December

I've been slow getting this posted mostly because December felt like one of the worst months of my life. It was a hard month and January hasn't been much better. I contemplated just stopping because that is how much I was just beaten down by December. I'm sure looking back at the pictures it won't look that bad but that is how I've felt for the past 6 weeks or so.

When I took Bug to his 15 month doctor appointment his dr was a little surprised when I said he wasn't walking. He CAN walk he just doesn't. He's not lazy he just doesn't want to stop and do it.

I'm having to look back at my bank statement to try and remember anything we did. I'm not coming up with much. I did finally get back in and get my hair done. It was the first time in almost 6 months because my girl had been on maternity.

Trust me, I was as tired as I look.

We did spend a decent amount of time looking for a Christmas tree. We both agreed that JJ needs a real tree, not the ornament tree I had. Once we got the tree then it was new decorations because all of mine are glass. JJ loved the tree. It has a remote to turn it on or off or change the bulbs from color to white and that was the first thing he wanted to do when he came in the front room is turn the lights on.

I also, was good and got my work tree to work and put it up. I love that little tree.

We were curious as to how JJ would do with the ornaments, but I would say overall he did really well. He liked to touch them but he did really well with being gentle.

We did get a night out with Flora, Tim, Lars, Erica, Nick, and Shar. We went bowling which I hadn't done in quite some time. We had a good time even if the place took almost an hour to get us our food. Such a fun group.

It got really cold in December. Nick and I pretty much stopped running because at 430 in the morning we did not have the right attire for cold running. I got this picture one day of the steam coming off the canal because it was so cold outside!

As previously mentioned JJ had his 15 month appointment. He weighs 22 pounds 11.5 ounces which is the 50% and his height is 31 1/2 inches making him the 63%. She was surprised he wasn't walking and he got some more shots. He definitely knows where he is now when we go there and he screams the minute you walk into the exam room.

Our babysitter introduced us to Baby First TV and JJ has LOVED it. We don't have him watch a lot of TV but he really loves it and it gives us some time to get ready for work in the mornings or let me get dinner started in the evenings so he has watched it quite a bit. He is perfectly content in the mornings to sit him here on the couch with his cup of milk.

Another exhausted moment: I just realized I didn't organize my pictures chronologically. Oh well, I guess I'll jump around on the month.

I got this cute ring in the mail from my sweet friend Sabrina. Thanks Beans!

We made plans to take JJ to see Zoo Lights. He really enjoyed looking at lights in the car and we figured he would like zoo lights. We went on a Thursday after work and had a little picnic in the parking lot and then took him in. It was cold but not as cold as the last time we went. He wasn't super thrilled with it until we got to the part synched to music.

We also took advantage of their santa to get a picture since I didn't foresee it happening any other time. My Mr. Serious. We basically chose the picture based on which one Santa looked better in because JJ looked like this in every picture.

Our ADOT guys have gotten a lot of attention lately for their signs. They had one at Thanksgiving that people were talking about and then this one before the Star Wars movie came out.

Also about this time (around the 18th) JJ got sick. I figured it was a cold and we'd try to ride it out. More to come on that...

I came up with the idea to do a picture calendar for John but I wanted a daily customized calendar. It wasn't too hard to find Social Print Studios and make this little desk calendar. I was so excited about it I had to order one for him and one for me. I love getting a little JJ picture everyday on my desk. 

We got the route map for our 10k in Disney in January. It was a little crazy to look at.

We were planning our annual Christmas Eve prime rib dinner and I was working on my table centerpieces. Stephanie told me she was going to steal them but when I saw them painted I told her to get her own because I knew I was going to want to keep them.

I also tried to get crafty with the reindeer poop. It wasn't spectacular, but still a fun effort. I also took a present over to our neighbors who we like but never really talk to and I got to sit down and visit with her for a little while. In that regards I was proud of myself for hopefully spreading some cheer to some people who visit me throughout the year.

I did get lazy and didn't do the place setting treats for everyone like I have before. Maybe next year.

I was happy to get some homemade chocolate covered pretzels from Brad and Rebecca. They are delicious and I think about them and egg nog this time of year.

So on Christmas Eve we had Nick's family, Stephanie and Bart, my parents, and John's parents over. It's always fun to visit and do presents. JJ had done so well not getting into the presents but that afternoon he couldn't contain himself and opened one present. Oh well.

I had bought this sweater hoping to get family pictures done but that never happened. Sorry, everyone who would have gotten a Christmas card. I had to put him in the sweater because it was so stinking cute. He was also our little grouch as he got sick about the 18th and still wasn't feeling well.

The finished product. Reindeer, Santa, snowman, elf, the Grinch, and penguin. I like how they turned out.

We did have a family dinner at our house one day to prep for Lights on Bikes. That was way better than doing them on Christmas day. That night right after Stephanie and Bart left JJ started vomitting. 

My parents got Nick's kids a hoverboard. I think we had more fun when we sent the kids home and the adults played on the hoverboard.

We didn't get JJ much because he won't remember this Christmas but we got him a little foam chair and I get such a kick out of when he sits in it. 

One of the days before my parents left, we rode bikes to the park to play. JJ loved it. He loves climbing on the toys and going down the slides with John and I.

On Christmas day night we had our 6th year of Lights on Bikes (I think we decided it was the 6th year). We had a pretty big group again this year. Stephanie and Bart, John and I, my parents, Krista and Bobby, Chad and Melissa, and Kristas friend Sarah. We rode about 10 miles. I think my parents had fun. We always enjoy it. 

Before I forget to document this one of the reasons things were so rough in December is that along with JJ getting sick he also started getting up in the night again. ALOT. I know one night we were up 7 times which is more than even when he was a newborn. We went through the whole cry it out when he was 5 1/2 months old and to have to do it again was awful. One night he woke up at 330 am and never went back to sleep. Finally at 5 am I caved and got up with him. Then add to that I got sick. So after more than 1 or 2 nights of little sleep and being sick and working full time and trying to get ready for the holidays, etc. I would say this was the main source of why my December was so awful.

I knew we had the race coming up but I hadn't really run in a while. It got too cold to go in the mornings and I didn't dare take JJ after work because of his sickness. So I finally decided to try and workout on my lunch. I made it once before I had to start shortening my lunches to try and make up for all the time I was missing for JJ's doctor's appointments.

JJ loves to flip light switches.

We went out to Crackers when my parents were here. He's at an age where it's not easy to go out with him because he gets bored sitting.

JJ still loves balloons and Grandma got a Mickey balloon for him at WalMart. He was super happy with his blanket, watching his shows, with his milk and balloon.

Kim and Paul came after Christmas. We had planned to go to a hockey game while they were here. Nick and Shar went too. We ended up going on New Year's Eve. It was a fun time and a good game.

That pretty much takes it through the end of the month. I know looking at this it seems like some fun stuff and there was. I just know that I have been pretty drained with everything and hope that it will start to calm down here in the next few weeks.