Christmas in Carolina

We had a great Christmas in South Carolina. Holden (and Raven) did really well on the 8 hour car ride down and back but it took him a few days to adjust to his new sleeping arrangement. I don't think he's going to fit in the pack & play much longer. On the other hand, Raven had no problem at all sleeping and snuggled right in to Lindsey's bed. Overall he did really well and loved spending time with his cousins which included a trip to the park, a visit to the zoo, and playing in the backyard. We all loved the warmer weather, including Rob, David, Chris and Ernie who all enjoyed 2 rounds of golf...not bad for December!

One of many shows the girls put on for us.

Our aprons courtesy of Grammy.

Beautiful flowers Rob had delivered to me on Christmas Eve...awwww.

A tiny crab inside Chris' oyster found during the roast.

Firefighter Chris showing us his gear.The kiddie table on Christmas Eve.
What did Santa bring?

Holden and the girls checking it out.Lindsey playing us a tune on her new guitar.The wagon! Thanks Grammy & Ernie!Still waking up.
Tired boy at the park.

The wagon was a hit with everyone.

Fun with Grammy.More fun with Grammy.Feeding time at the zoo.

We loved the giraffes.
And this guy, too.

But the monkeys were our favorite. They were putting on quite a loud and amusing show for us.

Lindsey borrowed my camera to take a picture. Somehow she figured out how to take pictures in black & white. Thanks for the tip, Linds!

The only downside to the wagon...not a great place to take a nap. We planned ahead and had the stroller with us for this very reason.

All in all, we had a great trip and want to thank Chris, David, and Christopher for hosting us. Happy New Year to everyone!!

Blizzard!

We upgraded from a snow day to a full blizzard this past weekend. Here's how Holden kept himself occupied, thanks to the tap button for the lights.

He also kept himself busy by taking a few steps on his own. Mostly he still prefers the comfort of cruising around the furniture, fireplace, walls, our legs, Raven...just about anything he can get his hands on. He stands on his own while he's playing or involved with something then he remembers he's standing, acts surprised, and reaches for a hand. It makes me laugh every time.

The Winter Wallop

The slide has been getting a lot of use. After Holden is done sliding down, he puts his toys on it for a ride which he finds equally entertaining.

Raven is still as patient as ever.

Despite the weather, we had a fun visit from David, Susan & the kids for an early Christmas celebration. We were happy to get to see them since we are heading to SC this week (including Raven). We are packing the portable DVD player and Holden's new favorite show, Merry Madagascar to make the ride more tolerable. So far, Holden has been a great traveler so we're crossing our fingers that our luck continues.

Snow Day

Looking out at the first snow fall of the season.

Are we having fun yet?Decorated for Christmas - the snow is the finishing touch.

Weeeeee! Holden's not quite ready to ride yet.

Gobble Gobble

We had a nice Thanksgiving with Grammy & Ernie, a 16 lb. turkey, and all the trimmings. Holden had a great time and loved having Grammy & Ernie spend the night. The next day he went on his first big outting without us to Ernie's family in Maryland for their Thanksgiving. Grammy said he was on his best behavior and chowed down on another big meal. Rob and I took advantage of the day off and hit the movies.

At 14 months, Holden is walking while holding one hand, cruising all around the furniture, and standing on his own for several seconds at a time. We have bets as to when he'll take off on his own. I'd love for him to do it by Christmas for our big trip to SC, but I have a feeling he'll wait until after we're home. He continues his love affair with Raven and says "doggie" while scooting after her. His other big word is "light" and he loves to turn the switches on and off. He also starts saying "light" as soon as I put the car in park because he knows the lights are going to turn on when I open the car door. He loves looking at the stars and moon at night and watching the airplanes fly by. He's growing so fast!

Ready to eat!

Grammy always gets a smile.

Brave Grammy on our dirty kitchen floor for some playtime.

Watching "Charlie the Brown" in his rocker. He figured out how to rock himself.

Bye, Mom! I'm off to Maryland for my second Thanksgiving.

Out for a walk in the neighborhood.

See ya later!

Daddy's Home

Rob's 2 biggest fans greeting him after a hard day's work...every day...each time louder than before.

A fun visit with Jack. We're hoping next time sister Lily can join us.

Waiting for his bath to be ready.

Snack time while sporting his new hat.

"Uncle" Brad came for a visit. We put him to work and Holden supervised the raking of the leaves.

Interrupting the Rob vs. Brad basketball challenge.

Don't go, Brad!

Sweet boy