11 months... a few days late

Since the 11 month came on Christmas Day, I am a bit late. I spent two days trying to get a still picture of him... Nope, he flips the minute I step away.

Day 1 attempt (Shep let us borrow his monkey when we couldnt find B's

Day 2 attempt

You have become quite an opinionated little sucker this month.  You LOVE me... and let me know this  love by following me around the house fussing and wanting to be held.  I find myself humming, "you're gonna miss this."  :)

Now that it is time to start weaning off the bottles, you have decided that you love your bottle.  I am now down to pumping 3 times a day and see the end in sight!  Yippee!  We made it!  You still are a pretty good eater and love chicken salad, chicken, green beans, macaroni and cheese, soup, yogurt, and anything that is sweet. Your favorite food is an ice cream sandwich.

Finishing mac n cheese and an ice cream sandwich

You can take 4 or 5 steps unassisted so walking is right around the corner.   Below is a video of you walking to  me. :)  You were so happy about it.

You can still wear most of your 9 month pants. You have some short little legs. Your top half is skinny but you wear a 12-18 month up top... 9 month shirts have been put away.  You wear a 4.5 in shoes so big feet especially for your frame.

Standing waiting to walk to me.  He can stand unassisted for minutes at a time now.

Sleeping has been hit or miss this month as you have had 2 little colds and well as 4 teeth (all up top) coming in.  The past couple nights you have been back to your good sleeping though and we are thrilled!

You babble all the time.  From "ah ah" to "ba ba" the occasionally "ma ma" and the constant blowing bubbles and a "motor boat" type sound.  You also still adore your 2 blankets and can settled with ease if you have them.

Playing Connect 4 with Ashton.  Our whole family enjoys this game... and we are all pretty evenly  matched... Shepherd just recently started getting the hang of it.  The funny party is that Bennett actually beat Ashton today.  Totally coincidental but funny.

Cant believe that in just 1 short month, I will have a one year old!  Craziness!

I love you more each and every day Bennett.

Tis the Season

Another great Christmas is in the books.

*** Warning- this is one of those absurdly picture heavy posts!!!

We left Sunday morning to head to Chad's parents house.  His mom asked the boys to be apart of their church's cantata. The boys and Charlee made up half of the choir.  They were really funny.  Shepherd was especially a hoot.  I have a video of it but it will take too long to put on here.

the kids singing

Bennett got the munchies during the music program

Sunday evening was a get together for my mother in law's side of the family.  Her mom passed away this year so the family met at Chad's parents home.  It was a really good time.  I think we all enjoyed the the group that was there.  There were probably 14 adults, 5 teenagers, and around 10 kids.  So a lot of people!

most of the kids/ teens at the Wood get together

Hunter, Ashton, Shepherd, and even Charlee slept downstairs on the new couches.  Love this picture... can you find them all?

4 passed out kids

Monday we opened presents from Papa Hub and Grandma and for the cousins and then went to Aunt Sandee's house for the next get together with Aunt Joan and her family.

presents from PapaHub and Grandma

Aunt Sandee and Uncle Tommy

PapaHub and Grandma

"Thanks PapaHub and Grandma, I love my toy!"

Get together #2 at Sandee's house

Tuesday, Christmas Eve, was the Gravely family lunch.  Another large group and yummy food.  After the Gravely get together, we packed up and drove to my mom and dads.  We hit the Christmas Eve service at their church.

Get together #3 at "the building"

Some more of the group

grabbed a quick cousin shot.... need to edit the tree branch out of Hunt's face :)  but overall a really cute shot

The reward for being so good.... a silly shot.  Love how Shep is eating Charlee's hand.  such a weirdo

precious boy.... these were my overalls when I was a baby!  They fit him perfeclty

Christmas morning.  The kids got up, we ate breakfast, they mentioned opening presents but then ran downstairs to play with their cousins.  It was every bit of 10 oclock before we opened presents.  Though they loved presents, we were all proud of them for valuing time together over the gifts.  Christmas night, after the kids were in bed, we did a draft for the items we want when mom and dad die.  Morbid or smart?!?!  haha. So, it is officially in the will where the big ticket items go.

Cousins... the other half.  Another cute picture.  Gotta to say, I am quite happy that both cousin pics turned out so cute!!!

The WHOLE gang... even all 4 dogs made it in the picture.  Keep in mind that Eddie and Riggs dont like one another. 

Manly men... haha

If that is just not the most beautiful baby girl! 

The boys slept in the tent both nights.  Mantis is telling them Bible/ ghost stories.

Riggs making himself at home.  He is spending 5 days with us while his pa is skiing.

Baby cousins in matchy jammies.

Bennett's first Christmas. 

H and A peek a booing with Essie

The boys all playing baseball

Ashton with his pretty swing

One of the prettiest pictures... deliecious piece of meat!  Those that know me know the key to my heart is through food! 

 Perhaps the happiest moment for me is when Hunter and Owen got the other boys together to put on a Christmas play.  This made me so happy because for at least 10 years, I organized... bossed my brothers around... my family Christmas play.
For a first attempt, it was really cute (AKA- funny).

The opening song

We decided to show the little ones how it was done and brought back our memorable dance performance of "Hip Hop Noel."  This was our ending number of lifting Nolan in the air.... he was MUCH smaller back then.

Some of the audience

Zach finished up by reading "Belusky's Christmas" which was his annual thing he did every year.

Wonderful memories were made!

The 26th, we were all pretty much out of the house by 12.  

We all had a beautiful Christmas.  Bennett has been a bit of a bear the past week... ear infection or teething or a cold?  He didnt sleep really well but hopefully will get back into his sweet little groove now that we are back home.  The boys made out like bandits this year.  From a  new playground (courtesy of the grandparents), to a trampoline, to a hammock, walkie talkies, games, toys, clothes.  They did all right for themselves.
Thanks to our family's for everything.

Most importantly, Happy Birthday to the Savior!

Christmas Cards

Christmas time has begun!  We have a few packed days so I this will be the last post for a few.  I hope you have an amazing Christmas celebrating the Savior!

I thought I would share our Christmas card this year.  I did it the super cheap way which meant we actually had 3 different card types this year.  When I saw a company offering free cards, I would order the minimum. 

We didnt send out nearly as many cards this year since 1) couldnt find my address book and 2) since we moved, I was waiting to see how many we got (is that petty?  haha).  Turns out... we didnt get many. Guess that shows how high up on people's Christmas card chain we fall.

Shutterfly (cardstock/ front and back).  Got 10 cards for free... shipping was $6.

Ol Wal Mart came through pretty good on these.  It is on photo paper and there is some light streaking in the boys pictures (especially Bennett's), but thought it was a fun card and was happy with it.  Cant remember how much I paid... it wasnt much.

Mixbook (cardstock/ front and back).  10 free... under $5 in shipping.

Anyway, I think they all turned out super cute.  Love these little guys and big guy and little Molly.

 
Merry Christmas from all of us!!!

And just a bonus picture.  Chad's "silly" face cracks me up.

Weekend Visitors

I wish I would have done a better job of recording our visitors this past Sunday.  Zach, Anna and the kids came down after church.  The boys played and played.  I did not take a single picture... guilt.

Then an hour after Zach and his crew left, one of my best friends came to visit.  I am so excited that she and her family are moving to SC!!!  Not only that but they are going to be close to my parents so we will see eachother much more often.  I also got to meet their newest addition.  Little, or should I say BIG, baby Seth.  He is just precious.  The boys had a great time getting reacquainted.  Liv and I just picked where we left off like we always do.
So excited for this family as Matt starts a new pastor roll and Olivia gets to do the stay at home mom thing.

As they were packing up, I thought.,.... picture!   So, one picture from both get togethers. Good thing it is adorable... and totally filled up with little boys!

Adorable.  Hunter always has to hold the smallest baby in the shot.  The price of always being the oldest. And, yes, I realize it is December and Shepherd is without a shirt on.  Loss for words. Just a loss for words. And, Ashton looks like he is up to no good.  And, look at Bennett's little hand on Seth's hand.  Ah, so precious!

It was great visiting with family and friends.  So many kids running around! Thanks for coming "A" and "T" family!!!

I Love to Laugh

Nothing sweeter than a baby laugh.

Bennett has always been more on the serious side.  Of course he smiles and laughs but he rarely just lets go.

Well, Hunter had him rolling in the bathtub last night. 

Sidenote: (It might be borderline inappropriate to post a video of Hunter in the tub... but nothing shows... for him or Bennett. Just sayin'. Also, just sayin' this will probably be the last picture/ video of Hunter and a bathtub.  :)

In a Flash... He is 8!

My little Hunter bug is 8. 

Hunter, you are a gem.  You are definitely turning into a little man.  I see you growing up right in front of me and it makes me smile knowing that you are turning out so wonderfully!

How did you get so big? Another 8 years and you will be driving!  Yikes!

You are doing really good in school.  A's and B's with ease. You love to learn new things.   It seems like every couple weeks you have a new fascination that you will sit down and research on the computer.  From snakes to weather disasters to planets, you are so curious.

opening the big present

Though you are social and enjoy having friends, you are loner.  You love to be in your own little world of imagination.   Thankfully, you are starting to like tv shows with real people... you know the corny ones on Disney... Jesse, Dog with a Blog, etc.  I happen to like the corny shows too... especially compared to cartoon stuff.

 You are proving to have streaks of sarcasm and are understanding sarcasm.  You can laugh at yourself which is such an important life skill.

You are a huge help with your brothers especially Bennett.  B just adores you.  From giving his a bottle to getting him out of his carseat and bringing him inside to getting him out of bed in the morning to sitting in the bathtub with im, I am amazed at how you take care of him.  You seem so much older than Ashton and Shepherd and I sometimes I think I push you too much but you seem to handle it well.

feeding Bennett

I am so proud of you.  I love knowing that Jesus has claimed you as His.  He has you protected.

Happy Birthday Hunter.  I love you 1000000 times over.

Mom

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It rained poured practically all day today.  Of course, right when we got up, Ashton and Shep insist that Hunter opens his presents. 

Love this picture. Hunter trying not laugh and Ashton in his typical all out laugh... and of course there is Molly too. :)

Though he is not out of the toy section, I am seeing a slight shift in things that interest him.  The only real "toy" he got was Lego Ninjago kit.(which took far too much of my morning to build).  His big present was a tent.  He also got a Wii remote, an adventure kit (binoculars, compass, flashlight) and a new shirt).  Mantis and Queenie got him a bug book and money. He also got some cash from GrandmaDean and Uncle Nolan. Everything was a big hit.

money from Queenie and Mantis

 
We then went to the movies and saw Frozen.  Chad and Bennett went shopping. The older three and I really enjoyed the movie.  Next, we ran over to GrandmaDeans to visit for a bit and then back home for Hunter's bday dinner of Pizza Hut with some cupcakes :) Chad and Hunter then went to see the high school Christmas program which they both really enjoyed.

Blowing out the candles

 It was fun day with just our family.
Again, Happy Birthday Hunter.  You make this family better and we love you!