Christmas 2010

How quickly a year passes us by - in the blink of an eye....and I think of what that means for this little guy, and how much he has grown and changed since last Christmas. This sweet little spirit is becoming a little person, and it's such a joy to watch him discover the world around him. In the last couple of weeks, he clapped for the first time - not very loudly, but smiled as he did it to show that he knew what it meant. I can sit in the recliner and he will come up to me with a book, wanting to sit in my lap and read. They're such simple things, but they're the things that I enjoy the most. There's a country song (can't remember the name of it at the moment) where a father is singing about the different stages in his child's life, and how they won't last for long...and to cherish every second because you blink your eyes and they're starting school, or going to college....or getting married....ack. (that last one was for you, Beth!!)

Christmas Eve - he had a busy day!!

It's a Pillow! It's a Pet! It's a Pillow Pet!!!

It snowed the day after Christmas - we got about 10 inches.

Paul had the experience of walking in snow for the first time.

I think he likes this stuff! It will be a lot of fun in the winters

to come when he can navigate more smoothly. He still needed

some support in getting around.

Paul had an ear infection last week, so he was on that nasty antibiotic. Although he enjoys taking it, the problems come with CONSTANT bowel movements and diaper rash. Getting him to stay still for a diaper change is such a challenge, and I always have to have something on hand to keep him occupied (a book, electric thermometer, truck, another person!). If it's a quick diaper change, I can usually change him in one sitting with no problem. But if he's had a messy BM, I have to take it in stages - cleaning him, letting him run around to "air out his bum", chase him down, and then put the corn starch on before putting on his clean diaper. It's always a challenge. He does love to run around half naked, or after he's had a bath!

For Christmas, Paul received some much-needed clothes, a Pillow Pet (see above), choo-choo train blocks, dump truck with blocks, refrigerator letter magnets and a set from Leap Frog that sing on the refrigerator (our refrigerator is seeing a lot of action!!), 3 sets of blocks, a wagon to pull and store blocks, a lawn mower, Runaway Bunny, this thing where you put balls through the holes and they travel down a track and come out at the bottom (he is very fascinated with this!!)....and lots of hugs and kisses! :) And if I forgot something, it wasn't on purpose. Needless to say, he loves all of his new toys. He is getting to the stage where he wants to stack blocks instead of knock them down all the time (he still loves to do that, too!), and he also likes to put them away.

One goal I have over Christmas break (actually, tomorrow!) is to go through his toys and clothes and make more room. He's only been here for over a year and a half but it's amazing how much stuff can be accumulated in that short amount of time!! I've gotten in this cleaning mood, and so I better take advantage of it while I have time! I've been sending him to daycare this week (they were open last week and 3 days this week) because it's good for him to be around other children and stick with the schedule. It would have been so brutal for both of us on January 3rd if he stayed home the whole time. It's going to be hard enough for me going back to work! I've been using this time to take a well-deserved break and recharge my batteries....when we start back, it's going to be a crazy ride! Till next time.....