Happy New Year

2010 has been a wonderful year. Of course the best part of 2010 was the birth of Jacob and all the joy he has brought us. I am also thrilled that we added a nephew Max and niece Olivia to our extended family.

I am very sad to say good bye to 2010 but am excited to see what 2011 will bring. I know that we will have a lot of milestones coming and memories to make. Jacob will turn 1 and Andrew will turn 30 on 11.11.11. I have been charged with planning a big BLOW OUT b-day bash for him so save the date and make your travel arrangements. :)

Tonight Andrew and I decided to stay home with Jacob to ring in the new year. I have to say it is the best new years eve I have ever had. Andrew made us lobster tail and crab legs. The meal was AMAZING! I think tonight we started a new New Years Eve tradition.

I hope everyone has a wonderful New Year and Happy 2011!

Christmas Traditions

As Christmas arrives tomorrow I started thinking about the traditions that we will start with Jacob. Over the past few years holiday traditions were not that important to me but since I've had Jacob they have become a little more important.

Andrew and I have decided that we would really like Jacob to be in his home for Christmas and open his presents here. Andrew was always at his home on Christmas morning and so was I. I have very fond memories of waiting patiently on the stairs or outside a closed door until my parents said it was time to see what Santa brought me. I want Jacob to have the same memories of running down the stairs of our house to see his loot. Of course this year he won't be running down the stairs but I do think he will be crawling at lightning speed to get the shiny bows off the presents.

Growing up my family had taco salad Christmas eve, went to church, and then we came home and got to open one present which were always Christmas pajamas. Then we would set out cookies for Santa and read the Twas the Night Before Christmas. Tonight we will go to church and then head over to a friends house to have dinner with her family and a few other friends. Then we will bring Jacob home, set out some cookies for Santa, and read Twas the Night Before Christmas. I know Andrew is a little sad about missing out on the taco salad but there is always next year.

Tomorrow morning we plan to wake up with our alarm clock (Jacob) and have a relaxing morning. We will probably open our gifts and then wait for Andrew's parents to arrive around 10. I can't help but think back to last Christmas morning when Andrew and I opened the envelope that told us we were having a boy. I remember crying and crying because I didn't know how I would raise a boy. All I knew was how to play with dolls and buy dresses. Now I cannot imagine having a little girl. My little boy is so perfect, sweet, and the 2nd love of my life.

When Andrews parents arrive we plan to have brunch with them and open some more gifts. Around 1pm my parents, Aunt Rachel, and Uncle Adam will arrive and we will spend the afternoon visiting and paying with Jacob's new toys. Then around 4pm we will all have Christmas dinner together. I'm sure Jacob will be pooped by the end of the day but it is so nice that everyone is coming to visit him on his first Christmas.

I'm very excited for us to start some new traditions in our house. I hope they are ones that can continue for years to come and provide great memories for Jacob.

Christmas Tree

Yesterday we decided to go and cut a Christmas tree for our living room. Last year we went up to Dillsburg, PA with my parents and cut trees down. The experience was great and a lot of fun. I expected the same thing this year but it was a bit different with an infant and new Christmas tree place.

We showed up somewhere in Carroll County, Maryland at a tree farm with about a million other people. When we got out of the car I thought it would be a good idea to put Jacob in the baby bjorn so it would free up my arms to help Andrew carry the tree. Well....we hadn't put Jacob in the bjorn lately and even though it said it was good up to 29 lbs. we forgot Jacob's belly jiggles like a bowl full of jelly and so the bjorn wouldn't close on the side. So off we went carrying Jacob what felt like a mile to find the perfect Christmas tree. After we found it and Andrew got down in the mud to cut the tree down he realized the saw he borrowed from the tree farm was too dull to cut through the wood. I had to walk (what felt like a mile) back to the car and get his saw. Once back with the saw, Andrew cut the tree down, and then we had to walk the mile back to the check out with Jacob in one arm in the tree in the other. We must have been a site to see. I will say that Jacob was the perfect baby through the entire experience. He didn't cry, played on the ground, tried to eat hay, and didn't mind the freezing cold weather one bit.

Today, Aunt Rachel and Uncle Adam came over to help (watch) us put decorations on the tree and play with Jacob. We had a very nice afternoon with a fire going in the fire place, stockings hung by the chimney with care, and a beautiful lit tree with all our decorations. This year I got Jacob a little tree for his room. When I was little my mom had a little tree for my room and I loved that I had my own little tree so I decided to start the tradition for Jacob. His grandma Birmingham gave him a little train last weekend that I put around the bottom.

Andrew and I are looking forward to a very different Christmas this year. We feel very blessed to have such a beautiful little boy.