Merry Christmas!

We put posts of the happenings on E's blog for Christmas day and did Christmas eve here on JT's. However, here are a few embarrassing pics of Jason to show him when he is 16 or to his future wife later on. You have to have the obligatory 1st Christmas outfit and many thanks to Aunt Jean for the long johns!

Christmas eve

Uncle Mikey hosted us for Christmas eve and we had an antipasto tray and many different types of fish for dinner. We had a nice time and were going to go to mass at 8 but JT got very ill and we went right home. He is off his food and getting a bit dehydrated so we are giving him pediatric electrolytes and wanted to get him home. Here are some pics from our dinner:





Snuggling by the fire:



Notice my happening reindeer bib.


Wrapped up in 2 pairs of jammies and ready for Santa:

Maw-maw and Paw-paw visit

Jason is getting so big...sitting up so long by himself now, eating cereal and fruit and veggies. Can we please please go back to sleeping through the night though? This teething thing is slaying us. That and being sick and not wanting to suck has kept him to around 3 ounces a feeding and wanting a feeding every 3 hours. Around the clock. UGH! But this weekend we had help and we spent some quality time totally bonding with the grandparents. We had a lovely visit and I managed to get the camera out and take some cute ones.







Sitting up with a "spotter"




Climbing up Aunt Susan in our pjs:




Resting after a long day:



This is one of my favorite shirts for JT. "I ate Santa's cookies". I mean really...he is over 20 pounds at 6.5 months. He ate more than that!!!

My first visit with Santa

We had the most incredibly perfect Saturday. We woke to Ethan's usual clamoring for us to come get him and then his "Good morning Christmas tree" as we brought him down. We then all climbed into our bed for some snuggling and tickling. Then, Jeff made us French toast and Ethan ate 3 pieces. Jason ate an entire bowl of oatmeal cereal and didn't end up wearing much. We then headed out to take the boys to see Santa.

We got out pretty early this morning (or as early as you can with 2 kids) and the line wasn't too bad. Ethan got to also ride the Carousel and was thrilled. We waited in line with Kevin, Kalani and Josh and the kids were all very patient. Ethan never blinked and kept asking if it was his turn. He also kept yelling "hi Santa" across the area as we waited. Jason and him both sat together on his lap and Ethan told Santa he wanted "presents" and especially a black tape measure like Grandpa's. He also asked for cereal for Jason since "that's all he eats".



We also went perusing through the Xmas decorations at Sears and the boys loved the dancing penguins and the Santa train. We had lunch at the mall and then headed home where we played on our new swings (it was 65 today!!), visited with Grandpa and Grandma and watched Daddy hang more Christmas lights. The house looks incredible and the kids just can't get enough of watching the tree, the lights, the skating pond, the train etc. Ethan has to turn everything on at least once a day and I have visions of dancing penguins, dogs singing jingle bells, and bears....lot of snowman and polar bears.

Tonight we all ate pizza and watched the Grinch and when I put the boys to bed, we read Twas the Night before Christmas for the 15th time so far this year. When we get to the reindeer part, Ethan always asks "What that name" and points to each one. Jason is just enthralled with every picture and talks and talks to the pages.

6 months going on a year

We had our 6 month appointment today and yet we are wearing 9 to 12 month sized clothes at a minimum. We are in the 95 percentile for size (oh ya...and head size too) and doing well developmentally. After being sick all week and unable to eat, our weight still was a very healthy 21.0 pounds. We have certainly seen the pediatrician a lot in the past few days...our very first illness. Ethan and Jason both had a viral infection in their throat and JT couldn't suck or swallow easily and was just miserable. He slept a lot and just wanted to be held. His nights were spent coughing or propped up on pillows with Jeff and I taking turns sleeping next to him and watching over. Ethan's turned into a sinus infection but the good part of that was a few days on antibiotics turned him right around. And he got a few extra days of vacation so was thrilled. After missing school for the Thanksgiving week, the transition back to work and school was hard on all of us.

We have had a momentary lack of rolling but have taken to standing and trying to actually take little steps and walk if you hold his hands. And with Jason's sheer size and grip, he can actually pull chairs to him. Not a lot of impetus to waste energy and roll or crawl! :-) We are sitting up more now on our own and using the tri-pod approach as opposed to the weeble impersonation. No teeth yet but they seem to be right beneath the surface. E had his first one just shy of 5 months but there couldn't be two children more different. E is so independent, JT is a big mush and very sensitive. E can play on his own and entertain himself a bit...Jason wants you to entertain him and you had better not leave his sight. E has been in the 10th - 50th percentile so far so even their size is totally different. My largest awakening was when I realized that E is only 8 pounds heavier than JT. Wow.