Christmas Is (Almost) Here!

I am so excited about Christmas this year. Chris and I aren't really doing any gifts for each other, and our family is all far away (except Uncle Ryan of course) but I am so excited for my Cyler's first Christmas. Today, Alison and the kids gave Cy some AWESOME Christmas presents and he was so excited! It was so cute to see his eyes light up when the new things were opened up...he could not get enough of it! I cannot wait until Christmas morning to see my baby get all excited. We came home from work and showed Chris all of Cy's new things and they played for a while. And then, Cy decided he was going to stay sitting on his own - for quite some time! So, we officially have an unassisted sitter! He was so thrilled to be playing with his new "gumball machine" and stacking cups that he just sat and sat and sat! So sweet to watch him literally grow and change before my eyes. Next stop...crawling!! As much as I love having him as my little baby, I am starting to sloooowly see Chris' side and can't wait to see my little baby boy turn into a big kid.
Well, back to Christmas - so tomorrow, I am making Christmas Eve dinner and Ryan and my friend Angie are coming over. We have a 21 pound turkey and I am going to keep it easy other than that...mashed taters, some veggies, a couple pies. Then, I am going to make some "Santa" cookies and the breakfast casserole for Christmas morning. Can't wait! :)

Smells like Christmas!

Wow, where has the time gone?!? I can't believe Christmas is in a couple of days! And I can't believe my Cyler is almost 5 months old! CRAZY! I am so excited about Christmas with him though....cannot WAIT to see him playing with all of that wrapping paper (and his new toys of course!). He is such a big boy now! He is sitting on his own for little bits of time, and is even hanging on to the edges of furniture and standing up when I set him down. His favorite toy right now is his Sophie Giraffe from Grammie Carol and his Razbaby teether....the kid likes to chew! He has given us a recent run for our money waking up at night...apparently this is some 4 month sleep regression that none of us are very happy about but he is such a love nonetheless. And, I can't complain, he still goes down for bed every night SO easily and when he does wake up, he just eats for a minute or takes his paci and goes right back to sleep. I still look at him at least 20 times a day and say something to the effect of "he is so wonderful" or "Chris, don't we have the most perfect baby?!" I think Chris is getting sick of my sappiness....but he IS wonderful and he IS the most perfect baby! Well, I admit, I am a BIT biased, but seriously, he is such a ball of love and I just can't get over how amazing being his mom really is.

4 months (+)

So, I have been really bad about my little blog lately! Cy is already four months old - and a couple WEEKS! He is rolling and moving and almost able to sit without our help! Where is my little newborn!? AH! So much fun! He has been going through a little growth spurt and the sleep has been a little bit...ummm...interesting! Last week he had his first Santa experience. He was verrry confused but it was a memory never the less...a very pricey memory! $24.99 just for a CD with ONE image on it. Ah, they sure know how to get the money from mommy! Oh, well, one for the scrapbook. We also put up the tree this weekend and decorated for Christmas! I love it! Christmas is absolutely my most favorite time of the year. Here is the $25 shot!:


Also, side note, I have been crazy crafting and Alison had a party to showcase my clothes and kids accessories. It went pretty well, and I am still working on some orders. Hopefully I can really get this business going...next step is putting everything on etsy to sell. Can't wait!

HE ROLLS!!

Well, my little baby is looking more like a little boy everyday! He figured out how to roll onto his tummy from his back on Saturday night and immediately flipped back over onto his back and has been flipping and flopping ever since! He is mobile and mommy was NOT ready yet! I cannot believe how much he grows and changes every single day. I am definitely cherishing every little moment with my little baby because I can tell that in the blink of an eye, he won't be a little baby anymore. Chris can't WAIT for him to be big and walking and talking, and don't get me wrong, I can't wait to see the little boy he is going to turn into, but I know that this baby phase is so short and so quick and I am loving every single little second.....even those 3 in the morning wake up calls!
He is such a happy baby and it puts a smile on my face that he literally makes everyone around him so happy. Random strangers at the grocery store or the mall are always stopping and checking him out and he smiles at everyone! It's so awesome to have such a happy baby, reassures me that Chris and I are doing a good job, I guess :).

On another note, Cyler has apparently entered into the "I only want my mom and dad" phase. Chris and I got to attend a winter gala for an organization called BOMA with some of his work colleagues and get all dressed up! Well, we left Cy with Uncle Ry and his friend, Lily, and apparently, he was not his easy-baby self. Chris and I had a great time, but when we got home well after 11pm, poor Cy was still awake and cranky! Once we got home, he was ok, but his sleep was still a little off that night. Apparently, Lily was a Godsend and I know Ry has a ton of patience, so I think it was alright, I just wish he had slept a little longer than normal.

On yet ANOTHER note, I have always hated the fact that people screw up my name. I would say 9.9 times out of 10, people think my name is Michelle, not Rachelle, and the other 1% of the time, people think my name is ROchelle....and when they read it, they say "Rachel." It has always been annoying, hence going by "Chelle." Well, I don't know how I missed this in naming Cyler, but apparently, he has this naming issue as well. First time I saw this in action was at his 1 month check up, when the doctor actually called him "Cycle." Really? Cycle?! Ugh. Then, I have people (like the insurance lady on the phone) who read it as "Kyler". Now, whenever I tell someone what his name is, they think I am saying "Skylar" or "Tyler". :( Bummer. Oh well, I love his name, and like calling him "Cy" which seems to be easier for nimrods to figure out....I hope :).

Catching up!

Time seems to be slipping away from me lately. Things are getting hectic! Cyler had his first Halloween and was (in my biased opinion) THE cutest little monkey I have EVER seen! Just look:



And another one with Mommy and Daddy!:



Now that Halloween is over, Thanksgiving and Christmas seem to be so close! I am going to have to be a busy bee in the next couple of weeks! Alison is being so so generous and is hosting a "Holiday Open House" at her house the weekend after Thanksgiving. I am bringing all of my clothes and bows and goodies to sell and hopefully get some custom orders to get a little extra moolah for Christmas and also get my little business a jump start. I cannot wait to open my etsy store!
Also, next weekend, we are going to a black tie event for BOMA with some of Chris' coworkers and colleagues. Uncle Ryan is goign to babysit Cy for us and I am way excited to get out of the house and get all dressed up! Now all I need to do is to find a dress to fit my booty right now! haha. I AM down to my pre-pregnancy weight, but I definitely have some pounds to lose, and since aving Cy, my body is definitely holding its weight much differently, so not much is really fitting me well right now. So, along with work and school and getting my business up and running, I have started working out with a personal trainer two days a week and do cardio two other days a week after work. It already feels good to be trying to get healthy again - it has been a LONG time since I have really been at a good weight for myself and I can't wait to go shopping for new clothes at the end of it all. Shopping is ZERO fun when you think your body looks like crap! haha Anyway - wish me luck in all these crazy endeavors! :)
Wish me luck!

3 Months old?!? How can it be?

My little love is already 3 months old! I cannot believe how fast time is flying. He seems like such a big boy now - definitely grew out of the newborn stage. He is "talking" like crazy to everyone around and HATES to be laying down. Now that he has learned about holding our hands to sit up or stand, he is always trying to get himself upright. He is growing out of his clothes SO fast and I can only imagine how much he weighs now. He feels so heavy to me. He is grabbing at his toys and especially loves his whoozit and this one ring rattle that he just shakes around constantly. He still loves his swing and is now more into his bouncy seat too. Every time we put him in there he SCREAMS and then we look at him and realize he has a huge grin on his face and is having a ball. His other new "trick" is spinning himself around on the floor. I will set him on his playmat and walk awat or turn around, and when I come back, he has done some 180 degree pivot or is off the mat altogether! haha.
He is still a decent sleeper and even though he still wakes up once and then is up at the crack of dawn, I am ok with that, because bedtime is so easy for us. Every night we get him fed, change him, get him in his jammies, read a story, swaddle him up, kiss him goodnight, set him in bed, and that is that. He puts himself to sleep with zero fuss and has since birth - how lucky are we?! I am thoroughly enjoying it because I know that bedtime won't always be this blissful. And every morning is always so nice. Even if I am insanely exhausted and can't believe he wants me to be awake at 6am, he always has the BIGGEST smile on his face and just wants to cuddle up with mommy in bed. Every day he seems to get stronger and smarter and more like a real live person (haha) and it is so so SO fun to watch him change. It does make me a little sad that he isn't that tiny sleepy immobile baby anymore but seeing him grow up already has been incredible. I think Chris is getting sick of me saying "Chris, we have such a perfect little baby," every single day.

Update!

Omigoodness, its been a while! Things have been crazy since I have been back at work - time is just flying by it seems! Well, Cy is turning into such a little "person"! Everyday, he seems to get stronger and smarter. He smiles all day long and is starting to be a lot more finnicky. When he eats, everything little thing ticks him off, but when he sleeps, nothing can wake him and he is doing great at night! YAY! He also is loving "sitting up" - especially with chris. the two of them practice "sit-ups" everyday and he gets this huge grin on his face like "woah, did you see that?? how cool am i?!?" I love it. He is growing out of all of his 3 month clothes and today is already 12 weeks old! Cannot believe it. Where did the time go?!