Week in Chattanooga

Last week Patrick went on an 8 day business trip.  I wasn't about to try and take care of my child by myself when I could go to my mom's and have the help of all those grandparents and aunts and uncles!

We got to Chattanooga around dinner time last Sunday night and stayed until Saturday at 4:30 when it was time for Connor's second nap.

Monday and Tuesday afternoons I went over to the Jemison's and Tuesday night Sarah came over to Mom's the spend the night and the next day with us.  Thursday I hung out with Will because my mom  went to North Carolina to be with my brother and his family for the weekend.  Friday I spent the afternoon with a Tate friend Katherine and her 5 month old Sawyer.  Saturday I packed to leave and spent an hour with Ed at the aquarium before heading back to Huntsville.

 Connor and Happah

 Connor loves Chauncey.

 Nana reading to Connor.

 Aunt Sarah giving Connor a bath.

 Getting ready to see the fishes!

 The aquarium is great on a weekday afternoon!

 River otters are one of Patrick's favorites.

 Hanging out with Uncle Will!

 Playdate with Sawyer.

The aquarium with Happah.

I'm so, so thankful Patrick is home now.  I feel like a huge weight is off of my shoulders.  I was so tired.  I had to let Connor cry so many times just to get things done like eating and packing and getting ready for bed.  I hated being a "single" parent.  I hope Patrick doesn't have to go on travel again for a long, long time.

Standing Boy!

Connor has now been able to stand since Wednesday, but today was the first day I got some good pictures of it, so I waited to announce just how much my little man is growing!

I love that he's getting bigger and learning more things and I hate how much that means my life has to change.  He can pull up on the couch and get my computer.  He grabs my legs and pulls up on them while I'm trying to eat and follows me into the kitchen crawling while I'm trying to cook.  But it is so fun!

The only time Connor feels confident to stand on his own is with his feet firmly planted, and the body of a parent (or aunt) next to him to pull up on.  He mostly does this with Daddy since he just wants Mommy to hold him.

His sweet baby babbles are getting much more diversified!  Yesterday he started saying something that sounds suspiciously like "baby" but he still just vaguely mumbles "mahmahmah" and pretty much never says anything resembling "dada" despite Patrick's constant prodding. 

First Snow!

Today is Connor's first snow!  We don't usually get much snow down here in Alabama, except for last year, so I was excited that we got some today so I could take pictures of Connor with it.  It came down in frozen pellets during his nap and I thought I was going to miss it, but we managed to take some pictures while a little bit was coming down and before the pellets melted.  It's really cold outside, so maybe it will stick around for a bit.

 

If you look closely, you can see tooth number 3 on the top, just barely poking through the gum, where it's been hanging out for over 2 weeks, and our surprise tooth number 4 on the left that appeared yesterday with no fanfare.

You can see couple flakes on his outfit.

Bedtime

Since getting back from Christmas vacation, I weaned Connor from being swaddled to sleep at night!  Now instead of being a burrito baby, he's just a baby in a sack.  It has been interesting sleeping with him with his arms free.  He waves them around a lot and I think he's waking up, but he's just waving them.  He also sometimes pushes up on my chest in his sleep.  It's hilarious to see his sleeping head bobbing as he tries to get comfortable.  He often pats me, or holds onto my shirt in his sleep.  Very sweet.

Patrick has been trying to read to him as often as he can, and right before bed is a great time.  Connor isn't really interested most of the time, but a couple days ago he actually started touching his touchy-feely books!

He really likes the strawberry.

All done!

Connor on the Move!

Friday night, I was hanging out with Connor, and I was suddenly struck by a feeling that Connor would crawl if I could get him motivated. He had never crawled before, and I'd never gotten this feeling before, but it turned out to be true!

I grabbed the video camera and showed it to him, then asked him to crawl to me. Connor loves little electronic devices (probably because we try to keep him from getting them), so the camera was all the motivation he needed (plus maybe some cheerleading from his dad).

This video shows Connor crawling for the first time ever!

You'll have to forgive him for crying. Learning to crawl is frustrating for a little man.

Once Connor had crawled that first time, he figured out pretty quickly that he can actually go places now. Here's a video we shot less than half an hour later, showing him move faster and without tears!

Time to buy some baby-proofing stuffs for the house!

Jemison Family Pictures

This year, Kevin really wanted to get family pictures so he could get some made into puzzles for his mom.  Marie can do 100 piece puzzles are enjoys them.  We got her 3 for Christmas. :)

I wasn't a fan of any of the big group shots, but some of the smaller groups shots were awesome!

 Love my little family!

 Three "hound girls" and their hound girls.

Jemison children.  This is one of my favorites.

Fun in Chattanooga

Connor amazes me daily.  Somehow, he learned how to wave hello and goodbye without me ever showing him.  Right now he's trying desperately how to crawl and has gotten really good at moving himself backwards.  Just tuck those knees little buddy!

He also has not so fun new things in his life, like eczema.  It was pretty mild for a while and then got a little worse right before I went to Chattanooga.  In Chattanooga I was using lotion, which I think made it worse, and now we've got some different cream, which is making it better.  I still might end up taking him to the doctor later this week if it doesn't clear up more.  The main problem is trying to figure out what is causing it.  I'm 99% sure that the main cause, or at least the main exacerbater of it is me patting his back to help him sleep or burp or toot.  Which I do ALL the time.  I'm not sure if I can stop because it helps him so much. 

 Connor waiting for his lotion to dry

We were able to go out to dinner with our friends Leslie and Kevin and their daughter Ella after Christmas.  Unfortunately for me, Connor decided that for the first half hour we were out that every time Ella made a peep, it was the most traumatizing thing in the world and he had to scream cry about it.  Luckily, he got used to it and he were actually able to eat our meal.  He was over tired and a bit freaked out by being at a restaurant I think.

Afterward we went to World Market and took some pictures!

 Connor is a tired boo and Ella is chilling.

 Leslie just got a new hair cut!

The day after going out, we decided to go to the Pumpkin Patch, which is an awesome playground near my mom's house.  I was so sure that Connor would love going on the slide.  We left from the Jemison house so we could take Patrick's mom with us, and I got this picture:

 Uncle Kevin hogging Riley

 You can see which of the two of us enjoyed this slide more.

Love this picture!

Shortly thereafter my camera battery died, but we had a good time while we were there!

Holidays

Now that we're back home and mostly settled, I feel like I can take a second to write about our Christmas holidays.

Connor and I had some uneventful days at home and then some fun days in Chattanooga with my mom, sister, and brothers.  Patrick came to join us at my mom's on Friday and we went to go meet out first nephew, Riley!  Riley was prematurely born on October 10th.  His due date was December 9th, but he is doing amazing for a baby born at 33 weeks.  Hasn't been sick, only spent a month in the hospital, and he weighed 10 lbs 2 oz on this trip.  It was so fun to hold a tiny baby again.

 Connor seeing his dad again after 5 days

 Two new dads holding each other's babies (Patrick's sister Jessica's husband Matt)

Traditionally, my family has always had a big Christmas Eve dinner and then spent all of Christmas day in pajamas.  Since being a Jemison, I have instead spent Christmas day at my mom's for a couple hours in the morning, and then at the Jemison's for the rest of the day, which includes another big dinner.  This year my mom's church was having services only on Saturday night, so she decided to have a Christmas Eve lunch.  I thought that was great because it meant that we got to go to Christmas church too, since our church's services were at 5:00 (when dinner would have been), 9:30 (too late for Connor) and 9:30 the next morning (too early for Connor).

 Connor and Aunt Sarah Christmas Eve morning

 Happaw holding his two grandsons

 All ready to go to church

 Taking a second to taste Uncle Henry's present to make sure it's safe

Christmas morning Connor and I got up at 9:15 because Patrick told us everyone else was up.  We had to get to opening presents! First we opened our stockings, in which Connor found this mysterious object.

 What could it be?  I should put it in my mouth and see.

 Connor and one of his toys from Sani, with another on his leg.

 My mom and Sarah looking at the photo books that Laura, 

Liz,and I made them and my grandmother for Christmas.

I was really worried about the schedule for the day.  Connor usually naps two hours after he wakes up, or 12 o'clock, whichever comes last.  He work up at 9, but we went to the Jemison's at 11 and opening presents with that many people doesn't just take an hour.  Then I wasn't sure where I could go to take him for a nap because the men of the Jemison house (excepting Patrick) have a hard time containing their volume.  I shouldn't have worried though! Connor was great until we were done opening presents and then I was able to go into an upstairs bedroom and he took his whole nap.

 Uncle Patrick and Riley

  

Connor, the gift

 Riley, the gift

 Connor with Aunt Jenny and her gift to him

 Nana, playing with the toy soldiers that inexplicably came with one of Megan's gifts.  

She is saying"Pew! Pew!"

Aunt Jenny and her gift from us of which I am very proud.