Merry Christmas to All!

I just wanted to take a moment to wish all of you a very Merry Christmas. It has been a wonderful year, and we are so blessed to have such wonderful, thoughtful, and caring friends and families in our lives. We truly appreciate everything you have each done throughout the year; especially all the help when Cole was born. The gifts, the meals, the babysitting, and shoulders to cry on; these were so meaningful to us, and we couldn't have done it without you.

As the year winds down, I always feel the need to reflect. Things are definitely a little scarier than when the year began - especially when you consider the state of our economy. With so many struggling around me, it makes me appreciate things in my life I may not have thought of before. I'm truly grateful Bryce and I are both employed, have a roof over our heads, food to eat, and a warm bed to sleep in. I'm thankful, more than words can say, that our little boy is healthy and happy, and pray it will always be so.

Thank you again for each of you and for the treasured memories you gave to our family this year. Merry Christmas and a very happy and healthy New Year to you and yours!!!

KI-2

As a follow-up in the now infamous Kiddopotomous Incidents, I present the following: (Keep in mind, this is exactly how I found him, blankets completely kicked off, Kiddopotomous gone, and sideways in the crib.)

I think that Bryce and I may be in for it when he becomes mobile...

Graham Cracker Fun

Both Bryce and I love making graham cracker houses, and this year, the Thomsens got together and had some fun building them.

Cindy, Leslie and Darin making the first attempt....

...and, unfortunately, failing miserably.

Brock, Leslie, and Hayley

Cole, Cindy, and Mitchell

Bryce and my creation. Sadly, it took the both of us putting our heads together to come up with this simple plan.

Linds and Hayley - matching PJ girls!

The Kiddopotamus Incidents

Bryce and I have been swaddling Cole in a wonderful little blanket called the Kiddopotamus since he was born. It seems to really help him sleep longer at night. Well, we're wondering if it is time to put the Kiddopotamus away. He manages to get various limbs out of the tightly wrapped and velcro-ed blanket every night. The evidence:

How the Kiddopotamus should be worn.

The toga - one arm and one knee out.

The mermaid - both arms out.

And the most impressive feat of all - the straight jacket. Both arms still in, but the legs kicked free.

Growing Up Already?!

I can't believe that Cole is 6 weeks old today. It has been the longest and shortest 6 weeks of my life. (If you have kids, I know you know what I mean.) We have been blessed with such a cute and healthy little boy who has begun sleeping for 7-8 hours in a stretch. (Knock on wood!) He's already gained over 2 pounds and grown almost 2 inches since he was born. Yikes! As you can see from the picture below, he's already getting too tall for 0-3 month clothes, although he hasn't begun to fill them out. Yep, he's our long, skinny boy.

But, the best part is that he's begun smiling and talking to us. It really does make it all worth it!

Leaving Dad in Charge

Last Saturday, I left Bryce in charge of Cole while I went to run errands. This is what I returned to:

According to Bryce, he "forgot" to put Cole's pants back on after he changed a diaper. Oh well, it makes for a funny picture and a perfect shot of my little boy's chicken legs.

Witnessing History

I have been a little reluctant to bring politics into this blog, but I would be negligent if I didn't express my feelings this morning. I am not very good with words, so please bear with my attempt!

Many of you know that I have been an Obama supporter throughout the past year, so I'm obviously very happy with the election results. But, as I watched the results come in last night, and our next President's speech, I felt the full impact of the historic moment. In my lifetime, I have often taken for granted the equal rights that were secured for me by other courageous individuals. As a woman, a hundred years ago, I would not have been allowed to express my opinion by voting. The idea seems ludicrous - just as ridiculous as a person not being allowed to vote because of the color of his or her skin. I am not naive - I realize discrimination still exists today - but it is hard for me to imagine that level of hatred. It is then with amazement and excitement (and a small sense of shame that it has taken this long) that I witness this historic election.

As I watched the election coverage, a particular moment really stuck out to me. A reporter relayed a story of interviewing an African-American man in Harlem who was asked how he felt about the election. The man responded that now, when his son asked if he could be anything he wanted to be, that he could look that son in the eyes, and honestly answer yes. In that moment, I thought about my own son, and how, he too has all the opportunity to choose his own path through life.

Anyway, thank you for bearing with me through my soap-box post. I do hope that this election may have the power to unite the country, and that we can all truly work together to make it better.