December

As always, December was a very busy month. We started off the month by decorating a gingerbread house. I must say, Costco made it very easy. The house was prebuilt and we got to do all the fun stuff. Josie did a great job and for the most part she did the whole thing "all by herself" which is how she likes to do things these days. Shockingly, 98% of the candies made it on the house and not in her tummy.

Thanks to our friends, Kurt and Dawna, our tree was delivered to our door this year!! What a treat! Here they are setting up the stand. We had a lot of fun decorating it this year with help from Josie. I'm bummed I didn't get a photo of the end result.

On December 6th, Saint Nicolas showed up to fill Josie's boots (and Marty's and mine.. thanks, Julie!!) with candy and treats.

Benjamin is getting to a really fun age. He looks a bit overwhelmed here but normally he LOVES "playing" with daddy and his big sister.

We made a few different batches of Christmas cookies. Connor, the neighbor, even helped with the candy cane cookies.

The week before Christmas we headed downtown to visit Santa. Jokingly, Marty had told Josie to be a good girl and to ask Santa for a job for her dad. So, when we get to Santa, Josie climbs up and says she wants a pinwheel and a job for her dad... Poor Santa didn't know what to say. Very seriously, he tells her that he really hopes her daddy finds a job in the new year.

Everything was going great. Amazingly, Benjamin was not scared at all but rather fascinated by the bearded man. And then... Santa makes a desperate plea for me to come get my son. Benjamin had taken a big handful of Santa's (very real and very attached) beard. Poor Santa.

After the visit with Santa we headed over to enjoy a carousel.

Benjamin enjoyed his first ride.

But really, all he wanted to do was lick the pole. He already had a horrible cold. I figured it couldn't get much worse.

Julie had a fun time, too.

8 months!!

Today, December, 23rd, Benjamin is 8 months old. It is so hard to believe that 8 months have already passed since his birth. Really, aside from his aversion to sleep, he has been a happy, energetic, enjoyable baby. He LOVES people and no matter his mood, he will light up and engage when someone new enters his field of vision.
Happy 8 months to my sweet little boy.

We had his 6 month Dr. appt when he was 7 months and I'm finally posting it on his 8 month birthday. He was 28 inches long (75%) and 18.5 lb.s (40%)

Thanksgiving Take 2

After we filled our tummys in Bend and stopped for a night in Portland on the way back, we headed up to Snohomish the following weekend to have our second Thanksgiving with the Riemers.
Thanks, Liz!!! We all had a great time eating, drinking and unwrapping and unwrapping and unwrapping "julklapp" gifts.

Along with the yummy food, the table was beautifully set.

Thanksgiving

The snow in Seattle was all fine and good until we had to leave for Bend for Thanksgiving. What normally takes 6 hours (good weather and no kids) took us 10.5 (bad weather and 2 kids) Juli and I switched off sitting in the back seat squished in between the two car seats and Marty was his normal, laid-back, road-trip self. It is amazing how much he loves car trips and how he is completely unbothered by delays, bad weather, etc. Kept us all grounded for sure, especially near the end.

Mom did a great job with the food and all the other preparations. It isn't easy cooking dinner for 17 people! Thanks, Mom!!

Here is the whole group.

A reading by Kevin before the meal

Even Benjamin got "turkey dinner"

Josie, Paul, Benjamin and Avery

The snow was beautiful in Bend. They are much better prepared for snow than Seattle and it was pretty easy to get around town.
The day after Thanksgiving we took a long walk down to the Old Mill to have lunch.

Snow, Snow, Snow!

A few days before Thanksgiving we were hit with a bunch of snow. It was really fun and pretty if you could just stay put inside or play in it. Thankfully, we were able to just play in it.
Marty captured our "play" with this video:
http://vimeo.com/17315830
Juli thought she had moved to a Third World Country ... stores were closed, things were canceled and we didn't have internet (her life-line to her family and friends in Germany)

Cross Country

We had a great time watching Jon run his cross country race at a park near the zoo. We don't see the Wiley's much but it is always a great time when we do.

Auntie Kim :)

Jon did a great job and came in 6th in state!!

Debriefing with mom after the race.

Drew and Josie running around

Getting snuggles from Uncle Fred

November Catch Up!

I'm so far behind in posting... I'll just do a quick recap of November.
While Josie spent another fun filled weekend up at Liz and Ed's, Marty and I went to a fun, fundraising event for Teatro Zinzani.

As previously mentioned (and lamented about daily) Benjamin is not a very good sleeper. This is what we found when we came home.

Not to be confused with what it looked like the week before ;) Unfortunately, the only way this little guy will sleep is on or next to someone. Marty assures me that he will not be doing this forever and at some point I will get some sleep. Maybe not until he hits middle school, but still, there is a light at the end of the tunnel?!

My friend, Bryan came by for a visit.

Josie had a great time up north. She rode a pony for the first time.

Got dressed up and went to a bridal shower with Liz and Stephanie

And had fun at the indoor gym.

Here is the family celebrating my birthday.

Up next, Thanksgiving!!