more than a run through.: January 2012

i feel so behind with this blog and have delayed posting because i want to "get caught up" before moving forward.

perhaps that's not the best approach if it means one blog post every two months...but for now,

here's a post with lots of pics to bring us up to date.

and i'll try to "let go" of wanting to post everything and just post something, which is much better than nothing. :)

December 8-9:

(looking in the basket for treasures (e.g., the remote control))

December 10

Owen's on stage debut in The Nutcracker!!

i'm sure you can't see him...but he's being held on the left

(clearly loving his outfit ;))

(with aunt Mandy and Grandpa David at the new house.)

December 12

at whole foods:

(yay for riding in shopping carts like a big boy!)

(photo courtesy of Grick :))

December 13

posing and being VERY patient as i snapped pics for our christmas card.

here's just a few of the MANY i took:

and... he's over it!

the winner:

random pics:

December 15 (i think)

being silly with dad before bed:

December 17

in Santa Clarita "helping" Aunt Rachel wrap presents:

having a great time in grandma carla's BIG bath tub!

December 21

BEST GIFT EVER! ;)

(yes, he climbed in the box himself)

December 22

random pics after a bath:

December 23

sleepy boy passed out on the couch:

Christmas Eve!

frosting gingerbread cookies with grandma tutu (yum!):

while delilah takes a little snooze

and in the evening...

the stockings were hung by the chimney with care...

in hopes that st. nicolas soon would be there...

and st. nick definitely delivered...

CHRISTMAS!!!!

waiting to open presents:

and the unwrapping begins:

owen in his special seat:

owen in his scarf made by margot...

as soon as we put it on him he started laughing...he LOVED it!

more presents:

Christmas evening

(Delilah in owen's special seat :))

loving two of the gifts with wheels (a trend this first christmas):

December 26

eating a cookie while we take the (very dead) tree down

and it's almost time for santa to come down :))

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

(we didn't even make it to midnight :))

First week of January

waiting for me at lunch at my office.

(owen loves standing at the steering wheel

[i can only imagine how he'd love it if the car was actually moving :)])

getting ready for a bike ride with the new bikes from grandma carla and owen's new weeride

January 7

HAPPY NINE MONTH BIRTHDAY PRECIOUS BOY!

looks happy to be nine months old, doesn't he? ;)

the stats:
height: 28 inches
weight: 17 pounds
(he's not a chunker (like his mom was :)), that's for sure...
and i'm convinced it has a little something to do with how active our little monkey is ALL the time!)

new Stanford hat!

January 13

Lunch with friends after Little Gym

and playing with his bud Sebastian

January 14

playing with Olivia while we watch the 49er game

January 15

a quick trip to Yosemite

January 19

Playing with Lucy

January 21

January 22

at the Little Gym on sunday with me and gary (yay!) in the "birds" class

(owen is currently a "bug" but will move to the birds class [10-19 mo.] very soon!)

with sticks


bubbles! (you can see a few on his head :))

hey owen! all the fun is IN the gym, not outside :)

lookin' outside again :)

January 23

(photos courtesy of Grick :))

walk/nap in the bob

new "toys"....diapers!

January 25

enjoying some late afternoon sun in the front yard

January 27

eating (and playing with) oatmeal

(and as a brief aside on the subject of eating, until just last week i was feeling really stressed out about owen's eating [e.g., not wanting to take the bottle when i'm not there to breastfeed, not consistently eating solids]. then i had a breakthrough. i found this website: askmoxie.

it's a blog written by a mom who seems to have the right (at least "right" in my mind) foundational philosophy about parenting/being a parent, and who has also inspired some (what seems to be) non-judgemental commentary about common issues relating to children and parenting. here's the initial post i found when i googled "my 10 month old won't eat or take the bottle": http://www.askmoxie.org/2008/03/qa-9-month-old.html. (as i said, i've been really stressed about this.... no one talks about - or at least talked to me about - potential issues with eating. everyone talked about sleep!) some of the comments from other moms are really insightful and offer real, honest "this is what worked for me, maybe it will work for you"-type information. i'm glad, and somewhat relieved, to have stumbled upon the blog. it's better than a lot of things i've read. and quite honestly, a lot of the "expert" advice out there i either don't agree with, is too judgmental in its self-righteous tone, or conflicts with other expert advice (which just makes things frustrating and confusing!)...at least that's what i've found.

so yay !! for askmoxie. since last thursday i've been morerelaxed and owen has actually been eating a lot more. i don't doubt that my emotions and attitude influence owen's behavior and this is a reminder to let go a little and remain positive...it's working so far. :))

"helping" me fold laundry