One year pictures!

So we finally got Connor's one year old pictures taken. Since he turned a year during the prime Christmast portrait season, I wanted to wait till January so that it would be less crazy. When we have done pics before (at 5 months and 9 months) we went to the Picture People, and we decided to try Portrait Innovations. The good thing about all those kind of places is that you can go and if it doesn't turn out well, you haven't spent anything but your time!


This principle proved itself all too well! I made an appointment for Wednesday- my usual day off. I did some errands, and then got everything ready- clothes ironed, ect. I even went to the grocery store and bought some cupcakes to use a prop since he wouldn't really smash his birthday cake. I got Connor from school and off we went!

Well, the session was a total FAIL. He was already in a bad mood b/c we were just 2 days into his new classroom and he was having major adjustment issues. So when i got to school he cried when he saw me, and then when we arrived at the portrait place, he looked puzzled as to why we were not at home. I tried to give him a little time to warm up, but it was not happening. Every time we tried to get him in the picture area, he started crying. So we ended up leaving and rescheduling. I wanted to cry!

Saturday morning we were back again, this time with low expectations, haha! I just really wanted a few good pics b/c he will not ever look at me at home- my camera just isn't fast enough! I've even tried to set up little "photo sessions" at home,but i'm never happy with what I get. Well, he was much happier, didn't cry one time, and we got some great pics! So i was a pretty happy mom! Here are some of the unedited pics....

Connor just loved this little rocking chair- he actually brought it over to the backdrop,

and was rocking it himself.

I felt like he was a tiny bit old to do bathtub pics, but they turned out well.

I'm going to put one in the hall bathroom!

By this point, he was getting bored, so we didn't end up getting any pics in this outfit.

He figured out that there was a lego table in the waiting area and would not be distracted from that no matter what!!

Our baby is really growing up!!!!

Connor is continuing to change and grow so much these days! He's really a great walker now, and tries to run at times (and falls down). He has started climbing things including trying to get up the ladder to the attic when we were putting up Christmas decorations. Seriously.

He likes to feed himself at meals, and we are now totally off baby food. He'll still let us feed him yogurt because he loves it so much. He's starting to want to hold a spoon during meals, but hasn't quite figured that out yet! He finally adapted to drinking cow's milk during the day, but is still nursing at home. The medela has been long packed away!!!

He's talking all the time, most of the things we can't understand. He says dada, mama, na-na (when he wants to eat a bite of something), zats-zis (what's this), zook(either book or look), tree (Christmas Tree), ze-jus (Jesus on the nativity), and many more things.

Connor started a new class at school this past week- Toddler 1. It is a huge transition for him. No bottles, they sit in tiny chairs at a tiny table to eat their 2 meals and snack (off the school menu). We don't even have to send his cups anymore, they provide them. They sleep on mats instead of cribs. He has two brand new teachers, but he knows most of the kids. He doesn't even leave a diaper bag anymore. They keep his diapers in his cubby and he has a basket where he keeps extra clothes as well as his blanket for nap. He's started coloring and sending home art projects and they have a daily activity/lesson. What a big boy!

Christmas......part 4..

While we were up in my hometown, we were fortunate to be able to stay with my friends Wendy and Joe and their 15 month old, Grant. Connor wasn't feeling his best (he ended up having an ear infection), but it was nice to be at an already-babyproofed house!

Connor's new cup from Santa

this is the best pic we could get of them together

Connor liked the train!

what to do???

Playtime!

Christmas morning we went over to my parents' house to open presents. Connor seems to be enjoying his books and hammer in this picture!

The newlyweds




Christmas afternoon, Patrick, Connor and I drove across the entire state of Georgia to his family's lakehouse. Thank you GPS! We made it in good time, with only one bathroom stop. Thank goodness for a baby that doesn't eat as frequently anymore, and is happy with a sippy cup and goldfish crackers!!!!

Connor loves the presents!!

HOLIDAY SWEATER !!!!

This was one of his favorite things from Christmas. It is a Fisher Price Little People farm set, and he loves to carry around the barn- it has a handle and all the people and animals store inside.

reading with uncle Mike

Orange is my favorite!

stealing this!

opening presents with mommy!



To top off our trip, most of both of our families ended up with a stomach bug,

but we all survived it in time to return to work on Monday.

New Year's Eve was sort of boring since I was on call. I ended up going to bed before midnight!

If you are wondering, the only New Year's resolution I made was to blog more!

This is the only way I can keep track of things!!!!!!

So this was the end of the Christmas posts! Hope you survived them all!!!!!!

Christmas...part 3..Robert and Amber's Wedding

My baby brother is married! He and Amber tied the knot in a tiny ceremony Christmas Eve. I was originally supposed to have to work all day and would not be able to attend but my work schedule was changed and we could be there!

Connor and I before the ceremony...

Mr. and Mrs. !

(Sorry these pics are backwards, thanks blogger.)

Our family

Nana, Papa and Connor post wedding.

My whole family- my parents, sister, the new couple and us!

Wedding party- ringbearer was not happy!

candles and guestbook

Christmas part 2....at our house

We celebrated Christmas morning a few days early since we were going to be traveling, and baby gear takes up so much room we didn't have tons of room for gifts. Connor got lots of things from "Santa"- goldfish, trucks, books, puzzles, animal crackers, counting maracas, blocks, a hammering bench, ect. His big gift this year is a Cozy Coupe. Notice there aren't any pictures yet, b/c it isn't assembled......good thing he is little enough to not notice this. We'll have it put together soon!

So funny!

Is there anything more?

I love puzzles!!!

another noisemaker!

Christmas Part 1.....getting ready for Christmas...

I am going to be posting a TON of pics from the holidays...but will try to spit them into several posts so it is tolerable to blog, lol. I don't know how people create these long posts daily. Maybe nobody even reads my blog, so it is more for me!!!

Connor made this at school- it is just so cute! The poem attached talks about how small his hand was this year, and in future years we'll remember how tiny he was this Christmas...aww!



Connor LOVED messing with the tree, but wasn't too much of a problem this year....most of the ornaments were not breakable, so it was fine for him to remove them..

We got a new tree this year- a prelit in only 3 pieces. So much easier than my other one. I figured out how to finally get a pic with the lights showing up. I'm sort of slow with photography.

I got this shirt on etsy.com for Connor- why have kids if you can't put them in little monogrammed shirts?????

This is the best family shot we could get.......Patrick and I were about to head out to my work Christmas party.....

I did actually do some baking this year..........

Sugar cookies with m&m's

Peanutbutter balls!

Rolo turtles...