James' turn on the recorder

James got a hold of Maggie's recorder, and figured out how to make noise on it! He did really great before I got out my phone to video it, and then he needed a little help to do it again.

Mini Concert

Maggie was listening to some Christmas the other night, and started hooting on her recorder. James pulled two cups from his toy bin and started banging them together to join her. We got a short clip of them playing together. We tried a couple times, and every time we started the music and Maggie played, James would, too. He's so little yet, and I forget that they are really learning so much so quickly. It was really fun to watch!

Nine Months, are you kidding me?!

James is 9 months now. I can't believe it. In 12 short weeks he'll be a year. Gotta get started on that party!

He babbles with lots of consonant sounds, says Mama like "ba-bma", army crawls, claps, waves, greets everyone with an upturned hand, is learning to feed himself. He is so happy, it's wonderful.

His 9-month check up was Monday, 12/5. 22 pounds, 15 ounces, 29.3 inches. Still at the 90th percentile for height,  a little below 90th for weight. He is wearing 12-month stuff just about exclusively still, some 12-month pants are too short or too tight.

Thanksgiving 2011

A little late, but our Thanksgiving was really great!

Maggie's school had a kindergarten Thanksgiving program (because, you know, they AREN'T having a Christmas program). She's a turkey, 3rd in, bottom row at the lower right of the picture. 

 Here's our little turkey!!!

 And Bubby trying to take off her turkey hat.

  

I actually decorated for our Thanksgiving this year. I found some super-cute printables off Pinterest. It was fun to get all gussied up even though it was just us, Seth & Dixie and our munchkins.

And the table setting. I pulled out the china. It's pointless to have it be dispayed in my hutch if it isn't going to get used.

Right here is a picture of the BEST TURKEY I have ever made. I brined it overnight, and roasted it, UNSTUFFED, upside down. It was juicy even after it was all carved up and on the platter through dinner. Delicious!

Our happy little buddy ready to chow down on his first Thanksgiving. And boy are we THANKFUL for him! Just a joy to have in our lives.

Dinner ready to go. Turkey and gravy, stuffing, CHEESY green bean casserole, Dixie's rolls, mashed potatoes and gravy, sweet potato and apple bake and salad. Amazing. I think we've got our Thanksgiving menu nailed and perfect.

The drumstick was a big hit with James!

Lots of great supervision of the little boys going on here.

Tyler was sleeping so hard he didn't even wake up when I took the picture.

The girls are big enough to play on their own, but I had a Thanksgiving craft ready for them, too, while we prepped dinner. On each feather they had to write something they were thankful for.

And little Zeke settled down for a while that night and cuddled with his mama. It was really sweet!

And here we all are.