First Christmas

Grady sitting in his gift from Santa.

The week of Christmas flew by with lightening speed.   We celebrated three times over with my dad, my mom, and our little family of four.  It went a little like this:

We watched a lot of football and Bella and Grady were both subjected to wearing their Bronco attire one last time.  The little outfit that Grady was swimming in just months ago wouldn't even snap! 

We spent a day celebrating with my dad and Robin, stepbrother, and all the kids, including my dad's youngest kid Shada, the dog who destroyed all of her Christmas toys in a matter of seconds.

Grady's got loved on by both of his cousins. I see a future babysitter in this one, she is quite the baby whisperer.

We had a very special visit with Grady's Great Grandma Jean.  It is a big deal for her to travel down to Boise and we were so grateful to be able to spend part of Christmas Eve afternoon with her.  What a lucky boy to get some loving by his sweet sweet Great Grandma. 

We attended church and Grady put on his best church behavior yet (phew!) sleeping through most of the service, but waking up to stare at all the candles during the traditional final song of our church service, Silent Night. 

We then had a great Christmas dinner complete with new cocktail recipes (thanks Whitfields!).   

Christmas morning was spent unstuffing stockings, stuffing our faces, unwrapping gifts, finding out how impossibly difficult it is to remove children's toys from their packaging, playing with new toys, a crisp walk, and just a wonderful day of nothing. 

Grady loved ripping the paper.

My cute little bear.

Meeting the reindeer.

Wearing the last outfit that we used to tell our parents we were pregnant last year.

Somebody is good in the toy category for awhile!

Let the Feast Begin

It was a big day in the Johnson household yesterday.  Grady got his first taste of "food". That is, if you count very watery oatmeal Gerber cereal as food.  It was so much fun to put him in his highchair and watch him as he went from spitting every ounce out to slurping every last drop from the spoon once he realized he liked it.  He can be a finicky eater so I was so happy that it only took one sitting to have him come around to liking his first food.

Here are the semi-gross, but still adorable photos.  It is amazing to me how he instantly looks so much more grown up when sitting in a highchair. 

Lets get this party started! 

The "not sure about this" stage.

 "I like it, I really like it!"

"Can I get any more of that stuff off of this thing?"

And because I cannot resist the cuteness, a picture of my adoring boys. 

Santa Claus and Santa Paws

Looking alive and ready to meet Santa. 

Santa, aren't we supposed to be able to count on you smiling at the camera??

It'll do!  Merry Christmas!

Translation, "you woke me up from my nap for this!" 

Santa Paws and our more cooperative child!

G & P Come to Boise

Grandma and Papa made a stop in town this week to celebrate a little of the Christmas season.  It was a weekend with touches of Christmas throughout, but without the craziness that the last few days before Christmas can bring.  In other words, it was perfect.  We went to the Idaho Botanical Garden for "Winter Garden a Glow" and were blown away by the lights, model trains, choirs, fires, and Christmas spirit throughout.  It was cold, but it was beautiful.  We saw Santa Paws earlier in the day (picture to come), but skipped Santa Claus there due to a long and cold line. We drove around and looked at a few Christmas lights.  We enjoyed Christmas music every day in the house and in the car. We attended a great church service. Papa topped off the weekend by getting in his first reading of the Polar Express to Grady.  With our little sprinkles of Christmas celebration here and there, I think that we very successfully completed the Christmas opening ceremonies. 

We filled the rest of our weekend by eating, drinking, watching football, visiting with Aunt Julie and Uncle Steve, playing games, taking naps and soaking up all the time that we had together.  Thanks to two grandparents who are willing to forgo their own meal to tend to a fussy baby, we even got two nice dinners in.

In light of the unthinkable, tragic news out of Newtown, CT, these times together seem to take on just that much more meaning.  I endeavor to be thankful for every laugh together, every goodnight kiss, every moment that has been given to us to enjoy this wonderful time of year. 

Maybe in part in an effort to just be in the moment together, I took a break from annoying every family member with a camera in their face every five seconds and just enjoyed my time with them.  I would love to have a picture of Papa reading the Polar Express to Grady for the first time, but it was also nice to just sit there with Papa in the rocking chair and Chris, Grandma, Grady, Bella and I sprawled across the floor listening, enjoying, and just being together.   

I did break out the camera for the night at the Botanical Garden, although pictures just cannot do it justice.  A big thanks to Grandma and Papa for coming to visit us during this busy time of year!

Probably the only time in my life I have seen Kim in a hat.  We forced it on her.

Looking cold.

Grady was there and probably warmer than anyone. 

Would you believe it if I told you that this coordinating sweater threesome was not planned?  I cannot get enough of these Johnson boys. 

Chris, Grady and I celebrated my birthday last night with a visit to the indoor Santa (picture to come), take out from Cheesecake Factory and a warm cozy night at home. I did the birthday thing right by scheduling Grady's Dr. apt. for yesterday afternoon so I was conveniently able to leave the office at 2:00.  Grady's 4 month (yes, he is actually 4.5 months) check-up was great.  He is 14.5 pounds (17%), 26.3 inches long (75%), and a healthy little man, which is all we can ask for.  I think it is safe to say that he still sits in the long and skinny camp.  Grady was on his best behavior from the moment I got home yesterday, which was the best gift of all. Thanks to my boys and for everyone else for making me feel special on my birthday, even if I have to put up with signs like these :)

One Word Wednesday

I do realize this picture is on social media overload, but I cannot help myself.

Wrap him up....

And put him under the tree!

(This was the outfit that we wrapped up for Chris's parents last year to tell them that a baby was on the way.  So fun that he is here and wearing it a year later!)

Grady: 4 months (a little late)

 G-Money brought in his four month celebration with a bang!  He contracted Croup and spent the afternoon of his actual 4 month birthday at the Dr.'s office.  The poor kid picked up a little cough on our last day in Maui and eventually turned into a hot mess shortly after we arrived home.  I spent my last week at home cuddling with him during the day and even spent a few nights cuddling with him as well (like holding him all night, awesome stuff).  Gone were the peaceful nights of 12 hours of sleep. It was so sad seeing him sick. It was also a little rough timing with me going back to work. Two weeks later, I can say that although he is not at 100%, Grady is feeling much better.  Other than the little sick detour, Grady has been so much fun these past few weeks.  He is definitely moving past the "just lay there like a loaf of bread" baby stage and we are loving it.

Our wonderful nanny and some extra help from my mom made my transition back to work this week a good one.  We are feeling so lucky to have found such a loving person for Grady to spend his days with.  It made going back to work so much easier. 

Grady 4 month tid bits:

• His official weight was 13 pounds 10 ounces at 4 months.  Sadly we only knew this because we took him in to the Dr. because he started to refuse to eat when he was really down and out with Croup.
• He is a babbling machine! I was a little worried because he wasn't much of a talker before, but now you cannot stop the weird and hilarious sounds coming out of this kid's mouth.  
• He learned to roll over from tummy to back. It is so fun to watch him do it.  
• Rolling from back to tummy is not far behind because he can already make it to his side.
• Tummy time is no longer a huge battle. He finally likes, or at least tolerates, it. 
• Peek-a-Boo is a house favorite. Grady thinks it is hilarious.
• He likes toys and can pick them up and pass them back and forth from hand to hand.
• He found his toes. He reaches for his little feet when he gets his diaper changed now. (He also reaches for his manhood, why oh why are all boys alike?!)
• He is fascinated with Christmas lights and our stockings.
• The drool officially arrived this month.  Everyone thinks he is teething due to the sheer volume of drool.
• He is officially in the "I want to put that in my mouth stage" with everything he can get his hands on and if you get a hand near him he will pull your fingers in and leave you covered in his drool.
• He has learned to whine.  We don't know if this is a good thing, but I guess it is an improvement over crying when he is unhappy. 
• He loves to stand holding on the back of the couch to look at the tree or whatever is going on in the kitchen.  
• He is in 6 month clothes and outgrowing things before I even know he is big enough to get in them!

"Get into my belly!"

Poor sickie :(

 He is looking more grown up every day. 

Wish I looked this cute in my sweats. 

His attempt at rolling from back to tummy, I feel like it is a matter of days until he gets it.

Happy boy!

 Growing boy!

2 weeks

2 months

4 months