WW - This one is self-explanatory.

PS - I know I've really only been posting Wordless Wednesdays lately, but I've got lots to catch up on in the next few weeks. The holidays and blogging don't fit together very well for me. Rest assured, though, that when I'm not blogging it usually means I'm doing fun things to blog about!

WW - Helping Daddy Work

WW - Best thing ever? A bath in the sink!

A New Favorite

I have many things to post about that have happened recently, but I find the thought of playing catch up a bit overwhelming at the moment. James and I had a wonderful trip to Colorado for Jamie's homecoming, and then all three of us got to fly down to California where we had a fun Thanksgiving with Paul's family. I have lots of pictures and many fun stories. I promise I'll post about them soon.

One of the things we did in California with Paul's family was celebrate an early Christmas by exchanging gifts since we won't be together for Christmas. Steven affectionately refers to this as Turkey-mas, since it's the day after Thanksgiving. :) Grandma Grace and Grandpa John showered James with gifts (so much so, that we had to bring an extra suitcase so that we could bring it all home!). There are certainly benefits to being the first grandchild! Ha ha.

James loves his new toys, including this one, which is my new favorite.


Fun, isn't it? I would say it is James' favorite, too, but he hasn't quite gotten used to it yet. That, and he also got a pretty sweet baseball toy which he absolutely loves. :)

The truck moves pretty fast when he pushes it, so he can barely keep up. He sticks out his bum and walks on his tiptoes with straight legs. It's pretty adorable. He hasn't figured out that he can turn it around yet either, so he just pushes it until he hits a roadblock and then stops. I'll try and catch it on video soon, because it really is cute.


Thank you, Grandma and Grandpa!

WW - And we wonder where James gets it...

Attitude of Gratitude - Week #3 (Belated)

I didn't manage to post my grateful things on Friday when I was in Colorado, but I definitely didn't want to skip it altogether because I have a lot to be grateful for this week!

1. Jamie's return home! It was so wonderful to be all together as a family again. It's been a very long time since we've been able to spend time all together. The only people missing were the husbands (we missed you Paul and Brian!), but they get to come for Christmas! I can't wait!

2. My supportive husband. Thank you once again for letting me go to Colorado for the week, Paul! I know it was hard being alone at home, and I missed you terribly, but I can't tell you how much it meant to me to be able to be with my family and see Jamie.

3. A happy, healthy (mostly) baby. Poor little Becca and James got colds while we were in Colorado. It was the first time James has been sick! And he was amazing. He was happy and active still--just a little more clingy than normal. He didn't like it when we kept having to wipe his nose, but he was such a trooper. I'm grateful that he is so healthy and strong.

4. My daddy. Even though he is currently in the busiest time of year at work, he took lots of time to be with us at home last week. I'm so grateful for all his hard work for our family, and for his love and support. Plus, he makes AMAZING food. Those waffles we had on Sunday night were pretty much the best I've ever eaten.

5. Eternal perspective. There are so many negative things that happen in this world, and it's hard not to let them get you down--especially when the bad things are happening to close friends and family members. I'm grateful for the testimony I have of the gospel of Jesus Christ and the joy it brings to my life. Without the perspective the doctrines of the church add to my outlook towards trials and challenges, I wouldn't be able to be truly happy.

What are you thankful for this week? :)

WW - Together Again!

Attitude of Gratitude - Week #2

Thanks to all who commented last week with things you are grateful for. :) It was really nice to see what you had to say.

Here's what I'm grateful for this week:

1. New friends here in Oregon. I finally feel like I'm starting to make friends and not just acquaintances. It's a good feeling.

2. An understanding husband. He's so willing to support me as I head off to enrichment activities, presidency meetings, or whatever else that comes up. He stays home with James without complaint. :)

3. Cheap plane tickets. I'm so excited to go home and visit my family next week! If it weren't for the reasonable ticket price, I wouldn't be able to do it.

4. New books by my favorite authors. This week it's Ender in Exile, by Orson Scott Card. I'm just over halfway through, and it's tons of fun! I keep thinking that he needs to leave the Enderverse behind and write new stories...but heck, every time he writes a new Ender book I run out and buy it! And he has yet to disappoint.

5. Good pediatricians. I'm so glad we found a good doctor for James right away. It's nice to look forward to James' check ups and not dread them.

Your turn! What are you grateful for this week? :)

Short, small, and on the go!

James had his 9 month doctor's appointment this week! I can't believe that his next doctor's appointment is 1 year! Time really has flown by. Anyway, James is a little guy, but he's perfectly healthy according to the pediatrician. :) Here are the stats:

Weight: 18 lbs (8th percentile!)
Height: 27 3/4 inches (26th percentile)
Head: 46 cm (64th percentile)

Yep, he' still a big headed skinny boy. ;) I asked if I should be concerned about his weight, and the doctor said definitely not. He's so active, he eats well and sleeps well, and he did gain a little over 2 pounds in the last three months. Nothing to worry about! If he would just sit still for more than two seconds he could probably pack on a little weight. Ha ha.


James just keeps me happy every day. If it weren't for him, I would be going crazy sitting at home by myself everyday. He is so joyful and loving! Lately he has started giving "hugs". He'll put his arms around my shoulders or Paul's shoulders and hold on tight. It's so cute. He also really loves playing around on the floor with us. He scrambles all over us and tries to grab our noses, and we make him fly around like a little airplane. Oh the joys of playing with babies!


I didn't have any good pictures for this entry, so I took these yesterday. James was trying to climb over my knees to get to the camera the whole time. :)

WW- A Different Use for the Cow

Attitude of Gratitude

A couple years ago, back in my livejournal days, I posted three things I was grateful for every day during the month of November. It was an idea I got from one of my roommates at the time. I recently read through some of those entries, and I briefly considered doing the same thing on this blog this year. I decided posting every day was a little much (and, let's be honest, I was also worried that I'd lose all five of my Loyal Readers who only come here to see the cute pictures of James).

I do like the idea of pointing out things I'm grateful for, and November is the perfect month for it. I have decided to post five things I'm grateful for every Friday for the month of November (well, who knows, I may enjoy it so much I will continue past November). They can be specific to the week, or just general. And you (my Loyal Readers ;) ) should, too! Each week when I post my five, you should post five of your own in the comments. Then we can all be grateful together! I really hope you decide to join with me, because I'm excited at the prospect of hearing the things you have to say.

Five things I am grateful for this week:

1. The Oregon weather. I know I'll probably get tired of it by the time it's been like this for five months, but right now it is gorgeous. Rainy, cool, and beautiful.

2. Gmail chat. I love that I can keep in touch with people so easily. I can ask Paul a quick question whenever I need to. I can commiserate with Paula about whatever annoying thing our children are doing at the time. I can make exciting plans and brainstorm ideas with Lisa. Oh the joy it brings! :)

3. The democratic process. I have rather successfully avoided talking about controversial topics very much this election, but I am indeed grateful for the freedom that we have in this country and the ability we have to vote on issues and representatives.

4. Rewritable DVDs. Paul and I don't have a DVR or Tivo, so we use rewritable DVDs to watch our tv shows that we can't catch when they are on. It's a beautiful thing.

5. James' laugh. He never fails to brighten my day. Babies can be so annoying ("I swear! I just changed your stinky diaper FIVE MINUTES ago!") sometimes, but that sweet laugh erases all the bad.

Your turn! What are you grateful for this week? (Mom, I think you'd better swallow your fears and finally comment. :) )

A Ticklish Neck

Yesterday, I had a laughing session with James. :) For some reason, his neck was so ticklish that he would burst out laughing when I came anywhere near it. I caught the tail end of the laughing on video:

It's a tad long, but he was just cracking me up! I wanted to see how long he would do it.

WW - Ridin' a cow...

Where's Baby Waldo?

Over the past couple days, our little Baby Waldo has had quite a few adventures! He has been spotted in several locations in the Beaverton area.


First, he decided to do some shopping.


He almost got lost a couple of places along the way. Can you find him?


I'm pretty sure those clothes are too big for you, little Waldo!


Someone almost tried to buy him at one point. Baby Waldo is NOT for sale!


After the shopping, it was time for some chores around the house.


Chores left little Waldo kinda hungry...


After his snack, he decided it was time to go outside and play!


After all these adventures, Baby Waldo was tuckered out. He needed some quality cuddle time.


For more pictures of Baby Waldo's adventures, click here!

Happy Halloween!

WW - Run for your lives!

Christmas in October!

Grandpa and Grandma Hansen sent James some wonderful new clothes in the mail! They love shopping for cute clothes for their grandchildren. :) And they have good taste, too!

Here are some of James' adorable new outfits:




So fun! Thanks for the early Christmas, Grandma and Grandpa!

WW - James in a Box

The Pumpkin Patch

Today James and I took a trip with the ward play group to the Sauvie Island Farm Pumpkin Patch! There's something about pumpkins and babies that make for great photo opportunities, so pardon me while I dump some mighty cute pictures at you. ;)

First, we went on a short hayride around the patch.


James really loved the hay. And it actually took him a little while before he tried to eat it!


After the hayride James got to try and drive the tractor himself...ha ha, just kidding.


And then James had his first experience with pumpkins.


Ooh, yummy. (Am I a bad mom for letting him chew on it? Probably.)

It was the funniest thing. Normally, James looks up at the camera automatically when he hears the noise it makes when I turn it on. Not at the pumpkin patch! He wouldn't even look at me! He was just so excited about all the other stuff to look at and touch!


And then James got to have his own little pumpkin to bring home. He thought it was pretty dang cool.



It was a chilly and overcast day, and we were quite covered in mud and dirt by the time we left, but it was tons of fun! I think this will have to be a yearly tradition! Next time we will bring Paul. :)

WW - He's his father's son!

James Claps...well, sort of

Disclaimer: This is probably a video that only the grandparents and aunts and uncles will enjoy. It's way longer than it needed to be. Sorry!

So, whenever James gets excited he squeals and waves his arms and legs frantically. And he gets excited quite often. ;) We've been trying to catch him doing it on video, but he always stops as soon as the camera comes out.

This video is no exception. However, we did capture something else! I've been trying to teach James how to clap lately, and this is as close as he comes to clapping so far:

I love how he looks down at his hands and then decides to clap them together. :) It's amazing to watch him learn new things! You can just see the wheels turning in his head.

All bundled up!

It's gotten chilly here! In the past couple of days I've not only had to turn on the heater in James' room at night, but also during the day in our living room! And those of you who know me well, know that I enjoy putting off turning on the heater in the fall for as long as I possibly can. Maybe I've turned wimpy, but I was cold!

Paul's last fall softball league is not quite finished, and he had his usual double header last night. I knew it would be cold, but James and I were brave and decided to tough it out. We bundled James up in a long sleeved outfit, socks and shoes, a hat, and his nice Angels coat (thanks again Uncle Jeff!). The Angels coat is 12 month size, so it's still a tad big. But it's SO cute!

See for yourself:



James did better than me in the cold. He had a good time watching his daddy hit a home run and cuddling with his mommy under a big quilt to stay warm. We were the only family of Paul's team that braved the cold to support them. I gotta say, that made me a little bit proud. :)

I guess we can't use THAT anymore!

So, James has officially outgrown his vibrating rocking chair. Since he's been mobile, we have been using it less and less, but it has always been my go-to for when I need to take a shower. I have now used it as long as I possibly can.

The other day, I put James in the chair to take a shower. After I finished my shower I was walking around the apartment getting a few things done before taking James out of the chair (you know, taking advantage of having him tied down to one spot ;) ). He decided he was fed up with that idea. He didn't want to just sit there! So I came down the hall to find this coming out of our bedroom door:


He was still attached to the chair, but he had flipped it over and was crawling at an incredible pace considering he was toting such a gigantic load.


He wasn't even upset at all. He just came to find me! :)

Anyway, you would think the story would end there, but it doesn't. I assumed the reason he was able to flip the chair over was because the front leg of the chair (that makes it convert to and from a stable chair and a rocking chair) was flipped in, making it a rocking chair. He was able to gain momentum until he flipped it over. SO, I made the (incorrect) assumption that I could still use the chair for my showers as long as the front leg was flipped out, making it a stable chair.

A few days later, I found myself once again in need of a shower with no Paul here to watch James. After securing James in his chair (buckled in and all), I proceeded to take a shower. I heard some struggling and a bit of fussing toward the end of my shower, but I was so close to being finished I just yelled out, "It's ok, James! I'll be right out!" And I started singing to him (he appreciates my singing in the shower ;) ). As soon as I rinsed out my hair, I turned off the water and opened the shower door...and there was James--no chair in sight--crawling his way into the bathroom to find me! I looked out and towards where the chair was, and it was still there, just as I had left it, upright and everything. I still don't know how he managed to climb out while he was buckled in. (Once I dried off and got dressed I went and looked closer at the chair, and the buckles were still securely fastened.) He's a clever kid!

Now I use the Pack 'n Play when it's time for my showers...

On an unrelated note, here's a picture of James' new cute PJs. They were only $6 at Target, and I couldn't pass them up. :)

WW - An Unfortunate Incident ;)

Big Boy!

A little while ago Paul and I realized James had never worn shoes! In his whole life! We had some size 2 tennis shoes a student had given me as a gift, so I pulled them out. We laced them up and went to put them on...only to find they were already too small! Apparently James has his dad's big feet. ;)

Anyway, we also have some size 4 Nikes from my Aunt Kim, we just didn't think he would be able to wear them so quickly! They were packed away with the 12-18 month clothes. So, we unpacked them and vowed not to miss our chance with these, too. The other day I decided it was a good time to see if they fit:


Aren't they cute?? James thought they were the strangest thing ever. He didn't want to put his weight on them at first.


They're still a tad too big--he got one of them off within ten minutes or so--but I'm excited to let him wear them more in the future! I think it's going to take him a while to get used to the idea of wearing shoes.

James has fully mastered pulling himself up to stand next to things. He just loves it. Also, he loves to crawl up to the washer and dryer and start smacking it over and over again because it makes a loud noise. Here's a picture I took earlier today:


Our little troublemaker sure keeps me busy! I have another great story to post about, but it will have to wait until tomorrow because I have tons to do while James is napping! :)

Wordless Wednesday

Mini Panic!

Sitting here just now I realized that I don't yet have an awesome idea for James' Halloween costume! AHH! It's his first Halloween ever! He needs a great costume!

Any ideas?? I'm up for almost anything, but it can't be too expensive to make/buy. I'd like it to be clever and cute. And it may be fun to involve the whole family. (Paul and I don't have costumes yet either!)

FREAKING OUT!

Fall Ball

Paul has been playing with two fall softball leagues in the past weeks. These leagues are different than regular softball leagues in that they crunch the games into one hour and play double headers each week. I suppose this is because fall weather in Oregon is unpredictable.

One of the league's he's been playing with had their playoffs last night. Paul's sad that even fall ball is now coming to an end, but I'm excited to have our Monday nights back. ;)

Before the games, James played around in the grass.




He really enjoys grass. :) It's hard for me to let him play in it, though, because he always finds clumps of dirt and tries to eat them. Last night he successfully took a rather large bite of one of these clods of dirt when I looked away for two seconds, and managed to swallow it before I could fish it out of his mouth. Gross, James!

Then, we settled in to watch the big games. Paul's team was the number one seed in the tournament, so they only had to win two games to be the champions. They won the first game (with the help of a lead-off inside the park home run from Paul!) and started in on the Championship game.

By this time, it was already 9:30pm, and James was trying very hard not to fall asleep.


The second game had a rocky start and finish, but they won 16 to 9! At just about 10:45pm, Paul's team was awarded the trophy. :)


And yes, James stayed awake the entire time.


Way to go, Paul!