Christmas 2008

So Christmas has come and gone, our house looks like a toy store exploded, Aisling is still wishing people Merry Christmas and cried today when she noticed the Santa advent calendar was gone. Christmas this year was quite an event. We started the fun at Grammy's house where we hung out before heading to Nana's for Christmas Eve with the Kesinger/Protz clan. We had a great time there with everyone. Aisling and Xander really like Baby Shawn and Ais had a fun time chasing after him. Xander also took a special liking to Uncle Jack and hung out with him for quite a while. After lots of food, presents and fun we headed back to Grammy's to hunker down for the night and avoid the long drive back to Burbank. After putting out cookies and milk for Santa, it took us about 3 hours to get Aisling to sleep. She was so excited.

On Christmas morning we opened more presents from Santa and had a yummy breakfast and then hit the road to Aunt Joan's house for more fun. At Aunt Joan's we had fun with Sam, Aisling kept kissing a Santa Ornament and then there were more presents (notice a theme, now you know why our house looks like a toy store). Then it was off to Aunt Lea's for the Thirkettle celebration. It was another round of yummy food, playing with all the 6 kids and of course presents. Xander really liked Gavin and played with him for a long time. Ais basically ran around the room wishing everyone Merry Christmas, chasing Dilly and Gavin and falling to the floor anytime someone said Ho Ho Ho. Of course, since she hadn't really eaten or slept well in two days because she was so excited, she crashed hard and refused to open anymore presents and just wanted to hang out in Aunt Lea's room.

So off we headed home, it was a long ride with tag team screaming from the back seat. up the stairs and we ran smack dab into another pile of presents from Santa. Ais perked up a bit and opened her doll house, which she, and I as well, was very excited about. Then off to bed we all went.

So there it is a quick play by play of our Christmas. We were all pretty tired and I was sick as usual, but it was still fun. It is so nice to be able to see both families and we are so grateful and touched by all the love and support and generosity from everyone.

Here are some pics in no particular order. (I am too tired and lazy to rearrange them. I guess I am still recovering from the Christmas-pa-looza.)

Xander playing with a ribbon. He loved them as I think all babies do.

Gavin using Xander's head as a train track. I don't think Xander minded though. He just loved Gavin,

Xander with his new best bud Gavin.

Brian and the boys.

Becca and Xander by the tree. It was fun to see both our boys celebrating their first Christmas.

Grandma and Xander

My little guy on his first Christmas.

Ais and Xander are now experts at unwrapping presents. They each had an avalanche of them.

Uncle Jack and Xander. Xander really likes Uncle Jack and sat with him for a very long time during the present opening at Nana's. It was so sweet.

Shawn and Xander at their first Christmas.

Grammy and the kids.

7 months old

Xander turns 7 months old today. I know I always say "I can't believe it", but I just really can't. It is going so fast. So what is he up to. Well, he is getting some teeth on the bottom. He is getting really close to crawling. He can get on his hands and knees and rock back and forth and is pretty good at going backwards, but can't quite get the forward momentum. He is really good at rolling and usually rolls his way across the room. I think he will be on the move really soon. He still likes to stand too and tries to pull himself up on everything, but doesn't have the strength yet. He also loves jumping and bouncing in any form. His new thing is blowing raspberries as hard as he can, it looks like his little head is going to pop he blows so hard. He is eating well, still loves sweet potatoes and his new favorite, chicken and apples. He won't eat anything green and closes his little lips so tight you would need the jaws of life to get them open.

Here are some pics from some recent events in no particular order.

Here is the Kesinger clan at dinner to celebrate Grammy Sue's birthday.

Grammy, Ais and Brian at Grammy's birthday dinner. Ais was very excited to sing the birthday song to Grammy.

Aisling and I during our holiday baking spree.

Aisling making green cookies with Grandma. She really loves the green cookies, which is really cool, but also means I have to share them now. Drats!

The kids at the light festival in Griffith Park. It finally cooled down and I could bundle them up and get them in their winter hats. About time too, Xander's was almost too small.

Xander's first trip to Pinks.

Xander with his favorite toy.

All I want for Christmas is my 2 front teeth

it looks like Xander is finally getting some toofers. I noticed last night that there was a little slit in his gums and today his gums are pretty red and I can feel a little tooth about to pop out. Maybe one, maybe two not sure yet, but I think he may get teeth for Christmas.

6/7 month Dr. Appointment

Yesterday Xander had his 6 month checkup (even though he will be 7 months next week). He is perfectly healthy and doing great. He is now 28 1/2 inches tall (90 %tile) and 19 1/2 pounds (60 percentile). So he is growing great. I knew he had recently grown since all his pants I just bought are too short. So on to size 12 months for the length even though he has plenty of room to spare width wise.

Tis the season

So what have we been up to? Well, it is getting closer to Christmas and Aisling has been hitting it hard She is just obsessed with anything to do with the holiday. She gets giddy anytime she sees a jingle bell or wreath. And she keeps singing jingle bells and Rudolph over and over. It is really cute how excited she is. She loves Santa, but still refuses to sit on his lap, so I guess we will have to wait another year for that picture. As for Xander, he has had a few more firsts. He went on his first swing, sat in his first restaurant high chair and biggest of all, he said his first word. Da-Da. Although, it wasn't necessarily directed at Daddy, but it was still the word. He is getting close to crawling, but would rather stand up and jump. He is a regular jumperoo right now. He also will take steps while you are holding onto his hands and he can stand up while holding/leaning on something.

Anyway, here is another round of lists.

Things about Aisling:
1. Favorite song: Jingle bells, deck the halls, Rudolph.
2. Favorite TV show: Still watching lots of Little Einsteins and Mickey Mouse clubhouse. Of course lots of the Christmas classics have been added to the rotation.
3. Favorite toys: Anything Xander is playing with... And her stuffed animals, books and doll (She has named him baby Naffew and pretends to be Becca by the way.)
4. Favorite Food: Hashbrowns, chocolate chip pancakes, cashews, yogurt (she pretends to be eating whatever baby food Xander is having just in yogurt form)
5. Favorite comfort item: purple blanket. (I bought a new one, because she would never let me wash hers and now she doesn't want the old one. She calls it scratchy purple blanket)
6. Still isn't potty trained: She is half way there, just can't get her to go #2.... Ugh
7. Still Bippy free.
8. Still nap free.... double ugh!!

Things about Xander:
1. Favorite toy: Any bottle, cup or beverage container. Remotes, or anything electronic. His baby ball, giraffe, phone.
2. Favorite thing to do: Jump up and down while Mommy holds him. Watch Aisling.
3. Favorite Food: Sweet Potato
4. Sleeps from 7pm-6:30 waking at 4am for a snack.
5. Still giggles when you kiss his cheeks and tummy
6. Doesn't like getting into PJ's at night.
7. Is getting hard to change diaper (I forgot how hard it was to change a mobile baby)
8. Screams the loudest highest pitch scream when angry.
9. Still no teeth, but the drooling is extreme. We go through about 4 bibs a day.

Things I love about my kids:
Aisling
1. Her silly voices
2. The way she sings all the time.
3. The way she sits or lays on the couch and looks like a teenager
4. How she likes to be wrapped in purple blanket and carried upstairs by daddy.
5. How she never stops moving, even when she is pretending to be asleep
6. How she laughs at Xander and is always hugging him
7. How she likes to help me cook
8. Her little OCD things, like always putting her ice in her cup, touching the blue dot on the vacuum seal bags, or saying perfect after she puts on chapstick.
9. How she still mispronounces words. Igaboo - Igloo, Elegator - Elevator, Naffew - Matthew, Talk about - Talk like.
10. How she mixes up out, off, over and on.

Xander:
1. The way he bounces every time his feet hit the ground.
2. How cuddly he is.
3. The way he plays with his foot when he is nursing or being mellow
4. How he laughs with a big squeal gasp
5. Watching him laugh at Aisling
6. How when he is tired he sucks his thumb and tries to burrow or folds in half.
7. Those big dimples and how he bats his eyes and gets shy.
8. His little excited voice. sounds like a cough, coo and pirate arghhh, all at the same time.
9. How he studies and observes everything
10. How he makes a yummy sound when he eats sweet potato and then launches at the spoon
11. How he sucks his lips and looks like he has an invisible bippy.

Xander on his first swing ride with Grandma at the park.

Aisling helping Grandma make gingerbread cookies. She loves to help cook.

Aisling driving Daddy on a ride at Knott's. It was the first ride she ever sat on her own.

Here are some pictures we took at the beginning of October. I finally got around to loading up the disk.