Brad at eight weeks

This one is just for me, so that I can remember what Brad was like as a newborn. I don't expect anyone else to want to listen to this video. Basically, around 6 weeks or so, Josh and I began to suspect that Brad might be colicky. Every night around 9 he would just be very fussy and there wasn't much we could do for him. I nicknamed him Cranky McFussypants, and he was. It wasn't just at night, it would happen often during the day as well. I knew (hoped!) he'd grow out of it eventually, and I didn't want to forget (well maybe I do) what we went through with him, because neither of us remember Luke ever being like that and maybe we just forgot what a newborn was like. But our recollections of Luke are that he was a really easy laid back baby from the beginning. Brad has been much more emotional, and by that I mean he gets madder and fussier than Luke ever did, but he is also a very happy baby too. Currently at 4 months old he is so smiley and laughs easily, it definitely makes up for the crankiness! Anyway, when Brad was 8 weeks old, I shot this video of him crying in the little seat. This is a glimpse of what I listened too much of the day at this age, nothing I did or didn't do helped him, unless I carried him around all day which just wasn't possible :(

Will it be this year?

Will it be this year that Luke will sit in Santa's lap?

Well, he didn't want to sit in his lap when Santa went to his school this year, so we weren't planning on trying the mall Santa. We did go to the mall to look at the Christmas decorations and while we were there Luke was really interested in Santa, but we didn't have him dressed cute enough in my opinion for a photo right then. So we told Luke we'd come back later in the week and see Santa.

Pictures from our first trip to the mall
Luke and Daddy by the big tree



Brad


Luke looking at Santa



So we got the boys dressed for a picture with Santa and went back on a Wednesday evening. Originally we weren't going to have Brad's picture taken with Santa since he was so little, but I had a suspicion that Luke might change his mind and I didn't want to have waited in line for nothing, someone was getting their picture with Santa. We lucked out in that there was no line to see Santa!
So what do you think, how many children will be in the photo with Santa this year???




Yep, just as we thought, only Brad :) Maybe next year!

The making of a Christmas card

back to playing catch up...

This year's Christmas card. Since we finally got a tree in our house, I thought taking pictures of the boys in front of it might make a cute card/birth announcement for Brad.

I had Luke do some test shots





Luke holding Brad



Maybe Luke in a hat and Brad in a stocking would be cute...





tried a close-up



Brad finally looks at the camera



Brad decides to take a nibble of Luke's arm





sweet pictures





Brad starts sliding



the Christmas card winners are:







Then I had many issues with the Walgreen's photo nearest us in getting these printed. I don't want to relive that experience so I won't write about it here, but lets just say that if you didn't receive a card (and I have your address) it has everything to do with that experience.

Happy Valentine's Day

A rare break from the catch up to post something from the present, as in today!
A couple of pictures I took this morning of the boys before we took Luke to school.
Happy Valentine's Day everyone. My gift this morning from Brad was a full night of sleep! He slept from 9pm to 7:15 am, his personal record :) Thanks Brad, it is just what your mommy needed to help her get over this darn cold I've have.

getting a Christmas tree

I must admit, we haven't put up a Christmas tree in our own house since 2004. That is when Josh and I were living in Tampa and was also the last year that we haven't had to travel for the Holidays. When we moved to Birmingham in 2005, we just didn't see the point of putting up a tree when we were going to be gone for Christmas. So finally this year, even though we traveled to FL again, I felt Luke was old enough to enjoy the process of picking out and decorating a tree and I was in the Christmas decorating spirit so the Saturday after Thanksgiving my parents watched Brad so Josh, Luke, and me could go pick out a tree.

We went to a church that is a couple of miles from us that had a large selection of trees. It turned out to be quite an adventure. As soon as we got out of the car and were getting ready to walk down the hill to the tree farm, a lady was trying to get into her car next to us, all of a sudden her car began rolling down the hill, directly toward the big tent that was set up housing the wreaths as well as where you went to pay for your tree. It all happened in slow motion it seems, both Josh and me were holding Luke's hand and kind of staring in disbelief. The lady had a little dog on a leash and was fumbling with her keys trying to get into the car to stop it but she couldn't. A couple of the guys working the tree farm rushed over but it was too late, her Range Rover was gone. It crashed into the tent, thankfully no one was in that section of the tent at that time so no one was hurt. It is a mystery what happened because the tree farm worker who got into her car to drive it out told us that her car was in park when he got in to move it. So we are very diligent now about using our parking break! We were a little afraid that this might scare Luke, as many things do these days, but he only mentioned it once later that day and hasn't said anything about it again.

Anyway, after all the excitement, we did pick out a tree.

Mommy and Luke



Daddy and Luke



The tree decorating process



Luke and Brad watching Daddy



Almost done, Luke actually had a good time helping with the lights and putting on ornaments.



The finished tree :) It was so nice to have a tree again. We enjoyed the smell and the lighted tree this year.

Black Friday Purchase

Since Josh's time for going to the gym has been limited due to work and having kids, we went out shopping on black friday (in the afternoon, we weren't there for the doorbusters!) and purchased a treadmill.
Josh and our dads put it together and Josh has used it quite a bit.



Me, not so much. But I am happy to report that I did get on it for the first time 3 days ago, so I am probably good for another few months...

Thanksgiving

It was wonderful to have both of our parents and Josh's grandparents join us for Thanksgiving this year in Atlanta. With a one month old we were very happy to have family come to us again this year. Thankfully, we are in our rental house and had room for the company!
Some pictures to remember the week! (I had the camera in some strange setting so the pictures don't look right).

Josh's parents came up for the whole week and his mom and grandma put together a wonderful Thanksgiving meal. His grandparents joined us on Tuesday and my parents were able to get here Wednesday and stayed through Sunday after Thanksgiving.

Grammy with a smiling Brad



Brad in his handsome sweater hand made for him by my Aunt Lynn



A comparison of Brad and Luke wearing the same Thanksgiving outfit

Brad, Thanksgiving 2010



Luke, Thanksgiving 2007



The table set-up for Thanksgiving. I didn't get a shot with all the food, but at least I have proof that my fine china does occasionally get used!



Josh's Dad turned 60 on Thanksgiving day so there was a birthday cake and celebration of course!



Haven't seen Noah on the blog in a while, here is what he was up to on Thanksgiving day...not much different than usual!



Luke, sporting his black eye, with his Nana. He got the black eye after running around in the basement and tripped and fell into the coffee table hitting his cheek. He had a red spot on his cheek for a day or two and then a black eye appeared. I had to delay our Christmas card photo until it healed up a little bit :)



Great grandpa and great grandma with Brad



cutie pie Brad



I just love Luke's face in this picture



Gator game time, dad with his boys!

Brad at 1 month old

I tried to take a 1 month old picture of Brad, but I wasn't able to get a great shot. Here he is at 1 month old.





For comparison (to see the dominance of the Elliott genes), here is a picture of Josh at 1 month



and Luke at one month



yes, Brad looks more like Josh than Luke, if that is possible :)

Thanksgiving Program

Luke's preschool had a Thanksgiving program the friday before Thanksgiving. The place was packed full of parents and grandparents! Since I had Brad with me I didn't want to sit too close in case I had to step out with him, this also meant that I didn't get very clear video of the performance but you can pick Luke out. If you have trouble finding him, he is the one that keeps lifting up his shirt!

Playground

In mid-November, Ben, one of Luke's friends from school had a birthday party at Stone Mountain's playground. We have been to Stone Mountain a couple of times since moving here, but we never knew there was a (free once inside) playground. This playground was great and really big. It was one of our first family outings with Brad, who was 3 weeks old. I wasn't sure if I'd be up to going, but the weather was great that day and I needed to get out of the house so we all went.

First, a little game of where's Luke...







Brad chillin in the car seat



Ben's grandma (touching Luke in this picture) kindly offered to hold Brad so I could eat lunch :)



This is the preschool crew, Luke, Oliver, and Alec (Ben is across the table in the picture above). These 4 boys were in the same class last year and although Alec has moved up a class these 4 still remain good friends and we have really enjoyed getting to know their parents. We are really pleased with Luke's school.



Me and Brad, man was I looking tired!



Once it warms up again here we'll have to take Luke back to this playground, he loved it!