SO - to ring in the Christmas season, we explored around for a Christmas tree, decorated the house, and went to the festive Forest Grove Lights Parade on December 1st. All of it very fitting for getting us in the mood of Christmas.
As for the tree, we dragged our temporarily bachelorized friend Jed (who's wife was visiting family) with us to check out a U-cut tree farm. He was nice enough to pretty much entertain Ross while we trekked up and down the hill looking for a tree. Being in Oregon - it gets dark pretty quick these days in the north - and by the time we got to the place, light faded fast, and the prices weren't our favorite (though they trump Utah tree prices by a landslide - a benefit of living in FOREST Grove where you don't have to water your trees). We decided to delay and go another day. In the end we went to a tree lot and got a grand fir tree which smells divine! We still have yet to decorate it since Steve is on the brink of insanity with finals preparations, but I'll post pictures once it's done.
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| Hunting for the tree...blurry style - and no we didn't find one here. Did you know most tree farms have to trim their trees down a ton since they apparently grow too fast here? |
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| Jed and Ross - trying to go without the flash. |
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| Steve's classmates threw me a baby shower since we're having a girl - it was super nice and they were so generous. We'll have one WELL dressed little girl for sure. :) Ross LOVED the balloons - and loved how they glowed next to the lights. |
The Lights Parade was the epitome of Oregon - complete with a down pour of rain. That doesn't scare Oregonians away though - no no - you don't even need a raincoat in these parts. I suppose the rain here is like the air you breathe - you don't really notice it all around you and life goes on. Ross thoroughly LOVED the light parades - particularly since there were big trucks and tractors all decked out. He was wearing his winter coat and looked JUST like he did last year - a little chubby puff ball. We all got a bit soaked, but loved it all the same.
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| Transfixed on the light parade. |
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| Ross's dream come true - big trucks decked out in lights! |
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| They had lots of these trailers with people waving from them. I was a bit confused why none of them caroled though...I mean really? It's Christmas! We did have cheerleaders and dancers performing in the rain...though not to Christmas music. |
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| Ross wouldn't look at the camera for anything. We were quite impressed with how all the parade people weren't phased by the rain at all. |
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| Ross kept saying "again!" after this truck passed...like we could rewind it for him. Too bad we don't have that super power - only at home with the TV when he wants to watch the tractor part on the movie Cars over and over. |
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| I think my favorite parts of the parade were the rest home mobiles that drove by - the windows were all tinted with all the old folk inside...not waving - probably just staring at everyone on the sidewalks. this was the best pic we could take in the rain. Hilarious though! |
Ross is growing like crazy - last week he got about 5 teeth come in and since then has had a much bigger appetite. Hot dogs are his new favorite thing (thankfully I can still get him to eat veggie burgers, green smoothies, and plenty of fruit to make up for the not-so-good food he loves that I let him have every so often). Whenever Steve is at home in the mornings, Ross gets extremely possessive of him...to the point of having to share bowls of oatmeal and sit close together. That kid sure loves his dad. :)
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| Daddy's oatmeal is always better than you're own. |
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| Ross keeping close tabs on dad so he doesn't skip out to school or anything. |
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| Enjoying...or had been enjoying - some yogurt. |
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| We have lights on our tree - but that's it right now. Ross has been doing pretty well leaving the tree alone - he likes when we give it drinks and turn on the lights though - let's hope decorating it won't ruin it! |
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| Steve has taught Ross how to "sleep" complete with snoring. Here they are practicing. Ross is really good at it. ;) |
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| No Ross isn't really sleeping...just trying to "wake up!" now. |
He is VERY good at saying please and thank-you. The idea of patience in between those has yet to come, but he says them nonetheless. I can't help myself from laughing whenever he's playing with a friend and snatches their toy saying "Tank you!" in a very happy voice just like Steve and I do to him when he does something we like...then we have the conversation that you can't just take kids toys even if you say thank-you in the happiest way possible. Still funny though.
We've been singing Christmas songs to Ross lots. His favorites are Deck the Halls - since every time I get to the fa la la la las - I tell him to do it, and he says "la la" back to me each time - as well as Jingle Bells since he gets to shout "Hey!" after the sleigh parts. He'll chant "again!" endlessly every time. If you start to sing another Christmas song - he'll stop you cold turkey with "all done!"
He still obsesses over trucks, tractors, planes, trains, and cars. We always have to "dig" and "dump". If you're acting sad he'll also give you a big hug and tell you you're "happy!" again. LOVE that boy. He still loves to help everywhere around the house. Tonight he helped make chocolate chip cookies - all the dumpings of ingredients were his job. Emptying the dishwasher is a piece of cake now too.
Yesterday morning we realized that Ross might be sensing his days of only childness are coming to an end. He woke up continuously in the night and then decided at 6:30 that morning he was "hungee" for "lunch" (which is what he thinks all eating times are apparently) and wanted "pancakes" for breakfast. Still being parents to an only child, we gave in - and all had a delicious breakfast and Ross was happy. I think I'll always remember that morning with him. Even if he's a stinker - he's just too precious.
He tries to distract us from bedtime by pleading for more books and stories or wanting to play blocks, or needing a thousand drinks before he goes to sleep. Whenever he's doing something big, holding something big, eating a big bite, or seeing something big - he always proclaims "A BIG!..." and finishes it with whatever he's referring to. You have to imagine it with him attempting to make his voice big too - low and loud. HILARIOUS.
I have lately gotten a bit of a nesting bug going on/sleeping bug. I alternate between wanting to do projects (recover a glider, make a Christmas tree skirt, put together Christmas cards, make Christmas PJ pants, find a dresser for the baby, etc. etc. etc.) or organize and collapsing asleep on the couch when Ross goes down for his nap. I'm 35 weeks along...which is CRAZY. Little Ruby is just growing like a Christmas tree in Oregon (they grow quite fast you know) and rolling and poking around all the time. Have I mentioned how I love feeling the baby move when I'm pregnant. It's really my favorite thing. I'm proud to say I'm still exercising twice a week thanks to my friend Kim who swaps babysitting with me, and I'm trying not to let my sweet tooth I've redeveloped get the best of me.
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| So I FINALLY joined the Phil and Ted stroller club! We found one for a great deal on Craigslist from a nice family who have three kids now. I'm in love and heaven all at the same time. Steve was super impressed with it too. Ross, as you can see, think it's pretty sweet too. Don't get me started on why this stroller is so cool - I'll just say it's a double stroller with the ease of pushing one - and having multiple positions the seats can go in according to how old your two kids are. :) |
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| I wanted to see if our rain cover would work for the stroller, and after I got out the stroller - this kid wanted to get in and KEEP the rain cover on it...then he told me to "go!" We did a few laps around our kitchen and family room until he wanted to go outside. We tested it out in the rain - and we still love it. I love that Ross likes it too. Woot woot! |
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| If you look behind Ross there's another seat there for a second kid. :) Also -you can take that second seat out and use it for the front while lowering the other one to be a little flat bed for a newborn. Absolutely brilliant. It folds up nice and flat too - which is great for our little car. |
Steve is just studying away looking forward to this time next week when he can relax and enjoy the holidays with us. We were talking and he told me how school has been turning him into a hypochondriac - which is hilarious and half true. I get text messages from him a few times a week with warnings/reminders/demands of things to do/not do/avoid/not let Ross do/check Ross for, etc. after he learns them in class. He also starts having "symptoms" too. His professor joked to him how after you're done with school, you seem to get more healthy. :) Steve continues to balance his time well and give in to Ross and my pleadings for attention too. He works so hard and we love him so much!
Now to just get through the next week of half single parenting and Steve getting through his finals. We can do it! :)
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