Christmas Highlight Reel

gift number one...

tastes really good.

wow! that's for me?

my first teddy bear

cowboy boots!

SENSATIONAL!!!

Merry Christmas!

4 days of Christmas

It has finally arrived! I have been telling Kellan that Daddy will soon be off work for a few days to celebrate his first Christmas and it starts tomorrow...we get to have him home, warm and cozy, for four whole days. Merry merry, most merry Christmas...

I can't resist...

The Tootsie Seat

Kellan has stared at his feet since birth. He has not, until now though, been able to grab them. But he stares at them every day like, "what are those things?"

We put him in a Bumbo seat to help get him upright for some Christmas photos and suddenly he realized he could reach his feet sitting this way...life changing stuff, I tell ya.

Mr. Mom

Some days, like today, I know that I DON'T know what I'm doing. I feel like Michael Keaton in Mr. Mom where he tries to take care of the house and kids while his wife goes to work, and all he does is create one disaster after another.

There are some days where I am exactly that character. Kevin will come home and ask how my day was and I'll say something like, "crazy," or "hmmm....good." And it's usually because there has been an "event"...some tornado it took me all day to ride out and I avoid bringing it up in case it hears me and wants to come back.

Example: Kellan did not poop for 3 days. That's a long time to build up the reserves. So yesterday, when he finally exploded, I was anticipating it...it came as no shock, but it was HORRENDOUS, needless to say (but I'm saying it anyway because it was HORRENDOUS.) Up the neck, all over the clothes, me and him both had to strip down and get in the bath...Storm over. Back to play.

But today, as I'm wrapping Christmas presents and Kellan is screaming because his teeth hurt, he gets quiet. He makes his "uh-oh" face at me and then I hear it. I drop the scissors and ribbon and scoop him up, run into his room and yesterday starts to happen all over again.

Except today, I wasn't on my game. Poop got on the crib bumpers, the crib, the sheets...you get my point. Kellan got his hands in it, stuck his foot in his diaper...the whole episode was atomic. To really exhibit my lack of control, and in true Mr. Mom fashion, I think it's a great idea to put the crib bumpers in the wash. But did you know that crib bumpers that are an inch-and-a-half thick and wrap the circumference of a crib do NOT fit in the machine without the machine hopping across the laundry room floor?

And now, walking back into the living room, back to my pile of Christmas projects that just make the house look like a mess, I realize that when Kevin gets home and asks me how it went, I should probably explain exactly what "crazy" means.

What's so "merry" about it?

P.S.

Kellan ate his first meal out of the same bowl his daddy had his first meal in back in 1979...and the brilliant little man--in-the-moon spoon came from his Auntie Amy and Uncle Dave for his baptism. Both made the first meal so much sweeter.

I hope you are full of food and love and sweet dreams every day, Kellan.

Tastes Like...Breast Milk?

Kellan (enjoyed) ate his first meal this morning...rice cereal with milk.
It took a little while to get him to swallow. He looked up at us like, "if it ain't broke..."
But he was a great sport and by the end was crooning to get some big-boy chow.

Dad, you're blocking the game

...and giving you the bird was completely unintentional.

Uncle Yarin

Yarin returned a couple weeks early from Japan and surprised us on Thanksgiving...Kellan was fascinated by him. Poor Yarin just wanted to sleep after travelling 30 hours straight to get home.

One year ago today...

...at 5am, Mommy woke up and had a feeling. I had dreamed that someone was trying to wake me up to tell me that I was pregnant...this little voice in my head kept saying, "wake up and take a test."

I remember being so groggy and stepping over Georgia to get to the bathroom where I took a pregnancy test. I set it down on the edge of the bathtub and half asleep, waited for the results.

Well, baby, there you were. Just a couple blue lines. I couldn't believe it! Was this real? Was I totally , 100% awake? Was it really showing 2 blue lines? Was I going to be your MOM?

I brought the test back to bed where I woke up your daddy. "Honey...Honey...." He rolled over and peeked his eyes open. "Look! I'm pregnant!"

Well, there was no way we were going back to bed! We got up and took our morning walk and talked all about you...when we thought your birthday would be, if you would be a boy or a girl, how we would tell the family...it was a crisp Thanksgiving morning just like today...except today, you were with us as we all three went for a walk, asleep in your stroller. We can't believe you are here...this enormous love, most precious, awe inspiring, full of sweetness little person we have to be thankful for.

I can't thank you enough, Kellan, for all these beautiful days you have given me this past year. Thanksgiving will always have this memory for me, for the rest of my life...finding out you were on your way to me.

Mommy and Daddy love you so much.

Happy First Thanksgiving

This came in a letter this evening from Kevin's Godmother, Sister Pat. It was addressed to the three of us. Happy First Thanksgiving baby boy...

A Song for a Man
by Sister Madeleva

You, man, have a home and a wife and a child; what song do you sing?
I have a mate on her nest with a little blue egg under each gray wing,
and for joy of this thing
I sing,
Sing to my brooding bird-wife of the skies above her,
Sing of the birdlings now soon to awake 'neath the soft breast of her,
Sing at dawn, at the dusk that I love, I love her!
A bird on a nest with a little blue egg under each gray wing is a simple thing;
For the heart of a woman, the soul of a child, O man, what rapturous song do you sing?

Rollin' with the best of them...

Kellan had a big weekend...
Saturday, he rolled over for the first time from his tummy to his back.
Sunday, he rolled over from his back to his tummy.
Then last night he grabbed a toy and put it in his mouth to relieve his teething. (for those without kids reading: this is a huge milestone because it takes a lot of coordination and motor skills for a little person to do this)

Next weekend we will be tackling college admissions and running for President.

Never loved mornings so much...

I keep Kellan's baby monitor by my bedside so I can hear him throughout the night. At about 5:30 in the morning, he starts to stir, sucks his fingers, talks to his mobile...I walk down the dark hallway to get him, tip toe through his room and find him illuminated by the tiny night light, looking up at me with a toothless grin. It's so basic, something that happens in every kid-filled home, but it lights up my life every day.

I bring him back to bed where I prop myself up and nurse him. By the time he finishes he has fallen back to sleep so I lay him between Kevin and I and his daddy pulls him in close and dozes off for another hour...I can't help but stare. It is the sweetest...

...Kevin takes Kellan when they both wake up to get dressed for the day and puts the bouncer in the kitchen doorway for Kellan to watch Daddy make coffee...I stay in bed and enjoy the last few minutes of a warm pillow and a cold sheet while I listen to Kellan and his dad tell each other about everything.

I missed ya!

The last time Grandma and Grandpa Cooney saw Kellan was at the hospital when he was born...their much anticipated visit finally arrived for the Baptism...it was so great to see Kellan with Mary and Kevin (he's grandson number 5!)

Kellan's Godparents

Aunt amy and Uncle Dave are Kellan's Godparents...he is so lucky to have such loving people in his life that offer so much integrity, generosity, spirit and perspective. They really warm my heart just thinking of them...you want the bestest best best for your kids and Kellan has been blessed with Amy and Dave to help guide him in his faith.

Kellan's Baptism

Kellan was baptised this past Saturday and the Cooney clan flew out for it. Grandma Jeannete was there as well as two of Kellan's great grandparents on mommy's side. The Damko family was there with baby Owen (he and Kellan called out to eachother throughout the ceremony) and Babs and Larry Hansen also came to show their support...the weekend was full of celebration and we had so much fun (Kellan and I napped all day Monday to recover!) Here are some pics...and there's more to come!

Yodle-ay-hee-hoo!!!

Kellan tried on a bonnet for his baptism and it didn't quite fit...but he definitely looked the part for the Sound of Music.

Happy Halloween!