Our Last week ....

Dadadadadada and DA DA DA and Dada da da da da da da........

is much of whatI hear all day long. I don't think Christopher knows he's saying "DaDa", but still I love it!

We visited Pat and Jimmy last weekend. It had been a few months, so we were due to catch up. We also stayed with my Dad and Denise and as always had a great time! Christopher was in great spirits the whole weekend.

Here are some recent pictures of our outings. I took a walk around the harbor this week. During this outing I brought my camera, only to drop it and lose it. I could not find it anywhere and missed it for two days. Thankfully, there are still good people with values in this world and someone turned it into the owner of a children's store we were at!! Oh how sweet it was! So I still have a camera!!!!!

Baby's it's cold outside here....but gorgeous. Hope you all are keeping warm. Hugs!!

Where's Mama ? ? ?

The other night I was doing my nightly sretching....when I hid face with my arm from Christopher (who was sitting right in front of me) He then tried to find my face by leaning over to see beyond my arm for Mommy....it was just too cute! He kept looking to find me. Hey I've gotta relish in these moments now, before he's 13 and not wanting to adore his Mommy!! I just love my little munchkin.

We were able to get him on video and I've put two on here, because it's great seeing him at different angles. Hope you enjoy......probably not as much as his Mama did though!

Our new year thus far:

Well Reed has been on a 4-10's schedule- which is fantastic...especially since it's Sunday today and we have will have another full day with him tomorrow!! Yippee! Since we've been back from Alaska it's been great being home. Reed and I bought a new computer last weekend. I think this is the first new computer we both have ever owned. Up till now, we've relished in hand-me-down "tech". Our old computer was (is since we're hanging onto it for future kiddos to use) incredibly slow. You literally had to turn it on and walk away for a bit to boot up. Click a button....walk away. Download......walk away. You get the picture. Well now we're at lightning speed it seems - and lovin' it!!

This morning Christopher ate breakfast with us. (Real food) He practically finished all the oatmeal I prepared for him. He liked it so much I thought, Well let's try some bananas too- which he ate without any problem. How fun! He's also been babbling lately, saying bah bah bah bah. No mamas or dadas yet tho.

We are no longer a one car family- We added a new Nissan Altima to family. It's been so great being able to get out of the house. Before I left for Alaska I thought I'd go crazy here....little bit of cabin fever happening from lack-o-contact with the outside world. So now we can go anywhere at our leisure.

Well it's beautiful here today! I see blue skys and sunshine. I also hear Christopher Reed talking in his room after waking from his morning snooze....so I better go nuzzle him with mama kisses. Love you all and hope your new year is off to a good start! Miss you!! Here are some pictures from the last couple weeks....

"Fooling around with Daddy"

Christopher and his first pairs of shoes.....

The Latest.....

This is Christopher's newest motion.....Could he be saying no no??

A whole month passed by....

Whew- it's been a long time since I've updated our blog- I know. We have been in Alaska for most of the month of December sharing some much needed time with our families- both Reed's and mine. This trip was some what last minute.We had been considering the trip up around Christmas, but when my Grandmother (Mom's Mom) went into the hospital for surgery early in December, it prompted us to purchase, travel sooner and stay longer. So, Christopher and I traveled together for the first 16 days and Reed joined us after that (once he could leave work) for another 9 days around Christmas. I'll try to summarize best I can without boring anyone, but also getting down in writing a good story for Christopher to read about later in life about what a wonderful time we had!

This trip marks Christopher's first plane ride. The way up was good, as we were blessed with and entire row to ourselves, Christopher and I. This was the first time that CR was able to meet much of our family and so it was quite special. My Brother and Sister, Mom and Uncle were all staying in Anchorage to be with Grandma and Richard (her husband) We were able to see my Grandma and introduce her to her newest Great-Grandson before her surgery - which was very special!

We stayed in Anchorage for the first week to be close to my Grandma and Richard. The surgery was to remove a mass that was discovered in her pancreas. This was done sucessfully and the doctors were able to remove all of it. After a byopsy, we were told it was cancer and that another mass was removed from her lymph nodes as well. The good news is they removed it all and that Grandma recovered quickly in the hospital and has been home walking and eating. We visited with her the day we left and she is just as chipper as ever and looks great too! She'll soon be meeting with a team of Dr's to get a plan for further treatment for the cancer - if any?!

The rest of the month we spent in our home town of Sterling/Soldotna. We enjoyed visiting with the rest of our family. Once there, Christopher met a lot of Reed's family. Everyone bonded with him. He had such a good time playing with all his cousins. It was so neat watching him interact with all the kids. He was just so observant - taking in what all the big kids were doing.

Christopher turned 6 months in Alaska. During this month he began sitting up on his own and also standing (with support) for longer that a couple of seconds. He also caught his first ear infection and a cold bug- which he's still fighting. We took him to his 6 month visit with the Dr. when we got back home and he's 18 pounds! "A very big boy" and "All boy," said the Dr. Christopher has been really active the last week especially. He sees everything and can't seem to grab it and put it in his mouth quick enough. The Dr. called that the attention span of a knat! :)

We were truly happy and felt whole again once Reed joined us on the 20th. We made great memories as a family. We ate a lot of food, played and visited. Reed and I took a couple of runs sledding with Christopher. Burrrrr! Christmas was good and we'll cherish that we were able to spend it at home with our families. We are so lucky to have such a loving family! Can't wait till the next visit!!

Six months old now....

Christophers Cousins....

Playing in the snow....

Christmas Morning....

Aunts and Uncles.....



Grandmas and Grandpas....

Took this one at my Dad's house once we got back home.

Family.....

Christopher's Great Grandma Irene....

5 months old today!

Above are Before and After CR's Buzz cut

Time sure does fly! Christopher Reed is 5 months old today! What a sweet angel he is and how precious it is to have witnessed all his little miracles everyday. I discovered this week that He has cut his two bottom teeth. (Just in time for Thanksgiving! Tee hee) We just gave him a buzz cut last night, and now looks even more like his Daddy. I'm amazed at how quickly children grow, especially this first year. They really are not babies for long. I'm reading this book called "No Ordinary Child" and just read a chapter called "Seize the day" discussing how deceptive time is. To quote one paragraph from this author, Denise Mira, that gripped me:

"Before we awake from the chaotic stupor of our fast-paced twenty-first century lifestyle, sons and daughters will have passed through and closed youth's door, never to open again the innocent days of malleability. Once too busy to pick up that begging youngster, we'd give our left arm to pull Precious right out of that photo album or video and onto our laps so we could drink in his glorious youth, tender grin, longing eyes, and chubby hands. We'd take time for very long hugs and endless detailed stories of all his day's adventures. We would even ask for more. But right now we want to pay the bills. Resolve to live like you won't see this day again, because you won't!!"

So for now Reed and I drink in every last drop of Christopher's sweet little 5 month old innocence. And we are so rich because of this. One last quote of a childhood poem that I had never heard before, but now want to plaster on my wall:

Just one life,

Twill soon be past.

Only what's done,

In Christ will last.

Just yesterday....

My Dad visited us this week. It was much too beautiful to stay cooped up, so we walked to the lake by our house. The autumn leaves and the still lake were just awesome - not to mention the company was great!!! The fresh fall air does a body (and a baby) good!! Here's Christopher and his Grandpa Hall at Horseshoe Lake, and one with me too.

Every baby's done it.....

Yeah, every baby's done it.....a quick scrub in the kitchen sink. This was Christopher's first go-round bathing....... in the kitchen!

Baby rolls....

This is a first! Well, besides the baby rolls on his thighs!

Giggling Baby

This was fun to watch! Hope you enjoy too.

Hailstorms and Haircuts!!!!

Yesterday was a big day for Christopher which went a little like this.....First, Reed wanted to give Christopher his first hair cut ( which he needed ) and I was reluctant, in fact- very reluctant! Against my better judgement I tried being open and accepting of the fact that CR was due for this haircut and I stood by witnessing Reed snip a bit of our baby's hair. Next came the water works, as I began crying tears ( from I don't know where? ) Again, I say - I was VERY RELUCTANT! I could tell Reed did not have the skills necessary to complete this "do" just right and apparently Reed did too, because he quickly said "Go call your salon." (No doubt due to his wife's tears) Anyways.....I'm glad the tears came at home instead of the salon. Here are some pictures of Christopher getting his hair cut. He was a good sport through and through.

Oh, yes and the week before we had quite a hailstorm. It looked as if it had snowed. Afterward God sent us a beautiful rainbow in our back yard. This is a video clip of it - you'd could see the whole rainbow end-to-end!

Christopher's Grandpa Hall returned to Washington this week from his summer in Alaska. We are very glad to have his close by again.....as is his wife!!! It was great seeing them. It had been two months since we last saw my Dad.

Peek-A-Boo!

Grandparents come - a - visitin'

Here are just a few great memories we made yesterday

as we introduced Christopher to his Grandma and Grandpa

Massey! What did they learn about eachother? Well just

a few highlights:

1. Always carry a spitup cloth when it's your turn to hold

the wee one......he's a lot like "Old Faithful," comes up every

10 minutes or so.

2. Grandpa either has a nose like a hound dog, or he's

had a little bit of experience with babies, and know's what

he's smellin' !! ( see #3)

3. "Blowout's," as they are called, can be quite full, stinky

and require bathing after 4 days of no poo-ing!!

4. Grandma's and Grandpa's have a lot of love to give, and

do so - unconditionally !

We already miss you guys....the house seems so quiet now.