a merry little christmas....

Ethan 1st Christmas Hat

Playing with his little train inside Daddy's train

matching PJs with mommy and family

Daddy and Ethan

"Thanks Daddy....this one was a big one!"

Christmas in Atlanta

Santa made a big stop in Atlanta

Grandpa and Ethan

Grandma

"Can I wear it Daddy?"

Ethan and Aunt Whitney

Christmas Morning at our house

Ribbon turns baby into Mini Rambo

"I love my hippo seat"

Check out my PJ's...they match Santa's

Laughs with Nana in White Bluff Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve in White Bluff

giggles on Daddy's Birthday....Dec 23rd

someone loves his Great Uncle Gerald!

I can see little boy (not baby) in this picture coming out!

Our tree this year

the stockings were hung with care

Christmas morning with Papa and Nana

Over the mountains and through the woods to Nana's and Grandma's we go! The Volvo was ready to carry the sleigh on the white and windy day (not quite white...but we did see snow flakes). This Christmas we spent Christmas Eve in White Bluff celebrating with my extended family. It was a blast having Ethan there to celebrate with and share our traditions. We ate the traditional food: Parmesan cheese puffs, pizza ritz, veggie pizzas, sausage balls and ham....yummy. We came home and made homemade cookies for Santa and read Christmas stories to Ethan. Christmas morning we watch Ethan open his gifts and play with all of his new toys. Nana, Papa, and our neighbor "Aunt" Donna came over for more Christmas fun and a homemade breakfast. Mom and I were rather impressed with David's ability to make my grandmother's chocolate syrup (you eat it over homemade biscuits and butter.) We then loaded up the sleigh (Volvo) and headed to Atlanta! There we got into our Hanna Anderson PJ's and waited for Santa to come again! And boy did he ever! Madeline, Caroline, and Ethan must have been very, very good this year! Some of my favorite Christmas memories was watching them play together! It is also tradition to put together a Harley Davidson puzzle over the holiday that David recieves on his birthday. We had a wonderful Christmas. This year David and I found our selves counting our blessing and not gifts. I hope you had yourself a merry little Christmas!

Santa brought me a new Mac this year....if you were wondering about the endless photos! I'm in computer heaven!

a post by Ethan...

Dear Santa,

Thank you for all the great toys! I had a wonderful first Christmas. I hope you liked the peppermint shortbread cookies I helped Mommy and Daddy bake on Christmas Eve. I was so excited to go to sleep, but kind of sad that Charlie would be leaving that night. Thank you for sending him to watch over me! He was so funny getting into my swing, highchair, candy cane dish, highchair, clock, and Christmas tree! I can't wait to see what he get into next year. Please take care of Charlie and give him lots of candy and pacifiers....he seems to like them both!

Love,

Ethan Wyatt

meet Charlie...

We have a new visitor in the Anderson House...Charlie the Elf. Charlie is Ethan's elf from the North Pole. He arrived on December 18th in Ethan's stocking where he will come every year. His job is to watch Ethan to see if he is "Naughty or Nice" and fly back to the North Pole every night to report to Santa. When Ethan wakes up in the morning, Charlie will be resting in another spot around the house for Ethan to find. But you have to watch that Charlie, he likes to get into mischief at night. He has been known to eat the Christmas cookies Ethan and Zane baked! We will keep you posted on what Charlie is up to!

6 months....already?

I am rubbing my head trying to figure out how time can go so fast. Ethan is now 6 months old and growing into a baby who is all smiles, squeals, and giggles. I must say this age is wonderful! I am soaking in the moments where I can sit him in the floor and know he isn't mobile just yet~ although I know this is just around corner! The thought of having to baby proof our home is startling.

I received a food processor for my birthday (thanks love) and have starting making some of Ethan's baby food. I am hoping to be able to introduce foods such as avacado or pumpkin that you can't find in the baby isle. He seems to love just about anything we put in his mouth....so far anyhow.

I was recently reading in a magazine about the favorite moment everyone has in their day. David says his favorite part of his day is when he comes home from work and Ethan reaches out for him to hold him. My favorite time of the day is getting Ethan ready for bedtime. No matter how tired or fussy he can be, bath time always puts a smile on his face. He is always ready to cuddle up as I read him his bedtime stories. Sooooo sweet!

Ethan at 6 Months

19 pounds 8 ounces (81 percentile)

27 inches (69 percentile)

HC 17.4 inches (64 percentile)

-eating solids 3 times a day

-will eat 2 2.5oz jars of food each meal

-eating 6oz of milk every 4-5 hours

-sitting up alone (he looks so big!!!)

-sucking his thumb less

-more interested in taking his pacifier in and out of his mouth than actually sucking on it....unless it is nap time or bedtime

-foods he eats: bananas, pears, apples, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, carrots, corn, avocado, peas, rice cereal, and oatmeal

-rolling from back to tummy and tummy to back

-looks in anticipation for alex and moli

-still loving to stand up

-sleeping from 7p to 5:45am....sleeps on his side or back, he still hasn't wanted to sleep on his tummy

-his laugh is a full on chuckle.....I need to catch this on film

-easily adapts to people....will let anyone hold him

-took our first music with mommy class.....we loved it! He loves going especially since his cousins and Aunt Jessica are there too!

-loves to be read to

-can sit in a highchair in a restaurant....this makes dining out a whole new experience

-babbling up a storm....I think we have a talker on our hands


note: Sorry the posts have been late and random: we are having a few technical issues with our laptop:)

santa baby....

Ethan's very first picture with Santa!

first birthday as a mommy...

lunch with Ethan, Mom, and Zane

birthday cheesecake

This year I celebrated my 28th birthday. The best part of my day was opening my first "Happy Birthday Mommy" card. The funniest part of my day was opening my gifts. Apparently, our little bear has a phobia of wrapping paper! This is going to make for one interesting Christmas!!!! This may be the time to request gift bags this year!

a first thanksgiving...

Ethan's first pumpkin (Thanksgiving morning)

Nana and Mike
Our first Thanksgiving with Ethan

Nana and Ethan

Grandma and Ethan....he loves this swing

Great Aunt Sis and Ethan

Grandpa and Ethan

This year Thanksgiving is a little more special in the Anderson House. Well....a lot more special. We have a lot to be thankful for this year....our little butterball!

We kicked off Thanksgiving with my first try at making homemade sweet potatoes, pears, and bananas for Ethan. So far he loves them! He ate an entire banana for breakfast with his rice cereal....yummy!

We were lucky enough to be able to celebrate with in White Bluff and Atlanta this year.

From our house to yours.....Happy Thanksgiving!