Wow, I can't believe Thanksgiving has already come and gone and now we are in full swing of Christmas festivities. We had a great first Thanksgiving with our sweet baby boy and I couldn't have asked for a more perfect day.We got an early start the morning of Thanksgiving to complete our 2nd annual Turkey Trot with Kathy and the gang. The weather had a crisp cool breeze but warmed up just enough as the morning went on. We gathered at John and Kathy's for sausage balls and pumpkin bread and all suited up in our official Turkey Trot T-shirts before we headed downtown together. Preston was in a great mood and after we took our group photo, it was off to the races (well really just walking for us). We finished the race in just under an hour but poor Preston fell asleep just before we crossed the finish line.
2nd Annual Turkey Troters
Crazy how just 1 year can make such a huge difference
This was us last year
Preston and his 2 cousins Mason and Ellie
Let's get going
Amy, Shelton, Mason & Ellie
Nana is so happy to have Preston at the Turkey Trot
Booty shot
Loving looking at their wife's booties
Aunt Nat is with us too
Off they go
Off we go
Keeping up a good pace
Making our way through the crowd
Aunt Jessie's having a great time!!
Poor guy fell asleep right before the finish line
After completing the trot, we rushed home to take showers and get the food cooking. My plan was to arrive to Vicki and Dave's by 12:15-12:30 but with the highway shut down, we didn't arrive until 1pm. But luckily when we arrived they were just setting up for our Thanksgiving day meal and I had just enough time to complete my cookie fruit cups (which were a crowd favorite) before lunch.
My award winning cookie fruit cups and apple carmel bundt cake
Preston started his Thanksgiving Day meal with a jar of squash then Daddy gave him a whole big slice of turkey to try. To my surprise, Preston loved it and it kept him happy the entire time we were eating. Everyone enjoy having a baby in the room and Preston surely didn't disappoint. He smiled and made funny noises all during lunch. I was one proud momma!!
Preston enjoying his first Thanksgiving meal
Preston really enjoying his piece of turkey
After stuffing ourselves full of goodness, Preston had a fun time zooming all around the house with his walker and playing on the floor with Grandpa Dave. Later in the day, we took him outside to play with Lucky and he couldn't stop giggling. I gave him a quick tour of the backyard forest then it was time for a nap.
Off he goes
Preston found some toys in the chair and pulled them to the floor
Playing with Grandpa Dave
Brent, Peeps and Bradley
Uncle B
Lucky & Preston
Preston was giggling so hard. It was a priceless moment
Preston getting his face cleaned by Lucky
Now Lucky is getting his rub down
Preston trying to eat as many leafs as he can
Taking a walk
I ended up napping with Preston and when we woke up, everyone had headed home except for us, Brad and Jessie. I was taken by surprise when Brent said that Dave wasn't going to decorate the outside of their house anymore and was offering all his decorations to us and Brad and Jessie. Talk about a field day for me. I was super excited to inherit a snowman, candy canes, arc way and 2 reindeer lights for our front yard. We set them up the next day and now our home is filled with Christmas joy!!
We had Preston's Dedication on Sunday, Nov 4, 2012 at our church in Sunnyvale and I was so glad most of the family could come. It was a very special moment to be up in front of the church and all of us commit to raising Preston under the guidance of our Lord. Preston flashed a smile while Randy (our Pastor) was holding him and that made everyone in the church smile. After the church service, we all ate at Saltgrass and Preston got to open a few gifts his family members gave him. John and Kathy gave Preston a children's Bible story book that I am very excited to read to him soon, Mason and Ellie gave him a "Thank You Prayer" book that we can read and memorize to say each and every night. Brad and Jessie gave him a new sweater and my parents gave him a quotes book that we can read for each day of the year.
We are so blessed to have the family we do and I am so thankful our son has so many hands he can rely on.
Randy starting the Dedication Ceremony
Listening to Randy speak about the importance of raising Preston under the guidance of the Lord
Special moment between Mommy and Preston
Praying over Preston
Preston loved being on stage
Back to Mommy
Thank you to everyone who came to support us and Preston. It meant so much to us!!
Preston is now a 9 month old baby who loves to melt the hearts of his mommy and daddy with his luminous smile, explore everything that falls in his line of sight and voice his enthusiasm with his high pitched squeals and maturing baby sounds. My baby is becoming less of a baby and more independent as each day passes. I try to saver every moment I can where he allows me to kiss all over him, tickle his tummy and hold him as tightly as I want to. Preston is full of energy and has the kindest and most gentle heart.
This month, Preston has learned how to walk using his walker at school and the one at home. At the beginning of the month, we would have to stabilize the walker because he would push it forward faster than he could move his legs with it but by the end of the month he was putting one leg in front of the other fairly quickly and he didn’t need us to assist him anymore. He hasn’t learned the concept of turning the walker yet but he will get there.
Preston officially cut his first tooth this month and more are already on their way. He has done really well with teething and he looks so much older with his new teeth shining through.
We have been working with Preston to hold his own bottle and he is getting there but so far all he can do is hold his bottle when he is laying on his back when getting his diaper changed. He hasn’t yet master holding his bottle while sitting up just yet.
Preston has gotten super good at crawling and he can move very quickly. Its soo cute to watch him zoom across the floor when he sees something he wants or see how excited he gets to follow mommy from room to room.
Preston has also learned how to scream when he isn’t happy about something. We are trying to nip that in the bud right now.
Special Moment:
As everyone knows, I live for the holidays and I was more than ecstatic when October 1st rolled around because that meant Halloween was just around the corner. I decorated the house, planned lots of family events during the month and waited for Oct 31st to finally arrive so I could celebrate the holiday with Preston for the very first time. I thought our special moment this month would be when we went trick-or-treating for the very first time but to my surprise our special moment happened later that night. Although trick-or-treating with him was incredibly special, our special moment happened when we were in the car traveling to another trick-or-treating spot. While I was holding him in my lap his front facing my front, he wrapped his arms around my waist and laid his head against my chest and stayed there until we had to move to get out of the car. I know this isn’t a huge moment or anything but I knew he felt save in my arms and I will never forget how that made me feel as his momma.
Preston’s Likes:
At school, Preston along with all the other babies loves to pull the handles on the cabinet doors. The only difference between the ones at school and the ones at home are that ours don’t lock and he can pull them open. He has bumped his head a couple of times on the doors but his curiosity keeps him coming back for more.
We discovered that Preston loves to bang and crunch on empty water bottles. So, now we keep an empty water bottle in his play area so he can bang it on the couch, near the bathtub so he can play with it during bath time and next to our bed so he can crunch on it when we are putting his diaper and clothes on after his bath.
Preston reacts positively to music and he especially likes the song “If your happy and you know it”.
Preston’s Dislikes:
Preston has gotten better about getting his diaper and clothing changed although I’m not sure if he is getting better with it or if we have gotten smarter about it. I always have a toy or his pacifier handy when it’s time to change his diaper or get his clothes on. That boy doesn’t want to stay still long enough for me to get him changed. He is ready to go 24-7.
Preston now understands the phase “no no” and doesn’t like to hear it. He will get pretty upset when he’s not allowed to have or explore something but we just redirect him and he is all good.
Preston hasn’t really shown any amounts of fear beside sudden loud noises so it took me by surprise when he didn’t take very well to the new bath toys we bought him. He loves bubbles so I figured he would love the bubble machine but boy was I wrong. When I turned it on, he heard the buzzing noise and almost leaped completely out of the bath tub. I was not prepared for that and it stunned me to see him react so negatively to something so quickly.
It took a while for him to feel comfortable in the bath again but just as he was I screwed it up when I put another new toy in the bath tub with him. This time it was a pink star that made a little water fountain and lit up. Again he ran for the hills when he saw the lights come on and the water start flowing out. I couldn’t believe it. He cried and cried until he no longer saw the star.
Then to my amazement, he got scared for a third time by the green frog I bought to place over the tub facet. He took one look at it, then at me and then cried for me to get him out of the tub. I quickly removed the frog and he was better after a few minutes.
So now, all there is in the bath is his trusty water bottle. I still haven’t figured out why all these toys scared him but they surely did.
Just starting this month, Preston no longer likes his veggies straight from the container. The only way I can get him to eat his veggies is to disguise them by mixing them with his oatmeal flakes. He will eat the fruits from the container but not the veggies. He will also eat level 3 fruits but will not get level 3 veggies. I think the level 3 veggies have too powerful of a smell and he will turn his nose each time.
Happy 9 Months Preston!!
Exploring the interesting blanket
He tends to stick his tongue out when he is concentrating
