Christmas Eve at Nan and Eugene's

Every year Nan and Eugene invite us Garber's to join them for Christmas Eve. We catch up about what has happened during the year, have snacks, drink Eugene's famous eggnog, and open presents. This year was special for Jerron and I because we have not been able to join the family for a couple of years because we didn't live close enough, and of course we have a new person to help carry on the tradition!

Eugene, Tom, Brandon, Nan, Jerron, Jacob, and Ethan. Nan showed me pictures of when Brandon, Jerron, and Ashlin were babies.

Ethan opening his first Christmas present, with help from Grandma Carol.

And of course he loved the box!

A xylophone!

He kept chewing on the stick

Jacob got Pokemon cards!

I was changing Ethan and he decided to crawl around naked for a few minutes

Nan got this singing snowman that sits on the floor. Ethan loved playing with it!

Jerron wanted Ethan to wear this sleeper for his first Christmas. It has pictures of monkeys eating candy canes.

Ashlin, being the good aunt that she is, brought Jacob games to play with~she knew he would be bored out of his mind!

Nan loved cuddling with Ethan! She said it was wonderful having a little one in the house again!

Meeting Ethan for the first time

Aunt Nancy, Uncle Paul, and Grandma Simon are having so much fun spending time with the boys! Jacob is spending his days playing games with everyone and doing projects with grandma. Ethan can't get enough hugs and kisses! He is meeting his extended family for the first time. They can't believe how big and active he is, I think he is wearing out Uncle Paul!

Cookie Party!

On December 23rd Grandma Simon, Aunt Nancy, and Uncle Paul flew in all the way from Arizona. Carol had a great idea for a fun project that Jacob could do with everyone, decorate cookies! I think we had 5 dozen cookies that we decorated, it was so much fun!

Jacob had a great time helping Grandma Simon and Aunt Nancy decorate their sugar cookies

Jacob and I made a Papa Brad Cookie with an Army outfit on, and a Daddy Cookie with a suit and tie.

We started to run out of ideas!

They were really yummy!

Ethan's toys

Ethan has learned to play with several of his new toys. He has learned that if he presses certain buttons that his toys light up and make noise. Just in time for Christmas! It's so cute to watch him concentrate really hard to find the button and press it.

Jacob and Ethan playing with Ethan's light up toy

You can see he is pressing the top of the toy where the button is (I think he is a lefty!)

Ethan doing a trick that Grandma taught him: if you ask Ethan how big he is he will lift up his arms as if to say "So Big!"

Grandma's play time

Carol loves spending time with the boys and the boys love spending time with her! Carol plays tickle bug with Ethan and it is so cute watching him laugh! She has taught Ethan patty cake, pat pat (Ethan will pat at someone's face), and to wave bye-bye (instead of him curling his fingers outwards he will curl them towards his face so he can make sure he is doing it right). He just loves to learn new things!

"Here comes tickle bug!"

Carol putting Ethan to sleep

"patty cake"

Our Christmas Picture Experience

You know they say that a picture can tell a thousand words, well I will always remember the story behind this year's Christmas picture. I decided to take Ethan's picture while Jacob was at school. He did a good job, but after about two good pictures he realized what I was doing and refused to smile. When Jacob got home he handed me a note from his teacher. The note said that Jacob got in trouble at school and had to sit out at recess. I made him go directly to his room with no TV and no toys. He sat in his room and cried for a half hour. I knew I needed to get the Christmas picture still because I only had one day to get cards out. So I made him sit still and take pictures, red nose and all. After an hour and a half I finally got a good one!

Jacob couldn't stop laughing

Jacob struggling to hold Ethan

When one kid would smile the other would completely look away

YAY!! Finally a great picture!

OK, we're done!

I think he deserved it!

Ethan's new obsession

Ethan is now crawling! Well, its more like an army crawl. I always have his toys out so he can get them, and he always goes for the same thing...the door stopper! He thinks it is so funny when he hits the door stopper and it makes the BOING noise. H has figured out how to get it off the wall and chew on the metal coils. I think it's so funny when he looks back at me as if to say "This is OK, right?"

Thanksgiving 2008

Don't you just love Thanksgiving!? It's a day where you don't feel guilty for eating 5,000 calories in one day, you get to spend time with family and friends, and no pressure to buy gifts! It's got to be my favorite day of the year! This year we spent the day at Tom and Carol's. Brandon, BB, Vanessa, Connor, Jeff, Joni, and Leah were there to share the day too! The food was delicious as always! After we were done eating we played Pictionary. I think Jeff and Joni have a telepathic gift because they kicked butt! Next time I think we are going to separate them! : ) The group waits for dinner

Ethan had an adorable Thanksgiving outfit on!

He loves his Papa!

The devoured turkey~it was SO good! Jacob ate a turkey leg!

The MSG is getting to Jerron, he had to take a nap!

Leah and Ethan

Best Buddies

I am so happy that Jacob is now warming up to Ethan. Yes, Ethan is seven months old and this probably should of happened a LONG time ago! I think maybe boys bond differently (actually I am probably making excuses!). Jacob now gets on the floor with Ethan and teaches Ethan how to play with toys. I love to watch Ethan's face light up whenever he sees Jacob, I know they will be best friends forever!