Christmas time!

Christmas morning looked and felt a lot different this year. We decided to stay home this year again and not travel like we did last year. Last year we could not travel because I was very very pregnant. This year we decided not to travel because Joe had just gotten back from his mission to Africa about 3 weeks prior to Christmas and me and Owen just returned from California about 4 weeks prior. It was weird again not waking up at my parents and doing all the normal Christmas traditions I have grown up doing really up until 2 years ago, but there has been something cool about last year when it was just me Joe and Charlie (and baby Owen in the tummy) here. It was peaceful and allowed Joe and I to really focus on on little family that was about to blossom. This year was special because we did have Owen here! We have had here with us for nearly a whole year!!! We had our friend Peter, who's parents we support in Africa, stay with us on Christmas Eve and open presents with us that next morning. It was a wonderful time! We all cooked breakfast together and were very lazy!

Later that morning Joe and I got the food prepared for our big Christmas Orphan dinner. We hosted a big dinner at our house for close friends who also did not have family here locally. it was so much fun!! We cooked a turkey for the first time and it was very tasty!! We also did a white elephant gift exchange. We ate and laughed a lot and were so happy to open home to these wonderful friends!

We did miss our families from California, Oregon, Kentucky, Arizona, and Washington...but our thoughts were with all and love you much!

Hello Santa!

We took O to see Santa Saturday night. Joe and I had a lot of fun doing so!! I never thought I would have so much doing anything like that, especially with a baby only 10 months old. Owen was such a good sport and looked so stinkin' cute so that could have had something to do with it! We went to the local Smyrna Santa that allows families to donate for a picture with Santa and also let's you bring your own camera!

1st haircut!!!

Before the scissors came out!

This afternoon Joe and I took Owen to get his first hair cut. We took him to a place that is very kid friendly and he seemed to enjoy it. He liked playing in the toy room while waiting his turn. And when it was his turn for his cut, he really liked sitting in the air plane chair and eating animal crackers. Joe was apprehensive about the process, but we are both happy with the end result. He looks like such the big boy he turning into!



When the process started...





My Handsome BIG boy!

Sleepy time with Auntie!

It's what they do!! I was going to post the most recent picture of Owen and my sister napping together with my other California pictures, but I decided it deserved it's very own post. It's their tradition in the last 10 months of his life, and whenever they see each other it happens...they nap together. It's soooo sweet and precious. When he was 1 week old I caught her! She had stolen him from his pack n play from my room and had her him in bed with her. They slept peacefully and that's where it all started...


Feb. 08 (Owen 1 week old) in Atlanta, when Auntie came to meet her nugget!


June 08 (Owen 3.5 months old) In CA for Kim's wedding!!!





November 08 (Owen 9.5 months old) In CA visiting for Thanksgiving.

Double Digits

He is 10 months. Almost 1 year old and I cannot believe it! He is growing so fast, and so big these days. My little man is getting taller and feels heavier to me-especially in the last few days. And, his hair...it needs to be trimmed bad! Joe and I are not seeing eye to eye on that one. I don't want to cut a bunch of hair off, in fact I love it when little guys have mop hair, but it just needs to be shaped up. It's all pointy on his forehead and flipping up in the back. It's time I tell you, it's time!!! Owen is loving eating strawberries now and pancakes too! He is wanting to say words. Joe taught him how to somewhat say "hot" he mainly got it but it come out more like "ot". Joe was drinking his coffee and O was reaching for it and that's where that came from. He still babbles "da da da" ALL the time and imitates a dog when he hears one barking. He is getting faster and faster with his crawling, but no REAL interest in walking. We are really having fun with him and cannot wait to see what this next month brings us!

Oh, Christmas Tree...

This past weekend our little family put a Christmas tree. We ended up taking a friend's artificial tree this year due to Joe getting home from Africa so close to Christmas. The expense of a real tree just did not make sense for 10 days of being up. It's nice but, Joe and I both miss having a real tree. It was still fun playing Christmas music and having Owen "help" out with the lights and what not. It will be something I always will remember. Here are some pictures of us decorating the tree as a family of three!!!!

MILK

Owen did it! I came home the other day from the grocery store, I think, and Joe told me Owen did the sign for milk! This is huge for us!! We have signed milk to him almost everyday, multiple times a day since he was about 2 months old. We never called his bottle his bottle to him, nor told him it was his "ba ba" we just always said "milk" and did the sign along with it. We did not want any confusion. This evening when I made his bottle and grabbed it and went to the chair to feed it to him, he started doing the sign with both hands like crazy!! I was so proud, and so so happy it is working. We have been working on the signs for please, thank you, and more for the past few weeks. I will let you know how those pan out and if he picks up on those...so far so good, for my 10 month old genius baby ;-)

Cleaning up.

This afternoon The Braun's did much needed yard work and cleaning up of outside. It was a beautiful chilly day so we took advantage of it before it started raining again. By the way...I had a lot of fun being outside with my family. Although, I will say I am glad we will not have to rake for a long while...I have a HUGE blister on my hand! Owen was very good. He just hung out in the stroller and played with toys. He LOVES to be outside and he loved watching Joe and I rake, sweep and blow the yard. Oh, and Charlie was in doggie heaven too!

Sleepy time with Auntie!

It's what they do!! I was going to post the most recent picture of Owen and my sister napping together with my other California pictures, but I decided it deserved it's very own post. It's their tradition in the last 10 months of his life, and whenever they see each other it happens...they nap together. It's soooo sweet and precious. When he was 1 week old I caught her! She had stolen him from his pack n play from my room and had her him in bed with her. They slept peacefully and that's where it all started...


Feb. 08 (Owen 1 week old) in Atlanta, when Auntie came to meet her nugget!


June 08 (Owen 3.5 months old) In CA for Kim's wedding!!!





November 08 (Owen 9.5 months old) In CA visiting for Thanksgiving.

Favorite people and memories from California!

Exactly...

I have been having a hard time getting into the Christmas Spirit. By Christmas Spirit I mean wanting to shop, and decorating my house. Apparently in service on Sunday morning this video was shown. I was in the nursery, so I didn't see it for myself until just now. At first thought my feelings came from the fact Joe wasn't here with us, but after really thinking and talking about things with friends I realized it was much much more. Christmas isn't about buying tons and tons of gifts. It's not about having all sorts of Christmas decorations all over my house, and feeling bad if I don't have enough of them! I hate what Christmas has become! Then I stumbled on this video on my friend Nicole's blog. And it just summed up a lot of what I am feeling. I hope you enjoy!

Turkey, Cheese, Waffles oh My!

My little guy is eating more table foods every day and it's so weird to me! As many of you may know with every new stage we embark I kinda "freak" out until I get used to it. I think that's how I just do life though...I have issues! =)

He is now eating waffles in the morning as a breakfast food. For lunch today he had about half of a slice of turkey lunch meat with some cheese. I tried giving him some cottage cheese, but he was not having that! He still drinks his bottles, but he is eating more "meal" type of things and drinking a little bit less milk. This whole him eating more real food is really challenging me in the way Joe and I will be eating. I really feel like we need to change a lot of things about out diet and be more concious about what and how we eat. That will be my new goal for the next few months that I want to tackle! Wish me luck....

Friends.

I have some good ones! I'm a very lucky girl. I have many wonderful friends in my life whom I cherish dearly. If I don't tell you you enough I love you all very much!

Yesterday my sweet friend Ann offered to keep Owen for me for a few hours. She wanted me to have some good "Jen time" She knows how emotionally drained I have been since Joe has been away and not to mention physically drained as well! So, I let her take him for a few hours (which turned into more because he ended up napping over there and she told me to take advantage of it!) From what she says he was a good boy who loved playing with her son Logan and with Logan's new and exciting toys! Me on the other hand went and played at my favorite place...TARGET!!! I roamed each and every aisle at my leisure. I then headed over to this very cute boutique store called Love Street. I enjoyed looking at all the Christmas decor without pushing a stroller or saying "No touch Owen". After going to Love Street I headed to my house and did some cleaning in prep for Joe coming home. It was nice. It was peaceful. When I went to pick Owen up at Ann's he was still sleeping, but woke up shortly after I got there. So, I went to go get him and he was soooooo happy to see me (as was I) I love my sweet boy, but I enjoyed my "Jen time" too!

Sunday after church my friend Jessica picked Owen up and took him to the park. She took him to see the ducks and to play outside for a little bit. After the park they headed back to her house and Owen got play with Bubba-her dog! He loves dogs, so he was very happy! I got to nap and take a bath so I was very happy too!

When I was in California I was talking to my dad about some friends, and he told me how proud he was of Joe and I for the selection of friends we have choosen over the years. He went on saying how we have always made good choices on who we surrounded ourselves with and I couldn't agree more! I love all of my friends...from California, Colorado to Georgia...we are VERY blessed!

2 more days!

2 more days! 2 more days is all I have to keep telling myself. It's been a hard almost three weeks away from my husband and in 2 more days he will be back home with me and Owen, and we can't wait!

Owen and I had a great time in California. We got to visit with a lot of friends and family, but I still didn't get to see all the people I wanted to see. it was hard with Owen this time around. He is so MUCH MORE mobile than he was the last time were out to visit. Plus, Joe was not there with me, so I was tired and just wanted to stay very local. I feel bad though because I did not get to say good bye to a lot of very close people! (sorry guys!!) The flight back to Atlanta was much better than the flight to California. Owen was tired and slept much better. He did have his moments, but overall he did great for an almost 10 month old!

I am so looking forward to Joe coming home. We will be taking Owen to see Santa Claus for the first time! We also plan to get our Christmas tree. It is our tradition to get a sad looking Charlie Brown tree, but we will see what we get this year! It will be good to be back together and start making our own Christmas traditions! Ahhhhh 2 more days!