10 Months!

I feel like I just wrote about Shawn turning 9 months, and now he's already 10 months. Seriously, where is the time going? In two months he'll have his first birthday. What?? Last week he started walking a little. He still prefers crawling as his main form of transportation, but he can walk short distances. We bribe him with food when we want him to do it. That's what good parents do, right? Ha. He is trying more and more foods and he likes most of what we give him. Except Cheerios. What baby doesn't like Cheerios? Of course I bought the biggest box I could find. If I try to give him a bite of something too soon, he'll just spit out whatever is in his mouth to make room for the next bite. Goof. He's still not sleeping real well, but I just keep telling myself it could always be worse. This past week he is getting up twice a night on average. He has also cut his naps from two a day to only one. I am not quite ready for that because his naps were the only times I got anything done!

I also can't believe Christmas is next week. I have had a hard time getting in the Christmas mood this year because we have exactly zero Christmas decorations up. Listening to Christmas music as I type this helps a little. I usually do a tree and nativity and all that jazz, but we're moving this weekend! Yep, 4 days before Christmas. What a fun time to move. Not. The last month and a half has been extremely stressful as we try to figure out where to go and what to do next with our lives. Ben finishes up student teaching this week and has been trying so hard to find work. Nothing has worked out so we will be returning to Washington where Ben will be a substitute teacher until next school year. We were thankfully able to find a tenant to take over our apartment contract, which was supposed to go until April. That was a little worrisome since this is not a very popular time of year to move! We have truly enjoyed our short time in Nampa and we will miss all the wonderful people we have met here.

The Christmas song that just came on is the "extra festive" version. Thanks, Pandora. 

And now, a bombardment of blurry cell phone pictures. Here's what we've been up to since I last posted about Thanksgiving.

Shawn got his first Christmas present. He didn't really know what to do with it! He was much more interested once we opened it for him and he got to play with the Buzz Lightyear flashlight inside.

It's much more fun if you actually climb inside the drawer.

Yum, spoons. My table now has dents in it from where Shawn decided to use it as a drumstick.

Trying baby cookies for the first time. He was a fan.

It looks like his foot is all twisted, but I promise these pajamas are just a little too long :) That ladle is now cracked in half and in the trash.

He loves it when daddy shares his popsicles.

Bath time is still the best time.

Ward Christmas Party. Shawn was totally happy and pleasant the entire time except the 5 seconds I was taking this picture. And also this one:

Classic.

Those lips! He's enjoying playing with all the boxes and mess of random stuff that's everywhere as we prepare to move. It's like a jungle gym for babies.

Merry Christmas!

Happy Thanksgiving!

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving this year. Ben was fortunate enough to have the entire week off so we spent the whole week in Washington with my family. Excuse my blurry cell phone pictures. 

This kid REALLY hates being in the car. I sit in the back with him, but it doesn't make much difference. Road trips are no fun for any of us. I'm glad we only live about 4 hours away from my parents right now. I don't think we could handle a further drive than that!

We were all very happy to arrive, but no one was as happy as my mom. She loves her little peanut! Check out all those toys in the background. My mom is the coolest grandma ever.

Yeah, it's pink. Shawn loved it anyway. He has a tiny highchair at home that straps onto a regular chair so it was fun for him to have a big highchair with a huge tray. 

If you look closely, you can see his two little teeth on the bottom. So cute! We were playing peek-a-boo behind the couch and he thought I was hilarious. I think I'm hilarious too.

Helping grandma unload the dishwasher.

Shawn woke up from his nap in the middle of Thanksgiving dinner. He doesn't usually snuggle like this but I don't think he was quite ready to be awake!

The dinner was nice, but to be honest, I think Thanksgiving is way way way too much work. I don't even like the food that much. Turkey? Yeah I had a few pieces. Stuffing? Gross. Pumpkin pie? Ew. I can't even stand the smell. I'd rather order pizza every year. Pretty sure I'll never get my way!

Reading with Grandpa. Blurry but cute!

Black Friday shopping with the girls. It's a tradition! This was my first Thanksgiving home in 3 years so it had been a while! That store waaaay in the distance is where we were going. Despite the long line we were in and out in 1 hour, 8 minutes and I got everything on my list!

The trip home went a lot smoother than the trip there. It was so nice to see everyone! But it's always nice to be home and back to our own beds and familiar routine. Hope everyone else had a nice Thanksgiving too!

This month will be spent packing and moving. I have no idea when or where we're going. Should be fun.

P.S. Shawn has slept through the night 3 times in the last week! It's a miracle!