These boots are made for walkin

So after 15 1/2 months we officially have a walker. A toddler! And just like everyone said I would (darn you, everyone) the second he really started walking I thought to myself "why was this SO important to me?" My baby is gone, and a big walking boy has taken his place.


At the museum with Katie

Walking around the park

And this is how he goes down the slide. Cracks me up every time

15 months

Sawyer's big guy 15th month check up was today and here are his stats:
Weight: 27 pounds
Height: 34 1/2 inches
Head: I never pay attention. It's big, we get it.

He had a couple shots and only cried for a second. It was so much easier when I was able to nurse him during shots (I think I've talked about this before, I miss nursing if you haven't noticed) 27 pounds! My arms are getting pretty buff, lemme tell ya. Especially since he's not really a walker yet. I'll get to that...

Some fun stuff he's saying: Mama, dada, na, yeah, and possibly some form of "grandma" (you hear that, grandpa? Better get it together)

Some fun stuff he's doing:
He's not quiiiiite walking yet. He'll take a couple steps alone but he'd rather hold someones hand and walk around. But he's getting close folks, seriously. He loves playing peek-a-boo and thinks we can't see him when he covers his face (we can) and he loves Mary Poppins. He gives the DVD cover endless kisses. Mama? Not so much. Most of all he loves being outside.

Stuff we're working on: Feeding himself with a fork and walking. Come on already!

The end

Location:Home sweet home

We wish you a merry Christmas

Growing up I would watch all the Christmas movies and envy the hollyfied houses. The garland cascading down the staircase, big luscious wreaths, stockings all hung by the chimney with care. I didn't know how Santa would find me in our little apartment, but he always did.

I thought that when you had a two story house that was it, you made it. You were rolling in the dough. As we looked for houses to buy I fell in love with some single stories but my heart still wanted a place to hang my garland. Now that I'm a professional when it comes to house buying I know that single stories are actually more expensive per square foot than two stories, and we are far from rolling in any kind of dough. But I have my staircase to hang my garland, and a fireplace to hang our stockings. And I am thrilled.







Here are some pictures of Sawyer and Santa that I'm sure you've all seen.

D-R-A-M-A!

I'm a little nervous about writing this post because I know how controversial it's going to be.

But it's been weighing on my heart lately, so here I go.

Christmas time. When do you start celebrating?

Or should I say, when are you allowed to start celebrating?

After Thanksgiving? When Disneyland decorates? When Christmas music comes on the radio? Christmas in July? December 24th at the stroke of midnight? I just don't know why so many people care and are deeply disgusted when someone celebrates "too early"?

I've been seeing friends put pictures of their trees up lately and everyone screams "What the HECK?!?!?!?!?!?! IT'S NOT EVEN THANKSGIVING!!!!!!" I'll walk through the store and hum happily to the Christmas tunes and then some grinch exclaims "Christmas Music?? It's 90 degrees outside for petes sake!" Tonight I was going for a walk and listening to Christmas songs on my iphone and every time someone would pass me I would get a hot flash and turn it off. I was scared someone would scream at me "Um excuse me, but what exactly do you think you're doing you big jeark? I am the seasonal police and you are in violation of the holiday code." My next door neighbors put up their lights yesterday and I clapped my hands silently and whispered yaaay to myself. I don't dare tell anyone in fear they'll come rip them down. But why? Why am I not allowed to celebrate Christmas halfway through November? Why is that so upsetting? Can't I enjoy the birth of Jesus, stuff my face with peppermint chocolate, dress my baby in Rudolph slippers and track Santa online as early as I want? Why are people online saying "Would you look at this?? Christmas Trees!! In OCTOBER!!!"

If I put up my American flag in June do you think someone would come knocking, it's not even July yet you freak! Take it down! Are we scared Christmas Cheer is going to run out? Are we frightened we won't have enough holly jollies come December 25th? Im genuinely interested, you people who have strong opinions. Please explain.

Bragadotious

We went in for Sawyers 1 year check up (and shots, ouch). Kevin is so lucky he works on dr days. It physically hurts me when poor Sawyer has to get shots, and this was the first time I didn't nurse him while he got them, so that was extra hard. But here are his award winning stats:
Height: 33.2 inches
Weight: 24.4 pounds
Head: Nun ya bidness. Let's just say they measured it 4 times.

His 1 year tricks are:
Saying mama, dada & nana (no)
Waving
Clapping
Kisses on occasion
He crawls and cruses along the furniture but isn't walking yet
He loves absolutely everyone he sees and we still haven't gone through any stranger anxiety. Seriously, if jack the ripper came to our door Sawyer would gladly go with him.

Oh the dr wants him to drink almond or soy milk because of some poo poo related issues. Has anyone gone through that?

All Hallows Eve Part Three

Part 3 you say? Well what could be left? Oh there's lots left.

TV shows
Ghost Hunters I will always be in love with these guys. I've been watching them since they were working out of a trailer. Are they kinda sorta sell outs now? Sure, but still fun to watch. On SyFy


"Wait...did you hear that? Shhh...what was that?"

Paranormal Witness This new show on SyFy can creep me out at 1pm during nap time on a Wednesday afternoon. People recount their paranormal experiences along with a re-enactment and real footage (if there was any.) Super duper creepy.


Look at that! How creepy is that? Oh my gosh and what is that noise upstairs?? Definitely the last time I do this in the middle of the night.

The Haunted Who would have thought that Animal Planet could put out such a good paranormal
tv show? Sure all of the stories have a little something to do with animals but in my opinion this is the scariest show on tv.



Shows to miss: Extreme paranormal. Celebrity ghost stories. Ghost Hunters International. Bor-ring.

Kid shows to catch: Fridays throughout October on Disney are "Dress up Friday's." All of the Disney Jr shows are Halloween themed and so cute. Disney also has "Monstober" where the teen shows are holloween-ified too.


We watch a lot of Disney everything.

Books
Oh my gosh books? Seriously? Oh I'm serious. I just finished Miss Peregrines Home for Peculiar Children and it was SO good. In fact when I host book club (oh I'm a great grandmother now, didn't you know?) this will be the book I choose.


Plus it's filled with odd pictures that the author collected from all over the Unite States. There's just so many reasons why this book was good.

The Sookie Stackhouse series. Now ladies and gents, this series is by no means for the faint of heart or those with very high morals. This is the book series that inspired "True Blood" so...there you go. There's like 50 books, or maybe 16, and they're impossible to put down. But some parts definitely make me blush. (I skip over the sexy parts! I do!!)



Right now I'm reading Holy Ghosts or How a (not so) good Catholic boy became a believer in things that go bump in the night. That's seriously the title, and when I tell people that I'm reading it I say the whole thing. It's a really, really good spooky non fiction book about ghosts that my dad got me for Christmas. Yeah that's just the kind of family I come from.


Thanks dad!!

Ok well that concludes my All Hallows Eve blog post trifecta. Hurry back, hurry back! And make sure to being your...death certificate.

All Hallows Eve part two

Ok, you asked for it (not really) so here it is. More spooky suggestions for your October. Next we have:
Movies-
Poltergeist Carolaaaaane! Probably my favorite scary movie of all time. Spooky without all the CGI. The scene where all the kitchen chairs are stacked on top of each other? Forget about it!
Poltergeist 2 and 3, optional but definitely not necessary.



"They're heeere!"

Exorcism of Emily Rose You want to kick it up a notch? Maybe throw in some demonic possession? Add based on a true story? This movie is down right scary. The unnatural movements that come with being possessed by a demon gets to me every time. It gave me nightmares (the mark of a really good horror movie.) Even looking for a picture to put on here freaked me out.




A Haunting in Connecticut Oh you want something that you'll have to turn off multiple times? This movie is terrifying. And also based on a true story. I saw it in theaters and when I got home I was so scared I called the police to check through my house before I could go in. Long story. Actually not that long, that was pretty much it. Watch it, and make sure you have someone to cuddle with that night (so you don't have to call the police.)



I got scared looking up this picture too. Maybe I shouldn't write these posts at 11pm?

My favorite Halloween movie that I can't go through October without watching 4 times and quoting incessantly is Hocus Pocus. It's so fun and you can watch it with your beebee's.



"What do you call them Max? Yabbos? Max likes your yabbos...in fact, he loves them!"

Seriously folks I could go all day.

Some other friendly spooky movies that I like are Halloween Town and...well that's it I guess.

Some other not-so-friendly spooky movies I like are Signs, Dead Silence, and all the Nightmare on Elm Street's.

That's it for...WHAT'S THAT BEHIND YOU??