Charlie's First Christmas!

Charlie's First Christmas has come and gone and I believe this has by far been the best Christmas Josh and I have ever had. I know they will just get more fun as the years go by and as he begins to understand the spirit and the meaning of the Christmas season.

Our Christmas Eve was spent with the Wood Family at Bobbie and Billy's house. We had great food thanks to Bobbie and a wonderful time with family. We also opened some gifts, poor CP was taking a nap so I opened up his for him. I am pretty sure he knew something was up because his nap was short lived and he was ready to play. Mommy and Daddy even got a gift for a night, Josh and I will be taking advantage of a nice meal at the Melting Pot at some point in the next few months. After we left Bobbie and Billy's we came home and relaxed for a few minutes and then got ready for Church. Josh, Shug and Pops got to enjoy the Candlelight Service while me and CP played in the back of the Church, he didn't want to sit still so I let him sit and play in the Brides room. We got home from Church and I put CP down for bed Josh got to work on putting CP's gifts together.

Christmas morning we were up as usual at 6:00, I let Josh sleep a little while I made a Coffee Cake, which is tradition in my family. After everyone was up we opened presents. Charlie got more little toys that made noise and he also got an Anywhere Chair from us, a Rocking Horse from his Shug and Pops and a Car from PePa and RaRa, needless to say we are converting the second guest bedroom into a playroom this weekend to accommodate all CP's new toys. After opening gifts CP when down for a nap and we ate breakfast and got downstairs cleaned up. Charlie got up from his nap ready to play and play he did, after about 2 hours he was ready to sleep again so I laid down wit him for a short nap that turned into 2 hours. Based on how much Charlie slept on Christmas day I would say he had a lot of fun and his first Christmas was a success.

On Tuesday we will leave for the beach to celebrate Christmas, my Birthday and New Years with the McKenna family so look for more Christmas updates in the next week. I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas. I know we did and we count our blessings everyday for all that was given to us this year.

Mommy and Charlie before Church

Granny, Bobbo and Charlie Playing with my new ball Kisses from MommyCharlies New Sippy Cup and Chair
Sitting in my Anywhere Chair

Charlies New Bath toys

Charlie's Rocking Horse

Charlie and Dixie with the new car

Zoo Light Safari!

On Tuesday night we took Charlie to the zoo for the first time, but we didn't go to see the animals we went to see the Christmas Lights. It was a perfect night there was a little bit of wind and the sky was clear. Charlie enjoyed being strolled around and looking at the lights and had fun seeing the animals in the petting zoo and having his picture taken. Charlie is at the age where anything bright and shiny is entertaining so he was content to sit in his stroller and watch all the lights. He was pretty tired when we got in the car, we weren't even out of the zoo parking lot before he was asleep, after all he was out way past his bedtime. I hope that as a family we can do this every year and make it a Christmas tradition.

Mommy, Daddy and Charlie by the iceberg

Daddy and Charlie being goofy

Mommy, Charlie and the ReindeerCharlie with Santa
Mommy and Charlie

7 Wonderful Months!

I am a couple of days late with the 7 month update but things have been super hectic around our house with me being sick and trying to ready for Christmas it hasn't left but time for updates.

Our little guy is getting so big he is now 7 months old and is sitting up so well and is getting more and more interactive with us and his toys daily. His smile and laugh are just so contagious and even when we are tired and don't feel well he can pull us out of our funk with one big grin. He still doesn't have any teeth and no real sign of them in the near future from what we can tell. This has not stopped him from gobbling down his food though, we have learned in the last week or so that Charlie isn't very patient when it comes to eating, the faster we shovel into his mouth the better. He gets mad when he finishes one bowl and has to wait for the next one, he gets mad if we have to let Dixie in while he is eating and it interrupts him and he gets mad when he is completely finished. I am sure if we let him he would eat 4 or 5 bowls at a time of either applesauce, peas, pears, sweat potatoes or squash. I am not really sure where he puts it all because he is still pretty little but man does our kid love to eat, here's to hoping that this continues as he gets older. In the last month he has also pushed up on all fours a couple time in an attempt to crawl, he has gone backwards a few times but hasn't quit figured out the forward motion, I secretly hope this is a little ways off though because the house isn't quit baby proofed yet, I guess only time will tell.

Those are all the fun goings on in the Wood house this month, but I feel it is only going to get more exciting especially with Christmas just around the corner. Stay tuned for pictures of the little guy playing with all his on Christmas morning.

How could this not make you smile?

CP also took a trip to visit his cousins in Atlanta for Christmas Pictures, RaRa was gracious enough to make them all matching outfits. Lets just say the pictures went as well as could be expected. We were suppose to get professional pictures taken but after realizing that we were going to have to wait almost 2 hours past our appointment time we (Molly and I) decided to take the reigns and be the photographer. After all there was no way we were going to be able to keep 2 infant and a 3 year old happy that long in a small confined space. We headed back to Greg and Molly's house set the camera's up and set the kids in front of the tree. We were able to get some good shots of the cousins together in there cute outfits and we saved a ton of money in the process. I think after the first of the year I am going to find someone in Birmingham to take CP's picture in a natural setting.

Charlie and Kakie Playing

Lane, Charlie and Kakie in their outfits
Having so much fun playing

Charlie Standing Up

Breakfast with Santa!

A week ago our Sunday School class did a "Breakfast with Santa" as a fundraiser and Charlie got to meet Santa for the first time. Overall the first meeting went great Charlie was very interested in pulling Santa's beard and had no problem going to see him. Things did get a little dicey when Charlie sat in his lap but that was due to the fact that we woke him up to try to get a picture. I just hope next year he will do just as good as this year only time will tell if he is like his mommy, scared to death or like his daddy and doesn't mind.

Charlie Meeting Santa

Charlie being woken up by Santa

The Time Has Come!

This morning Josh and I discovered that we can no longer set Charlie in his bounce set unbuckled while we get ready in the morning. As is the usual morning routine, Josh but Charlie in his bouncy seat to watch Sports Center and play with his book and rattle, while we were both getting ready for work. I was drying my hair and I heard screaming and crying coming from my usually very content little boy. I looked out of the bathroom into our room to see Charlie upside down in his bouncy about to fall out head first on to the floor trying to get his rattle. I assume he was trying to sit up to reach the rattle, that is his new thing sitting up whenever possible even if the situation isn't conducive, and then somehow not really sure how but he flipped upside down. I am pretty sure the screaming and crying wasn't over being upside down but because he couldn't reach his rattle. After I flipped him around and strapped him in and gave him his rattle back he was happy to play and watch Sports Center again.

Lesson learned, when you have an infant who wants to sit up more often then not either strap them in or let them play on the floor to ensure they won't fall out.

Merry Christmas