wish lists...

Hello dear gift givers. Everett has a list and well, I thought I'd share it with everyone so that they know what he's into. I totally have mixed feelings about this, but his list is sweet and it doesn't take a lot to make a kid excited about Christmas. And well, if Everett gets a list, Jack gets one too. You'll find them on the side bar.

Do you have a list? Can we see it?

We're pretty excited about Christmas around here. It's hard to get anything done, but we're trying. Today Matt put up some outdoor lights. Yesterday we made a Gingerbread house (a kit) and some gingerbread cookies (not a kit).

Jack has grown and changed so much. He's still concerned, and cries if he's had to much to nurse...:( but the other day he just started kicking and smiling and cooing and gooing. When he smiles it is just so genuine and direct. I forgot how completely absorbed I become by my baby's smiles. Here he is at 7.5 weeks.

Wintertime.

In this picture, Jack is 6 weeks old. We go on forest walks altogether. We went down a different path and found this shelter. We collected spruce cones and alder cones.

We've been making lots of snow people in the front yard. These two are Fiona and Molly.

embracing winter.

I forgot how cold November can be. It's been below zero (farenheit) for the past week and it's tricky to get us all outside for very long. We did enjoy a nice fire in the fireplace outside. And the moose came back and had a nap in our backyard.

first snow

The first snow came overnight November 9th. It was a big day for our house. I know this because I started a big wall calender with Monday, November 9th as the first day - Christmas is coming so soon. New snow and the first day of swimming lessons! (And first day of no more diapers!?! ) That evening a moose came calling and ate the pumpkin off our front stoop.
On the 10th Jack turned four weeks old.

halloween '09

Halloween was a big deal.
Thanks to Gramma Jude, we had a cozy warm Buddy the Dinosaur (T-REX) costume to wear to a party and out trick'r treating. Sadly, we didn't break out the Turtle costume for Jack, but we did dress him up in a Pumpkin sleeper wrapped in a ladybug blankie and hat.




Matt does a great job of dressing up the driveway for trick'r treat-er's. He likes it when a house is clearly open for business.

pensive.

Usually, he is quiet but concerned.

gramma jude

My mom will be here with me through the week. We are grateful. Thanks Mom for staying longer, and thanks to everyone else for letting me keep her for just a little longer.