5 months and counting

This kid.

Five months today. He may have my features and my coloring, but he's got Daddy's eyes - and his loquaciousness.

It's getting harder to get a still photo of him - in half my pictures his face is the cutest little blur. He started rolling over from his tummy onto his back this week, and he tries so hard to crawl when he's on his tummy. He adores his papa. Most of the photos today were only possible because papa was standing beside me, entertaining him with funny faces.

He just loves to talk and smile and laugh and be held. He loves to bounce, too, and gives my back a break (the kid's heavy!) by playing in his bouncer for almost an hour at a time. He loves to put anything and everything in his mouth, whether his fingers or mama's fingers or whatever toy or stuffed animal is nearest.

His head is still huge, in the >95th percentile, of course due to all that brain in there. Other than a few days of stuffiness, he's been healthy as a horse. Still not interested in solid foods - we tried oatmeal again today, and he will have nothing to do with it.

not an avocado fan

He has the funniest laugh-cry, which sometimes starts with a laugh and turns to a wail and sometimes it's the other way around.

I, like so many other parents this weekend, gave him extra hugs and kisses after the incomprehensible event in Connecticut on Friday. I can't say anything that others haven't already said much more eloquently on the subject. I'm just so proud of this little 5-month-old and cherish every single day I get to spend with him.

Christmas season in The Woodlands

missing grandma

Zoo Lights

Last weekend we went to the Houston Zoo Lights event. There were fabulous light displays, and the zoo was incredibly crowded!! It was a little hard to keep together a group of 7 adults and 4 kids, but we had a good time trying! We were especially excited to have 2 grandmas and 2 different sets of cousins with us. Joe's mom visited from Virginia last week, and Joe's sister & my brother brought their families along, plus my mom was able to join us as well.

joe's family, sticking together

kev and jackson

The animals at the zoo apparently aren't that interested in Zoo Lights - we saw elephants, giraffes, zebras, and a distant rhino. We did get to see fish in the aquarium - not one of those fish was taking a nap!

you can either see the giraffes or the baby but not both. 

elephants are sooo fast it's not easy to catch a still shot. 

fascinating jellyfish exhibit. joe's fave.

I know, the photo quality is abysmal. Just try to imagine how amazing those lights and how non-blurry the animals.

the bigger kids rode the carousel while the littlest kid snacked.
not a lot of seating around the carousel. 

weird exhibit but cool photo of joe and E. 

even cooler photo of gran and jack. 

strolling

resting

bearjacked! that bear snuck into the shot at the very last second!

Visiting Santa

Ethan got to tell Santa what he wants for Christmas this weekend. I didn't get to hear his requests, but I'm guessing it involves formula, hugs, and thumbs.

We went to the annual St Luke's The Woodlands NICU reunion - E fortunately didn't have to visit the NICU, but I get to work with a lot of families whose beautiful babies spend some time there, and it was so great to see them growing up into beautiful toddlers!

And of course Santa was there to greet the little ones. E was in a bit of a food coma when he took his turn, so no smiles, but we didn't get tears either.

It's also fun for us that Santa looks a lot like one of our friends, Dr Charles Hankins, a neonatologist from The Woodlands and the chief medical officer at Texas Children's Hospital West Campus.

The party was co-sponsored by St Luke's and Texas Children's Hospital, and it was a really cool event. There were crafts and snacks and tons of inflatable decorations and a cute gift bag for each little guest. Plus, there were a bazillion door prizes donated by local businesses - gift cards, photography packages, huge stuffed animals - I think that every NICU graduate who attended went home with a door prize.

We all had a lovely time at this fun event! Thank you, St Luke's and TCH!!!

My First Thanksgiving

Yay! The holiday season has arrived! 

Ethan got to experience his first crazy family potluck on Thanksgiving day - our extended family is not known for running out of food at holiday dinners. Joe made 2 turkeys, and the rest of us made, like, 16 sides and/or desserts each. As always, it was delightful to spend time with cousins, aunts, in-laws, and honorary family (hello, Gokul!). E got to spend quality time with his lovely redheaded cousin Sophie as well as his favorite first cousin Jack.

Joe entertained the kids with airplanes and spins and chases in the backyard - very funny to hear alternating 'Me next's from Jack and Sophie, as well as to watch a very dizzy Sophie walk erratically and ask to be spun again.

Grandma gave special ornaments to 'my six children' - two kids, our spouses, and our children - and to Sophie. E got some much-needed help from Jack to open his adorable sock monkey ornament, which he promptly examined with his mouth (and found acceptable).

After eating ourselves silly, the foragers among us set off for the golf course to gather pecans! My dad is a master pecan cracker, so he has been placed in charge of cracking those shells and bringing us bags of delicious home-picked pecans. Grandpa P, it's clear you'll need to visit The Woodlands for our version of pecan (pronounced puh-CON, of course) pie!

Jack was very helpful - he warned us not to pick up any snakes.

Denise went barefooted. All the better to feel the pecans (and hopefully not any snakes).

Bumper crop of mini pecans

We really have just the best family ever. It's so pleasant to spend our holidays with such wonderful people. You can't pick your relatives, but if I got a choice these are the people I would choose. 

We have so, so much to be thankful for, more than ever this year. Happy Thanksgiving, y'all!