Lesson 216: Christmas :)

Ted's first Christmas! It was absolutely exhausting. We had 4 separate Christmas celebrations!!! Oh well, 

I bought Ted his first Christmas ornament from Hallmark. It says "Somebunny new to love, Baby's first Christmas" on it. I also bought a Star Trek ornament for him. It has Captain Kirk fighting a gorn and makes roaring noises hahaha. 

We didn't get professional pictures of Ted with Santa... I say it was probably due to my lack of caring whether we have a million pictures of Ted with Santa. This is the Santa that came to our church Christmas party. 

CHRISTMAS #1: 12/23/13 at our home with Grandma and Grandpa Mann and Aunt Elspeth

Aunt Elspeth bought Ted a cozy coupe :) As you can see in this picture, he is already driving like a pro, one hand on the wheel and resting his arm on the side. We have the perfect house for a little car because we have a huge open room with wood flooring. 

Ruby took a spin in the car too. Our dogs are very patient with us hahaha. 

Here we all are.  

CHRISTMAS #2: 12/23/13 (later that evening) At our home with just the Opfars

We were going to wait until Christmas to open gifts but decided to just open them after my family left. I am glad we did because Christmas morning we had to hit the road. This made it a lot more relaxing. 

CHRISTMAS #3: 12/24/13 At grandma and grandpa Opfar's house with all the aunts and uncles. 

There was a HUGE contrast between the mellow quiet Christmas with my parents and the loud crazy Christmas with Tyler's parents. **phew** 

Here is Ted and cousin Nathan in their matching pajamas. Right after this I tried to get a picture with Ted and all the cousins. He melted down hahaha. Poor Ted. 

Ted at the end of the night. I'm right there with ya Teddy. 

CHRISTMAS #4: 12/25/13 Great-grandma Mann 

As I mentioned before, we drove to my grandma's house on Christmas day. In the last post I mentioned how Spokane's dryness is murder on Ted's skin. Well the moisture of the coast was a miracle for Ted. His skin was as soft as a baby's bum... which is SHOULD be all this time sheesh. 

Great-grandma bought Ted a cute little Santa Teddy :)  

The day after Christmas was beautiful. We all went for a walk along the coast. I have never seen a day at the ocean where there so no wind whatsoever. Plus, since it is the off season, there were no people around. 

This is a fake tree which is supposed to mark the furthest point Lewis and Clark came west. 

Puppies in the sand.  

Since there was no one around, Max got to walk off leash for a long stretch. He has his leash on in this picture but later I took it off and he was so well behaved. He stayed on the path, came when he was called and was so dang happy to be able to just run free. It was awesome. We don't trust Ruby with freedom. She would probably leave and never come back.  

We also took Ted for his first trip to the local bakery that we go to EVERY time we visit the coast. 

Tyler is drinking a soda....  

That night we went to The Lost Roo restaurant. I wanted to get a picture of Ted and great-grandma with the teddy she gave him :) 

Lesson 215: Thanksgiving 2013... the one and only picture I took with my camera...

For Thanksgiving, my mom, Ted and I made the drive to Spokane to visit extended family. It was fun having a vacation but a nightmare traveling with a baby. And I was ambitious and brought my cloth diapers. It was AWFUL! I had fun other than Ted not sleeping at all the entire time we were there. Plus Spokane is so much dryer than where we live so poor Ted's skin was alligator level. :( 

I took a picture with Tyler before we headed out on the morning of Thanksgiving. I like to have a current picture of Tyler with me whenever I go on a trip without him. 

Lesson 214: Happy New Year

Lesson 213: How to overbook your baby

Ted had a super busy weekend. Friday we went to the doctor for his checkup and then to a family party. Saturday we ran errands, had another family party and then went to a church party where we played Jesus, Mary and Joseph.

Tyler, Ted, and I sat in the stable while the children stood around and sang a couple songs. It was really cute. The 4 year old children were sheep and then all the older girls were angels and the older boys were shepherds. There was a line in one of the songs that was "picture a little baby Jesus" and each time this line was sung the little girls sitting next to us would pat Ted on the head. It was sweet.

Also Ted met Santa Claus at the end of the church party. When the eating and production was over Santa showed up and we waited in a long line to meet him. I am debating whether I will just count this as Ted's Santa picture. Hmmm. Half of me wants to be lazy and not get professional pictures taken but the other half thinks, well you only have one First Christmas. 

Sunday we had church. Then Ted and I had to drive into work to take care of some stuff. I got all the way there and realized I forgot my keys. We drove back home and then back to work. This totaled about 70 minutes of driving.. bleh... then our family was booked again to play Jesus, Mary and Joseph at a different church party.

This time we just sat in the stable for an hour as a live nativity scene. It was fun. I liked how everyone wanted to come and see the "baby Jesus".  

 

 Ted actually stayed lying in the manger for the full hour we were there. He is such a good baby. It was a cute experience. My favorite was when a couple little kids came up to say hi and asked if Ted was the real baby Jesus. Children are so cute. I can see why it is important to have the faith of a child.

Monday we finally decorated for Christmas. I decorated the tree and Tyler set out the Christmas village. Ted got his very first ornament. It is a little stuffed bunny that says "baby's first Christmas" and "somebunny new to love"

I also bought him a Star Trek ornament that is not pictured. It is Captain Kirk being attacked by a gorn hahaha. It plays music and makes sound. 

Lesson 212: Ted masters the frog

Aunt Miranda and the Easter bunny got Ted this frog before he was even born and just this past week he has mastered how to actually use it. Instead of just getting hit in the face by it while it swings on his carseat.

Lesson 211: If you have nothing to post about, just put up pics from your phone

Another pic of Ted as Robin on Halloween.

 My mom sent me this pic while I was at work and said something about how Ted is flying. 

 Aunt Elspeth bought Ted these really cute fruits hats. This one is a blackberry. 

 This is an apple hat. It was a little smaller so will probably work better for the next baby... whoever has it.. 

 Ted and Daddy :) 

 Ted started eating solids a few weeks back. These 2 pics were taken at his second time eating. He loves it. 

 Ted and Daddy again 

 I splurged and bought Ted Soffie the giraffe. 

Lesson 210: They grow up (and learn to fly) so fast... Happy Halloween!

Ted was Robin for Halloween. My mom bought him this cute costume complete with cape. Ted had a little pumpkin from the corn maze we went to a few weeks ago. 

If Teddy looks a little red it is because he is still getting over a cold :( 

Ruby REALLY wanted that pumpkin. I don't know what she thought she was going to do with it. After I was done with pics I offered it to her but she said nevermind. 

I love the lower picture. It looks like a pic of me when I was a baby. Minus Tyler's bright blue eyes of course.  

People let me tell ya 'bout my beeeeest frieeeeend (song). Ted loves Ruby. Ruby loves Ted. Unfortunately Ted is at the stage of pinching with his tiny fingers which does not feel good on dog whiskers.... 

I assume.

 Me and baby Ted :) :) :) :)

 Ted is now 5 months old and already I am having a hard time keeping his feet on the ground. 

 Tyler catching the flying baby. I love the cape :) 

 Tyler and baby Ted :) :) :) 

 The 3 amigos. Max in his dinosaur costume and Ruby in her one-eyed, one-horned flying purple people eater costume. 

If you look close to this picture you can see the pure hatred Max has for this situation.  Ruby is standing by, ready to pounce if he tries any funny business. 

 Ted didn't make it very late. He was falling asleep by 7PM. 

 Happy 1st Halloween Teddy bear :)