Thanksgiving 2013

This year was our first time celebrating the holidays as a family of 3 and there is something about having a little one around again that makes everything more exciting. I love the thought of including Liam in both the Branch and Wright traditions as well as making our own traditions for our growing family!

We were able to do Thanksgiving in Raleigh and Concord this year with ALL of our immediate family there from both sides! We started off on Thanksgiving Day with my side at my parents house. Jamie was in from Mississippi and Caroline and Will came in town from VA Beach! It was so fun to have 2 new family members there - 2 Williams I might add - this year!

After wrapping up lunch, the annual basketball game(s), and lots of catching up with the Elkins family, we headed to Concord for round 2!

We got to spend lots of good time with cousins, played games, went shopping, watched football, and ate sinful amounts of delicious food - a pretty typical weekend at the Wright house :)

:: recap ::

Here's a quick recap of what we've been up to this Fall: 

1. Weekend Trip to Boone, NC: 

2. Visiting Uncle Graham & Aunt Laney at their new home in Pinnacle, NC aka The Shire

3. Brevard for Nan's birthday and Halloween

4. Special Date Night with my Soul Sisters

 5. Celebrating Ben's 27th Birthday

 

Dear Liam :: 11 Months

Liam, you turned 11 months old on December 16th! This was a full month with celebrating birthdays, holidays, and a new house for our family! After living with Big Jim and Zuzu for about 2 and a half months, we finally moved into our new home the very last week of your 11th month.

:: Feeding :: 

We are still supplementing with formula and since we will be traveling to a wedding in Nashville after Christmas, which will be our first time leaving you, we are preparing to wean! It's so crazy that after feeling ready to be done with breastfeeding for a few months now, as I prepare to stop, I'm feeling sad! I think it's mostly because I'm realizing you are not a little baby anymore :(

To get ready for our trip, I've been replacing 1 feeding a week with a bottle of formula. You actually love getting a bottle - I think because you are definitely getting more formula than you would be getting from my breast milk. Right now we are up to 2 bottle feedings with 2 more to drop before the trip.

You are getting way better about eating solid food by yourself now, praiiiise the Lord! You love sitting in your high chair, eating, and chatting it up with me, daddy, or Zuzu. You have been feeding yourself mostly butternut squash, sweet potato, peas, carrots, and bananas. A new favorite this month has been cottage cheese - by itself, with blueberries, avocados - whatever you just love it!

:: Sleeping :: 

You have slept really well at Big Jim and Zuzu's for the most part. Over night you are definitely still a champ. The only times you put up a fight are when you hear the dogs running around barking while you're trying to nap, or if you are feeling like you are missing out on something. This mostly happens during the afternoon nap. We are trying to stay strong and not let you dictate your nap schedule but sometimes we just have those days where we surrender and rock you the whole time you nap...which if I'm being honest is so sweet because we're all having trouble letting go of the baby phase!

Moving into our new house this week, the afternoon nap struggle continued the first few days. I'm thinking it might have something to do with how bright your new room is during the day. After a few days, you started going to sleep like normal again. We're all allowed a little time to adjust :). 

:: Fun Things :: 

- On November 18th, you started taking your first steps! It was so special to be able to catch it on camera with me, your daddy, Big Jim, and Zuzu all there to witness! Since then, you've taken off! We can't take our eyes off of you because you are into EVERYTHING and have NO fear!

-You finally got those top 2 teeth in and it was a hard couple of days while they were trying to come through. Now that they're in, we see why...hello chompers! I hate to tell you but I think you've inherited your moms buck/gapped front teeth. 

- You have finally started to love to snuggle! We will ask you to give a snuggle or a hug or some love and you lay your head down on us, or your favorite - giraffe.

- All things Christmas are your favorite - the lights, the music, the decorations, you love it all! 

-Riley still loves you back, Amos is still tolerating :) 

- You have started mimicking facial expressions and love trying to make us laugh with a new face: 

You scrunch up your nose, squint your eyes,  and start breathing fast - I think you're trying to snort like a pig? Whatever you're doing its hilarious and always makes me laugh when we're trying to put you down for a nap and you start doing that over and over...smart boy!

-You still love songs with motions and games like peek a boo.

-Our new house has stairs and they are endless entertainment for you...I follow you up and down the stairs ALL day long. We do have to get some baby gates ASAP though, because you've rolled down them a few times (I promise I'm not ignoring you) and you're still not scared to continue launching yourself down them...help me Lord.

-We are still loving to guess who you are going to be one day, and more than ever, this month it feels like you are a little boy - a curious, busy, wild, sweet, snuggly, talkative little boy!

Dear Liam :: 10 Months

Happy 10 months Liam boy! This month was a big month of change for you and for our family. Our house sold last month and we still have no idea where we will be living - oops! Until we figure it out, we are going to be living with Big Jim and ZuZu. 

We moved into their house at the beginning of this month and we are so thankful for their generosity and willingness to live with our family of 3...sorry 5 (dogs came too). You are in heaven getting so much attention and love from your grandparents. Our favorite times of the day are waking up and showing off all of your toys while Zuzu and your mom drink coffee and running to the door WITH ALL 5 OF THE DOGS (did I mention your grandparents were saints??) when daddy and Big Jim come home. 

:: Feeding :: 

You are still nursing around every 4 hours but since the doctor suggested that we start supplementing a little bit, we have added some formula to a few of your feedings. It was hilarious to watch you drink a bottle and realize it wasn't what you were used to. You would start drinking, pull it away from your mouth and glare at it, and keep drinking. You would do it over and over until you finished for the first few bottles. After that, you were fine with it! We've only been giving you formula if I need to go somewhere and Zuzu is babysitting, but it's a relief to know that we have that as an option now!

We are still working on finger foods, we've started offering you more fruits and vegetables as finger foods instead of purees, but it's been a hard sell! You are still pretty insistent on being fed with a spoon unless its Cheerios or Puffs. We'll get there! 

:: Sleeping ::

There was a little transition period when we moved into the grandparents house that you put up a fight going down for naps. After a week or so, we figured it out and you are really comfortable in your new room now! 

The only big change has been dropping your 3rd nap, which you really did by yourself. You are loving having the longer afternoons and so am I! We are actually able to leave the house for an extended period of time and it's been really fun! 

:: Fun Things :: 

-By far your favorite thing to do is to point at the Vitamix, watch it blend a smoothie, and imitate the noise it makes. You literally do this 10 times a day and it is hilarious!

-You are working on getting your top 2 teeth in. It's been drool city over here and your poor gums are super swollen - I hope they come on in soon!

-You love opening and shutting cabinet doors and the shutters on the windows.

-You squeal and scream with the biggest smile on your face when you are running around with your walker!

-You are able to stand pretty well by yourself now and love to clap and dance at ALL times.

 -You're not quite taking steps by yourself yet, but you walk along the couch to the ottoman and all over the house as long as you have something or someone to hold on to.

-Your personality is coming out big time, you are still really cautious of people and don't want many people to hold you, but you LOVE showing off for them.
You babble and dance and clap constantly.
You love other kids.
It's pretty clear that you are going to be a strong willed little thing (wonder where you get that from) - you definitely let us know when you don't want something!

You are really coming into your own and we are loving getting to be a part of it all - the good, the bad, the funny, the frustrating - it's all grace and our hearts are FULL.