Quick Visit to Merced

Brennan and I drove my mom to Merced to spend some time with her sister and her cousin.  This was a great excuse to have Brennan meet our dear family friend Kathy, who is one of my other moms...

On our way home we stopped for a quick hello and visit with Chele, Kathy's daughter and my longest/oldest friendship... forgot the camera...

Grandmother aka Gran

We had a lovely and leisurely day after Christmas.  It was beautiful and we took a ride over to the beach, walked around and had lunch at the Cliff House.  Here B is checking out the ocean out the window while chewing on a spoon!

Christmas...

On Christmas Eve afternoon we ventured out to look at lights and the wonderful village at the Embarcadero Hyatt.

Here's our little guy bundled up in his stroller:

Brennan fell asleep before Justin could read him "The Night Before Christmas" so they read it on Christmas morning.  Brennan is wearing his Christmas PJs that we got for him last year when we learned we were having a boy!

Checking out his tree ornament from Gran (and figuring out how to get.it.into.his.mouth):

Enjoying the tissue paper and a beautiful ornament from Aunt Sharon and Uncle Wendell:

We had a lovely and low-key Christmas.  Grandparents coming and going for weeks!  Wonderful, lucky us...

Christmas Day at Home

We spent the day at home with family and friends...

More Christmas Day...

Here we are...

being silly...

and a yummy dinner...

We took a nice walk around the neighborhood looking at lights and came home for some cookies and coffee.  The End.

Holidays...

Ever since Siobhan moved out of the Bay Area we have the annual tradition of meeting half-way between our homes to have a little pre-Christmas lunch and exchange gifts.  This year we were "plus one" with the little guy along.  He was remarkably easy and loved seeing all the babies at the restaurant and eating his applesauce!

My mom and Justin's mom arrived the Saturday before Christmas and we went out for dinner in our neighborhood to a restaurant who has "family night" every Tuesday, and special themes for Halloween and Christmas.  The Grinch scared Brennan to tears (and many other little ones) with his fabulous make-up and costume, and here we are recovering...

a message from Brennan

 m/.'00-=]/

7LONP99999 k m,kp  j ht 5 4h 5h kthp obo;/j 

  fhƒ ç h

 fc cv   nnn ?

p.s. Yes, in a moment of desperation, letting him pound on the keyboard seemed like good, clean fun!

Cold Day at Home

Our friend Judy came over for a visit and lunch--it was the first time she had seen Brennan awake since the summer!  She has an almost 3 month old grand-daughter, so this was a good preview for what more is ahead...

We walked Judy to her car and got a little (cold) fresh air, and on our walk around the Glen Park village we popped into my favorite shop Perch 

and found an ornament for Brennan's first Christmas--he picked it out...

This is what it really looks like...  My very favorite time of day...

Month Seven

My sweet little boy,

This picture sums up this last month--food, Food, FOOD...  You are loving eating and I am loving watching you, although any that have witnessed can attest that there is the whole "after eating clean-up" that is rather extensive...  You are such a sweetheart and have such a lovely disposition (so many comment on this aspect of your personality), and you are quick to let us know when you are not a happy guy.

You have eaten the following foods this month:  my roasted squash soup, turkey, chicken, yams, avocado, zucchini, prunes, applesauce, carrots, spinach, onions, rice, split pea soup... oh, and peas--you didn't like the frozen peas I pureed very much.  You weighed 18 pounds, 1 ounce at your 7 month appointment.  You can mostly sit up with someone sitting behind you for a little safety net.  You will sit on the couch next to your daddy, and it just cracks me up to see the two of you sitting there talking.

We went to Denver for a visit and our trip home was very eventful.  We carefully selected a time to fly when we thought you would do well, and when the plane was delayed we began to question our decision.  We finally boarded 30 minutes after we should have taken off, and in the meantime it had started to snow (read: deicing needed).  We waited to be deiced and then sat there.  Upon visual inspection by the co-pilot, we returned to the gate to re-fuel, get a lightbulb on the wing swapped out, and then sit while our fuel papers got filed.  We lined up again for deicing, and finally took off 1.5 hours after we should have been landing in SF!!  Luckily your daddy had upgraded us, and this made the trip so much easier.  You were a total trooper and so many people commented what a great traveller you were.  We agree!

We drove down to S. Ca. for Thanksgiving and you slept most of the way both directions!  There really aren't many situations that I have any hesitation about taking you into.  You have had a few nights with sitters this month--Teresa and Brad stayed with you so we could go to the movies, and Catherine and Chris watched you at their house while we went to enjoy a fancy dinner at Gary Danko which was a wedding present from my old bosses.  We have met a few people for lunch here and there, and you love being out.  Now that you are eating real food, anytime anyone eats, you eyeball them incessantly--it is charming, if not guilt-inducing.

Your personality is emerging more, and you have a great sense of humor.  In fact, I will make a fool of myself just to hear your hearty little laugh!  You are such a flirt and just recently will get a little shy/coy when smiling at people.  You are such a snuggly guy and now wrap your arms around my neck when I pick you up--this melts my heart and makes me want to lick you!  You are easily distracted, and want to know what is going on everywhere around you.  You still love your baths, and in fact I have used them when you are being grumpy as a way to cheer you up!

I love you little one, and am so excited to share the holidays with you.  Your presence has allowed me to look at them with new eyes, and your daddy and I have lots of conversations about the traditions we want to share as a family.

Mama

Denver in December-the upside

We spent a long weekend in Denver visiting family and seeing friends.  The night we arrived the weather was very wintery with a little snow on the ground.  Uncle Wendell retrieved us from the airport, and after a yummy dinner and bath (Brennan only), we sat down for a little dessert and Super Whoozit...

Here the little guy is with the big guy after one of his baths--he looks like one of the babies in those laundry product commercials...

Brennan used a highchair that his Grandmother (aka Gran) wisely purchased--it is a very messy process, and here he is with his Daddy faking a bite:

Not so fast big guy, that is MY dinner!

Reading a book (post yet another bath) with Aunt Sharon:

The color in this photo is not great, but the look of utter delight is one of my favorite expressions of his.  In his Broncos PJs (OK to wear AFTER the game, as we are still not sure if they are jinxed!) and getting some crawling coaching from Gran and Uncle Wendell:

Neighborhood Santa visit

The Glen Park Merchants Association had their annual Santa visit this evening.  Here are the boys waiting while another child (who would not get any closer than 8 feet to Santa!!) talked Santa's ear off about robots: 

Brennan had his turn, and he was just as cute as could be...

At this point we had to remove the handful of beard that was on its way to Brennan's mouth, and Santa got this eyeballing...

Brennan and I had a great day, going downtown to visit some friends and running into others on the street.  We also did a little shopping, as we have both Christmas and Daddy's birthday this month!