Happy Halloween!

Kerry with Jake (11 months), Kristen with Reed (10 months), Me with Conor (10 months)

He is like "raaa - why is sasha wearing that"

Sweetest little giraffe in the world!

We had a wonderful, low key halloween at home. We went to Olivia's 2nd bday party during the day, where Conor sported his "i love my mummy" onesie from Aunt Dee. Then dressed up as a giraffe to hand out candy. The other two boys that are Conor's age that live on our street stopped by, then it was lights out for a tired little giraffe.

a BIG Mess & the Pumpkin Patch

While I was feeding Conor last night he kept grabbing the spoon and wanted to feed himself. So I decided to strip him down and have at it! He had a blast finger painting his dinner all over his tray and eating off his own spoon. What a big messy boy! It was straight to the bath after that!

Today we went to the pumpkin patch to pick out Conor's first Halloween pumpkin. He wasn't really sure what these big orange balls were for, but he seemed to enjoy the fresh air and sunshine. We found the perfect little squatty pumpkin to carve. Then headed over to Louis Pappa's for lunch and strolled around Lakeside Village until little munchie was ready for his afternoon nap. Ahh, why do Sundays have to end...

Back from Vacation, Bittersweet...

So we are finally back from our 2 week mega vacation. I mean, I must have been crazy to plan a trip around the country (alright, just up the eastern seaboard) with a ten month old, right? Well, as crazy as it was, it was just as much fun. I was worried about how Conor would travel, but to my wonderful suprise, he did great! He slept the first 5 hour leg of the car ride to Georgia since we left Lakeland at his bedtime. We stayed overnight in a hotel then got up the next morning and finished our commute to Raleigh. He slept and watched dvds and ate snacks. We got to spend one night at our friends' house before boarding a plane on Friday morning bound for Boston. Conor was amazing on his first airplane ride. He played with the window shade, chewed on a pack of cookies, then finally nursed and dozed off as the plane was landing. The air pressure didn't seem to bother him at all. Once we got to Providence and checked into our fabulous 5 diamond hotel, The Renaissance Marriot, we ordered delicious room service of grilled cheese with avacado, tomato and bacon! Then we walked next door to the Providence Place Mall to shop around. The next day, there was a breast cancer walk going on downtown. We walked around outside in the cool crisp Rhode Island fall air before getting ready to go to my oldest friend in the world, Stacy's wedding. Conor looked so cute all dressed up in his shirt and tie.

The next day, Conor got to meet my dad, his Pop Pop for the very first time. He got lots of cool gifts from Pop Pop: a Yankees onesie and teddy bear and a Rhode Island dune buggy piggy bank already stuffed with money! Then we all went to Newport for a beautiful day of shopping and lunch.

Next, back on the plane to Raleigh to start our traditional NC October vacation. Conor was a good sport until the end of the plane ride when the air kicked off and it was about 95 degrees on the plane, yikes! Thankfully some lovely ladies behind us helped to keep the little man entertained.

Once we got back to NC, we spend a few days with our dear friends and old neighbors catching up and visiting some of our favorite old spots. Then, on Thursday morning we headed over to our favorite town Blowing Rock. Once again, the cabin (or I should say mansion) that Ren's mom rented blew us away. The driveway was a bit scary, but well worth the trek. I could have just stayed there the whole time. But of course, we had to venture out to the shops and wonderful restaurants the area has to offer. Conor was a trooper and did great with all of the traveling and changes of scenery. Here is a list of all of his "firsts" from our first family vacation:

1. Cut his first tooth

2. Took his first airplane ride

3. Started waving

4. Saw his first snow

5. Started saying "hi-ya!" like a karate kid

6. Met his Pop Pop for the first time

7. Drank coffee (oh yes, Ren was "watching" him and Jilli only to turn around and find Conor with a coffee cup turned up sucking it down, something he doesn't even do with a sippy cup! His little breath even smelled like coffee! Luckily it wasn't hot anymore!)

He did have a little trouble sleeping as well as he usually does (he was up more in the night than he normally would be), but other than that it was perfect. Overall the trip was a BLAST and I wouldn't change anything. I feel so blessed to have been able to do this. Upon returning home, it is nice to be settled again and getting back into our routine, but I feel that pang of sadness knowing that I got to spend every day for the past two weeks with my baby and now I have to leave him again to go back to work. I just have to remember to enjoy every moment I have with him, because I know the time will only go by faster and faster.

Vacation, Here We Come!

As I run around packing everything for our upcoming vacation, I can't help but to reflect on the past 9 1/2 months. When Conor was first born, and our world was turned upside down, I would often think about our annual North Carolina trip and how much fun it would be this year to bring our new baby with us. It would be a calming thought on the sleepless nights and tiring days of trying to entertain a very needy little baby. It would be an exciting thought as I watched him grow, change and become more independent... how he was going to enjoy his first trip of many to the mountains. I would think to myself "I can't believe he will be crawling and babbling when we go on our trip this year". It seemed like he would never be more than a little newborn helpless in our arms. And now it is actually here and he is doing all the things I thought he would and more.

Now that we have added an addition to our vacation (flying to RI first for a wedding) I am even more frantic planning for what I call our mega-vacation. Driving to Raleigh, NC, flying to RI & back to NC. Then driving over to Blowing Rock and then driving back home, whew! But it will all be worth it. I can't wait for our first adventure as a family.

Here are some recent shots and video of Conor crawling. I love him so much and so much more with every day that passes, I just can't get enough of him!