Owen's First Christmas!!! What FUN!!!

We had so much fun this Christmas celebrating it with our precious Owen. We celebrated it over a course of three days!!! LOVED IT!! It was so nice not having to rush everywhere on Christmas day...plus, we got to spend quality time with our families and really enjoy each others company. Owen really enjoyed playing with his new toys, bows, and trying (not really mastering) opening presents!!! Having a child really changes Christmas in so many ways!! We are so blessed in so many ways to have this new addition in our family! It's hard to believe that this time last year we were waiting for him to be born! Wow, how times flies! I am looking forward to the Christmases to come and teaching Owen the true meaning of Christmas!!! Jesus's birthday...next year we will be baking him a birthday cake...what fun!

Christmas Eve with the Carroll's. We had a delicious honey baked ham, carrot cake, and lots of other casserole sides! After dinner we sipped on coffee, opened presents, and watched Owen play with his new toys. What FUN!

Owen plays with his first truck from Mimi and Papa

Good Morning Sunshine!! Merry Christmas!!! I went in with the camera to take a few shots of him getting up on Christmas morning....!! He's not quite awake as you can tell.

ummm corn popper....these things have not changed a lick....I think that is the only toy that still resembles itself from when I was a child!

warming up to my truck!

ready to go!!!

On Christmas day, we went to Aunt Mua's and got to visit with the Brent's aunt and cousins. Owen loved playing with the twins and seeing his cousin Gracen! It was so much fun eating, chatting and watching our little ones fun around! Owen really was interested in Deacon and Daelyn. They are so precious...and they were all dressed up in their Santa attire to top it off! What a great idea!

The day after Christmas, my parents, grandmother, brother,and niece came to our home to have lunch and open more presents! We had lots of fun! Owen really enjoyed seeing them and he loves his new outfits and toys!

Gramps and Owen

11 Months

Our baby is 1 month shy of 1 year!!!! It's hard to believe!! Owen is into EVERYTHING these days!! Turn your head away for just a second and you would think a tornado has struck our home!!! Disaster relief to the rescue!!! He loves to open drawers, doors, cabinets, and takes everything out of whatever is in them! His favorite spots these days include the laundry and the bathroom....he loves to go the bathtub and smile, squeal, and play with this toys...I guess that is his way of telling us that he is ready for his bath...leave it to him and he would have several a day! He is so much fun these days. His personality continues to come out more and more. He loves to laugh....and gets tickled to the point that this eyes water when Brent puts him on his shoulders!

Owen's likes:

baths

yogurt

held by mommy and daddy only (haha)

watch people

play peek-a-boo

Elmo

blueberries

cantaloupe

books

dislikes:

most strangers

car seat sometimes

rocked (prefers to be swaddled)

Santa's helper

Santa's little helper....has helped mommy with so much this year!!! He has been a real trooper...shopping, baking, wrapping (that has been challenging haha), and not touching or pulling down the Christmas tree!!! He loves getting right beside the tree and just looking at it!! We have drilled, "look, don't touch....followed by a NO when he tries to touch it" to the point that I am nearly dreaming it! So far he has done exceptionally well and is leaving the Christmas tree alone. He loves Christmas trees...wherever we go, he always points to the tree!! He loves all the decorations and music in the stores as well. Speaking of music...when we are in the car, we crank up the Christmas music and I sing along (which probably cracks him up to no end). On several occasions I have heard him humming...so funny!!! It is so much fun having a little one this time of the year! It puts a whole new meaning to Christmas! He is so much fun....we just love him so much!!!

ummm I think he just found one of his Christmas presents....bad Santa!!

Reindeer sleeper!! He loves it! Yay! It's Christmas time!

Deck the Halls!!

We are all decorated and ready for Christmas!!! Owen is doing very well at observing and not touching the Christmas tree. We have really been working on NO lately...and this has sure tested it out!!! He loves looking at the tree...and observing all the ornaments and decorations.

Say Cheese!!!

Owen had his first Christmas pictures taken this past week and he did fabulous!! The photographer was great and we were really pleased with how they turned out. Owen had a great time! Let the Christmas festivities begin!

Our family!!

Sweet Owen

This one is for Daddy!!!

Brent went to the University of Michigan for training for a week...and boy was he missed!!!! Owen and I were just not the same without him!!! We missed you Daddy!!

Michigan stadium...where App State stomped all over them!!! Go APPS!

Look who turned 10 months...

Hard to believe that my baby boy is 10 months....2 months shy of 1!!! WOW! Owen continues to amaze us... he is so funny these days....laughs, claps, and is quite the entertainer these days. This month he is now..

• pulling up (on everything) and just started cruising
• can stand for a few seconds without falling
• says dadaaa , papapa, and bye bye sounds...I think he can say cat...not real sure..still trying to translate some of his jibber japper... no mommy yet....oh well...he is officially a daddy's boy!!!
• plays hiding seek with anything that is in hands
• claps
• waves all the time...you would think he was in a parade...too funny!!!
• still not a big fan of being passed around to strangers...we are working on that one..

We did not have to go to the doctor this month; however, he is growing like a weed....fitting well into his 12 month clothes..We just love him so much and he is so full of personality. We are so blessed to have this small, yet so big addition to our family.

Checking out pics of my family

Loving my overalls

Guess who is 10 months???

Happy 31st B-day!!!

WOW 31.....I am officially in my 30's...Brent reminds me daily..haha!!! I had such a nice b-day. Dinner, cake, and family time...what more could I ask for? Kelley (my sister-in-law) made a delicious cake it was soooo good!!! Owen was entertained by the cake, hats, and presents....hold on boy.... your big one is right around the corner...hard to believe!!!

Delicious cake made by Kelley...seriously it was the moistest cake I had ever put in my mouth!!!

Little O and Mommy gearing up for my b-day

Our little Giraffe

Owen had so much fun celebrating his first Halloween as a giraffe. We decided that he would be a giraffe because it was one of the 1st animals that he took to as a infant. He would lay in his pack and play and "talk" to the giraffe and zebra....too cute :-) We decided to stay in this year because Owen had been fighting a cold. We passed out candy, dressed his friends Elmo(mummy) and Henry(ghost) up, and had a BBQ dinner at our house. Mimi and Papa came and were equally entertained by all the trick or treaters!! Although we didn't get dressed up and go out for Halloween, we had so much fun passing out candy, watching O laugh, and spending time with family. What more could I ask for?

Our fam...right before all the treat or treaters arrived!!!

Our precious little Giraffe(take note that his costume looks a little snug..haha we tried it on 1 month before Halloween...had plenty of room...talk about how fast they grow?????)

Fun times at the pumpkin patch!

On October 19th, we ventured out to a pumpkin patch at a local church here in Kernersville. The first attempt was hilarious! It was beautiful outside Owen was smiling and hamming it up...when all of a sudden, the 12:00 church bells started to chime....the result...scared him to pieces...could not get a smile out of him after that... hahaha. We went to Target afterwards and of course he was happy as ever and laughing up a storm. The second attempt was much better!!! Made sure not to go near the hour...haha.

Checking out the hay....

Seconds before the chimes....

my little pumpkin...perfect size for a perfect boy :-)

yay....smiles!

9 months....and into EVERYTHING!!!

It's hard to believe that our little baby boy is getting closer and closer to 1 yr old!!! Owen continues to amaze me everyday how much he grows, develops, and changes so quickly. Last month, he was barley fitting in his 9 month old clothes....one month later, we are packing some of them up (not all) !! He went from just starting to crawl to crawling everywhere and pulling up on every single piece of furniture in the house!!! Talk about baby proofing!!! Whew....I suddenly realized how non-baby proof our house was!

At his 9 month old check up he weighed 19lbs and was 29 1/2 inches long!!! Talk about a growth spirt....Dr. Smith could not get over how much he had grown in length....looks like he will be following his daddy in height....thank goodness :-)

Owen continues to amaze us and everyday we just love this fellow more and more. His personality has really developed...he is so funny, laughs all the time....ohhh but strong-willed too (wonder where he gets that from hahah). He is determined and a very independent baby...likes to do things by himself,...including feeding himself with a spoon...which results in one BIG mess!...so for the meantime, mommy and daddy have to take over that part :-) He is so much fun and we just can't get enough of him....It's hard to believe that he is 9 months old!! Where does the time go? We love you to pieces little O!!

Loving my red hat...it's not quite cold enough yet...not long though!!

Here I come....

Awww love his smile!

8 Months and Crawling!

On his 8 month "birthday" (Sept. 18th), our little man started something new...CRAWLING!! He is so proud of himself and after he crawls to his destination, he turns around and looks to see where he started. This opens up new adventures for him and new ones for us as well, as we now have to keep an ever-constant eye on him. Enjoy the clip of him crawling.

Suzanne and Greg's wedding

Brent and I got to enjoy a night out celebrating the marriage of Suzanne and Greg! We had such a great time. Congratulations Suzanne and Greg!!! Hope you guys had a blast in Maui!!!

Mary, Suzanne, and Deana (we have been friends for 25 plus years!!!)

so close....

Owen is so close to crawling...we are waiting for it any day. He has mastered scooting backwards pretty well...he takes one crawl forward and crashes!!! He loves to try and can get very frustrated when he is trying to get to a toy that he can't reach.

He also has grown quite fond of his wagon. He loves to ride his wagon at Mimi and Papa'a. He is so cute in it!! Just smiles away and squeals out of delight! I think Mommy and Daddy are going to have to buy one of their own. In fact, we went to Ella Kate's birthday party this past weekend and I couldn't find Owen....he was of course with his Daddy in EK's wagon!!! So cute and funny!!

Love my wagon....supported by sofa pillows...adds a lovely addition:-)

Zoom....I'm off

Love my cell phone toy...he was playing with mine...so I bought him a toy one thinking he wouldn't notice the difference..haha

Trying so hard...

August Tricks!

August has been a huge milestone for our little Owen....wow...he can sit all by himself, grab EVERYTHING, eating puffs, drinking from the sippy cup, and is up on all fours......People always told me how quickly your children change....it is so true....they change and grow up before your very own eyes.

Owen also LOVES the red furry ghost...yep...you got it...ELMO!!! He laughs and laughs....it all started when his papa decided to order it online...it is so funny and we have actually had a ball playing with it. Sometimes I think I enjoy it just as much as O does....it makes him smile and laugh....anything to see that smile....melts your heart every time you see it :-)

Acting silly with Mommy.....swimmy diaper on my head...lets head to the pool!

Peak a boo

Our happy little man

Lunch anyone? ( This is the result of letting him take over the spoon...big mistake haha)