From Rach with Love

Needless to say, my blogging lately has been s-p-a-r-s-e. I know, I know. At first, the lack of blogging pulled at me like a phantom limb. But now I'm pretty comfortable neglecting it, it seems. Boo Radley! Rach hacked my blog and loaded these up in my drafts. Seeing them made me cry! This button is so dang cute, and yes, up to so much new stuff, and yes, she captured it perfectly. 

She may have wanted me to change the dialogue, but I will leave it as is. And do my best to capture more of my everyday.  Promise.

because him is the cutest!  come on' those flipping wispys?!!!

because he is finally climbing furniture....

even if he is still ultra cautious about it....

he is hanging with the rest of em'....

and totally, totally...

laughing about it.

 "so, hey Mom..."

"take bligitty bloggin seriously or don't take it so seriously and blog, cause like Aunt Rach said I'm cute and up to all sorts of new stuff"

alright, change the dialogue, but i took these a few weeks ago randomly and wanted to give them to ya.  he is a scrounge bucket licorice face, but that'll only help you remember Dave's mad dressing skillz ;) 

Love,

your favorite babysitter

Oh Snowy Day!

Well, I've been so good about getting to bed at a decent time these last few nights, and I've been quite proud of myself.  Tonight, however, I decided to make a little movie using iMovie...it's my first go.  Ummm, you'll be able to tell.  Was gonna do a Life & Times of Jude: 18 months, but that'll have to wait.  For now, I give you this little ditty.  Admittedly it's a little slow.  But that's how things go when we are out for walks with Jude.  Lots of stopping. staring. turning around. calling for Juno.  You know, the usual.

Christmas 2011

Well, I was feeling all overwhelmed to write out this post, because Christmas is such a BIG event, but then I uploaded all 10 (OK, OK, like 30) of the pictures we managed to snap and felt a little better (because it's more manageable) but also a lot worse ('cause that's all we have!!).  So, what I lack in pictures, I'll tell in stories.  For memories sake. 

Cough, cough.

Sporting that Christmas spirit ;)

Lorin, Brooks, Jana & Lachlan, Deanna & Laney

Some say he is a wise man...

There is no room at the in.

Still looking for a place to stay.  That'll do lil' donkey.

Angels we have heard on high

Trying to look smart??

The true meaning of Christmas.

Hap, hap, happy!

This is so fun!

These two stole the show!

Legit.

Oh no you didn't

This was my 2nd Christmas away from home and up to Boise.  Anyone who's had to spend Christmas away, knows it's a hard call.  Dave becomes another person entirely--excited, excited, excited to be running around with his pack of brothers, playing games, and being bossy of all things!  I have a pretty good time, but truthfully, it is a struggle.  I hesitate to write this out because I'd hate for the fam to get the wrong idea.  My in-laws are fun down to the core.  We stayed with Holly and Bryce, who are faves--they really made us feel right at home--making their two boys sleep in their room so we'd have some space!  Most nights in Boise we stayed up late, talking and laughing.  But here's the nitty-gritty of it.  Jude had an awful cold the whole time we were there.  So, I spent the holidays in someone else's house with a sick toddler.  Now do you see why I struggled?  A sick toddler who still champed it out and stayed out 'til 10 most nights.  Who coughed through most of his sleep.  I'd pick him up out of his pack n' play and bring him to our bed, and he'd curl up on me and be fast asleep.  Secretly, this was my most favorite part.  I miss cuddling with my sleepy Jude and will take any chance  I get (ahem, as long as I don't have to work the next day). 

Christmas Eve consisted of a clogging routine (soooo hilarious AND amazing) by my bro-in-law Bryce, and my sis-in-law Robyn.  Then the kids told the story of Jesus, we had a BIG feast, opened presents, and then the adults played Rook...(not me though--you could find me chasing Jude all around a big, dark, empty church). 

Christmas morn' Jude made us happy and opened his gifts, but was quickly back down for a nap.  His favorites included: The Busy Tree book (lovvvvves this), Teddy Graham crackers, candy canes, and Carson's new Hot Wheel track.

Christmas night, after more games, we headed back to Holly's and I needed a break.  So, the girls went and saw Mission Impossible 4 and the boys played more games (how did you guess??).  That movie and girl time did wonders for my soul, and I came back that night with a smile in my heart. 

Until next time, Boise.  

Christmas 2013??? ;)

Today were leaving our Chichmas tree, Chichmas tree, Chichmas tree.  Even though it is pitty, pitty, pitty.  We are heading up to the great state of Idaho, were we'll hopefully mow down on some funeral potatoes, play some lightning, and maybe, if we're lucky, go to a movie!

Wishing you all a happy holiday.  Miss ya already. :)

Jude: 18 months

Jude is 18 months.  I'll let that sink in with you for a little.

Everytime I do an update post like this, trying to recall all his tricks, and how far he's come since the last post, I can't help but feel this slight pull on my heart.  My baby is growing up!  And what a gift that is in itself.  Truly.  He's learning, and playing, and interacting...showing us more and more of his personality.  But, it just goes by so quick.  These magic years--the ones I wish I could keep in a jar, and open up later.  I've already forgotten so much.  I look at his newborn photo on the wall and just stare:  is this Jude running butt naked around my house really the same baby who fell asleep on my chest?  And then I think, yes.  Those cheeks.  They are the same.  

Anyway, @18 months:

Jude is a little bit of a maniac right now.  He's constant.  He toddles around the house getting into anything that catches his eye, and then ditches it quick for the next best thing.  

Jude is learning how to climb.  He can now pull himself up onto the couch, but he gets pretty frustrated.  He says, "help, hellllp!" (as a demand, not a cry) and I usually let him struggle it out and when he makes it up, I say, "YOU DID IT!!" and he grins from ear to ear and then gets shy.  

Jude is obsessed with the Christmas tree.  It is pitty.  Pitty.  PITTY! pitty.  If he is crying in the car, I tell him we are going to see the Christmas tree, or point out some Christmas lights, and we are good to go.  

That being said, if Jude doesn't like something, he'll let you know it.  Nnnnnnoooooo!  Dooonnnttt.  He makes sure to enunciate each sound.  Yesterday he wanted to be shirtless.  And today he was not happy about going to Costco.  Where he once thought it was funny for Juno to chase him around if he had a cracker, now he thinks this is super annoying.  

Jude still hates getting his diaper changed, but he should love it because it's usually his chance to run around nakey for a bit.  

Jude loves being nakey.

Anywhere I go, Jude is usually quick by my side.  He likes to play where  I am.  He lovvvvves sitting next to me on the couch and he loves looking at books.

Just today, Jude has started to point things out to me and say what it is until I acknowledge that word.  Cow, cow, cow, cow....yes, Jude.  That's a CAR. :)

Jude is a marching machine.  Gigi taught him this game and when he sees her, it's the first thing he wants to do.  March, march, march, march, marching around pu-pum, pu-pum.  March, march, march, march, singing a song pu-pum, pu-pum.  He just says, "mouch, mouch, mouch." and holds one leg stiff as he walks about the house.

Jude loves his Bompa.  He gets all giggly and showey-offy when he sees him.  It's been so fun (and LUCKY) that my dad has watched him one day a week for the past 6 months or so.  They are two peas in a pod.  

OK, and I can't leave out:  Jude loves his cousins.  He FREAKS out when we pull up to their house.  He can say all their names, "Avi/Ava, Coos, Ade"--or something like that.  And I think he knows Rachel is Rachel, but I think he might think her name is Mom.  Jude calls me Mommies, so there is a distinction there! ;)

Fave foods:  grapes, oranges, smoothies, yogurt, LaraBars, Mac n Cheese, quinoa/rice/beans, cheese, broccoli, green beans, chocolate.  He's not one for trying new foods, but slowly I think he's coming around.  If he picks it up and puts it to his mouth, I consider this a great triumph. 

@ 18 months

35 inches (like 97th percentile)

28.4 lbs (80th percentile)

Weight:Length = 50th percentile

Head: 18.6 inches (25th percentile)

A Christmas Tradition

Dave and I (and Jude, of course...) don't really have many holiday traditions yet that we claim as just ours.  

But years ago, before I had a family and I was only daydreaming about marrying Dave, I read this idea in Real Simple.  

And I just fell in love with it. 

So each year, we pick an ornament for something significant that has happened during the year and hang it on our tree.  So far, picking them has been easy.  

A wedding.  

A dog.  

 A baby.  

A move. 

Just what will our tree look like as these years sweep on by?

I get more excited thinking about the years to come and perhaps seeing Jude pick the ornament...  

Or seeing the kids home from college picking through the years of ornaments--each a peek at a lifetime of memories...  

And I have this image of Dave and I, old and slow and wrinkly, hanging each ornament and saying things like, "Yes, 2018--that's the year Jude won the science fair.  Ha!  Do you remember what he made??" 

I dunno.  I'm not a sentimental person.  I'm not really a collector.  But this is one of the few things I'm holding onto.  

A Christmas Tradition.

2008

(if this wouldn't have happened, I'd have used our cake topper here as the ornament.)

2009

 2010

 2011

 (Two ornaments for 2011--b/c moving to a new house was feat in and of itself and b/c we just loved our Napa trip!)

Santa Success?

Successful because Jude sat on Santa's lap before it was really even December.  We avoided lines and crowds!

Unsuccessful because Jude was crying so hard he couldn't catch a breath to tell Santa what what he'd really like for Christmas...so we're drafting up a letter today to send it on up to the North Pole. 

PS:  Jude last year...just a wee lad!