Christmas part 3: Mississippi

On the Saturday after Christmas, we flew to Mississippi to visit Ben's extended family.  Ben's parents picked us up and we drove 3 hours to Cleveland, MS to see Ben's grandparents on his dad's side.  Sadly, I don't have any pictures from that trip because, well, I had the stomach flu.  Not fun!  

We stayed about 2 hours and then drove 3 more hours to Tupelo where we would stay for a few days.  Not the most fun drive ever I have to say.  

But we made it and I felt better by the next day thankfully.  

Pa is so great with Caleb.  He loves to bounce him and sit with him and Caleb enjoyed every minute of it!

Hello sweet heart!

We spent the time in MS just hanging out, a little bit of shopping, a good amount of eating, and of course card games!  

Caleb does this little two-fingered wave-ish thing.  I'm not sure why but I think it has something to do with trying to wave.  

Four generations!  Ben, Caleb, Pa, and Mark (Ben's dad)

Our family with Mimi and Pa on their 60th wedding anniversary.

We spent new year's eve with Ben's family and enjoyed just playing games, talking, and hanging out.  New year's day, we flew home and it was so so nice to be in our own home in our own bed.  

Over the next few days, I did about 6 loads of laundry, put all the clothes, stuff, and toys away that we had taken with us and got some order finally!  

It was a great holiday and we have some great memories of Caleb's first Christmas.

I have to admit though that Monday morning when everyone went bak to work was pretty nice just being in regular life and trying to remember what my normal routines are!  

I really do like just normal life.

Christmas part 2: Christmas Day

We continued our Christmas adventure in Fairview with my parents.  We spent Christmas eve celebrating with my mom's side of the family and then went to a Christmas eve service.  Caleb just listened to the music and was mesmorized by the candle-lit ending.  That's my favorite part of the evening and it was special to get to experience it with my sweet little man.  

Christmas morning, as tradition goes, we went to my sister's house in Fairview for breakfast.  

Our tradition is that the guys of the family make the "pinch-me coffee cake" that goes with our breakfast.  Ben has the honor of participating in this tradition as well :).  

It was actually a rainy Christmas morning that called for freezing temps and snow by the afternoon.

Uncle Keith, Tia Marisela, and C

Grammy

My sweet little family

Daddy!

I love this picture!  This is my parents, Grammy and Grandaddy, with their 5 grandsons.  Maybe someday we will add a granddaughter but for now, its just grandsons.  So sweet!

Christmas part 1: Cooper Christmas

This Christmas was an exciting traveling adventure!  We left December 21st and Caleb and I didn't come back until January 1st.  

We started our Christmas adventure in Arlington.

We came in Friday night and spent Saturday shopping, napping, and eating!  

Sunday, I got to unexpectedly go to the Cowboy game with my Dad, nephews, brother, and brother-in-law.  They did lose but it was a fun time with the guys.  It was actually the longest time during the day that I've been away from Caleb.  He did so well but I was so glad to see him when I got back!  

Sunday night, we did Cooper Christmas.  Caleb played while we opened gifts, probably ate some paper, and played some more while Mark read the Christmas story.  

Mark and Pat reading the Christmas story.

Presents!  Caleb got some cute clothes, a really sweet book, and an activity table from his Cooper fam.  

And who can forget the annual daughter-in-law Christmas purses.  Cherish and I went small this year and got identical cross-body brown purses.

Thanksgiving Recap in Pictures

Thanksgiving 2011...

Thanksgiving 2012...(Oh how life has changed!)

Pedicures...baby in lap

Twilight...sister-in-law fun 

Visit...to hardworking Cherish 

Flying...with Grandad  

iPhone anyone? 

Turkey Trotting...had a 5K PR 

Turkey day outfit!

Keith cousins meet their 2nd cousin for the first time!

Shopping...at midnight.  NEVER again.  We waited in this line for an hour and still had a ways to go...we bailed and went home.

Naps...in the laps

Turkey coma?

First sink bath...I wish we had this big of a sink!

Sweet Potatoes...the pureed version

I can honestly say that although there have been hard things this year, I'm so thankful for all the changes!  We are immensely blessed by what God has done in our lives and in our hearts the last year.  

Monday Meal Plan

So its been a while since I posted my weekly meal plan.  Here we go...

Breakfast:

Ben - Skinnytaste oatmeal muffins
Lynn - Baked oatmeal

Lynn's lunches:

This delicious salad and leftovers.  I've never had a pomegranate seed...pretty excited!

Dinner:

Monday - Grilled Chicken, green beans, and red baked potatoes
Tuesday - Turkey burgers and fruit
Wednesday - Pot roast from sugarfree mom
Thursday - Whatever the HEB lady is making.  I never get those deals but they always sound good and I couldn't think of one more thing!
Friday - Cooper Christmas dinner out

Caleb (yay for him joining the meal plan!):

New foods we're trying this week - zucchini, butternut squash, and mango
Old foods we're having again - pears, green beans, sweet potatoes, and bananas

Happy 7 months Caleb!

Happy 7 months to our sweet boy!

At 7 months, Caleb is...

Size: Caleb is around 19 pounds now and is wearing 3-6 months, 6 months, and 6-12 month clothes.

I am loving some of his new expressions!  We see the one below a lot...under lip tucked in.  Precious!

Likes: Caleb likes eating for sure (more on that below) and is trying new foods every week.  

He likes the cats a lot and his new found crawling enables him to crawl to them.  

They don't quite return the love but they are civil at least.  

He likes sitting in the cart at the grocery store and loves to smile at everyone.

Dislikes: When I take away something he was playing with...usually because he shouldn't have it.  Late afternoon naps.  That's about it right now.

Working on/Milestones: This month, Caleb started for real crawling.  

Right before he turned 6 months, he was scooting and getting around but in the last month, he has learned to crawl...hands and knees coordinated crawling.  

I'm so proud!

  

Yesterday for the first time, he got himself from crawling to sitting.  

It happened in his bed and I just looked on the monitor and he was sitting!  

Then he did it two more times.  

And by the way, he never went to sleep.  

Also, he's able to fully sit up without help although he still tips over at times.

This month, he'll be working on those 3 skills and getting better at them.  

And I guess the next skill will be pulling up...yikes!  He can get up on his knees but hasn't pulled up to standing yet.

I've only had to baby proof the floor at this point, I'm not sure if I'm ready to have to baby proof tables and other low surfaces.

Sleeping: Caleb is doing awesome on night time sleep.  

He usually sleeps 12-13 hours at night, sometimes waking up around 5 to eat.  

He goes down at 7 and is up between 7 and 8.  

Naps are different story...he's in transition from 3 naps to 2.  

He takes a great morning nap around 9:30 and a midday nap around noon but that's all I can count on.  Sometimes there's a tiny car nap or cat nap somewhere in the later afternoon, but not at home in the crib.  

We put him down a little early when this happens and that seems to work fine.  

I'm sure as he gets used to staying up longer between the two naps, it will get better.  

Eating: Caleb is still nursing 5 times a day and I offer food 3 times a day.  

Sometimes in the morning, he doesn't want any solids but sometimes he does...I guess sometimes he's just not hungry for them.  

At this point, he's tried sweet potatoes, avocado, bananas, pears, carrots, apples, acorn squash, and green beans.

I would say his favorite combo is sweet potatoes and bananas...and least favorite is avocado by itself.