2008 Winding Down

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Caleb playing Santa.

This is the way he dresses when we go walking in the cold and he can sit in the stroller (meaning there isn't snow all over the roads and sidewalks).

This is one of the first times he held onto something. I was brushing it into his face, making not-very-ferocious roaring noises and he grabbed on and (of course) tried to eat it.

This is one of the first times he didn't get massively upset to be on his stomach and, in fact, looked very peaceful and pleasant.

This is after one-too-many pictures, I guess.

These are our walking buddies Libby and her munchkin (known fondly as "the Frog"). Libby and her husband introduced us to the game Arkham Horror (which Patrick bought with his Christmas money).

This is when Mom discovered a hat that Grandma Taylor gave us and thought it would be good for a photo shoot. It would have worked better if I'd moved the blanket-- this is a hat that can definitely stand on its own.

Our son is already a better citizen than we are: he's keeping up on the news. (Actually, Patrick does a pretty good job in this area; I could use some improvement -- ah hem new year's resolution #1.)

This is a sleeper from Grandma Billie.

This is how we bundle up to go walking when I carry him. Believe me, we stay pretty warm.

I really just love this picture. He looks so curious.

Our very own "Santa baby."

Intently opening his present from his great-grandma Billie on Christmas morning.

And here they are for his playing pleasure. I love them and he loves some of them now and will love the rest very soon, I think.

After my first year of blogging, I just want to say that we've had a good year and been very blessed. Two graduations and a baby -- really, we couldn't have asked for more. And 2009 is looking very hopeful and exciting too. Huzzah for living!

Life, the Universe, and Everything

Recently, I turned twenty-three years old and just before that we celebrated Thanksgiving and right around that time a friend of mine gave birth to a baby and soon we will be celebrating Christmas. All of these have given me reason to reflect on my life and on the world in general.

Specifically, seeing my friend after she'd given birth gave me pause. She and the baby are both doing well and they both looked great, but she had just given birth a few days before I saw her, so she looked like I felt two/three months ago--tired, sore, proud, and a host of other things along with those easily labeled feelings. Seeing her in the very earliest stages of motherhood made me realize that I made it! I sort of felt that when I wrote during my last entry, but seeing her really drove that home. Patrick's aunt told me that it would happen. She said soon after she got one of her children (she adopted both of them), she wondered how she'd ever manage, but then months later she was working and a woman walked in with a newborn and the woman just looked exhausted and Pattie said, "I realized I'd made it!" And that's just exactly how I felt seeing my friend.

Looking back, I really feel that the first month or two will never be as fun and pleasant to me as the point we're at now. I almost said it won't be as "precious," but that's hardly true. That first little bit isn't something I would trade for anything. Although giving birth is exhausting (even with an epidural) it's an enormous event that I wouldn't want to replace. And the sleepless nights and the heightened emotional state are draining but the sacrifice is binding. That first bit almost constitutes a mother's contract: "By getting up every two hours or more, by working through my hormone imbalances, by devoting my energy, time, talents, and emotions to you without reservation, I hereby pledge to love you, my child, for all eternity." And besides the things I put into it, I loved his expressions that were so fresh and unstudied. I loved watching him smile even before he was at all conscious of doing it. I loved introducing him to things and knowing it was the first time he'd ever been fed, the first time he'd ever been in a car, the first time he'd ever been on a walk. There are a lot of things to love about the first two months-- a lot of things to cherish.

That being said, I think it's easier to enjoy the period I'm in now while I'm in it. Of course I did have good experiences that I recognized as good experiences in those first two months, but I realized I wasn't having a lot of fun. And I hated that people kept telling me to enjoy the period because I didn't feel like I particularly was and that made me feel like a bad mother. Now he smiles so often and has even started to laugh, and he sleeps much better and I get more sleep so it's easier to enjoy live and feel like a capable proud parent. And I am (proud at least and still working on capable)! I basically think I have the most darling, best baby in the world.

Around this time of thanksgiving and reflection, I am most grateful for the Savior, the Gospel, and my family, especially my wonderful husband and sweet baby, though all our family is fantastic, good, and kind. Having these things in my life makes me feel infinitely, almost unfairly rich. I hope that I can live my life in a way to give back to the Lord and to other people, so that He knows that I have some comprehension of how blessed I am. More than any other time in my life, I feel those blessings abundantly, and I just wanted to share that with all of our devoted (and not so devoted) readers.

Probably Too Much Information

Here for your enjoyment, a review of the last few weeks of our lives, mostly in pictures.

Caleb dressed for church in a cute sweater from Grandma. Isn't he starting to look so old? He'll soon be three months.

He has a red Mickey Mouse outfit like this, and this is his blue Tigger outfit. I just think they are both super cute. I got them at Walmart so he would have a few long pants, long shirt outfits.

This is Cosette studying Caleb. Actually, the cutest thing ever was something I didn't get on camera. He was sitting in his carseat and she would sidle over from behind his carseat and look so excited to see him and then she would scoot back behind and then sidle in front again. I think she was playing peek-a-boo, but she did it without any prompting from the adults; we were all sitting at the table talking when we noticed her doing it.

Patrick and I play backgammon with almost every meal. We thought it was about time Caleb learned how to play, so Patrick's teaching him.

Patrick eating the baby?

This year we did dinner with Dan and Michelle. Michelle is preparing an excellent vegetable dish with all sorts of vegetables I'd never tried. For instance-- brussel sprouts, really quite good when well prepared. Who knew!

Cosette munching while she waits for Thanksgiving dinner to be ready.

Daniel putting the turkey in the oil so we can fry it.

Everyone worrying about whether it will boil over or be okay. With good reason. However, it all turned out delicious and safe.

Cosette taking a pre-Thanksgiving dinner nap. Gotta get ready for the festivities.

Caleb waking up from his pre-Thanksgiving dinner nap.

Our little family on my birthday.

And again-- lit by candles this time-- Twenty-three of them!

And Caleb in his super-cute "Little builder" overall outfit.