The Day After Thanksgiving

Since we went to my parents for Thanksgiving this year, we went to visit Grandma Jan the day after.  She is the best cook I know. Even my mom suggested we go to Jan's for a better meal!  My mom is quite a good cook when she wants to be, it's just not her thing.  Hence, it's not my thing either. If it weren't for Todd I think we'd starve, or, become sick from the same 5 meals I can make well, which include grilled cheese and meatloaf. 

Anyway, back to the visit.... we enjoyed turkey sandwiches, homemade beef vegetable soup, and my favorite, Hawaiian salad (I only like Jan's because she uses grapes and pineapples with Cool Whip).  Jan was dog watching Dori while Uncle Paul, Aunt Lisa, Alex and Adam visited their aunt in Texas.

Shannon wore her "Turkey" jumper- again (for us to enjoy seeing her in it!!).

Uneventful 1st Thanksgiving

It is obvious that for babies holidays are nothing more to them than another ordinary day of eating, sleeping and playing.  The parents and families are the ones who get all excited, dressing them up, taking pictures, and so diligently creating a big day for them (us). This was very apparent on Thanksgiving when Shannon slept away most of the day at Grandpa and Grandma Marilyn's house! Don't get me wrong, it did add more relaxation to the day than we anticipated and it was nice in the fact that more adults were available to help fix dinner, etc. However, we're planning that next year will be more exciting for all of us. 

When she woke up (we had to wake her after an almost 3 hour afternoon nap) she did enjoy some Jello-O with daddy after dinner. Shannon had turkey with rice and sweet potatoes with cinnamon (baby food of course). Grandma Marilyn gave her a Thanksgiving balloon that she just loved.  We realized her love of balloons after her day care provider, Nancy (who we absolutely love), had first given her a Halloween balloon that Shannon had to play with every morning when she woke until it ran out of air!

Although I am the actual blogger and I would be the one to take this picture of a plate of food, Todd was the one who suggested I do so.  He is very proud of his homemade mashed potatoes and the fact that he was looking forward to this wonderful meal!

9 Months Old

Here we are, another month gone by.  Shannon is 9 months old today.  She has become much more interested in the world around her, almost too interested! She has always been a curious baby but it seems as though the world has now opened up to her.  The crosses in our living room just fascinate her.  At first I thought maybe someone who has passed was talking her to her through it. We believe my Grandma Monaco has visited us since she has passed away in 2004. Over the last 4 years there have been a few unexplainable happenings to my mom, Anita, and myself. Maybe great grandma is talking to Shannon!! 

She is now 28 1/4" tall (falling into the 75%ile) and weighs 17lbs 6oz. (35th%ile). So... she continues to be tall and skinny!  She is now pulling herself up on furniture and anything she can get her hands on. She loves to be in motion and clap and we think she is saying "hi" and "daddy" if you listen closely (sometimes).  Dogs are fast becoming a favorite.  In the last few weeks she has visited Uncle Mike's dog Max, Aunt Wendy's  and Uncle Greg's dog Skeeter, and Aunt Lisa's and Uncle Paul's dog Dori.  

Shannon hasn't been quite ready for table food yet.  We've tried some chunkier baby foods and some mashed and cut up table foods and she gags on them to the point where I am not comfortable watching her do that.  I have to admit I am a little disappointed as I was looking forward to her eating while we did, but also remind myself that she is only 9 months old and there is no reason to rush all these things. Until then, I will cherish these moments when she still needs us! 

Merry Christmas U.S. Troops

Before I knew my sister in law Wendy she use to make wedding cakes.  In an attempt to get a small business going, she took on a wonderful opportunity to say "Merry Christmas" to those families who have had a loved one in Iraq or who will be deployed before Christmas.  With donations from local businesses Wendy made over 300 gingerbread and sugar cookies for a luncheon/reception to honor the troops and their families.  If all goes well, one of the organizers may be using her for future events or baking for local military personnel. 

She LOVES to bake, but hates to decorate. Ironically, I LOVE to decorate and can actually do without the baking part! So... we headed over to her house to spend the day so I could help with decorating. Todd and Greg hung out with Shannon. Christy helped watch Shannon while Wendy and I decorated. Then Christy joined in decorating as well.  Later that night, Todd and Mark (our nephew) hung out dueling guitars. Mark is a natural and really good at playing, so Uncle Todd played the 2 songs he knew and let Mark take over!

Go Bears!

37-3, Packers.  Well, for Shannon's first Bears party it would have been nice to say they won, but they didn't, not even close. Bummer.  But winning is not always what counts, right?

As you can see she had a fun time. We lined up the kids and took 1 "nice" picture of everyone and then took a 2nd picture, which explains the beer bottles.  Shannon was hilarious.  We were laughing so hard our eyes were watering. First she took the bottle from Zachariah, then she tried to kiss him (or something?), and then started banging the bottles together. She loves making noise.  We would have watched the game anyway, but it was fun to dress her up in Bears' wear and call it a party. 

James' First Birthday

First birthday parties are always fun.  With all the cousins in our family, Todd and I have attended many a party. But it is definitely much more fun and memorable to go to these types of events with your own baby. Before I was  a mom I often daydreamed about all the things you could enjoy with your own child and I am now living them!  Although Shannon obviously had no clue what was happening around her, she loved every minute of it.  James is Shannon's friend and they also attend day care together. James' mom, Courtney, is my good friend as well as a work colleague.  We were glad to have been invited to share the day with them. 

Courtney made the adorable giant cupcake smash cake- it was too cute to eat. When they put it in front of James he wasn't quite sure what to make of it and was really taken in by the sprinkles. 

Shannon enjoyed watching Katie sing her rendition of "The Itsy Bitsy Spider" as well as all that Katie and the other children were doing.  She seems to lock in more on girls who are a little older than her. I'm not sure if that's because the older girls tend to gravitate to babies or in general girls are just natural "gatherers" and like to hang out!

Shannon gave James a placemat with his name on it as well as a big boy lunch box with his initials.  I think these gifts were a little more fun for me to give and Courtney to open then they actually were for the kids!

Since James is 4 months older than Shannon it has been exciting to watch him grow and change and we look forward to what is to come for Shannon!  Happy Birthday James!

Max

This weekend Todd had a final and a project to do for his graduate class.  So...it was a perfect time to hit the road and go to grandma and grandpa's (yes again) for the weekend. Shannon ans I spent the weekend there.  It was nice to visit with neighbors and Aunt Anita.  Uncle Mike came over with his adorable chocolate lab, Max.  He is quite a hyper dog, maybe that's why Shannon likes him so much!   It's funny to watch her interact.  At first she reaches for him, then pulls back, and then goes all out grabbing at his jaws (yuck, all that wet dog stuff in their mouths).

Max just adores Michael. He follows him in every room and every move he makes.  He has a hard time walking on my parents' kitchen floor (it's Pergo and very slippery), so carpets are laid out so that he can walk around more easily. 

Todd and I have talked about getting a dog. I'm not really a dog person, but it's amazing how your mind changes about things once you have a daughter who will probably love a new puppy!