Chicago

Whenever I go somewhere I get a little camera happy. Brian is not amused...
So here is a photo dump from our Chicago visit. Enjoy!