There's A LOT OF WORK to do

Rocky recently had a week break from work.  HALLELUJAH!  It was needed by all of us.  So what did we do?  Well of course we WORKED more!

Kitchen area

Half bath

  

Dining Room

We will NOT be winning parents of the year for the week.  Let's just say that we used the TV as a babysitter and were so grateful to have it.  

We have more work to do but it is starting to feel more and more like home.

We have Rocky to thank for the before and after photos.

Dad is awesome

I left Rocky home with the boy's one afternoon.  I had the baby bjorn carrier with me in the car, which left Rocky with the massive baby wrap to use if needed.  Well this particular day Logan wasn't content unless he was held.  The following is what I came home to.

Love that he tried it.

This isn't the recommended way to use the wrap but it worked for Logan and Rocky.

Christmas

James was so funny to watch go down the stairs.  The first thing he saw were our stockings.  Santa had put large pictures of our heads on the stockings so we would each know whose was whose.  James said, "Look mom, it's you, and DAD, and Loggie, and ME!"  It was so cute.  Then he saw TOOLS.  He was even more excited.

We had a great time opening presents, it took us two hours.  No we didn't have piles of presents but we did have a good amount....we had a super distracted James.  I shed a tear or two with a sweet gift Rocky gave me.  Logan acted as if it was just another day.  Rocky was just tired, but happy to have the day off.

We were able to ichat and skype with other family members to watch them open presents and I loved it.

Now all of our Christmas stuff is packed up and resting for a time.  My house feels empty without it.  I guess its time to finally start decorating this place.

Hope you had a Merry Christmas too.  

Typical look from James on Christmas morning.

Logan's gift from Santa

James gift from Santa

Checking out Logan's gift

Doing some serious work here.

Probably the only gift Logan opened.  He went to bed while we opened presents

All things superhero

He LOVES this costume and wears it all the time (in fact he is wearing in bed right now, Jan 15th ***mask has since departed from this life...it took an unscheduled trip down the toilet and did not return, it was quite traumatizing)

Jumping on the tramp

Whoa - check out those spiderman skills

5 months

Logan has been so much fun this month.

-He is sleeping lots better.  He still wakes up a couple times at night and yells/crys at us to give him his binky.  He is napping MUCH better.  Instead of 20 to 20 minute naps he is doing hour to hours long naps.
-He started eating rice cereal and LOVES it.
-He loves the tub more and more.  He gets so excited when he hears the water turn on.  He cry's if he doesn't get to get in and crys when he has to get out.
-He loves being naked.
-He is all about his binky.  It is his new favorite toy.  He sucks on it, flips it around and chews on the back and the sides and then sucks on it more.
-He is rolling really well.  He still doesn't enjoy being on his tummy but is getting better and better.
-He loves being swaddled.
-He is generally very happy - even when his big brother lays on him/sits on him/bothers him.
-He still doesn't jump in his jumper.  He just shuffles his feet.

Whoa, winking for the camera all ready?  He is sooo advanced.  :)  ha ha 

Lots of people tell me how much he looks like James.  It is so hard for me to see.  But I do think he looks a lot like Rocky.

Pre - Christmas

This has been a fun yet hard Christmas for us.  We weren't able to make it back west to be with family this year, that was hard.  We were able to start a few new fun traditions here at home, that was fun.

We had an Elf come to be with our family this year.  He started out with the name Noeo and then it was changed to Nickeo.  The name Nickeo seemed to stick better.  He wasn't a naughty elf... just mischievous.  James LOVED to find him every morning and is still asks to find him...even though he hasn't been around for almost a week.  He hung from the lights, sat in the boys seats, tried to drink James sippy cup, slid down the banister, slept under the couch, played with the toys and even tried to hide in the fridge.

We read a Christmas story under the Christmas tree each night until Christmas.  They were all wrapped up so it was fun to let James open a present each night.  

James didn't understand Santa too much this year.  Its fine with me.  He sat on Santas lap once and asked for a Tool Box.  He asked Nickeo to tell Santa he wanted a tool box.  He got excited Christmas Eve night to see Santa and told us that he couldn't go to bed because he was waiting for Santa.  I think Rocky and I talked about Santa more than James.

We had big plans to go to the zoo lights but the weather turned on us and we had to postpone.

Rocky worked on Christmas this year so we celebrated on Christmas Eve.  I think I was the MOST excited for Christmas this year.  Because of Rocky's schedule and his less then enthusiastic desire to shop, I got to do all the Christmas shopping and wrapping.  I was so excited to see Rocky and the boys open their gifts.  

This is the boy's Christmas tree.  It was ornamentized a different way everyday.  It even survived a fall.

Our Elf, Nickeo, we LOVED him.   

Logan's cute hand trying to get the ornaments off the BIG tree.

 Making cookies for Santa

 Opening Christmas jammies

Checking out the jammies in the fireplace mirror.  James said "WHOA, look at that super hero bum."

Logan tasting his Christmas ornament.  I'm not sure he approves.

Rocky and James ornaments, a Dr. bag and Ironman (of course) * (Ironman broke in all places possible, he has now been superglued back together and is stronger than ever)

 Cookies and milk for Santa

 James waiting for Santa to come.  It took some convincing to get him to go to bed.  He was determined to wait.  

 Santa came and this is how he left our stockings.  

Our Christmas Eve activities including making cookies for Santa (which turned out gross because I doubled the butter...oops), a fancy Christmas dinner by candlelight, and acting out the nativity with our hand puppets. 

Ready. Set. Jump!

The fall was so fun here in Alabama.  I feel like it was around for a while.  I was raking leaves for a few months.  In fact we just raked the last of them yesterday (Dec. 20th). I think James loved the leaves too.  See if you agree.