Post Christmas, Pre New Years

Anderson got to see even more family after Christmas!  Aunt Carrie and Uncle Chris came over to open presents with him.  They got him some beach wear from Hawaii.  He is going to be ready for Summer and days out by the pool.  They also played with his stacking cups with him.  They built towers, counted, and stacked as Anderson knocked them down and put them in his mouth.

Aunt Jackie also came to visit.  She got Anderson the cutest onesie that says, "Ladies Love Me".  It's so true!  Hehe!  He bounced with Aunt Jackie and smiled with her until it was time to go to bed.  Then, Aunt Jackie stayed to watch the Belk Bowl.  Good visit, good game, unfortunate ending score.

Anderson has become very taken with Nala, our dog.  He wants nothing more than to love on her and pull all of her fur out and eat it.  Nala is so good with him and lets him pull on her face and bat at her with his hands.  We are so lucky to have such a sweet and docile dog.

Maybe Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more

Anderson's first Christmas was AMAZING!  We had such a good time watching him open gifts and play in new ways.  We started our Christmas adventure at Grandpa Ed and Grandma Ellen's house.  Anderson got to spend the day with cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents.  Anderson had a great time playing with all of Lily's toys and then had to take a quick car ride to get a good nap in.

Our next stop was at Great Grandma Garrett's!  Aunt Cyndi and Grammy fed Anderson (and got a little on Aunt Cyndi's dress, although I believe Anderson got out clean as a whistle).  He opened presents and got to spend time with his aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents.  Hannah and Caroline were so sweet with him!  They hugged on him and smiled with him and helped him open his gifts.  They will make fantastic big sisters soon!

Our next stop was at Nana's house!  We went over there and Anderson spent time with aunts, uncles, and grandparents.

At one point, he was in his bouncer seat and Richard was playing with his keys.  He would dangle them front his finger, scoop them up, and then let them hang openly from his finger again.  He did this over and over again right in front of Anderson.  Anderson thought it was fantastic and gave us his first real cackling laugh!  It brought tears to my eyes and I have decided that that was the most beautiful sound I have ever heard.  It made my heart warm and I hope to never forget that moment.
Anderson was very fortunate at this stop as well.  His family was so generous and he had fun passing out the presents (after all, he is the youngest).

Our next stop was Grammy and Granddaddy's!  Anderson was very taken with his reindeer headband and his toothbrush in his stocking.

He was a little bummed that he couldn't have monkey bread, but he was very happy to hang out with his cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents.  Justin was obviously super excited to be the one to hold Anderson (hehe)!

He also enjoyed getting to just hang out with Grammy and Granddaddy and roll around on the floor.

Our next stop was Grandma and Grandpa's!  Anderson was so excited to hang out with Lily and his aunts, uncles, and grandparents.  He got to eat his Christmas lunch and play with his toys and some dogs...that is a good day!

On Christmas night, we went to The Fallon's house and spent time with Anderson's aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents!  He also got his giraffe painting for his nursery!  It is beautiful!  His favorite part was probably Whitney's hat.  It sang and danced on top of her head and he watched intently.  If he is a hat designer, we will look back at this event and know the origin for that lifestyle.

Our final stop was back at Grammy's and Granddaddy's for the Hohman get together.  Anderson got to spend more time with aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents.  Although he refused to nap, he enjoyed the singing and dancing dog and bear that Grammy keeps around and attracted quite a crowd.  He seems to have that affect on people.  He also loved looking at the tree ornaments with Granddaddy.  I feel a tradition coming on.

It was a truly amazing Christmas and we are so blessed to have the family that we do.  Anderson has no idea how fortunate and loved he is, but he will and will relish in the fact that so many people care for him.  Happy Holidays!

Leading up to the first Christmas

I am so thankful to have a job that allows me two weeks of stay-at-home-mommyhood during the holidays.  I have so enjoyed my time with Anderson and Richard and I truly cannot believe how fast the time flies!  Our break started off with a lot of time with friends and family, which was very enjoyable.  Anderson absolutely loved the Christmas tree and is going to be very disappointed when every place we go doesn't have a lit tree in their lobbies.  He also thought that he was responsible for opening (and taste-testing) all the gifts under our tree.  It's a dirty job, but somebody has to do it.

We were fortunate enough to be invited to the Hohman cousin dinner so that everyone could meet Anderson.  We went to a restaurant called Simply Thai.  Richard went in with a negative attitude towards the food as they did not serve cheeseburgers, chicken tenders, or spaghetti and decided that he was not going to eat.  As the night wore on, I suppose he got hungry or felt as though he needed some adventure in his life and ordered Pad Thai and friend rice.  The result...true love.  He is itching to eat there again and feels that this is something he has truly been missing his whole life.  Anderson didn't get to enjoy the food, but he did enjoy getting to know some of his cousins!

The following Friday, Dec. 23, we went to the Whitley's house for a Christmas Eve Eve high school reunion brunch.  We had a lot of fun catching up and comparing stories.  It is so funny how little, and how much, everyone has changed.  The company and the food were both wonderful!  Anderson made some new friends and, of course, loved seeing his dear friend Chase again!

Unfortunately, on Christmas Eve morning, the Parrott family woke up to 3 inches of water in the basement.  That's right, our sump pump stopped working and a good majority of our belongings that were being stored in the basement have found their way to the garbage can.  Luckily, Richard and Tommy jumped into action and were able to get the situation under control before it got too out of hand.  Anderson was none the wiser.  He just thought it was great that Grandma and Grandpa came to visit him.

Overall, the break started off pretty well, and we are thankful that it was just a sump pump problem in the basement.  We are so lucky to have such wonderful family and friends!

SANTA! I KNOW HIM!!!

Well, I must say that I was skeptical of daycare in the beginning.  I wanted Anderson to get the same care that he would get during the day as he would if I were home with him.  I used to think that was enough.  Now that he has been at daycare for several months, I realize he is getting more.  His teachers are amazing!  He LOVES Ms. Bonnie and Ms. Mallory and has already made friends.  So, when we found out that Santa was coming to visit Anderson on Friday, December 16th, we went all out.  We put him in his Christmas best and he sat, ready to meet the man himself.

When Richard and I got off work, we went to the daycare to be there to witness this first for our son.  I so enjoyed spending time with him and the wonderful women to spend the day with him.  He ate a bottle (because everyone knows you can't meet Santa on an empty stomach), played with some Christmas decorations, and hung out with Mom and Dad.

Finally, Santa came...what a treat!  Anderson was not real sure what to think at first, but I feel strongly that he smiled and laughed internally (after all, he had to maintain his dignity).  Santa was fantastic with Anderson and was so kind.  I am so glad that we got that opportunity to be a part of Anderson's first meeting with Santa in a place where he felt comfortable and loved.

The Life of a Parent

The weekend of December 10th may have been the strangest parenting weekend I have experienced yet.  It started on Saturday morning when something woke me up.  It was still dark so I looked at my clock wanting to make sure I had turned off my alarm.  I obviously had because it was 6:15, which is later than I wake up for work.  I automatically looked at Anderson's monitor to make sure he was okay (new motherly instinct, I suppose) and he wasn't there.

 In the strangeness of this early morning moment, I knew that someone had come in and stolen my baby.  I hopped out of bed as though there were a snake in my bed and ran across the hall to Anderson's room.  He had, somehow maneuvered himself to the edge of his bed, on his belly, with his arm hanging over the side through the slats.  The camera was looking over him at nothing.

Once I could breathe again, I took these pictures and then went back to bed.

On Sunday of that same weekend, I was cutting Anderson's toenails (by the way, his nails grow faster than anything I have ever seen).  I bent down so I could see them and started with his big toe.  I got close so I could see it, lined up the clippers, and "clip".  The next thing I know, the toenail clipping is hopping into my eyeball.  I cupped my hand over my eye and reflected on what just happened.  It was about that moment that Richard peeked through from the kitchen and asked if I was okay.  I immediately stated that I had a toenail in my eye.  He came over and we worked together to remove it.  When I looked at it, I was amazed that a toenail clipping that size would fit in someone's eye.  I kept myself from taking a picture of this event, because I was not sure I could look at it again, but it is definitely something I want to remember...crazy!  Richard asked me if I wanted him to get me a pair of goggles so I could finish the rest. I laughed and sent him back to what he had been doing, but as I finished, I got close so I could see, lined up the clippers, turned my head, and then clipped.

Fun With Friends

The other night, we went to the Scholastic Book Warehouse Sale on Shelbyville Road.  Besides spending $50 on $120 worth of books, we got to spend time with Jen and Oliver.  Oliver is one of Anderson's favorite people and it shows in this picture of him trying to hold Oliver's hand.  Oliver is also a lover and holds Anderson's hand and plays footsie!  I love seeing them interact together and wonder what they must be thinking about their crazy parents.

I would like to point out that Richard was a champ holding both of these boys at a time.  He was holding Anderson and Oliver ran up to him and held his leg wanting to be picked up.  So, he picked him up and let the boys play on him as though he were a jungle gym.  I'm so lucky!

A couple nights after that, we went to the old Beards building in Crestwood and worked to sort food for the food baskets for the needy in Oldham County.  The fifth grade students of Goshen Elementary were invited and Anderson had a blast with all the attention they gave him.  He also kept eyeing the cans and felt they really needed to be in his mouth.  I am pretty sure he would have tested out each of them had we given him the opportunity.  Henry was also kind enough to stop sorting for a moment in order to get a photo with APP!

I believe this will be a family tradition of ours.  I want so badly for Anderson to have everything and live a wonderful life, but I also firmly believe that he should know what it means to give.  We may not have a whole mound of money to give, but we do have time and we can donate that to make a difference.

Light Up La Grange

On Friday, December 2, we went to Light Up La Grange with the St. Louis family!  We had a blast!  Anderson loved the lights and got to show off his monster hat (one of my favorites).

The lights around the trees lit up with the music as it played and we all had a blast.  Richard did end up having to interrupt the fireman's ball when Anderson got hungry and we needed water for his cereal, but isn't that really what firefighters are there for...to share water with those in need in the community.  We ran into several friends there and got to spend a nice evening outside.

I have realized that, as I worry more about taking care of Anderson, I worry less about myself.  I ended up forgetting my jacket and had to borrow Jen's.  Thank the heavens above that she had an extra one in her car.  Perhaps I should keep an extra one in my car just in case.  You would think that since I married an Eagle Scout, he wouldn't let me forget things like that, but I guess we can't expect them all to "be prepared".  Thanks Jen!

Mmmm...cereal!

Anderson has tried a couple foods since our last attempt and has enjoyed each and every one.  Avocado is still his only dislike.  He enjoys sweet potatoes, pears, and peas (after feeding him peas several times, I dreamed about them, so we are taking a short break from those).  He is also a big fan of oatmeal, which used to be in the green bowl pictured below. 

Obviously, he has quite a relationship with this single grain cereal and knows how to get it straight from the source.  This kid keeps us laughing constantly!

High Chair + Sitting in the Bathtub = Big Kid

Anderson ate his dinner in his new high chair tonight!  He did so well with it!  He seemed to feel like a big kid and really enjoyed the taste of the straps on the chair.  He was not, however, as taken with the taste of avocado.  That's right...we found a food that Anderson doesn't like!  Gasp!  I know, it doesn't seem likely, but the picture says it all.

We would put a bite of it in his mouth and he would make a face like we had just fed him pine needles.  He would move it around in his mouth - back and forth - perhaps thinking it would taste better on a different side.  He did swallow the avocado, but he did not seem to trust the spoonful of food after an avocado bite.  We will try again tomorrow (who knows - maybe his taste buds will mature within the next 24 hours).  As of now, Richard has plans to add some salsa to whatever is left and make it into guacamole for himself.  I think that would be just fine with Anderson!

Anderson also sat like a big kid in the bathtub tonight.  He played around and tried to grab at his tub seat to pull it into his tub to chew on.  When we presented him with smaller bath toys, he chased those around the tub as well.  Once he finally caught one, straight into his mouth it went until he dropped it and had to chase it again.  He was so much fun to watch!
He is learning so many new things each and everyday and I am so glad that I get to be a part of it.

Thanksgiving and Such

Well, in an attempt to not blog every single night, I got carried away and have not blogged in nearly a week.  The following is what we have been up to.

Anderson recently began eating butternut squash.  It is his new favorite (I feel that may be the case for every new food he tries) and it is messy and stains the child orange.  It is a very good thing that he looks nice in fall colors.

He also started eating apples.  The first couple tastes gave him the sour-food-shivers, but that didn't stop our little trooper.  He bulldozed right through that obstacle and ate all of them!  I like feeding him apples because the mess is difficult to see and it looks as though I am really good at being a neat and tidy mom.  Ha!
Before Thanksgiving, we did a bit of shopping with Aunt Janice and tried on a Santa hat.  I believe it went over well!  He has the build for it.  Perhaps we should have named him (St.) Nicholas? Or Chris (Kringle) perhaps?  Oh well.  He seemed to not hate it as much as other hats we have tried so I have my fingers crossed that it holds in some heat.

On Thanksgiving, we went to Granddaddy and Grammy's house for lunch and Tommy and Bubby's house for dinner.  We found out at Bubby's that the nut doesn't fall too far from the tree.

That's right, that is a Diet Coke can in my son's hand and he is definitely working to get into it.  I LOVE IT!  Besides the Diet Coke, he mainly slept.  He took a 3 hour nap at Granddaddy and Grammy's, so everyone in that family believes that is all he does.  He then proceeded to take a 2 hour nap at Bubby's, only to wake up, go home, and go to bed.  Could it be...another growth spurt?  Oh my!  This child grows faster than...something that grows really fast!
I cannot believe he will be 6 months old in just a couple of days!  He is truly a blessing to us and I couldn't be happier about being his mom.  I genuinely believe he was chosen just for Richard and me!  Love this kid!

Toothy McTootherson

That's right...Anderson cut his first tooth today.  You can kind of see it peeking through between his grin.

It is his right bottom incisor (I only know this because the baby book has a diagram)!  It hasn't come in all the way yet, but it has broken through his gums.  I wonder if this will affect his thumb-sucking experience.  Poor kid...we have been messing with it all night.  We keep feeling it as though it might disappear.

We were not expecting its arrival as he has not been a fussy, snot-nosed, drooling, poopy mess, but I am absolutely not complaining.  I attribute it to his fascination with his feet because he has not even had time to think about the happenings in his mouth.

This seems like such a big milestone.  I feel like this means he is getting so big and I am feeling torn.  I am excited about this new big event, but I am not sure I am ready for this yet.  It seems to be going by so fast.  I really like this stage and I am not ready to let go of it yet.  At the same time, I am so thrilled to get to watch him grow and develop.  Parenthood is such a fickle experience!

Rice Cereal

Well, we officially started rice cereal with Anderson two weeks ago (Oct. 28) and it has been hilarious to watch him with this new endeavor.

At first, we would put a spoonful in his mouth and it would seem that two spoonfuls would empty onto his bib (or his leg, or his mom or dad).  Then, on November 4, when he turned 5 months, he officially decided that he could feed himself, so he would grab the spoon from us and chew on it.  This, as you can probably imagine, resulted in rice cereal all over the place because it was on Anderson's hands.  Now, he seems to be "chasing" the rice cereal with his fingers and thumb.  After he eats it, he seems to want suck on his thumb or fingers.  I am not sure exactly what purpose this serves, but it is obviously a very important one.

Tonight, we are trying bananas for the first time (his first real person food, as I do not consider rice cereal an acceptable choice for anyone over the age of one).  We are so excited to see what he will do with them and we hope he is a fan of the vitamin-packed banana!

Halloween 10-31-11 (sort of)

I am going to start by giving an excuse as to why I did not post this on Halloween night...I had not yet started this blog.  I have been inspired by Danielle, Jackie, and Jen to start a blog so that my feeble mind does not forget the wonderful events I am experiencing right now.  Anderson is 5 months old and is doing so much.  I will start with Halloween.


Anderson dressed up as a peanut for Halloween because Richard and I often lovingly call him "The Peanut".  My mom (aka Nana) made the peanut costume and we just loved it.  It was a big hit at the Westport Road Church of Christ Fall Festival as many people commented on how cute he was.  That was actually not on Halloween, but the Sunday before (Oct. 30).

On Halloween night, Anderson's cousin Lily and his Bubby came over to help hand out candy.  Anderson and Lily were so cute!  We put them down next to each other to see how they would interact and Anderson began talking to Lily and trying to hold her hand.  We had such a good time and we are so glad we got to share that night with Aunt Janice, Bubby, and Lily.
Happy Halloween!