The Christmas House

This evening we decided to take Ian to the Christmas House that is in our town. This family does an amazing display of Christmas decorations and allows people to walk around their yard to check out the displays.

Ian's first look at the lights.
Wow! There are so many things to see!
When we got into the back yard we let Ian walk on his own to check out all there was to see.
Here he is watching some dancing, singing snowmen.
I can't imagine the light bill...They don't even take donations for the light bill. They have boxes around the yard where you can donate to needy families.
Behind the guys in this picture is a giant nativity scene. The manger is a permanent structure in the back yard.
Santa and his reindeer in the far corner of the yard.
Mom and Ian on our way back out the other side of the back yard.
They have a life size horse and carriage on one side of the front yard.
A view from the street down the other side of the front yard. Amazingly they are still working on setting up, and were even out putting up more displays while we were there.
After we got back from checking out the lights I changed Ian into PJ's and he decided he wanted to play in his bedroom for a while. Playing alone in his room is something he just started wanting to do. He has a great time playing and being allowed to pull stuff off the bottom shelves of his bookcase.
Just after this picture Ian tried to climb under his crib. He didn't fit.
I can't believe how big Ian is getting. Look how tall he is!
Mason even came to play with us in the bedroom for a while.
Here is a little video from the Christmas house of a full size singing tree. It was so cool! I have to give it to these folks, they are full of the Christmas spirit.

Happy Thanksgiving

Before we left for our little Thanksgiving adventure Ian had to get a bath. He loves to kick his legs around and splash. Yes, we are still using the baby bath tub inside our big tub. We have tried big boy baths but Ian just isn't comfortable in the open water just yet. He likes his little tub.
He does not like bubbles however! They are an unfortunate side effect of all the kicking and splashing.
The first leg of our Thanksgiving weekend adventure lead us to my parents house Wednesday night through Friday night. We had a great big dinner with my parents, my brother, and my sister and her family. We tried to get Ian to chill in his pack n' play for a while but he was not having any of that. Putting Mason in with him didn't even help. He wanted to run free.
Me and my little man playing with blocks. Ian loved that he got to explore Grandma and Grandpa's house. He loves to go up and down their long hallway.
My youngest niece Gabby, who just turned one this month. It was the first time my parents had seen her and her big brother Jacob since their birthdays earlier this month so they got presents. Morgan and Ian also got a little something too. So lucky.
Morgan showing me her picture face.
Jacob actually smiled nice for a picture too!
On Friday Ian had run of the house since it wasn't so crowded. He had a good time running around, chasing the dogs for hugs, and meddling in his grandparents things. Chris stayed at the house with Ian while I did some shopping with my parents later in the morning after the mad rush had died down some. I was able to check a few more gifts off my list before we came back to visit with my Aunt Angie and Uncle Earl for a bit.
In the evening Ian was ready for some dinner, but we didn't have high chair. So I tried putting him at the table and used my scarf to keep him from falling off the chair. He seemed to love sitting at the big boy table. I am going to have to get him a booster seat now. For a while that evening I had him on my lap while I chatted with my mom. Ian was sliding his box of blocks across the table and giggling like crazy whenever it would make a squeak noise as he pushed it along. He would throw his head into me and collapse into a fit of giggles. It was so cute watching him really express his little since of humor.
Chris and my dad went to the Red Wings game Friday night, apparently to watch the Red Wings lose. (boo!) When they got home we loaded a sleeping Ian into the van and trekked on to his parents house. Then we got to spend the day on Saturday with them. Ian loved all the musical Christmas things that his Grandma Jo Ann had around the house.
Ian sure does play hard. We went visiting family while we were there and Ian played for a long while with Chris' aunt and some of his cousins. They rolled a ball around and around. It took a bit for Ian to warm up to them, but he loved playing after he got comfortable. It was nice to see some of Chris' family that we don't get to see often.
Saturday evening we headed home so that we could have all day Sunday to prepare for the week (groceries, laundry) and recover from all the traveling. Saturday evening Chris and Ian were watching some hockey before bedtime and I caught this cute little moment with Ian and the dog, face to face snuggling. They love each other so much.
Ian recently has been loving to put his blocks in his mouth, covering his nose so they look like funny little noses. I call this his pig nose, because the round block makes it look like he has a snout. He thinks this is so funny, and will often try to shove the blocks in my mouth to give me a nose as well. Other funny things Ian is doing are attempting to snap his fingers, making noises with his tongue out, and climbing. Today I was counting to five with him. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and when I get to 5 he said "five" in his small little voice. It was so precious to hear him say something so clearly. After that I have been trying to get him to say one and to hold up one finger to tell you how old he is, but no luck with that yet.
This afternoon we went shopping with our friends Dan, Chantel and their daughter Isabelle. It was fun getting out with both babies and just checking out the mall in Midland. It was very nice having the van so we could haul all four adults and the two car seats without being all cramped up. I have to admit that I love my van! It is awesome and I am very lucky that we were able to get it so traveling could be so comfortable for my little family. It is one of the little things I am most thankful for this year besides being thankful for my family themselves!

Climbing

I wish that I could have gotten a picture of this...

Last night I put Ian into his pack n' play which is set up in my bedroom. I just wanted a couple minutes to put away some laundry without worrying what he was into. Well that didn't work out the way I hoped. Chris came in to help with the laundry and pointed out Ian to me (I had my back to him at the time.) When I turned around I saw Ian climbing the side of the pack n' play, digging his bare toes into the mesh like a cliff climber.

I don't think it will be long before we will have to migrate him to a big boy bed. If he starts climbing out of his crib that could be too dangerous.

Chris says to me, "I wonder where he gets that from?" He, of course, meant me! As I have been told, many times, I would climb out of my crib down the back side and get stuck between the crib and the wall hanging there. I can just imagine Ian doing the same thing.

Family Portrait Proofs

Our family picture proofs in no particular order. (I hope I didn't duplicate any of them, but if I did I am sure you will forgive me.)

Oh Tannenbaum

Today we got to much done before noon that we decided to use the rest of the day to put the Christmas decorations up. It was fun watching Ian inspect the tree as we put it together and decorated it.

This morning we went out shopping and bought some Christmas gifts, and while we were out Ian picked out a new toothbrush. He really enjoyed brushing with his new toothbrush after lunch.
The completed tree. TaDa! The train circling the middle is a new addition for this year.
A close up of the train...it is engine 1225 (how cute!)
Ian getting chased by Mason because Ian had a dog toy in his MOUTH. Yuck! I decided it wasn't worth stopping him because they were playing so nice together.
Someone LOVES the tree and can't stop himself from touching every ornament within reach. Good thing Mommy put the ornaments on with this in mind and put the less breakable ones near the bottom. I might have to with this one last mirror ball ornament up a little higher. As I was putting the ornaments on the tree Ian picked up a mirror ball ornament and kissed it, and it scratched his nose. So we might have to rework those a little more if he keeps going for it.
Watching us work so hard today really tired the dog out.
Tonight The Wizard of Oz was on TV, so I put it on while Ian and I played before bed. He would stop and watch it like this every now and then. For a long while he sat on my lap and snuggled. It was heavenly!
Wow! That is one big, pretty tree! I must touch it!