Conrad:34 weeks

How are all of my friends doing? I am now 8 months old and doing well. Actually, according to the number of presents I received for Christmas, I am doing awesome and have been a very, very good baby boy. I've decided I really like Christmas. And Christmas wrapping paper. More on Christmas in my next post though!

It's been so busy and now I'm a week late in posting that I've forgotten most of what I wanted to share. Hmmm....let's see......

• That Santa guy is a little weird, but soft and snuggly. Just like me! He made an appearance at Miss Kathy's Christmas party. I don't know how travels so many places in such a short amount of time because just a few days later he made a stop at our house and then again at Mimi and Papa's? It's a bit over my head, but I'm not complaining. 

He brought me new cars, which I find really fun to chew on! And a new blue teddy bear that Sissy named Frosty. Seems fitting.

• You know how babies typically like baby food? Well, not me. I like real people food. Like, meat and potatoes type food please. And puffs. Lots of puffs. 

• Mommy and daddy are trying to avoid all grains for the first year like they did with Sissy, but I can easily talk Mommy into giving me a few bites of her toast here and there so I'm thinking that whole 2nd child syndrome is working in my favor on this one. 

• I've gotten quite skilled at picking up my puffs and small pieces of food and mostly making it to my mouth.

• Sleeping isn't on the list of things I am consistently good at. It's no wonder Mommy loves coffee so much.

• I'm wearing all 12-month and some 18-month clothes now!

• I love to read books and join in on nap and bed-time reading whenever I can. Mommy and Daddy can't believe I pay attention so well. 

• I think my days in the car seat carrier are soon coming to an end. I'm one big boy, and Mommy says her back has had it. Every time she snaps me into my car seat base, Gwendolyn says "he's heavy" and Mommy says, "yes, he is. Very heavy."

I turn 36 weeks this coming Sunday. Where is the time going?!

Better run. Lots to do after being gone six days. So many new toys to play with!

Love forever,

Conrad Crossy

November in Pictures

Family Pictures:

November was a busy month (what month isn't?) with seven shoots including hours and hours of October session editing time, hosting a baby shower for Auntie Trisha and baby Deutsch, and traveling to Mimi and Papa's house for Thanksgiving. But we survived! With little to minimum crying and only two or three tantrums. 

And Gwendolyn was a trooper too! ;)

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Daddy came home from work to a sleepy baby and a wanting to be held toddler. This means mommy gets a break (to start dinner ha) and everyone wins!

There is always room on my lap for two.

Both asleep on a short drive home = super fun play date.

We had Conrad dedicated at church and my parents were able to make the trip up to be there for the big event. So blessed to have them only a few hours away so they don't have to miss these important life events. Per usual, Sissy was soaking up the extra snuggles during worship.

Having two kiddos certainly cuts back on what I buy at Target due to lack of space!

Seriously. They kill me.

So fun having Papa and Mimi in town for Trisha's baby shower.

Gwendolyn: 

She picks that best hiding spots. You can never find her!

Occasionally Gwendolyn cries for really no reason so I encourage her to sit on the stairs until she's ready to rejoin us in the living room to play happily. (It works so well for her.) So I just busted out laughing when I saw her baby doll Leah sitting there and Gwendolyn told me she was crying and needed to sit there until she was done. 

She doesn't miss a thing!

Conrad:

Small group friends...

Tried on my brother's baby baptismal outfits before Conrad's dedication, but it was just a tad.too.small.

Our friend Emma who helps Miss Kathy after school and comes over to play with the kids when I need some extra hands. The kiddos love her! She was actually here today and I swear Conrad was flirting.

Remember Gwendolyn wearing the same bunting when she was about the same age? So cute!

Sleepy boy. How dare mommy and daddy keep him out past his bedtime...

6 month check-up went well!

Sweet dreams are the best.

Soooo.....clooooose....

He is funny....he rolls to his side like this and gets almost there and then just rolls back to his back. Stinker! (Notice the three toy bribes that didn't work in the bottom right corner.)

"Hey guys."

Sitting like a big boy at the snack table in the church nursery. (Those girls are all 12-18 months older than he is!)

Sigh.....love me a chubby baby hand.

Laura came to visit and meet Conrad for the first time! She brought Starbucks and we caught up on life. It was fabulous. And I think Conrad was smitten. 

He's a sucker for brown eyes.

Hope everyone has a wonderful and blessed Christmas!! 

Thanksgiving at Mimi and Papa's house

We changed things up this year and spent Thanksgiving at Mimi and Papa's house. It's always a super fun place to go, but especially around the holidays because it's a winter wonderland. And relaxing. And Mimi always makes great food with lots of treats on the counter at all times. Gotta love that!

We played games, decorated the Christmas tree, watched a couple of movies, had a delicious Thanksgiving meal, and really missed the rest of the fam - Greg, Natalie, Grant, Brookie and Lukey (can't wait to see them next week!!) In addition, Papa took Gwendolyn to the zoo while I got to go hang out with my sis and go shopping and out to lunch for a few hours, which was ah-mazing. (Tom stayed home with Conrad.) AND John, Trisha, Tom, and Gwendolyn all went to Frozen one afternoon. She loved it, and is still talking about it. And their seats reclined! Totally awesome.

It was a great time! So blessed to have such great families.

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Two of her favorite people...

He's going to be such an awesome daddy!! Our kiddos love their Uncle John!

Don't ever grow up, Conrad Cross....

Spending time with my sis kid-free. This hasn't happened literally in years, but I think we both decided we need to do it more often. We TALKED! Without interruptions. It was so great.

As we were getting ready to say good-bye, Becca turned to me and said "do you feel like you could cry?" and of course I already had a frog in my throat so the question sent me over the edge and just like that, the tears start flowing from both of us. We were laughing and crying at the same time just because we're so ridiculous, but our good-byes are always hard. 

We stopped to see my BFF's new baby Fletcher on our way home. Love.Him.So.Much. So tiny and precious. 

It's amazing what a difference 7 months makes. Holy cow!